Description:
Two Tone weaved around other ponies as she moved her way across the crowded nightclub floor in my Royal Equestria Security Forces (RESF) dreamscape.
The club scene wasn't Two Tone's thing, but she was here to complete a business transaction for Chrysalis/Glimmering Gems. A transaction that had apparently been covertly arranged by none other than Mister Crush Hoof. When one is doing business under the table one ended up with in all kinds of odd partners and in all kinds of interesting places.
Unlike the Moonlight Club that the zebra had visited recently.
Two Tone's didn't have to worry about getting fancied up for this club. However to blend in more with the crowd this evening the zebra had added a few more accessories to her wardrobe. Instead of her normal black leather riding gloves she was wearing a heavier pair which were profusely festooned with metal spikes and studs. Under the sleeves of her leather jacket were sturdy leather arm braces. Around her neck was a stiff, spiked collar of black leather.
Finally as a helpful public safety announcement she was wearing a worn out, baby doll t-shirt with a simple message printed on it in big bold letters.
Don't Even Try
Her journey ended at the bar. Finding a vacant stool she sat down and placed her purse on the bar. Eventually Two Tone flagged down one of the bar tenders. The unicorn mare walked up, and over the thunderous sound of the crowd and the heavy metal music she yelled.
“Whatcha drinkin' ?!”
“Get me a cola!” The zebra yelled.
“Want anythin' else in it?!” The unicorn yelled back.
“Nope!”
The mare shrugged and went to get Two Tone's soda. A few seconds later she returned with a glass with ice and appropriate brown bubbly liquid in it. Plopping a paper coaster down the bar tender set the glass down.
“Here ya go!”
Two Tone leaned forward to make absolutely sure her words were heard. “I need to talk to the manager!”
The unicorn smirked. “He's busy honey!”
Two Tone removed a business card from pocket on her leather jacket it was for a local dry cleaner that had what looked like a phone number written on it. She passed it over to the bar tender. “Give this to him! Now! He's expecting me! We have business to finish!”
The unicorn looked at zebra for a moment and then moved down the bar away from Two Tone. She flagged down one of the club security guards and had him come over to her. Two Tone couldn't hear their conversation, but she saw the unicorn pass the card them and look over at her a couple of times. After a few more seconds the guard looked at the zebra and then left and went up a set of stairs in the back of club. Two Tone sat there and drank her cola.
Minute or so later the guard came down with another stallion. The earth pony accompanying the guard might as well had the words Bodyguard floating above him in glowing letters.
The guard pointed out Two Tone to the bodyguard and then went back to watching the floor. The wall of meat in a cheap two-piece suit made a beeline for the zebra. Marching up to the mare he addressed her.
“Come with me!”
Two Tone stood up and slung her purse around her neck. As she straightened her jacket she subtly adjusted her IWB holster and .45 pistol that lived in it. The bodyguard didn't notice this and pointed toward the stairs. He then followed behind the mare.
Their journey took them to a battered office door on the second floor of the club. Even up here the music muffled the sound of their hoofsteps on the linoleum flooring. The bodyguard spoke.
“Door's not locked. Go in.”
The zebra suddenly realized this guard was probably an amateur because he hadn't patted her down. She opened the door and stepped into a small office. Sitting behind a cheap, second-hand office desk was the rather rotund, middle age, earth pony stallion who on the street went by the name of Dirty Blaze. His crumpled ,white button up shirt and poorly groomed, shaggy black mane matched the rest of decorum of the room. A lone desk lamp and the light of a laptop screen provided the only light in the room. A pair old fashioned sash windows provided one with a fine view...of the wall of another building about 15ft away, a fire escape, and the alley below.
The bodyguard stepped into the room with Two Tone and closed the door behind them. He remained standing behind the zebra. There was no chair in front of the desk. Dirty Blaze gave Two Tone a looking over. Finally he grunted. “Yer here fer the stuff? Ya bring the bits?”
The zebra stepped forward. “Show me the shit first.” she said.
The rotund earth pony frowned, but then sighed and opened a drawer on the desk. From it he withdrew a small, rather utilitarian looking, red plastic clamshell case. The label on it read.
MX2D. Reconstructive Tissue and Muscle Stabilizer.
Caution. To Be Administered Only By Certified Medical Staff.
4 Treatments Per Container.
Two Tone had no idea what that meant, but apparently while making final preparations for moving the Foals under Chrysalis's care to their permanent homes. The queen had done a final round of physicals and lab tests on them. Just in case there was last minute medical condition that they had missed. That was when the discovery had been made.
Her Majesty hadn't said what had been discovered, but that one of foals apparently had an undiagnosed medical condition that needed prompt treatment and MX2D was just the ticket. Unfortunately due to the recent war the drug was in scarce supply. Thus the current transaction that was occurring.
The zebra opened the case and checked that both the vial was in and full, it hadn't expired, and the seals on it hadn't been tampered with. Confirming this she closed the case. Then reached into her purse. From it she withdrew a thick bundle rubber banded bills and set on the table next to case.
“As agreed to 25,000 bits.” Dirty Blaze slowly reached forward and picked up the bundle and glanced at it.
“Yeah that it is.”
The zebra nodded her head and started to pick up the case and put it in her purse. Suddenly she felt the barrel of gun press against the back of her skull. Dirty Blaze looked up at her from his chair and grinned at the mare.
“But I've found a buyer who'll pay 30,000, but I don't see why I can't make 55,000 for it or maybe a bit more. Now keep yer hands where we can see them! ”
Two Tone slowly raised her hands. “Do you know who I am? Who arranged this deal, and how much they'll fuck you up when they find out you've screwed them?” She growled.
The rotund stallion gave the zebra a greasy smile and shrugged. “No I don't, and I don't care. I plan ta be outta of this shit town by the morning and yu won't be around ta tell any–“
At that last statement Two Tone sidestepped and spun around and stepped toward the bodyguard; with her right hand she grasped the bodyguard's right arm at the wrist which was holding the pistol. She moved the muzzle away from her and slightly down just as he pulled the trigger and fired a single shot. At the same time she drove left fist up with all her might into his lower jaw. Feeling his knees buckle she then brought her left hand back around and punched him in the right temple as hard as she could. Two Tone felt the stallion go limp and she let go of him.
With the first threat taken care of Two Tone's turned back toward the desk as her right hand swept down to her holstered pistol. Only to find that the bodyguard's shot had accidentally hit Dirty Blaze right between the eyes. Which was good because he'd been in the process of pulling a pistol from beneath some papers. His lifeless body was now slumped in the chair.
Hoping that the pounding volume of the metal music down on club floor had masked the gunshot Two Tone snatched the bundle of bills and medicine off the desk and stuffed them into her purse. Moving quickly she went over to one of windows and was happy to find she could open it. Stepping out onto the fire escape landing she closed the window behind her. Checking that the alley below was empty she went down the steps and then dropped the last few feet to the ground. Standing up she walked away nonchalantly into the night and toward her bike.
