The Test

Chapter 1: Jungle Rush

The Cerberus operatives hesitated, which left Shepard staring at them. The sudden noise in the distance had kicked his body into overdrive. Like electricity racing through power lines, adrenaline pumped into his veins. Within moments, his chest began to heave with each breath. As if inhaling oxygen while hand weights rested on his lungs; but he knew that sensation belonged to the jungle's fierce humidity. Worse and serving only as a reminder of his dehydration, crystal-blue water splashes against his black shin guard. The water's playful slap threatens the calf of his leg with a cramp. Looking down at his own reflection in the water, he ponders their ludicrous circumstances.

I could dive face first into the stream. Maybe that will get me out of this… nightmare. Or wake me from it…

His thoughts are cut short when Miranda decides to voice her opinion. "Commander, we don't know what that was exactly. For all we know, it could be some sort of trap. Are you sure we should go racing towards uncertainty?"

Shepard chuffs, lifting his head to the blazing sun. "You got a better idea?" He doesn't wait for a response before closing his eyes to embrace the sun's dangerous, yet pleasant warmth on his sweat-streaked face.

After several seconds of silence, the other Cerberus operative weighs in. "Look, Miranda. Our mission was to find Shepard and follow his orders. If he wants to go check it out… we go check it out." The man looks to Shepard, then back to Miranda, whose lips are pursed tight. "Right," he demands, raising his brows. When she doesn't answer immediately, Jacob turns back to Shepard. "I'm with you, Commander."

Shepard opens his eyes and studies the man's face for signs of deception. Noting the man's posture, rigid and straight, Shepard came to an indefinite conclusion.

Jacob is a soldier through and through… But loyalty to someone he just met? That seems odd. Even if it was his assigned mission… the situation we're in is extreme. Shouldn't that change the parameters of their mission?

Wondering such things, all Shepard can do for the time being is nod.

That's when both men shift their gaze to Miranda. After a significant pause, she unfolds her arms and concedes.

"Ah Jacob, ever the soldier following orders, aren't you? But you're correct. Our orders were to follow Shepard's command." Letting out an enormous sigh, she starts striding toward Shepard. "I just hope you realize the risks, Commander."

Several minutes after crossing the stream and passing back into the jungle's maw, they catch sight of a tree tipping in the distance; confirming Miranda's original suspicion. Moments later, they hear it crash to the jungle floor.

Every step in their concentrated sprint proved challenging; as the jungle floor grew wildly uneven. Thick vegetation did not make things easier, nor did the snake-like vines hanging from the branches above. The jungle seemed eager to trip anyone who stepped carelessly. Such rough terrain reminded Shepard of basic training; in which Alliance soldiers had to rush through intense and often dangerous obstacle courses. But that was all a long time ago…

Sprinting as fast as they could, the trio accelerates and swerves as needed to evade the jungle's sinister grip. Racing through green haze on all sides, the ground beneath their feet starts to shake every fifteen seconds or so.

"Was that an earthquake," Jacob shouts out loud, their perilous run growing more desperate.

"Far too small and frequent," Miranda shouts from behind. "My guess is biotics!"

"Then we have to hurry," Shepard exclaims, his fatigue starting to show. Since death, his N7 armor had not gotten any lighter.

It's when the tremors increase in magnitude, that they hear it. An animalistic, yet feminine cry in the distance. Like a wounded animal that's cornered… And fighting for its life. Moments later, the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

The consistent churn of an assault rifle, Shepard notes. An automatic, too.

Gasping for breath, Shepard ascends a tall mound of shrub-covered dirt and flops down onto his stomach. Crawling up the mound on either side of him, his companions only stop to rest when they match his line of the sight. In unison, the trio pants for breath as they stare through the ferns ahead.

About twenty yards away, standing in a clearing of demolished and flattened jungle, stood a thin, wiry figure. As if the individual were the definition of a human bulldozer, deforestation literally surrounded the person. The jungle's partial destruction is unquestionably what they had heard from across the stream.

Thanks to said destruction, the individual was easy to make out. Their shape illuminated by the planet's harsh sunlight, every detail could be seen. The human had an exotic look, wearing orange cargo pants, sporting a shaved head, shirtless, and covered in ink. Said tattoos were intricate and impossible to decipher, even from Shepard's near flawless point of view. From his distance, they looked to be rivers of black ink twisting and snaking around a petite human-being.

