"Adriana?"
V edged forwards, the handle of the case feeling warm in her clammy hand. She couldn't pull her eyes away from the desiccated form sat behind the desk. There was a surrealness to the moment and V felt as though, any second now, she would jolt awake from this bizarre dream. The woman's chest suddenly collapsed again and another rattling breath filled the air. How could she be alive?
Colours flickered onto the screen that had dropped down from the ceiling and the same image she'd seen back in the guest quarters greeted them. It mirrored the twisted sight below and V could feel the bile simmer in her stomach. Adriana, still young, still vibrant, sat in a strange alternate version of her office, smiling at them.
"Not what you expected?" Adriana purred from the monitor and V caught the slight twitch of withered lips below.
"You're really fuckin' enjoyin' yourself, aren't you?" Judy snarled from behind V, but she didn't move.
Adriana's smile grew wider. "One has to take pleasure where one can find it," she said with a cheeriness that sent a shudder down V's spine.
As V approached the desk, the sickly smell of decay grew stronger and she had to force back the grimace that pulled at her mouth. "What the fuck is goin' on here?"
Adriana's smile faded upon the monitor and she leaned forwards. The body in front of V remained motionless. "This is what the director has reduced me to."
"Kulkarni did this?" Judy asked, her voice sounding distant to V.
"Indirectly, at least," Adriana said with a slight tilt of her head. "When I refused to give him my research—my father's research—Biotechnica lost interest in my project. The director held it against me, it seems. He essentially trapped me here, withdrew my staff and withheld vital supplies. I was forced to do this to myself."
V's eyes swept over Adriana's body once more, disgust blossoming in her gut. "Why would he do that?"
"Is that not obvious from the state of Alpha? He lost favour with his precious corporation. Biotechnica consider the city nothing more than a farm now. The funds they initially poured into Alpha dried up years ago. The director yearns for glory. I imagine that's something you're familiar with, Valerie."
Anger bubbled under V's skin at the insinuation, but she bit back the retort. Judy appeared beside her, irritation mirrored in her dark eyes.
"Why didn't you just leave?" Judy asked, her voice dropping to a grainy rasp.
On the screen, Adriana leaned back into her chair and rested her elbows on its armrests, steepling her hands in front of her. "I could not. The director would never have let me. But that is not the only reason. As successful as my father's efforts were, they were still flawed."
V dropped the case onto the heavy wooden desk and the thud echoed around the room. Adriana's eyes shifted to it. "Flawed how?"
"The process of, let us say, growing a clone is a quick one. This artificial and sterile aging unfortunately has drawbacks. One such drawback is the lack of a fully developed immune system. If I were to leave, I would probably succumb to any number of viruses or bacteria very quickly. As has happened on numerous occasions in the past. Alpha offered me a controlled environment in which I could conduct my research without fear of illness. A place where I had access to the materials needed to produce new clones should the need arise."
Questions spiralled through V's mind at the new information, but she didn't have the time to get into this now. For all she knew, Kulkarni would be knocking down the front door to this place any minute.
"Sucks for you," Judy interjected. "But why are we here? How can you help V when you're just a fuckin' corpse?"
"Judy…" Adriana let the name sit on her virtual tongue for a moment. "There's no need to be rude."
When V looked at Judy, she saw the muscles in her neck tense and her lip curl. In the next moment, Judy had rounded the desk and gripped the back of Adriana's chair with one hand, her free hand hovering over the body. "Fuck your games, Adriana. Fuck this entire city. You want rude? What's to stop me yankin' out these tubes?"
A flicker of surprise passed across Adriana's features on the monitor. "Nothing, I suppose. But then I would be unable to save the woman you clearly care so much about."
Judy clenched her jaw, her grip tightening on the chair. "Maybe it'll be worth it. Maybe we'll find help someplace else. From someone who isn't as twisted as you."
