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Chapter 21
The first file I opened up was old, very old in fact. The time stamp was from several years ago, maybe from when I was still a free child even because it was about twenty years old, but it was something here that once I typed in some search parameters I knew it was related to me. I shoved away every single hesitant thought and peered into it's contents.
Subject One:
This child needs to be able to meet all our criteria if it will stand a chance for survival. If the child does not possess a high IQ, constitution as well as ingenuity and drive they will not survive. The tests that will be conducted shall be through, Cerberus does not like wasting money on failed experiments. Make sure they're suitable. Humanity needs this in order to better place ourselves in the galaxy, do not fail in your selection.
I blinked, a feminine voice filling my head as I read the lines. It was that old crone's voice even. The next file was directly linked to it, an email in response to the message stating what I obviously possess if I was the one chosen. At least that meant I wasn't initially singled out. Just later.
To: [Restricted]
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Potential Child
It would seem that there are a few number of potential subjects for the position. The most promising one is a Michelle Shepard, currently age three she's already scored marvelously high on all the testing we've sent to her family with our early education program front for this mission. Daughter of two notable Alliance soldiers, Isabella and Connor Shepard, also cousin to Hannah and John Shepard, parents of that upstart Jane Shepard we're also looking at recruiting when she's older. Looks like service runs in the family, I wouldn't be surprised if this kid goes and joins the Alliance once she's of age. I say we get in the middle of that, keep the Alliance from sitting her at some stupid desk where she's not making a difference and put her where she can. I think she might be what we're looking for. Of course the actual say so is up to you.
There is also a boy, Daniel Julion, age six and a heck of a little spark plug. He scored second highest on our electronic aptitude test, a little genius in truth. But he's a coward, when his older sibling threatened to steal his favorite toy the little whelp just handed it over while crying. One can imagine just how easy he would be to manipulate, but that could work both ways with the cybernetics. Not sure if that could be good or bad.
I stared at the names. Isabella and Connor Shepard. Those were my parents. A swell of memories long forgotten arose at the words, a curly black head of hair on tanned skin with molten chocolate eyes and a kind smile. I could picture her standing in Alliance blues besides a man in the same uniform, both of them heavily decorated with medals and ribbons with a high rank slapped on their shoulders that I couldn't figure out. A tall man with pale skin and freckles across a squared head, buzz cut brown hair and leaf green eyes. Those were my parents.
I ran right into their open arms, grinning wildly with joy at their return. "Mommy! Daddy!" I cried out, arms curling around the first of them and refusing to let go as they laughed. "You're home! Did you go and save more people? Oh what about finding some super cool base with aliens all over it?"
Mommy picked me up, twirling me air with a laugh as Daddy stood up and grinned. When the world stopped spinning, my questions had stopped flying from my mouth. "Looks like someone had some sugar." Mommy laughed, tickling my belly and making me squeal with delight. "What do you say Connor?"
"I say..." Daddy trailed off as he took me from Mommy's hands and holding me in a hug with a silly expression on his face. "Someone missed us. Didn't you little Shep?" He rubbed his nose against mine, and I started laughing before I could stop it.
"I love you!" I laugh to them both, gaining approving smiles from the two as Daddy carried me in to my room. "Oh but you just got home!" I frowned. I didn't want to go bed, I wanted to hear their stories.
Mommy shook her head as she followed us, "But if you don't go to bed, you can't come with us to the park right in the morning. Your cousin is having her birthday party there remember? Her parents just shipped back too, it's going to be one of the few times they'll be on Earth and you won't want to miss that will you?" She asked. No, I certainly wouldn't want to miss Jane's birthday, she was turning thirteen after all! How could I forget about that?
"Okay..." I replied, and then an idea crossed my mind and I jumped up in Daddy's arms nearly falling out. "Can you two tell me a story?"
They relented, smiling with a roll of Mommy's eyes as I was carried into my room and laid on my bed. Daddy tucked me in, and I grinned as they sat down on the edges of my bed. Mommy ran her hand down my cheek, brushing hair out of the way and gave me a warm smile. It was nice when they were home.
"Shit." I muttered, grasping at my forehead as it started throbbing. I could see Aria watching me curiously, but I just shoved it aside. I still had a bunch of data to get through, there was no time for a break. But before I could open another there was another surge of black in my vision and I was elsewhere.
