Chapter 11
Skave sat at a table pushing the last piece of food into his mouth not even bothering to chew. The medi-gel was doing its job alongside Skave's metabolism. A tingling sensation percolated through his chest as it healed at an incredible pace. He was unstoppable. The wound was healing quickly and the damage done wasn't as life threatening as he thought. Fighting without kinetic barriers was risky, although walking around in full combat gear was an idiotic thing to do, especially in civilian areas. Parsimoniously, Skave mopped up the juices sitting on the plate with the equivalent of turian bread plunging it into his mouth, licked his slick fingers, and belched. His body was healing…fast. Turians were the predominant species in this bar, all of whom were eating their lunches at an early hour before heading back to work dressed in formal clothing. Wearing a black shirt, the blood stains weren't that noticeable as was the small hole in his black leather jacket the size of a pen tip. The bar was in a nice part of town that was being overrun by the humans, although it seemed the turians still had a firm grip on it. Sitting at the back of the restaurant, he scanned the crowd of Ron's bar looking for a human face that matched the appearance of Donald McGamery, otherwise known as Donny, Nashira's boss.
Nashira's heart thumped in her ears as she nervously ascended the stairs to the second level of the Interstellar Shot Glass. Cobalt light splashed over her and everything else from the massive panoramic window looking over the Citadel's Ward arms. A good thirty kilometers was stretched out before her with the ambrosial amber lights coming through as a seraphic azure. C-Sec officers littered the stairs, all clenching liquor glasses filled a quarter of the way with alcohol and three unclouded, flawless cubes of ice making the glass perspire beads of infinitesimal chilled sweat. People stared awkwardly at her, not used to seeing quarians anywhere, especially at a bar. But it was none of their business; they all had more important things to converse over than a lost quarian roaming about their lair. Nashira put her head down and pushed both shoulders in making herself a smaller target towards the hungry prying eyes of curious onlookers.
Then she saw it. A crescent shaped bar wrapped around the back wall of the top level stuffed full with hundreds of vials containing alcohol illuminated by backlight that sifted through all the colors know to the visible spectrum. Salarians, turians, asari, and a single human male sat at the bar, all hunkered over their cups of alcohol, twirling them on the slick frosted glass counter top. She knew her plan, it was simple enough. Looking around, the quarian's curiosity got the better of her. She gazed at the panes of chicly shaped glass haphazardly jutting out of the ground. The cut edges of the glass caught the light that was being projected from below. Reds, pinks, greens, blues, yellows, and oranges filled the glass like a dyed flood.
The mission. Stay focused.
Walking towards the bar, she spotted an empty seat, the only one left unoccupied. Luck was on her side. Her stomach tightened up and both hands had tremors of anxiety as she sat down on the plastic ergonomic seat. The human man next to Nashira shot a confused glance at the quarian sitting next to him. Nashira fired off a small friendly wave, squinting so it looked like she was smiling flirtatiously at him. Toby told her to act as attractive as she could then said if she did, any human was going to get curious and she was easily going to grab his attention. She brought her arms up on the table and clenched her fingers together in a ball on the bar flashing her curves at the human. Blushing, she could feel his eyes scanning her voluptuous form like a hot pen tracing her outline.
Act interested.
"The music is nice in here," she started off, cocking her body towards him, slightly cringing at the cheesy start off line. He was handsome and she noticed there was no ring on his finger. His green eyes flickered against the olive skin as he ran a calm hand through his black shaggy hair a bit nervously. She noticed he was swallowing her bait without chewing.
"I know, I like it a lot too," he shot back flashing his white teeth. "If you don't mind me asking, do quarians have their own music? I have never heard it before." Nashira lightly stroked her hood with a delicate finger.
"We used to make beautiful music until we were exiled three-hundred years ago." She sighed, no longer acting anymore. "I wish we still made it."
"Sorry for my ignorance, I didn't mean to touch that subject, I know it is sensitive to you," he said back apologizing.
