SHOOT THEM!!!

The lights go out all at once. As if the connection to my eyes were cut off, pitch black shrouded everything around me. The sound of raindrops drumming against the concrete outside seemed to louden from the lack of sight. But unlike my unsuspecting targets fumbling in the darkness, my mind is calm and ready for my next moves.

Connecting to multiple devices...

"What the fuck?"

"The hell?"

"What's going on? What is this?"

The phones in their pockets light up and start emitting a loud, high-pitched sound. Even though I'm not practiced enough to read or write on screens through ARC, maximizing brightness on white light is easy enough to accomplish. The sound, even easier.

With the distraction in place, I climb up the metal crates. They were not piled up neatly so there's good enough footing here and there. I'm standing ten feet off the ground within three seconds, the vantage point giving me a clear line of sight to each target.

They're scrambling for their phones, confused and panicked. Though I cannot see them clearly, the screen light, sound, and even the ARC's device detector gives me a good estimate of where each individual is positioned. And as if the very heavens were lending me a hand, a lightning strike crackles through the sky, flashing light through the windows and providing a split-second of visibility.

"A-Ah. Wha-?"

One of them takes notice of me but fails to process what they're seeing as they look up to me. Swift and steady, I point a single finger towards each target. The firing mechanism hisses briefly from the compressed air as my nails close the distance. Each one pierces through skin and attaches to their person. Some react vocally from the pain but I give them little opportunity to do anything else.

I send out electrical pulses at maximum output. It's still nonlethal as my taser is not jailbroken, but this much should hurt them plenty to keep them paralyzed for a good while. Their bodies fall with consecutive thuds. Their weapons clatter on the floor, and those that manage to pull out their phones drop them.

Battery level: low.

I don't hear anything nearby but I doublecheck through the ARC. No devices either. It would be dangerous if I were to be caught unaware in the dark.

"Milli, turn the lights back on. The coast is clear."

Disconnecting from all devices...

Some of the large, hanging ceiling lights need replacing as it takes them a few more seconds to turn back on. The warehouse is still not all that lit properly but now it's back to being manageable. In the spur of the moment however, I had forgotten about the five not located on the ground floor.

"Don't move, synth!"

Standing behind the metal railings outside a third floor room is the man with the red faux hawk hair. He's pointing an assault rifle towards me while his lackeys pour out of the room, readying their own armaments.

I start to consider my next course of action, but then a cherry red sphere flies against the gun. He fires off a few rounds but they were way off the mark, only managing to perforate some far away crates. I make use of the opportunity and jump back down behind cover.

Androids start pouring out of the storage room. Upon hearing the gunshots, they scatter and run towards the exits. I use the ARC to look for Milli then run towards her, grabbing her by the arm. The panic makes her yank off her arm reflexively but upon realizing it was me, she gave a brief show of relief.

"Shit! Don't let them get away! Shoot them! SHOOT THEM!!!"

The warehouse fills with gunfire as a barrage of bullets rain down on the retreating androids. Milli and I reach the door but the sounds of our kind dropping one after another behind us urges us to run faster and farther. Then I feel a sudden force yank my left shoulder forward. I look to find two holes and my inner electronic parts exposed.

Micro manages to fly back to his carrying case just as we exited to the cold storm outside. The wind is oppressively strong and the rain makes it near impossible to see anything five feet away.

Connecting to Device NYWT136653...

"This way!"

I hold Milli's hand and lead her to the alley where I parked the motorcycle. The helmet visor's camera is still pointed to the road but even its built-in ARTec can barely adjust visibility to ideal driving conditions.

The alley provides us with some shelter from the rain. Milli and I are completely drenched, making a puddle where we stand. We've lost our pursuers as well as, for better or for worst, the other androids. I take the helmet and consider giving it to Milli for safety, but since I'm the one driving, I'll definitely need its visibility assistance.

"...! Nano, your shoulder!"

"I'm fine. We can worry about it later. We're still not in the clear."

Milli looks look she's just about ready to burst into tears. I pause for a moment. A part of me wishes to comfort her, to show empathy to a friend, but the priority-driven part of me wins over. I put on the helmet and hop on the motorcycle. I then look to her, waiting for her to follow. She does but her expression remains deeply troubled.

Water splashes to the side as the front wheel cuts through the inch-high flood. As promised, I take additional caution driving through the storm. The ARC helps with navigation, even if the stoplight cameras can barely see a thing. It's my first time outside during a flash storm in AIKA, and I can see why people don't dare go out in the middle of it, but compared to what had just occurred in the warehouse, this much is nothing. This much feels safe.