A/N: After working for a good day or so, I can finally bring you guys the next chapter. And after the last one I know that a lot of you are looking for answers, and believe me you will get them here.
This is also the start of the mission on Virmire. It'll be slow at first, but the following chapters will more than make up for it. You gotta trust me on this one guys, and I'll do my damnest not to let you down. So without any more waiting, heres chapter 36! (I own nothing)
Commander Jane Shepard
SSV Normandy - Briefing/Comm Room
August 15, 2183 - 13:00 hours
Jane pinched the bridge of her nose as her hangover continued to pound the inside of her head. After the party they had the night before a couple of people on the ship had the same thing and were just trying to survive the day.
But at the moment she and Alex had a meeting with the Council and to say that they weren't happy would have been a monumental understatement.
Finding out that the two Spectres had not only unleashed the Rachni on the galaxy, but also had someone on the Normandy who had until recently been under the employment of a rogue Spectre. The constant bickering from the Councilors wasn't doing her headache any favors.
"Councilors! If we will be allowed to speak." exclaimed Alex making the Commander cringe a little. He gently tapped her had with his own as a silent apology. "If you read our reports than you understand that Benezia is no longer a threat. Dr. Chakwas' medical report should have provided added support."
"We have Maverick. We just want to express our position on the matter." said Tevos.
"This 'indoctrination' that Benezia has spoken of is troubling. The ability to control someone's mind is a horrendous thing to possess." said Valern. "And the fact that Saren has such an ability is not a good thing."
"We were surprised too." said Jane as the throbbing in her head died down. "Benezia mentioned that Saren's ship had something to do with it. Is there any kind of information on something having this kind of effect on the crew?"
"None. Which is also troubling." replied the Salarian Councilor. "If being exposed for long periods of time causes the effects to become permanent, who knows what else such a vessel could be capable of."
"The way you were able to break it is very confusing. You mind explaining this to us, Maverick?" asked Sparatus looking at the nano soldier pointedly.
"Lucky break. And a one time thing I'm afraid, I lack the proper resources to do so again. But we now have a way to detect when someone has become indoctrinated and that will give us an edge." explained Alex.
"Indeed." said Valern. "And the situation with the Rachni?"
"The Queen has learned from the mistakes of her ancestors. She's...different, and understands why they had to be wiped out the last time around." said Jane.
"I hope your right, or our children's children will be paying the price if you're wrong." said Sparatus.
"We also have information for you about the planet Virmire mentioned in your report." said Tevos.
"It just so happens that one of our STG teams was sent to investigate the planet. They were silent for a long while until we received a distress signal." said Valern. "The signal couldn't be understood very well, but we can gather that the infiltration team has run into problems."
"If this is one of Saren's hiding places, then it would be in your interest to investigate the situation out there." said Tevos.
"We'll get it done." said Alex as the holograms fading.
Jane let out a sigh and rubbed her temples, "Talking with them is never easy with a hangover." Alex outstretched his arm and held out a small pill bottle full of aspirin for her that she gladly accepted.
The Post-Human turned to leave when the Commander spoke out. "Alex, wait." he stopped in mid-step and looked back at her. She bit her lip and rolled the pill bottle between her hands, "Last night...did anything happen? I know I had too much to drink and most of the night was a blur. But I have this feeling that..." she couldn't find the words to finish.
Alex was silent a moment before taking a deep breath. Pulling off his helmet as he turned to face her fully. "You want the truth?" he asked seriously.
The Commander bit her lip again wondering if she really did or not. "Did I do something stupid? Embarrassing?" she asked hesitantly.
The nano soldier shook his head with a light chuckle. "Nothing extranet worthy, believe me. But..." he took another deep breath. "We dance for a bit but you were pretty drunk, so I decided to help you back to the ship."
Jane's breath hitched. They danced together?
"We got back here with no problems, but you had trouble staying on your feet so I carried you to your quarters." Alex continued. "Got you there and...I put you in your bed for the night." he said quickly.
The Commander caught the hesitation in his voice and crossed her arms, "Alex. What happened?" she asked in a tone she only reserved for military officials.
Alex sighed; "You...well...came on to me."
Those few words caused all the color to drain out of Jane's face. Out of all the things that could have happened, this terrified her to the core. She swallowed the lump in her throat as her heart started beating oddly. "O-Oh..." she squeezed out after a bit. Alex nodded slowly, worried that her reaction could get worse.