"Oh, it's fine…" she drew out her sentence while leaning forward and waited for his name.
"Harvey. Harvey Rucosi."
Nashira slipped her hand into his shaking it.
"Neama, nice to meet you Harvey," she purred rolling the r through her accent. "I have some quarian music on my omni-tool if you would like to give it a listen." Harvey's eyes went wide with honest excitement making Nashira feel somewhat ashamed.
"Yeah, definitely!"
Nashira caught a glimpse of Stitch, the volus bartender, who was shaking up some drinks two seats to her left. She needed to get him over here, now.
"Neama, would you like a drink? I know they serve quarian alcohol here but I… I'm not sure how you drink it."
"Yes, I would love a drink and I can explain to you how my suit works…that is if you would like to know," she said, then finished with an unsure whisper, biting her lower lip all while pulling him deeper into her act.
"That would be nice Neama," he smoothly told her genuinely interested in the quarian suit. Nashira feel even guiltier. Harvey seemed like a legitimately nice man. "Excuse me bartender, could I please place an order?"
Keelah, he even has nice manners, I was hoping to find a pig of a human. Keelah.
The egg-shaped bartender waddled towards the two, staring at Nashira then at Harvey.
"Greetings quarian, I hardly see your kind in here. It is good to see another suited friend walking around these streets," Stitch charismatically acknowledged Nashira. "How may I help you human?"
"Neama, what would you like? On me."
"A nice Earth clan I see, your kind comes in many different personalities. I like seeing the 'ladies first' being used around these parts. That, my friend, is how you pick up women."
Nashira could see Harvey blush.
"You choose for me. I must admit, I don't know much about alcohol," Nashira proposed.
"Ah, I have something special for you Neama. What about you Harvey."
He is a good bartender. He picks up on conversations around him easily.
"Scotch please, hold the ice."
The round volus poured the mahogany colored liquid into a short glass and slapped it on the table for Harvey.
"Oh! May I see that Harvey?"
"The glass?"
"Yeah."
Nashira grabbed the glass to stare at the liquid curiously, and then fumbled it onto Stitch which drenched him with the expensive scotch.
"Oh Keelah, I am so sorry!"
"Bah, don't worry about in Neama." Desperately, she grabbed some napkins while reaching over the bar and attempted to dab up the mess on Stitch. "Excuse me for a moment, I must wash this off. Alcohol does wonders to my suit, and I mean that in the most negative manner. Neama, I will be right back with your dink." Stitch shuffled down the stairs and headed right towards the bathroom with a fist full of napkins in his three little fingers grumbling something.
"Keelah, I feel so shtupid."
"It was an honest accident Neama, don't worry about it."
She grinned under the blue tinted veil not because of Harvey's reassurance, but because the plan worked out exactly as Toby hoped.
Toby stood in the bathroom on the first floor praying that no C-Sec agents were going to come in and compromise the whole operation. Luckily, he was the only one standing in the bathroom. Hunched over the sink, he stared at his gaunt face in the immaculate mirror. All the stress and agony has taken a toll on his overall physical appearance. He was teetering on the edge of a knife which was ready to impale him into submission. If he could pull this next act off, his morale would skyrocket and that is just the thing he needed the most.
"Toby, this is Brian. I have a visual on that short little bastard coming right towards the bathroom; ETA fifteen seconds."
Nashira pulled it off, that was excellent news. Excited, Toby grabbed his blue cap and pulled it snug over the quarter inch stubble coating his scalp. He tried not to move his arm too much fearing pain from that was hibernating in his collar bone. What sounded like hoofs clapping off the ground in short strides percolated under the blue swinging door leading into the bathroom. Toby switched on the sink and washed his hands as soon as the volus waddled into the restroom grumbling. He approached the short sink made for handicaps and smaller aliens. Heiko ignored Stitch while getting the rest of the soap off his hands and then pushed them under a heated blow dryer.
"The door is clear Toby, no one is coming in or out," Brian whispered into the mic from some obscure dark corner outside.
