Here it is, sorry for the delay but I wanted to work on this one so enough delay enjoy! (I do not own Mass Effect or The Avengers)
Chapter 7
"Of all the stupid…how could he go off like that and not say anything?" Iron Man said as he piloted the Quinjet.
"Calm down, he had his reasons." Cap said.
"What Wakandan elders teach that battles are sometimes best fought alone." Panther said reciting a Wakanda teaching.
"Wonder what he found?" Hawkeye asked.
"Thou agrees with Panther, many battles must be fought in solace." Thor said agreeing with what Panther said.
"But he can't go in alone, he needs our help." Wasp said concerned for the safety of Shepard.
"I'm trying to track the jet." Ant-Man said as he used the ships computer tracking systems to find Shepard. "He took it to Colorado." Ant-Man said locking in on the ship's co-ordinates.
"Alright when we find him make sure he doesn't do anything stupid, we don't want SHIELD even more pissed at us." Iron Man said.
Hulk just sat there in silence as he had no comment on the marine's latest escapade of wasting their time running after him.
0-0-0-0-0
The corridors were quiet…too quiet, it made Shepard uneasy as he and Carol cautiously continued through the building to locate the source of the apparent problem.
"So, what's your story?" Carol asked Shepard.
"I'm out of place and out of time." Shepard said.
"Not getting you here but my guess by the armour, you're not government or SHIELD?" Carol asked.
"That noticeable huh? So I take it your part of the government right?" Shepard asked.
"As in am I a spy? No don't worry nothing like that just an air force Major nothing less, but I take it your also not a fan of SHIELD?" Carol asked.
"Well when your held against your will by some secret government opps it tends to show you that." Shepard said telling her of what SHIELD tried to do to him.
"Why would they hold you there, unless…" Carol jumped to a conclusion and aimed her gun at him. "Hold it right there if you escaped from SHIELD then you must've been either a Big House, Cube or a Vault prisoner…who are you?" she demanded to know what was going on.
Shepard was about to respond to her accusations as then something was coming down the corridor.
"WAAARGH!" Carol did not know what it was as she pointed her gun at it.
"Freeze!" she shouted as it kept advancing towards her. "I said freeze!" she repeated.
It ran right at her in a frenzy as she fired at it but it kept coming as it spewed out a blue sort of gunk and it went onto her gun as she dropped it as she watched it melt.
She tried to back up but stumbled as then it got hit with a couple of rounds from behind her as it dropped to the ground dead, she turned around and saw Shepard holding his rifle and reloading it.
He walked towards her and held out his hand. "That thing is part of the reason why I'm here, now you can either trust me or shoot me but either way I'm going to stop Harbinger." Shepard said.
Carol looking up to him saw he was serious about this and guessed she had no choice but to trust him until this is all settled, as she took his hand and was helped back up to her feet.
"Ms. Danvers, what we're walking into could be fatal and I will implore you to leave and call for reinforcements." Shepard warned her.
"We haven't got time…now tell me what is really going on?" she demanded.
"I'll give you the short version, that thing is a Husk, it's a-or was human but now a mindless slave to Harbinger." Shepard said.
"Who's Harbinger?" she asked.
"He's the one doing this, he turned those innocent people into Husks." Shepard said.
"God…that's sick." Carol said disgusted at the thought of it.
Shepard brought out his hand cannon and presented it to her. "Here." Shepard said giving her the weapon.
"You're giving me a weapon?" Carol asked now a bit confused.
"If you're going to shoot me at least do it with my own gun and anyway it'll do more damage to them as your gun was like a BB gunshot to them." Shepard explained as she inspected the weapon.
It was very different design than any handgun she'd ever seen and it definitely wasn't military nor Stark design.
"Just to say the gun has different ammo settings and in this case go for the disruptor ammo it's more effective against cybernetic organisms." Shepard advised her as he showed her how to change the ammo types on the gun.
"So I take it you want to earn my trust." Carol said as the marine smirked.
"Is it working?" he asked.
"It's a start, where to now?" she asked.
"We keep going, keep your guard up who knows what else he has in store for us." Shepard warned as she nodded back to him and they continued on.
0-0-0-0-0
The Avengers had now arrived and had found their missing jet but no sign of the Commander.
"Nothing, it seems he went off on foot." Cap said.
"Guess were going to The Space Telescope ourselves, do we know anyone there?" Wasp asked.
"No one I'm afraid but my guess he tracked this IFF signal to there." Ant-Man said.
"If this Harbinger is a dangerous foe we should tread lightly." Thor warned as they all agreed.