"Umm...how...how bad...was it?" she asked worried about the answer.
"Things got a bit heavy, you took your shirt off and told me to 'take you'. So I pushed a pressure point on your neck to knock you out." he explained causing a good part of her unease to lift. "I redressed you, put you into bed and left."
Jane went from pale to tomato red in moments, "So...we didn't-?"
Alex shook his head, "We didn't have sex. Though you made it pretty hard to turn down." he said with a grin that caused her face to turn even redder.
Setting his helmet down in a nearby chair, he stepped forward until he was right in front of her. "I do have to ask something though." he said being serious again. "Last night, you said some things. I just wanted to make sure that they were true or not.
Swallowing again, Jane nodded. Curious and a little afraid about what her fellow Spectre was going to ask her.
"Jane, do you have feelings for me?" asked the nano soldier searching her face and eyes with a calculating gaze.
The Commander's world came to a halt. She felt like she couldn't breath and her heart was doing flips.
"I...I don't..." she fumbled with her words and mentally cursed herself. It was hard to understand how a simple question could have such a reaction on a war hero like her. But the simplicity of it and the burning look the one who asked it was giving her made it a little hard to focus.
Alex saw her struggling and stepped in, "You don't have to say anything if you're not ready to. I don't want to force it out of you, I would rather you tell me when you want to." he said placing a hand gently on her upper arm.
Her green eyes locked with his grey ones. Jane felt her insides warm up just seeing those orbs that reminded her of dull silver. She so badly wanted to say yes. To throw her arms around the man before her and never let go like a love struck teenager.
But the mission was too important to let them get distracted by each other.
Jane knew that it was a pathetic excuse. The real reason was that she was afraid. Afraid of being rejected, of being in a relationship, but most of all she was afraid of the emotions that Alex had invoked in her since they started getting closer.
She'd never been like this with anyone before. And for the first time in her life, Commander Jane Shepard didn't have a plan.
"Alex, it's just that-" he held up a hand to stop her.
"I understand, Jane. Really. The mission takes priority." he gave her an understanding smile. "We'll just hold off on this kind of talk until Saren's dealt with. Just the two of us, sound good?"
The red-head smiled back, "Okay. We will, I promise." she said just above a whisper.
Alex nodded and picked up his helmet before heading to the door, "Oh, and Jane?" he looked back at her with a smile that made her knees buckle a little. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel something for you too."
With that he pulled his helmet back on and left the comm room. Leaving a blushing Commander behind.
X
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
SSV Normandy - Mess Hall
August 15, 2183 - 15:30 hours
Alex sat at one of the empty tables in the mess hall having an early dinner in his crew uniform.
They were en route to Virmire and would arrive within the next day or so. Which gave the team and crew plenty of time to prepare themselves for what they would face once they made landfall.
During this time, Alex had been thinking of every conceivable plan in trying to make sure that everyone made it out of there alive. Building scenarios with Prophet from the memories he had from the game to find the best possible way to go about it. But no matter how much the nano soldier planned just one thing always stood out.
This wasn't some game anymore. And events have already changed by large margins. A good example being Benezia, free of indoctrination and now a part of the team and helping them fight Saren.
Alex dropped his fork and pushed the tray from him, no longer hungry as he leaned back in his seat.
The situation involving him and Jane wasn't doing any favors either. The beautiful red-headed Commander was constantly in his thoughts before. Now that he had a little insight into her feelings it became more prominent now.
"You seem troubled." Alex looked up and saw Benezia sit down across from him.
"In a matter of speaking." he said leaning forward. "You fitting in well with the rest of the crew okay?"
The Matriarch nodded, "Yes, I understood their hesitance at first. But now they seem to trust me. Or at the very least tolerate my presence. And it has been very comforting to be able to speak with my daughter again. I've missed her."
The nano soldier nodded, "She's a good person. And a great member of the team. We wouldn't have been able to get this far without her."
Benezia smiled, "She has never made me more proud." she regarded the man across from her. "I still wish to thank you Alex, for all that you've done. And know that your identity will stay with me until it is my time to embrace the Goddess."
Alex smiled back, "Thank you Lady Benezia, I appreciate that." he said letting out a breath.
"What ales you child?" asked the Asari.
"Many things." said Alex rubbing the stubble on his head. "My past, the mission, the future. Sometimes it's hard to keep it all in focus."