"Stitch." The volus spun around, as he couldn't crane his neck because it was too stubby. Stitch jumped like he was hit by electricity and dropped his paper napkins, not bothering to watch them flutter to the floor.
"Heiko, is that you?"
"Now listen to me Stitch-"
"No, you listen to me," he said cutting him off, "I want you out of here right now. If they find me talking to you I could get in trouble."
"Stitch, please…I need your help."
The volus sighed. "Did you really do those terrible things Mr. Heiko?"
"No, no I didn't, but I have a hunch to who did do those things."
Stitch crossed his stubby arms. "How can you prove it?"
"I believe my wife, who the news said I kidnapped, was the one to spill the drink on you."
"You mean the one flirting with the human," Stitch asked alarmed and surprised.
Toby chuckled slightly. "Yeah I guess so. Anyways, you said there was a Spectre on the Citadel, right?"
Stitch's body language was sentinel. "Yes, I heard some details about that from a reliable source. One of my good friends was attacked yesterday in the morning hours, a human who was my friend. He is paralyzed from the neck down by a sniper bullet. He worked for some powerful people and was able to pull information on this certain Spectre."
Toby's stomach lifted high in his chest, anxious for more information like a child waiting to open Christmas presents. This was great. No, it was perfect, this is what he needed.
"Who is it? What is its name?"
"A turian by the name of Skave Arterius."
Toby finally had a name for the Hunter, for the nightmare chasing after him. This thing that hurdled after him, his wife, and best friend with an infinite velocity and mass finally had a name.
Skave.
It even sounded evil, possessed, and demonic like gothic images of demons with long wicked tongues the color of cherries, slit like eyes, blazing horns, inverted gnarled legs, exposed sexual organs, and curved sharp teeth. He felt the way the Hunter drained energy from around him and how it melted away, hiding in a cocoon of oily shadows which it seemed to spawn from nowhere. It was terrifying the way it hunted its prey with one mission on its stubborn, dogmatic brain that churned like dark torrents of cold water in the deepest of black polluted trenches: inhalation.
Spectres only worked for the Council and took assignments directly from them. That means the Council has targeted him, tagging a red flag on his back for this Hunter to track him down. But C-Sec was involved in his set up and it must have been them that set him up in the first place. Someone with power must be behind all this, but who was it?
"Is that all you have on him Stitch?"
"Indeed it is Heiko my friend."
"Who is this friend of yours that got a hold of this information?"
"A man who works for powerful men; I may be small, but I have many friends. You may not be the only one after this Spectre you know," Stitch whispered, pleased to share this information to Heiko while chuckling slightly as if he knew more than he let on.
"Stitch, thank you for all the intelligence, you have my eternal thanks."
"You are welcome Earth clan. May I finish washing my suit now?"
"Please, go ahead." Toby clapped Stitch on the shoulder. It felt like he just slapped a boulder.
"Toby, Pira here. The five cops I sent on a goose chase…they are running back like they have a mission, I think you are compromised!"
Her words slapped him in the face like barbed wire crushed into a bat. He expected this to happen, but was stupid enough to not think of a plan B if the shit hit the fan and he was down wind of it. Toby spat out a one liner which was the only thing he could think of.
"Run!"
Toby pushed the door open hard enough to knock someone out if they were on the opposite end. Ferociously, he scanned for Nashira through the blue haze. Brian materialized out of the shadows with a nervous look and peered at the front door reaching for his gun.
"Brian, keep that away. I don't want to kill anyone innocent, these cops included," Toby hissed into his mic tearing his gaze away from his friend towards Nashira who was sprinting down the stairs with a human behind her calling her "Neama." The man stopped short of the bottom stair and just scratched his head knowing it was a lost cause to chase after her. Suddenly, Toby heard shouting out in the streets; it sounded far away enough that the trio could run out the front door and escape unnoticed. Nashira grabbed Toby's arm and they charged towards the door.
"Make a right when we—oohf!"
