Warehouse
Gears, Spike, Woodfire
0700 hours, December 10, 2010

It had been nine days since Scootaloo and gloom found the intel. Over the past couple days everyone was on eggy. They didn’t have much time. Spike, Chrysalis and the rest of the team have been trying to scrape anything together to no avail. They found nothing, and now they are just praying that the USB can help them.

Gears was woken up by Spike. He was here to redress his wound. “Hay Gears, how are you holding up?” Spike asked his friend.

“I’m fine but this just fuckin sucks,” Gears said gesturing to his leg

“Yeah...I’ve been a shitty friend to you haven’t I.” spike said taking off gears’ dirty bandages

“Why do you say that?” Gears asked, surprised that Spike would say that.

“Because I went with you putting everything aside for a bet, you were pissed off and I sent you with a mare who you only know for two months and a changeling who we can hardly trust.” Spike said as he put on fresh bandages on Gears’ leg.

“One, I can fairly say we can trust Scootaloo.” Gears said.

“Which head told you that.” Spike said with a mischievous grin on his face

“Fuck off, and second gray or gloom. Whatever he preferred saved my ass, so I think the team was fine, at least better if I wasn't on it.” Gears said looking down.

“Now don't say that sure you fucked up, but this is the exception, not the rule.” Spike said try to reassure him.

“Thanks Spike, now come on we got to see if Woodfire is done decrypting that USB.” Gears said walking up to Woodfire Spike close behind.

“Hey man, how's the leg.” Woodfire said

“Hurts like hell, but I’ll manage.” Gears said.

“Did you manage to decrypt it yet?” Spike asked.

“Yes and no, yes we found Gilda, no, because we don’t have her location yet.” Woodfire said

“How is that?” Spike asked

“The file is split. It has everyone in the personnel file, IDs and where they are, but the coordinates are on a different file that I don’t have access to yet.” Woodfire said

“Where is Gilda anyway.” Gears asked

“Why is this important?” Spike asked.

“Because of a file, we found it with the USB.” Gears said

“It only has a list of buildings, how can that help us.” Spike said

“We can find where she is before wasting are time with the USB for another nine days” Gears said

“we will look at it.” Spike said have no other option.

A couple hours later

“I think I got it.” Gears said with enthusiasm

“Hate to break it to gears but none of these are locations.” Scootaloo said

“No, if you look at the words you can kinda see some are more emphasized than others.” Gears said

“He's right, mom always taught me that if it's a puzzle, then look for the more subtle differences.” Spike said

Gears started to write down the words that had emphasis. Spike on the other hand went to bring the black board so gears doesn’t have to walk all the way. As soon as he finished, gears walked to the board which was three steps because of Spike moving it. He put it on the board then. Gears saw the full picture, and he didn’t understand it. “Fuck” Gears said disheartened

“No, you close gears we just don't have all the pieces.” Spike said.

“We can try one of her lieutenants for the rest.” Woodfire recommend

“Yeah, we do that, we’re so close we can do this.” Spike said

“Get one of their areas and were to moving on it Scoot with me.” Gears said then he fell down as he stood up. Gears felt pain in his leg but tried to get up anyway then he was stopped by Spike.

“I think you should sit this one out.” Spike said helping gears stand up.

“I’m fine.” Gears said

“You just fell, be lucky you didn’t open your wound.” Spike said

“Fine” Gears said annoyed

“Scootaloo you with me” Spike ordered.

Froud Valley
Spike, and Scootaloo
0800 hours, December 13,2010

It had been two days since Spike and gears had found one half of the this puzzle. Spike and Scootaloo were sent to retrieve anything that a lieutenant, one of Gilda’s, might have. At the moment spike and Scootaloo have been waiting for a convoy that has food for the lieutenant.

