Hey guys, BioshockerN7 here with another chapter! In this one, we're having a memory flashback, and by that, I mean Adam having a flashback of a memory in ME, involving a certain genetically perfect Cerberus Operative, or in this case, future Cerberus Operative. LETS GO!
"Doctor? Doctor Chakwas, I think he's waking up!" I heard a voice say as I slowly got up, seeing Severo getting up, Kyle, and Will were standing, but Hydra wasn't moving.
The beacon must have temporarily shut him down.
I then saw the face of Dr. Chakwas and Ashley as Chakwas looked at a datapad.
"You had us worried there, Mr. Jameson. How are you feeling?" she asked. I slowly remember what happened as I answer.
"Like someone took my skull and decided to ram it into a wall. How long was I out?" I asked. I then noticed I didn't have my helmet on. I looked around for it, and then Chakwas pointed to the left as I looked to see it and my cloak on a table. My face had changed a bit since waking up on Earth. I was sporting a small beard that was still growing on my face.
"About fifteen hours, something happened down there with the beacon." She said as I couldn't help but feel calm with her around. Huh, guess she is like a mother to most people.
"It's my fault, I must have triggered some kind of security field when I approached it, you had to push me out of the way." Ashley said, looking down. I got up and put my hand on her shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have known what would happen." I said as she slightly smiled.
"Actually, we don't know if that's what set it off. Unfortunately, we'll never get the chance to find out." Chakwas said.
"The beacon exploded, a system overload, maybe. The blast knocked you, the alien, and the robot cold. Your ship picked us up and brought us to the Normandy." Ashley said.
"We also noticed something about one of your squad members, Hydra-78, you called him?" Chakwas asked as my eyes widened.
Forgot about the no AI rule here, real smooth, Adam.
"What did you find?" I asked.
"He doesn't appear to possess a brain, but more of an advanced processor that transfers data at high speeds. Something normally found in VI's or AI's." she said, her eyes narrowing like I was a child with his hand in the cookie jar. I couldn't help but take a step back.
Gotta think of a backstory, what to do, what to do… I got it!
"Hydra-78 is a highly advanced AI that we created. The only one of his kind." I said as Ashley and Chakwas' eyes widened. "But he hasn't tried to kill us, in fact, he's saved our lives on more than one occasion." I said. Chakwas nodded her head.
"I won't try to do anything, but Citadel Security might take him to be dismantled." She said. My eyes narrowed. I'm not letting them take him.
"Your other squad member, Severo, his skeletal system is similar to that of a human, but at the same time, it's more advanced, more complex." She said.
"Severo is the only member of his kind to be here in this galaxy. Mainly because he comes from another one." I said as their eyes widened again. Though Chakwas quickly regained her senses.
"I also checked your records, you and your brothers died 15 years ago." She said as I tilted my head.
"What?" I asked as she pulled out another data pad and handed it to me. I look at it as it shows a news article.
"Lawson Industries Attacked. Perpetrators Killed in Skycar Explosion." I read.
What?
Lawson Industries?
I then remember another memory.
I walk into a building, hoping to get a job to support my brothers and I, hopefully the false records I made work. I approach the desk as the woman there looks up at me.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am I'm here for the job application. Adam Jameson." I said as she looked at her Omni-Tool before looking back at me.
"Of course, Mr. Jameson, Mr. Lawson will see you now." She said as I nodded my head. I then walk into an elevator as I wait for it to go to the top floor. I suddenly hear a voice.
"Miranda, I'm speaking with a new employee, please wait in the other room." A voice that sounded strict and uncaring said as the door opened to show a man with tanned skin, and black hair behind a desk and a girl about my age with black hair, and pale skin walking into another room. I suddenly felt very unsafe; my gut was telling me something was very wrong here.
"Ah, Mr. Jameson, correct?" the man asked, his voice shifting to being enthusiastic and friendly.
Exactly what a bullshit artist would do.
Well, two can play at that game.
I nodded my head.
"Yes sir." I said as he extended his hand.
"I'm Henry Lawson, I've read your resume, and I have to say, I'm very impressed." He said as I shook his hand, my unsafe feeling rising every second.
"Thank you, Mr. Lawson." I said, scratching the back of my head in fake embarrassment. He put on a fake smile.
"Please, call me Henry." He said as he walked toward the window that showed a beautiful view. Suddenly, I felt like someone was watching me, I looked out of the corner of my eye to see the girl, and HOLY DAMN, she's beautiful, blue eyes, beautiful face, all that jazz.
