*WARNING!*

Before you read this chapter. Be AWARE!

This particular chapter contains material that many would consider to be offensive. This story is rated M for a reason.

I'm not asking people to avoid this chapter. It's a very important one to understand what happened. Just be aware that you might not like what you read.

You might ask "Why did he write such a horrific chapter?" Well, I hate it when writers have a well thought out story with a great developed character, and then

blow it all with shitty backstory. 23's history is NOT a happy one, as you find out later in the chapter. You WILL feel revulsion, you WILL feel kinda sick to your stomach. Honestly, this was the hardest thing I've ever written. Don't judge me on it. I looked forward to this chapter, not for what it contains, but rather, what I could do to make 23 who he is. I did NOT enjoy writing this. So please, go ahead and read at your own risk.

Hell

-Flash back: 5 years ago-

-Location: SSV Rebirth-

He sat, the dry air turning stale from the heat. The room was small, a seven by seven room five feet across. A thin mat lay in the opposite corner, while a door on the far side offered the only light, which came in the form of a thin strip from the mail-slot opening.

His soft breathing was shallow, his eyes closed. The images of a happier time flashed through his head, meriting a quiet sigh of relief. He could remember the trees, the town, and the school. All the silly assignments he hated, all the people he knew. Gone.

Slowly, he cracked his eyelids open, and glanced around. The room hadn't changed in five years, and wishful thinking was a dead force on the ship. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, allowing him to glance down at his body.

His hands were smooth and thin, while small scars ran the length of his arms. They shook slightly from hunger. The torn clothes he was given should have been considered a joke. Fabric was torn around his torso, while the pants had tears all along the sides. Sighing, he closed his eyes again. Maybe they would give him a break. Usually they drag him off to the electrodes by this time.

As if on cue, the door to the cell clanked, slowly opening. The light blinded him, forcing him to bring his arms up to shield his eyes. A feminine silhouette blocked the glow, standing tall in the light. The familiar voice spoke up, her Australian accent masking the dark tones behind her voice.

"23. Get up."

Slowly, without much deliberation, the man known as 23 rose slightly. He pushed himself off the wall, coming into a standing position. Miranda Lawson, the evil mastermind behind it all, as he liked to think. He couldn't wait until he somehow escaped and ripped her apart.

"What the fuck do you want?"

Miranda pursed her lips. She hated this. How unfair, that the man she ruin, might possibly the best thing to happen to her.

"I just want to talk."

23 laughed, loudly, scarily. His shrieks of humor were not normal. The guards outside shivered, as the sound raised the hair on their backs. He sounded like an old scarecrow, dead to everything in the world. No one that young should sound like that.

Miranda ignored it. She'd seen enough horrors so far that this could be overlooked. Before she could speak however, 23 ended his cackle and found his voice.

"Talk! Well aren't you fun. What could you possibly want from me, other than my ability? I'm not going to help you, bitch. You lost the use of asking nicely when you preformed the y-section."

He remembered the procedure, an intense feeling of revolt building. That was one of the few times he was able to see his own organs.

Miranda stepped forward, eyes staring into 23's.

"I'm not ASKING for anything. I do have a proposition though."

23 sat back in the corner farthest from her, performing what looked like a coward's stance.

"Go ahead and tell me. Not like I have a choice."

Regardless of the situation, 23's eyes flashed with rebellion. It was the only thing that kept him human, the idea that he could choose what to say.

The ability to choose.

That's what everything was about. His choice to listen, his choice to care.

His choice to kill.

Miranda glared, yet spoke. She needed this. Only one shot, or her wishes would fade forever.

"23, you've been here a while, and honestly, it isn't working. It just appears that your will is too strong. Our program is a waste, or so our leader thinks. Normally we would shoot you in the head and throw you out of an airlock, but I think we have something we could work out."

He watched her move. Like a cat, she swayed back and forth slightly in the cramped room. If only he had more energy. If only he could kill her.

"You see, one of our colleagues has a small problem. Sterility."