"You're such a loser!" The boy sneered at me, an ugly expression on his dirtied face. "What's a kid your age doing at a teenager's party?" He laughed, the group of boys with him all joining in on the fun. There was at least six of them.
That was when Jane arrived, green eyes narrowed with annoyance. She was always there when I got into trouble, sometimes it was because we both had started it. "You can leave now James." She replied firmly, fists clenched and jaw tense. They all looked at her, and just laughed. "I didn't invite you, my parents did. So I can un-invite you if you keep making trouble and teasing my cousin." Jane growled.
James and his friend just frowned. "Oh yeah? And if I tell your big hero parents that you got into a fight with my at your party what do you think they'll do?" James threatened.
My eyes darted between the two, my cousin standing firmly in front of me. I puffed out my chest, if she was here I stood a chance. "Yeah, get into a fight with me on my birthday at my party. And I'll be the one that gets into trouble right?" She growled. It was then that they scurried off, and Jane turned to me with a mess of red hair and a smile. "Bunch of pushovers right?"
I giggled at her words. "Right!"
"Come on, the punch is bad but the cookies aren't!" Jane urged, grabbing my hand and leading me over to the table where snacks were all set up. "Don't tell though, we're not supposed to have any till later okay?"
I nodded my head. "Okay!"
"Good!" And then she practically shoved me under the tablecloth and followed me under. She waited a second, motioning for me to stay quiet and so I held my breath. She snorted as she held back a giggle at my puffed out cheeks. I loved being with Jane, she was so cool and nice for a girl so much older then me. So much nicer then the ones my age even. They never liked me. She reached a hand out from under the tablecloth, pawing around before she yanked it back down with two chocolate chip cookies between her fingers. I grinned with delight as she handed one over and we munched on the sugary sweetness.
After we'd both gorged ourselves on the first stolen goodies, Jane reached up for another when she yelped and was yanked out from under the table. I blinked, and then another pair of hands reached under and grabbed me by the waist. I kicked out in a panic, fingers grasping at blades of grass as I was easily hauled out from under the treat table and held in the pair of arms that belonged to my uncle and my uncle alone.
"What are you two doing?" He chided, but it almost sounded as if he was fighting the urge to laugh. Jane was being held by the wrist by my aunt Hannah who was trying not to laugh herself. I stopped struggling, the crumbs of the cookie still on my face, I was as guilty as it got. "Sneaking treats before Jane blows out her candles? You two rascals!" He rubbed my hair with a hand, and I started laughing, wriggling in his grasp as the pale man put me down. "No more treat stealing you two, now go have fun." Uncle John laughed, and he and aunt Hannah walked away.
I grinned after them, it was nice when they were on Earth too. I looked around, and found myself freezing at the sight of a lone figure off at the edge of the park. Watching us. "Jane..." I whispered.
Her fingers curled around mine and she tugged me towards the swings. "I know."
That man. That figure. He was Cerberus. I gritted my teeth, something was bleeding I was certain. The warm liquid from my nose told me where it was coming from and I wiped it clean but it just kept coming. "Dammit!" I muttered, struggling to my feet and tripping over Eli. "Fuck!" The profanity escaped my lips and I balled my hands into fists before I tried to get up only to fall again. "Move dammit!" I growled, shoving Eli as best I could and rolling to the side.
"Athena?" Aria asked from her seat. Stumbling around until I found a medical kit, I couldn't bring myself to answer until cotton balls were shoved up my nostrils. "What did you see?" She pressed when my dry mouth didn't offer an answer.
"Fuck- Memories, shit like that!" My hands were shaking. "My childhood mostly. Jane. I saw Jane, and my parents and a Cerberus dude who was observing me." The words tumbled out of my mouth. "They were observing me for a while, and Jane. They wanted Jane for something else, not this shit but something else."
Aria dipped her head. "You don't know anything that's happened recently do you?"
"No." What's happened? What's happened with Jane?
She motioned for me to sit back down, and I made a bumbling effort back over. Marco and Runin were watching me, and both of them were rigid and still. Yes, I have a potty mouth now get the fuck over it! "You're cousin is a hero alright, Alliance, N7 special operative, Commander of the Normandy and one real badass. She's a biotic, not the best but she's pretty impressive for a human. First human Spectre and trust me when I say that's actually quite the accomplishment. Your race is new to the galactic playing field, there are some races that have been with the Council longer and yet still only have an embassy. You, have a spectre, and a council member."
