"Should we stay together? If we want to split I can go with one group and the bot with the other for comms and location."

"Might be smart. Wiccan's our only teleporter, but Jet can move people just fine, so those two should split up - I'd say Phosphor and Wiccan in whichever group doesn't have me, to increase the chances of them picking up any trails. So me, Jet, versus Phosphor, Wiccan, and however else we're splitting it. I'd say Jian with Wiccan, Hulkling with me - Phosphor's not a fighter, and Wiccan's powers aren't super reliable in combat, if it comes to a fight."

"I'd vote for Hulkling with us, actually, our best bet's gonna be avoiding fights, and he can shapeshift, which's good for staying on the down low."

" - Right. Then Jian with me?"

"Works."

"Lorica? Where do you want to end up?"

"I'll defer to you there."

"Let's put you with Wiccan then."

Lorica goes Wiccanward.

"Right. So - avoiding the town proper, but maybe we should investigate along the road? If she's hiding her powers she's going to be traveling normally, and we got a sense for her around here..."

"Each group could go a different way maybe?"

"Yeah. We'll search more the woods, away from the road, broadening out from here."

Nod nod.

And they're off.

They get to work.

And, in the middle of it, a bot from the town starts flying out in their direction.

"Bot on our four o'clock."

" - The virus thing?"

"It'll probably work but there's a lot of stuff in play so be alert anyhow."

"I don't want it to notice us - " Wiccan starts mumbling, figuring a bit of magic can't hurt here -

The bot flies on overhead, though it's going slowly, apparently searching.

"If it can't see us it still won't if we keep moving."

"Right. Let's keep going." She turns -

There's someone standing behind them.

"Who are you?"

The hijacked Doombot says, "The other group's been approached by someone."

"Where are they?"

"A kilometer that way." Point.

"Do they seem like they need backup immediately?"