“Don’t shoot them! They might be treatable.” Freyr pleaded, unsure if anyone could hear her over the guns. She looked out of the back window and saw some people following them round the corner. Some were trying to get into the underground garages beneath most of the buildings. Her team had seen afflictions like this before which faded after a time - but they had never been this endemic before.

“It’s good to hear someone is on course. [b]We[/b] are off the approved route.” 595 snapped, checking the route she’d copied from the map table back at the checkpoint. “Terra-glitch on the main road ma’am. In a few turns we’ll be back on track.” The driver enlarged a copy of the HUD he was looking at and chucked it over his shoulder onto the Agent’s holo. “Hmmm.” She studied it closely. “Hey! Tuck your tail in!”

“Tangier One, this is GCHQ. Come in, over.” The car’s comm set squawked.

“GCHQ this is Tangier One, Go ahead!” Osman answered.

“Tangier One, we need you to...around and head back...Foundation Square, over.” Came the muffled response. 

Osman responded immediately. “We can’t do that, HQ. We’re moving through a hot zone. Requesting immediate tactical oversight.”

“...Superintendent...down. KR-10 signal came from inside...Cradle. Lost in...your sector. Advise immediate...Over.”

“GCHQ, say again! GCHQ, come in.” Osman called through the static, glancing out of her window at the side roads branching off from their narrow channel.

“What is a KR-10?” Dr Girard asked, leaning forward.

“Skinners.” 595 answered gravely, unholstering her pistol.

Just then, a cacophony of curses and shouting blasted over comms, and the car in front braked suddenly.

Their driver slammed on the breaks, and managed to slow down enough that their car just lightly crunched into the vehicle ahead. The car behind did the same, then tried to reverse slowly. They were at a standstill. “Another Terra-glitch!” The column leader reported. “Get us out of here, now!” Osman commanded.