Sitting before them, an army of Androids. The same metal men that slaughtered their people, At least two hundred of them.

__Back with wash__

“So let me get this straight. The guy you were targeting was hospitalized and they had access to a small army? Why didn’t you contact us? What happened to the building?” 

“Their leader may have been on the way out but he didn’t act alone. Their whole crew came at us so as far as we were concerned, it was fair game.” Mal said with some annoyance.

“As for the army stuff, we learned some surprising stuff and let off some steam. We didn’t see any reason to inform you of some melted rubble in a crater.”

With a look of curiosity, “what did you find?”

Back on the balcony overlooking the small army. Robin and Mal collect themselves and head into the office behind them. 

There they find a ton of paperwork and no computer. “You know, for guys obsessed with tech, they sure do use paper a lot.” 

Robin says without looking up from her search, “they know how easily tech can be compromised and copied. Paper is reliable.”

“Right. Fair enough.”

The pair search for a while until Mal grows bored and leaves to tend to the machines.

An hour goes by and Robin gathers up the relevant info while Mal comes running back in. “you ready to leave?”

“What were you doing out there?”

“Setting up some beautiful fireworks.”

The two leave, making their way back easy enough. They hop into their car and prepare for the light show. “Ready?” Mal says with a massive grin. “Hit it.”

Mal presses down the trigger and for a moment it is brutally quiet. then in a blinding bright flash of light, the building, brick and all, vaporize and vanish.

“What did you put in that?”

“It was a new explosive that my guys made. It uses mana and solar energy.”

“You supernova’ed the building.”

“No more factory at least. What did you find?”

Pulling out the juiciest pages, Robin shows Mal and explains. “So they have picked up their game. The robots you saw in the warehouse were being fully integrated by the members of Technoid. That is what they call it when they can experience all five senses in the machine, like it is their body.”

“My current theory is that the big guy is a racial Technomancer and after experimenting with him, they were able to create new interfaces for their powers.” Robins says as she starts to trail off with her theories.

Enamored by her cute ramblings, Mal says, “you are so adorable when you theorize.”

Red as a strawberry again, she continues “anyway, I also saw that those robots in there were being shipped out for the main forces in Columbia so it is good we stopped that.”

“Also, every inch of this paperwork can be linked back to Eric Brandsing. corporate piece of shit. Linked to a dozen shady dealings. Shady by our standards btw.”

“Sounds like a safe bet for the ring leader.” Mal says.

While talking, three metal men in a welded together eight wheel limo pulls up. “Here we go.”

After some muffled screaming and air kicking, the men hop back in and drive off. Waiting a moment to not seem suspect, the duo follow behind.

__Back with Wash__

“That explains the crater where the building used to be. You know that used to be a real old historical building.”

“I didn’t know it was gonna do that! It was super cool though.”

“Anyway. You will be credited for the army take down and any info in the Technoids organization. Please continue, you were following the car, to the large estate of one Eric Brandsing, the site of the final disturbance.” 

“Yeah, real piece of work, that one.” Robin says with disdain.