Chapter Twenty-Two: Deceptoris

"Pacta sunt servanda"

Martin stood in the dimly lit conference room. It had been almost a week since they'd left the Citadel, and everything was running smoothly for the first time in what felt like forever. The ship was finally working at full capacity, the thrusters purring with precision, and the auxiliary systems no longer flickered with every small adjustment in speed.

But something else had changed, something within him.

Martin felt stronger and more focused than ever before. His movements were sharper, and his senses heightened in a way that made him feel like he could take on anything. Yet, that confidence came with a faint tinge of unease. It wasn't natural to feel this good, especially after everything they'd been through. The nightmares, the exhaustion, the constant battles... all seemed distant now, almost as if they had never happened. He clenched his fists experimentally, feeling his strength surge, and exhaled slowly.

Before him, spread out across the conference table, was his entire arsenal. His Termius armor, polished and gleaming under the soft lights, took up one end. His two pistols, cleaned and loaded, sat nearby. The familiar weight of his modified M-97 Viper rifle rested in the center alongside his M-100 grenade launcher. Packs of Medi-gel, his first aid kit, and various grenades were meticulously organized in neat rows. Halfway through checking the flashbangs, he heard the door slide open behind him.

Velpia walked in, her presence almost happy and curious even before she spoke. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice casual, though there was a hint of curiosity beneath the surface.

Martin didn't look up immediately. He finished inspecting the grenade in his hand before placing it carefully back on the table. "Just... something I used to do before deployment." He gestured to the spread of weapons and equipment. "As a Marine, I'd lay everything out like this. Take account of what I had, make sure everything worked the way it should." He picked up his helmet, running his fingers along the sleek, modified standard-issue Alliance design, checking the insides for any cracks or visible damage before setting it aside.

Velpia tilted her head, watching him with interest. "And? Is everything accounted for?"

Martin began listing off his gear. "Termius armor, My two lucky pistols, M-97 Viper, M-100 grenade launcher. Six-packs of Medi-gel, a first aid kit, Kbar knife, utility knife. Six flashbangs, four frag grenades, two inferno grenades, two stims, an Omni-blade, annnnnd" He paused for a moment before holding up his arm, deploying his omni-shield with a faint hum, followed by the crackling energy. "And, of course, this."

Velpia blinked, visibly taken aback. She glanced over the array of weapons again as if seeing them for the first time. "You're really taking this mission seriously, aren't you?"

Martin finally looked up at her, his expression calm but resolute. "I don't intend to die out here."

Velpia seemed to falter for a moment, but then she smirked, that familiar confidence returning. She leaned against the table's edge, her eyes flicking between the gear and Martin. "You know, I always liked this about you. That focus. That determination." Her voice dropped slightly, taking on a more suggestive tone. "It's kind of... attractive."

Martin didn't react, his attention shifting back to the task at hand. He began reassembling one of his pistols, methodically checking each piece. "Velpia," he said softly, his tone carrying a warning. Undeterred, she leaned in closer, her hand brushing lightly against his arm. "Come on, Martin. Don't act like we haven't been close to each other."

Martin stopped, his mind filling with annoyance. He was busy, and her constant advances troubled him as if she was forcing the situation. It seemed too artificial. He set the pistol down and turned to face her fully, his gaze steady and unyielding. "There was a time when maybe I'd have agreed," he said quietly, "but not right now."

Velpia's expression shifted, her confident facade cracking. "What's that supposed to mean?" she said while recoiling.

Martin's jaw tightened. "You weren't there, Velpia. When I was lying unconscious in that med-bay, it wasn't you who was watching over me. It was Rinn. You weren't anywhere to be found. You ran off scared while the others looked after me."

Velpia stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "That's not fair—"

"It's the truth," Martin interrupted, his voice firm but not unkind. "Rinn was the one who took care of me. She was there when I needed someone. You weren't. Shit, you didn't even come to talk to me after you cleaned me up." A flash of anger crossed Velpia's face, and she stepped back, crossing her arms defensively. "So, what, this is about her? You're pushing me away for that little Quarian?"

Martin shook his head. "This isn't about her. It's about you. You decided to run off instead of facing the situation for what it was. And besides, I'm not the idiot you think I am. I've learned a few things over the last few weeks."

Martin raised his arm, activating his omni-tool, and pressed a button.

Velpia's eyes widened as the gruff Turian voice reverberated around the room. "Hmm, Do you still have the human male in your sights?"

