Zenna and her team moved to the door and began to bypass it. Garrus and James kept their eyes open in case of an attack. As the door opened and entered into an airlock of sorts with the water sprinklers on. James just growled in annoyance muttering about how wet fur was a pain to get dry. They moved to the next door, as it opened, they could then see a drone at the other side of the room.
Before they could take aim, it fired at them hitting Zenna's shield as she dived into cover. James growled and came out from cover, pouncing on the drone, ripping it apart with his teeth. As the three moved on, three Cerberus troopers shot at them forcing them back into cover. James moved forward shotgun in hand and fired incineration rounds at the closest target.
The other troopers tried to flush them out with a grenade which Zenna tossed back. It exploded in mid-air causing the troopers to flinch allowing Garrus to take them out. With the area clear they then headed down the corridor where a quarrian engineer worked. He cowered in a corner, looking up with fear.
"You, ok?" Garrus asked as he crouched down, and not a nod in response. "Head to C-Sec, the way is clear,"
The engineer nodded and ran while Zenna worked the controls of the lifts.
"Reset complete, access enabled," the computer announced.
The three then moved into the list and activated it. As the doors shut Bailey came on over the comm.
"Any survivors yet?" he asked.
Garrus spoke up before Zenna could. "Yes, there's a Quarrian engineer on their way to you,"
"No C-Sec," the police commander asked and just curse when he was met with silence. "Ok, keep your eyes peeled,"
The lift then stopped and the three exited to a shower of water once again prompting James to curse again. They moved round the corridor to see more dead C-sec officers, making Garrus Cruse. It was a morbid scene as the water washed away the blood that was pouring from the bodies.
"Ridgefeild? Lamont? You still alive?" Garrus called out.
"Hey," James hissed. "You mind not alerting the whole station?"
"If gunfire didn't put them on notice I sure won't." the Turrian shot back.
Ignoring the two, Zenna just continued to move down the corridor. But the door to where they needed to go was malfunctioning. But thankfully there was a room next to the door which they walked though, making their way to the door at the far end. However, when they reached the door, they had to take cover as they saw two Cerberus minotaur's down the way. Zenna was about to step forward but James stopped her as roared and ran full belt at them.
Zenna and Garrus covered him as James jumped at the nearest minotaur's neck. He tore into it with ease as the other minotaur turned to try and take him out, only for Zenna to drive her axe into his head. Splitting it open. James stood and spat the meat out of his mouth.
As she drew her axe out of one of her own kind, Zenna just grunted in annoyance. "We have to be getting close now,"
The Turrian nodded. "Yeah, there's a stairwell further on. Executor's office is right above it," Garrus said pointing to the far end of the corridor.
The three of them moved up to the end of the corridor as they moved up smoke began to fill the air. Zenna and James chocked, trying to have off the smoke as sever noemata jumped down and pounced, trying to attack them. James was the first react, moving on instinct, he jumped and but the arm off one of the attackers, before aiming for their neck.
As the smoke cleared, Zenna tore into the nekomata with Garrus firing his pistol at the closest one. It didn't take long for them to fall, but James ended with a scratch across his face. The area now clear, the three then moved to the doorway where it said 'Executor'. They moved up the stairs and stood next to the door. The door opened and the three entered only to see three dead bodies.
Zenna sighed as she looked at the sight before her. "Bailey, looks like they got the executor and two salarian bodyguards," she muttered before sniffing the air
"Damn. All right keep searching if you don't see the councillor's body don't count him out yet," Bailey said.
Garrus moved over to the window and Zenna followed suit. They both then saw something down in the area they were just in. A moment later the Salarian councillor then appeared as his cloak deactivated.
"Found him, he looks unharmed," Zenna quickly said, but started sniffing the air again.
"Get him somewhere safe," the police commander said, unable to hide the cheer in his voice.
As the councillor then moved a human solider jumped in front of the Salarian. Hearing the landing Zenna looked out of the window she then saw the soldier. He was what she could smell, if she judged the cybernetics right. She jumped through the glass as the man jumped over the Salarian then held his hand up with something charging in the palm of his hand while Zenna aimed her pistol at him.
"Don't even think about it," she growled.
"Shepard he's going to kill us all," Valern said.
Zenna eyed the assassin in front of her. "That remains to be seen," she quipped.