Benezia nodded slowly, "With everything that has occurred, it is understandable to feel a bit overwhelmed. Even the greatest of warriors feel the strain of what goes on around them. No matter how much they fight within themselves to keep it together, the burden can become too much to bare."
The nano soldier smirked, "Believe me, I understand a lot better than many would think. It's never been hard for me to put all of this aside before. I just can't comprehend why it bugs me so much now."
The Matriarch observed the man before her and smiled, "This is more than just the mission. This is also the matters of the heart."
Alex's eyes widened. "Child I have been alive for centuries. I can see when one has deep feelings for another." said Benezia reaching out to touch his hand. "I see the way you look at the Commander. And the way she looks at you. I have never seen such compatible souls in a long time. On the battlefield your minds are linked, you know when the other needs help even before they do. Off of it you find it difficult to be apart because you miss the other's aura."
"Even now she is in your thoughts, is she not?" asked the elder Asari.
The Post-Human rubbed his eyes, "Yes. I'd...dammit, I'd do anything for her. But with everything going on right now..." he admitted in frustration.
"Then you wait." said Benezia soothingly. "The heart truly does grow fonder. And I believe that you and the Commander have a powerful connection. One that cannot be broken by any conceivable means." standing slowly she spoke again, "I speak from experience child. I hope it helps." she gave a nod before heading off elsewhere.
Alex thought over her words and felt a little more at ease than he did before. Maybe he was over thinking everything too much. He just needed to clear his head and focus on one thing before jumping on to another.
Movement out of the corner of his eye grabbed his attention. Ashley walked into the mess hall and started gathering a plate. He picked up the slight limp he had and the wince on her face with each step she made with her right leg.
Raising an eyebrow, she watched her cross the room and sit at his table with a mumbled 'hello'.
"You okay Ash? You look a bit sore." Alex commented.
Ashley froze in mid-bite. A slight blush covering her tan cheeks. "Must have pulled something dancing last night. Knew I should have stopped after three shots." she said with a chuckle that didn't quite fit.
He wasn't buying it. The limping was a dead give away...so was the small bite marks on her neck just under the collar of her uniform.
The sound of the medbay doors opening caused Alex to crane his head. Garrus walked out, Chakwas handing him a bottle with some kind of liquid in it. "This should help with any reactions. Just try to be more careful next time Mr. Vakarian." said the doctor in a stern tone.
The Turian nodded and put the bottle in his pocket before entering the mess hall. Freezing when he caught sight of Ashley looking back at him. "Uhh, hi." he said nervously.
Ashley's blush increased. "Hi." she said back.
The awkwardness in the air could practically be tasted. Alex looked between the two and couldn't help but grin.
He stayed silent as Garrus got his dextro-based dinner before joining them. After a few moments of silence, Alex couldn't help himself anymore. "So Garrus...how did your reach fare with Ash's flexibility?"
Ashley spat out her drink and Garrus choked on the bite he had just taken. Both coughing like crazy while Alex was laughing his ass off.
Both glared at the nano soldier when they got themselves under control. "How did...you know?" asked Ashley with tears in her eyes from coughing so hard.
"I heard you guys last night in the cargo bay. Something about Garrus here 'calibrating something'." said Alex as Ash was turning a new shade of red. "And no I'm not going to pick on you guys too much for it." he said making them look at him.
"Why? You teased the hell out of Reena and Chellick before they got together." said Garrus not believing him.
Alex shrugged, "Because you guys look good together." Ash and Garrus shared glances and looked away from each other making him grin wider. "Ash, I've known Garrus here for a couple of years. He's a good guy, trust me."
The Gunnery Chief fiddled with her fork trying not to look at anyone. Garrus tapped his mandibles as he looked at the table.
"Whether it was a drunken one night stand or not guys, I've seen the chemistry between the two of you." said Alex honestly. "Just...be careful with the allergic reaction thing." he looked at Ashley pointedly, "You may wanna see Chakwas before the chaffing rashes get worse. The bite marks too."
Ashley reached up and pulled her collar up a little higher while Garrus scratched the back of his neck nervously.
Alex stood and smiled at them before heading to his quarters.
The Turian and Human remained seated in the empty mess hall for a few moments. "I think we should talk." said Ashley looking up. Garrus nodded in agreement as they began to hash things out together.