"Yes, sir, he is still aboard the ship. He's just resting from a fight with a Krogan."

Martin dropped his arm as Velpia's mouth hung open in complete surprise. "See, remember when you linked our Omni-tools up on Omega all that time ago? After you showed back up on Illium and jumped me at the merchant, I did some digging and noticed a few access logs in the dev settings on this thing and noticed you had been monitoring me. But you made a mistake. You set us both up as administrators." A smile had started to set on Martin's face, a definite Gotcha moment he started to feel in his chest that he couldn't hide from his face. "I had it automatically set to record any inbound or outbound messages, audio or text. Even when I was out, it was tracking you."

"You son-of-a-bitch." Velpia blurted.

Martin chuckled while stepping toward her. He quickly reached out and grabbed her head from both sides, sinisterly pulling her head down to his. Her fear was evident to him. He could smell it. "I want you to understand something." He paused, taking a deep breath. "You jeopardize this mission; you won't live for long." He growled. Martin began to smile again as he lifted his head above hers and kissed her forehead tenderly before letting go. He turned away and back to the table as if nothing happened. Velpia slowly straightened herself and took a few steps backward, awkwardly bumping into the table and leaving the room.

Martin smiled at her fear. He had hoped he had made his point clear; he didn't want this mission to fail, nor did he want a confrontation with her. He wanted it all to be done so he could go about his business.

Martin leaned over the table, his smirk fading as he resumed checking his weapons. The sound of Velpia's hurried steps faded into the corridor, leaving him in silence. He glanced at the Viper in his hands, but his mind wasn't on the rifle. His chest tightened slightly as the adrenaline of the confrontation wore off. The rush of asserting control over Velpia. He was proud of how he'd handled it. But Velpia had been a part of his past, someone who had fought beside him in more ways than one. But she'd crossed a line, one that he couldn't ignore. Trust was fragile, and he couldn't afford to have anyone playing for a different team in this mission.

A sharp pang hit his temples, and Martin winced, rubbing his forehead. The headache had been coming and going since he woke up from that hellish nightmare. He'd chalked it up to stress, but it hadn't faded but happened less often. He finished reassembling the rifle, placed it back on the table, sank into one of the chairs, and stared at the wall in front of him. A low beep from his omni-tool interrupted his thoughts. He looked down, half-expecting another log from Velpia, but it was a message from Rinn. "Bridge is clear if you want to come up. Just us right now. Thought you might want a quiet moment." He sighed and closed the message, pocketing the tool. Maybe he would take her up on that. A moment, not just playing with his toys. With one last glance at his gear, Martin pushed himself to his feet and headed out of the conference room, the door sliding shut behind him.

The corridor to the bridge was dimly lit, casting long shadows on the walls. The steady and reassuring hum of the ship's engines filled the silence. He checked both ways to ensure the corridor was clear before heading up. As he reached the entrance, he paused, turning off his omni-tool before stepping inside.

Rinn sat at the front, her hands moving deftly over the controls. The Quarian's posture was relaxed, but there was an alertness to her movements. She turned her head slightly at the sound of his footsteps.

"Everything okay?" she asked softly, her helmet tilting in his direction. Martin stepped further in, standing beside her at the console. "Yeah, just... saw your message." Rinn nodded. "Figured you might have needed the company." She glanced out at the stars ahead, the vastness of space stretching out before them.

"You mean you needed the company?" Martin joked, looking out the front view window. Rinn looked up at his reflection in the window, stopping what she was doing. "You're not wrong." She paused, letting the quiet settle between them for a moment before speaking again. "I just wanted to ensure I didn't fall asleep up here. Athria and Dez would probably kill me."

"Nah, they'd probably blame it on me somehow." Rinn giggled at his comment, "They sure like to yell at you."

"Yeah, I tend to piss off everyone around me. It's like my secret ability or something." Martin looked away from the window, sitting next to her, before playing with the console. "You mean like how you just pissed off Velpia?" Martin chuckled at the statement. He had forgotten just how small the ship was. "You heard that?"

Rinn nodded, "What happened between you too? The few times I've talked to her, she made it seem like you two were something."