"Galactic politics?" I guessed.
"Yeah, all the good bullshit." Aria laughed. "Either way you're cousin hunted down a rouge spectre and stopped him and an army of Geth, that would be synthetic AIs Runin's people over there made, and saved the Council at the cost of countless human lives. I hear it was one helluva space fight too. In the end, Admiral Anderson became the first human councilor, and now everything should be all merry and happy right?"
"I'm guessing no."
"You'd be correct. About two years back your cousin was on a routine scouting mission trying to find any pockets of Geth left in council space when something killed her. Most people just say she went MIA, but I have good intel. Shepard died."
But that didn't make sense, I'd seen Shepard myself. "But Aria-"
"Doesn't mean she stayed dead." The purple asari cut me off. "I hear Cerberus brought her back after two years. Don't know how or what but she showed up at Afterlife asking for intel. It was the real thing."
I jumped up. "You've met my cousin?" Hope flared in my chest. Maybe if I could meet her I could get a real life.
"Yes, and she was no where near as fun as you are." Aria laughed. "Such a stickler to the rules... Though her kill count is far greater then yours." Because kill count is what matters. "She's with Cerberus now, in some way. I doubt it would be safe for you to meet her."
My shoulders slouched forward at her words. I could remember glimpsing her with that raven haired woman outside the Gozu district. That certainly was a Cerberus logo on her shoulder. If only I'd known then, I could have gone right up to her and spoken with her! Spoken with my cousin! "Alright..." I replied sullenly. "I still have some more data to go through." And with that I opened the omni-tool up and found the next piece of information in the order they'd been cycled into. It was old too.
Subject One has been chosen. Michelle Shepard. Best possible candidate, she will serve the cause of humanity perfectly. Operatives will go to her house tonight and capture the asset before anyone can stop us. No trail will be left behind, Michelle Shepard shall belong to Cerberus and no trace of her past can follow us. The parents are not to be killed, they are too valuable to humanity on their own work. They are to believe their child kidnapped, and nothing more. They will not know her true purpose. Doctor Romanov will be heading this project.
-Cerberus Command
I went to open the next one but my vision faded. Another memory surging.
"Mommy?" I whimpered, pulling my purple sheets closer to my chest as something moved in my room. It was just those monsters again, creeping out of my closet and from under my bed. But then when I closed my eyes and opened them again, it was still there. "Mommy!" I screamed, a pair of hands grasping my mouth and silencing me. I thrashed, fear pumping through my body. My fingers found something sharp and I pulled on it and pushed it towards the dark monster. A sick sound came from it, and I was dropped onto the bed. Before it could follow me I scrambled out of my sheets and fled my room, the sound of more monsters following me making me run even faster. "MOMMMY!" I screamed, turning into my parents room and flinging the door open.
The monsters were in there. My parents were asleep still. Something grabbed me from behind. A hand covered my mouth. It all went black.
Sweat ran down my forehead as the memory faded, the adrenaline and fear coursing through my body fresh and real. Aria had a hand on my own which was clutching my knee until my knuckles went white. "I don't think you should look at any more for now Athena." Aria advised gently.
"I have to." I panted back, my whole body was shaking.
"We have two days Athena, let it be." She pressed firmly, the softness in her voice fading.
"I have to." I restated firmly. "Aria, there's so much to go through I need to do it."
"Not now!" She repeated, already moving to take the omni-tool from me. I jumped back, landing in the nearby seat and gaining a furious expression from the asari. "Athena, one more warning or I'll slap you with a stasis and keep you in there for the rest of the trip." She threatened lowly. My feet gave my answer before my mouth did, and I jumped forward right over Eli and threw myself into the bathroom, Aria shouting after me as the sound of biotics flaring followed me only for the door to shut in time. I slammed the lock on it, and Aria was at the other side before I'd had time to step away. "Athena! Let me in right now! You're going to do something you'll regret! Pissing me off is one of them!"
I shifted in the extremely tiny bathroom, just a toilet and a sanitization station. Cerberus had nice escape pods. My fingers flew over the data, opening the next piece of information while Aria screamed on the other side, the only thing keeping her from ripping the door off the need of it later. I hoped.
