act19side

Don't tell me she got...

*cough*... *cough* *cough*...

Myers! You made it out too?

S—Sir... I got... Doc Moore... outta there...

Joyce!

Th—Thank God... she's okay...

His wounds aren't severe, but his endurance has been overtaxed. He urgently needs rest.

We can't hang around this place. None of the Pioneer quarters are safe anymore.

Did you see that?

I don't know what you're referring to.

Knock it off, I know you're not that dumb. Did you not feel that tremor just now?

Were those floaty things some new model of drone or something? You Rhiners developed those yourself? Dammit!

I can only tell you that we did not take any action against the site, on your orders.

Who was your boss, again? Ferdinand?

Mr. Ferdinand Clooney is the Director of Rhine Lab's Energy Section.

I don't care how your company's structured.

Give me your comm. I want to talk to him.

Director Clooney is extremely busy...

Then I'm gonna need you to pass along a message—

Ask if he knows what a bastard he is!

Director, you have a message, sent from observation at the site.

Well, well...

Also, your son appears to need you for something. Should I put him through?

Same play. Tell him I'm busy.

Right, send the contents of Elena's most recent report to my terminal.

On it, Director.

How many times have I told you? Don't call me Director.

Ah! Sorry, Mr. Clooney.

Speaking of Elena...

I gather you get along well with her.

Brainstorm for me. What kind of present would she like?

...Olivia.

I'm sorry, treating the wounded Pioneers has me occupied...

Are you hurt?

I'm... fine.

I don't have field experience like you do, but I can take care of myself, at least.

Even then... shouldn't we be evacuating ASAP?

The whole site's in chaos... The Pioneers are busy with themselves. We've got a good opportunity to escape.

I'm positive the director got my message. He'll send people to fetch us.

Once we meet back up with our colleagues at Defense, we'll be in a perfect position to wipe out the threat to the site, and save Dorothy.

Maybe you're right.

Maybe?

But I can't do it. It's not in my power to leave these people for dead.

Just now, they couldn't do it... leave Joyce for dead. You saw.

Doc Silence, we still got a few casualties here!

Drone—!

We're not gonna last much longer if they keep this up.

I've tried every way to attack it, no dice. Those freaks don't hurt, and they're impossible to break.

We don't even... got nowhere to hide.

Sir, why are you telling them all this?

They could be getting off on it!

These things above our heads are all mystery weapons sent out by the fuzz and the megacorps! They want us trapped in this test site forever—

Sam, lay off that for now.

*cough* *cough*...

Everyone, I... I've got an idea...

Greyy... do you have some kind of proposal?

*huff*... *huff*... *cough* *cough* *cough*...

Take your time. You were running too fast. Be careful not to bruise yourself.

I've noticed—those objects seem to chase after light, and human voices.

Watch...

They're following your Arts' light ball, away into the air.

*pant*... It's only temporary.

My Arts aren't able to trick them for long.

You've done all you can. And very well, at that.

Phototaxis... You've brought up an interesting line of thought.

Greyy, can you assist in evacuating the nearby Pioneers? They trust you.

Move them somewhere dark, and tell them they need to keep quiet.

Sure, I know what to do.

I've done work like this plenty of times with the senior operators...

Dr. Silence, you and Miss Elena take care too.

What about us, then?

Make some signs of movement. The larger, the better. It has to cover the sounds of the others' footsteps at minimum.

On it.

Sam, call five or six guys over if you can, take whatever gear makes the most noise.

Are you seriously going along with them?

You got a better idea?

Whatever you say, boss.

Draw every silver body to our location.

So we act as bait—and then what?

For now, stall as long as we can.

And then come to the laboratories.

That voice...

Dorothy?!

Yes, it's me. Dorothy.

I did a quick rig on the laboratory PAs—I hope I didn't scare you.

Are you alright?

I'm completely safe. You don't need to worry about me.

The laboratory buildings are sturdier, and they will help you resist the threat.

Everyone—be you Pioneer Team friends, or Rhine coworkers, the laboratories' doors are open to you.