A few days later Lorica has her patrol with Gallant! Gallant is extremely polite and charming to the many people who want photos with him on their patrol through a wealthy commercial part of the city. However he seems weirded out by Lorica and she might catch him glancing at her uncomfortably a few times.

"You piloting a robot remotely or something?" he asks after one such glance.

"No, although I am working on the suit being able to take over if I have some kind of trouble. I have a mental power immunity. Vicious debate about whether to call it a thinker or trump rating."

"Ah, mental power immunity explains why I can't read anything off you." He says, doing his best not to seem disturbed by the gaping emotional void that she appears as to his empathy sight.

"Sounds useful though."

"Very."

Gallant is happy to not talk much during the remainder of the patrol, until he stops short, a block away from a bank with imposing marble columns and an artistically carved facade.

"Hrm. Somethings going on in there - I'm seeing a whole lot of fear coming from inside," he says, squinting at the bank and trying to make out any more details.

"I can't see much more from out here."

"How fine a read do you get, can you tell, like, jumpscare versus dread versus anxiety?"

"Emotions are too steady to be a jumpscare. I can tell that it's a lot of people feeling scared rather than one. I can't get a specific read on any one and the emotions aren't uniform enough for me to make out any details."

"Is there anybody in there feeling not scared?"

He squints hard.

"I think so, yeah?"

"Can you distinguish between 'bank robbers' versus 'haven't noticed the place is on fire yet' -"

"Not from here - maybe if I was right next to it and definitely if I was inside. Their emotions seem stable right now."

"Okay. Do we get access to security camera feeds, by any chance - even if it's back at HQ my software could grab it -"

"I don't think so?"

"Great. Do you have an opinion on whether I should send a robot down for a look or if we should get backup first?"

"I can call it in now," he says and proceeds to do so. Lucien is on console duty and informs then that the Protectorate is out of town but the Wards are on there way. Lorica is cleared to do recon in the meantime.

Down sneaks a little robot, over to a nearby building so it can slide down in a shadowed spot looking for a good view in a window.

The people in the lobby are cowering, seemingly too afraid to move. cape with a costume out of a regency romance novel watches over them - Lorica might be able to identify him as Regent, a member of the Undersiders - a villain group known for the stealthy robberies and quick getaways. The PRT has no idea what his powers are.

Her cameras also make out what might be black spiders on a few of the people.

Lorica tells Gallant; her bot tells Lucien.

Gallant is going to text his girlfriend Glory Girl about this - she might be able to help.

"Protectorate's enroute but at least 30 minutes out - we'll be there in two."

"I don't think they've spotted the bot and we're concealed but we don't know the Undersiders' powers so they could know we're here." There's another bot on Lorica's shoulder, watching their backs.

"We know Hellhound's a Master with giant mutant dogs - not knowing where those are worries me."

Lucien arrives with the rest of the team, a van pulling over to let them out.

"Vista, help the cops seal off the area and return back here in 5."

"Lorica, do you think you can cover the exits so we know where to head if they try to leave?"

"Depends how many exits the place has but probably!" Robots overfly the bank and find discreet ways to descend to a vantage point near the apertures.

There are three: a backdoor, side door, and the front entrance. There are two empty vans parked near the side door.

"Do you have anything which could trip up one of Hellhound's dogs?" Lucien asks Lorica.

"Do tranquilizers work? I don't think the little quadcopters are heavy duty enough to hold a literal tripwire or anything."