Even Judy didn't sound convinced of that and V knew that Adriana wouldn't miss the defeat in her voice. But maybe she was right. Maybe it would be for the best that they ended this now, didn't get in any deeper. Even if Adriana could help her, would it be worth it? At what cost would that help come?
"You are free to take your chances, of course. With the corporations and the scavengers and the corrupt security forces. Perhaps an underground ripperdoc will take pity on you. Perhaps he will promise you that it will be an easy fix. Just before stripping Valerie of all her cybernetics." There was a smugness to her voice that rankled V.
"Shut up," Judy forced through gritted teeth and her fingers twitched.
For a moment, V thought she might do it. Might tear the tubes from Adriana's body and spill their contents across her decaying form. But then her shoulders tremored and she turned sharply, pacing away from the desk towards the giant window behind it.
"But before you do," Adriana continued. "You may be quick to turn away a helping hand, but I still require your assistance to give myself a chance at life."
V stared up at the monitor, her eyes narrowing. "What do you need me to do?"
Adriana's lips ticked upwards, putting V on edge. She swung a hand to her left. "Please go through that door and I will talk you through it."
Judy stiffened then and turned to face V. Her expression was neutral but emotions swam behind her eyes. V found it difficult to tease apart what she saw there. She rolled her shoulders once and picked up the case, heading towards the door Adriana had indicated. The monitor fell dark as she moved. Part of her knew that helping Adriana was a bad idea, that it could only end in betrayal. But another, softer voice in her head told V that for all her arrogance and confidence, Adriana was just as helpless as she was. Reduced to relying on the charity of others to save her life.
Unlike most of the doors they'd come across in Alpha, this one seemed to be made of a dark, carved wood, or at least coated in it. When V neared it, she heard a click and the door popped open. She pulled on it and it was surprisingly thick, the weight of it difficult to shift with one hand. On the other side was a brightly lit lab, much cleaner than what she'd seen of the rest of the building.
The steel counters resembled those in Biotechnica's facility and they too were filled with vials of various liquids, as well as equipment V didn't recognise. At one end of the room, however, was a cylinder not too dissimilar to those she had seen destroyed in Biotechnica's storage hall. She placed the case on one of the counters and approached the container, lifting a hand to wipe away condensation from the thick glass.
She instantly recoiled at what was revealed. Inside floated what could vaguely be described as human. All the identifiable parts were there – two arms, two legs, a torso, even a head. But it was as though a sculptor had grown bored and abandoned his craft part-way through. The entire body was covered in a translucent skin that revealed glass-like bone and the organs within. No features were recognisable on the face, but she could see the greyish form of the brain and what appeared to be computer components embedded in it, shaped to match the flow of the tissue around them. They were connected by wires and V had to wonder just how the brain could function with so much taken over by that network of tech.
As she stepped around the container, she could see that a bundle of wires emerged from the back of the figure's neck and disappeared into the metal lid of the cylinder.
"If you could open the case, Valerie," came Adriana's voice, seemingly from all around her. She turned around, disoriented momentarily, until she spotted the speakers set into the corners of the room, just under the ceiling.
V nodded towards the glass container, even though she wasn't sure Adriana could see her. "That you? Or… gonna be you?"
"Yes," was the only response.
Carefully turning the case onto its side, V flipped open the latches on it, surprised to see that there was no locking mechanism. When she pulled the lid open, she heard a slight hiss and chilled air wafted out. Inside sat several wide tubes containing different shades of a pink gel.
"Good," Adriana said then. "Next, carefully—and I do mean carefully—take the vials and place them in the receptacles beside the cloning chamber. It does not matter in which order you insert them. I will take care of that."
V glanced over her shoulder and saw a rectangular panel connected to the clone's container with three large circular holes. That must be what Adriana had referred to. She pulled one tube free of the case's padded lining and took it to the device. Slowly, she slotted it into the left-most hole and when she pushed it down, she heard the tell-tale wheeze of a vacuum seal.
As she repeated the procedure two more times, Adriana's voice drifted over the intercom. "Judy, could I ask for your assistance in the next room without any more threats of violence?"
