"Underneath the armor and gear, samurai are still human. Break enough artificial organs, smash enough mechanical innards, shatter their brains, blow up their backups, and you'll find they're still mortal. More than anything else There are fewer people, but they can still be killed.
This is something to keep in mind. "
——"The Ronin Killer" Timothy Hachette's deathbed confession. Accused of killing three first-class samurai. Arrested by the second-level warrior "Blood Magnet". 2048
***
Finally set off, without any formation. We just took off. The only people close to the center were Elisa and a girl helping her. She was limping quite badly and her legs looked rough even with the bandages, but she was able to bear her own weight and we didn't have time to wait to find a better way to carry her.
There was something about some of the people we were with. A small bag or suitcase containing important things.
I was more impressed by the ones with table legs like clubs.
Jeff and Storm took the left wing and I took the right wing. There were two older guys in the back with guns that the security guard had thrown away. Apparently, they jammed after one or two shots.
I...maybe should start handing out proper guns. But I'm not sure if I need them and I want to keep the remaining points.
I've never really paid much attention to how much noise people make when they move, but now that it matters and I'm listening, it's almost insulting. Some people in the office are so full that they are out of breath just walking down the corridor. They seemed to be walking in high heels and some were coughing every few minutes.
"This way," I whispered, leading them into a small passage that led to a stairwell. This building has twelve floors and we live on the third floor. That is, if I don't count the basement. This meant that to reach the parking lot on the ninth floor, we had to climb three stairwells.
Whether some of them will make it that far. Maybe they'll get lucky and their hearts will break. It's better than being eaten.
Climbing stairs for the first time is an exercise in suppressing frustration. The group moved slowly, sweating profusely after only one flight, before climbing up the second ladder. The whole place started to smell like sweat.
I motioned to Jeff and Storm—who, despite their fatness, were in decent shape—to stay behind for a moment while I advanced.
It's great to get some fresh air.
"You're probably right," I said, looking for the route we were going to take. The fourth floor is more of a maintenance area, or maybe just incomplete like the rest of the building. Anyway, there are no aliens there.
Statistically speaking, I'm right a fair amount of the time. What, am I right in what I say now?
I snorted. "Did they program you with anything evil?"
In fact, I adopted it to better complement you. I can be dry and informative.
"It doesn't matter," I said. "You're right about the way I like to do things. Helping others is a good thing, I just don't agree with being around people for too long."
You seem to be getting along well with your kitten and Lucy.
"It's my responsibility to take care of the kittens, and I know them. And Lucy...she's different."
oh?
"Don't pry," I warned.
as you wish. But I do live inside your head, and I'm afraid privacy and intimacy can be difficult.
I frowned. "But you can't read my mind, can you?"
Not without some enhancements, no.
"Seriously?" I asked.
Each person's brain is completely unique, but they rely on the same systems to function. It still takes hours of scanning and compiling data to build a correct simulation of the human mind in order to read it. If you're worried about other people being able to read your mind, don't be. This technology is well beyond your capabilities.
"Are you trying to be creepy?" I asked.
Is it effective?
"Bad boy," I said with a smile.
When I came back, the whole team had climbed the stairs. "Is that clear?" Tempest asked.
"Like glass," I said. "Let's go. We should get to the top and get ready to get out of this death trap."
We walked around the center of the building and then to the stairwell at the other end. Drones in offices have become more comfortable.
I could sit down too - but their noise is annoying.
The next stairwell we reached was pitch black. The lights outside the door were not on, and even if I put my face close to the door and window, I could only see shadows. "Damn, didn't they even install the lights?"
"This building is only six months old," one of the drones said.
I gave him a flat look. "I don't particularly care. Do any of you have a light? A phone?"
"Aren't you a samurai? Can't you summon a samurai?" someone asked.
“I didn’t ask if you had an opinion, I asked if you had a light,” I said.
Several people took out their smartphones and turned on the lights. A couple have keychain lights which are useless although they can light up anything
However, one of them had the audacity to frown at his phone before looking up at me. "The flashlight app costs ten points. Will you give us a refund?"
"Turn on the fucking lights or you can explain to the alien that you're staying because ten credits is too much for you," I snapped. "I swear, everyone."
I flung the door open, and when nothing jumped out to eat anyone's face, I motioned for Jeff and Storm to enter the passage first. They had little lights on their tactical vests that lit up about two feet in front of them, but they looked cool.
I stood at the back of the line and followed all the twinkling lights as everyone came up.
My shoes squeaked against the glass and I lowered my head.
There was a glass tube next to it, so bright it was almost invisible. A neon light, interrupted in the middle. Looking around, I saw a few more things being thrown around.
I looked up at the spot on the ceiling where the light should be and saw a hint of movement in the shadows.
"Oh, fuck."
***