To: [Restricted]
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Operation Successful
Subject One has been taken from her home and transferred into the custody of Doctor Romanov. She showed remarkable courage for a kid of her age in that situation. Stole my knife and stabbed it in my eye. I expect that to get fixed by the way. Either way the project can now take place with ease, her parents are freaking out but they're none the wiser to who took her. I'm serious about my eye by the way.
I opened another, reading it quickly.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Project Update
Subject one has proven to be perfect. Thus far she has listened to us with no hesitation, she even takes care to pay attention in our little seminars to assure her that this is for the betterment of humanity. Our own indoctrination of the child has proven to be effective. I'm uncertain of if this will last however once the procedures begin. Doctor Keller has taken a particular interest in the child, I will watch to see if we can exploit this relationship to maintain her trust.
Tears were streaming down my face as I opened the next.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Complications
A surgery on her neural implants went wrong, Subject One has gone deaf. Procedures to fix it have already begun, it appears like we can fix it. Subject One's trust in us has greatly dropped however.
I wasn't born deaf. They made me deaf. A shaky hand opened the next.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Project Update
The surgeries to correct the complication were successful, but Subject One will only talk with Doctor Keller, Nurse Franklin and Richard Martin the analyst. This proves to be troubling. Doctor Freeman has attempted to prevent further attachment.
Those were the names of the people they deemed my corruptors. The ones Agent Red killed.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Project Update
Subject One was tested today on her technical skills. The results were beyond what any of us here expected. The Illusive Man will be pleased I'm sure. In a few short years she'll be ready for the field, we're going to implant a stimulator to control her but nothing as extreme as a control chip. Doctor Freeman has been complaining that a control chip itself would prove to be better, but I believe that if we don't give Subject One a form of free will we risk ruining the drive we took her for. Doctor Keller seems completely against any form of implants for heightened control of the Subject. I fear he's grown close to the girl. Her fifteenth birthday is around the corner now, will have to monitor them closer.
They had me for years. Whole years and I was an obedient little whelp just listening to what they've told me over the years. Why? Was I scared or just submissive? Smart and trying to survive? What were my parents doing? I opened the next one, Aria was still screaming.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Project Update
The girl is exceptionally adept at figuring out the complex puzzles we give to her, like she has a computer in her head. The cybernetics we've been implanting slowly over time is allowing her to adjust and control them, not the other way around. Doctor Keller is suggesting that we give her a week break after her recent surgery which reinforced her skeletal structure and enhanced her perception senses. She should now be hearing and seeing things on a super natural level, just what a computer could pick up. Using the technology found from Geth and Reaper tech, we should be able to fashion an anti-virus software to protect her.
Even I'm uncertain where the line between machine and organic is at this point. Still, Subject One is showing remarkable obedience, but it rubs me the wrong way. She has meetings with Keller I'm sure, he takes too long on his check-ups. I no longer trust him. He and the other two she's grown close to must be terminated. Subject One is an adult now, she will be fine without these corrupting agents.
That one was three months old. I planted a bomb not long later.
To: [Restricted]
From: Romanov
Subject: Failure
We have failed. Subject One escaped after planting a bomb fashioned by none other then Keller and herself. Keller, Franklin and Martin are all dead. Agent Red has made sure of that. She escaped the research facility, it was like a perfectly planned operation, she'd been biding her time all along. Our tracers show she made it to Omega, don't know what she is looking for, probably just a place to hide in the crowd. Agent Red has been sent after her. We await punishment for our failure.
I opened another.
To: Agent Red
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Detainment
Subject One has escaped, she is to be stopped before her existence can be known to the galaxy. Capture is preferable, but if you must kill her. She was last tracked to Omega, her tracer has gone offline, she was aware of it. We have no reports of her elsewhere, assume she has not left. Good Hunting.
The next message made my blood chill. The man I'd trusted, and his words made me sob once again.
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Understood.
That was all he had to say on hunting me down and killing me. No questions asked, no emotions. Just, "Understood". And I was as good as dead.
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Subject One has fallen into alien hands. A Turian by the name of Marco, he seems as if he is friendly to the Subject, offering her shelter and medical care. Orders?
Was this a pause? A bit of sympathy?
To: Agent Red
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Re:Detainment
Kill them.
Cerberus. Coldhearted bastards.
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Understood.
Once again he was so silly to do this. To kill. Why did he stop?