Toby's vision flashed white and the breath in his lungs liberated themselves, refusing to return as he gasped for air. The five turians along with Toby, Nashira, and Brian crashed into each other at full speed. As the turians can get close to thirty miles an hour on foot, it felt like slamming into a train. Pain from Toby's collar bone, back, and head zipped around his body like a fist of razor wire playing pinball inside of him. He opened his mouth to gasp for air while pushing a bony body off his just trying to get to his feet as the void in his lungs consumed all the precious oxygen. Blinking, Toby was staring face to face with a turian, his lower jaw painted a matte black with a white stripe on his forehead.
"Heiko," he wheezed, grabbing Toby's arm. Swiftly, Toby grabbed the pistol from under his left arm and crashed the handle into the turians face hard enough to not kill him or knock him unconscious; it was too much of a risk to kill an innocent person. The turian cried out in pain and clenched his face. Two soft hands wrapped around Toby's belly, pulling him to his feet and out of the cluster if writhing aliens.
"Go Toby, we follow you," Nashira blurted out. Dozens of curious onlookers scrutinized the scene, all forming their own reasons to why the scene was so bizarre. Toby grabbed Brian by the shirt, trying to get him off a turian who he was punching in the face and cursing, because it looked like Hilliard broke his hand.
"Brian, now!"
With his breath coming back and adrenaline surging in thick blankets, Toby ran towards the alleyway where they were hiding before. A thunderous crack exploded from behind them and a round snapped by his left ear as they fired lethal ammunition at the three, trying to peg at least one of them. The mass of civilians enjoying their early lunches all screamed as an epidemic of panic tangled them into a single bulb of fear. Reaching the alleyway, shouting bounced around the corner from the turians, along with the leader yelling orders: Shoot to kill. Toby's adrenaline clung on every blood cell like rafters hunkering down for some rough rapids that lay ahead. He dodged tables, leapt over chairs, and snaked in and out of unsuspecting pedestrians. It was a free for all. Nashira ran ahead, using the powerful quarian legs and muscular thighs of hers to put the humans in the dust. Rounds snapped down the alleyway, breaking the sound barrier and streaking past his head which shattered windows and swiped cups off the tops of tables. Toby instinctively covered his head, making his body as small as possible.
"Take a right Nash!"
Nashira skidded to a halt and pushed open a candle shops door suddenly bursting into the pungent smelling shop. Bullets shattered the storefront's glass window, transforming the sheet of glass into thousands of white beads. Everyone screamed in the room ducking for cover.
"Back door, where is it," Brian screamed, scuttling into the shop clasping onto his pistol that was futile instrument. A blue asari pointed towards a white door in the back still covering her head with a heavy catalogue. The concentrated scent burned Toby's throat. The ball of fragrant air tumbled down the inside of his body like swallowing a hot coal. His eyes watered, shooting frantic glances around the shop finally spotting the door. He grabbed Nashira's hand and dragged her deeper into the shop.
"Stop!"
Thunder roared behind them, spattering Toby's face with melted candle wax as a slug chewed into a wax pylon exploding it into thousands of melted and solid fragments.
"Stay low Nash!"
Toby kicked open the door, thrusting his foot through the plastic door kicking way too hard. They entered a small room filled with cardboard boxes stacked to the ceiling. There was a conveyor belt that was running outside of the building to somewhere that wasn't here. There was no back exit. They were trapped. An asari with extravagant white tattoos dropped a box raising her hands in surrender.
"Don't shoot me!"
Toby ignored her and turned around noticing Nashira had pull out a polished piece of steel. Swinging it back, Toby caught a better glance at what she was holding: a massive wrench. A turian busted through the door and trained his firearm at Brian's chest when Nashira swung the tool right into the C-Sec officer's face which dropped him like an anvil.
