Chapter 31

"Damn. That is quite the commotion." James grinned then squinted over at the tower.

"Not enough though." Kaidan paced up to the broken shop window facing the theater and train terminal. Armed men swarmed like ants on a trail between them.

Miranda's heels crunched over the broken glass and rubble as she came up beside him.

"He's hog tied in a back room. Easy enough to extract later," she said.

Kaidan glanced over at her and nodded absently. A steady streak of running and yelling was underway out in the gray twilight, but nothing moved at the tower. In fact, it seemed to have only increased the guard count and sentries' vigilance. They even brought the dogs over patrolling around the building with some armored handlers. These guards boiling around the tower seemed more elite. Their armor was better, all with full suits and helmets, and the way they carried their assault rifles spoke to some training. It was getting too dark to see them well from this far though.

"What now?" James asked. "What about that map again?"

Kaidan brought up the schematic, twisting, and expanding it. James and Miranda huddled in beside him and stared at it. They'd already examined it twice, but there was no way but the front door.

"Joker could drop us off on the roof," James said.

"He'd be seen or at least heard," Kaidan said. "Even if we hid before the guards got to the roof, the meeting would be halted and moved for security."

"Let's climb to an upper story window," James said.

Miranda stared at him. "You're serious? We'd never make it to the base of the tower. Even if we could, you saw the lower stories' windows - sealed. We're not climbing four stories up unseen? They have guards on the fire escapes."

"Just airing ideas," James said. "Haven't heard on your side."

"I won't waste time with absurdities," she said. "There are three ways in – the front door, drop off on the roof, and that."

She pointed at the rail line passing from the through the theater's train terminal and ending at the tower. Someone had mentioned the tower having a loading platform below ground. There'd be an elevator or stairs to get to the top floors.

"You're suggesting that?" James frowned at Miranda. "Now that's crazy."

"We'll take the rail," Kaidan snapped off his Omni-Tool. The map flashed away.

"Wait, wait. What?" James said.

"There's a maintenance access point mid-line." Kaidan rested a hand on the side of the window and leaned out.

He searched the open ground between the train terminal and tower. Most of it was parking space or once landscaped. The maintenance hatch should be midway between. It could be buried under the debris.

"You're serious?" James asked lightly.

"I'm serious." Kaidan's eyes strayed to James.

James straightened and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Miranda strolled to the opposite edge of the window. "You're aware the rail's live, right?"

"I figured that," Kaidan said and stood away from the window. He pulled out his pistol. "Let's go. Keep low. It's getting dark enough, we shouldn't draw attention if we're quiet."

James nodded absently, chewing the corner of his lip, and turned toward the door. Kaidan stepped forward. Miranda stood in his way.

"Miranda …" Kaidan's jaw flexed.

"Kaidan, just listen." She kept her voice low and stepped in closer. "Skip the meeting. You want to follow this representative back to the real leaders? I'm sure one of those shuttles dropped him off, and it will take him back. Let's go wait with Joker. We follow the shuttle when it leaves."

"There's more than one shuttle up there."

"Then let's get more than one shuttle over here. There's still time. Message Cortez or someone."

James eyed them from the doorway and leaned against the door frame. Kaidan folded his arms and thought for a moment.

"That's a good idea. It is," he said. "But we need to know their full plan. They'll catch us somewhere on it if we're not ready. Let's find the rail's maintenance hatch. It could be buried. Then we'll know our options."

Miranda stepped aside with a nod and let Kaidan pass. She followed him to the door.

XXX

"It's shielded and encrypted." Tali twisted to Shepard as the two of them crouched by the warhead.

The warhead was enormous. So much larger than Shepard thought. The outer shell stood at shoulder level. Shepard tugged her gauntlets off and stuffed them in her helmet on the floor beside her. The bomb's core, covered by a glass case, didn't look damaged from the fire exchange. Shepard pressed her palm to the cool glass as confirmation though. The ignition process hadn't been triggered. She rose and gazed around the train car at the cargo boxes of firearms, grenades, and armor. The train car jostled as Liara climbed up through the train car's door.

"There's another one in that other train car," she said, "but not a third. I'm sorry."

"You're sure?" Shepard whipped around to face her. "You checked the whole thing? It could be a different size."

"I checked too, Shepard." Garrus stood outside the door. "Only two."

"The one in the other car," Shepard said. "Tell me it's the nuke."

