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Burning a Fuse; Shortfuse / Alpha Protocol / Jane Doe
Topic Started: Jan 19 2015, 12:05 AM (67 Views)
Jane Doe
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Equestrian Spy
[ *  *  * ]
Shortfuse, meet me at the Whipped Mare nightclub at midnight. We have serious things to talk about. -Alpha

P.S. Don't wear anything too flashy.


Shortfuse cocked an eyebrow at the letter, folding it and placing it within his desk.
"Nothing flashy..." Shortfuse mused as he got up and moved to his closet, opening it a crack. "Whats considered flashy?" He said with a sudden realization that he hadn't been following the court fashion for years. He shrugged and picked a simple cloak to wear over his white dress shirt...
"This'll do."

Alpha sat in wait, and annoyance, inside the specified club. He opted for just an insulated black jacket to protect from the cold. But the heat of the club was starting to get to him. He didn't know who that pony was, but they knew who Alpha was, and more than a few things about him to be comfortable about.
"Where is he?"

Shortfuse walked into the club at 12:05, fashionably late. He avoided most of the other ponies in the club and snaked his way in between patrons with practiced ease. His eyes darted about looking for Alpha.

Alpha would have spotted Shortfuse from a mile away. Did the words "night club" and "not flashy" mean anything to him? He stood up and locked eyes with the needlessly flourished pegases for a moment, then motioned to a set of privately closed off areas. He walked into one of the booths and sat down, looking out to see if he recognized anyone.

If anything, Shortfuses' attire was rather lowkey. The white dress shirt was mostly hidden by the full cloak he wore. It was just a travelers cloak, more appropriate for cold weather than fancy parties.
He followed Alpha to the Private area and sat across from Alpha casually, looking rather unperturbed.

Alpha threw the curtain to the booth closed and slammed his hooves on the table. "He knows who I am!" He said in an urgent voice.

Shortfuse leaned back and cocked an eyebrow "Whos 'he?' " He asked, his tone very very serious

"The unicorn in black armor!" Alpha explained. "He knows way too much about me than he should! He's obviosly someone I've met before that has relation to Solaris!"

Shortfuse's eyes dilated. "Did you get a good look at him? Maybe we can identify them?"

Alpha sat back down. "No, I didn't see his face. He never took off his helmet." He said. "But I think I injured him before I... Escaped."

Shortfuse sighed a bit "How badly did you injure him?"

Alpha took a deep breath and let out a slow exhale. "I managed to pierce his armor, but not by much." He looked Shortfuse in the eyes again. "I'm making him priority number one. Anything having to do with him comes before anything else."

Shortfuse nickered in annoyance. "Hes far too good. He fights like a demon and can evade any of my spies."

"Then perhaps we need some demons of our own." Alpha suggested.

It was at this moment that Bella entered the room the two stallions occupied. Uninvited and annanounced she made herself well known by marching directly to the table and proppig herself up onto it. She glared at Shortfuse with a fire in her eyes that Alpha would recognize as murderous intent. "The next time you interfere with me doing my damn job, no amount of spies or guards will save you from me murdering you just like Solaris!" she yelled, just loud enough that anypony outside wouldn't hear. Her tone was just as livid as her expression.

Shortfuse shrugged a bit, only looking amused at Bella's appearance and tantrum. "you're a little late for this. We have far more serious problems than a dead Marshal."

The hair was practically standing up on the back of Bella's neck. Shortfuse's nonaction angered her more but also served as a reminder to maintain her own cool. Which she couldn't do. "You're damn right we do! I can't trust you to let me do my work! You nearly got me killed because you decided to interfere with that absolute novice assassin you sent!" she quickly replied.

"Bella!" Alpha barked, interrupting this sudden intrusion.

"This asshole was nearly the death of me!" Bella snapped at Alpha, pointing to Shortfuse. She made a minor snarl before backing off the table.

Shortfuse leaned forward a bit "Bella please, I did not send an assassin. The agent you speak of was a mage specializing in illusions and scrying. I was merely watching, the fool tripped some security after setting up but I assure you there was no malicious move on my end." He paused waving a hoof toward Alpha.
"Besides, Alpha was attacked. By a certain unicorn in Black Armor. He knows far too much for it to be mere luck."

Alpha sighed. "He's right, Bella. There's no way it can't be someone who was close to Solaris." He said. "He knew me by name, even."

Bella let out a steamed huff and moved to sit beside Alpha. "And what leads do we have on this unicorn clad in black armor?" she asked, fire still in her voice.

