Page 86 of The Fall

“How many?” Kerr wriggled back into her top. The terminal flashed again.

MODEL 2: TWELVE.

Lusa narrowed her eyes. “You can hear us? Why did you make me type?”

MODEL 2: I FOUND IT ENTERTAINING.

“Fuck you.” Lusa held up a middle finger and waved it around.

MODEL 2: LATER.

MODEL 2: LUSA STAYS. KERR AND ALANA HOLD THEM OFF. THEY WILL FOLLOW THE TRACKER AND ENTER VIA THE TRANSPORT CORRIDOR. POSITION KERR NEAR THE EXIT AND ALANA NEAR THE HALLWAY FOR AMBUSH.

MODEL 2: I CAN SCRAMBLE BIOSIG TRACKERS. THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR WEAPONS, BUT YOU WILL HAVE THE ADVANTAGE.

Lusa repeated the instructions. Alana raised an eyebrow and then grabbed Kerr by the wrist.

“Hey!” Kerr protested.

“In the lorry.” Alana released her and hopped into the cab, turning over the engine and backing out of the Ruskov Chamber. “We’ll use it for cover.” Alana cranked the wheel and hit the wall, wedging the vehicle in the corridor. “Stay behind the tyres.”

Kerr did as she was told and crouched, drawing Tybalt.

“Do you know how to disable the SmartChip on your gun?”

Kerr sneered. “I’m a Charger. I know more about breaking and putting guns back together than a Styx ever could, yeah?”

Alana held up her hands. “Calm your tits. Chargers were barely functional back in my day.” She pulled the chip out of her rifle and placed it neatly in the pocket of her BulitWeave flak jacket. She paused, as if considering something and then held out two cylinders.

Kerr looked at them blankly. “What are those?”

“I thought you were a Charger. A tech wizard or some shit.” Twisting knives pleased Alana a little too much. “I forgot, you only use busted last gen garbage.”

“Why are you being a dick?” Kerr didn’t reach out to take the strange objects.

Alana thrust them into her chest anyway. Something seemed to have changed in her that Kerr didn’t fully grasp. Battle camaraderie, perhaps? “Have you never been someone’s girlfriend before?” Alana turned away, like she was embarrassed about her behaviour. “Dealing with their family’s bullshit is part of the package.”

Heat crept up her neck. She should correct Alana for using the word girlfriend. That was twice now, but she didn’t want to. “None of them have had families.” She could twist the knife back.

Alana changed the subject. “Talia made them. Lusa’s mom. They’re repeater ‘nades. They cause enough interference to the open port on strength amplifiers.” Alana inspected the ‘nade. “They used to completely take you down, but secrets only stay secret for so long.”

“Like doorstoppers, yeah?” Kerr took the ‘nades and tucked them into her belt. “What do they do now?”

“Doorstoppers run a broad spectrum of AI gremlins. It might take them out if their firmware is out of date, but most likely, their hardware will get a lot heavier.”

“And they won’t be able to aim.” Kerr’s face lit up. Even more once she saw Alana’s approving look. “Why are we here?”

The approval was short-lived. “Because any moment, there are going to be a dozen Styx pouring through those doors.” Alana looked at her like she was trying to decide whether Kerr was naturally slow. “Are your aural processors fried?”

“No, I mean, behind the lorry.” Kerr tapped the filthy tyre. “Model 2 said I should be near the doors, yeah?”

Alana shook her head. “How have you survived this long?”

Kerr wanted to take offence, but Alana was being nice to her all of a sudden, so she held up Tybalt, showing it off and flashing her most badass smirk.

Alana seemed unimpressed. “Honey, Model 2 is trying to kill you.”

Security Is Mortals Chiefest Enemy