Chapter 38: Broken Family
Lynn walked downstairs, spotting Carter asleep on the couch and Oriana cooking breakfast in the kitchen, "Please tell me you have coffee."
"Of course we have coffee. I brewed it fresh this morning," Oriana smiled, "Carter crashed on the couch about ten minutes ago, he looked wasted from last night. Must have been crazy, Miranda told me about Shepard's party, sounds like it was fun."
"Doesn't surprise me, he went to Shepard's party. Some of the drunk messages I got from him tell me enough, surprised he's even here," Lynn chuckled, Oriana pouring her a fresh brew, "What about you? Did you score an invite?"
"Hell no, my sister wont let me within ten yards of that lot, she told me if I wanted to survive. I should leave the Citadel when the Normandy arrives," Oriana laughed, sipping her coffee as she walked back over to the stove, flipping her omelette, "Any plans for today?"
"Lunch with Ashley and Abby," Lynn answered, walking over to the couch and checking on Carter, throwing a blanket over him and kissing his forehead, "Surprised he got home so early."
"Said Hartlett woke him up by accident," Oriana explained.
Lynn nodded, "Any mixture left?"
"Should be, wanna wake Abby? See if she wants any."
Lynn got up and knocked on Abby's door, "Hey Abby. Want a omelette?"
Lynn stepped back when she heard a crack on a door, she took a couple of steps towards it when there was another crack, "Who's there?"
"Open the door! Make this easy Lynn Williams!"
Lynn rushed to the couch, "Carter, I need you to wake up," she shook him awake, "Eugene!"
Carter sat up, touching his temple before turning his head toward the door, "What-" He got up and walked to the hallway, staring at the door when it busted open, Kai Leng entering and slashing the wall and knocking several items off the shelf before charging at Carter. Taking him down with ease, Lynn went to smack Kai Leng when her hand was grabbed, "Run Lynn!"
"I know you! You serve-" Lynn was thrown to the ground, she quickly got to her feet and grabbed the hot fry pan and smacked him in the face, burning his cheek. "Williams don't go down that easily!"
"We'll see," Hartlett cracked his fingers, preparing for a fight, "I'll let you take the first swing."
Lynn swung and Hartlett knocked the fry pan from her hand with ease before picking it up and smacking her in the head, before lifting her head and knocking her unconscious with the fry pan. He turned and smacked Oriana in the face with the same fry pan, tossing it aside as he knelt to make sure they were both out cold.
Abby could hear everything happening beyond the door, she sprinted for her wardrobe and unhooked the metal pole in the middle before jamming into the door mechanics to stop it from opening, hoping that would be enough. "Lynn!"
"Don't you touch her!" Abby could hear Carter's voice.
Carter put his fists up again, getting back up after the beating he got from Kai Leng. He cracked his neck, "I could go all day."
Kai Leng slashed his arms before slamming his hand into Carter's jugular, he collapsed to the ground struggling to breath before Kai Leng slammed his boot into his face, knocking him out.
"Can't get in," Hartlett had struggled with Abby's door.
"Leave them, we've got these three, we won't have much time to get off the Citadel before they notice them missing," Kai Leng ordered, he turned for the door and saw an older woman enter with a shopping bag.
"Lynn!" Emma screamed when Kai Leng approached her, stabbing her in the chest and removing his blade. Emma collapsed to the ground, helpless as her family were taken.
Abby waited until it was silent before opening her door, she spotted her mother bleeding out, "Mum!" Abby applied pressure to her wound, "Your gonna be okay."
"They took-"
"I know, they took Oriana and Carter as well," Abby knew, struggling to understand why someone would take them. She opened her omni-tool, "I need an ambulance and police, my family were attacked."
"Tracking your location, emergency services are on their way, remain calm."
"Calm, how can I be calm?!" Abby shouted at her omni-tool, Emma cupping her cheek, "Mum. You'll be fine."
"I know sweetie," Emma rubbed her daughter's cheek. Abby waited with her mother, keeping pressure on her wound, she wasn't sure who was responsible, she only hoped her sister was okay.
Abby rang Ashley but got not answer before trying Shepard's number, hoping he'd answer.
Shepard stared at the apartment door, broken with brute force and several slash marks on the wall within the first few steps of the front door. He could only imagine the damage done to Lynn, Carter and Oriana. He couldn't understand who would cause this harm, who would want to do this to them. he clinched his jaw as he knelt to pick up a broken picture, Ashley's family on the beach together, barely a week out of high school.
"Good to see you Shepard," Bailey walked over.
"How bad?" Shepard asked, shaking Baileys hand before putting the picture back.
"Three missing and no sign the are still on the Citadel, they've vanished into thin air. Emma in hospital, Abby is being questioned by our investigators," Bailey described what happened to each person. "It was planned. They knew Lynn Williams, Oriana Lawson and Eugene Carter were home."