Realising his mistake, the councillor corrected himself. "I mean Udina," the Councillor said as Zenna and the solder moved around him making sure that the other could not get a clear shot. "He's staging a coup; he's got the other councillors now… to hand over to these people,"
As Zenna began to move up James and Garrus came out of the door aiming their weapons at the soldier.
A fang filled smile stretched across her face. "Three on one mate, your outnumbered," she muttered with a low satisfied growl.
He, however, smiled instead. "No now it's fun," he said.
Just as he was about to fire the sound of a gun unfolding met his ears. He turned his head a bit to see Thane behind him. The soldier then moved fast knocking the gun out of his hand, the two then began to trade blows with each other. But they couldn't get the upper hand, as Zenna moved the Councillor out of harm's way. Just then the soldier then threw Thane out of the way. The Drell assassin then rolled and stood gun in hand pointing at the soldier but he had vanished.
The four kept their eyes open but then the soldier's cloak then dissipated. They shot at him as he moved and charged at the Drell with a sword in hand. He swung the sword but thane ducked and blocked with his gun. Thane kicked the soldier in the chest twice before using his biotics sending him back into a desk. He ejected a clip from his pistol as the soldier stood and got ready for another attack.
The two charged at each other Thane fired hitting the armour of the solder. The soldier fired but he missed as Thane jumped, as he landed his gun faced the soldier's face. He fired cutting the soldiers cheek before he backed up due to the sword in his gut. The solder withdrew his sword as Thane fell.
"Thane!" Zenna yelled as she shot at the solder who just jumped away.
He landed at the end of the stairs but Zenna was quick on the uptake and followed him fast throwing fireballs at him. But the soldier jumped off the legs and landed on a hover car. As it took off Zenna fired which all did but missed. The sound of gunfire made her turn to see Thane fire at the car before he slid down the wall. Zenna rushed up to him.
"How bad is it?" she asked.
"I have time, catch him," Thane said, as he coughed up blood.
"Shepard what's going on up there?" Bailey then called.
With a growl, Zenna hit her comm. "Thane needs medical help fast," she said as she stood. "And I need to take care of an assassin,"
"He must be after the rest of the council," Bailey muttered with a low curse.
"Get the word out… Udina's trying to seize power. I've got to get the councillors," she said as she moved over to a police car as the rest of the team moved up.
Bailey cursed again. "They're being taken to a shuttle pad on the Presidium. Start driving, I'll try to rise them on comm,"
"Already on it, nicking one of your cars," she replied. "Car number, Echo Echo, Dela 546,"
She got a grunt in confirmation as she accessed the car while James and Garrus jumped in. Garrus going slightly white at Zenna taking the controls. Once in, the car pulled out and sped forwards, speeding towards where she thought the councillors would be. the A few moments later Bailey came over the radio.
"I've got a fix on the council's position. Sending it to your car," he said.
"Got it Bailey we're on the way now," Zenna confirmed as she looked at the location o the car's dash.
Just then the assassin landed on the bonnet of the car. Zenna then pulled out her pistol and fired it though the glass but he moved over the car and onto the back. She opened the door and fired at him but it was blocked by a biotic field. He drove the sword into the engine making the vehicle lose control. The assassin jumped off and into another car. Zenna watched as the car she was on, flew into the market area. Smashing into stalls and shops. Once they stopped the doors opened and the three exited the car.
"Shepard, my instruments say that your car's stopped," Bailey asked over the comm.
"I'm on foot. Any luck contacting the council?" Zenna asked.
"Negative, the guards are dead but we still have vital signs on the council's transponders," he said in annoyance.
As he said that a Cerberus transport came in and dropped off a few troopers who began to fire at them.
"Where are they going?" she asked as she and the other two got to cover.
"The shuttle pad above Shalmar's Plaza. Udina's with them. If he can get them in rage of the assassin it's all over," he said as the troopers moved in.
James threw a grenade into the troopers, causing them to scatter allowing Garrus and Zenna to take them out with ease.
"Let's move," Zenna then yelled as she and James and Garrus then moved up fast.
As they moved up to the maintenance section of the market, a sniper team fired at them. Zenna's shield popped and a round clipped her exposed bicep. She grunted while she moved into cover. Earning his name, Garrus fired at a pipe section behind the snipers. He fired again, this time with a fire round exploding the gas and killing the snipers.
"Where's the council?" Zenna asked as the three of them continued to move.