Martin sighed, leaning back in the chair and running a hand over his face. "It wasn't really like that," he began, his voice low. "Velpia and I, we were close, sure. But we never fully... clicked. Not in the way everyone assumes. It was more of a partnership. We fought together and watched each other's backs. She taught me a lot about everything after I woke up. I owe her everything, but it wasn't some grand romance." He glanced at Rinn, her helmet reflecting the lights from the console obscuring her eyes. "We both wanted different things. She wanted to go back to Palaven to be a real Turian, and I respected that. And I, well, didn't know what I wanted to do still, so we went on our own ways."

Rinn was quiet for a moment, absorbing his words. "Then why's she acting like this now? She seems... possessive."

Martin let out a bitter chuckle. "I don't think it's about me, not really. Velpia's trying to use whatever she can to get what she wants." He leaned back in the chair but raised his leg, resting it higher, while lowering his voice. "She either is uncomfortable with me surrounded by women, or what I think she's trying to do is trying to manipulate me into betraying this mission. She's working for someone else—someone who's pulling the strings."

Rinn tensed, her hands gripping the console a little tighter. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm not letting it happen," Martin replied, his tone hardening. "Whatever game she's playing, I'm not falling for it. I don't half-ass contracts. I'm certainly not going to let her derail it."

Rinn turned her head slightly to face him. "And what about us? The rest of the crew. If she's working against us, how do we stop her without tearing everything apart?"

Martin stared at the stars outside the window, his thoughts racing. "We keep an eye on her. Maybe we can convince her not to. I don't hate her, and I can understand the situation she's probably in, but at the end of the day, we have to take care of ourselves. If she becomes a problem, we deal with it."

Rinn nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I trust you can handle the situation."

Martin nodded, not sure if he could handle the situation. The last thing he wanted was her blood on his hands, no matter if she deserved it or not. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars. The site of the void still made him feel uneasy, but not like he used to, almost as if he was getting used to it.

"Do you ever think about what comes after all this?" Rinn asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper. Martin blinked, caught off guard by the question. He hadn't allowed himself to think that far ahead. Survival had been his focus, his purpose. But now, with the ship running smoothly and a moment of peace, the thought of a future beyond this loomed uncertainly in his mind. "I don't know," he admitted after a long pause. "I guess... I haven't really thought about it. Too busy getting beat to shit by Krogans." He joked.

Rinn shook her head. Her body giggled slightly as if holding in a laugh. "I can thankfully say I've never had that problem." She glanced at him briefly before returning her gaze forward. "But if you do get the chance, it's worth thinking about. There's more to life than just surviving."

Martin didn't respond right away. Her words lingered in his mind, echoing in the silence that followed. There was truth in what she said, but he wasn't sure he was ready to face that yet.

For now, surviving was all he knew. "One step at a time," he finally muttered.

Rinn smiled beneath her helmet, a soft warmth in her voice. "One step at a time."

""""""""""""

Velpia stood near the viewport. Arms crossed tightly against her chest as she watched Omega's towering structures loom closer. The ship was coming in for refueling, but her mind was still stuck on the previous day's confrontation with Martin. His words echoed in her mind, each one cutting deeper than the last. She clenched her fists, jaw tight, trying to push it all away.

"Omega, docking in five," Dez's voice came over the intercom. "Time to stretch your legs, kids."

Velpia barely heard her. Her thoughts were too clouded, anger and frustration swirling together like a storm she couldn't calm. She had to get off the ship, get away from all of it—even if only for a few hours. As the ship docked, the familiar hum of the engines powering down filled the air. Athria, Dez, and Rinn were gathered near the airlock, their eyes briefly meeting hers. Velpia avoided their gazes, focusing on the door ahead, feeling the tension rising in her chest again.

"Velpia," Athria started, but Velpia stormed past them, not looking back.

"She's going to blow," Dez muttered under her breath. "One of you should probably follow her before she does something stupid."

Rinn gave Martin a sidelong glance, and Athria raised an eyebrow. Martin sighed, his expression weary as he glanced after Velpia. "I'll go," he said reluctantly. "You three stay here. Keep an eye on the ship."

Without waiting for a response, Martin stepped out into the docking bay. He could see Velpia ahead, moving quickly, her figure slipping through the crowds of Omega's lower levels. He quickened his pace, muttering to himself. "Dammit, Velpia."

Omega was as chaotic as ever—the sharp mix of lights and smoke filling the air, the scent of cheap drinks and sulfuric desperation hanging thick. The kind of place you either loved or hated and for Velpia, it was a sanctuary when things got too complicated. Martin pushed through the crowds, keeping his eyes trained on her familiar silhouette. He thought he lost her a few times, but thankfully, she was too tall to hide forever.

