Quoted By:
If you gotta crawl around any more tonight, you wanna do it in a place less likely to collapse on top of you! Time to <span class="mu-s">VENT</span>, everyone!
“Err…” Pepper replies with an apologetic, but confused look on her face, “But didn’t <span class="mu-i">this</span> vent just get crunched open like an old beer can-”
She knows what you meant!
“In that case,” The girl segues as she brushes out her skirt a bit, “I’ll take the lead… stay close!”
<span class="mu-i">Gladly</span>, you reply as you prepare to enter directly after her!
“<span class="mu-i">And</span> alert…” Growls Chuck as he warily eyes the ventilation duct. “Christ, this is gonna kill my knees…
“Gotta wear those kneepads, bro…” Warns Raj, earning a look from the old man. “... shoulda brought mine… dang.”
The vents are tight as you’d expect–no doubt to prevent people like you from using them like some weird alternative to doors. Turning the first corner you see, you nearly faceplant into Pepper’s… <span class="mu-i">cushion</span> when she freezes mid-crawl! Errr, problem?
“Maybe…” She whispers as she leans to the side and points ahead of her. A spider-like robot twitches on the surface of the vent–its red eyes and accent lights pulsing with intermittent color!
Is… is it <span class="mu-i">dead</span>?
Pepper answers by reaching into her skirt pocket and chucking a coin at the robot! Angrily wagging its legs and spewing a spritz of sparks into the vent as the coin bounces off of it, the spiderbot seems alert, somewhat, but not combat ready!
“No vaporizations…” The journalist shrugs in a quiet tone, “That’s good, right?”
“No half-measures.” Reminds Chuck as he makes a smashing motion with his fist. “Don’t want those things coming after us once the power comes back…”
He doesn’t have to tell <span class="mu-i">you</span> twice after all the surprises you’ve had tonight! As Pepper cautiously inches around the rattled robot, you turn it off permanently using your <span class="mu-s">MEAT CLEAVER</span> and the techniques you’ve learned from your Uncle Emilio and that old TV in the pizza parlor!
Unlike the TV, the spider is thoroughly scrapped after a few smacks, much to Chuck’s chagrin.
“They don’t make ‘em like they used to, huh?”
You’re not sure they <span class="mu-i">ever</span> made ‘em, you counter as you poke at the peculiar ‘<span class="mu-i">STAMP OF APPROVAL</span>’ located on the spider’s hindquarters. By <span class="mu-i">Rivka</span>, huh? This bitch… He doesn’t respond.
>CONTD.
