Chapter 10 – Retribution
Sorry for the delay all! I just started a new job so combined with Christmas I have been crazy busy! Please R&R.
Warning! Violence a plenty in parts of this chapter. M for a reason.
Archangel had always been ruthless, from the moment he stepped onto Omega he began his rampage masquerading as a Robin Hood type character. The truth was a little more complicated than either of those extremes. He had nothing left to loose, a vigilante's work was a good enough way to die as any. A slow suicide if there ever was one. Before Shepard he had only been a frustrated cop who had never taken control over his own life. After his tour on the Normandy he became driven and determined to become something more. After her death he was lost, unable to return to his old life, and unable to deal with the red tape that was C-Sec.
Now… now he was closer to the former. The ruthless killer was back without the golden underside. The faded gold wings on his right arm were streaked with blood once more. Seventeen new kills became notches in his belt that night. This time he wasn't fighting for the lost, wasn't fighting for the innocent. Tonight he was killing because that was what he was born to do.
Shepard, Tali, and Miranda weaved their way through the markets for the next few hours. They managed to requisition all of the supplies they needed and Shepard had them sent to the ship. By the time they finished it was already time to go meet Liara at her apartment. Before stepping into the cab Shepard took one last look towards the Normandy and wished she were there instead.
When they arrived the squad was surprised to see police tape and cars all around the front of the building. Shepard walked up to one of the officers, "Excuse me, can you tell me what happened here?"
The asari turned to address her, "This area is sealed off. Please step back, ma'am."
Shepard narrowed her eyes, "Sealed off? Why?"
A second asari stepped into view, "Someone tried to kill your friend, Commander Shepard. Thank you officer, your people are dismissed." The cop seemed unimpressed but left none the less. "Tela Vasir. Special Tactics and Recon."
Assassinations were a sniper's bread and butter. It was no different for Archangel. Through the course of the night he carried out eight high profile assassinations; five asari, two salarians, and one human. The remaining nine kills of the night were personal body guards and Eclipse mercenaries but those were more for necessity than pleasure. Thanks to rapid transit and the extranet he was able to find each of his marks with ease.
Most of the kills were carried out in stereotypical sniper fashion, from a window in a building across the street from the target. A headshot followed by a swift disappearance. Two of his marks however were a little more personal. Each member of the party had to die but those that participated were put down with a twist.
Disabling the security camera and lock was easy. He crept through the back staircase of an apartment building up to the twenty-first floor to reach his first face-to-face target of the night. A salarian male who was a high ranking member of the Eclipse; he was one of the men who had so enjoyed beating the downed turian with a whip. Throughout the building there were guards stationed but a pistol was more than enough to decimate those forces. Inside the apartment the man was sitting and discussing tactics on his omni-tool with his back to the door. When he heard the door open he didn't turn, "Didn't I tell you to get out Samma?" He asked enraged at the thought one of his guards would disobey orders, he shut off his omni-tool and waited for an answer.
"Samma won't be bothering you anymore, Chabet."
The salarian whipped around, a pistol clutched into his hand, "Who the FUCK ARE YOU?" He yelled.
Archangel let off one shot with his own pistol, effectively disarming Chabet. The salarian screeched and clutched his bleeding hand. "I think you know the answer to that already." He took a step forwards and surprisingly the man held his ground. "You're about to join your friends."
"Don't think it is that easy Archangel…" he spat. He pressed a button on his omni-tool with his good hand. "Back-up will be here any second. If you don't want to die I suggest you get the hell out."
Archangel chuckled low and dark, "You mean the five mercs you had stationed outside?" As the surprise flashed across Chabet's eyes he knew that his nearby backup had already been dealt with. Archangel took another step closer, "I don't think they are coming…."
The merc took a step back, "Wait! I can pay you. How much do you want? Ten thousand credits…" Archangel took another menacing step forwards, "Twenty thousand! No fifty!"
The space closed completely and Archangel whipped him across the face with the butt of his pistol. "I don't want your money," Archangel growled, his voice low and gravelly. He hit the man again, this time an armoured fist to throat.
The salarian croaked and tried to cry out but couldn't, his windpipe and voice box were all but crushed by the force of the blow. After a few more hard hits the salarian was on the floor writhing in pain. It was almost over. Archangel took hold of the salarian's horns, one in each hand. With a vicious smile on his face he watched the look of pure terror as he wrenched his hands apart, taking pleasure in a cracking sound as the cartilage shattered.