V glanced over to see Judy lurking in the doorway. Her brow was furrowed and she pressed her lips together into a thin line. Eventually, she shot an annoyed look at V and disappeared back into Adriana's office. She could hear the murmur of Adriana's voice drift through to the lab, but she couldn't tell what she was saying. No doubt somethin' that's pissin' Judy off.
When V was finished with her task, she stepped back from the device. The three tubes slid down into the casing completely and three identical lids slotted over the space above them. She heard a faint whirring from within.
"Thank you, Valerie. That is all I need from you at present." There was an edge of relief to Adriana's voice now.
As V made her way back to the office, she saw bubbles begin to rise beneath the clone and the liquid it floated in grew increasingly cloudy. She wondered how long the process would take. When she stepped through the doorway, she spotted Judy crouched down behind the desk, just beside Adriana's rotting form.
"What's she got you doin'?" V asked as she approached the other woman.
Judy glanced up at her. "Fuck knows," she muttered. "Somethin' to do with preppin' the transfer to the new body."
V merely watched as Judy's nimble fingers opened the casing on a black box that sat snugly in a large drawer, cables protruding from the rear of it. There was a thin slot in the side of the case that appeared to be empty. When Judy removed its lid, a row of computer chips was revealed, each surrounded by a tangle of multi-coloured wires.
Judy let out a low whistle. "Whoa, you gotta upgrade. This tech is ancient."
"I thank you for your concern, but it suits my needs," came Adriana's slow drone. "If you could affix the wires as instructed, I would be grateful."
V frowned at Adriana's sudden politeness, but she silently watched Judy connect a bundle of wires to the chips with careful precision before running them to the top of the desk and feeding them into a small terminal that sat there. V had no idea what each of the components did, but from the quality and thickness of the terminal's casing, she guessed it was important. At least to Adriana.
When Judy was finished, she gave Adriana's body a side-long glance and moved around the desk, folding her arms across her chest. "We done?"
"Yes, that is all," Adriana replied, her tone crisp. "The process will take some time."
V walked to the window behind the desk, eyes scanning the dark streets of Alpha. They were still. "Now what?"
"The director will come. I will need you to keep him occupied until the cloning is complete."
"An' what about V?" she heard Judy ask, her voice restrained but wearing thin.
"Your persistence is admirable, Judy, but I am unable to perform any medical procedures without the use of my hands." There was something in Adriana's tone that told V she didn't think that persistence was admirable at all.
V turned to look at Judy, who was shifting restlessly now, her arms still folded. "Do you know what kind of reinforcements Kulkarni has called in?" V asked.
There was a pause. "No. I will not know until they leave the director's facility. He has regained control of his systems already."
"Great…" V sighed. "Apart from Biotechnica's entrance, are there any other ways into the city?"
Another pause. "There used to be, but they have been sealed."
V wondered if that was true. "At least we know where they'll be comin' from."
"This tower is equipped with high-end, isolated security systems, installed by the previous administration. They have deterred the director for some time, but I suspect that his cautiousness will soon come to an end. I will alert you should anyone approach the building."
V scanned the room, taking in the dust particles meandering through the air and the thick coating on every surface. It was hard to believe anything still worked here, but she had seen for herself the condition of the lab.
"Got any weapons here?" she asked as she made her way to the centre of the room.
"I have no need for them," Adriana said, her tone emotionless. "But perhaps you will find something in the old security room on the ground floor. If Biotechnica did not strip it completely when they left the city."
"Alright," V mumbled and headed for the elevator. Judy was quick to join her, seemingly eager to leave the stuffy office.
V could feel a little of the tension leave her shoulders as the elevator descended. When she peered at Judy, she saw the tightness in her features.
"You okay?" she asked as the elevator slowed.
Judy's eyes darted to her. She shrugged as the door opened and quickly stepped outside, shaking her arms out. "Yeah. I'm fine. She just gets under my skin."
