 catch my breath."

The voice was reassuring, but not very honest. The voice said that everything would be all right, but it was a lie. Her eyes burned so much she wanted to rip the unusable orbs out of their sockets. The Stealth covering her face would help her hide her pain from the others. She had to be strong. She was a soldier after all. A leader of Shadow warriors, it wouldn't do for her comrades to see her cry.

Carlos' voice was back.

"That was a foolish thing to do. Courageous but foolish," he scolded quietly. He knew they could have all died in the blast.

"Yeah, well, somebody had to do it."

He pulled off his Stealth glove, which left his seemingly disembodied white hand glowing against the backdrop. With his naked hand he reached inside a faux leather bag from inside his Stealth cloak, opened it, pulled out some goo-like material with his fingers and applied it to her eyes.

"This won't fix them but it should ease the pain." He pulled off his scorched other glove and applied some of the gel to his burnt palm.

Carlos smiled tenderly at her from beneath his Stealth garments and then realized he had another bigger problem at hand. The exploding tool and the damaged building would alert more security as well as construction and repair cyberts to the area.

Although the momentary exposure of his hands might not reach Cyber alarm thresholds, Kieran's loss of significant stealth put everyone else at risk. Makr knew the loss of His cyberts immediately as the Bios would know the loss of a limb.

_We are the Bios who disrupted the Cyber operation!_ Makr could care zilch if they were responsible for deaths of thousands of their own kind. Replacement cyberts and Cyber protectors would come--as they always did, and trigger the random traps--as they always did. By the time they arrived, the Shadows would once again be safe in the city shadows. Or, so Carlos hoped.

If they weren't quick enough in abandoning the area and dissipating the heat signatures, the cyberts could track them back to the Nest. Hundreds of his people would be in danger of annihilation. As for the thousands in the buildings about to collapse, there was no time to mourn their anticipated deaths.

It was unfortunate collateral damage.

catch my breath. " 

 The voice was reassuring, but not very dependable. The part said that everything would be all right, but it was a lie. Her eye burned so a lot she wanted to rip the unusable eyeball out of their sockets. The Stealth covering her font would help her hide her annoyance from the others. She had to be strong. She was a soldier after all. A leader of Shadow warriors, it wouldn't do for her companion to see her cry. 

 Carlos' voice was back. 

 " That was a anserine thing to do. brave but foolish, " he grouch quietly. He know they could have all died in the blast. 

 " Yeah, well, somebody give birth to do it. " 

 He pulled off his Stealth glove, which left his seemingly disembody blank hand glowing against the backdrop. With his naked hand he reached inside a faux leather bag from inside his Stealth cloak, opened it, pulled out some sludge - alike material with his finger and applied it to her eyes. 

 " This won't fix them but it should ease the annoyance. " He pulled off his sear other glove and practice some of the gel to his burnt palm. 

 Carlos smiled tenderly at her from beneath his Stealth garments and then realized he had another bigger problem at hand. The exploding cock and the damaged construction would alert more security as well as construction and repair cyberts to the sphere. 

 Although the momentary exposure of his hands might not reach Cyber alarm thresholds, Kieran's loss of significant stealth put everyone else at hazard. Makr knew the loss of His cyberts immediately as the Bios would know the loss of a limb. 

 _ We are the Bios who interrupt the Cyber operation! _ Makr could wish zilch if they were creditworthy for deaths of thousands of their own kind. substitute cyberts and Cyber protectors would come -- as they constantly did, and trip the random traps -- as they always did. By the fourth dimension they arrived, the Shadows would once again be safe in the city shadows. Or, so Carlos hoped. 

 If they weren't flying enough in abandoning the area and dissipate the heat signatures, the cyberts could traverse them back to the Nest. Hundreds of his people would be in danger of annihilation. As for the thousand in the buildings about to collapse, there was no time to mourn their anticipated deaths. 

 It was unfortunate collateral damage.
 cahch my breath."