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Local gang-interest prevented me from getting involved without revealing the target. Tracked her down to the club Afterlife. A turian merc named Jaroke attempted to kill her, I intercepted and she ended up killing him. Subject One has tasted blood. She ran before I could finish the job, right into Aria. Currently being detained by the Queen for questioning. Subject One also did not remember me, or anything for that matter. It would appear she is suffering from trauma induced amnesia. How am I to proceed?
So he really was going to kill me back then! Jaroke might very well have saved my life! I started laughing at the irony. Aria shouted from the other side of the door. Telling me to let her in. I opened the next message instead. She'd just stop me. I was too close now!
To: Agent Red
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Re:Detainment
We do not wish to start a war with Aria T'Loak just yet. Wait for her release, or Aria will kill her herself. Investigate and find out what happened between them. See if there is the potential of a mole in Aria's ranks. Report afterwards
They sounded so cynical about it. So high and mighty. And there it was. What the Illusive Man said that was true. I was a mole all along. In one way or another they were using me to get to Aria.
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Understood.
There was a single message break.
To: [Restricted]
From: Agent Red
Subject: Re:Detainment
Subject One has proven to be able to infiltrate Aria's ranks. Orders?
Aria saved me. At the cost of her own security. Tears streamed down my face, burning liquid. I wanted to stop, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. The next message was the last one.
To: Agent Red
From: [Restricted]
Subject: Re:Detainment
Keep her alive.
I threw the omni-tool against the wall, crumpling into a heap on the floor completely and just started wailing. So many pictures flashed in my head, so much pain and sorrow. I could remember everything now. Every last, crystal clear memory. From my childhood, to my torture, my escape, Omega, now. It all made sense. No one would have to explain this or that aside from what I missed out on in that research facility. I was a freak of nature, surviving only because Cerberus saw it fit.
A hand wiped away my tears, making me open my eyes and jolt back. The door had gotten unlocked at some point, maybe in my crying, and Aria stood there with the most comforting expression I'd ever seen on her. Over her shoulder, and through my blurry vision, was each of my companions Eli included. They were all watching with pity and sorrow and obvious attempts at understanding. "I'm a freak Aria." I whispered, my chest constricting every few seconds. The door shut, and the Queen of Omega just gave me this sad look as she settled down next to me in the tiny bathroom.
"No you're not Athena." She whispered, and I found myself almost conforming to her body, the asari wrapping an arm around me and pulling me against her. I started sobbing again. She just stayed there, letting me cry it all out. I couldn't have asked for anything else, but then she said something. The words. I needed to hear them so badly at that moment, but I just didn't know it. "You're special, not a freak. You told me once that you were nothing." Her blue eyes captured me, silencing the sobs with one singular look.
"I was." I whispered.
"You never were." Aria quickly and firmly replied. "You've changed each of their lives out there. Marco, Jorvan, Eli, Runin. They're all lucky to have met a wonderful girl like you." Her voice faltered for a split second. "I'm lucky."
I looked at her, trying to figure out the greatest mystery in the whole universe, and then I realized how pointless that was. So instead I kissed her, and Aria was quick to return it. She pushed and pulled, gently though and kindly. Tender instead of hungry with her motions. I couldn't have asked for anything more from the woman, but instead she just went and gave it to me. The Queen of Omega removed the jacket she wore, tossing it into the corner and started stripping down above me. My breath came in ragged gasps, fingers struggling with my own clothes. When I'd gotten my shirt I'd stole from Cerberus off, Aria had already gotten down to her bare skin.
She kept her lips locked with mine, tugging on them every so often as she helped me out of the pants and shoes. When we were both nude on the bathroom floor she paused and pulled back just an inch. I gasped for air. "Are you certain?" Was all she asked.
"Fuck yeah." I managed in one gasping breath before my arms locked around her neck and pulled her back down to me. The asari's mind reached out for mine, but I blocked her off. "No, it's too messed up in there Aria." I whispered.
"If you don't want me in I understand." She replied, a tenderness in her voice so new it made me shudder. "But I want to help." I looked at her, blue eyes filled with certainty and compassion. She can help. I gave a small nod, her eyes turned to black, and I welcomed her into the horror that was my mind while my body gave in and reclaimed her lips.
It's not so bad. She cooed. Just a little raw. I started laughing, and the asari grinned triumphantly as her fingers moved between my legs. Now Embrace Eternity Athena.
I happily gave in.