X
Alexander 'Maverick' Drake
SSV Normandy - Bridge
August 17, 2183 - 09:20 hours
Alex and Jane stood together behind Joker as they made the approach to Virmire. The pilot had made several attempts to contact the STG team and nothing came back meaning that there were most likely signal jammers in place.
"Still not getting anything on the Salarians, but I'm picking up the same distress signal close to a facility at these coördinates." said Joker bringing up a few displays. "I'm also picking up several AA guns stationed around the area. Too hot for us to get in."
"That must be Saren's research base." said Jane looking over the readings.
"With the AA guns in place the Normandy will be blown out of the sky before we make landfall. We'll have to be dropped in the Mako just out of their range and take them out on foot so Joker here can land closer." said Alex.
The Commander nodded before looking back to the pilot, "Take us in Joker and make the drop. We'll clear the way for you." she said as she and Alex headed toward the cargo hold.
"Aye, aye." said Joker as he got ready to go in.
X
The two Spectres grabbed Kaidan and Garrus along the way and piled into the rover as they got ready to be dropped in. "Alex, your driving this time?" asked Kaidan as Jane climbed into the turret.
"Thought I'd give you guys a break from Jane's crazy ass driving." he said earning a kick from said Commander in the back of the head.
'Were almost at the LZ guys. Get ready.' said Joker of the comms as the cargo bay doors opened revealing the paradise-like world of Virmire as they flew in closer. Alex hit the switch and the Mako started rolling. 'In three...two...one...GO!'
Alex stepped on the gas and flew out of the hanger. Quickly activating the thrusters as all six wheels hit the ground and skidded to a stop. "Good work Joker, clean drop. Keep yourself at a safe distance until those towers are down." said Jane as Alex began driving down the water covered path.
"I know the drill. Meet you guys at the STG base once the towers are offline. Joker out."
The Mako rounded a few bends in the river as the team traveled farther in. Alex's HUD showed a readout of the area as Kaidan marked the path for them to go through. "Hostiles Detected." warned Prophet.
Jane aimed the cannon and blew two Geth rocket drones away giving them an opening to pass. "How many Geth do you think Saren has stationed here?" asked the Commander as she checked for more.
"More than enough for us to be concerned." replied Alex as they kept going.
They encountered roughly a dozen more Assault and Rocket drones along the river. A Juggernaut had been among them but had met a satisfying end via one of the rover's front wheels. "And you said my driving was crazy?" said Jane blasting a Shock Trooper away as they passed through a Geth encampment.
"Hay, it popped up in front of me." said Alex as he activated the thrusters to jump over an incoming rocket.
Kaidan and Garrus rolled their eyes as they rolled up to a facility where the first AA gun was stationed. After clearing out what they could with the Mako's turret, the team got out with their weapons ready as they stormed the building.
Alex raised his new assault rifle and took down a Geth Trooper as they reached the top of the structure. Jane's shotgun and Garrus' rifle registered nearby as two more platforms fell over dead.
"Let's get that gun offline, come on." said Jane as they approached the room that had been built into the rock face next to the checkpoint.
The squad saw movement inside and got into cover on either side of the opening. "Kaidan, hit'em with a singularity." said Alex. The Lieutenant nodded, charging his biotics before throwing the energy into the room.
When it detonated, three Stalkers were pulled into the gravity well allowing the team to pick them off easier. They stormed the room ready for more but found it empty. Kaidan headed over to the panel that controlled the guns and hacked into it. A few minutes later they all walked out as the guns powered down.
"That's one down." said Garrus as Alex started the Mako back up and went through the checkpoint. "Incoming Ordinance." said Prophet as a large plasma bolt barely missed hitting the front end of the vehicle.
"Colossus!" shouted Jane as she swung the cannon around and began blasting away at the large Geth. Alex spun the wheel to avoid another blast from the platform's main gun while the Commander kept the pressure on.
The Colossus braced itself and fired another plasma blast that the nano solder was barely able to avoid. The Mako's shields dropped a little from the close call making Alex curse. "We have to take this thing out before we take a direct hit."
Jane fired another blast from the cannon knocking the Geth shields out completely. Alex spun the rover around again until they were facing the Colossus. "Alex?" said Jane wondering whar the nano soldier was up too.
