A digital clock on the garage wall finally shows the long-awaited hour: 5:00 p.m.! Within the next hour, the guards in and around the factory will be replaced with night guards. A narrow window of time in which the defense of the Gauntlets' weapons center shows gaps. A narrow window of opportunity to strike. Skid sits safely inside his Lance Driver, Mike and Merlany stand ready to fight. The garage door opens, but the Lance Driver is too big to fit through, so Skid uses the drill arm to destroy half the building. With the LD's strong legs he paves his way to the gang's largest building. Other vehicles, traffic signs and utility poles are subject to the size and destructive power of the Armored Iron Golem. The city's residents clear the streets and hide in the alleys, while the Gauntlets' first gunners try in vain to damage the steel monster with their pitiful submachine guns. Skid puts on a big grin, pushes a control stick forward and presses the stereotypical red button that lies under his thumb. The minigun barrels on the Lance Driver's left arm begin to rotate before releasing a rapid hail of bullets. The Gauntlets can do nothing but flee or get shot. Any resistance without armored PLADINs is futile, but they are still on ice. Mike and Merlany silently observe the devastation left behind by the battle behemoth. The small, fat skid can also do different things if you just give it the right tools.

The two steam towers can already be seen on the outskirts of the city. In the chaos of the changing of the guard, the remaining guards only set up a makeshift roadblock and positioned themselves with heavy artillery. But even with large-caliber machine guns, they can't do more than scratch the Lance Driver. Skid pulls a lever, causing the drill arm to thrust forward violently, easily knocking down the roadblock. The thunderous rumble of the huge exhaust pipes literally shakes the ground as Skid continues to work his way forward. He reaches the thin chain-link fence that surrounds the factory site. This is simply run over by Skid's heavy fighting machine. The last attempt at defense by the guards begins, who now also use explosives and EMP. Skid points the drill at the weapons factory's heavy iron gate and begins to crack the building. Because of the meter-thick reinforced concrete on the outer walls, he doesn't even have to try.
"Ok guys, give me five minutes and then the gate will be closed. There's no quicker way in without the Bradford access codes. Keep these idiots away from me for that long."
Mike nods briefly.
"It's okay, Skid."
“Don’t worry about them,” Merlany adds coolly.
The soldiers storm into the area from the access roads. The rocket launchers on the surrounding roofs aim at the three.
"How many of these Gauntlet weirdos are there anymore?!" Merlany hisses nervously as she looks into the crowd of soldiers.
"Pretty much everyone who doesn't build or sell the weapons is part of it in some way," explains Skid as he braces himself against the drilling lever.
“That could be pretty tricky keeping them all off,” Mike interjects as he points his staff at the approaching crowd.
Merlany quickly floats up to the rooftops and uses her lightning to disable the demolitionists while Mike begins to fend off the attackers with his staff. With targeted blows to the head and ribs, he manages to quickly dispatch the Gauntlets' laymen, but it is clear to him that he has no chance against two dozen armed gun smugglers.

He tries his best, but ends up being surrounded by five fighters.
"Surrender, wretched Bolt, then we might have to beat you up a little less," sneers the front man of the five.
A cool drop of sweat runs down Mike's forehead. The three simply didn't expect so much resistance. Suddenly a familiar, if not particularly welcome, voice calls out: "Fox hunt!"

As if out of nowhere, Fox appears before Mike's eyes, his sword swung far to the right, while the five soldiers behind him fall to the ground, each with a large wound on their upper body.
"What do you weakling think this is? Kindergarten? Pull yourself together or leave the fighting to the big boys!" hisses Fox, with a dark look at Mike, "Look at that girl, she's flying from roof to roof and take them out one by one, and you can't handle these few."
Mike pushes Fox away.
"What's it to you, you joker? You don't have to be here if you don't want to help us."
Fox pushes Mike back.
"I'm not here to help you fools. I have my own score to settle with the idiots here."
Merlany has now chased everyone off the roofs.
"Leave Mike alone, you psycho. Better take care of the guys who want to destroy our combat robot."
Fox turns away from Merlany.
"That's exactly what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I can't do without your drill," he says in a quieter tone.
"By the way, I'm almost done!" Skid shouts excitedly, "Only - let's say - 3 or 4 minutes left!"

Suddenly the Gauntlets become suspiciously quiet, even clearing the streets. A black, heavily armored minibus rolls up. The symbol of the "Grey Gauntlets" is painted on its sides. Fighters in exoskeletons with pressure intensifier gloves get out of the four front seats. Then the loading area opens at the rear. A huge figure, whose upper body and right arm are made entirely of metal, gets out. There are also several heavy steel plates on his body. That must be Ironclad Graham. He approaches the four with heavy steps. Fox quickly pounces on him and strikes him with his blade. After a few moments, however, the edge of his sword is found in the steel armor's right hand. Fox is incredibly surprised. He has never seen anything like this before
"How did you get my sword-"
"Look at me," interrupts Graham Fox, pointing with his index finger at the shallow scratches in his armor, "you can't get through my armor with a sword, you amateur."
Fox, who is still perplexed, stops dead in his tracks right in front of the steel armor, which sends him straight into dreamland with a quick, hard headbutt.
"Who's next?" he growls angrily at Mike and Merlany, "I hope someone who's also a challenge."