"Damn it," Nashira squealed, dropping the wrench and shook her hands as the transfer of energy felt like hitting a metal pole with a wooden bat. The asari let loose a bloodcurdling scream, terrified she was going to get a bullet to the face by the three people who stood before her. Toby grabbed Nashira by the waist and tossed her onto the conveyer belt while hugging her body as they passed through the small opening together. It was the only way out, but Toby didn't know where it led to. The rubber flaps brushed against his shoulders as dark enveloped the two. He could feel the conveyer machine shift as Brian plopped himself on it yelling to Toby that he was okay. Toby shifted his arms around Nashira, hugging her tighter as the belt made a turn. Gunshots bellowed through the dark metallic tunnel as the C-Sec officers blind fired into the thick dark hoping to get a hit off them. Nashira's back pressed against his, both of them breathing heavily. Leaning his face into her hood, he could smell strawberries off the fabric he adored so much. Her thin hands weaved around his that were clamped on her belly. They shook like a leaf from the adrenaline that was poured into her bloodstream.
Light cascaded into the dark from the end of the belt accompanied by baffled female voices. Toby looked out at the piercing light and noticed two silhouettes in the shape of asari heads peeking in the tunnel.
"There are people in there!"
This should be interesting.
Toby and Nashira protruded from the tunnel like a baby being birthed. They were back outside and this time, there was no glass ceiling over their heads, just the mammoth Ward arms which glimmered, dotted with thousands of glittering lights above their heads. Nashira leapt out of Toby's embrace, spun around and assisted Brian as Toby grabbed a crowbar from the truck that the two asari were loading with candles and jammed in between the rollers, forcing the conveyor belt to an impromptu arrest.
"There should be two turians coming through the shaft, they are crooked cops so tell them we went that way," Toby shouted over the ringing in his ears while pointing down the loading alleyway in the opposite direction they will be taking. He knew it was a slim chance the two asari with wide frightened eyes would lead the two officers in the wrong direction, but hell, it was worth a shot.
"We need to move now you guys," Toby urgently suggested to the other two. Grabbing Nashira's hand, he ran down the left side which spanned at least three hundred meters before hitting a street which burbled the sound of crowds and city life. His throat felt like sandpaper brushing against itself, and his dry swallows only induced pain along with an awkward feeling of consuming his Addams apples. All the physical training he did during the early morning hours made this run a piece of cake, except for each time he took a step, his collar bone bit into his shoulder and his kidneys felt like they were being peppered by a gavel. Only getting a few sips of water in the bathroom, this mouth was tacky with a soapy film of mucus. As the adrenaline wore off, his legs trembled and fought against his body which was screaming, Stop!
"Toby," Brian huffed. "Why would the C-Sec officers open fire in a crowded street filled with pedestrians? I mean, that goes against everything they trained us."
"Do they really want us that bad," Nashira asked over her panting.
Toby didn't have a clear answer for them at the moment, nothing really made sense. Why would they risk killing innocent bystanders to take them down? It was clear to them that Toby didn't want to kill any C-Sec officers, shouldn't they adapt? The only conclusion Toby could come to was someone really doing a number on, him making him appear more dangerous that they really were, and spreading wicked lies in large numbers.
"I just hope you didn't kill that turian Nash, you know, with the wrench." Her hand tightened like a noose around his.
"You think I killed him Toby?"
Brian chuckled which baffled Toby how he could find humor in the current situation. Then again, it was Brian who always found something to laugh about in high stress and dangerous opportunities.
"You smacked him pretty hard, he was about to waste me Nash. Saving my life, good job," he quipped grinning, boosting all of their morale. Peering behind him, Toby noticed quite a few cargo trucks landed, off loading or taking on a load of supplies from the shops making their chances of escape even greater blocking the C-Sec's line of sight. Sirens wailed in the distance and bounced off the building's hard shells and filling the city's score with excitement. They approached the street which acted as a main artery on the Citadel allowing them to wane away in the crowds and blend in with the deluge of people on the one hundred meter wide street. They were now in a heavy business area of the Wards. Buildings spiraled thousands of feet into the air, their mirrored windows reflecting a flawless picture of the city and of the resplendent silver and blue nebula smeared across the sky like an oily sludge on a puddle of water. Glass protruded out of the medium on the street advertising perfume, shoes, clothing, cars, and electronic kitchen devises to the businessmen and women who took long strides, talking acutely in their phones. Automobiles hummed and whined over their heads in yellow streaks of blazing light. High heels and hard soled polished shoes clapped off the metallic floor in a cacophonous roar. They were safe and Toby needed to formulate their next move.