Shepard hadn't rang Ashley after she left abruptly, wanting to be at her mothers side. "Why leave witnesses though, if it was planned. They would have known movements well in advance."
"Unexpected arrival?" Bailey suggested the only viable option.
"Emma." Shepard knew who wasn't expected, he put the small changes in details of the past few days, knowing how it changed their plans, "Emma was suppose to be at work but she had a last minute shift change. Ash mentioned it yesterday. Emma was never the target of the kidnapping, Lynn was. Lynn was the only family member expected to be home, Abby was suppose to be at the hospital but she was having lunch with Ashley at the last minute. And Oriana would have been with Miranda if it wasn't for my last minute party."
"Emma arrived enduring the kidnapping, didn't kill her because they didn't care about leaving witnesses. They wanted to send a message," Bailey came to conclusions.
"That I'm touchable, that everyone around me can be hurt," Shepard sighed, "they came after people I care about."
"Why target Commander Williams and Miranda Lawson's family?" Bailey asked, unsure why they wouldn't go after the likes of Garrus, Tali, or Liara. "Why not go after your friends?"
"Carter is one of mine," Shepard clinched his jaw, angry someone on his team had been taken. He didn't like it when people were kidnapped under his command.
"Is their something I need to know Shepard?" Bailey turned to Shepard, he wanted to know whether this was the start of another Cerberus assault.
"Nothing that is important, they went after my executive officer and my liaison to Cerberus. Hoping to weaken our efforts against them, all this will accomplish is pissing off two women," Shepard knew how this would end, "we can only hope that Cerberus will keep them alive. Send anything you find my way, I want to be updated regularly if new information is found."
"Will do. I suggest you get to the hospital, Ms Williams is in a critical condition," Bailey knew Shepard couldn't do much more, "The fourth sister, Sarah right? She wasn't home."
"She okay?" Shepard crossed his arms, his concern turning to Sarah.
"She's at work according to Abby, we've sent an agent to escort her to Huerta. Meet with Ashley and Emma, best place for her to be. I've also got agents combing the transport hubs but we suspect they're off the station already."
"Look at passenger lists for anything heading towards Noveria, Eden Prime, Terra Nova and Elysium," Shepard made suggestions for where to start.
"We've got agents looking over it now, but it's a narrow window to find them. The Citadel is a maze, hidden tunnels. Cerberus escaped through the shafts and no doubt, they'll take Lynn, Oriana and Carter through those same shafts." Bailey explained.
"Commander," agent Blake approached, "found this footage on the shaft we bugged after the Cerberus assault," he handed over the data pad. Bailey played the footage and focused intently on the figures.
Shepard recognized them, "Kai Leng, and Hartlett?! What the hell, he's a member of my crew. What's he doing working with Cerberus?"
"A traitor if he's with Cerberus."
Shepard opened his Omni tool, "EDI, is Hartlett on the ship?"
"No," EDI answered.
"Who's on the ship right now?"
"Garrus, and Tali."
"You need to get them to go through Hartletts locker now, I need to know if there is anything in there," Shepard ordered, "Inform me what they find."
"Yes Shepard."
Shepard hung up before turning his attention back to Bailey, "How do you access that tunnel?"
"I'll send you the details," Bailey nodded, Shepard wanted to see this tunnel for himself, to see if they left any trail of evidence behind that could point them to where they were being held.
"Not much else I can do for the moment," Shepard sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Abby is free to go."
"Abby," Shepard spoke up, "you ready?"
"Any update on mum?" Abby asked, walking over and looking to Bailey for answers.
"Emma is okay from initial reports, despite being in a critical condition. transport is outside waiting for you two," Bailey nodded to them, he stepped away and left Shepard alone with Abby.
"I'll find them, trust me," Shepard wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back, "Your mum is okay."
"Thank god Ash didn't arrive with mum, they were suppose to meet up," Abby admitted.
"Lucky," Shepard knew Emma was suppose to meet with him before going to lunch with her daughters, "Let's get to Huerta."
Shepard and Abby took the transport to the hospital, "you okay?" Shepard asked Abby, concerned.
"Where's Sarah?"
"She's at work, Bailey sent an agent to retrieve her," Shepard explained, "She's okay. They didn't go after her. She works in a bar, too crowded for Cerberus to hit."
"Lynn forced me to lock myself in my room," Abby sighed, "I could have protected her. She's my little sister."
"You might have been taken, and she would have known locking you in prevented them from knowing about you and when Emma arrived. You managed to get out and help your mum, if you were out earlier. Your mum might not be alive, you saved her." Shepard did his best to ensure Abby would be okay with the decision Lynn made for her.