Eventually, he found her in a dimly lit bar, nursing a drink. She sat in a shadowy corner, her back to the door. Martin paused at the entrance, scanning the room before making his way over to her, making sure there weren't any other surprises waiting for him. He didn't sit immediately, just hovered near the table, arms crossed.

"You going to ignore me all day, or can we talk?"

Velpia didn't turn to look at him. She took a slow sip from her glass, eyes fixed ahead as if he wasn't even there. "Go away, Martin."

He rolled his eyes, exasperated. "Velpia, you can't just walk off the ship like that. We aren't staying here long enough to pout like this."

"Oh, now you care?" she snapped, finally turning her head and glaring up at him. "Now you care about me?"

Martin blinked, annoyed by the sudden hostility. "Oh, not this shit."

Velpia stood abruptly, the chair screeching across the floor as she shoved it back. "You used me! You always have! From the moment we met, I was just someone you could rely on when it was convenient, someone you could push aside when you didn't need me."

"Velpia, that's not—"

"You don't care about me!" she cut him off, her voice rising. Several patrons nearby glanced in their direction, but Martin ignored them, his patience wearing thin. Velpia's voice cracked with emotion, her fists clenched at her sides. "You just...you left me behind, Martin. You abandoned me, and now you're acting like I'm the problem!"

Martin's jaw tightened. He didn't want to escalate this, but the constant accusations were grating on him. "I told you what happened. You made your choices. I made mine. We were never what you're making it out to be. And if you can't handle that, then maybe you should stay here on Omega, where you can run from everything."

Velpia's anger faltered, her eyes widening slightly at his words. Its bluntness seemed to snap something in her, breaking through the storm swirling in her chest. She stared at him momentarily as if seeing him for the first time since their argument.

"You...you don't want me to come back?" she asked, her voice quieter now, uncertain.

Martin sighed heavily, stepping closer to her. "You need to decide if you're in this for real or if you're just gonna keep acting like a coward and run from everything like you've always have. Because I can't have someone on this ship who's not all in, and if you keep pulling this crap, I'll leave you here, no questions asked. I don't hate you, Vee. I don't know what's going on with you lately, but you either need to accept the truth and the mission or leave."

Velpia's breath caught in her throat, the words hitting her harder than she expected. She swallowed hard, her anger slowly dissipating, replaced by something else—regret, maybe, or guilt. "I...I didn't mean to let it get this far," she admitted softly, looking away. "Yeah, neither did I. I understand it, but this isn't the time. We can talk about this later somewhere private." Martin looked around at the other patrons looking at him. "What the fuck are all of you looking at?" He angrily yelled as the patron quickly diverted their gaze.

"I'm sorry." Velpia timidly responded. Martin watched her for a moment before nodding, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Good. Now, let's head back before Athria sends a search party." She slowly stood up from her chair and followed him out of the bar.

They walked back together in silence, the atmosphere between them more settled, though still tense. But something nagged at the back of Velpia's Mind. The docking bay was eerily quiet, too quiet for a place like Omega.

Velpia hesitated as they reached the airlock. "Something's wrong."

Martin's eyes narrowed as he approached the door controls. He tried activating the comms, but all he got was static. "Comms are down," he muttered, glancing at Velpia. "Stay behind me."

The door slid open with the usual hiss, and they stepped inside cautiously. The ship was dark, the usual hum of activity absent. No sign of Athria, Dez, or Rinn. The unsettling stillness made the hair on Martin's neck stand up.

"They wouldn't have just left," Velpia whispered, her hand hovering near her pistol.

Martin nodded, moving deeper into the ship. Everything was wrong, and now she felt this was her fault.

They checked through the ship and found nothing. All the equipment, food, and data remained on the ship, but no sign of a struggle. Comms were still down. Something was jamming them. Velpia was still on the Bridge when Martin entered with a usual heaviness to his steps. She turned around quickly to see him in his new heavy armor. It was black with red highlights. He was encased in protection, his shoulder pads coming up to the sides of his head. He looked out of place in it. He always wore that same old light armor with his clothes and a chest rig over it. This made him look professional and intimidating but still a little short.

"I take it we should expect trouble?" Velpia asked. "I'm not going into this unprepared; besides, I need to break this thing," he replied.

"Well, don't go falling over in that thing. You might not be able to get back up." Velpia joked. "Har har, did you find anything?"