"Pira, Toby here. We escaped the officers successfully," he informed her regaining his breath.
"Okay, they are sending some more units down right now, but I have a feeling you knew that and acted appropriately, right?" Toby glanced at Nashira who was nodding.
"You got that right."
"Listen," Pira whirred softly, keeping her voice low. "I just saw Executor Kieran walk in here a moment ago. He is arguing with Komani right now and I heard Kieran shout your and another's name. He sounds pissed, just thought you would like to know; relaying anything that relates to you."
Dodging an elcor, Toby scratched his head confused.
"What was the other name Pira?"
"Skafe or Skave…something along those lines, I couldn't really make it out."
A surge of revelation crashed into Toby, forcing him to gape at the news.
"Pira, is there any way you can listen into that conversation," he asked hectically while walking to the base of a skyscraper to lean against its polished granite base.
"Do you want me to eavesdrop?"
"Yes," Toby said flatly.
"Give me a second, I am going to head over towards the coffee machine, the door is cracked open a bit." Toby could hear her chair popping as she shifted her weight while peeking at the door from around her computer monitor. Toby glanced at Nashira who had her head hunched forward listening, fixated on every syllable coming through the channel and gobbling it up cannily. The sound of coffee splashing off hard ceramic swam into their earpieces followed by the tearing of a sugar packet.
"Yeah, I can hear them pretty well… idiots," Pira whispered through a sneer. "Oh…oh shit Toby." Heiko's heart quickened to an inhuman pace. He closed his eyes trying to hear what the two were talking about and by the sound of Pira's voice, which quaked, it must have been bad news. All he could hear was Pira's shallow breaths over the channel and the attenuate rumble of blood streaming around his ears which blocking all other sounds out, including the city's strained melody.
"Toby, the Executor said another name."
Why don't you just tell me?
Wait, why would she present it like that?
Pira.
What is it?
Please.
Oh God, her voice sounds strained.
What is it?
The name.
What is the name damn it!
"Toby, Kieran just said Gia's name."
His whole world stopped spinning. He held a solitary moment with just himself and the pounding of his heart knocking against his ribs, aching to be released from its boney restraint. The famous turian known as Executor Kieran was behind this operation. Killing Cugasi and attempting to murder Toby and his family, kidnapping Gia, and pushing Toby along with Nashira to the brink.
It could be Komani too. No, it has to be the Executor or maybe the Council. Well it definitely was the Council, but someone had to issue the order to send a Spectre after me and that is the C-Sec Executor. The Council wouldn't pay attention to me; it had to be the Executor. That is how the political machine works. Kieran has my daughter and I am going to get her back!
Hate swelled in Toby's stomach. It ignited, spreading to his chest and finally warmed his throat with violence. God he wanted to kill the one that took Gia, more than anything else. Someone like him deserved to die…no, not die but suffer. The pistol felt like a hot brick searing his ribs under his left arm yearning to be used, wanting to get as far away from a virgin status. His fingers coiled into a fist wanting to slam it into something with all his strength. He didn't care if he broke his hand and shattered his bones into bloody ivory splinters; he almost wanted to feel the pain.
Yes, pain.
Need to kill something to relinquish pain.
Put others in pain, watch their eyes glass over with fear, observe the milky whites darken with scarlet blood vessels as he crushes them into submission but no, he won't listen to their pathetic cries of agony. He will continue his crusade of pain, searching out virgin areas to sear with his hate to make fields of blisters.