Shortfuse looked to Bella "For what it is worth, I'm sorry I caused you trouble. I was merely hedging my bets. You don't survive long if you trust any single entity to do their job correctly." He said before looking to Alpha.
"Absolutely nothing. This unicorn is a ghost... After Solaris died I tried to remove the Princess from power to make our job easier. Guess who showed up just in the nick of time? Black Armor. He knows the guard's patrol schedules, the Palace layout... Anything you can think of about Canterlot or the Palace he probably knows it. Worst of all? He fights like no pony I've ever seen. My men describe it as a deep rooted but focused anger."

"Anger you say?" Alpha thought for a moment, then let a smirk grow across his face. "Anger we can use. We just need to figure out what triggers it. And then we can lure him into a trap."

Bella removed her glare from Shortfuse and moved on to look at a wall instead. She pieced together what Shortfuse knew and couldn't help but think that Wit could really help her out on this one. "I can think of a few ways to get access to such information. And few ponies who might acquire access as well. Fewer who have either this knowledge already or enough contacts to get it. The fighting style sounds like something I've heard of. I can't name it now, but I can do some digging around. Any idea on why he took Princess Twilight?" she asked, calming down a bit. It would still be a long time before she was ever on friendly terms with Shortfuse.

Shortfuse narrowed his eyes and sighed again. "He was defending her. He killed the initial attackers and then whisked her away too safety. But the more important question is... How did he even KNOW I was going to move on the Princess?"

Alpha didn't want to admit it, but it was a serious risk. "We might have a mole on our hooves." He said. "Someone's getting too nosey for their own good. And if we can find the mole, we ca find this black armored pony.

Bella looked at Alpha and then back to Shortfuse. "Who did you tell of your plans to move on the Princess?" she asked him simply.

Shortfuse thought a moment, tapping his hoof on the table. "Valour. Some Prench Knight, hes been in my pocket for years." He scratched his chin. "Him and just the agents who were sent, And the Dusk Blade Turn coat who got my agents into Twilight's castle to begin with."

"Send them all to me." Alpha said immediately. "I'll question them and see if there are any irregularities. Should be completely harmless, provided they're innocent of course."

Bella took these words into account and knew that Alpha was the better of the two at interrogation. She knew this based off of seeing his previous work and that he didn't shy away from torture. "Let me know if you could use my skills." she stated simply to Alpha. "As for Black Armor, as we might call him for now, I'll think of a way to bait him. Though I have an idea or two." she said, a hoof raising to her chin.

"By all means, share them." Shortfuse said raising his chin a bit "Hes far more informed than he ought to be. Whos to say he wont ruin your plans?"

Bella's smirk finally returned, though with a hint of disdain for Shortfuse. "Let's place a... different kind of canary trap. You make the convincing argument that you're going after another alicorn, let's say Princess Cadence, and move on her. The plot twist is that the princess will be already kidnapped and I'll play her part." she suggested.

Alpha smirked. "I like it." He admitted. "But it won't be necessary. Just send them to me and I'll interrogate them myself. Hell, might be that all I need to do it ask." He looked at Bella with that last statement. She would know what he meant. He could get answers out of anyone, whether they wanted to give them or not. And it didn't even require torture. Such a useful and efficient skill it was.
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Alpha Protocol
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Bella cast a devious smirk to Alpha, knowing exactly what he talked about. She then returned her gaze to Shortfuse, instantly having the bad taste back in her mouth at seeing him. "Alpha's method is easier. This is still open to ideas, if you've any. I really don't like the idea of a third player in this game." she commented.

Shortfuse barked out a laugh at that. "A game?" He asked shaking his head. "If you think this is a game perhaps you should run along and go sit at the fillies table?" He shot back, looking to Alpha.

"I'll send the surviving agent's too you, get your own answers. Though, I fear the answers you get will be the same as mine."

"If the answers are the same then it just means that this guy's nothing more than a rogue elements." Alpha said. He really wished Bella would at least try to play nice with their mutual team member.

"In any case, I'm going to hare a mercenary or two to deal with this."

"I wouldn't underestimate this guy... In any case, I'll forward you a list. But, a mercenary? From the sounds of things no common mercenary is going to kill our rogue element."

"Then I won't find any common mercenary." Alpha stated in reply. He takes a glance at his watch, noting the time. "Bella, dear, would you kindly go and grab us a couple of drinks from the bar? Whatever you like. My business with Mr. Shortfuse is nearly done."

Bella gave a huff and leaned back, before quietly turning and making her way to the bar. She knew what drinks to get them both and it wouldn't take but a moment, but she would instead sit at the bar with her own drink and the two stallions in view until Alpha gave the cue for her return.

Shortfuse sat back. "What else then, oh captain my captain?"

Alpha watched Bella leave, then turned his gaze to Shortfuse. "You had someone spy on her while she worked?"

Shortfuse returned to his serious self. "I did. No interference on their part, just a scrying spell to make sure the dear Marshal was dead. You know as well as I do that you don't put all of your eggs in one basket. So, it was as I told her: I was hedging my bets." He explained straightfaced.

