>>5995517You collect your wits on the floor. Body, check. Weapon, check. No damage. You look around. Andersson is dead, few others are bleeding, one badly on his face. Lorenzo somehow managed to dislocate his shoulder as he leaped into safety, but is not hurt in other ways. You fall back further towards the Red Room, aiding the wounded on the way.
The server room makes a lousy field hospital, but Rufus is almost as good at patching wounds as he is at making dead baby jokes. Soon enough most of the bleeding wounds are bandaged and Lorenzo's dislocated shoulder is put on a sling. While he is busy, you monitor your feed for any new info from the outside. The gate is practically open, the forces there focusing on self-preservation rather than blocking of entry. You can't blame them, but by the combat analyzers account there is nearly a hundred intruders on facility grounds. Most seem to focus on looting the main building offices, but a force consisting of 27 individuals marches towards your building in more purposeful manner, clearly unafaraid of the Panter Alpha still guarding the open lot with its tireless robotic stare. You guess they're on the same team.
Reinforcements, ETA 80 minutes, no, 20? Ah, a new dispatch force was just now added to the que. Shark Squad? You'd almost rather get yourself shot or pummeled to death by the rabble than get saved by those assholes. Almost. Guess the bean counters finally woke up on what's happening. Your Tiger Squad's heli is currently evacuating. Hopefully everyone on board is alright.
But that still means you need to hold out for 20 minutes or so minimum before the help arrives. Just hold the stariway, easy enough? What else do the attackers have in store? You didn't see firearms earlier, but at this point it would be more surprising if they did NOT pack some heat.
Lorenzo nudges you, pausing your musings. ”Erm, boss. I didn't have the opportunity to use this earlier, but I think you should see this.” He pulls out a medallion of sorts, clumsily cracking it open with one hand. A bullet falls out, which you quikly grab before it falls. Well well well, what have we here. On your palm rests a special bullet with blue finish. It has a fancier name, but everyone calls them AI spikes. Highly sought after and heavily regulated, these kind of bullets can put most devices with a artificial intelligence in them out for good, Even older military devices like the Panther Alpha should fry if hit with one of these. Normally only specialized rogue AI hunter forces carry these, even megacorp forces wield them on special occasion. ”Yeah, it's a real deal, and I know it's not exactly kosher to carry one, but I always thought it as my lucky talisman, just in case. Guess this is good chance as any to use it. Shame I can't pull the trigger myself with me arm gone to shits.”