Why am I so weak for blue eyes?
Speaking of eyes, hers seemed to have a calculating gaze in them, trying to determine if I was someone to worry about or not, I could see in her eyes that she probably hasn't had a good life.
Mine's probably worse.
Her eyes seemed to soften, as if she knows something about me. Like she knows that I'm hiding something. But when she looked at her father, her eyes flipped to show burning hatred.
Wow. Family issues.
I quickly turn my head toward Henry as he turns around to look at me.
"Have you ever wondered what the future holds for you, Mr. Jameson?" he asked; I wish I had my pistol right now.
"No, sir, I focus on the present, when I make a decision, I don't think about changing it. Besides, whatever it's got, I'll face it with my brothers." I said as his eyebrows rose.
"Brothers?" he asked, his eyes showing him planning something.
I'm starting to regret picking this job.
"Yes, sir, Kyle has a job at a restaurant, and Will works at a book store." I said. He nodded his head as he grabbed a bottle of wine, and pours it into two glasses. He picks one up and offers it to me. I slowly take it as he smiles.
"To the future." He said as I clanked his glass.
"And to hoping nothing bad happens." I said as I drank it.
This guy's hiding something. And I'm going to find out what it is.
I look back at where the girl was, but she was gone.
And I have a feeling she's involved.
(Weeks later)
"Adam, can you come up to my office please?" I heard Henry ask through my Omni-Tool.
"Sure, I'll be right up." I said as I walk out of my lab. When I got up to Henry's office, I saw him and that girl again.
What's going on?
"Adam, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter, Miranda." Henry said as I shifted my eyes to her.
And my brain is failing me.
"Hi." I said shyly.
"Hello." She said, goddamn, this is the first time I've talked to her, yet that accent makes her much more attractive.
"Why don't you two get to know each other while I attend to a business call." Henry said, his eyes again showing a plan for something as he walks out of the room.
What the hell is he hiding?
"I'm starting to regret taking this job." I mutter to myself as I look at Miranda. "So…. what now?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow.
"You're not very social, are you?" she asked.
"Happens when you're forced to watch your back for most of your life." I said. Her eyes showed confusion.
"My brothers and I were taken from our home by Batarian slavers, they killed our parents and sold us to some people who tortured us for 6 years of our lives." I said, as her eyes widened.
"I'm sorry." She said.
"Don't be. I try not to think about it." I said as I look at my reflection through the window. "So, Miranda, how do you feel about your father?" I asked as I see her eyes narrowing.
"Why are you asking?" she asked.
"The guy rubs me the wrong way, I keep getting the feeling he's planning something. And your eyes tell me you hate him." I said. She then sighed and nodded her head.
"Yes, I hate him. He pushes me to my limit everyday. Never shows approval, or love, he forbade me from making any friends or having a social life, and everything he does for me comes at a price, I just want to run away from him." She said, as I looked her in the eyes.
"Then why don't you?" I asked. She fixes her hair as she sighs.
"I don't know where I would go. What to do, who to trust, I don't know." She said as I put my hand on her shoulder.
"Then do what your heart tells you. If you want to leave, then leave, but never forget you're your own person." I said as I suddenly heard something. In the few weeks that I've worked here, I planted a few bugs in Lawson's office, so I could find out what he's hiding. And so far, he seems like an egomaniac.
"Yes, I have Subject Hunter with me right now, and I know where you can find Subjects Titan and Warlock. Two of your operatives are preparing to retrieve him, and the rest are outside should he escape, though I doubt he knows you're coming." Henry said. My eyes widened as I heard those names. I clenched my fists in rage.
"Adam, is everything all right?" Miranda asked as I sent her my Omni-Tool contact number.
"Miranda, I got to go now, but if you ever need my help with anything, let me know." I said as I walked out of the room and into the elevator. When it stops on my floor, I quickly rush out into my lab as I grab a set of clothes and changed into them. I was now wearing a white t-shirt with blue jeans, black shoes, and a black hoodie, which I used to cover my face. I heard footsteps approaching as I looked out the corner of my eye to see Miranda walking toward me.
"Adam, what is going on?" she asked as I sighed.
"The people who tortured me and my brothers, they found us, I'm sorry, but I gotta go." I said as she grabbed my arm.
"I know a way you can get out without using the front door." She said as I looked at her. Ever since we escaped, my brothers and I thought we could never trust anyone but each other. But something about her made me want to trust her. Let's see where this goes.