"In an elevator trying to get to the shuttle bay," Bailey answered, but his voice soon turned confused. "Someone's following them, someone with a sword?"
"He's the one who wounded Thane," Zenna quickly said. "If you have any people in the area, target him,"
They moved up a set of stairs that lead up to the lifts. As the door opened, they saw the assassin with several Cerberus enter a lift. Zenna tried to stop them but the lift closed before she could do anything. James on the other hand opened the other lift she walked over to it and looked down before jumping onto the lift with the other two.
She tapped her comm. "Ok, we're in the shaft, lift 223 echo delta,"
"Hang on this will climb fast." Bailey said.
The lift began to move fast almost making her lose her balance.
"Tell me the assassin hasn't reach the council," she indirectly pleaded at anything.
As the Police commander spoke, Zenna could have sworn she heard some smugness in his voice. "He's trying but I'm making his elevator stop at every floor,"
Shepard couldn't help but smile at that. "Nice, if a little evil."
"Found our friend," James said while pointing at a lift near them.
"Kill his elevator, there's a power conduit underneath," Bailey practically yelled.
Zenna and Garrus took careful aim before firing. The rounds hit their mark and killed the elevator in its tracks.
"Got it," Garrus said as their lift took over.
"Eat that fucker," James yelled.
"Incoming assassins!" Bailey said.
Another lift came up next to Shepards and the troopers began to open fire. Instead of targeting the troopers, James targeted the breaks. The Commander and Garrus picked up and did the same. The breakers exploded, stopping the lift.
"I guess that was their stop," Garrus quipped
"Shepard bad news," Bailey said
Zenna groaned in annoyance. "Is there any other kind?" she asked sarcastically.
"That hit man jumped to another elevator, and he's overridden my controls. He's on his way up and I cannot stop him."
The commander growled. "I'll handle it."
"Here they come!" James yelled.
The lift came in fast prompting all three of them to fire their weapons at it shutting it down. A few moments later another lift came into sight, this was their target.
"Shepard," Bailey called.
"I see it," Zenna confirmed as the lifts levelled out.
She jumped onto the lift, her heavy frame landing with a thud scarring the occupants inside.
"What was that?" Tevos asked and Ashely Williams just reacted.
"Gunman get down!" she said before firing.
The rounds penetrated the ceiling making Zenna roll to the side to avoid the rounds. Udina then hit the stop and they stopped at the next floor. As the door opened Udina was the first one out.
"Go!" Ashley ordered as the rest of the council moved out of the lift.
The five then ran out to the platform as Zenna and her team opened the hatch. The councillors saw the burning wreck of an alliance Kodiak on the platfrom.
"Damn it, Cerberus hit the shuttle. Everybody back to the elevator." Ash said as she turned only to see Zenna come out of the lift followed by Garrus while James locked the door.
Zenna's gun was levelled at Udina, Ash and Tavos looked at the commander puzzled not sure if they needed to do the same.
"Zenna?" Ashley asked.
"Shepard's blocking our escape. She's with these Cerberus!" Udina called out.
"Everyone, calm down," William yelled, looking back at the councillors then back to Shepard. "Commander, what's going on?"
"Udina is behind this…" she said but trailed off as she sniffed the air. "Ashley, can you smell anything?"
Ashely did and frowned, shaking her head, but already understood why. "Someone's using a scent blocker," she muttered.
"What are you talking about?" Spartacus asked.
"I can't smell anything," Ashley practically yelled. "I can't tell if the Commander is telling the truth or not,"
"Because she's the one using the blocker," Udina insisted. "Commander Williams, kill Shepard!"
Zenna watched at Ashley's fingers danced along the grip. Her eyes showing her internal conflict.
"You know me Ash," was all the commander said.
Ashley blinked, nodding before she turned and fired at Udina, getting him in the chest, killing him. As he fell, Spartacus brought up his gun and aimed it at the commander. Shepard and Ashely turned their weapons on him.
"Stand down, both of you," he ordered. "If you don't, I will have you both tried and…" he trailed off as Bailey and several C-sec officers walked out of the lifts. "Commander Bailey, arrest Shepard and Williams for treason,"
"No sir," he said as he walked over to the corpse of Udina, searching through it before pulling a small metal box.
"What's that?" Spartacus asked as he, Shepard and Ashley, lowered their weapons.
"A sent blocker," Bailey said.