Esperanta watched deadlegs retreat to the ceiling to handle its burns. If she had more fire she’d follow, but that was probably as bad as an idea as burning its feet. That was a bad idea, right? She made another copy of the flask in her bra, then took a swig and another and another. The room was spinning and she was unsteady on her feet. She took a step and fell face first.

“Fuck, that hurt.” She slowly crawled onto her knees. Deadlegs was back and trying to attack a robot. Similar to the kind she’s seen outside The City walls from the days of the Old World. She learned how to get one started and tinkered with its parts before, but they weren’t conducive to smuggle back into The City. She never thought she’d see one functioning. If what Mani told her about them were right, then it should be able to fight a deadlegs easy. If the girl manning it can get it working. There were others around her trying to help her out. A woman put up a green shield deadlegs was beating on. She screamed to get her out of there.

Esperanta held up her mirror to teleport over to them, but she was seeing double. Shit. Her hand moved left and right, trying to work out which would put her closer or further away. Fuck it. She went right and teleported next to the robot.

“Trip for two.” She touched the robot, then aimed at the area behind deadlegs beyond the flames. She and the robot went in that direction. The landing wasn’t smooth. She rolled and hit the wall, legs upside down, but at least it worked.