Soundtrack: Run Through the Jungle - Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Whoa, thought it was a nightmare
Lo, it was so true
They told me, don't go walkin' slow
The Devil's on the loose
You better run through the jungle...
"Everyone ready?" Kaidan asked, reloading his SMG with a fresh thermo clip.
"As ready as we'll ever be", James mumbled. Outside the mercs were shooting at everything. There must be some blue on blue, he thought as he peered out through a crack in the door. From somewhere amongst the trees Garrus was adding to the general confusion, acting sniper and providing back up fire. Glancing over his shoulder he received a nod from Shepard. He pushed the door open. "Go, go, go!"
Wind, rain and bright morning light assailed her, almost blinding her after the many days in the dark cell. Shepard focused on keeping her head down. With no armour or shields she was easy prey. The noise of the guns was deafening. Everything was a blur. All she could do was to follow Kaidan and James as they made their way across the open ground.
Keeping Shepard between them, giving her as much cover as they could, they made a mad dash across the open ground. Garrus stepped out from behind the bush that had been his hiding place to lay down fire, covering their backs before he followed them into the jungle.
The wind wasn't as bad amongst the trees but the rain didn't let up. It drummed out a maddening staccato against the trees' interlaced canopies and showered them in large drops of tepid water. It made the ground slippery and treacherous. Shepard tripped over a protruding root, gritting her teeth against a cry as she lost her balance, her ankle twisting painfully under her. James hauled her up on her feet again. "You okay?"
She nodded. She was breathing hard, the black spots dancing before her eyes made her shake her head to clear it. Shepard forced herself to continue to run. Every step she took brought her one step farther away from the camp, the cell, the room where she had been...
A huge explosion behind them told them that the mercs were still in pursuit.
Ignoring her aching muscles, strained breath and the pain shooting up from her ankle, Shepard pushed on.
You have to survive. You have to!
The dense growth enveloped them as they left the camp behind. Shepard stumbled again and would have fallen if someone hadn't caught her. Strong, sure two-fingered hands, holding her steady.
"I got you, Shepard." Garrus dual toned voice was soft even with his breath coming fast and hard. She was slumping against him, completely spent. Her head was spinning and darkness clouded her vision. The lack of food, the drugs and the abuse was taking their toll on her. She was going down. Fast. "Hang in there. We're almost at the RV."
Shepard nodded. She wiped rainwater from her eyes, her hair, dirty and wet hung around her too pale face in dark ringlets. "I'll make it."
Garrus' mandibles shifted in a small smile. "I know you will."
They continued, keeping a slower pace now. Behind them they could hear shots still being fired and another explosion.
"They're not too bright are they", James said with a grin when he heard the proximity mines deliver the good news.
It was like walking through a wet wall of living green. Kaidan and James used their omni-blades to hack their way through it, not caring that they left a trace as big as a highway. So what if the mercs found their way to the RV. They wouldn't hang around long enough for it to matter. Cortez would be waiting with the shuttle to lift them off planet.
Garrus kept an eye on Shepard struggling on in front of him. She was a mess; she was trembling again and via his visor he could pick up her increasing body temperature. He couldn't help to notice the bruises on her bare arms and legs, the marks of restraints. What had they done to her? As if she had read his mind she glanced over her shoulder at him.
"I'm okay", she said, her dark eyes meeting his, begging him to believe her.
He nodded, knowing she was lying. Shepard wasn't okay. Something had happened to her. Garrus felt a growl want to claw its way up his throat. He wanted to rip those who had harmed her apart.
They pushed on. Even when Shepard thought her legs would give up under her she managed to put one foot in front of the other. She felt light-headed, dizzy and nauseated. She kept her eyes on the back of James who was walking in front of her and prayed she wouldn't faint.
"We need to stop for a second." It was Kaidan who spoke having seen Shepard falter. He handed her his canteen and two pills. "Salt", he explained when she hesitated. "You 're dehydrated."
Shepard took the two tablets and the worn canteen. The pills were bitter but the water was cool and soothing and she gulped it down. She leaned against the closest tree. It was wet and slippery with moss and fungus, not that it mattered. She was soaking wet herself and half-covered in mud.
"How are you feeling, Shepard?" Kaidan asked, watching as she took another long draught of water. "Careful. You'll make yourself sick."
"I feel fine", she mumbled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, giving Kaidan the canteen back.
"Really. You don't look fine." Kaidan activated his omni-tool and took a reading of her health status. The result made him frown. "The fever is back. I'm going to give you another dose of medi-gel." He looked up to find that Garrus was watching them. "It will take a couple of minutes for it to take effect."
The turian nodded. "Let's take a break. Vega, keep an eye out. I don't want anyone catching up with us."
"Sure thing." The young marine followed the trail they had cut through the dense foliage a couple of metres before setting up a stag point hidden from view behind a large plant with heart-shaped leaves and long, nasty-looking thorns. He shook water out of his eyes and wiped his hands on his fatigues in a futile attempt to wipe the mud from them. At least the rain kept most of the bugs away.
Shepard leaned her head against the rough bark, closing her eyes. Her heart was racing, cold sweat mingled with the rain that ran in rivulets down her back. It wasn't just the fever that made her shiver and tremble. It was the drugs. For days they had pumped her full of the shit and now she was starting to have withdrawal. It felt like ants were crawling all over her. She took a deep breath and then another. A hand touched her shoulder. She flinched, her eyes snapping open.
Garrus was sitting down next to her. He said nothing but she could see the questions churning in his blue eyes.
"Don't." She seemed so frail and the eyes that met his were dark and shattered.
"Shepard..." Garrus' voice hummed in her ears. He reached out to touch her again but she rose abruptly, putting some distance between herself and the former C-Sec Officer.
"We found a torture chamber", Kaidan said quietly from where he was sitting, half leaning against the remains of a fallen tree.
Garrus closed his eyes, something cold and black churned in his gut. Hate. "They tortured her? Why?"
Kaidan shook his head slowly. "I don't know. I'd like to say that they interrogated her, but..." He shrugged helplessly. His fists clenching and unclenching as if he wished he was squeezing the life out of Shepard's unknown abusers.
Garrus took a deep breath, struggling to rein in his anger fuelled by grief. "Someone's going to pay for this. With blood."
Kaidan met the enraged turian's gaze. The cold rage in his eyes was almost frightening. And Kaidan found himself wondering just how deep Garrus' feelings for Shepard were. Did he love her? Did she love him?
"We have to continue." Garrus' dual-toned voice was a rasp. He rose and checked the assault rifle he favoured in close combat situations, making sure it was loaded with a full thermo clip. "Move out."
I can't believe I've made it to Chapter 5 already. It's almost like the story is writing itself. I do hope it has some idea of where it is going plotwise.
Now I'm off to work... :( I'd rather stay here in the jungle with Shepard and the boys but unfortunately I have rent to pay and stuff. I'll start working on chapter 6 tonight.