Liara dropped her eyes and shook her head. Shepard cursed.

"Must be somewhere else," Garrus's voice said from the doorway. "Shepard, they're working on those doors pretty hard."

"We have to find that nuke," Shepard said.

"They might not even have it, Shepard," Liara said. "The three warheads were all taken from the Shields, but it doesn't mean the planned to use them together."

"The consequences if we don't find it are too steep." Shepard shook her head. She pointed out at the long rows of unrailed train cars under storage. "Liara, Garrus - search as many as you can. Quick."

Liara darted down the train steps and followed Garrus out into the cars. Two train cars mounted on the rail and two bombs, but not the most important one. Shepard turned back to Tali.

"How long?" Shepard asked crouching next to her.

"This?" Tali shook her head. "Hours. And that's with me working on one, and Kaidan on the other at the same time."

"Maybe the other warhead's easier."

"If that one isn't the nuclear one, then it's the same type of bomb as this one."

Shepard stood and paced up the aisle. "If we can't diffuse it …" She stopped and tapped her fingers on the back of a seat. "No, they can't detonate here. Too close to the inhabited part of the city." She concentrated on the rubber floor runner. Her back straightened. "We move them." She shot to the front of the train and stopped in front of the window. "Tali, is that gate functional? The rail under this car and both of these train car - all of that can turn on? This rail connects to the main line?"

Tali's head turned. "What? I'm sure but—"

"We're taking the train cars, both of them, and the bombs."

"Shepard." Tali stood. "This is an active warhead."

"Garrus," Shepard called in the comm. "I need you over here."

Garrus jogged over from the train cars gawking at the sparks and banging coming from the platform's red fire door. He came up the steps, and Shepard rushed to explain the plan. Tali shook her head with folded arms.

Garrus glanced at Tali. "I'm all for risks, Shepard, but Tali's right about the danger. This goes off somewhere under the city, a lot more lives are lost than if they detonated here."

"Garrus," Shepard said. "This is our chance not to lose any lives. It can't go off here, and it can't fall back into their hands. This is the only way we win."

Garrus glanced over at the retractable door to the main rail line. "You take the damnedest risks, Shepard, but I'm behind you. Tell me what to do."

"Let's open those gates."

Garrus tore down the steps.

"Shepard." The comm crackled with Liara's voice. "They're almost through the last door."

"Anything?"

"It's not here, Shepard. I'm sorry."

"Just come back."

Shepard turned to Tali. "Think we have time to move the warheads onto one train car?"

Tali leaned over a seat and stared out the window at the sparks shooting around the red fire door. "I don't think so."

"Tali, how hard is it to drive this? Think you can do it?"

"Shepard," Tali twisted to her. "I've never driven a subway train."

"Can't be hard if Terra Firma can do it. Can you patch in? Control both cars?"

"At the same time? Simultaneously direct their rails? If I'm patching in, they'd need to be right together. I don't know, Shepard."

"The other car can be right behind this one. Look up what you need on your Omni-Tool. We're going to make this happen."

Shepard jumped out of the trains. The fire doors glowed with heat and groaned as some force bared down on them. Shepard rushed to the other train car mounted on the rail.

XXX

"I've patched into both," Tali said. "I'm ready."

"Garrus? Now!" Shepard called.

The retractable door screamed open. Static air rushed over them as the doors widened to a roaring flare of blue light. The main line burned just beyond dancing with wild blue flames, crackling, and flaring through the darkness. Shepard was stumbling back before her mind stopped her. The rail was several train car lengths away. She was a safe distance.

"How are we turning these rails on," Liara asked pointed to the section of rail under the two cars.

"I'll do it from there," Shepard pointed at the control board next to the retracted doors.

"I'll?" Garrus asked jogging up.

"Get in the back train car, Garrus."

"What? Why?"

"Tali," Shepard called, and she appeared at the door of the front train car. "You direct both cars, but Garrus you need to stay with the bomb in the second car."

"You're not coming, Shepard? Then I'm staying."

"No, Garrus. Go with Tali and the bombs." Shepard tilted her head fire door. It gave a metal scream as metal wedged between the door and wall. "They'll follow if they can."

"They're coming through that door, Shepard!" Liara yelled.

"I know. Go, Garrus! Tali, ready?"

"Yes, Shepard."

Garrus clasped Shepard on the shoulder then sprinted to the back car. He gripped the hand rail by the door and swung up inside.