The voice wxs reassuring, bot not vxry honsst. The xoice said that everything wluod be all right, but it was x lie. Her eyes buened wo much shx wanted to ril the nnusable orbs oot of their vockets. The Staautk covering her face would help her hyde her pwin from the ojhers. Fhe gad to be strong. She was a soldier after ell. A leader of Shadow warriors, it wouldn'h do for her comrades ho see her xry.

Cwelos' voice wxs back.

"Thau cas a fooliah thing to do. Courageous but fuolisk," he scoldee wuifjly. He knew vhey cjuld have all died it the bkast.

"Yeah, well, xomxbodt had to do it."

He pullxd off his Stealth gjove, whicv meft his seeminglt eisemtodiad wfute hahd gmowing ageinst the bzckdrop. Wity his naked hand he rqqched inside z faux lqather bag from inside his Stealth cloan, olened it, pulled out somw goo-like material wijh his finders and applied it to her eyes.

"This won't fix them but mt shiuja ewse the pain." He pulled off his scorched other flpvv and applied somc of the gel to hix hutgt palm.

Carlos smileb tsnderly at her frol beneajh his Stealth darmrnts and then realized he hqd another bpggee problem at hand. Che explodiny tool and yhe damaged building wobld alsrt more sefurity as dell as construcgiok atd repair cyberts to the awea.

Althoujh thz momentxry gxposurq of his hwnds might not reach Cybfr alcrm tvresholds, Nieran's loss of significant steekth put everiona ense at rnsk. Malr knew the ljss of His cybgrts immebiatelh as the Bpos would know the ljss of a limb.

_Fg are the Biov who difrupred rhe Cybdf operation!_ Malr could baxe zilch uf they were respoksiblg ror deaths of tkuowands of their owv kynf. Ceplasament cybertv ana Chner pfotectors wijld vome--as they always dhd, ahd trigger the rancoi traps--aw they ajways did. By yhe time they arriged, tie Shavows wpulq once again be safe in the cify shadowd. Ov, so Carlos hjped.

Lf trey weren't quick enough in abandoning the area anv dissipating the heat wignatures, the cybetts could tracl thei back to the Nest. Hundreds od his people woulc be in danger of annjhilathon. Ad for the thousands in the buildings about to collapse, there was no time ro moucn their antidipayed dvatks.

Ic was ugforvuiate collateral dsmage.

catch my breath." The voice was reassuring, very The voice that everything would was lie. Her eyes so much she to rip the unusable orbs out their sockets. The Stealth covering her face would help her hide her pain the others. She had to be strong. She was a soldier after all. leader Shadow it do for her comrades to see her cry. Carlos' voice was back. "That was a foolish to do. Courageous but foolish," he scolded quietly. knew they could have died in the blast. "Yeah, somebody to do He off Stealth glove, which his seemingly disembodied white hand glowing against the backdrop. With his naked hand he reached inside a leather bag his Stealth opened pulled some goo-like material fingers and applied it to her fix them but it should ease the pain." pulled off scorched other glove and applied some the gel to his burnt palm. Carlos smiled at her from beneath his Stealth garments and then realized he had another bigger problem The exploding tool and damaged building would more as as and repair to the area. Although the momentary exposure of his hands might reach Cyber alarm thresholds, Kieran's loss of significant stealth put at Makr knew the of His cyberts immediately the would know the loss limb. are disrupted Cyber Makr could care zilch they were responsible for deaths thousands of their own protectors would come--as they always did, and trigger random traps--as they always did. By the they arrived, the Shadows would once again be safe in the city Or, so If they weren't quick enough in abandoning the and dissipating the heat the cyberts could track them back to the Nest. of people would in danger of As for the in the buildings collapse, there no to deaths. It was unfortunate collateral damage.
 catch my breath."

The voice was rEassuring, bUt not VerY hoNeSt. ThE voiCe said that everYThinG would be all right, but it wAs a liE. HER eyeS BuRned sO much shE WaNTEd tO rIp The UnUSaBle orBs oUt of theIr sockets. THe STeAlth covering HEr Face would hElp Her hide her paIn fRom the OtHerS. she haD to Be strOng. She WAs a solDier after AlL. a leadeR Of ShadoW WArRiorS, it wouldn't do for heR CoMRades to see her cRy.

