QuickNote: Got another Anderson-based chapter for you all, though there will be a flashback on Hollister's side.

Chapter 16:
Captivity

Disconnected voices swam through Anderson's head, consciousness not yet reaching him. He tried to focus, to discern what they were saying, but there were too many going on at once. More than a few times, they ceased altogether, then started up again a while later. He frowned inwardly, trying to remember why happened. It hit him suddenly: the attack on the Kennedy, the boarding by Cerberus, Michael Hollister in the CIC... Captain Foster's body.

He opened his eyes suddenly, his mind clearer than before, but still very foggy. He had been captured. But why? What would Cerberus, or even Hollister, want with him? Looking up and trying futilely to avoid looking at the light, the answer became painfully obvious.

Admiral Tobias Harel's face was as impassive as it was the first time Anderson was face-to-face with him, though now there was a hint of worry in his eyes. "Harel," he croaked.

Harel looked away, doubt and shame covering his face. "Commander Anderson," he replied, fighting to keep his voice calm. "I... suppose you're wondering why I'm here."

"Actually," Anderson replied, anger rising in him, "I was wondering why I'm here. But now that I see you, it does strike me as a curious thing."

Harel nodded, a smile that was not unkind spreading across his face. "Understandable, given your current situation. You've been captured, in case you don't remember. By Cerberus. You're a prisoner of war, denied by even your own government. After all, you weren't supposed to be hunting Cerberus down, according to official records." He began pacing, anxiety returning to his face. "I didn't want this, you know. I had no choice. I had to find out what you knew."

What I-? What was he talking about? Then it hit him. "Akuze," he breathed. He lowered his head as the full weight of the realization hit him. "You were responsible for Akuze."

Harel nodded, then sighed. "It was a bad piece of business, from the very beginning," he muttered. "Cerberus needed a testing ground for their new weapon. Thresher maws." He began to pace, the report coming back to him in full. "They said they found a way to control the beasts. To use them for humanity's interests. That's why we planted the distress signal on Akuze. To lure an Alliance platoon there to test their control over the they were horribly mistaken of their ability." He stopped pacing and ran his hand through his hair. "Fifty. That's how many marines we lost on Akuze. Fifty good soldiers who could have been much more to the Alliance. Instead, there were fifty dog tags that had to be collected and presented to grieving mothers and wives."

"You betrayed the Alliance. For an experiment?!" Anderson demanded.

Harel glared at him and brought his fist to the side of Anderson's face. "Betrayed the Alliance?! No. I'm helping the Alliance! How many humans died in the First a Contact War? How many good soldiers have we lost since we found the Charon Relay? Anything, anything, that can give us an edge over the other races is an risk we absolutely have to take."

Anderson shook his head. "You're fucking delusional," he muttered.

Before Harel could reply, or punch Anderson again, the door to the room opened. "Ah," Hollister said as he stepped in. "Our guest awakens." He noticed the mark on the side of Anderson's face and looked back to Harel. "Looks like your interrogation has already started." Harel lowered his gaze, obviously intimidated by the Cerberus officer. "Well?" Hollister demanded with faux kindness. "What did you find?"

"He didn't know I was involved until now."

Hollister didn't reply, instead opting to slowly pace around the captured commander. "Interesting," he remarked, ignoring the admiral's report. "The survivor of a hundred battles falls victim to his own kind."

"I'm nothing like you," Anderson spat.

Hollister stopped pacing in front of him and smiled. "Of course not," he replied. "There's not a single human being that is like me. Not you, not the great Jon Grissom, not even your young friend, Shepard." The last word was spoken with no shortage of malice, but he still smiled his confident, narcissistic smile. He leaned in until his face was an inch away from Anderson's. "Don't worry. We won't kill you. We need you to bring Orion's son to us."

Callus? Anderson thought. "What do you want with him?" he demanded.