“Spike” Scootaloo said

“What” Spike respond

“Nothing nevermind.” Scootaloo said

“If your tired of not talking that start.” Spike said not wanting to brack the ice

“Ok, uh..I think I like someone but I keep hearing this voice at the back of my head that tells me he might be dangerous, what do you think.” Scootaloo said

“Well, do you have any reason to think they’re dangerous?” Spike asked

“No, but it's still a thing that holds me back from him.” Scootaloo answered

“Well, ignore it.” Spike said

“What” Scootaloo said, baffled by Spike’s response

“If there's no reason besides a voice in your head then ignore it and go for it if this someone is good enough then you might be happy.” Spike elaborated

“Thanks, Spike.” Scootaloo thanked him

“No problem, it Gears right,” Spike said with a grin

“What.” Scootaloo said with a massive blush on her face.

“I knew it, don’t worry, Gears is a good stallion, bet of a temper, but no one is perfect.” Spike told the blushing mare in front of him.

“Oh, uh, any tips for a date with him.” Scootaloo asked nervously

“Just make it special, it will be his first.” Spike said with a smirk

Wait, what? Scootaloo said

“Yeah, he has never been on a date before.” Spike said

“He has a daughter.” Scootaloo retorted

“Adopted, but he still loves her all the same.” Spike said

“Ok, but how- wait there's movement.” Scootaloo said now focusing on the task at hand

“Good eye lets see what's out here” Spike told Scootaloo as he took out a pair of binoculars and looking out on the desert, Spike saw a convoy, three jeeps heading north.

“Scootaloo get the gear we’re moving.” Spike said.

“Yes, sir.” Scootaloo said

Spike and Scootaloo followed the convoy. It took quite a bet of time but after a comment from scootaloo about taking too much time. The convey finally arrived at its destination. Sccotaloo and Spike hide in the hill the convey parked in an old celestial facility.

"Why are the COR hiding in an abandon facility." Scootaloo asked

"Gears, you and mom came to these types facilities before you mind guiding us." Spike said over the comm

"Don’t let those bastards mess with anything in there, you hear me." Gears order with a tremble in his voice

"What's wrong, you sound worried." Scootaloo said worried about Gears

"Above your paygrade." Gears said trying to sound calm it failed

"Gears" Scootaloo said with a bit of fear in her voice

"Look there's stuff I can’t talk about and this is one of them, all you need to know is this place is horrible and you should get out of there as soon as possible." Gears said

"Ok copy that, well get what we need then get out." Spike said

"Lets move." Spike ordered

Scootaloo and Spike slide down the hill and creeping behind two guards. Scootaloo pulled out a combat knife before bring it down on him Spike throw a hatchet at the guard beside the other one. He turned but before doing anything scootaloo slashed her knife up then down the stallion’s leg sending him to his knees but before he could get up; she stabbed him in the throat.

“What was that” Scootaloo said.

“I didn’t know what you're going to do.” Spike said

“Let just keep going.” Scootaloo said abet annoyed

Scootaloo and spike keep moving in the facility they saw a couple of interesting look blue rocks. They report it to gears which he told them to avoid it and keep going. They came across a room with ten COR soldiers. Seeing no way of sneaking around them they decide to engaged. Scootaloo shot one soldier and hit him in the throat Spike throw a hatchet at one of them. With eight left a skirmish was underway. Scootaloo was firing at a dragon in cover then she noticed a red barrel behind them. She fired at it hopeing something will happen. It exploded killing four of the soldiers two ponies and two griffons.

“Four left.” Scootaloo said

Scootaloo charged two of the one left; she stabbed one in the leg, then using the stallion as a shield. She pulled the stallion's pistol and shot two of them. Then she was hit in the head once she was on the ground. The dragon was about to kill her then he got a round through the head as a reward.

"Will that could have gone better." Spike said

"Could have gone worse too." Scootaloo said

"Lets go." Spike said

As they were going to the end of the facility, they found a COR soldiers disemboweled blood spatter all over the walls, Scootaloo stopped herself from vomiting and continued down the hall they found the lieutenant alive but with his foreleg cut off. Scootaloo was the first to speak. “ sir are you ok.”

“No I’m not” he said with fear in his voice

"Can we get out of here." the lieutenant said

"What?" Scootaloo said

"I will give you anything, just please." the stallion said

"Ok." Spike said

"Come on then." spike said.

as the three walk out of the room scootaloo could hear scratching coming from a door and groaning from the other side.