Heartbreak is seconds away from completing the reprogramming task when the two security agents Casper warned about arrive, and take positions outside the door. They certainly would have heard the gunfire followed by ominous silence, followed by Skinny's execution shot. On the surveillance monitors, the team can see the agents take position on either side of the open door, very clearly unwilling to enter.
"Is anyone alive in there? Answer fast, or we're calling corporate central security!"
"No!" comes a desperate-sounding cry from inside the room, surprising everyone. It's the manager Casper tazed earlier. "Don't call corporate. Everything's fine."
Skinny's first instinct is to blow the guy's head off, but the voice coming from the suit has a genuine feel to it. From the sound of it, the manager really doesn't want to get his bosses involved, despite the carnage the Runners have done. Jesus, corporate politics is insane!
"It's not fine!" one of the agents shouts back. "It sounded like a war zone in there!"
"Stand down!" the suit fires back. "We're in negotiations now. Do not enter. Do not call corporate, or if these men don't kill you I swear to God almighty I will!" The suit's voice is gaining confidence now. Maybe he's more important than the Runners originally thought? Saint can remember reading the man's name tag, but he can't remember what it is. Now, the name tag has been lost somewhere in the scuffle. This bothers Saint much more than it should.
As he speaks, the man glances between the three Runners. There's a pleading in his eyes. Corporate security seems to scare him as much as the Runners do. "Please," he says low enough for them to hear, but not the guards outside. "I know why you're here, and I won't stop you. But I promise you, none of us wants what's coming next if we don't cooperate."
Kevin! That's what it was.
Saint and Skinny have their pistols ready. Kevin is only a trigger squeeze away from the morgue, if the Runners choose.
While Kevin is busy pleading for his life, Heartbreak finishes the programming job. The drones can now be reactivated via the console any time Heartbreak wants to power them up. They will follow Heartbreak's new combat parameters, ignoring their previous programming.
During the standoff, Casper arrives at the door leading to the security office hallway. Through a small window, she can see the agents in their positions. They can not yet see her, but as soon as she opens the door they're bound to notice.
"Is anyone alive in there? Answer fast, or we're calling corporate central security!"
"No!" comes a desperate-sounding cry from inside the room, surprising everyone. It's the manager Casper tazed earlier. "Don't call corporate. Everything's fine."
Skinny's first instinct is to blow the guy's head off, but the voice coming from the suit has a genuine feel to it. From the sound of it, the manager really doesn't want to get his bosses involved, despite the carnage the Runners have done. Jesus, corporate politics is insane!
"It's not fine!" one of the agents shouts back. "It sounded like a war zone in there!"
"Stand down!" the suit fires back. "We're in negotiations now. Do not enter. Do not call corporate, or if these men don't kill you I swear to God almighty I will!" The suit's voice is gaining confidence now. Maybe he's more important than the Runners originally thought? Saint can remember reading the man's name tag, but he can't remember what it is. Now, the name tag has been lost somewhere in the scuffle. This bothers Saint much more than it should.
As he speaks, the man glances between the three Runners. There's a pleading in his eyes. Corporate security seems to scare him as much as the Runners do. "Please," he says low enough for them to hear, but not the guards outside. "I know why you're here, and I won't stop you. But I promise you, none of us wants what's coming next if we don't cooperate."
Kevin! That's what it was.
Saint and Skinny have their pistols ready. Kevin is only a trigger squeeze away from the morgue, if the Runners choose.
While Kevin is busy pleading for his life, Heartbreak finishes the programming job. The drones can now be reactivated via the console any time Heartbreak wants to power them up. They will follow Heartbreak's new combat parameters, ignoring their previous programming.
During the standoff, Casper arrives at the door leading to the security office hallway. Through a small window, she can see the agents in their positions. They can not yet see her, but as soon as she opens the door they're bound to notice.