*Content Warning: Depictions of firearms in illustration and in episode.*
Lance pulled out a red pen from the messenger bag he had with him.
“I’ll need a power converter and the transmitter from the project here,” he said as he drew a circle around a table to the far right on the map.
“It looks like a wireless internet setup. I saw it when we first came in.”
He referenced the legend along the side of the flattened page, then drew another circle.
“Bob’s scanner module is here. I’ll need it to figure out what frequency we need for the jammer to work on the guns. It should be easy enough to distinguish as he labels everything he builds. It is also close to the front, so we need extra care taken that Striker doesn’t take notice.”
Lance leaned to the right, peering behind and past Adam.
“Last thing is that laptop’s power cord and universal data cable with it,” he stated, nodding towards a table not far from them.
“How in the world do you know how to jury-rig something so complex?” asked one of the men sitting with them.
“He’s a really smart guy,” informed Adam. “And rather tech-savvy at that.”
The man shook his head.
“This had better work out then,” he said.
“Won’t you need a host to make it work together?” asked Scott.
“I have it already,” announced Lance with a pleased smirk. “I practically have a supercomputer in my pocket.”
He pulled out L.A.S.S.I.’s console from his pocket, holding it briefly for the others to see. He quickly hid it as an Ouroboros member walked nearby. The gang member paused, giving the group a suspecting look. They exchanged glances, after which the patroller shook his head, and carried on. The group let out a collective sigh of partial relief.
“Alright,” said Lance with a surge of confidence. “Let’s do this.”
Adam craned his neck around as subtly as he could, observing the patterns the attackers were making in circling the room. He then judged the number of people toward the table they needed on the far side.
“There will be a brief moment of opportunity with how the Ouroboros are walking,” he said. “Let’s hope people pay attention to it.”
Lance pulled a few note cards from his bag. Making sure none of the gang members were watching, he then began to write brief but specific instructions on a card. He handed it to Scott, who casually leaned back. Reaching behind him, he tapped the man behind him with the card, who took the card, puzzled. He read it, briefly surprised, but stayed quiet and passed it on. By this time Lance had the next card ready but waited until the first had gone a distance before passing it to a young girl near him. Lance laid a finger over his lips, then pointed towards the front where the scanner was.
“It’s all going to be okay,” he whispered.
“Pass the card down over there.”
The girl nodded and did as she was told.
“One more,” breathed Lance as he passed the last of the note cards.
The cords from the laptop didn’t take long to retrieve as they were closest, but all the group of friends could do was watch and hope the other components were retrieved safely. The note to retrieve the converter and transmitter was passed across faster, despite a farther distance, but still took time due to passing gunmen.
The note reached a middle-aged man who examined the short instructions, turned to look at the table behind him for the components, and then glanced around to find the nearest Ouroboros. The man inched a little closer to the table, watching all the while to avoid being spotted. He started to reach up, but quickly drew his hand back as a gunman walked by, stopping just feet away. His heart racing, the man waited as the gunman turned to look around, his back towards the man at the table.
The man reached behind his head and carefully unplugged the transmitter from the console, leaving only the converter attached. He pulled it down and put it behind his back just in enough time as the gunman continued his watch, turning briefly toward the man. The people around them let out nervous sighs, seeing what could have happened and hoping for salvation from the nightmare. The man wrapped the cables together around the components, found a stray rubber band to hold it together, and passed it on. Each hand that touched the bundle as it was passed added their hopes that whatever was being planned would succeed.
Over towards the front the note to retrieve the scanner finally made it to the group nearest the display. The people passed the note amongst themselves, whispering, trying to decide who would reach for the item in question. A younger woman of reddish hair with a silver streak decided to risk it while the others were still trying to decide. She turned her head towards the platform to find Striker’s dark-eyed steely gaze staring back at her, prompting her to turn around fearfully and silence the others.
Striker narrowed his eyes, sensing something was up. He grabbed his phone and clicked a button on the side. A radio-like tone sounded from it; seconds after, another echoed from across the room from the device of one of his goons. The one who received the call made his way to the front.
“Sir?” he asked as he stepped up onto the platform.
“I still have not heard from the other team and I am sure it is only a matter of time before the police show up,” said Striker, mildly annoyed.
“Go find out what is taking so long. On your way out, tell the others to pay closer attention,” he added.
“There is something suspicious going on.”
“Yes, sir,” replied the goon as he turned to leave.
He walked down and headed to the back, stopping by each of his team and informing them of the boss’ orders. Lance and Adam’s group, having seen everything unfold, slumped in disappointment as they watched the Ouroboros tighten their watch.
“We have everything but the scanner,” stated Lance.
“We are so close...” noted Adam with a sigh.
They played off their conversation as a now more aware gunman passed their circle.
A crash from the far side of the room alerted everyone’s attention, including that of Striker. Realizing she had a brief opportunity, the red-haired girl darted and reached for the scanner module.
“Sylvia! Be careful!” whispered a young man who was near her.
The girl named Sylvia quickly returned to her spot with the device, which resembled a wide, oversized remote, held close to her body in an attempt to hide it.
Lance and Adam, as everyone else, were briefly caught with curiosity in whatever happened on the far side. Scott nudged Lance and pointed towards the front where the scanner was already being carefully passed in their direction.
Lance quickly spun back around and began disassembling the parts he already had acquired before him. His hands worked rapidly, as if he had worked with those exact pieces hundreds of times before. He paused from the disassembly just long enough to pull out L.A.S.S.I.’s console again, opening and activating the console, and then setting it next to the components. He pulled out a few wires, reconfigured them, and then spliced others into the data cable from the laptop. His friends around him watched on nervously as he worked with blazing speed, knowing that lives literally depended on the plan succeeding. If it didn’t... then the consequences would be dire.
Noel turned as the person behind her handed over the scanner.
“Open the port on the lower end and plug in the cable,” ordered Lance without looking up.
“Okay,” replied Noel with a shaking tone.
She did as she was told while Lance took the other end of the cable and plugged it into L.A.S.S.I.
“Scan now through port three,” he commanded his computer system.
“Narrow to high profile codes.”
“Scanning...” replied the console.
Lance finished the device he was creating and plugged it in as well.
Adam looked up, then looked again, and his eyes widened.
“Um... Lance...?” he began. “Any way to hurry up...?”
Lance finally turned to see the commotion going on: a group of the gunmen was looking in their direction and one pointed them out.
“Lance!” exclaimed Noel as the others also looked up.
Without speaking, Lance turned back to focus on his devices.
He quickly tapped something on the console’s touch screen then grabbed the scanner, pressing a series of buttons. He made one more connection of wires between the transmitter and the converter when he felt a cold ring of metal on the back of his neck.
“What are you doing?” demanded a gruff voice from behind him.
“Shutting you down, creep,” mumbled Lance.
A jingling tone sounded from L.A.S.S.I.’s console.
“What did you say?” growled the goon, pressing his weapon harder.
“I said that I am shutting... You... DOWN!” replied Lance.
“L.A.S.S.I.! ACTIVATE!”
“Activating,” stated L.A.S.S.I.
“Your little toy won’t save you, kid,” noted the criminal as he pulled the trigger to his weapon.
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