Mass Effect Andromeda Series II
Chapter 30
"I think we should flank them when they come down. Out here in the open is not good at all," Garrus recommended his team as Shepard summoned the tower's elevator to the Mezzanine level. So far, the fight inside Dantius Towers was hard. Eclipse mercs were everywhere and most of them were Vanguard with strong biotic capabilities. His shields were constantly taking a pounding. If the Eclipse mercs fought like this on Omega, he wouldn't have lasted as long as he did. Tali took a hit to her arm but she hit the immunoboosters and told them the antibiotics would protect her from any internal damage. With her weak immune system, a scratch could be lethal.
"Agreed. Garrus you take left, Tali take right. I'll take point," Shepard moved behind a workstation. Luckily, the place was still under construction so it gave them lot of places to stay out of sight. Sadly, some of Nassana's workers, who were not lucky in seeking refuge in maintenance closets, were shot horrifically and left to rot on each floor so far.
After getting into position, the elevator signaled its arrival and the doors opened revealing heavily armed mercs, one including a Krogan bounty hunter. The Krogan growled as it charged forward. "A Krogan?!" Garrus asked to his team mates as they opened fire. They tried to put all their concentration on him first since he would be the toughest to take down. The Krogan grunted and growled as he was hit by all sides. Unfortunately, the disadvantage for the mercs, was that they didn't believe in comradery and left him to die as they tried to save their own asses.
"Ambush!" A Salarian merc cried out as he desperately fired at Shepard. Garrus switched his aim and shot the Salarian straight in the head before he had a chance to switch on his shields.
"You are dead!" The human Eclipse male screamed as he dove to the right and fired at Garrus making the turian take cover.
"Not today, boshtet," Tali aimed her pistol and fired at the exposed merc. Seeing the merc caught off-guard, Garrus rose up and opened fire as well. The merc howled in pain as his shields were completely depleted and the ammo pierced vital organs. He slumped over his dead Salarian friend.
The bloody Krogan groaned as he tried to get to his target, blood poured out his armor. They knew he was fatally wounded. He coughed up blood as he glared at the trio who now stood before him. "Didn't know the Drell hired help this time," The Krogan spat the blood from his mouth.
"We are not with him," Shepard raised his pistol and shot the Krogan, ending his suffering.
"Going up," Tali was the first to enter the elevator as she looked back at the blood bath of dead mercs on the floor.
"Shall we have any conversations while we wait?" Garrus cracked a joke as he was the next to enter.
The elevator doors opened and up ahead was an Eclipse merc having a conversation with someone on his radio. His back was to them as he paced near the window that overlooked Nos Astra's skyline. "I don't need reinforcements," He growled back in frustration to the caller. "I'll take care of it. It's under control."
"This is just going to be too easy," Garrus thought to himself as he followed Shepard and Tali to the merc.
Shepard stopped and raised his pistol at the merc. "Turn around very slowly." Tali and Garrus followed suit.
The merc did the same and saw the three. "Damnit."
"Tell me where the assassin is and I might let you live," Shepard stepped closer.
The merc stepped back to put more distance between them. "If I did that, I wouldn't be wasting my time talking to you. You're not one of Nassana's mercs. Who are you?"
"You got two ways down: Express or coach. Your choice," Shepard backed the merc up to where his back was up against the tower's window.
"Look, pal," The merc argued calmly. "Even if I knew where he was, I wouldn't tell you."
"Not the answer I was looking for."
"I would be careful. Shepard has killed before," Garrus warned cautiously as he kept his weapon poised.
"Want to see your friends we left behind?" Tali chimed in.
The merc was unimpressed as he crossed his arms. "I've got nothing more to say to you. If you shoot me- "
Before the merc was able to finish his sentence, Shepard put his weapon back and used both hands to shove the merc hard against the glass. His body broke through and the pieces shattered as the merc helplessly fell below to his doom. "How about 'goodbye'?"
Garrus lowered his gun in astonishment at the scene that transpired before him. "Remind me not to get on your bad side, Shepard."
"Let's move," Shepard's face remained hard as he moved past the pair to head on.
The push ahead to the bridge was becoming fiercer than they ever encountered. The wind howled as they moved to the bridge that connected to the next tower and Nassana's penthouse. Garrus tried to remind himself not to look down. He didn't want to know exactly how far up they were. "Commander, we have mechs and heavy mercs coming our way!" Garrus pointed to the welcoming team on the other side of the bridge.
"Shall we hold here?" Tali asked.
"No need," Shepard switched over to his heavy weapon: M-490 Blackstorm. A gun that would launch a projectile that was powerful as a small blackhole. "I've been dying to try this baby out." The male commander stepped forward and then looked back at his squad. "I would stay back if I were you." He knelt down and took aim. The gun charged up for a brief few seconds and then the first projectile was launched. It followed its trajectory arc and then began to lift several mercs up in the air towards it along with debris. The mercs hollered for their lives as they floated helplessly towards the center. Then seconds later, the sphere exploded, burning everyone close to it to barely nothing and launching others off the bridge to their deaths. Garrus' eyes went wide as he saw the aftermath. "Can I requisition one of those when we return to the ship?"
"Sure, if you have several million creds," Shepard teased as he continued to show off his Cerberus given arsenal.
Tali looked at Garrus and shrugged as she casually leaned up against a crate. "We will just wait till you are done, Commander." Garrus couldn't see her face, but he knew the Quarian was smiling underneath.
All the mercs on the bridge were taken care of, thanks to the Blackstorm, now it was on to Nassana's penthouse. Garrus wondered just how many men she had inside waiting for them. Where was Thane? He had yet shown his face, but everyone, was scared of him. Just what kind of assassin was he?
"Shepard? I thought you were dead," Nassana looked at the Commander in wide-eyed disbelief when they approached. Beside her was an entourage of Eclipse mercs.
Shepard grinned, "I got better."
"First you killed my sister and now you are after me," Nassana glared hard. "What is it that you want? Creds?"
"I'm not here to kill you," Shepard crossed his arms with a grin.
"Don't screw with me," Nassana waived him off as she paced in frustration. "What did you want then?"
Garrus noticed the mercs were looking up as sounds were heard above in the duct work. He glanced up to see what was going on. John seemed to have notice the noise as well. "Nothing is going to make this go away."
Suddenly a figure dropped behind the troubled Asari. Silently, the Drell moved from merc to merc, killing them before they were able to fire a single shot. Alarmed, Nassana whirled around to confront her attacker, but the Drell was fast. He already had a pistol in hand aimed at her chest. Without a word, he fired. Nassana groaned before she let out her last breath of life. Gingerly, the Drell placed her down on her console and clasped her hands over her chest. He began to bow his head as if he was praying? Garrus looked on with interest. "Very impressive."
"Hello? Are you going to talk?" Shepard looked over. "I tore this place to look for you."
"I need to pray for the wicked," Thane answered.
"Nassana and her men don't deserve prayers," John shot coldly.
"Not for them, but for me," Thane finally looked up at them with his large black fish like eyes.
"Well, this is going to be interesting," Garrus muttered.