Gunfire erupted behind them. Feron and Miranda jointly ducked back inside the room, away from the shattered window.

"I've got at least 3 on my side," Feron called, leaning out and firing his assault rifle. Miranda took another quick look out the other side.

"Clear this way!"

Shepard stood from the table, tightening his boot laces quickly. "Anyone got a spare?"

Miranda grinned, handing him her Shuriken. "Good to see you again, Shepard."

He nodded once, checking the weapon. "No shotgun?" He asked, frowning.

Liara rolled her eyes. "I wasn't exactly expecting you to help us break out of here, Shepard."

He nodded again, determination setting on his face. "We'll just have to relieve our new friends of one instead." Shepard stepped up to the opening, glancing out as the Nova Hammer troops continued their assault. "I'll cover from here; you guys drop back down the other end of the hallway once I've got them suppressed-"

"Move by two's," Liara countered. "There's no way I'm leaving your side."

Shepard raised a brow as if to question her, but then nodded. "Alright."

Liara shouldered up next to him against the wall as Feron moved the far side of the opening, next to Miranda. Shepard waited for a lull, and leaned out, Shuriken blazing. He crouched to his knees so Liara could lean out over the top of him, launching a singularity down the hallway and snaring a single soldier.

"Go!" Shepard yelled over the din. He aimed carefully, putting three rounds through the suspended soldier's head. Liara had drawn her weapon and was firing as well. Feron walked backward down the hallway, assault rifle firing as Miranda sprinted down the hall to check the far corner.

"Clear back here," she called as Feron joined her.

Shepard and Liara moved back into the room, trading out spent thermal clips and readying themselves for the next move. He stood, and took Liara's gun from her, holding a Shuriken in each hand.

"Lay down a singularity, then run. I'll follow. Count to five, and hit it with a warp. We should be down the hall by then."

Liara nodded, and switched positions with him so she was closer to the opening. "Ready."

"Go!"

Liara launched her singularity and ran hard.

One… two…

When the troops realized she was running, they leaned out from their cover to fire. Shepard peeled off the corner, both guns firing. The soldiers dropped back, hiding from his rounds.

Three… four…

Shepard's weapons clicked as both thermal clips were completely overheated. The Nova Hammer soldiers dropped to their knees mid- hall, lining up their targets.

Five.

Liara spun on heel as she reached the corner and unleashed a warp. Time almost stood still as she watched to electric-blue biotic dark energy ball soar down the hallway, until it impacted her singularity. The explosion was deafening, and both troops were caught in the blast. Liara smiled grimly and nodded at Shepard, who walked toward her confidently.

A look of concern crossed his face. By the time Liara realized he was looking past her, it was nearly too late. She turned again in time to watch in horror as Feron dove into the hallway in front of her, taking a blast from a claymore shotgun through his mid-section.

Her corona surged, and Liara unleashed a flare, eviscerating the soldier who had somehow snuck up on the group.

"Feron!"

The trio gathered around him where he lay on the floor. He reached up toward Liara, taking her hand and pressing it to his chest. He coughed, blood trickling from his mouth.

"I think… you'll need a new Terminus agent," he said, a slight smile coming to his face.

"Don't talk right now," Shepard cautioned. He began searching the dead soldier. "Damn… no medi-gel." He turned back to Feron. "I'm sorry."

Feron shook his head. "Heh. That's twice now, Shepard. I helped… ugh!… bring you back from the grave."

Liara smiled, tears streaming down her face. "Feron, I can never thank you enough for what you've helped me do over the years."

Feron shuddered. "Remember… when I told you I'd never been in love?"

Liara nodded. "Yes."

He took another ragged breath, and pulled her closer before he whispered, "I… lied." Liara recoiled, shock evident on her face as Feron's last breath escaped his chest with a rasp.

Miranda checked the corners again, and kicked the claymore over to Shepard's feet. "What good is a Vanguard with no shotgun?" She turned to Liara. "I think the Shadow Broker has a debt to collect."

Liara collected her Shuriken from Shepard, and nodded. "With interest."