Miranda worked hard not to make anything visible. –He wouldn't help if he knew. Make it someone else. You can do this. You can have it. All you have to do is get past him-

23 cocked his head to the side. His mouth was tightly drawn, and his eyes had a predatory gleam to them. He knew something was up. Nothing they did could damage his ability to read people. Ironically, the first person he felt he needed to read was the one right in front of him. He had watched her since day one, evaluating every emotion, every movement. He knew Miranda better than most people.

"She desperately wants a child, and our research tells us you can find the correct genetic sequencing to fix her problem. here's our deal. You help her out, and we let you go."

He watched her. He saw the twitch. It popped up when she mentioned the word desperately. He knew.

"It's you."

Miranda froze. She felt a silent terror grip her spine, almost holding her in place. He sat, watching her. It could still work, it was still possible. Her voice shook as she spoke softly.

"Will you take the deal?"

23 stared at her. For months, he had been tortured, beaten, electrocuted. All because of this woman. This woman who wanted the most precious thing he had to offer. He smirked. For once. ONCE. He was in complete control.

"You've done things to me."

Miranda watched him, heart beating rapidly, eyes wide.

"You've spent so long trying to kill my humanity."

She felt as if a needle was piercing her lung, the panic slowly spread.

"You have the gall, to come to me, and beg. BEG. For the chance to raise a child."

-no. No. Not this. Please. Not this. I had to!-

He stood up, walking slowly towards her. He came to a stop inches from her face, his bloody teeth shown through a cracked grin. He was the same height, but Miranda felt as if he was taller in this instance.

"I would rather go through all of it again. No matter what happened to me, it couldn't be worse than giving some child a mother like you."

He laughed, loud and shrill in her face. She kept her calm. Her features betraying no emotion. She backed up, and turned. Exiting the room, the door closed on 23's laughter.


She hit the wall.

"Damn it!"

it held her. She rested her head against the cold steel of the office. Five years and NOTHING. She had one opportunity. One chance, but no. Fate was cruel, and 23 would never give her a child. The whole experiment, gone.

The soft clunking of the door alerted her to another's presence. She bolted upright, turning to meet the person entering. She found Obediah making the approach to his desk. He slumped down, gray hair betraying his youthful appearance. Staring at the ground, he glanced up, eyes dancing towards Miranda's.

"It's over?'

Miranda nodded. There was nothing left to try. Nothing left to torture. 23 had won.

Obediah sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Damn it. We were so close. Everything was going so well. We can't do a thing to him. He won't crack."

She watched the older man stew. Ideas were flowing in her head, always spinning around. Something caught her radar. She leaned forward slightly. Obediah continued his monologue.

"I mean, I doubt he would do anything at all. Even if I went in there and blew my head off, that coldhearted bastard."

Miranda stepped forward. Her eyes widened as she came to a realization.

-No. That's too far.-

It wasn't right, morally, ethically, anyway you spun it, what she was considering was beyond comprehension. She couldn't do it.

-How far are you willing to go for this? For that chance?-

She walked with renewed vigor to her desk. She sat, staring at the black screen. If she asked for it, chances are it would happen. There was no going back after this.

Little eyes looking up at her. The grasp of small hands, and the giggle of an affectionate toddler.

She began to type.


23 sighed, waiting for another round of torture. It had been a few days since Miranda was in here, and every time the door opened, he waited for the white flash of a gunshot. But it never came. Instead, guards resumed their usual task of dragging him to the electrical outlet and "accidentally" singeing his hair. He was used to it though. Back when they used to replace his nerves, THAT was pain. The door slammed open, and two guards entered. 23 was sitting against the wall opposite the door when they came in. He merely glanced up, eyes showing boredom.

"Another trip to the Shock Sho—"

The fist came down before he expected it.

WHAM!


Darkness. Light.

Red. Light. White. Flashes. Flickering.

Slowly, 23 opened his eyes, blinking rapidly. Everything was hazy.

