Thank you once again for the reviews!
I love them so keep them coming :)
Also sorry I know the last ch was short,
I had planned on putting this one up as well, but I wanted to work on it a little more.
Be warned this one is a little more graphic and has some foul language.
Also a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end.
CHAPTER 5
LOCATION: UNKNOWN
Trying to sit up, she slowly put her head back down, hitting something cold against her aching body in the process. Tally had no idea where she was at, trying to make her brain focus hurt; I think I'm lying down. Was all that would come to mind. Blinking several times did nothing to help, she couldn't focus; she looked around the room even that was in a haze. Hearing strange voices from a dialect she didn't understand she realized two things, her Omni-tool had been taken, and she had never felt so cold. Hearing the distinct sound of something dripping onto the metal floor from her forehead, she slowly raised her hand only then realizing it was shackled. Tugging strongly against the chains, her heavy arm lifted to her forehead, touching what felt like a two inch gash, red was the only thing that would come into focus. Suddenly, Tally's arms jettisoned in the air, as she is forced to stand; screams echo over her own, pain overtook her whole body as everything went dark again.
EARTH ORBIT: ABOARD THE NORMANDY
Shepard stood looking at the glowing galaxy map in front of her, not sure where to go. The crew was abuzz trying to figure out where the vessel had fled. For two days they had been searching for what seemed to be ghost ship. When she had taken a ground team down to the surface and saw the destruction of the shuttles and the bodies of the young cadets she had felt sick, for the first time in her life she had to hold back tears and vomit while on a mission. She had fought with Liara to stay aboard the Normandy and for once, even though her wife was beyond furious with her she was glad she wasn't with her to see with her own eyes what their daughter was caught up in. Liara had still not said one word about her that wasn't pertaining to Tally.
Shaking her head she tried her best to focus. Reports were scattered, it however was clear that the enemy ship had not left Earth orbit for some reason however, they couldn't find the ship. Shepard was sure it was some cutting edge technology and she had a bad feeling deep down in her gut. They hadn't been able to find any clear cut answers on the surface, only that it was indeed an attack and twenty of the brightest and strongest cadets, including her own daughter were missing. Pulling her right hand to her forehead she couldn't help but feel rage as she rubbed the pulsating temples of her head.
Samantha Traynor, who was now a Lieutenant, looked over from the comm. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Shepard this distraught. Helplessly she poured over the data in front of her, praying that she would find just the right heat signatures to find the missing cadets. A series of blurbs and beeps caught her attention. She almost second guessed what she was going to say but for once she just rolled with it without over thinking anything. "Admiral I think I've found them!"
LOCATION: UNKNOWN
Tally felt another blow hit her abdomen; the only thing that she could taste now was the sour iron of blood rolling over her tongue. Her eyes finally had started to focus. Looking over to her sides as the attacker sent another blow; she could see some of the squad she had been training with. They had been separated; half of the group was with her. The others she had no idea. Sara had been dragged into a small chamber, from the sounds coming out of the room she was sure what was going on and it made her sick. They had been the only two women taken, even though a few of the male cadets had suffered the same fate earlier, it seemed the four Batarians that now tortured them preferred females. Tally knew if she didn't find a way to get free, and help the squad she would be next or someone else would if the guards again changed and it was something she was not going to let happen.
Surveying the room she gave Billy a nod, she knew he was thinking the same thing. They had been friends through the academy, he was a strapping twenty year old who never said a negative thing, however now the rage in his eyes made it clear he was not going to be a victim any more.
As the Batarian swung the metal pipe in his hands towards Tally once more, she used all the strength her body had left, pulling tight on her hand restraints she could feel the bones in her wrist giving way as she pulled up, wrapping her thighs around the creatures head.
The other cadets didn't take long to realize what was going on. Two Batarians were all that was in the room with them. Tally pulled tighter until the creature's neck cracked between her legs, causing him to slump down. Tally was pulled down with him; her hands pulling tightly out of the restraints caused blood to pour down her arms as raw tissue was exposed. Not taking a moment to survey the damages to her body, she dodged another swing from the other kidnapper. Mustering all her willpower she used her hands almost against their will, a strong kick from Billy to the attackers back was all she needed, as she grabbed the wooden bat he held onto, holding tightly to it, she used a sweeping leg motion knocking the creature down. Using the leverage to gain full control over the bat, she took everything she had and bashed him until he stopped fighting back.
Quickly patting him down, she found the set of keys. Hurrying to her squad, she unclasped their chains. Catching her friend she quietly asked "Billy are you okay to stand?"
He just stared blankly at her. After the two were killed his mind froze.
