May 14 - Sophia Antipolis Technology Park, French Riviera

[Salma Tournier]

Salma followed the others, stumbling along as her mind raced in a million different directions.

"So I guess SysGen screwed you guys over too."

[Calvin Strong]

"You could say that," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Well, you could say that because it's completely true. What were you here for, trying to hack their system? Blow the place up?"

[Salma Tournier]

She blinked. "No such thing. I was just here my usual 'check up' for my cybernetics and then...and then they paralyzed me, turned off my power..."

[Calvin Strong]

Cal frowned. "You mean you... oh hell, they just got their hands on you, didn't they?" Well then. So much for having one more combat-ready person on this rescue. "Just stick close to us. Once we can get clear of this building, we'll get far enough away that we can catch our breath without them grabbing us. And don't drop that staff."

[Salma Tournier]

"Yes, I'm pretty new to this whole cyborg thing." Upon mentioning it, she clutched the staff closer in her (stronger) cyborg arm. "Don't worry, I still have it. Even if I have no idea how it just did that whole making me fall slowly thing." She laughed. Very nervously.

[Calvin Strong]

HAL, give me a link into the new girl's processes. I don't want her getting hurt.

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Acknowledged.

"I'm connecting the staff to your operating core. It's... pretty easy to use for the basic stuff."
It was, to say the least, a strange feeling. She obviously didn't have cyber eyes to get a display of the new options, but she could feel the staff when it was connected to her systems, the way you can feel your arm or your leg. And, very briefly, Cal showed her what it felt like when the force field extended around her.

[Salma Tournier]

"A-buh?!" Clearly startled, she almost dropped the staff. "Okay, that's a new sensation."

[Calvin Strong]

"Yeah, you'll get used to that," Cal said. "Not sure how the controls will work without a visual display. Just try to feel it out. Keeping yourself covered should be easy at least."

[Salma Tournier]

"O-okay," she said, holding it out and gingerly toggling the shield off and on again, just to be sure she had it right.

[Calvin Strong]

He didn't feel like hearing Red-Taliyah's crap for being a nice guy to the new girl, so he cut the chatter while he was ahead. He did send one more message to her as he led them down the hall.

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Cyberboy:  It's going to be all right.  I promise.

[Eric Osgood]

"Bloody hell, how many more are we going to have to scoop out of the litter?" Eric muttered, cocking a liberated pistol and holstering it.

"How soon until you can pop us out of here, mate?"

[Calvin Strong]

"Soon as we're out of range, they're jamming me. Which isn't a good sign because, y'know, it means they're actually paying attention and learning each time we fuck 'em over."

[Eric Osgood]

"Well, either we keep running, or we turn around and blow some holes in the jammer. And I think i pissed off most of the guys in that direction."

[Calvin Strong]

"Also don't know where the jammer is, or if there's just one. Bottom line, better to just get out of range."

[Eric Osgood]

"Okay then, lad. I'll run ahead, and you keep in touch with that wireless communication magic."

*Booosh*

[Salma Tournier]

Salma was quiet for a moment, reaching behind the back of her neck and toying with something.

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DEFAULT: -thing working? Can anyone hear me? Oui? Non?

[Calvin Strong]

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Cyberboy: I read you.  Didn't give you a user manual, did they?

[Eric Osgood]

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OverDriver: I read you too, lass. just don't pick at the transmitter- It might get infected.

[Salma Tournier]

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DEFAULT: No, but when I flicked a switch on my neck a few days ago, it made the television set and radio in my bedroom go to static. I had guessed that it might be for something like this. And thank you for the advice, OverDriver; I will keep that in mind, ha.

[Narrator]

The next turn they made, though, all of them got another alert slamming into their systems. They didn't even have time to analyze it, before they realized they weren't alone.

Two hulking androids emerged through a steel reinforced wall, the closest throwing a punch that sent Cal flying backwards down the hall.

[Taliyah Malik]

Taliyah laughed, a ball of bright red light forming in one hand.

"More scrap metal!"

With a yell she threw the burning ball of light at one of the androids.

[Narrator]

This was the first clue that they had that something was very, very wrong.

The ball of light impacted the first, sizzling through its arm, but fragmented before it could hit the second. Taliyah could even feel some kind of interference with her power, although it didn't feel like any power inhibiting device.

The now-armless one charged, impossibly fast, at the group, while the other began emitting photon blasts at the group.

[Eric Osgood]

"Crud and bollicks!"

Eric doubled back at insane speed, letting off a few shots with his stolen pistol at the head of the nearest android.

[Salma Tournier]

Salma simply leaped out of the way of the rampaging androids, having basically zero experience at fighting, well, anything.

"Mon Dieu! These SysGen people are crazy!"

[Narrator]

The robot couldn't hit Eric, but managed to slam into Salma with a powerful blow, which the forcefield around her thankfully protected her from being hurt by, even as she flew back through the air and skidded down the hall, too. It stopped, seeming to turn toward Eric as it stopped moving, then let out a jolt of lightning toward him.

[Calvin Strong]

"Just catching onto that now, are you?" Cal called back, drawing his own guns and firing at the security robots.

[Eric Osgood]

Eric was fast, but not fast enough to dodge lightning. He weaved as the port was brought to bear, but he still took a bit of the charge, slamming into the wall.

"Uggh.."

[Taliyah Malik]

Taliyah put up a hard light shield briefly to block the blasts before letting out a cry and throwing said shield right at one of the androids.

[Narrator]

The android in the lead, already being peppered by Cal's blaster fire, collapsed under the added assault from Taliyah.

Then, farther down the hall, there was a flash. A second later, the other android fell to the ground, the back of its torso slagged by a heavy blaster shot.

And down the hall, at the distant T-intersection, was the cyborg who had freed Salma earlier. And even at this distance, his features were clear enough for Eric and Taliyah to both get an odd sense of deja vu. "That way!" he called to them, sounding reluctant, pointing down one of the halls before he disappeared into it.

[Salma Tournier]

"I was not expecting 'huge robot' crazy," she said to Cal. "Hey, I think that's the voice that told me to run!"

[Eric Osgood]

"Don't need to tell me twice, lad.."

Eric struggled to his feet, before taking off.

[Taliyah Malik]

"Oh, boy," Taliyah muttered, "A trustworthy stranger. This should be fun."

[Calvin Strong]

"Only two ways to go that way anyway," Cal told Taliyah.

At the end of the hall, even in the split second it took Eric, the stranger was gone. However, Cal was relieved to find that down the hall they were pointed, the bodyslide jamming ended. "Thank god. Everyone gather around, we're getting the hell out of here. Next stop, London."

[Salma Tournier]

"London!? Well, okay, if it gets us away from all of these creeps." She stepped closer to Cal, still clutching the staff for the shield.

[Taliyah Malik]

"Don't suppose we could bomb the joint before we leave?" Taliyah asked, sounding almost hopeful.

[Calvin Strong]

"Don't suppose you have some explosives on you," Cal said. He took a moment to survey Taliyah's outfit, then added, smirking, "Unlikely."

[Taliyah Malik]

"Fuck off, Strong."

[Calvin Strong]

"Love it when you talk dirty to me, Red," Cal said dryly.

And with that, they vanished in a flash.