For a heartbeat following her shout, the noise stops, and the silence leans in, as if considering its options. Inching closer, finger alongside the trigger, she leans into the silence.

CLANG.

It's so sudden, so much more forceful, she almost fires off a shot, drawing back slightly. But there's something else underneath it, a low hiss like a computer network on the fritz, a VI in a feedback loop, something--

Synthetic. Friend of foe? If it was another husk behind the door, it wouldn't be able to do more than it was already doing. But a program with functionality, even one that didn't speak...

"Knock two plus one times if you understand what I'm saying."