"Aegis is decent," she replies with a hum and a nod. "It works unless we think of something better."

"If you want me to try, I could. How about 'Orchid'?"

She blushes and smiles at Ann, looking down.

"That could work too. I think we use that unless I awaken and the outfit inspires a new codename."

"Okay, Orchid!"

"Let's hope you don't have to."

Joker works her shoulders, then heads over to the vent. "Let's go."

There are more shadows guarding the way than previous days, in larger groups and tighter patrols. The team can still avoid some fights, but it's harder.

"Security level's higher," Mona notes, as they sneak their way in.

Shiho looks down for a moment. "...Is that because I didn't go to his office last night?"

"Could be. But don't blame yourself. It's on Kamoshida that this is necessary at all."

Joker guides the party toward the lift they found earlier, ducking as many patrols as she can.

She nods, firming up her resolve. "Yeah. It is."

"Don't let the bastard get you down, Orchid. He doesn't deserve to make you feel bad."

"Yeah."

She smiles a bit, tightens her grip on her pistol, and keeps stalking forward from cover to cover with the rest of the team.

They find their way barred by a group of patrols they can't quite avoid. Three groups of six patrolling close to each other.

Ugh. 

"We can take six for sure. Fairly sure we can take twelve. Less sure about eighteen. If we can stagger them the weapon reloads should help, but..."

She watches the patrol pattern. Any times when one patrol's separated fron the other two?

The room is a bit U-shaped, and only whichever group is currently in the middle has line of sight on both of the others at any given time. Targeting the nearest patrol should leave them facing only two groups.

Joker pulls her Peacemaker. "Alright. On three. Get them when the far patrol's out of sight and try and get them away from the others. Shadows are dumb."

She counts down, and leads with her new gun.

Panther pulls her mask off, calling Carmen to force her way through with help from her Tkachev. 

Skull pumps rounds into the lead guards from his shotgun, staggering them.

Mona herds them closer together with wind from Zorro.

And Orchid crouches next to Panther and lays into them with her Tkachev.

The shadows surge forward — only twelve, thankfully — tanking shots on their shields when they can and slashing at the teens.

Orchid is forced to tumble backward to dodge a sword.

Skull blocks the next slash with his pipe and summons Captain Kidd.

Captain Kidd blasts the opposing force with lightning as Ryuji fights, and a moment later —

Joker darts in to backstab the shadow Ryuji's occupying with his pipe, then calls Julie to strike as well.