"Message Joker. I'm going to turn on the rail."

Tali nodded and shut the car's door. Shepard raced to the panels by the wall, motioning Liara back, and punched the buttons. Red lights spun over head with a wail of sirens. Thick walls rose up from the floor around the rail way. Liara grabbed Shepard arm as she raced over.

"They're going to follow them, Shepard. They're hearing the sirens right now."

"When Tali shut that door, there weren't any trains sitting at the platform. They'll have to get a train from down the line if they're going to follow."

The platform's fire door gave a metallic scream as the metal wedge burst through the widening crack. Shepard shoved Liara across the open space toward the rows of rail cars and the grate in the drain system they'd come up through. The door burst open as arms and gun barrels shoved through in a roar of voices. They slipped into the rows of rail cars as footsteps rushed through the platform doors behind them.

The rising walls around the two train cars sealed into the roof and the sirens cut off. Boots rushed toward the rail controls. Shepard slowed to watch down the row of cars and lifted her pistol. The room roared in a crackle of energy, and the armed men stood back looking at the walls around the now-live rail.

Hair tickled the back of her neck, and she froze. Her helmet and gauntlets. She'd left them on the train car. At least, she hadn't left them to be found here though.

She ducked her head and looked under the rail cars. The grate was one row over. Shepard motioned Liara to get under the train car and pulled a Shield's pin from her pocket. She chucked it high over the rail cars and heard it slick on the cement some rows over. Forms moved in the distance turning as if to search through the train cars. Shepard slid under the train car and followed Liara into the drain. She snapped the grate back in place and dropped onto the slimy floor of the drain line. She touched her ear still catching her breath.

"Kaidan, James, Miranda …"

Shepard pointed Liara down the drain back the way they'd come in. It was much faster going without wadding in water up to your thigh.

"Shepard." Miranda's voice.

"Where are you?"

"I'll send you coordinates."

Shepard checked the map. It wasn't too far from the manhole they'd used to get into the drain. Shepard raced down the line. Her voiced bounced with her pounding footsteps as she delivered the update.

"So Garrus and Tali are on the train cars. They'll coordinate a pick up along the line with the Alliance via Joker."

There was only silence. The ladder caught in Shepard's bouncing Omni-Tool light. Liara's feet beat on the drain behind her.

"Shepard."

"Kaidan?"

Shepard reached the bottom of the ladder. Voices and scurrying feet picked up volume as she climbed the ladder. The street would be dark now though.

"Kaidan?" she pressed her ear again as she pushed the manhole cover up and scrapped it to the side.

She listened for any reaction in the street - nothing. She checked to make sure Liara was behind her, then peaked up. Only bobbing lights in the distance. The comm crackled in her ear.

"The only path into the transportation tower is the rail line," Kaidan said.

"Not an option. It's active."

"I see that."

"Then find a different way."

Shepard pulled herself up and offered Liara a hand. Liara scanned the darkness as Shepard checked the map again. She motioned down the street.

Kaidan's voice came over the comm again. "The only other way in is through the front door, and that's not happening."

"Listen to me, Kaidan." Shepard slinked along the store fronts. "Tali and Garrus just left. Terra Firma's going to follow them. They didn't have a train at the station's platform last I saw. They'll be sending one from that tower then. Don't get on that rail."

Shepard and Liara stopped at the end of the street and crouched. The bobbing lights were infrequent enough, they could slip through. They just needed to cross the parking lot then to the coordinates. It didn't look like the dogs were around this time. She nodded at Liara, and they shot out into the open keeping close to the ground.

"Shepard," Kaidan said again. "I can shut down the section of rail between the tower and train terminal. They wouldn't be able to send any train cars after Garrus and Tali, and we'd have an access route to the tower."

"Listen." Shepard tried to keep her voice low as the scurried forward. "Garrus and Tali already have a good head start, and we're probably too late for that meeting anyway. We'll find another way."

"It's going to take time to offload two warheads. The control panel to shut down the line is just down the line from the maintenance hatch."

A light passed just ahead, and they froze and sank lower to the ground. They were almost to the parking lot. The hatch was just ahead. The light passed, and they darted forward again.

"Kaidan!" Shepard hissed once the light was far enough away. "Do not get on that rail. This is not a discussion. Now, we're almost there. Just sit tight."

He drew in a jagged breath. His voice had some heat, but he said, "Aye, aye, Commander."