"You guys better hang on to something!" he shouted gunning the accelerator and sending them speeding toward the hostile. The squad braced themselves as the Mako rammed into the large synthetic. Its front legs crumpling under the under the strike and collapsing on to the ground and crunching under the heavy wheels as they drove over it and continued on.
Alex let out a breath as they moved back on the path, "Everyone okay?" he asked looking over his shoulder.
"When this is over, your done being the driver." said Jane shaking her head and blasting an Armature that tried to flank them. Kaidan and Garrus groaned in agreement as the righted themselves from the sudden tactic.
The Post-Human shrugged before running down a Shock Trooper in their way before continuing.
It had taken them all another 15 to 20 minutes, fighting through several Geth blockades and squadrons waiting for them before they shut down the final AA gun and giving the Normandy a big enough opening to move in and approach the STG camp set up close to the facility.
The Mako followed along on the ground when Joker contacted them. "Commander, Maverick, Normandy's touched down at the base, but it looks like we're grounded. The Salarian Captain can explain when you get here."
"Gotcha Joker. We're almost there." said Jane as they turned one last bend in the river and approached the small military instillation sey up on a river bank nearly two clicks from the target location.
Alex pulled the Mako over on the shore and they piled out while Ashley was speaking with the Salarian Captain in charge. "So what are wer suppose to do?" asked the Gunnery Chief.
"Stay put until we can come up with a plan." replied the Salarian as Jane and Alex approached them.
"Are you in charge? What's the situation?" asked Jane.
"Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment STG." said the Captain. "And your crew have just landed in the middle of a hotzone. Every AA gun within ten miles has been alerted to your presence."
"And what do we do while we wait?" asked Alex.
"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested." said Kirrahe.
The two Spectres looked at each other, "We're all that they sent. Your distress signal was hard to understand and they sent us to investigate." said the Commander.
Kirrahe rubbed his eyes in frustration, "I lost half my men investigating this place. We would need a fleet to take this place out."
"What did you find?" asked Alex.
"Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with Geth and is heavily fortified." said the Captain. "From what our teams have been able to catch from outgoing comm chatter, Saren's using the base to breed an army of Krogan."
Wrex stomped across the sand after overhearing them, "How is that possible?" he rumbled.
"Apparently, he's discovered a cure for the genophage." said Kirrahe.
"The Geth are bad enough, but a Krogan army bred to fight for him would make Saren unstoppable." said Jane concerned.
Kirrahe nodded, "Exactly my thoughts. We must ensure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed."
"Destoryed? I don't think so." growled Wrex. "Our people are dying. This cure could save them."
"If the cure leaves this planet the Krogan will become unstoppable. We cannot afford to make the same mistake." said the Captain.
Wrex growled and got in the Salarian's face. "We are not a mistake!" he roared before stomping off and heading far down the beach.
Kirrahe looked back at them, "Is he going to be a problem? We have enough angry Krogan running around."
"The way I see it he has a right to be pissed." said Alex crossing his arms. "And where do you get off treating his people like mistakes Captain."he said strictly.
"The Krogan Rebellions comes to mind." said Kirrahe. "You have to understand that what my people did was-"
"Don't. You. Dare. Finish that sentence." Alex growled making the Salarian take a step back. "If the words, 'What my people did was for the good of the galaxy' leave your mouth, I will break both your legs like toothpicks. What your people did to the Krogan was an act boarding on a war crime. The Krogan had every right to be angry for the way the Council just cast them aside after doing their dirty work. And what did the Salarians do? Neuter them like they were rabid animals."
The nano soldier stepped forward and glared down at the Captain. "Can you honestly say they deserve what they got? No, you can't. Not until you look in the eyes of a Krogan mother as she buries her still-born child, then try to tell them that what your people did was for the 'good of the galaxy'."
Kirrahe's eyes slowly dropped to the ground. Alex shook his head, "You have no right to feel guilt. Or shame. You and every Salarian alive may not have been responsible for the genophage. But you were all raised in believing that the Krogan deserved it. And that makes me fucking sick." he spun on his heel and stomped down the beach.
"Where are you going?" asked Jane who had stayed silent through the confrontation. In all honesty she was on Alex's side. After being around Wrex and listening to the old Krogan talk about his people and their past she knew they didn't deserve what happened to them.
Alex looked over his shoulder at her, "To talk to Wrex. And make sure he doesn't rip this camp a new one." he said resuming his trek.