She turned around and found a PDA set next to one of the consoles. Velpia turned, picked it up, and handed it to him. He quickly took possession of it and started playing a recording. He slid over next to her so she could see.

As they watched, a few masked humans dropped out of a maintenance hatch on the bridge and forced the crew to surrender not too long after they left. Martin looked up, noticing the hatch. "Shit, I'm guessing no one checked the ship for stowaways after we left the Citadel." He paused before looking at her. "Can you pull anything up on the External cameras? To see where they went?"

Velpia nodded before jumping over to one of the consoles and began feverishly going to work. She pulled up the files, rewinding it to the timestamp on the PDA. They watched as the crew were escorted out to a skycar.

"Well, shit," Martin said. "Must of had some friends on Omega." Velpia shut off the recording before slamming her hand on the console. "Great, we don't who they are or where they took them. How are we going to find them?"

Martin brushed his hand through his hair and turned away from her before spinning back around and snapping his fingers. He lifted his hand and started messing with his Omni-tool.

"What are you doing?" Velpia asked. Martin stopped and looked back at her with a smile. "Remember how you tracked me and all that?" He paused, waiting for her to respond, but she just leaned in, widening her eyes. "Well?"

He got the hint and continued, "Athria did the same thing. She's a bit better with Tech, but it should still allow me to track her down, at least if we get close."

"So, what? We fly around until you get a hit?" Velpia responded confused.

"Yes." He stared at her, unknowingly thinking he had done something wrong. Velpia sighed. "Today just isn't my day. Come on, let's go."

Martin smirked faintly as Velpia sighed, already feeling the weight of the situation bearing down on them. He made his way back toward the skycar while Velpia lingered for a moment, her fingers still drumming lightly on the console. She was frustrated—at the situation, at herself, at Martin. Everything felt like it was slipping away from her grasp, but now was not the time to dwell on it.

Velpia followed Martin out of the ship, the sounds of Omega's chaos hitting them like a wall as they emerged into the docking bay. Martin quickly checked his omni-tool one last time, ensuring the tracker was active before nodding toward the skycar.

"You're driving," he said without much fanfare.

Velpia arched an eyebrow but didn't argue. She slid into the pilot seat, and the engine roared to life beneath her hands. Martin settled in beside her, his eyes fixed on his omni-tool, scanning for any sign of Athria's signal. The silence between them was usual. Martin was focused on his readings, leaving her still reeling from their conversation from earlier. For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The only sounds were the hum of the skycar's engine and the occasional beeps from Martin's omni-tool as it searched for the signal. Velpia's fingers gripped the controls tightly, her gaze fixed on the endless maze of Omega's spires ahead.

Finally, Velpia broke the silence. "This isn't how I imagined things would turn out, you know."

Martin didn't look up from his omni-tool. "What, exactly, did you imagine?"

Velpia exhaled sharply, her frustration visible. "Not this. Not...us. Not you chasing me down every damn time we're in trouble." Martin let out a low, humorless chuckle. "We were never supposed to be easy, Velpia."

"Clearly," she muttered, her voice laced with sarcasm. "But I also didn't expect to get ignored, tossed aside, and replaced so quickly." At this, Martin glanced over at her, his expression hardening. "I'm not ignoring you. I'm trying to find our crew. And I don't have time to get into this right now." Velpia's grip on the controls tightened, and her jaw clenched. "Right. Of course. Always the mission first."

Martin returned his attention to the omni-tool, scanning the data in silence. Velpia kept her eyes on the sky ahead, her thoughts spinning and her chest's frustration growing.

"How are you and Rinn doing, then?" she asked, her tone sarcastic as she glanced sideways at him. "You two seem to be getting along pretty well these days." Martin's head snapped up from his omni-tool, his brow furrowing in disbelief at the implication. "What the hell, Vee?" he said, his voice sharp, offended by the accusation. "Nothing is going on between me and Rinn. There never was, and there never will be. The last thing I need is you two picking fights with each other, so drop it. This is one of the reasons I don't get involved with people I work with!"

Velpia's hands tightened around the controls, her gaze fixed ahead, trying to mask the flicker of regret across her face. She hadn't meant to lash out, but her emotions were all over the place—anger, jealousy, guilt—it was a mess she couldn't untangle right now.

"I didn't mean..." Velpia started, her voice trailing as she struggled for the right words. She didn't look at him. "Forget it." Martin sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he forced his focus back on the omni-tool. The skycar weaved through Omega's towering structures, the lights of the city flashing past them in a blur.

