Needs fewer resources and nothing that can't be cannibalized from consumer electronics. Very little robbery required.

The end result is an ugly kludge compared to the design in her head, but serviceable. She can plant cameras anywhere that isn't secure enough to notice a drone dropping things off, and the cameras will stay hidden. Probably.

Serviceable will do. Anything immediately interesting?

Depends where she puts them. There's technically a PRT office, which is definitely relevant. It's a one-room affair that probably has like one staff member and one part-time employee. Not much threat there. The police are more likely to notice a camera flying in but are probably where the response would come from if she wants to risk it.

She can have cameras watching the outside of station. Does it get quieter at night?

Quieter, yes. Never empty.

...She'll not risk it yet.

If there's no indication of undue activity, then it should be safe to start work on some other projects. The beginnings of an army.

She gets into the start of the larger-scale production before the PRT notices she's not just squatting. Ellie's device can let her pick up on the PRT calling the regular law enforcement and sending in both Edict and Licit. They're not there yet, but will be soon.

It's not like this was unexpected. How much equipment are they bringing?

The camera isn't going to tell her that until they're on the way; she can't see them preparing.

Turns out it's regular police equipment. They're well armed with guns and less-lethal weapons, but none of the fancy containment foam sprays. And they've got both parahumans with them. They think it's probably overkill.

Her army isn't ready yet. A couple units have weapons online, but they're not mobile. She repositions them to cover the entrance.

Lights off, two blasters and the danger sensor at the ready.

They do not come in guns blazing. Or in large numbers, for that matter. They don't know she knows who they brought.

"This is the police," one of them calls out after opening the door. One visible silhouette. "I'd like to talk to you, if you're willing?"

"You're already talking. Feel free to continue."

"Um, you know this is a restricted area right?" The figure starts approaching and fumbling for a light switch. "Whatever you're building, doing it officially can get you resources and backing instead of having to trespass. What is it, by the way?"

"Stop. Either all of you come in, or none."

"Okay."

The door is wide enough that an additional nine people entering still leave it looking empty. Two of them are in costume, visible once the light goes on, and Ellie can see the ghostly forms representing their powers hovering around them.

Danger priority?

None are imminently about to be a threat. The most dangerous is the cape whose shadow has a bobblehead shape, with the exaggeratedly large face. Probably the master power.

He can be first then. When the shooting starts.

"Better."

They're mostly looking at her, but not exclusively. And the robots aren't exactly hidden, or the reason they've been moved.

"Why the weapons?" one of them asks as soon as no one is in the immediate line of fire. "Self-defense is a common tinker problem, we might be able to help."

"Help how?"

"Depends why you needed the guns. The most common threat is someone forcing people in your position to work for them, or trying to, but sometimes there's someone more specific involved. In which case we can usually just arrest them."

In the interests of politeness, they continue assuming this is definitely what the guns were for.

"It's more of a sort of insurance against that sort of thing."

"Just in case, huh? Kind of a lot of hardware for that."

Shrug. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Does it still seem like one? I can't help but notice you're still going. There aren't that many threats you'd need an army for."