X
The Warlord wasn't hard to find. He stood at the end of the beach, shotgun in hand blasting away at the water while trying to leviate his frustration.
"This isn't right! If there's a cure for the genophage we can't destroy it!" he exclaimed as Alex approached him.
"I know your pissed off Wrex, but you have to consider all the variables before going off half cocked." the Post-Human explained.
"What's there to consider? Saren found a cure for my people, and you want to destroy it. Help me out here Alex, the lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I'm standing." said Wrex looking like he was going to reach for his gun.
Alex raised his hands, "Wrex, just hear me out. You know better than anyone where I stand when it comes to the genophage."
The Krogan narrowed his eyes before backing off to let him speak. "Even if Saren has the cure in that facility, do you really think he will just hand it over?" asked the nano soldier. "He's breeding those Krogan to fight for him. He's using them like tools that he'll discard when they are no longer of use."
He stepped forward until he and Wrex were eye to eye. "Is that how you want your people to go out Wrex? As slaves that are subservient to a Turian? And a traitor at that?"
The tension was thick. The two powerful warriors continued to glare at one another, but neither backing down as they made their stands.
After a long minute. Wrex took a step back. "Your right. We were tools to the Council once. As a reward they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be as gracious."
Alex nodded, removing his helmet to look his friend in the eye. "I swear Wrex. If there is a cure for your people in there Prophet and I will find it. The Krogan will be free once more, and I'll do everything I can to help. As a fellow warrior," he held out his hand, "And a friend. I make this promise to you, Urdnot Wrex, and all Krogan who want peace."
Wrex grinned, grabbing the hand and shaking it. "You've learned our customs pretty well Alex. I accept this vow, as a member of Clan Urdnot, fellow warrior, and friend as well. And know that my promise to you also still stands."
The two chuckled before heading back to the camp where everyone was waiting. "50 creds says I kill more Geth in that place than you." said Alex pulling his helmet back on.
The Krogan gave a sadistic grin, "Your on Maverick."
A/N: And it has started, and with Wrex being spared thanks to Alex's stand on the genophage situation. But you all know as well as I do that this is only the tip of the iceberg here. So to keep you guys interested, I've got another preview for ya!
Preview: Chapter 37: Saren's Stronghold
The hologram before them seemed to turn in Alex's direction as he spoke. The nano soldier saw the images from before flash before his eyes quickly causing a slight headache.
"YOU ARE MACHINE AND NERVE. AN ANOMOLY THAT IS UNPRESIDENTED. YOU MUST BE TERMINATED."
A bolt of dark red electricity shot from the hologram and stuck the Post-Human in the head. Alex dropped his rifle and gripped the sides of his head as his brain felt like it was going through a blender. "ALEX!" Jane screamed as he fell to his knees in agony.
"Neurological Attack Detected. Initiating Counter Measure." said Prophet as the HUD went crazy.
"YOUR AI CANNOT SAVE YOU. YOUR MIND WILL BREAK LIKE SO MANY BEFORE YOU." The pain increased making Alex's body convulse under the nano suit. More images flashed before his eyes. Visions of death, destruction, bodies being liquidated and turned into something monstrous.
"Primary Counter Measure Failed. Initiating Secondary Counter Measure." said Prophet as the HUD flickered on and off from the attack.
Alex began to rise into the air, his body hovering above the ground by three feet as the images continued to bombard him like bullets. Jane went to run to him but Wrex held her back in fear of something similar happening to her. The squad could only watch as their friend's mind was assaulted.
"YOUR FATE IS SEALED. LIKE ALL ORGANICS BEFORE YOU. WHETHER YOU ARE MACHINE OR HUMAN MATTERS NOT. YOU WILL NOT STOP THE CYCLE."
Something deep within Alex snapped. The images began to slow down and the pain began to slowly ebb away. "I...am more...than a machine..." he hissed clenching his fists. "...More...than a Human..." red energy began to crackle around him and fight against the bolt being held by the hologram before him. "You...will never understand...the true power of those you consume..." the team moved back as the energy became brighter.
"And that...will lead to your END!" The bolt was launched right back at the hologram. The terminal supporting it exploded in a shower of sparks, the windows in the room all shattered as the energy was unleashed.
A/N: That was just a taste, and for those of my fellow gamers that have played Crysis 3 they know where I got this little idea from.
Update coming soon, so hold off on those torches and pitchforks!