"Me? Nothing," Hollister replied, still smug. "My employer, however, needs Orion to take the fall for Dhalen's unfortunate murder. Ambition is a terrible thing, you know. And the turians are infamous for it."

It was all coming together. Akuze, Harel's involvement, Dhalen Orion's assassination, Callus having to take the fall... "You're jump-starting a second war with the turians," Anderson breathed.

"Close, Commander, but no." Hollister stood and walked to the far wall. "We're starting a war with the whole goddamned galaxy. Us against them, with the future of the galaxy at stake." He turned and Anderson noticed that his smile had turned vicious. "We will take control of the galaxy, standing in the ashes of the other races."

Anderson was floored. Was Cerberus insane? Humanity would never win a war against the rest of the galaxy! "You're going to get us all killed!" he yelled.

Hollister simply smiled. "Don't worry, Commander," he replied. "You won't be alive to witness it."

With that, he and Harel left.

After they were gone, Anderson hung his head, the gravity of the situation hitting him in full. His mind wandered, and he remembered the Kennedy and her crew. How many souls were lost on board that ship? The image of Shepard flashed in his head, and a pang of guilt hit Anderson. I really hope that boy is okay, he thought.

Hollister walked alongside Harel to the base's war room. "He took that rather well," he commented.

Harel glared at him. "You think this is funny?!" he demanded. "He's an Alliance officer, for God's sake! And a decorated one at that! Do you honestly think there won't be anyone coming to look for him?!"

"Let them come," Hollister replied. "All they're going to find is him dead and Orion holding the smoking gun. We'll arrive, too late to save him, and humanity will finally realize its place in the galaxy: leading the other races, by any means necessary."

Harel stopped in his tracks, causing Hollister to stop and look at him quizzically. "You were serious?" he breathed. Hollister simply nodded. Tense moments went by, and Harel continued to look, horrified, at Hollister. Finally, he spoke: "You're insane."

Hollister cocked his head, smile gone, now looking a bit confused. "Pray tell."

"We were supposed to be retaliating against the turians, not taking over the entire galaxy! Does the Illusive Man know about this?!"

"Of course he does," Hollister replied. "It was his plan."

Harel shook his head and reached for his pistol. Hollister was just a touch quicker, however, and he shot the admiral in his throat. He stepped to the dying officer's body and raised his pistol to his head. "You are relieved of your position, Admiral," he said before pulling the trigger.

She was pretty, beautiful even. He saw what Shepard saw in her, without a doubt. Perhaps that was why he hated him so much. Shepard was nothing, not worth the rotten San Diego air he breathed every day. And yet, he had her.

Swift noticed him and rolled her eyes slightly. "Yes?" she demanded.

Hollister smirked. "Just enjoying the view, ma'am," he replied. Swift rolled her eyes again and returned to looking at her datapad. Hollister remained standing, waiting patiently for him to leave, or say what he wanted to say. "I'm glad the deal with the salarian gang went off okay," he continued.

Finally, Swift sighed and put the datapad away, giving up getting some work done. "Get to the fucking point already," she muttered.

Hollister only smiled. "I noticed you and Shepard are... not on good terms. I was just hoping that, if need be, I could submit my candidacy for second-in-command."

To his surprise, Swift chuckled. "Damn if you don't have any nerve," she observed. Then she grew more serious. "What happens between Shepard and I is our business, first of all. And second of all, there are a number of people in this gang who have been here a hell of a lot longer than you, and who have done a hell of a lot more for us than you." She chuckled again and slipped past him toward the door. "You want the position? Do something. Get on my radar."

As she left, Hollister glared after her, wondering who she thought she was. Outside the window, a group of asari caught his attention. Slowly, a plan formed in his mind. He smiled. He'd get on her radar, all right.

He'd get on everyone's radar.

Author's Note: Sorry about the long wait. This one was a tough nut to crack, especially with work coming into play. Anyways, please don't forget to review and let me know how I'm doing!