His temple felt like he had a migraine, and his arms felt like steel rods. Slowly, he tasted his mouth. There was a bag over his head. Groaning, he tried to stand up, only to find that his arms were chained to the wall, cold metal stopping his escape. He used his sense of touch to determine his orientation. He was sitting on his knees against a wall.

Another sense of his started working again. He heard whispers. They slowly got louder, voices echoing in the closed area with intense quiet. Female voices. They were whispering to each other, asking about the man with the bag. They sounded terrified. 23 tried to speak, but his mouth was dry and numb.

"Hullo?"

He mentally cursed himself. He sounded like a drunk. Gathering his tongue, he tried again.

"H-Hello?"

the voices stopped suddenly, replaced with sharp intakes of breath. Rapidly, 23 moved his head back and forth, trying to determine where the voices came from.

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

He struggled vainly. This was a new method. Miranda hadn't tried anything like this before. Maybe she was turning voices on and off, trying to make him go mad.

The silence in the room was cut short, however, when the hissing of metal doors sliced through his ears. He could hear heels clicking towards him. He smirked.

-Recognize the bitches shoes anywhere-

the bag was ripped off of his head. White lights shone, blinding him from all sides. Blurs were all around, but slowly started to get sharper and sharper. The room came into focus.

It was a fairly large room, black ceiling and white lights every five feet. The room was approximately 17x24x10, stretching far out away from him. Lining the walls were medical cabinets, while along the outer perimeter were various beds with expensive colored fabrics and soft pillows. Then he noticed them.

Five girls were lined up in front of him, shackled to the ground. As his eyes adjusted even further, he noticed that they were all aliens; Not a human in sight. three Asari and two Quarians. The Asari came first, the Quarians at the end. Left to right. Their faces and posture displayed their horror as they glanced between the bloodied, beaten soldier in front of them and—

-Miranda-

He glanced up to find the familiar stretched cloth woman with her signature pistol strapped at her side. She stood casually next to the first Asari, staring at 23. He watched her, until his brain formulated what this was.

-Lucky day. I thought she gave up seduction with the Twins.-

23 just smiled pleasantly. Sure, these girls were scared, but if he proved that he wasn't some crazed maniac, maybe they'd relax and have some fun. Miranda started to speak.

"23. Will you join Cerberus."

He just laughed, and started talking as smoothly as he could.

"bitch, just let me out of the chains. Those girls look terrified. I doubt—"

23 never got a chance to finish. During his rebellious speech, Miranda had pulled her pistol loose, and brought it down.

He froze, trying to understand what was happ—

BANG.

Screams.

The Asari's brain exited through the new opening in her skull, purple blood spurting from the gaping hole. She fell forward, chains catching her. A trickling waterfall was leaking blood over the ground.

-What… Girl. Dead. Shot. Dead. Dead. Dead. DEAD!-

His jaw was open, eyes analyzing the scene in front of him. He couldn't really hear anything. Why not? Everything was moving slowly. Miranda was saying something. He was trying to listen. He needed to listen. Why? He didn't know. The girls. Girls. They were screaming. Why? Girl. Dead. How?

Miranda.

Miranda.

"MIRANDA!"

Everything shifted back. Time sped up. 23 switched his attention to the woman in front of her. Her gun was aimed at the next Asari. He was talking fast. He needed to. Save her. He could. He could do it.

"Wait. WAIT! What…What do you want? I can. Oh God. She's dead. just—"

Miranda lowered her gun even more. This girl was sobbing. She was pretty. Unlike the other, her skin was a dark purple, blue marks adorned her face. she was young. Too young.

"Please! I didn't do anything! Don't…don't kill me. Please! PLEASE!"

her high, terrified voice carried through the room.

Quietly, the Cerberus operative spoke.

"23. Will you join Cerberus."

The Asari turned to him, tears streaming down her face.

"Please! Don't let her kill me! I don't want to die!"

He was speaking too fast. He could stop it. He could stop it.

"Wait. Please! Let me think. Let me thi—"

BANG.