A solitary light blinked on in the middle of the foyer, offering little extra visibility in the gloom. Was that Adriana's doing? V shivered at the thought of her watching their every move. Looking around the large area, she wondered where the security room would be.
"I think that's what she wants," she said as she walked to the right, trying doors as she went.
The first room was just a small storage cupboard with a few abandoned cleaning supplies.
"She's pretty fuckin' good at it, then," Judy said, irritation sharpening her tone.
V paused and glanced back at Judy. Her eyes were downcast as she followed, her brow drawn low. V guessed she was probably just as bothered by her own reaction to Adriana as she was by the woman herself. When V tried the next door, she found that it was locked.
"Wanna give me a hint here?" V called out, her voice echoing down the hall that split off from the foyer.
"Two doors ahead of you on your left, Valerie," came the reply, but Adriana's voice was distant.
V sighed at the use of her real name. She knew Adriana did it just to put her off-kilter, so she let it slide. She didn't want to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. But she also knew it bothered Judy. Perhaps that was part of the appeal for Adriana.
She reached the door quickly and was relieved to find it unlocked. Inside reflected the rest of the building perfectly. Dust and disarray. Along one wall ran a bank of monitors and control panels, all of which were unpowered. Nearby were a few metal lockers, rust beginning to claw at their edges. She yanked one open and a loud creak split the air, setting her on edge. Empty. She went through the others, but they had all been cleared out.
"Dammit," she muttered.
"V," came Judy's voice and when V looked over, she saw that the other woman had opened a drawer in a small wooden desk.
In it was a single handgun and accompanying magazine. That wasn't going to get them very far, but it was better than nothing. Judy pulled it out and offered it to V.
"You keep it," V insisted.
Judy shook her head and pushed the weapon into V's hands. "You'll make better use of it."
V gazed down at the handgun, turning it over in her hands. It was a little outdated by corpo standards, but it should still work. She slipped it into the waistband of her jeans and also pocketed the magazine. When a thorough search of the rest of the room turned up nothing, she let out a frustrated breath.
"I don't like the thought of you bein' unarmed," she admitted.
Judy nodded slowly. "Hopefully it won't come down to a situation where it matters."
Somehow, V doubted that Judy's optimism would be reflected in reality. She could sense the heavy atmosphere that had crept in around them. A fight was coming. And everything seemed stacked against them this time. She forced back the scowl that tugged at her lips and returned to the foyer. Judy walked quietly behind her.
In a situation like this, she would normally search for a balcony that overlooked the main entrance, yet she hadn't seen anything that looked like one from the outside of the building. Perhaps a window would suffice, but she also didn't like the thought of remaining inside the unnerving tower. So she made her way to the front doors and stepped outside, glad to be out in the late evening air.
Spotlights now blazed down on the ground near the walls surrounding the tower's grounds and, as V surveyed the building itself, she could see circular indents at intermittent points in its walls that she hadn't noticed before. They were likely part of the security system that Adriana had mentioned. Perhaps retractable turrets.
V spotted a waist-high stone wall that served as a divider between the long grass of a lawn and the path that led to the main gate. That would serve as a fairly well protected guard post, at least until she was spotted and someone realised that they could use ammunition that pierced stone. Still, she walked over and scanned the length of it. It would do for now.
She lowered herself to sit with her back to the wall, bringing her knees up so she could rest her arms on them. She could feel the rough-hewn stone through the leather of her jacket, but it was oddly reassuring to her in that moment. Judy plopped down beside her and let out a long, steady breath. She crossed her legs in front of her and picked idly at the blades of glass between the two of them.
As the silence stretched on between them, V felt her muscles becoming tighter. "Regrettin' leavin' Night City?" V asked just to break the tension.
Judy seemed surprised by the sudden sound of V's voice, but as her words sunk in, she let out a single, almost bitter laugh. "No." She pulled a particularly long blade of grass from the ground and smoothed it between her fingers. "Seems like we just replaced one fucked up city with another, though."
