In the Presence of Ghosts

by E.T. Soule

In this story we see the old world meet the new thanks to a civil war, shady government dealings, and political prisoners. The story of "In the Presence of Ghosts" focuses on the journey of a jaded old soldier who goes from political prisoner to one of Commander Shepard's most trusted friends and ally. The story touches on hopefully just about everything. All rights to Bioware etc.

1. Chapter 1

This is not how I want to die.

Tom could feel himself being lifted off his feet as the bullet slammed into his chest. Time began to slow as his body thudded onto the wood floor of the home that he had built with his own two hands.

I can't die like this. Not here. Not now.

Rolling onto his side, Tom could faintly hear somebody raising an alarm.

Can't breathe!

Somebody had grabbed an automatic. Tom could feel hot brass brush against his cheek and wood splinters pelt his face.

Need to get up.

Pushing himself up from the ground, Tom stumbled toward the kitchen in the back of the house. A moment before he could round the corner another bullet hit him in the back of the shoulder, spinning him around and causing him to lose balance. He gasped for breathe as he landed on the floor again but the noise that escaped his lips reminded him of someone choking on their own blood.

Tom coughed.

Fuck.

Tom stared at his hand through a growing haze and wondered how it could have turned the color of crimson. There was the muffled sound of a fridge being pushed over somewhere in the distance but Tom was too busy staring at his hand. Someone grabbed him around the shoulders and he could feel himself being dragged into the kitchen.

"Tom! Can you hear me? Look at me!"

Susan?

Tom's focus shifted from his hand to the face peering down at him.

"I…" Tom began before coughing up more blood.

That can't be good.

"Shit! They punched a hole in his lungs. Get his shirt off."

"There's an exit wound in the front of his shoulder."

"Is there an entry point?"

Tom felt himself being lifted up for a brief moment before being slammed back down on the floor again. It still hurt to breathe.

"We've got an entry point. It's a clean through-and-through. Looks like it came from a 5.56."

"Which means that there's still one bouncing around somewhere, probably broke a rib on the way in before puncturing his lung. That's why there's no exit wound."

"Can we get it out?"

"If we don't then he'll drown on his own blood."

"Table?"

"Table."

Tom almost screamed as he was lifted off the ground and onto a table, plates and silverware pushed off to the side and onto the floor.

"Buddy! Get in here, and take Kate down into the cellar."

Wait? Kate? Nonononono! Don't let me die without seeing her!

"Ready to do this?"

"Ready as we'll ever be, give me that knife."

Tom let out a scream as the hunting knife cut into his chest and then passed out.