"Lead the way." I said as she turned around and started walking, with me following her, and I got a nice look at her ass.
GODDAMN YOU, TEENAGE HORMONES!
"Eyes up." She said as I diverted my eyes from her ass to the hall.
"Sorry." I said. I then noticed a ventilation shaft at the end of the hall.
"Use the vents, my father won't be able to track you there." Miranda said. I nodded my head as I opened the vent.
"Thanks Miranda, you ever need me for anything, let me know." I said as she nodded her head and closed the vent. I slowly crawled through the vents until I found a vent that led to the outside of the building. Once I got out, I saw a couple of Skycars parked in front of me. I immediately ran toward one as I broke the side window and unlocked the car. I opened the door and got inside, and closed the door. I slowly activated the car as I lifted it off the ground. I then noticed two people walking toward me. One was wearing a white hoodie with blue jeans. The other was wearing a blue hoodie with blue jeans. They stopped right at the door as they lifted their heads up.
It was Kyle and Will.
I opened the door for them to get in as they climbed into the back seats.
"Ready?" I asked them as they nodded their heads.
"Ready." They both said as I drove the Skycar out of the parking lot. The Cerberus people at the door then noticed us leaving.
"They're in the Skycar!" he said as they all turned around and started shooting at us. The car's exterior protected us from the bullets as we managed to escape.
"Once again, we have to watch our backs." Kyle said as I nodded my head.
(1 Month Later)
I sat in an alleyway with Will and Kyle as we were currently planning to leave Earth. Suddenly, my Omni-Tool rang.
"Hello?" I answered.
"Adam, I need your help. I'm planning to leave my father. I don't have much time, so please, hurry." I heard Miranda say, as my eyes were wide open.
"Kyle, Will!" I said.
"Yeah?" they both asked.
"We gotta head back to Lawson's building." I said.
"What? Why?" Kyle asked.
"Miranda needs our help." I said.
"Are you sure she's telling the truth, for all you know, she could be helping her father." Will said.
I shook my head.
"She hates her father with every fiber of her being, she sounds saner than him, and when she called me, she sounded a bit frantic. Trust me, she can be trusted." I said as we grabbed our weapons and went off to Lawson's building.
(2 Hours Later)
When we got to Lawson's building, we parked our Skycar next to a vent as we got out. We then saw the door was closed as I nodded to Kyle. He then walked toward the door and activated his Omni-Tool as an Omni-Blade appeared at the end as he jammed it into the center. He then pulled the door started to slowly open. Will then grabbed the door as he kept it open long enough for us to slip through. Once we got in, we noticed the elevators were down.
Great. Time to take the stairs.
(Several Minutes Later)
"Okay, I officially HATE stairs." Kyle said as we reached the final floor.
"Give me the child, Miranda." I heard Henry say as I slightly opened the door to see him aiming a pistol at Miranda, who was holding a baby in her hands.
What the hell?
"No, I won't let you do to her what you did to me!" Miranda said as I drew my pistol and opened the door fully.
"Get down!" I said as Miranda ducked and Henry aimed at me.
I pulled the trigger.
The bullet didn't hit him, but it made him take a step to the side as I kept firing while Kyle and Will suddenly started firing.
"We've got company!" Kyle said. I quickly looked behind me to see Will shooting at a couple of guards.
"Miranda, come on!" I said. Miranda quickly got up and ran toward us, dodging her father's shots as we now took off running. I saw the vents Miranda had taken me to so I could escape as I opened it up.
"Get in!" I said as Will climbed in first followed by Kyle, then Miranda. I then climbed in and followed them. When I got to the end, I saw Kyle opening the Skycar as he and Will climbed into the back while Miranda got in the front passenger seat. I then got out of the vent and climbed into the driver's seat as I closed the door.
"Let's go!" Will said as we flew away from Lawson's building, a few bullets hitting the back of the car.
(Later)
The ride was silent. No one dared to say anything until I broke the silence.
"I think you owe us an explanation, Miranda." I said, as she looked at the baby with a smile then the smile faded when she looked at us.
"My father…. created me. Grew me out of a test tube and pushed me to impossible limits. I had extensive genetic modifications; everything about me was designed to give me an edge. This is my recently grown sister, Oriana. My father planned to do the same thing to her and dispose of me. I couldn't let that happen. So that's why I called you." Miranda said, as I nodded my head.