V watched as Judy curled the strip of grass around her finger. "Gotta wonder how I keep findin' myself in these kinda situations."
Judy's hands stilled as she peered at V out of the corner of her eye. "Probably has somethin' to do with you goin' with the flow, V."
V frowned at that. "Not really sure what you mean."
Judy let out a brief sigh and leaned back against the wall. "I know it doesn't feel like it to you, but there's somethin' I've noticed. When shit comes your way, you never step back and say 'fuck this'. You don't back off. You face it head on."
V silently mused those words. Was that true? Her trouble had all started when Jackie had dropped that damn job in her lap. A dull ache spread across her chest at the thought of him. They'd been so eager to make a name for themselves, that they'd charged headlong into a shitstorm of epic proportions. They had known it'd be risky, but they had gone ahead with it anyway. She wondered how different her life would be if she'd turned that gig down, had just walked away.
"Is that so bad?" she said finally.
Judy let the grass flutter back to the ground to join its brethren. "I s'pose not. Depends, really." She seemed to struggle with finding the right words. "I mean, it's one of the things I've always admired about you. How headstrong you are. How, no matter the odds, you're willing to take on anythin'."
V met Judy's gaze then and she could see the fondness in her eyes. But there was also a deep fear behind them. "But..?" she urged.
Judy's lips twisted into a frown. "I can only see that endin' one way, V. I think, before we left NC, you were so fuckin' scared of what that chip was doin' to you that you did any damn gig, followed every lead, no matter how weak. Because, shit, it would be better to go out on your own terms, right?"
The weight of her words sat heavily on V's shoulders and, when Judy reached out and brushed her fingertips across the back of her hand, she flinched.
"But now…" Judy continued, her voice strained. "I think you're so desperate to live, to make a life, that you're goin' down that same path. Because it's all you know."
V turned her hand over and let Judy caress the centre of her palm with a feather-light touch. She sucked in a deep breath to ease the ache in her chest. "I don't think I know how to be any different, Jude."
Judy slipped her fingers between V's and gripped her hand tightly. "I don't want you to change, V," she said firmly, her tone dropping in frustration as she tried to think of the right words. "That wasn't the point in me sayin' that. It's just…" She puffed out a shaky breath. "I just don't want you to fuckin' die."
V squeezed Judy's hand and clenched her jaw, chewing over the words in her mind. She knew she had the tendency to be reckless, but hearing Judy spell everything out so well, her motivations, her behaviour, it made her realise what that would look like. Like she had a death wish. And perhaps she had, at one point. Judy was right. She had thrown herself into dangerous work just to keep herself occupied, to stop herself from spiralling into despair.
But that wasn't how she felt now, was it? Was this all just a distraction from the fact that she would be dead in a few months? Did she really believe she would find a solution here? Or was she just treading old ground?
When Judy pulled away, V blinked away the thoughts. Judy cast a worried glance at her before twisting and peeking over the top of the wall. "You're doin' that thing again."
V mirrored Judy's movement. No movement from the gate. "What thing?"
"Thinkin' real hard," Judy said and returned to her prior position.
V remained kneeling by the wall and looked down at the other woman. "I thought you wanted me to think before actin'?"
Judy quirked an eyebrow at her. "And what act are you considerin' so much?"
V lowered herself so her head would not be visible beyond the wall. She placed a palm on the soft grass next to Judy and leaned in slightly. "Kissing you."
That caused Judy to falter and she gazed searchingly at V. There was a struggle behind her eyes and V thought she might give in to the suggestion. Eventually, though, she shook her head. "You can't solve every problem by flirtin' at it, V."
Deflated, V sat back down, propping herself up against the wall. She smoothed her hands over her jeans and sighed. Silence engulfed them and, before long, she felt the urge to break it again. "Sometimes I think you know me better than I know myself."
Judy reached out and nudged V's shoulder. "Your attempts at seducin' me to avoid talkin' about yourself are pretty fuckin' obvious, V."
V barked out a derisive laugh. "That's not what I meant."
