The sound of the automated turrets whirring to life sent chills down Aiko's spine. She dropped to the floor just as a barrage of bullets shredded the air above her head.
Renjiro acted quickly, pulling her into cover behind a console. "Stay low!" he barked, firing off shots at the turrets. Hana and Yukari scrambled for cover as well, their faces set with grim determination.
"Yukari, shut them down!" Renjiro yelled, his voice barely audible over the cacophony of gunfire.
Yukari was already on it, her fingers dancing across the keyboard of a nearby terminal. "These systems are Kaede's personal playground! It's going to take a minute!"
"We don't have a minute!" Hana snapped, throwing a flashbang toward one of the turrets. The blinding light disoriented the machine, giving Renjiro a chance to destroy it with a well-placed shot.
Aiko clutched her stun gun, feeling utterly helpless. She wanted to contribute, but the chaos around her was overwhelming. Then she spotted something—a cluster of wires running along the floor toward the turrets.
"Renjiro!" she called out, pointing. "The wires! If we cut them—"
Renjiro followed her gaze and nodded. "Good eye. Hana, cover me!"
He dashed toward the wires, bullets ricocheting around him. Hana provided suppressive fire, her aim precise despite the pressure. Renjiro reached the wires and used his knife to sever them, silencing two of the turrets.
"Two down, two to go!" Hana shouted.
"Almost there!" Yukari added, sweat dripping down her face as she bypassed the system's defenses.
The remaining turrets began to recalibrate, their barrels swiveling toward Yukari. Aiko's heart leapt into her throat as she realized Yukari was exposed. Without thinking, she grabbed a nearby piece of debris and hurled it at one of the turrets.
The distraction was enough. Renjiro took out another turret, and Yukari finally managed to override the system. The last turret powered down, leaving the room in an eerie silence.
Yukari slumped against the console, breathing heavily. "That… was way too close."
Renjiro helped Aiko to her feet, his expression a mix of relief and concern. "You did good, but don't take risks like that again."
Aiko nodded, her legs trembling. "I couldn't just stand by."
Hana glanced around the room, her eyes narrowing. "This was a test. Kaede wanted to see if we could survive."
"And now she knows we can," Renjiro said grimly. "But she's not done playing games. Let's move."