"Look," Martin said after a long pause, his tone softer but still firm. "I'm not saying we can't talk about this. But not now. We need to find Athria.. We'll deal with...whatever this is later." Velpia didn't respond immediately, her eyes narrowing slightly as she steered the skycar. An unspoken frustration bubbled beneath the surface, but she knew he was right. Now wasn't the time. "Fine," she muttered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the engines. "Later, then."

She was about to say something else when she caught the glint of something out of the corner of her eye—a faint blip on the skyline, like a skycar disappearing into the distance. "Did you see that?" she asked, her voice suddenly more alert. Martin lifted his head and squinted in the direction she was pointing. "What?"

Velpia angled the skycar upward, moving closer to where she'd seen the flash. As they approached, Martin's omni-tool beeped loudly, the signal suddenly becoming much stronger. His eyes widened slightly as he read the display.

"That's them," he said, the tension in his voice unmistakable. Velpia accelerated, weaving through the congested sky lanes with practiced precision. The signal grew stronger as they closed in on the location, a nondescript warehouse nestled deep within Omega's underbelly. It was the perfect place to stash someone without drawing too much attention. "It a little weird that it's this easy." Martin murmmered

Martin's gaze darkened as they approached the building, and Velpia landed the skycar with barely a jolt. They both stepped out, drawing their weapons as they got out. "Stay close," Martin muttered, activating his omni-tool again as he checked his weapons. He was still in his heavy armor, its weight giving him an imposing presence. Velpia drew her pistol and nodded, her movements more cautious than usual.

They quickly moved to the warehouse entrance and took positions on either side of the door. They both paused for a moment as Martin checked the omni-tool again. Velpia's heart was pounding; it felt like it was pushing up against her armor. This entire situation had her nerves on edge. He held up his omni-tool, showing her the signal. "They're inside. Ready?"

Velpia nodded, and with a swift motion, Martin activated the door controls. The door slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor beyond. They moved quickly, their weapons raised, their footsteps silent against the cold metal floor. The silence inside was unsettling, broken only by the faint hum of machinery in the distance. They moved deeper into the facility, their eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. As they approached a door near the back of the building, Martin's omni-tool pinged again, louder this time. He glanced at Velpia, his face grim. "This is it."

Velpia nodded, her grip tightening on her pistol. Martin stepped forward, activating the door controls, and the door slid open with a soft hiss. Inside, they found Athria, Dez, and Rinn all tied and lying in the center of the room, surrounded by crates.

Velpia rushed to Athria's side, cutting the bonds with a quick flick of her omni-blade. "Athria, wake up," she whispered urgently. Martin, meanwhile, moved toward Rinn, checking her pulse. "They're alive," he said, relief evident. "They look like they were tranquilized," Velpia yelled back.

The sound of an out-of-place footstep caught Martin's ear. He turned and raised his pistol in the direction. "O'Captain, my Captain," a voice laughed in the dark as lights began to flicker on.

Velpia's heart jumped out of her chest. There was only one person who ever called Martin "Captian." She quickly took to his side as a few dozen fighters showed themselves, and a Man stepped forward. Continuing his speech,

"O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,

The ship has weathered every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;."

The man laughed loudly, echoing out across the warehouse. "That's not Dallas..." Martin trailed.

"You are so right, my Captain." The man leaped off the catwalk down to the floor, catching himself in a practiced display. He stood and straightened himself. He was covered in full combat armor, a bit weathered but otherwise functioning. "You should see yourself right now. Almost like you've seen a ghost." The man smirked while taking a step ever closer.

"Williams," Martin paused. "No, you're dead." Velpia flashed her sight to Martin. "Just shoot him already!" She yelled, bringing up her pistol. Williams' had flashed with a blue hue as he raised his arm and pushed her back across the floor, sliding on her back, flinging her pistol away from her. Martin fired a shot. The deafening sound filled the room, but Williams was better. He dodged and charged him, knocking the weapon from his hand. Martin stepped back to dodge Williams' fist while drawing his other pistol, but this was also knocked from his grip. With a lightning-fast kick to the chest, Martin stumbled backward as he regained his composure. His armor taking most of the force away.

"So, quickly, you would try to kill a friend? No questions? My, how times have changed."

Martin smirked at Williams' display, but he refocused. "No, who the hell are you? Williams is dead. He was sick, dying."

