《The New Community》3. Calm before the storm

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Zoe had made up her mind as she finished repacking the med kit. As she looked back up at the twins, she saw Tyson with a stupid, "I know" smile on his face, though was keeping his mouth shut, letting her speak.

"I'll help you. You already know my preference towards non-violence, but I'll help where I can."

Tyson flashed her a wide grin while Maddison absently tugged at the bandage on her arm. "Good, we need someone with your Talent to take down their defences. They have a power plant which keeps their tech going. If you can remotely shut down their tech, we can deal with upper management."

A strange look passed over Maddison's face as Tyson finished talking and before Zoe nodded agreement, the woman gripping the hilt of her sword before relaxing a moment later.

Zoe turned to her attention to her buggy. "Avi, radar status," she said. The buggy rolled forward a little, stopping closer to Zoe.

"Radar shows those who fled the battle are regrouping in several groups, closest is 126 meters away. I am detecting radio chatter. Shall I initiate jamming?"

"Please," Zoe replied, turning back to the twins and finding them both staring in amazement at the buggy. "Oh, sorry, Avi, this is Tyson and Maddison. This is Avi, Autonomous Vehicle Intellect."

"I can't read her," Tyson said softly. Sparing a quick, knowing glance at each other, the twins relaxed a little.

"I am not human, I am a computer," Avi replied to Tyson. "I act within the bounds of my programming and am not a true AI."

"AI?" Tyson said, looking at Zoe. As she opened her mouth, he held out his hand, stopping her. "Got it, complicated, I don't get it."

Maddison punched Tyson in the shoulder. The man looked like he was about to protest, but didn't even need to see Maddison's face to know that wasn't a good idea. "Sorry, I read and stopped you," he said.

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"It's ok, that time was helpful. Most people don't understand me when I speak."

"Zoe, radar is picking up movement. Estimated time till contact, 36 seconds."

Tyson and Maddison stood together as Zoe waved them over to Avi. Getting the hang of instructing Tyson with general thoughts, the twins climbed into the back of the buggy. As the vehicle started to move, Zoe passed the pair her stun pistols. Tyson took the offered one, but Maddison sneared at it, pushing it away as she unslung her rifle. Standing on the seat, she propped it on the roll bars and aimed behind the car, all the while looking in every direction.

Tyson moved to sit next to Zoe, pointing towards a parking lot. "Through there, then left out of the carpark, immediate right into the mall basement."

"Acknowledged," Avi replied to Tyson, following his directions. "No movement on radar in indicated direction."

A shot from Maddison's rifle startled Zoe, and she turned in her seat to see a person crumpling next to a house, barely a step past the wall. The woman marvelled at Maddison's skill, knowing full well there were few people who's reflexes and aim were that good.

Turning back she grabbed the pistol Maddison had refused and set it to charge quickly. Regardless of how much she trusted Avi and the systems, it was always better to be prepared.

"So, how did you find us," Maddison asked, leaning over the back of the seat, startling Zoe.

"Mini found you and gave me a general location, but it was blind luck that I actually found you."

"Mini? That must have have been what I felt," Tyson replied, looking thoughtful. "What does she do?" He asked as the car drove into the first carpark. Rusting and broken cars sat parked throughout the open air lot.

"She is a seeker, she can find Talented people. The closer she is, the more detail she can get. She told me there were two people near me who were stronger than I am, so I figured I'd seek you out first."

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The car slowed before coming to the end of the car park. "I cannot scan inside the basement before entering Zoe. Shall I proceed?"

Zoe looked directly at Tyson. There was nothing about him that read as deceptive to her. Tightening her grip on her pistol, she told Avi to proceed.

The cool darkness washed over the vehicle as it entered the underground car lot. "The mall above is empty, long looted of anything useful," Tyson explained. "Follow the ramp to the third basement level. On the far side from the entrance is a small niche that Avi can hide in."

Following the instructions, the buggy rolled slowly down the ramp, its electric engines barely making a sound. Without instruction from Zoe, the solar panels retracted, folding away behind their panels.

Zoe lowered her visor over her eyes again and changed the view to brighten up the carpark for her. Tyson took the opportunity to lounge in the passengers seat, while Maddison slung her rifle, but remained standing.

It was a peaceful minute of echoing engine noises before they came across the niche Tyson informed them about. An old parking attendants office, a pair of mattresses, a table with two chairs and a tower of cards were all that was really there. A wide space leading to an elevator behind a wall was where Tyson indicated Avi should park. The little area was indeed hidden from the entrance ramp and looked to be well used by the twins.

"We can hide out here till the Bloodless give up," Tyson said, throwing himself into one of the chairs. "Shouldn't take them long, I can already hear them searching further away."

Zoe turned off her visor and pulled it down so it was around her neck. On the way down, it had informed her of the loss of satellite connection, which she figured would likely happen, being underground and all.

Maddison lithely dropped off the side of the buggy, sat softly into the spare chair and casually knocked over the card tower, catching a fair few cards in between her fingers. "What he means is," Maddison said, starting on the tower again, "the idiot's are getting further away, which means they're quieter for him."

Zoe nodded in understanding. "Can you tell me about the Bloodless facility?"

Tyson smiled, standing up and offering his seat to Zoe. "I can show you." Taking the offered seat, Tyson stood behind Zoe and touched her shoulder with one hand. Zoe's mind suddenly gained new memories, walking through hallways, hiding in cupboards, studying building schematics. She knew everything that Tyson and Maddison knew about the area in what felt like a second. When it all stopped, she found her focus on Maddison's card tower, rebuilt and tall enough that Maddison was standing to put cards on top.

"About eight minutes, and Maddison is really good at building card towers," Tyson said, laying down on a mattress and rubbing his head. "Haven't done that in a long time."

Zoe's head was awash with ideas. There was a self contained hydro power plant providing energy for the facility, the headquarters where all the major players in the area would be, barracks and farms, weapons and general storage.

"I'm going to nap while you think," Tyson muttered, barely awake. "You're thinking too loud."

Nodding, Zoe started planning.

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