Taking Gia from him was the most intimate act of torture which plunged him into a desperate strife against these evil forces that seem untouchable. These malignant beings were blind to this cone of agony which became more and more concentrated the further he went in this hostile and ravage assault. A switch flicked off inside him. It released an unforeseen brute to cruise his emotions which extended its egregious black claws from its paw, eviscerating the humane emotions of compliance, forgiveness, and allegiance. He wanted revenge.
Revenge
The word lashed at him like a current of tenacious water from a river of unadulterated emotion. The bestial rage tickled his nerves like raw ecstasy, he needed his revenge.
"Pira," Toby started, deprived of any emotion, "that is all we need, stay in touch, we will get the bastard somehow."
"Okay Toby. Stay safe, good luck Nashira. Good luck Brian." The faint white noise cut out leaving the three standing in the colossal blanket of shade from the buildings on either side of the street. Brian rubbed the stubble on his face then pulled his pliable lip thinking, also noticing the sudden change in Toby's stance and aimless gaze.
"So…the Executor has Gia, Toby," Nashira asked, shattering the silence.
"Yes he does Nash." He grabbed her fists and rubbed the top of her feeble hand and uncurled her tight quarian fists. "We are going to get her back, I swear to you."
"Why would he…" She dozed off and shook her head, obviously frustrated and pissed as all hell. No one touches her child and quarians are highly protective mothers. She was going through the same thing as Toby.
"So we need to get into C-Sec somehow," Brian proposed shifting, watching Toby move the carbine under his jacket.
"We can't get near that place Brian, their security is impenetrable. There is no way."
"What if we use a sniper to take out the Executor?"
"Then how are we supposed to get to Gia then? Brian…I never said anything about killing him," Toby whispered as a crowd of college students passed by.
"Toby, I can see the violence in your eyes, you need to kill him," Brian shot back. "Also, just throwing ideas out there, nothing serious."
"Well," Toby sighed, "this is a problem."
Hope drained from his emotions. Getting into C-Sec was impossible, even for a man who thinks nothing is impossible. It seemed hopeless, but he wasn't going to go out like a coward. Knocking on the front door was going to get him killed. If the C-Sec officers that were hunting them earlier shot at them without asking questions in a populated area, waltzing up to their doorstep was suicide. The snipers stationed around the building were definitely on alert today because of the batarian terrorist incident, Toby's incident, and now the bombing of the university which the Hunter definitely got away with. They wouldn't get within several hundred meters of the building before being put down over a wide distance. It was a lost cause. The rational part of his brain that was consumed by the demon who sat dormant at the moment realized he wasn't going to walk out with Gia alive. He was responsible for Rachel's death. Looking at his wife, the love of his life, he knew he didn't want to lose her too; that was committing mental suicide if he was responsible for her death too. Losing a child and a fiancée in a prior life hung heavy with him like wearing a pendant of guilt leaden beads.
"I…I don't know what to do you guys, but I am not about to give up on Gia," Toby hoarsely mumbled. Brian sighed in defeat and bowed his head. He honestly didn't know what to do. There was no way to get Gia without getting killed. Maybe making an exchange with his life would work.
Yes, this idea had potential.
In exchange for his life, he could get Gia back to Nashira. In his temporary delirious state, he was about to call C-Sec to turn himself in when Nashira said something.
"Wait, I know how to get in undetected."
At first, he couldn't believe what she said. Was it the hysterical state whispering malice in his ear as a taunt?
"Toby," Nashira started, placing hands on her head, "I know how to get in!" She started speaking one hundred words a second. "Yesterday, I worked on an electrical tunnel which ran wires underneath the Citadel and they lead to… in C-Sec. The Keepers can't fit in this small tunnel unlike the one we were in earlier. This one is small, like we would have to crawl inside of it." Her eyes exploded like fireworks beneath the smoked veil and Toby could see the faint outline of her soft lips trying to keep up with her brain. "If we use that tunnel, we could easily get inside of the academy." Taking a large sip of air, she crossed her arms and stared at the two men. There was their plan. Now, they actually had a chance. The game was even.