**Before the sawmill**
As Malvin approached the narrow alleyway leading into the slums, his eyes quickly picked out his partner, Danial, standing beneath the dim glow of a sputtering streetlamp. Beside him stood a single Ironguard sentinel, its frame illuminated faintly by the lamplight, the gleaming steam-sniper mounted on its back making it a far more imposing figure than the usual models.
"Huh, you actually managed to get one," Malvin remarked, stepping closer, his sharp eyes inspecting the sentinel. "Even has the steam-sniper."
Danial crossed his arms. "Of course I did. I promised, didn't I?"
Malvin gave him a brief nod of gratitude before turning his attention to the sentinel. "What's your designation?" he asked curtly.
"Unit designated ST-24," the automaton replied in a mechanical voice that reverberated softly through the alley. "Professional record: six arrests since deployment."
Malvin raised an eyebrow at that, glancing back at Danial. "Six arrests? Is that the highest record for an individual unit?"
Before Danial could respond, ST-24 answered, "Affirmative."
Malvin frowned slightly, his surprise evident as he turned back to the sentinel. Normally, automatons only speak when directly addressed, yet ST-24 had interjected unprompted. "I wasn't asking you," he said flatly, his tone neither harsh nor dismissive—just factual.
"Understood," ST-24 replied without hesitation. "Unit will only reply when spoken to."
Malvin's frown deepened, his confusion briefly flickering across his face. Danial reached over and patted his shoulder. "ST-24's... unique. It's not like the others." he explained. "The manufacturers haven't been able to figure out why, but with its track record, I figured it would be the best choice for this job."
Malvin studied the sentinel for another moment before giving a slight nod. "Alright," he said, shifting his stance to face the automaton more directly. "You do know what you're supposed to do, right?"
"Affirmative," ST-24 replied. "I am required to shoot the criminal Philip Crude if he makes any hostile attempt toward you after 11 o'clock."
Malvin crossed his arms, scrutinizing the automaton further. "That's right. Make sure to aim for center mass. Go for his legs if he tries to run," he instructed.
The automaton nodded—or mimicked the gesture, at least. "Acknowledged."
Satisfied, Malvin turned to Danial. "Alright, I'll head to the sawmill. You two take the position we planned—"
"Wait," Danial interrupted, tilting his head slightly as he glanced over Malvin's shoulder. "There's one more thing."
Malvin's brows knit together as he followed his partner's gaze. His eyes widened as another figure stepped into the dim light of the alley. "Thank the goddess," the newcomer said, his voice tinged with relief. "Thought I was going to miss this."
It was Archie Willow, flanked by three additional Ironguard sentinels. Each one looked freshly maintained, their polished exteriors gleaming even in the dingy light. Archie jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at them, grinning. "Took me a while to get these guys," he said casually.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Malvin asked, his tone sharper than intended.
Archie shrugged, clearly unbothered. "Joining you to put an end to Philip Crude, obviously."
Malvin shot Danial a questioning glare. "You told him about this?"
Danial met his gaze evenly. "Of course I did," he replied without hesitation. "The more people we have, the better."
Malvin's frustration bubbled to the surface. "And you didn't think to tell me?"
Danial shrugged, utterly unbothered by the reaction. "You would have argued. Like you are doing now."
Before Malvin could retort, Archie stepped closer, his usual carefree demeanor briefly replaced by something more solemn. "He was my partner too, you know."
Malvin turned his gaze back to Archie, who stood there with a rare seriousness in his expression. "Silas," Archie continued. "Even if we weren't partners for long, we still were partners."
Malvin's shoulders sagged slightly, the tension in his posture easing as he let out a slow sigh. "Fine. Did you two already come up with a plan?" he asked.
Archie nodded. "Yeah, don't worry. It won't interfere with what you and Danial already planned."
Malvin rubbed his face, clearly still uneasy about the unexpected addition to their group. Finally, he gestured toward ST-24. "I'm more worried about... him?" His voice carried a faint note of uncertainty as he struggled with how to refer to the automaton.
"I will adjust to the changing situation if it is explained to me," ST-24 interjected.
Danial nodded in agreement. "I will explain everything on the way."
Malvin let out another sigh, throwing his arms up in reluctant surrender. "Alright. I guess you're in on this too," he said, directing the words at Archie.
"Hell yeah!" Archie replied, his grin returning as he pumped a fist in the air. "We're gonna put an end to that piece of shit tonight!"
Malvin's lips pressed into a thin line, worry flickering in his eyes as he regarded Archie's enthusiasm. But there wasn't time to argue further. Turning toward the alley's exit, he motioned for the group to follow. "Okay," he said, his voice firm. "Let's all put an end to this."
With that, he began walking into the alley, the others falling in step behind him, their footsteps echoing softly as the group moved forward toward their shared goal.