After blinking several times, Shepard realizes the most important detail. The half-naked individual was a woman.

"Is that—," Jacob began to say, only to be cut off by Miranda.

"Jack… It has to be."

Confusion tearing through him, Shepard seizes the woman's arm. Despite his aggression, she turns to him in a relaxed manner.

"Who?" Shepard demands, keeping his voice hushed.

"Jack, aka Subject Zero. She's a fugitive and criminal who's become rather notorious in your absence, Commander." Miranda pauses to swallow, sweat dripping down the perfect angles of her face. "She's an extremely powerful biotic and is wanted for multiple charges; including mass murder, destruction of property, and piracy. Cerberus has been keeping tabs ever since her name hit galactic news."

Shepard frowns, thoughts racing through his head at light speed. Like multiple ships leaping from one mass relay to another. At last, he releases Miranda from his steel-like grip.

"Is there any way she could have brought us here?"

"Afraid not, Commander," she answers, then narrows her eyes at the woman ahead. "But she seems to be fighting someone right now."

As if on cue, the fugitive lets out a challenging roar. "Come on out you son of a bitch! I'll rip you in half!"

"Well, she certainly has a way with words," Shepard acknowledges, rolling onto his side. Shifting his Mattock to take aim over Miranda's head, he starts scanning the far tree line. Closer to them than Jack, he spots a shape dashing from one tree trunk to another. "And her opponent is familiar with guerilla warfare."

"Excuse me," Miranda asks, looking perplexed. But Shepard is no longer beside her.

"You two get Jack. I'll get our other friend," Shepard replies, as he retreats down the dirt mound. Reaching the bottom in a crouched position, he meets her questioning stare. "Miranda, stay here and jump in when needed. Jacob, you sneak up behind her with that shotgun of yours."

"Roger that, Commander," Jacob replies, his focus still on the fugitive.

"Commander, are you certain that's our best approach? What if—"

He quiets Miranda by pressing an index finger to his lips. After a long pause, she nods and rolls back onto her stomach.

Leaving the Cerberus operatives behind, Shepard keeps low and stalks into the undergrowth. He treats each movement with the utmost caution as he slowly works his way around the edge of flattened jungle. For extra care, he kept at least four yards deep in greenery, hoping to avoid detection. It's only when he stops moving that he realizes the danger.

Thanks to the very corner of his peripheral vision, he knew her eyes were nearly upon him. Like a lioness staring down a gazelle… he was the prey.

Uncertain of whether he had been discovered, Shepard freezes. The simple act of locking his sweat-soaked body into stasis hurt. Dehydration, exhaustion, and heat were sinking their teeth deeper into his flesh. Despite his discomfort, he doesn't dare move another inch. Instead, he studies the eight-yard stretch of thin vegetation ahead. With only knee-high ferns to conceal him and a fallen tree to climb over, the path forward would be difficult.

Suddenly, a man in orange-white armor emerges from the trees ahead. The man shows no sign of halting his mad sprint, so Shepard whips his head to the right and confirms his fear. Instantly.

She's seen him. Which means I need to act… NOW.

Throwing his gun aside, Shepard urges his body into action.

"DIE BITCH!" Jack screams, her voice ringing in Shepard's ears.

Shepard breaks free from his hiding place in an explosion of leaves, making himself known to both stranger and fugitive.

Upon seeing Shepard charge, the other man halts. Choosing to ignore Jack's threat for whatever maddening reason, he also happened to stop running on his side of the fallen tree. This left him completely exposed to the biotic.

The man raises his rifle with the intent to shoot. In that same moment, Jack unleashes a biotic shockwave the size of a freight train. Hurling towards them at an alarming speed, its electro-magnetic strength seems to bend and warp not only time, but gravity itself. Worse, the stranger starts shooting.

With the heat of the shockwave drawing near and thermal rounds pelleting his shields; Shepard leaps over the fallen tree without fear, and barrels straight into the stranger.

They crash to the jungle floor in a heap as the biotic shockwave passes; obliterating the fallen tree into sawdust and leaves. Then there was silence.

A/N: Love the Mass Effect universe, so this story will get finished. Probably sooner now that I have some free time! It's not meant to be overly long, I mean look at the two universes were mixing here! Thanks for reading!

Apologies for grammar mistakes and errors too. No beta. Just me!