"Well, you figured out where you're going to go?" I asked.
"Drop me off at the shuttle port. I'll figure out the rest." She said as I nodded my head. It took us about five minutes to get there, and Miranda stepped out of the car.
"Thank you, Adam, for helping me." She said as I nodded my head.
"No problem, Miranda, you ever need any help again, you let me know." I said as she nodded her head with a smile. She then turned around and started to walk toward the shuttles. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned around to look at us. I smiled and nodded my head. She smiled and nodded as she turned around and continued walking.
Suddenly, my Omni-Tool rang.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Mr. Jameson, congratulations on pissing off Henry Lawson, but that's not why I'm calling, you see, Lawson won't stop until you guys are dead, so I'm going to tell you, I'm going to help you out with that problem since you're needed elsewhere anyway." A distorted voice said.
"Who is this?" I asked, my eyes narrowing. The voice chuckled.
"Your death."
That was the last thing I heard before an explosion covered my vision.
I blinked as my eyesight cleared.
I met Miranda in this life?
Well, I met Oriana too, but she was a baby at the time, so yeah, she won't remember me.
But Miranda, I'm pretty sure along with the genetic modifications, that woman's got some sort of perfect memory like a Drell. She finds out I'm alive, she's probably going to ask questions. And her questions lead to going to her source of inquiry.
From what it sounded like, we were sort of friends. Not best friends, but friends nonetheless.
Hope she doesn't try to recruit me. That probably wouldn't end well.
If she ever tries to find me, I'll have to have a plan concerning everything she does should she interact with me.
And I just remembered Hydra was deactivated.
I'm such an idiot.
I walk up to him and put my hand on the back of his head. I slowly reach into his head and activate his processor. I looked back to the front to see his eyes slowly glow red as he sat up.
"You okay?" I asked.
"No, that beacon shut me down?" he asked looking around.
"Yep, you were a pain in the ass to carry." Kyle said rubbing his shoulder.
"You were buried on Earth, yet you're standing here in front of us like you never died at all. Now, physically, you're all fine, but I detected some unusual brain waves, can you tell us what you saw?" Chakwas asked as I remembered the vision perfectly, and god, it frightens me.
"Death." I said.
"Slaughter." Kyle said.
"Genocide." Will said.
"Murder." Severo said.
"Brutality." Hydra said.
"We all saw the same thing, it's not something anyone would want to see." I said. Chakwas nodded her head as I heard the doors open. I looked to see Captain David FUCKING Anderson.
"How are you all holding up?" Hello to you too, Keith David.
"All the readings are normal. I'd say they're going to be fine." Chakwas said.
"Glad to hear it. Shepard, I need to speak with you in private. You all as well." He said looking at Severo, Kyle, Hydra, Will, and me.
"Aye, aye, Captain. I'll be in the mess if you need me." Ashley said giving a salute before leaving the room.
"Sounds like that beacon hit you pretty hard. You sure you're okay?" he asked, I slowly rubbed my jaw, feeling the facial hair I was starting to grow.
"Honestly, sir, I've got no idea." I said.
"You wanted to speak with us, Captain?" Shepard asked.
"I won't lie to you, Shepard. Things look bad. Nihlus is dead. The beacon was destroyed and Geth are invading. The Council's going to want answers." He said.
"Answers they won't believe." I muttered to myself.
"I'll stand behind you and your report, Shepard. You're a damned hero in my book. But that's not why I'm here. It's Saren, that other Turian." He said. "Saren's a Spectre. One of the best. A living legend. But if he's working with the Geth, it means he's gone rogue. A rogue Spectre's trouble. Saren's dangerous. And he hates humans." He said.
"He did not come to Eden Prime just because he hates humans." Severo said.
"You're right. Saren has allied himself with the Geth. I don't know how. I don't know why. But it had something to do with that beacon. You were there just before the beacon exploded. Did you see anything?" he asked. I slowly nodded my head.
"I saw synthetics slaughtering people. Killing them, TURNING them into machines." I said.
"We need to report this to the Council." Anderson said.
"Really? They won't even believe us." I said, tuning out the rest of the conversation. I then felt my shoulders being tapped as I looked to see Will nodding his head toward the door. I then walked to my cloak and helmet and picked them up and put them on. I then followed the others as we ran up to the CIC and up to Joker's place.
"Good timing, Commander. I was just about to bring us into the Citadel, see that taxpayer money at work." Joker said as I saw us approaching the Relay. We then flew through and HOLY SHIT!