The shot caught her in the throat. She fell forward, blood exiting the hole in the back of her neck. She struggled, eyes wide, trying to grasp her throat, but to no avail. The chains held her arms back, and she gargled horribly. She stared at 23, eyes piercing his mind.

"DAMN IT! GOD FUCKING….please! NO MORE!"

the Asari's eyes turned cold, and she slumped forward.

Miranda moved to the next one. She was an electric blue. She glared defiantly up at the operative.

"FUCK YOU. C'mon pull the trigger! I SAID PULL THE TRIGGER! YOU SOME KINDA PUSSY? SHOOT ME!"

Miranda ignored her. "23. Will you join Cerberus."

The Asari turned to him.

"Hey. HEY. LOOK AT ME!"

He turned his head slowly.

"Look at me. Don't do it. DON'T FUCKING DO IT. "

23 couldn't do anything. He couldn't sto—

BANG.

"CHRIST...Stop! Please! Just…just just. Put the gun down. Please.

The gunshot flashed in his eyes, killing something deep inside of him. He couldn't stop this. Too fast. She wouldn't stop. She wouldn't let him thin—

Miranda was pointing her gun at the first Quarian. She looked older, her black exo-suit fitting slimly. Her silver eyes kept flicking between the ground and the wall, and a bare muttering could be heard.

She was praying.

"23. Will you join Cerberus."

He couldn't hold it back anymore. Three girls. Three. Each shot taking air out of his lungs, each shot making him more desperate. He couldn't do anything to stop this. He couldn't put the pain away for later. He couldn't block it out with memories. It wasn't him. They were using these girls. It got to him, and he lost it.

"Damn you! Stop fucking saying that! Stop this! Stop killing them!"

He almost sounded like a child, his voice quavering with horror. To Miranda, it felt delicious, and before she could think, a smirk appeared on her face.

"Wrong answer"

BANG.

The Quarian girl screamed, high and horrible. The sound was pain, flashing through the air. 23 felt his a sharp pain in his teeth, and he started to shake. The girl kept screaming, drawing in long breaths of air, and screaming out remorsefully. She started speaking some language which 23 had never heard. She was crying, sobbing, screaming.

Miranda stepped back slightly. Thankfully 23 hadn't noticed, he was too busy straining against the chains desperately. She hadn't meant to shoot the girl in the back, but she aimed lower than she had planned. Rapidly, Miranda brought the gun up again and shot the screaming girl in the head. The silence quickly returned.

"NO! Wh…Why…Why did. Oh god…" 23 couldn't think. Why was this happening. Why were they doing this? They were just kids. KIDS for christsakes. He felt empty, dead.

-They died. They all died because of me. God…God why didn't I…I don't want this. No. no.-

tears were slowly working their way down his face. The last girl was crying. He turned to watch her, and found two silver orbs behind the helmet. They searched him, pleading with him. Her sobs were quiet, not obnoxious and crowding, almost as if she was embarrassed by her sadness. 23 felt mesmerized, watching her. Finally, she spoke.

"Please…Help me."

Her voice was scared, lost, but strong. It was a medium level sound, and he listened to everything. He nodded slowly. She kept crying.

"23. Will you join Cerberus."

He had forgotten she was there. Slowly, she raised the gun. Miranda had already given up hope. She was planning on killing the Quarian and letting 23 stew for a bit. Seconds before she pulled the trigger, she heard it.

"WAIT! Stop. Fine. I'll do whatever you want…just…let her go. Please."

Silence.

BANG.

BANG.

She hit the floor, and resumed breathing. The first gunshot had almost stopped her heart, she was so terrified. She turned to find the chains on her hands were off, two smoking holes in the lockwork. Looking up, she spotted the operative nodding to someone behind her.

23 sighed. She was alright. She would live.

Miranda turned, and nodded to the glass window. Five men entered, dragging the dead bodies out of the room, trails of blood streaking the floor. Slowly, she turned back to 23, who was staring at her with anger.

