“Oh, I can git ’em out. Shut it all down an’ unhook ’em no harm done. Ta they meat. But lookee here how long this one’s been under – sheee-it – feller could break a kid’s brain real easy upshiftin’ ’em out’n that. An’ I ain’t the one ta go in after ’em….Yeah, make the call, hon.”

He listened to Batshit talk about exits. There was the way someone had just left, and the way they’d come in. Which led to two other doors. Welding them shut meant not using them later themselves. But then he or Ex-Gladius could open up walls pretty much at will….

But the rat-in-a-cage tactic could only work so long….enough time went by, the opposition could organize a more effective counter-assault….

He looked around at the others and said, “Here’s the deal. I ain’t leavin’ this place without these kids. But ain’t no tellin’ yet how long it’ll take ta git ’em movin’….leastways with they brains intact. Now yeah, we can hold this place fer a while, but that’s a time game, an’ time may not be on our side. So I’m thinkin’ I seal that there door, then pre-emptively switch these units ta their emergency batteries, cuttin’ ’em off from outside control. Then, about eight seconds from now, afore they’s even sure what’s happenin’, we roll out’n here like God’s own army o’ death an’ mayhem – kill anyone an’ burn ever’thing we see till we clear this damn place out. Only way ta be sure we git the time we need. Only way ta be sure we git whatever other poor schmucks is also in here gittin’ brain-raped. Hell, we won’t even likely have ta finish the job afore these assholes pick up sticks an’ git out – place’ll be totally compromised at some point anyhoo, an’ they’ll cut they losses an’ run. Y’all got as long as it takes me ta seal that door ta decide who’s with me.”

And Al took out his microwelder and went to work on the doors.