"Alright we need to split up into two teams, Cap, Panther, Hulk and Wasp take the entrance, Ant Man, Hawkeye and Thor we'll take the back, radio in anything out of the ordinary, Shepard needs to be found and the source of this signal, everyone be careful we don't know what we could be walking into." Tony said as they agreed on that plan and broke up into their designated teams and went their separate ways.
0-0-0-0-0
Shepard knew that even if he got out of this alive he would face the wrath of Fury but did any authority ever stop him?
Still walking slowly and cautiously through the hallways both Shepard and Carol were still on an untrusting level as the news of him being an escapee of SHIELD made her uneasy of his presence here but after he saved her from the Husk and even gave her one of his weapons as a sign of trust but it was a little unclear of what his intentions were.
How can I trust this guy?
Why did he escape from SHIELD?
What does he know that I don't know?
Shepard brought up his Omni-tool as he began tracking the signal and saw they were close.
"Ms. Danvers…I need to know before we trek on that do you trust me?" he asked her.
Carol looked him in the eye and knew she had to take his word for it.
"Alright but if you try anything, I will take your offer and use this gun to blow a hole right up you ass!" she warned him as he smirked at that comment and they continued on.
The corridors were still well lit that is until the power then somehow cut as Shepard again turned to his Omni-tool and guessed it was Harbinger and he was in the middle of doing something.
"He's started whatever plan he's hatched…let's move!" Shepard said as she nodded to him and they moved on.
0-0-0-0-0
Cap's team made their way towards the facility and saw it was quiet with no security around.
"No one around, something is definitely wrong here." Cap said.
"Clearly but it seems someone else has also come to investigate." Panther said noticing the vehicle parked near the entrance.
Wasp flew on over in her insect size and checked the vehicle out as nothing gave her a clue to who it could be but all she could tell it was definitely military and then she spotted on the dash board an ID pass.
"Carol! Guys we need to move in there now!" Wasp said as she was concerned for the safety of her friend.
They all nodded as trailing behind Hulk mumbled under his breath. "Why bother." he said.
0-0-0-0-0
"The signal's coming from here." Shepard said checking his Omni-tool.
They both saw the door had been sealed off by some sort of cybernetic weaving all over the entrance as Shepard recognised it.
"What the hell is this?" Carol asked.
"He's already begun creating a hive, he must be using the personnel here for something." Shepard said as he loaded his gun. "You ready to do this?" he asked her.
"I'm behind you, let's go." she replied as then she just summoned her super strength and broke through the sealed door as they charged in.
And it was as Shepard feared, it was another hive created by Harbinger using his Reaper assimilation technology he merged it with this century's technology and was seemingly trying to learn everything about this time and what could be used as a potential resource.
"Human…you're persistence in trying to stop the inevitable is futile." the voice rang throughout the intercom of the facility.
"You never cease to amaze me, even after you and your fleet were defeated on Earth and you fled back to the Ragnarock Nebula we finished you." Shepard said defiantly.
"Your futile attempts in destroying The Reapers has ended with the loss of your own people, your race is no different from ours." Harbinger said making a comparison to their races.
"Only difference we have is when one of our own dies we show our emotions, your race has none of those things and the fact that and that you only care about wiping out other species and dominating the Universe as far as I'm concerned…we're nothing alike you're all a bunch of mindless mechanical monsters…and I'm gonna make you all pay for all the lives you've taken in your onslaught!" Shepard stated as he just blasted a Husk coming towards him.
The room lit up and saw that the Astronomers there were at the consoles and Shepard noticed there was something wrong as they were mindlessly typing away abnormally fast and were staring at a coded screens.
"What are they doing?" Carol asked.
"Not sure but it can't be good, I don't know how many people he's assimilated but we need to get these guys off the consoles before Harbinger finishes whatever he's planning." Shepard said as Carol nodded in agreement.
0-0-0-0-0
Meanwhile on the other side of the facility Iron Man's team was making their way through the place and were carefully looking around for any sort of abnormalities there.
"EDI are you sure this is where the origin of the signal is?" Iron Man asked the AI.
"It is confirmed Mister Stark, the Reaper IFF signal originates from this very facility and is fifty kilometres ahead." EDI informed.
"Are you sure that thing isn't playing with us?" Clint asked.
"I assure you Mister Barton, I am not playing with you or joking around if I was I wouldn't be as you would say yanking your chain." EDI responded as Hawkeye could not believe what he was hearing.
"Clint you just got owned by an AI." Tony said.
"What manner of sorcery is this? Could thy be more…mortal than machine?" Thor asked as he was amazed that EDI acted more like a person.
"Ok enough let's just get in there and-
"WWWAAARRGHH!" a screeching roar was heard down the hall.