He dropped the salarian to the floor and on his way out the door he grabbed a towel to wipe the worst of the blood off his hands. He had a few more stops before the night was though.
The amount of carnage in Nos Astra that night wasn't limited to assassinations. Not even close. Shepard and her crew leant a fair share of bullets to the bill. Once the Commander had realized that Liara's apartment had been ransacked and her friend shot at she let loose on everyone in her way. The squad decimated all resistance in the office building and once the Vasir had been outed as a Shadow Broker agent she was mercilessly killed after giving over her Intel.
With Vasir dead Shepard left Miranda to deal with the clean-up while she and Liara discussed their course of action. They had to take out the Shadow Broker but the timing could not have been worse. Shepard sighed and followed Liara into one of the rooms away from the battlefield. As she entered the room Liara was just finishing going through Vasir's orders from the Broker himself. "Vasir is dead," Shepard announced as she stepped up beside her friend.
"I'm putting the information through to the Normandy's computers. We can be at the Shadow Broker's base in a few hours." Liara started to pace, "He'll know about Vasir before long. If he decides to kill Feron…."
"We'll get Feron out of there alive, Liara. I promise."
"I know. You're here to help. Just like always."
"That's not a good thing?" the Commander inquired, confused.
"When we first met on Therum, you saved me from the geth. You fought a krogan battlemaster while I cowered. Now you're doing it again. And I'm still leaning on you for help."
"That's what friends do Liara."
"I can get us there based on Sekat's data. The Normandy's stealth drive will keep them from detecting us. The Shadow Broker's agents are still shooting their way through Illium. With luck they won't notice we've left until it is too late."
After grabbing Miranda the trio made their way back to the Normandy by skycar. There was no time to waste.
The asari, T'Lysia as Zaeed had called her, had already turned in for the night. Her personal krogan body guard was no match for the Angel's knife under his head crest. He went down in the hall with barely a sound. Inside the flat the fixtures screamed their expense. From the delicate carpeting to the antiques adorning the walls the place was luxurious. On the table in neat, half-finished lines was the fated drug that had helped in his incapacitation. The readout across his visor indicated that the asari was alone in the next room.
Collecting the drugs in a glass with some expensive liquor from her cabinet took mere seconds. Forcing the liquid down her throat was more enjoyable than he expected it to be, she writhed beneath his hands as he held her mouth open by digging his gloved fingers into either side of her mouth. Even with her biotics she was no match for him. Her earlier delve into the hallex had caused her to be sluggish and disoriented.
When Archangel released her and moved back towards the balcony to watch her die he hadn't been expecting her to charge at him. She screamed as she charged her biotics sloppily and threw herself across the small span. T'Lysia managed to hit him square in the chest and he hit the glass balcony door with a gasp of surprise and pain.
The glass shattered and the pair fell through it, T'Lysia landing on top of Archangel. The struggle was brief. The asari had used up most of the strength she had left with her charge. The turian was able to throw her off and to her misfortune over the edge.
The scream could be heard until she hit the ground with a loud splatting sound. Carefully he picked himself up and took a brief glance off the balcony to confirm his kill. There wasn't much left of her, purple mist really. He left the apartment as quickly as his legs could take him. He could feel the medi-gel flooding his system; he'd managed to reopen some of his wounds. Archangel's escape route was still clear and once he reached the roof he hijacked a sky car and left the area before the sound of sirens could be heard.
Cold efficiency had Archangel off the station before daybreak.
Upon returning to the ship Shepard, Miranda, and Liara entered through the main airlock. Joker was in his usual place in the cockpit and turned around to greet the trio. "Commander, we've got a problem…"
"What kind of problem Joker?" Shepard asked wearily.
"It's EDI, something shut down her communications system around 2100 Galactic Standard. Tali and I have tried everything short of a full system reboot." Miranda swept past them to EDI's station.
"Did you try the using the command codes?"
"Well I would have if the CO and XO weren't off the ship at the same time. Again…" he replied bitterly.
Miranda pulled up the correct interface on EDI's terminal and punched in her access code along with a voice confirmation. With a polite Code accepted, Enhanced Defense Intelligence reinitialized EDI's avatar appeared. "There, she should be fully operational in a few minutes."
Joker humped but mumbled 'thanks' after Shepard glared at him. "Get me a sitrep as soon as EDI is back online and start the disembarking procedure. Liara will provide you with co-ordinates."