The transport arrived at Huerta hospital, landing in the roof, Shepard saw two C-SEC officers guarding the entrance from the roof. Shepard followed Abby off the transport before it departed. He let Abby lead the way to Emma's hospital room, he saw Ashley sitting outside, her head in her hands.
"I'll leave you two," Abby walked pass Shepard and Ashley.
Shepard squatted, "how's your Mum?"
"She'll make it, but she's gonna have scars," Ashley felt defeated, she wasn't there to defend her family and now Lynn was missing. She was glad Abby was locked in her room and her mother was okay. "I didn't think they would go after my family."
"I'm chasing every lead I can, I'll find Lynn. I promise," Shepard wouldn't relent in his search for Lynn.
"They were watching them, bloody Cerberus, this is my fault, I didn't warn them because I wanted to ignore and pretend it wasn't happening," Ashley rubbed the back of her neck, angry with herself, "It's my fault this happened."
"It's not your fault, it's Cerberus," Shepard didn't want Ashley swallowing this guilt inside her, holding on to it when it wasn't her fault. "Cerberus did this, not you."
"Cerberus were watching my family and I did nothing to stop it, I didn't warn them. If I had, they would have been prepared."
"I doubt anything would have changed, Cerberus would still have Lynn," Shepard put his hands over hers, "Ash, look at me." He pulled her chin to meet his eyes, "You weren't responsible for this. This was Cerberus and Hartlett."
"Hartlett?!" Ashley wanted to beat Hartlett back into the ground she found him on.
"Yes, he's with Cerberus. EDI is searching the Normandy with Garrus and Tali's help," Shepard explained, his hands firmly entwining with hers. "We'll find Lynn; trust me and I'll bring her home. I leave no one behind, that includes family."
Ashley nodded, Shepard wrapped his arms around her, "how long have you been out here?"
"Since Sarah arrived, she told me to sit down outside for fresh air. Said I was pale as a ghost," Ashley admitted, Shepard resting his chin on her, rubbing her back, "she knew what I needed."
"I knew what you needed, a Shepard pep talk," Shepard answered smugly. She rolled her eyes at him as he got up and offered his hands to her, she took them and was pulled to her feet. His hands entwining with hers as he led the way in, "Ms Williams," Shepard greeted Emma.
"It's Emma, you know that, doesn't help get you in my good books."
Shepard smirked, "Doesn't mean I can't try."
Emma nodded, Ashley stepped forward and grasped her mothers hand, "I'm glad your okay Mum."
"About time you stopped sulking outside, what was it this time?" Emma looked to Shepard.
"She felt responsible because it was Cerberus," Shepard didn't tell them everything, it would cause issues between her family and it was something he would take responsibly for if it ever came out.
"No need my dear, you are not responsible for the actions of another. Just like I'm not for yours," Emma held their hands up, she glanced at Abby and Sarah who nodded, leaving Ashley as they dragged Shepard out. "You are the strongest of my daughters, you are an incredible soldier and you are a survivor. But right now, I need you to be the strongest of us Williams. Lynn will need you, she is waiting for you to come for her and I know you will find her if you use your head."
"I'll find her. I promise," Ashley promised, she felt her mother squeeze her hand. Her mother needed her to be the best she could be and bring Lynn home. She hugged her Mum, "I love you Mum."
"I'll be here waiting when you bring her home," Emma squeezed her daughter, keeping a tight grip on her.
Ashley nodded to her mum, she took a deep breath before glancing at the door. Everyone was sitting outside, Shepard was no doubt anxious to get going.
"You can go sweetie, I know you can't ignore your duty," Emma let Ashley go, she wouldn't let Ashley ignore her duties for her sake. She would be sitting in hospital for a few days more and there wasn't anything her children could do.
Ashley nodded, squeezing her mums hand before letting go and walking to the door to open it.
Shepard got up as she stepped out, "I've recalled everyone."
"I'll need to stop by-"
"I'll be waiting at the Normandy when you get there, I have to organise somethings before we leave. They require my attention," Shepard couldn't stay with her, much to his displeasure. He entwined their hands before kissing the back of hers, "I'll see you later."
Ashley nodded before hugging Shepard, "Be careful."
"Always am," Shepard nodded, picking her cheek before saying his goodbyes to Sarah and Abby before departing. He walked back to the Normandy, rubbing his hands together as he greeted a few dock workers, organising supplies to be bought on to the Normandy.
"Morning," Shepard greeted them. Taking a look over the ordered supplies on the data pad handed to him, "Checks out. Everything on board?"
"Just waiting for the final container."
Shepard nodded, "Easy enough, I'll leave you to it. We'll be leaving as soon as the crew ensembles." He handed back the data pad before making his way to the Normandy dock bay D24. He took a couple of steps before leaning on the railing, looking at the Normandy.