A warm palm on her thigh brought her gaze back to Judy. "You get to know a little about a person when you've been through the shit we have."
V nodded slowly. They had certainly been through a lot in a short amount of time. She liked to think she knew Judy well too. But she also had the feeling there was a lot more to discover about her. And she wanted more than anything to have the chance to do that.
"It also helps that you're very pleasant to observe," Judy murmured as she shifted onto her knees.
V peered at her in surprise at the tone shift. "Oh?"
Judy patted her thigh firmly and stood. "Very easy on the eyes."
V's brow creased. "Where are you goin'?"
Judy shrugged and glanced over at the gate. "I'm not gonna be much use out here. I thought I'd go back to that security room. See if I can't get some of the monitors workin'."
V scrambled to her feet, concern bringing each of her senses to attention. "I don't think it's a good idea to be in there alone."
Judy's eyes narrowed slightly and she placed a hand on her hip. "If Kulkarni shows up here, I doubt it'll be all that safe out here either."
V wrinkled her nose at that thought and stuffed her hands into her jacket pockets. "It's pretty fucked that we don't know what's safer – the evil corp coming to knock down the front gate or the supervillain sitting in her ivory tower. Such a great fuckin' choice we have."
V's gaze flitted upwards when the spotlights above them flashed on and off several times. Had Adriana overheard them? A deep rumble drifted to her ears then and she realised Adriana wasn't showing her displeasure at their conversation. Something was nearing the tower. Her eyes shot to the gate and she could just make out lights at the end of the long street that led towards them.
"Looks like trouble's on its way," Judy said hurriedly and started to back towards the tower. "I'll see if I can get us some eyes."
Before V could object, Judy turned and sprinted to the entrance. V gritted her teeth and fought the urge to go after her. She needed to keep an eye on the situation out here. She let out a frustrated breath and dropped down behind the wall again, retrieving the handgun from her waistband.
...
It hadn't taken Judy long to figure out what the problem in the security room was. Adriana hadn't turned the fucking power on. It had only taken a few sharp words and the monitors blinked to life. It had taken her several more minutes to figure out the control system, but she was now staring at a fairly good overview of the internal and external layout of the tower.
She could see V still crouched behind the wall they had chatted next to and the headlights of several approaching vehicles. They were moving very slowly, perhaps trying to assess the danger the tower presented. It was too dark to make out what kind of vehicles they were or even what colour they were.
She brought up her phone's contact list, intent on informing V of her success. Her brow furrowed when she couldn't connect. She tried again but received the same error message. Checking her net browser, she realised the problem wasn't isolated.
"I'm sorry, Judy, but communication with the outside world has been restricted. For our protection," Adriana's voice drifted over the intercom. Her tone was certainly not apologetic.
"I need to talk to V!" Judy insisted.
"It is for our own protection," Adriana repeated.
Judy felt frustration well up inside her. Why did Adriana always have to be so difficult? "Do you have any speakers set up outside?"
"No."
Judy stared at the monitor covering the front gate. The lights drew ever closer. What use was this overview of the area if she couldn't coordinate with V? She considered just going back outside, but it wasn't as though she'd be any more useful out there. She curled her hand into a fist at that thought.
"Judy, I require your assistance with something in my office."
"You're jokin', right? I'm not leavin' V," Judy said dismissively, her gaze fixed to the screen. V had shifted along the wall to get a better angle on the gate.
"It is rather urgent."
The strain in Adriana's voice caused Judy to pause and she looked towards the speaker. Had something gone wrong with the cloning process? She looked back at the monitor and chewed on her bottom lip. The vehicles would be here in minutes.
"I will keep you informed of what is happening outside if that helps."
Judy felt torn. She wasn't sure if she could trust Adriana to keep her word—hell, she could probably rely on her not to. But if she really was in trouble, then V could lose her one chance. Fuck.
"Alright, but you better tell me the moment V needs my help!" she shot at the speaker and hurried out of the room.
...
