act32side

There are way more men than I anticipated... They took everyone outside.

Is anyone hurt?

Yes...

Then, is anyone...?

No. Don't worry. They're alive.

Phew... That's good to hear.

Ela, there are snipers on the roof. We need to take care of them first.

Doc, you and Tecno stay here. Wait for our signal before you act.

What are you looking for, Tecno?

The storage device. All our design documents are stored on it. They destroyed our puppets, but as long as we still have that, we can rebuild them someday.

I'll help you look for it.

Well, I thought I was just up here for a smoke. I didn't expect to run into a few sneaky musbeasts.

I'll deal with him. Go get the storage device. It's in the top shelf of that cabinet.

Alright.

Señorita, maybe you should let your friend take me on instead. A little girl like you can't land a finger on me!

Oh yeah?

*sigh*... You shouldn't have taunted her...

Didn't your mother ever teach you not to look down on people?! Time to teach you a lesson!

Agh! My leg!

Little girl? I'm a little girl because I'm short?

My nose!

Little girl? Vete a la chingada!

Ugh—

Dealt with him. Did you find the storage device?

Bad news. There's nothing on the top of the cabinet. Someone took the device.

Who... Who could've taken it?

You can stop glaring at me, Señor Diaz. I asked you to cooperate with us. You only have yourselves to blame for all these wounded.

Pfft. You can drop the act. Who are you trying to fool?

Hold him down!

Oof... fearsome fellow. If I didn't have my men here, you might've actually cut me down.

Hmph...

I'm afraid I have some bad news. Our inspection turned up a lot of serious hazards. Especially those puppets.

Once activated, they could have a serious adverse effect on the whole neighborhood's energy supply, maybe even the surrounding neighborhoods.

That's why I gathered all of you here, to give you a warning.

Who... sent you?

There are plenty who think fondly of this place... and just as many who want to get rid of us...

But all they ever do is come at us... They don't spare a thought to what we do.

Once you're there, your top priority is to destroy those puppets. And do it in full view of everyone.

Cut off water and electricity, drive them out of the place... That comes later. For now, we provoke them, anger them, and then...

Draw the fires of their fury where they must burn.

I'll be waiting there for good news.

Except him...

Except that man...

Do you really have to ask, if you've already figured it out?

Is this all of them?

Do it.

The moment the officer gives the order, the soldiers standing by swarm in. The puppets' bodies are rapidly torn apart, their materials and internal wiring scattered all across the ground, until only their heads lean against each other.

Their once swift pupils fall from their eye sockets, exposing the torn wiring inside.

There is a deafening silence among the assembled crowd. Many choose to look away, unable to bear witness to this atrocity.

Only Diaz looks on without so much as a blink. His eyes are filled with fury.

Oh, right, I found this... storage device on one of your shelves. I had a man check it for me. Your design documents are all in here, along with a bunch of other things.

You've destroyed enough already. Won't you spare us this?

We have to eradicate all threats, Señor Diaz.

An almost inaudible weeping can be heard in the silent crowd. Even a man as headstrong as Diaz is unable to keep his eyes stony.

Give that to me, you thug!

Who's there?!

Out of the way!

Coño. She snatched it.

What are you idiots doing? Who let this punk in here? Seize her!

You...

Stop resisting, and hand that over!

Let go of me!

Trying to use Arts?

Ugh...

Hand it over!

Pft, in your dreams.

You dare kick me?!

The officer, after getting a kick in the face from Tecno, angrily shoves her to the ground and attempts to snatch the device back, but the Durin keeps a tight grip on it throughout the whole ordeal.

After multiple fruitless attempts, the officer gives up. He stands up, expressionless, and stomps violently onto Tecno's tightly clenched fist.

Again and again, until his sole is dyed solid crimson.

Still won't let go, huh?

I... I won't... Take it from me... If you can...

The moment he lifts his knee again, a red beam shines from the roof of a building up above, with a small red dot landing on his forehead.

Try stomping her again.

If you want to know what it feels like to have three bullets enter your body at the same time, go ahead.

What... took you so long?

I'd die if I leapt from the fourth floor of a building.

Hrmph.

Take your men with you, sir, all of them. Or you'll have more than bullets waving hello.

Fine, we completed our objectives... No reason to waste any more time with you.

Notify all units. We're pulling out.