"We've got a few lengths to go but I know you'll get us through them," Shepard knew his ship would get them through the final trials alive. He took a deep breath as he waited for the crew to arrive after a couple of days shore leave, knowing it would have been enough to refuel them for the final battle ahead.
Ashley approached behind the main crew, a bag slung over shoulder. She let it drop to the ground as she sidled up to him. He entwined their hands and kissed the back of her hand.
"Time to get back out there huh..." Ashley started, leaning on his shoulder.
"At least we threw one hell of a party. Probably the last one." Shepard glanced at her.
"No... No you'll find a way to beat the odds..." Ashley smiled, turning her head to him, "And when you do hero-man. I'll be waiting." Shepard smiled as they both turned towards the Normandy, knowing what was ahead for them, what they would face, "I wouldn't have missed any of this for the world. It's been a damn good ride."
Ashley gave his hand one last squeeze before letting go and picking up her bags, squeezing his shoulder as she passed him. Shepard chuckled, "The best," he glanced at his crew as they boarded before tapping the railing and following them onboard.
Lynn was thrown to the ground, her hands bound together behind her back, she saw Carter and Oriana unconscious to her right, she was pulled to her knees, her hair gripped tightly as she was forced to look up, "Miss Williams, its a pleasure to meet you at last, I hope your journey was pleasant," The Illusive man wickedly smiled, puffing on his cigarette as he stood and straightened his jacket, "Good work Kai Leng, I'm grateful you were able to grab Oriana as well."
"Why did you want her alive?" Kai Leng asked, glaring down at Lynn, "Killing her would be more effective."
"It would only motivate them further, taking her, is more effective. If they can't protect the ones they love, how will they defeat us," The Illusive man grabbed Lynn's chin, getting a good look at her before releasing his grip on her, "You have your grandfather eyes."
"My grandfather?" Lynn was confused, what did her grandfather have to do this and how did this man know him, "Who are you?"
"Your grandfather surrendered in the first contact war, he was a friend of mine," The Illusive man started, "He helped inspire Cerberus, help build what would become my empire. After we take control of the Reapers, Cerberus will rule the galaxy and your family deserves a front row seat to witness the birth of a new galaxy."
"Your crazy if you think I want a front row seat!"
"You will, as will everyone once its over, your fate is already sealed. It's just a manner of timing," The Illusive man deliberated, "The trick to a good plan is timing."
"Doesn't matter what you plan, I know my sister is coming for me."
"I wouldn't bet on your sister or Shepard rescuing you, they won't come for you," The Illusive man smirked, "They'll come for the VI. Which you can help me with. among a number of items you can help me with."
"I'm not going to help you ever!" Lynn tried to break free but screamed in pain as Kai Leng smacked her head into the ground, breaking her nose and blooding her face, she spat blood from her mouth, "Where's Abby? What did you do to her?"
"Your sisters are safe on the Citadel for the moment, no doubt at your mothers side, it was unfortunate she arrived enduring-"
"What did you do to my mother?" Lynn gritted her teeth, "If you touch-"
"I wouldn't make threats. It would be unwise," The Illusive sat back down, crossing his legs and lighting his cigarette, "You will tell me how to break your sister."
"Break her, she'll break you in half when she gets a hold of you," Lynn knew what lengths Ashley would go to for her family, "You've signed your own death sentence."
"You will die Lynn Williams, I can offer you a merciful death if you comply or a painful one at the hands of Kai Leng. The choice is up to you," The Illusive man warned what awaited her but she could comply and have mercy given to her, "You could live in my new empire. With whomever you choose." Lynn saw The Illusive man gesture toward Carter, "I've seen the footage of you two together, he is quite fond of you. And Hartlett helped build the profile on him, it was his effort and dedication that helped capture the three of you."
Lynn turned to Hartlett, "My sister trusted you. Shepard trusted you."
"I've learnt to trust no one in life, I helped the clone and failed. How do you think he knew where Shepard was going to be, EDI and Traynor protected the Normandy too well and it took someone to have direct access to help plot his downfall," Hartlett glared at Lynn, "I didn't count on Traynor's toothbrush."
"Toothbrush foiled your plans, tells me how good you are at assassinations and burglary," Lynn smirked.
"What I do is for the greater good of humanity, Shepard isn't humanities best hope," Hartlett raised an eyebrow before turning his attention back to The Illusive man.
"By now, Shepard would have worked out it was us, I told you to leave breadcrumbs, now it is time to leave more, you know what to do Kai Leng. See to it." The Illusive man ordered, Kai Leng and Hartlett nodding before departing with the captured trio. He turned to look out the window, his fleet assembled for battle, "So it begins, the end."