"Welcome to Cerberus, 23."

He didn't say anything. Miranda knew that she had won. Finally, she broke the unbreakable. The price was acceptable. However, a small part of her felt anger towards him. Because he agreed to her demands, what would happen next was unavoidable. Quickly, she walked over to the scared Quarian. Grabbing her, she dragged the girl over to a med desk. She struggled, giving small screams of protest. 23 yelled at Miranda to let her go.

Reaching the desk, she grabbed the Quarian's arm, and readied a needle. Finding the port, she injected the fluid into her arm. The girl screamed from shock more than pain. Nevertheless, 23 yelled bloody murder. Dragging her back to 23, and throwing her on the floor next to him.

23 tried to get loose, anything to help. But the metal was too strong, and he was just weak enough he couldn't even call on the ice he was getting used to. He might have been able to cut himself out of the chains with it. The Quarian landed on the ground next to him. Instantly, she moved closer to him, trying to get between him and the wall.

"As is customary, you'll need to go through the initiation to join our "honored" association."

23 just glared at her. When she pointed at the girl directly next to him, he spat on the ground.

"I'd rather burn in hell than hurt her."

Miranda face turned dark. Slowly, she backed up.

"You're not the one who's going to."

The metal hissing of the door sounded, and shadows moved into the room. Coming into the light were four men, eyes heavy with lust. They looked at Miranda questioningly.

23's eyes went wide.

-No. Please, no.-

The girl next to him instinctively moved closer. He tried his best to get in front of her. Anything to block those monsters advance.

Miranda glanced once at the two prisoners. Slowly, she turned back towards the guards.

-Don't do this. Don't do this. This is too far. How can you look yourself in the mirror? DON'T DO THIS.-

Miranda spoke, lip trembling slightly.

"Do what you wish."

The four just turned to each other, grinning. Causally, they made their way to the two.

23 watched them, eyes getting wider. He could feel his heat racing.

-Protect her. PROTECT HER.-

The first one came forward quickly, fist moving like a train.

23 didn't stand a chance. The blow knocked him to the side slightly, offering enough room for the others to grab the girl.

"RUN! GET OUT!" 23 tried. He tried to stop them. He couldn't punch, so he kicked. The first guard came back towards him grunting, and brought a foot into his chest. 23 felt the air leave his lungs.

The Quarian tried to run, but ended up in the arms of the left guard. Grinning, he dragged her over to a bed.

The others left 23, who laid there recovering. They made their way over to the other guard, who was holding down the screaming girl.

-No. no no no no no. Not this. No. Please. NOT THIS.-

He regained his breath, and jumped. He strained against the metal. He pulled harder than he had ever pulled. It hurt. The metal cut into his wrists, his arms felt as if they were about to splinter.

-Get to her. Kill them. KILL THEM. Save her. Stop this. Stop it. You can do this. DO THIS. DO THIS FOR HER.-

He couldn't.

He yelled, he screamed. He did all he could to get their attention. He caught a glimpse of the girl's eyes amongst the bodies. She was beyond terrified. He felt pure anguish enter his heart.

They grabbed at her, pulled her arms and body as if it were a toy. They were laughing as they touched her. She screamed over and over. Soon it turned to begging. Sobbing cries, asking for them to stop. After about a minute, 23 heard something that made his heart stop.

"I found the safety lock!"

"Fuck yeah. Rip this trashbag up!"

Small amounts of hisses could be heard, and she let out a animalistic scream.

"Tear off the mask! I've been waiting for this since Tuesday!"

the hissing of depressurization could be heard. Her voice, sobbing and desperate came through unfiltered.

"Please! Keelah stop! Please! No! No get off me!"

The guards just laughed.

"Damn. How old is this bitch?"

Miranda had moved, standing off towards the corner. To her left was 23, screaming bloody murder. The question was directed towards her. Somehow, she brought herself out of the reclusion she left the room for.

"That…That one's 16."

The guards just laughed, and continued their attack on the girl.