Williams laughed. "Oh, he died alright. Dallas made sure of that. I am just his spirit, what should have been him." Velpia stood up and moved towards her pistol as a shot rang out from the top catwalks, striking the pistol and exploding it into pieces. Velpia quickly turned back towards the shooters. "I would advise you not to move any further. They have orders to kill anyone that interferes." Williams yelled to her.

"None of this makes any sense. Cerberus said they'd stay away!" Martin protested. Williams laughed again. "Is that what they told you?" he continued to laugh. "Good, then you are all mine now. If you haven't noticed, I'm not with Cerberus."

"Then why?"

Williams grinned darkly, taking a step closer to Martin. "Why? You really don't get it, do you? It's simple—because you're the last piece of the puzzle. You were always part of the experiment. Project Titan wasn't just about making super soldiers; it was about pushing the limits of human evolution. And you were right there with us."

Martin narrowed his eyes, his mind racing. Project Titan—that nightmare, seeing what Cerberus had done to the few he may have once cared about. The confusion started to give way to anger. The man standing in front of him wasn't Williams, no matter how much he looked and sounded like him. "You lying sack of shit," Martin said coldly. "Williams turned on the project. He sabotaged everything—it was monstrous. He tried to take it all down, even if it meant killing all of us, including me."

Williams—no, the man claiming to be Williams—shrugged with a wry smile. "You're half right, Captain. The original Williams did turn on the project, yes. He sabotaged Project Titan, tried to kill every last one of us, and Dallas made sure he paid for it with his life. But I'm not him." Velpia, still on edge and keeping her distance, stared in disbelief. "What the hell are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice strained as she tried to steady her breathing. Her eyes darted between Martin and Williams, trying to figure out what kind of madness they'd just stumbled into.

The clone—Williams—shifted his gaze to her, his eyes cold and calculating. "I'm a clone. One of several, in fact. When Cerberus realized the original Williams was sick, they used his DNA to create copies—clones of him, each used to figure out what went wrong. Each one implanted with fragments of his memories, enough to recreate his mindset, but without the...defect that made him fail."

Martin clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest. "Shit, he was right," Martin remembered the information downloaded into his control chip after it was disabled. The reason why the original Williams went down the deep end. He saw his clones and thought he was one- a failed one- and decided to end the project any way he knew how.

Williams nodded, almost casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Exactly. After the New Dawn facility was destroyed, I was the only one that woke up. Confused at first, sure—imagine waking up with someone else's memories, not knowing who you really are. But then, over time, things started to make sense. I realized that the original Williams wasn't wrong."

Martin's breath caught in his throat. "What?"

Williams' smile disappeared, replaced by a steely resolve. "Project Titan should never have existed. The things Cerberus was doing—the things they did to us—we are the abominations. So, like the original Williams, I came to the same conclusion. This project, everything it represents, needs to be destroyed. And that includes you, Captain. You and I are the only things left."

The warehouse seemed to close in around them. Martin's pulse quickened, and he took a cautious step back, his eyes never leaving Williams. "So that's why you've been hunting me down," Martin said quietly, piecing it together. "You think killing me will put an end to this."

"Not think, Captain," Williams said, his voice filled with certainty. "I know it will. You were one of the few successful subjects of Project Titan—Cerberus's prized soldier. Hell, you were the only one with enough intelligence to stay alive. As long as you live, their work lives on. You're the key to everything they want."

Velpia stood frozen, processing what was unfolding in front of her. "You don't have to do this," she called out, her voice firm despite the fear creeping into her chest. Williams laughed again, the sound bitter. "You think it's that simple? This isn't about sides anymore. It's about wiping out what's left of that project and cutting the last thread. It's the only reason I see in existing, the only reason given to me. And I will see it done."

Martin's jaw clenched. He'd been through enough betrayals and lies to recognize when a mind was made up. He smiled while clenching his fists again. "You know, if you'd convinced me you were the real thing, I might have started to hesitate to kill you, but you," Martin paused, "You are just an imitation. You've done fucked up."

The clone returned a smile as if taking joy from Martin's reaction. "Good, I was hoping for a good fight, A grand ending to this saga!"