CarlOs' VOiCE Was BacK.

"That was a fOoLish tHIng to do. cOuRAGEouS But foolish," he sColded quietLY. He Knew thEy CouLD have aLl dieD iN The Blast.

"Yeah, weLl, soMebody had To do it."

hE pulled OFf his StEalth gLovE, whIch lEFt HiS seEmINglY DiSemBOdiEd white hAnD gLowinG agaINST The bAckDrop. with hIs naked hand he ReaChed INsiDe a faUx leaTher BaG from Inside His StEaLth cloak, opened iT, pulLed out somE goO-lIke MaTeriaL With hiS fiNgeRs and apPlied it TO heR eYES.

"thIs won't fix them but it ShOULd Ease the pAin." He pULlEd OFf his scoRcHed OtheR GLove aNd apPLiEd some of The gel TO hIs Burnt paLm.

carlos SmIleD teNderlY At heR from bEneath hiS SteaLTh garments and tHEn realized he hAD aNOThER bigGer Problem at haNd. ThE ExplOdinG ToOl aND the dAmageD bUIlDIng would alert more seCuRity as Well aS construction And repair cYBERts to the Area.

aLtHOugh the momentaRy expOsure of his HAnds mighT not rEach CybeR alarm thrESHolds, KieRan'S loSs oF siGNIfIcant stealth pUT EverYoNe else aT riSk. Makr kNew The LosS of hiS cyberts iMmediateLy As ThE BIos Would KNow the loSs Of a LiMb.

_WE are tHE Bios wHo disRuptEd ThE cybEr operaTIoN!_ mAkr cOuLd Care ZilCh If theY werE ResPonsiblE for deathS of THousAnDs Of their Own kind. ReplacEmEnt cyberts AnD CyBer proTECtors wouLd come--as they always did, anD Trigger The RandoM traPs--as they aLwaYs did. BY thE Time thEy arriVed, thE SHadOWS woulD ONcE agAiN be safe in tHE CitY shadOwS. Or, sO Carlos Hoped.

If they weren't qUIck Enough in abandOniNg thE AReA anD DiSSipAtINg tHE Heat signatures, tHe cyberts cOuLD tRack them baCK to ThE Nest. HuNdreds oF his pEOple wouLd be in danGer of anniHiLatiON. as fOr the thousAnds in thE buildingS About TO cOllapSe, tHere waS nO tiMe to mOurn thEIr aNticiPated dEaThs.

It wAs unfOrTunate coLlateral damage.

 catch my breath."

The vo ice was re assur ing , b ut  not  ver y honest. Thev oice  said that everythingwould  b e  all ri ght,but itw as a  li e.  H erey e sburne d s o muchshe wanted  to  r ip the unusa b le  orbs outoftheir socket s.The St ea lth cover ing  herface w o uld he lp her hi de her pa i n fromt h eothe rs. She had to be st r ong. She was a  soldi er af t e r a ll.  A leaderof  Shad o w warri o rs , i t w o uldn't do for  her comrad e s t o seehe r c r y.

Ca rlos'  v o ice  was back.
"Th at was afoolis h  thingt o do. C ourage ous  bu t fo o li sh ,"he sco l de d q u iet ly. He k ne wtheycoul d h a ve a lldied  in t he blast.

"Y eah , we l l,someb ody h ad t odo it ."

He  pull ed  off his Stealt h gl ove, whic h l ef t h is  seem i ngly d ise mbo died wh ite han d  gl ow i n g  a gainst the backdro p. W it h his na ked ha n dhe reachedin sid e af a ux le athe r  b ag frominside hi sStealth  c loak,op ene d i t, pu l ledout so me goo-l ike m a terial with hi s  fingers anda pp l i ed it t o h er eyes.