Miranda felt something die. She wanted to leave. She didn't want this. She wanted to go back to her office and write. She wanted to go stare out at the galaxy. She wanted to shoot herself. She wanted to be anywhere but here.

23 couldn't think. couldn't feel. He was dying, and he didn't care. Why.

Why.

The girl. Why did it happen. What did he do wrong? Why was he in hell?

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His whispers were unheard, instead, drowned out by the girl's terrified screams.

"Guys, I'm going in."

The screams were replaced with a gagging. Clinks and clunks were heard as the other guards pulled the suit off of the girl. They pulled her legs open, which fought to remain closed. A guard moved in, and a gargled scream broke out from the circle.

Miranda felt sick. Trying to avoid the horrid sight, she turned to 23.

He wasn't moving. Wasn't screaming, just staring.

"23?"

he turned to look at her. When he focused on who she was, he snapped.

Snarling like a caged animal, he lunged at her. He fell back, chains restricting his movement. It didn't matter. He kept jumping, screaming, raging like a beast. Miranda stepped back out of terror.

His eyes.

They held nothing. No humanity, no care, nothing.

They succeeded. 23 was a hollow killing machine. Miranda was about to smile, until she heard a voice.

"I said fucking swallow!"

A loud smack was heard, followed by muted scream. Silence took control again.

Finally, her ragged breathing was heard. Painful whimpers came from the center of the circle.

"Please. Please stop. I can't…I can't…"

The final guard stepped between her legs, eyes staring down.

"No…. No please not that. Please. I've never…Please…"

The guard looked around at the others, smirking.

"Time for the main event."

Her screams pierced the air.


Tali stood like a pole. Tears were streaming down her face. She was holding her hand to her mask, imitating a hand to the mouth.

-Oh…Oh Keelah. How could they…-

She almost wanted to sob out loud. 23 had stopped talking. He hadn't moved once. His broken voice picked up once again.

"They…They used her. Five hours."

His voice dropped.

"Five hours."

Silence.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

He ejected a blade, and turned. Enraged, he went slicing through a crate with ease. He turned forward, punching a another. Ripping through the fragile material, he swung his armored fist into the side of another, and another, and another. Five minutes later, a warpath was visible in the hangar. With no new targets, 23 walked forward clumsily, breathing heavily. He fell to his knees.

Tali watched the entire thing. Slowly, she walked over to him. Careful not to touch him, she leaned down exactly next to where he sat. He was watching the ground, eyes staring into the past.

"I….I'm so sorry." Tali's accent was heavy. Emotion carried the words.

"I-I didn't know that…That they did such things. You…you're saved them."

He turned, eyes red with tears. They almost seemed to ask her how she could think that.

Tali continued, using what courage she could.

"You saved those four. They…they would of gone through worse. Death isn't…They don't blame you, 23. It's not your fault. I don't care what you may think. You're a good man."

She decided to finish strong.

"I'm honored to be your friend."

Silence.

Without warning, 23 turned and lunged forward. Tali didn't expect it. She couldn't run, couldn't defend herself.

He threw his arms around her, head on her shoulder. She could hear soft breathing, accompanied by sharp intakes of breath.

Tali sat stiff. 23 was…

He was hugging her.

Slowly, she brought her arms around to his back, while resting her head on his shoulder.

There were no words.

To 23, it was healing.

To Tali, it was love.


*shivers* That was a horrible thing to have to write. If anyone was bothered by it, I promise, this was the low point in the story. I'm not going to give much else away, but that is the worst thing 23's been though so far. Yes, you'll learn more about the girl. Yes, she does matter somehow. No, I'm not some sexual deviant. Writing this was a nightmare, but was completely necessary. Those of you who don't agree: Go back and read MY Miranda. I know she wouldn't do anything like that in the game. She's not all that evil. In this story, she is. So remember that. Hopefully you all understand 23 a little better now. I'll answer questions next chapter. I might include another Authors note to answer any questions, so please. Ask some. Now I'm off to figure out the next step in the plot.