Tally didn't want to think what was going on in his head; they in no way had time for this. Quickly she raised her broken hands and slugged him. "GET A FUCKING GRIP!" Something broke within her, all the childhood memories of goodness and always doing the right thing snapped. She had to save them, damn the cost. She silently prayed he would forgive her. "BILLY, I NEED YOU TO SNAP OUT OF THIS!"
Seeing the boy had no fire to his eyes she moved on to the next cadet. Steve had been her friend for years; his father had been stationed on the Normandy. He had faired easier in the attacks but still wasn't 100% okay. "Steve can you walk?"
Steve rubbed his wrist as he looked around, quickly picking up the small pistol he saw on one of the now dead Batarians. "I'm fine." He looked to the small chamber where Sara had been taken to as Tally unhooked the rest of the team.
Noticing his gaze Tally nodded as she picked up another disregarded pistol. She too knew what they had to do. Looking again at Billy she knew he would be no good in a fight. Steve shaking his head as well cemented to her that only they were in fighting shape, mentally anyway.
As they got in position to open the door, it slung open surprising both of them. Both fired before the Batarians had any chance to act. Quietly she walked into the room, her once beautiful friend lay dead on a small metal table, used then disregarded. Her clothes had been cut and hung from the side of her body. Tally solemnly walked over to her friend, fighting back tears as she pulled down her friend's eye lids and pulled the split fabric over her abused body. Her voice cracked as she said the last thing she would ever say to her "I'm …. I'm… sorry."
Steve walked beside of her putting his hand on her shoulder. Everything in him now hurt and ached, his heart especially, knowing they had to leave, and leave her behind made it even worse. "We have to move."
Reaching down Tally picked up an assault rifle one of the captors had. Pocketing some extra rounds she nodded to Steve. Walking back into the main torture room, she spoke command evident in her voice. "Listen up, I know we are all hurt, but I'm not going to die here. We can't die here, it won't do honor to our friends. I for one want to see my family again, so we have to get out of here! We need to find the rest of our people and find the bridge so we can send out a distress call."
Billy finally pulled out of his haze. "Like hell we do, we need to get out of here ourselves, forget the rest!"
Tally shot an ice cold glare to her friend. "Billy I know you're hurt, I am to, but I'm going after our friends."
Steve stepped beside Tally. "And so am I."
Billy started to loudly cry. "NO! I can't! I won't get caught again!"
"You have to shut up! You're going to have the rest of the ship in here on us!" Steve was quiet while trying to calm down their distraught friend.
"NO! No! No! I will not let them do this anymore!" Billy crumpled on the floor, unable to see they were almost free. He wouldn't stop, he wouldn't be quiet.
Tally knew if they were to survive Billy had to be taken care of. Walking over to her friend she hit him with the back of the rifle she held in her hands. "Forgive me my friend." The rest of the group was in shock as Billy unconsciously hit the floor, looking over at her other squad mate Tad, she hoped his six food frame that was built like a truck full of muscles would for once be of use. "Can you carry him?"
Tad nodded at Tally as he leaned down putting their friend over his right shoulder.
Tally nodded back. The other member armed himself as they made their way down the corridors of the ship, determined to find their crew and get the hell away from whoever captured them.
###
A scared Batarian made his way onto the small bridge of the frigate. He had gotten word one group of the hostages had escaped. Calling to his boss waiting in the shadows, he looked for the man, only seeing the glow of his cigarette.
As the Batarian spoke fear echoed through his voice "Sir, the girl has escaped with four members of her team."
The man said nothing say for puffing a huge cloud of white smoke.
"I think she's looking for the rest of them, I have guards posted ready to strike when they get to the holding cell."
"You have your orders."
"Yes sir, but she killed four of my men!"
"If you harm her, you will join them." Pulling again on the cigarette, the first signs of annoyance rocked his voice.
"Sir, I don't understand. Why do this? Why come out of hiding for a child, the Admiral thought you were dead! I've been your loyal servant ever since you came to me all those years ago. I was the one who saved you up before the Citadel exploded, but to put us at risk like this, I can't stand by and let this happen to my crew!"
"Rufus, Cerberus will be reborn soon, we will rise out of the ashes and claim the power we were robbed of. I saved your ship from the Admiral's destruction of your planet; do you think you got that assignment out of the quadrant by accident?" The Illusive Man waited for a response he didn't get as he stepped into the light. "I did not think you were that dumb. You wanted revenge; I promised that to you and revenge you shall have. It's a simple agreement we have, now ready the team below but do not harm her. We jump in one hour."
TBC...