[h3]Mark A. Lopez[/h3]

Mark had just reached for the can Ren had set on the table when the sound of roaring engines and tracjs outside had cut through the room. He lowered his boots from the stool and sat up. His hand went to the carbine across his chest before his eyes found the window.

Then the machine outside came into view.

Big tank, no driver, heat scoring along the sides. Biological Containment Unit written across it like that was supposed to make anyone feel better.

Mark’s eyes widened at the sight.

“Yeah. That ain’t the welcome wagon.”

Before he could say more, a woman’s voice had called from the doorway.

Mark turned fast, carbine raised but not fully shouldered. The woman looked human enough; Young, rough, with patched-up uniform and a bandage on one arm. She looked military or something close to it. 

Mark's first thought was trap, but his second thought was that the giant contaminant machine outside didn’t look like it was in the mood to wait for them to debate the issue.

[quote=@Dyelli Beybi]
"Unless you are carrying military-grade gas masks, you'll want to be leaving before that clanker pumps this building full of gas," she beckoned for them to follow, "I know you don't know me, but I've been here a while.  I know the routes that avoids the cameras those things use to find 'biological contaminants'."  There was a slight pause, as she seemed to realise some in the group didn't quite get what she was saying, "You lot are the 'biological contaminant' it's here to 'contain'.  Lets go!" 
[/quote]

Mark glanced back toward the street as the prerecorded warning echoed through the neighborhood.

[b]"Citizens, please remain in your homes until the threat is contained."[/b]

He looked at the others.

“I don’t know about you all,” he said, standing fully and pulling his tool bag back into place on his belt, “but I’m not interested in getting my entrails liquefied by whatever the hell that thing is.”

He kept the carbine ready, glancing back to the stranger.

“If this is a trap, congratulations, you picked a convincing one. Take the lead.”