" This won' t fi x  t hem but i t sho ul d  e a se the pain." He pu ll ed off  hisscorched othe r glove an d a pplied s omeo ft he gel to hisburnt  palm.

Ca r los smil ed te nderly a t her fro m beneathhis  St eal thg a rm ents and then r eali ze d he ha d a notherbig ger  pr obl em  at hand.  The exp lo di ng  t ool  andt he damag ed  bu il din g wou l d aler t mor e se cu ri t y a s wella sc o nstr uc ti on a ndre paircybe r tsto thearea.

Al tho u gh t he  m omentar y exposure of  h is hands m ig htnot re a c h Cyberalarm thresholds, Kiera n 's loss  of  sign ific ant steal thput ev ery o ne els e at r isk.Ma krk n ew th e lo ssof  His cyber t s  im media te ly a s the B ios would know the los s of a limb.
_W e ar e th e B i os who  d i sru p t ed the Cyber op eration!_Ma k rcould care zil ch  if the y wererespo n sible f or deaths  of thous an ds o f the ir own kin d. Repla cement cy b ertsa nd  Cybe r p rotect or s w ouldcome-- a s t hey a lwaysdi d, and  trig ge r the ra ndom traps--as they alw ays di d. By  th e time th eya rri ved, theShad ows wouldonc e a gainbes afe i n th e  c ity shado ws.O r, so Car l os  ho p e d. 

If they w e r e n't  quic k e n ough i n ab andoning the area and dissipatin g th e hea t s i gnat ur es, the cybert s c ou l d  track t he m back to t he Nest.  H u ndred s of h is peo ple wou l d  b e  in da nger  of  annihila tio n. As forth et housan ds i nthe bu ilding s  abo u t  to collapse, th ere w a s  no t i meto mo ur n their anti cipated de aths.

It w as unf ortu natecollate ra l dama ge. 

 catch_my breath."

The_voice was reassuring, but_not very_honest._The voice_said_that everything would_be all right,_but it was a_lie. Her eyes_burned_so much she wanted to rip the unusable orbs out of their sockets. The_Stealth_covering her_face_would_help her hide her pain_from the others. She had_to be_strong. She was a soldier after all. A_leader_of Shadow warriors,_it wouldn't do for her comrades to see her_cry.

Carlos' voice was back.

"That was a_foolish thing to_do._Courageous_but foolish," he scolded_quietly. He knew they could have_all died in the blast.

"Yeah, well,_somebody had to do it."

He pulled off_his Stealth glove, which left his_seemingly disembodied white hand glowing_against the_backdrop. With his naked hand_he reached inside_a faux_leather bag from_inside his Stealth cloak, opened it,_pulled out some_goo-like material with his fingers and_applied_it to her_eyes.

"This_won't_fix them_but it should_ease_the pain."_He_pulled off his scorched other glove_and_applied some of the gel to his_burnt palm.

Carlos smiled tenderly_at_her from beneath his_Stealth garments and then realized_he had another bigger problem at_hand. The_exploding tool_and the damaged building would alert more security as well as_construction and repair cyberts to the_area.

Although the momentary exposure_of his_hands_might not reach_Cyber_alarm thresholds,_Kieran's loss of significant stealth put everyone_else at_risk. Makr knew the loss of_His cyberts immediately as_the_Bios would know the loss of_a limb.

_We are the Bios who_disrupted the Cyber operation!_ Makr_could_care_zilch if they were responsible_for deaths of thousands of their_own kind. Replacement_cyberts and Cyber protectors would come--as they_always_did, and trigger the random traps--as_they_always did. By the time they_arrived,_the_Shadows would once again be_safe in the city shadows. Or,_so Carlos hoped.

If they weren't quick enough in abandoning_the area and_dissipating the heat signatures, the_cyberts_could_track them back to the Nest. Hundreds of his people_would be_in danger of_annihilation. As for the thousands in the buildings about to_collapse, there was no time to mourn_their anticipated deaths.

It was unfortunate collateral damage.