"Aye, Commander."
"As soon as we have confirmation everyone is aboard and EDI's systems haven't been compromised we will be heading out." With that Shepard turned on heel and hurried off to the elevator barely acknowledging Kelly's greeting.
"What's got her in such a sprint?" Joker pondered out loud, "Nice to have you back Liara. How's the information brokering?"
Shepard stepped out of the elevator and into the loft, she was tempted to knock but decided against it. It was her cabin after all. As she stepped in she called out, "Garrus? I'm back." When there was no answer she took a few steps into the room. She smiled when she realized that it was tidier than usual. The bed was pristinely made; the bandages and towels had been cleaned up off the floor. Her back-up pistol that had been in pieces on her desk was cleaned and reassembled, if she had to bet it was sighted too. Garrus had never dealt well with bed rest.
By now it was obvious that he wasn't in the cabin, the bathroom was empty too. As quickly as possible she changed into her fatigues, washed her face, and headed back into the elevator. She keyed the crew deck before contacting Joker, "Any update on EDI yet?"
"She's back online," he replied.
EDI's voice chimed in, "I am sorry for the interruption, Commander. I will have a full report in five minutes time."
"Thank you, Shepard out."
"Logging you out, Commander."
The elevator stopped on the crew deck and Shepard crossed it at a brisk pace. The door to the battery was green, now that is a good sign. This time she did knock before entering, "Garrus? I'm back…" She scanned the empty room, "Garrus?" She was starting to get a sinking feeling in her gut. She keyed his personal communications code into her earpiece, there was no answer. At a jog she headed to the medical bay, hoping, praying that Chakwas was changing his bandages.
As she stormed in the doctor greeted her, "Commander." She spun around in her chair and at the look on the Commander's face her smile dropped and she stood up, "Is everything alright?"
"Garrus, where is he?"
"He was in your cabin last I saw him…"
"FUCK!" She took off at a run to the elevator, "EDI! Where is Garrus?"
"One moment please…" came the metallic voice. "He is not presently on the ship."
"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Shepard slammed the key for the CIC. "Full report now." She fired off a message to him via omni-tool.
"Officer Vakarian departed the ship during my blackout," EDI replied as hesitantly as an artificial intelligence could. "Upon checking the security feeds from the docks he left at 2113, through the cargo bay. Dock workers were loading supplies from 2020 to 2130. I believe he caused the interruption to my systems. I will check the news feeds on the station for more information."
Liara and Miranda were in the briefing room when Shepard arrived. "Liara, how long can we delay?" Shepard asked without pretense.
"We need to depart as soon as possible. As soon as the Shadow Broker gets wind of Vasir's death Feron will be in great peril," Liara explained. "What's wrong Shepard?"
The Commander's face fell into her hands and a stream of expletives left her silently enough that Liara's translator didn't pick them up. When she looked up her mask was mostly back into place, "Miranda, I need a recommendation for a two man team to track and reacquire Archangel."
"Commander?" both women were stunned.
"Garrus caused EDI's blackout. He disappeared shortly after. I need a full team for the assault on the Collector Base; I need him back on this ship. While we head to Hagalaz and infiltrate the base the team we leave here will track him down and meet us before we hit Omega. Miranda, suggestions?"
Miranda remained shell shocked for a moment before collecting herself, "I would recommend we leave Massani with either Tali-Zorah or Dr. Solus."
"Joker! Is everyone else aboard?"
"Affirmative Commander, we are ready to disembark."
"Belay disembarkment until I give the order. Call Zaeed and Tali up to the briefing room," She waited for the confirmation before turning back to the two bewildered women. "Liara make sure Joker has all the information he needs, Miranda show Liara to quarters afterwards. Be ready, I need both of you rested for Hagalaz in a few hours."
Miranda knew better than to argue and she nodded her affirmative, "Commander."
Liara on the other hand was concerned. She didn't know what had happened on Omega, before or after Shepard had picked Garrus up. "Please tell me what is going on Shepard. I want to help…"
Shepard cut her off with a wave of her hand, "Not now." She paced around to the other side of the room keying her omni-tool up for a second message. Liara was about to protest when Miranda grabbed her hand and shook her head before pulling the asari out of the room.
The Commander's head dropped back into her hands as she leaned forwards against the table. "What have I done?" she asked the empty briefing room. "Fuck."