They saw a group of those Husks running at them as Iron Man armed his weapons they then spewed out vile blue sort of gunk and it covered him as then his systems began shutting down instantaneously.
"What the…not again!" Tony said as Hawkeye fired a few arrows towards one of the Husks as the arrows exploded.
"Tony you okay?" Hank asked as he fired his weapon at one of the Husks.
"I'm out of commission, I'll try to get my systems back online." Iron Man said as he went to one side out of the way to do so.
It seemed their weapons we not effective against the Husks as they continued on after The Avengers as they then started grappling with each of them, they tried to avoid the blue goop that still covered Iron Man.
"These things are strong!" Hawkeye said as he was using his bow to keep the Husk from physically harming him.
"Our weapons have no effect on these things, Tony are back online yet?" Ant Man called over to him as he was hiding behind a corner.
"Still trying EDI is trying to reroute power to the armour's systems, I need more time." Iron Man said.
As then a huge bolt of lighting struck on of the Husks and had seemingly shut it down, Thor was using the power of thunder as they all realised they were weak to electrical attacks.
"Thor! Use your thunder attacks on them it's the only way to beat them!" Ant Man said as Thor began using more of his hammer's magic and started taking them out one by one.
The smoke settled and the Husks were defeated laid out like corpses as The Avengers, thanks to Thor were victorious but now knowing they may be at a disadvantage as Iron Man came back but the fight had ended.
"Okay I'm back and…oh guess I was too late, well I'm back online but barely this stuff I got covered in is apparently the Husk's way of disabling an enemy's shield or anything electronic, it only lasts a few minutes but it's effective as I've been told." Iron Man explained.
"Affirmative Mister Stark, the Husks are weak to electricity which Thor-Odin Son can conjure with his hammer." EDI said over the comms to everyone.
"EDI can you tell us more on Harbinger?" Tony asked the AI as she brought up the data on his screen.
Seeing the amount of data he knew they would have to tread lightly and stop whatever he was planning.
"Tony? It's Steve we're in the building ad we just ran into some cyborgs or something but they look like those things Shepard and Fury showed us." Cap said.
"I know we just encountered them apparently Thor's lightning can stop them, how far are you?" Tony asked.
"Not far but we've also found out that someone else is also there." Cap said.
"Who?" Tony asked.
"Carol Danvers is here and our guess is she's joined up with Shepard and they're already facing off with Harbinger." Cap said as it made sense.
"We'd better move, they're in danger." Tony said as he cut transmission and his team went on.
0-0-0-0-0
Shepard and Carol both approached the consoles and the people at work on them and saw a lot of data being transferred to somewhere.
"Shepard, look at this." Carol said as she directed his vision over to the back of their necks.
He saw that there was a sort of circular disk on the back of their necks and also their eyes were complete white as if they were in a trance.
"I know what this is, we can't snap them out of it unless we break the link which is Harbinger." Shepard said as he looked around and saw a bunch of wires leading behind a huge steel door as he walked up to it.
"What's behind this door?" he asked looking at it curiously.
"It's the satellite uplink, it's where all the data we record is transferred to the space division satellite." Carol said as she walked towards it.
"I think he's in here, can you get it open?" Shepard asked.
"I don't know the codes but I can do this." Carol then gripped the door by both sides and she just ripped it off it's hinges like nothing and put down to one side as Shepard again was just amazed.
"I know…it's all still new to me but I'm getting the hang of this." she said as Shepard just smiled and held hid gun up and forward on he went.
Keeping his guard up he cautiously entered the room and saw a huge computer console and it was in motion with someone mindlessly typing commands at the keyboard and also saw a Husk all linked up to the console and he guessed it was Harbinger.
"Human…you cannot change the fate of your race…the time of Harbinger, the time of the Reapers is upon the universe." Harbinger echoed throughout the comms system.
"Over my dead body you piece of sh-
"WWAAARRRGHHH" the scrams of Husks were heard as then he turned his attention to what was outside and joined Carol seeing more Husks approaching.
"How many of these things are there?" Carol said as Shepard just fired on them taking a couple down. "Don't hesitate…shoot!" Shepard said as a hail of gunfire was exchanged as more Husks appeared and they were outnumbered two to a dozen as one by one they fell but somehow they were beginning to reform and were seemingly fusing with one another.
"Oh this isn't good." Shepard said.
As then the front entrance just blew open and in came The Avengers.
"Avengers…Attack!" Iron Man said leading the charge as the odds were now evened.
Iron Man unleashed pulse blasts at a Husk forcing it back as it spewed out the blue goo again but he dodged it and hit him with an EMP shock.
As then the combined Husks were now a massive abomination and began shooting out a sort of blue gas that was rendering themselves unable to move as Shepard brought out his best weapon which was the Collector Particle Beam he picked up on Freedom's Progress.