"No insult intended, I assure you."

"Insult has nothing to do with it. You ran the risk of blowing her cover." Alpha leaned forward.

"This is a complicated puzzle, Shortfuse. And the pieces are only useful so long as they fit together with all the pieces surrounding it. Don't make me regret bringing you on board with this. And keep in your own lane. That is how Bella and Gray do their jobs, and it's how I expect you to do yours. Am I making myself clear?"

Shortfuse sunk into his chair and waved a hoof "Yes, I understand. Can you really blame me though? I've been fighting Solaris for years in the political theater. I had to be sure he died." a pause "The Marshal was the only thing left in the way of me seizing power, without royal oversight. In fact, my attack against Princess Twilight was only possible because Solaris was dead-" Instead of ending the sentence he cut himself off, his eyes widening a bit as he looked at the table a moment.

He looked back up, unsure. "Is it possible?"

Alpha raised an eyebrow in confused concern. "Is what possible?"

Shortfuse took a moment to breathe in and then shook his head. "Nothing, its a bad theory."

Alpha scowled. "If you think you have something then tell me what it is!"

"Nothing, I have to go" He said standing from he table and making his way out. "I saw his corpse, its impossible." He muttered to himself as he started to pick up the pace.

Alpha just sat there and swore under his breath. "That stallion is starting to be more trouble than he's worth." He looked over to Bella, wondering what was taking her.

Bella watched Shortfuse leave in a hasty manner, warranted a cocked eyebrow aimed at Alpha. In her mind, Bella was curious exactly what Alpha had said, not thinking anything would be so harsh to the stallion to cause his leave. Hopping down from her seat, she picked up the three drinks she had ordered in her magic and made her way over to the table. She set a whiskey before Alpha, one between them and her martini before her. "I know you're the persuasive type, but I didn't think you could give an ass-chewing so harsh..." she commented.

Alpha took in a deep breath and put his hooves together, looking at Bella with the same look he had been giving Shortfuse only a moment ago. "Close that curtain, please." He said, motioning to the corner of the booth.

Bella looked to the side and her horn glowed with a green light as the curtain slid closed. She had seen that look on Alpha in other situations, before Shortfuse's introduction. It normally arrived in the wake of her throwing the eggs in the trash. She sat back and prepared himself for his words.

"I hope you can tell that I'm angry." Alpha says. "Is that all you came here to do today? To bitch at our allies?"

Bella's look upon Alpha turned to a subtle glare. "I reserve the term ally for those who won't get me killed." she replied, her temper very obvious upon her voice.

"Stop talking." Alpha commanded with a flash of green in his eyes.

Bella shut her mouth, though her glare was ever present. She hummed a growl at him, though she sat there obediently. She knew he was was going to have his words one way or another and she'd be forced to listen. While she hated to admit it, she knew he was being kind about it.

"I would think that a professional like yourself would be less inclined to act so much like a child." Alpha said. "If there is a problem with a piece in my puzzle, I will deal with it myself. In the meantime, learn to get along with Shortfuse for the time being."

Alpha took his whisky and downed about half of it. "Because if you can't, I don't have a problem with sticking you in a dark room somewhere you'll be out of the way."

Bella's glare stayed on Alpha for a moment as his words sunk in. She eventually turned her head to the side and stared off at nothing, aiming her glare elsewhere.

"Good." Alpha said. "Anything else you want to say? Go ahead and speak." Another shimmer of green and Bella would be free to speak again.

While she had received the permission to, Bella held back her words for a moment. She let out a huff and raised her martini and downed it before setting it back onto the table. "... I'll apologize when I don't feel like killing something. Is that fair?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Alpha. She knew he was right, but she'd be damned if she'd say so right now.

Alpha finished the rest of his Whiskey. "Fair enough, I suppose." He said, setting the glass down on the table again. "You only have to put up with him for now, not get comfortable with him. The next phase is coming soon and we won't need him for it."

Bella's eyes stared into Alpha's, as if searching for something or having many thoughts of her own. "Good." she finally replied. She'd ask about what details of his plan he cared on revealing later, given that he never told her anything to begin with. Her magic took hold of the whiskey on the table that was between them and lifted it to her lips. She drank it like a shot and set the glass on the table before hopping down from the booth. With a whip of her tail, she sent the colorful strands into his face. "Now tell me more about that dark room~." she added before heading out of the booth. The normal cattiness in her playful voice was not quite there yet, but she was just trying to get her mind off of frustrating topics.

Alpha scrunched his nose when Bella's tail brushed against it. He hated when she did stuff like that. Because he could never stay mad at her for long afterwards. A smile crept onto his face, whether he wanted it to or not. He hopped down from his own seat and followed after Bella. "Well, it's pretty similar to the scary dungeon."
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