The beams of headlights swept across the tower's courtyard as vehicles pulled up in front of the gate. V knew the wire mesh wouldn't keep them out for long if they decided they wanted to get past it. The mounted turrets that had popped out of their homes in the walls of the tower, however, might keep them occupied for slightly longer.
From the rough growl of the motors that drifted over to where V hid, she didn't think they were corpo vehicles. The muscles in her legs tensed as she readied herself to peek over the top of the wall. She knew that they didn't have their headlights pointed in her direction at the moment and she could only hope that wasn't about to change.
When she lifted herself, she saw the form of several cars, their features obscured by the blinding beams. She could tell that they weren't the sleek designs of Biotechnica's vehicles, though. There was movement just in front of them, and long shadows fell over the courtyard as several people passed in front of the headlights. She heard the urgent murmur of voices. Male voices.
V's adrenaline spiked when the gate suddenly jolted and rolled open. Her eyes shot back to the tower. Who had opened the gate? As she snapped her attention back to the vehicles, she could tell from the men's alarmed movements that they were just as surprised as she was. What the fuck are you doin', Adriana!?
Maybe she was attempting to lure them closer to the turrets. When several of the intruders stepped into the courtyard, weapons raised and their movements cautious, the light revealed their forms. Her blood ran cold. These were no Biotechnica reinforcements. They were Aldecaldos.
Her eyes narrowed as she recognised the lead man. It was Eli. Had Kulkarni, in his desperation, called on the nomads for help? Why would they even agree to that? She clenched her jaw and glanced back at the turrets. She couldn't fight them. As unwelcoming as they had been and as fucked up as their first meeting had been, they were still a part of Panam's family. Her family.
Several more of the Aldecaldos followed Eli inside, the flashlights attached to their rifles sweeping the courtyard. She readied herself to duck down again, but when she spotted the flash of metal behind the nomads, she froze. Biotechnica's bots had accompanied them here and they now stood in silent vigil just outside the gate.
V gripped the handgun more firmly and dropped down behind the wall again. This was getting more complicated than she had imagined.
"Seems pretty clear," came the voice of a young man, his tone confident.
"Take it slow," Eli replied.
V's ears perked up when she caught another familiar voice then. "We should not waste time." Kulkarni.
She was surprised he had ventured outside his haven. He really must be desperate.
"We're not rushing this," Eli snapped. "You wanted our help, you got it. But we're doing this our way."
V could almost picture the disgruntled scowl on Kulkarni's face at that, but she didn't hear him respond. She took that moment to shimmy along the stone wall, careful not to reveal her position. She wasn't sure what she could do to deter them, but she had to do something.
When Eli stepped into her line of sight at the end of the wall, her eyes flicked to the turrets. She saw the tiny red light on one begin to blink and panic surged beneath her ribcage.
"Stop!" she called out and pressed herself against the wall, bracing herself for gunfire.
Eli's rifle jolted in her direction, his eyes wide in surprise, but he didn't fire. V slowly motioned with one hand to the turrets and it didn't take him long to identify what she was trying to show him. In the next moment, he called over his shoulder to his fellow Aldecaldos. "Take cover!"
In a blur of motion, the nomads scrambled behind the partitioning walls just as V had, on her side of them. Confusion muddied her senses as they propped their rifles on top of the stone, pointed towards the gate. Eli crouched down next to her, his eyes raking over her.
"You in one piece?" she said, his attention returning to the gate.
"What are you doing!?" came Kulkarni's booming voice.
V struggled for words, still trying to figure out what the hell was happening. She could hear several clicks come from the direction of the gate and when she peeked over again, she saw that the bots had raised their arms. Although she couldn't make out the details, she knew they would be equipped with weapons.
It was only when another Aldecaldo dropped down to Eli's right and pulled back the cloth she had wrapped around her head that V realised who was behind this.
As they were caught in the seconds between the hush of anticipation and the moment when all hell would break loose, Panam peered back at her, her eyes bright with relief. And anger.