"Holy shit." I said as we stared at the Citadel. The game sure as hell didn't do it justice.
It was fucking BEAUTIFUL.
"Look at the size of that ship!" I heard Ashley say as she and Kaidan were now by the window.
"The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet." Kaidan said.
"Size isn't everything." Joker said.
"True. Your ship is bigger than ours, yet from what I've seen, we've got more firepower on ours." Kyle said with a grin on his face. Joker then turned to look at him.
"That a challenge?" he asked. Kyle smirked.
"No. It's a fact." He said.
Really, Kyle?
I then felt the ship dock as Shepard tapped my shoulder.
"Gear up. We're heading out." She said, turning around. I nodded my head as I looked at the others.
"Gear up." I said.
(Later)
"This is an outrage! The Council would step in if the Geth attacked a Turian colony!"
FUCK. MY. LIFE.
I'm trying to tune Udina out, yet he's SO loud.
I really want to shoot him right now.
"Please kill me now." I said to Ashley as she smirks.
"I know, I hate them too." She said. I then saw the Councilors holograms vanish as Ghost appears behind Udina as he turns around.
"Captain Anderson, I see you brought half your crew with you." He said with disdain as he looked at us.
"Just the ground team from Eden Prime. In case you had any questions." Anderson said.
"I have the mission reports. I assume they're accurate?" he asked.
"They are. Sounds like you convinced the Council to give us an audience." Anderson said.
"They were not happy about it. Saren's their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason." Udina said. Ghost was flying around Udina's head, moving himself as if he was imitating Udina. I was struggling to make sure I didn't laugh. I could see Ashley, Shepard, Kaidan, Hydra, Kyle, Will, Severo, even ANDERSON were having the same problem. Udina stopped talking then turned around only to see nothing since Ghost vanished. He then turned around to us as he continued talking.
YES!
I finally managed to tune him out!
"Shepard, you and the others meet us at the Council Chambers. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in." Udina said as he and Anderson left.
"And that's why I hate politicians." Ashley said.
"I know how you feel." I heard Ghost say as I looked to see him hiding behind Ashley, as she turned her head to see Ghost near her shoulder.
"What are you?" she asked as Shepard and Kaidan looked at him. He slowly flew up from behind her and near me.
"I'm a Ghost. An Artificial Intelligence created by the Traveller to assist the Guardians." He said as Shepard looked at us.
"How many AI's do you have?" she asked.
"Just them." I said.
"You know if anyone finds out about this, you're going to get arrested right?" Shepard asks.
"Yep." I said.
"Well, we should get going." Shepard said as we started walking.
"Alright guys, I say we go get Tali." I said as they nodded their heads as Ghost appeared.
"I just intercepted a transmission that a Quarian has evidence linking Saren to the attack on Eden Prime!" he said. Shepard looked at us.
"We'll go find the Quarian, Shepard, you go to the hearing, we'll meet you there." I said as she nodded her head.
"Williams, Alenko, let's go." She said as they started walking.
"Alright, Kyle, Ghost, you go after Tali. Severo, Hydra, you go after Garrus. Will, you and I will go after Wrex." I said as Ghost disappeared into Kyle's armor.
"Alright, lets go." I said as we walked off. When Will and I got to Chora's Den, Saren's assassins immediately ambushed us. I threw a knife into one's skull while Will shot one in the head with his Hawkmoon.
We then walked toward the door as it opened. We then saw Wrex and the Krogan bouncer arguing. Wrex then backed off as he walked toward the door.
"Out of my way, Human." He said as I stopped him. He looked at me with a glare that could kill.
If it weren't for the fact that I fought a Vex Gate Lord head on, I'd be scared shitless.
"You want Fist dead. We need answers from him. I say we work together." I said as he looked at us.
"You two have a smell of death on you. More death than a Krogan. Sure, I'll work with you, but I'm going to kill Fist." Wrex said as he held out his hand. "Urdnot Wrex."
I shook his hand.
"Adam Jameson, this is my brother Will." I said as Will shook Wrex's hand.
"Alright, we gotta wait for the others to get here before we trash the place." I said as suddenly a drink slid into my view. I slowly picked it up, and looked at the bartender.
"Compliments of the lady in the corner." He said pointing to the right. I slowly turned my head to see… son of a bitch.
For standing at the end of the wall wearing a short black dress… was Miranda Lawson.
Shit!