Hawkeye fired arrows at it but somehow on impact they just melted as this surprised the archer.
"What the hell?" Clint said not believing what he saw.
Panther threw his daggers as they also had no effect on them either, Ant Man and Wasp's weapons don't have any effect either.
"How is this even possible, our weapons aren't even scratching them?" Hank said as he tried to use his helmet's supersonic wave length but still no effect.
Cap threw his shield at one but all it did was stop it's movement and seemed to just frenzy it even more as it lunged at him and was only inches from his face as he held it back by grabbing it's arms as it growled at him.
"Hulk smash! Hulk bash!" Hulk said as he hit scores of Husks and was sending them flying back like rag dolls.
Hulk however was enjoying himself as he just hit each one that came at him but even though they refused to stay down he still enjoyed it.
Thor was having more luck with them using his lightning attacks to beat them but the mutated Husk was more of a challenge even his hammer was no match for their thick skin.
"What manner of beast are thee?" Thor asked in shock as not even Mithrandir could destroy them.
As then it struck the Asgardian with a huge blast as that sent him flying backwards and through a wall while the blast seemingly got everyone.
"Hey ugly!" looking to it's right it saw Shepard and Carol both there as they had their weapons pointed and just fired on it as they managed to hurt it.
"What the hell is that thing?" Carol asked through the sound of gunfire.
"It's a Heavy Husk, these things are slow but are deadly if you let it get too close to you, it's like a suicide bomber only it can do it from a distance." Shepard said as he shot his particle beam right at it's massive hump.
Then it launched out it's main attack directly at the N7 marine but he and Danvers got out of the way as she fired a couple of rounds at it and once again wounding it but Shepard once again with the particle beam hit it right in the face as it screamed n agony as he kept up the attack and then after taking too may hits it just screeched and exploded into bits.
"Okay Harbinger no more games!" Shepard shouted out loud. "Show yourself!" Shepard demanded.
As then a group of Husks came out of nowhere as one was stopped in it's tracks.
"Assuming direct control!" as the Husk went all bright then turned from blue to a firey sort of form.
"Let's do this!" Shepard said as he charged forward as the Husk now in Harbinger mode came at him.
He fired a couple of concussive shots but those just slowed down the cyborg as he wanted him in a hand to hand fight as he just rush tackled him knocking him to the ground but as he went for a ground attack Harbinger knocked him off, he lost his gun and was quickly pinned down by the strength of the Reaper leader.
"Human…you're resistance is futile, all organics will be obsolete, The Reapers will live once more." Harbinger stated to the pinned marine but he then kicked him off.
"You think all organic life is obsolete, we beat you once, twice and a third time…you'll fail in your insane mission to wipe us all out, I won't stop until you're dead!" Shepard stated to the Reaper as he rolled to the side and grabbed his weapon and fired some inferno rounds right into his chest and he stumbled.
Shepard stood over his fallen foe and pointed his head.
"It's over you homicidal freakshow." Shepard said.
"Shepard this is only the beginning." as then he began to glow and all of a sudden it was back to being a normal Husk as it screeched Shepard shot it in the head.
As then the indoctrinated staff and Husks dropped to the floor and the battle had ceased.
"This isn't over…I'll hunt you down to every dark inch of this Universe!" Shepard shouted as everyone could hear him.
The mass of Husks, laid before them as they all went to check on the staff as they began to come around from their indoctrination.
The Avengers went to check on them all as Shepard looked on at the destruction and chaos the Reaper leader brought.
He's right this is only the beginning…what else could happen?
His question was answered as the sound of aircrafts were heard and in came a dozen SHIELD agents and coming directly behind them was a really PO'd Nick Fury and his sights were directly on Shepard as he marched towards him.
"I warned you not to get involved in SHIELD business Commander." Fury said as he looked straight into the eyes of the Commander.
"Yeah I got involved but your business was mine to begin with, if you haven't noticed but I just managed to clean up a mess you could've avoided but like all you government types you just want control so let me show you something." Shepard said leading him over to the fallen Husks.
Fury looked at these ones and they looked like…Human?
"That right there is what will happen if Harbinger wins, I took action cause I already have seen this go down but today I managed to save a few lives, those men he enslaved were lucky most don't survive the Indoctrination process." Shepard said as Fury realised the severity of the situation.
"Okay so you saved these guys but what does that thing want?" Fury asked him.
Shepard looked at him sternly. "Extinction of all organic life." he answered bluntly.
"Commander Shepard, we need to talk." Fury said.
Harbinger got away! But what are his plans? Will Shepard and The Avengers be able to stop him?
What you think? Reviews please!