Ran tossed one side-handled baton to the opposite wall. The machine gun tracked it swiftly, firing dozens of shots as the carbonate stick bounced from floor to wall down the hall. The Special charged the machine. It spun from the baton to face the new threat. Randal threw the second baton straight at the gun. It tilted up, firing. Shots hit it, but the baton struck the tracking lens, momentarily disrupting the system.

The double barrels tracked blindly back and forth, up and down. Beneath it, Randal leapt, grabbing the gun with both hands as the machine came back online.