Higheist

"MmmMMPH!?"

*SQUELCH!*

Ori releases the Lazarus soldier's head and allows it to drop to the floor next to the porcelain shards of the shattered toilet bowl. "Should've stayed home." he dryly remarks as the corpse rapidly disintegrates under the nanite's gentle care.

With that, he swaps clothes and takes the guy's equipment and shotgun, a modified Militech crusher equipped with explosive rounds for that extra punch. Something Ori hopefully wouldn't be needing anytime soon.

After making sure the stall with the shattered toilet was locked and secured, he shuts the visor on his freshly cleaned helmet and makes his way out, down to the next floor.

The last floor was dark as if the owners of the building hadn't thought it was worth illuminating it. Indeed, there were fewer guards than he'd expected too, most of them seemingly placed on the upper floors, protecting the clients and building instead of the vault.

It was essentially a large hallway with reinforced metallic walls and roof. The only doors really visible are ones either meant for maintenance or for storage. He marches through, casually nodding at the few Lazarus soldiers patrolling around.

Ten minutes later, he finally discovers the vault. A large door made of obscure metal ten feet tall and wide, visible electrical traps were active and ready to stun anyone who got too close. Four Lazarus soldiers stood around, along with four auto turrets and four cameras that occasionally scanned the area.

Lucy probably couldn't gain access to the systems down here without brute forcing it, which meant he was on his own...

Fuck it, might as well get this over with.

He strides over as the guards stand to attention, ready to act if anything seemed suspicious. "Yo, got sent to inspect the vault after that shit show the other day." he casually greets.

One man, the captain, tilts his head, "Another one? There was already an audit..." he squints at the badge on Ori's uniform, "Private, I think you might be under a misapprehension." the guys behind him tense up, "Even if there was another, I doubt they'd send a bottom of the barrel shitter to get it done. Now, you gonna give up what you're plannin' or do we have to do it the hard way?"

"A spy?" one of the soldier's questions, raising his gun to aim at Ori, the auto-turrets doing the same.

"Heh, if this is a spy then I'll eat my left nut. No spy worth his salt would forget to do his fuckin' research. I mean really, a private!? Gimme a fuckin' break!"

Ori frowns, "You seem awfully casual about all of this."

The captain shrugs, "And why wouldn't I be? You handed yourself to us on a silver platter." he goes to reach for his radio but time slows down for both him and Ori, their Cyberware kicking into gear.

Ori had tried to club the man over the head with his shotgun, only for him to respond by leaning to the side and sending a punch into Ori's chest, causing him to slide backwards a meter or two.

Time resumes and the captain cracks his knuckles, "Now that was stupid. Look like we gotta live one boys!"

Scowling, Ori makes his move, raising his shotgun and firing at the man. He ducks out of the way but the explosive shell hits the soldier behind him, turning his upper half into red mist as it detonates.

The other soldier opens fire and Ori blocks it with his Cybernetic arm, whipping his Monowire at the fourth soldier, who tries to avoid it but ends up getting both of his legs hacked off.

The captain leaps forwards and grabs Ori but the face, trying to slam the back of his head into the nearby wall but Ori pulls the guy with him, all while swinging his still-extended Monowire at the other grunt who'd shot at him moments before.

*Crack!*

"The signal's already been sent, you're fucked now!" the captain spits, sending a bone-breaking punch into Ori's chest which throws him against the opposite wall and allows the auto turrets to finally start firing.

Ori bursts away as the turrets tear apart the position he was just standing, sending a brutal flying knee directly into the face of the captain, pinching it between his knee and the wall crushing his skull completely.

Some quick swipes from his Monowire later and the auto turrets are down. Letting out a tired breath, he mentally commands the nanites to "Do it."

*BOOM!*

Explosions shake the foundations of the building and Ori quickly makes his way to the vault and stabs his Injector into the control panel to let the nanites start deconstructing it. While it wasn't a foolproof solution, for most things it'd act as a skeleton key. What lock, mechanical or electronic, could withstand being deconstructed from the inside?

...

*BOOOM!*

Looks like the cavalry has arrived. He glances over his shoulder at the Lazarus soldiers running at him, no, fleeing in his direction. They both abruptly fall though, their bodies turn into mincemeat as they hit the ground. David slides to a stop nearby, shaking the viscera off of his blade.

---------------------

Earlier :

*Shudder...*

"Hey... You guys feel somethin'?" Rebecca wonders aloud.

"Yeah, that's the signal, get your ass moving!" Maine states, taking the front as the crew starts running down the tunnel towards where Lazarus was reconstructing the pipe systems of the Crystal Tower.

Maine's hand folds away revealing his arm cannon as he aims it at the nearest bipedal robot which was being used to hold up a large sheet of metal. "Pilar!"

"On it boss!" the techie acknowledges, bringing out a sling filled with various grenades and launching them. "Blink!"

*BANG!*

Multiple disorientating flashes ring out at the same time as the EMPs, which detonate under most of the robots and disable them momentarily.

"Go on kid, show us how it's done." Falco urges David forward just as Rebecca shouts and charges in like a maniac.