The station shuddered hard. Lights flickered, and alarms began to sound. Shepard was nearly thrown from his feet. "What the hell?"

Liara looked around, trying to determine where to go. "We're running out of time. The Turian fleet must've started early."

"Early?" Miranda scoffed. "You and Shepard were trapped in dreamland for nearly three hours."

Liara nodded. "Right on time, then. I can't leave yet. I have to find Blaque."

Miranda grabbed her arm, pulling Liara to face her. "You can't be serious? The station is going to come apart around us!"

Liara yanked her arm back. "Feron is dead! Blaque is going to pay!"

Shepard grunted as the station shook under weapons fire again. "Seems like he will. The Turians are going to obliterate this station, and everyone on board." He turned to Liara, taking her hand. "He wouldn't want you to die trying to avenge him."

Looking into his eyes, Liara felt all the fire go out of her. Weakly, she nodded. Shepard smiled softly, then turned, looking down the halls. "We need to find a way out."

"This is a prison floor. It's probably safe to assume the elevator we used to get here is the only one on the floor," remarked Miranda.

Shepard nodded, working the slide on his shotgun. "Agreed. Let's move."

Shepard led the way back around the corner and down the hallway, not even glancing at the room in which he'd been caged. He picked up the pace, jogging forward. The elevator doors began to slide open, revealing more Nova Hammer soldiers. Instead of stopping, Shepard flash charged into the car, leveling all three soldiers. He proceeded to put a shotgun round into each of their chests. "Let's go, now!" Liara and Miranda stepped into the elevator, and Liara quickly slapped the button for the floor from which they'd entered.

They rode the car down in silence. Suddenly, the car lurched to a stop, and began rolling up, past the floor they'd been on.

"What the…?" Shepard pressed a number of buttons for lower floors. The elevator continued moving to the top floor. Liara expected the elevator to stop as the highest light on the panel lit up, but the upward motion continued.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Miranda murmured, reloading her pistol.

Liara nodded. "I get the sense our host is summoning us."

Shepard gripped his shotgun tightly as the elevator slowed, and stopped. The trio hugged the edge of the car, peering out into the unknown.

Miranda let out a single laugh, shaking her head and stepping out of the car onto the polished black floor. Shepard and Liara followed.

"Goddess… it's just like…" Liara swallowed hard, looking around. The ceiling matched the flooring, made of the same reflective black tiles. The far wall was dominated by a glass window, overlooking the stars. The only thing missing was the chair and console in the center of the room. Blaque stood on the far side of the room, with his back to them. His hands were clasped tightly behind his back as he appeared to look out at the stars.

"I always knew you envied the Illusive Man, Deacon. I don't think either he or I realized you idolized him," Miranda sneered.

Blaque turned his head, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Oh, Miss Lawson. I didn't idolize him. I wanted his goals… but we had very different ideas about how to achieve those ends."

"Different?" Shepard asked, stepping forward. "All I see is more of the same of what the galaxy has come to expect from Cerberus. Even this room," Shepard gestured around, "is exactly what the Illusive Man had on Cronos Station. No, I think you want to continue Cerberus business as usual, with you at the helm."

Blaque began to giggle. His amusement bubbled out of his mouth little by little until it was a full-throated laugh. Finally, he turned to them. "Business as usual? I'm going to do everything the Illusive Man failed to do. What's wrong? Still haven't figured it out yet?" Blaque shook his head. "Shepard, now that your memory has returned… why don't you tell Doctor T'soni how you made it off the Crucible? Who saved you?"

Shepard nodded. "You did, but it's not like you didn't have your own reasons for it."

Blaque tilted his head to the side with a shrug. "A fair point. You see, Liara, it was my team that recovered Shepard- long before the Alliance made their way back to the wreckage. I found him! And this time…" he laughed. "This time, I was going to succeed where the Illusive Man and Miss Lawson failed." Blaque began pacing before the massive window again. "I started with a medically induced coma so I could repair the physical damage, and begin to reprogram his mind. This time, I would create a Shepard that would think and act exactly as I wanted him to!"

Liara shook her head. "Even if it meant sacrificing everything that made him who he was?"

Blaque snarled in response. "I needed more time! If he hadn't escaped-"

"Escaped?" Liara asked, turning to Shepard.

"I stole a ship from here, and made for the relay, but…"

Blaque howled with laughter. "But you hadn't anticipated suddenly losing your mind to the version of you I had begun to create, did you?" He clapped his hands together once, loudly. "It was working so well! …A shame you had to go and undo all my work, Doctor T'soni." He shrugged again. "No matter. You're here now, and I can begin my work again."

Shepard shook his head. "No thanks. I think this time, I'll check out for good."

"I'm afraid not, Shepard. I have plans for you and the rest of the galaxy… And those plans start by bending you to my will, or grinding you beneath my heel!"

Liara wasn't caught off-guard this time. She manifested a biotic barrier just in time to deflect Blaque's attack. She watched in horror as he began to float off the ground, his biotic aura exploding around him like a captive star.

"I will destroy you all if you will not submit! Argh!" His attacks came lightning quick. Liara grunted as each blast of energy impacted against the barrier she'd erected. "You cannot last like that, Doctor T'soni. I know just how weak you are!" Blaque lowered himself to the ground, a wicked grin painting his face.

Normally I'd argue, but he's right… I can't keep this up. We need a plan…

She eyed Shepard, and he caught her glance almost immediately. Shepard reared back and flash charged forward, pummeling into Blaque's chest. He flew backward, sliding across the polished floor. Miranda and Shepard fired their weapons, but Blaque let out another blast, propelling himself further back. He stood, grinning, and pressed a control on his wrist. A series of shutters lowered over the window, and the room was pitched into total darkness. Liara couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

"How does it feel?" Blaque's voice called out, somewhere to her left. Liara turned just in time to take a biotic blast to the chest, sending her reeling. It didn't hurt; it was disorienting, and she knew that was exactly what Blaque intended. "What is it like, to be unable to visualize the world around you?"

Shepard cried out in the dark as he hit the floor somewhere behind Liara. She turned quickly, but she was unable to see him.

"Miranda?" Liara called out.

"Present," she replied, off to Liara's right. And then, she groaned.

"Miranda?" Liara called out frantically. This time the response was Blaque's laughter, soft and hissing. The sound seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"Didn't you know, Doctor T'soni? In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king!" Liara felt the rapid series of biotic blasts to her gut, doubling her over. She dropped to her knees, relearning how to breathe.

She heard footfalls to her left, coming closer. Liara readied herself for another blow- perhaps the last- but a hand rested on her shoulder gently. It was Shepard.

How can we beat him at his own game?

And then, it came to her.

Shepard helped her to her feet, and Liara closed her eyes, concentrating hard.

"Shepard," she called into the darkness. "Read my mind."

Shepard took two steps away from her before he flash-charged across the room. Seconds later, she heard and saw it again, in another direction. After the fourth charge, Liara lost all sense of direction as to where Shepard was. He was like a pinball made of light, a blur moving from one side of the room to the other. Liara spun on heel, her corona surging. The room was bathed in hot, white-blue light radiating from her.

The look on Blaque's face was priceless, she noted, as she summoned a massive flare, blasting the Nova Hammer leader into the nearby wall. As he struggled to stand, Shepard came across the room like lightning, slamming Blaque again. He reached for his shotgun as Liara trapped Blaque in a stasis bubble. Shepard worked the safety, clicking it off, but Liara placed her hand on the top of the weapon.

"Allow me."

Shepard nodded, squinting from the light still radiating around her. Liara took the weapon, and braced the unfamiliar Claymore shotgun against her arm tightly.

"This is for Feron, you bastard."

Author's note: Sorry about this update taking so long! I know you've all been looking forward to this, and I promise the wait will be worthwhile ;) I've got one more chapter to post for this story. Look for it next week! Thanks again for all the feedback and follows!

Until next time.

-Zero