Without another word, Williams lunged forward, a biotic charge propelling him toward Martin like a bullet. Martin barely had time to react, his instincts kicking in as he rolled out of the way, the force of Williams' charge sending crates crashing to the ground. They both stood back up before Williams tried again; this time, Martin attempted to hold his ground, and at the last second before impact, Martin switched on his Omni-Sheild and pressed his body against it. The thunderous clap of the impact sent a shockwave through the warehouse, forcing him backward some distance. Williams grabbed the shield on either side, trying to force his way past the bright orange shield.

Velpia scrambled for cover amidst the distraction and dove for one of Martin's pistols before getting behind cover. The other Mercs, realizing what was going on, started firing at her. He popped up from the cover, holding the pistol with both hands, remembering the forceful kickback the pistol produced, and fired the weapon. The pistol recoiled back, nearly smacking her in the face as she ducked back behind the crates, shaking one of her hands from the pain.

Martin grunted as Williams pushed harder against his Omni-Shield, the clone's biotic strength overwhelming. Sparks flew from the barrier as it strained under the pressure. Even with Martin's recovered strength, the clone felt stronger. He tried to keep his footing as the clone pressed forward with the full force of his enhanced strength.

With a final shove, Williams flung Martin backward, sending him crashing into a stack of crates. The impact knocked the wind out of him, his vision blurring momentarily as he hit the ground hard.Damnit, this fucker is strong.Martin rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a biotic blast that shattered the crates behind him. The clone was relentless, already closing in again.

Velpia, from her position behind cover, saw her chance. She popped up again, taking a breath to steady herself before squeezing the trigger. The first shot went wide, but the second struck one of the mercenaries on the catwalk in the chest, knocking him back. The recoil slammed into her shoulder again, and she cursed under her breath, her hand trembling from the impact.

A groan caught her attention—Athria was starting to stir. Velpia rushed over, ducking her head as bullets whizzed past. "Athria, come on, wake up!" she urged, shaking the Asari. Athria's eyes fluttered open, confusion clouding her gaze before she snapped into focus.

"What's—" Athria began, but Velpia cut her off.

"No time! Get them up. We need to move!" Velpia grabbed Rinn next, helping the Quarian sit up. Athria, still groggy, worked on untying Dez, her fingers moving clumsily as her strength returned.

Gunfire ricocheted off the walls, and Velpia peeked out from behind the crate to see Williams toss Martin into another pile of debris. "He's not going to last much longer against that guy," she thought, adrenaline spiking in her veins. She needed to get them out of there.

"Athria, Rinn, Dez—move!" Velpia shouted, helping them to their feet as they scrambled for cover. Bullets tore through the air, and Velpia fired another shot, this time hitting a merc in the leg. The pistol bucked violently again, but she managed to stay standing.

Martin, struggling to his feet, saw them making a break for it. He needed to buy them time. Williams advanced again, his biotics flaring to life as he prepared for another charge. Martin winced, his body aching from the beating he'd taken.Gotta be smarter about this, he thought, scanning the room.

Velpia ushered the others toward a more secure spot, just behind a thick metal beam that provided decent cover from the gunfire. "We need a plan," she muttered, keeping her eyes on the mercenaries. Athria, still shaky but more alert now, nodded. "We don't have any weapons of our own, and Martin's getting torn apart. We have to do something."

Rinn crouched low beside her and tapped her omni-tool, her eyes flicking up to Velpia. "I could try to hack their comms or the warehouse systems. Maybe shut off the lights or trigger some distractions?"

"Good idea, but we'll need more than that," Velpia said. Her mind raced. "Williams is too powerful for Martin alone, and those mercs won't stop firing until we're dead."

"Maybe we don't need to fight them all head-on," Dez chimed in, rubbing his wrists where the bonds had been. "We create enough chaos, we might be able to pick them off or get them to retreat. They're mercs—if the situation turns bad enough, they won't stick around."

Velpia nodded. "Alright, Rinn, get to work on the lights or any system you can control. Athria, if you've got any biotics left in you, we're going to need them. Dez—find anything around here that can be used as a weapon or distraction. We're running out of time."

As Rinn started working on her omni-tool, Martin managed to dodge another biotic blast, rolling to his feet, but it was clear he was running out of steam. Williams laughed darkly, sensing victory. "Running already, Captain? I expected more from you."

Martin clenched his jaw, blood dripping from a cut on his forehead. He glanced toward the others, seeing Rinn's fingers flying over her omni-tool, Velpia, and Athria watching him intently. Just need to hold him off a bit longer.

He charged Williams, feigning another attack, but at the last second, he slid under the clone's swing, grabbing a piece of metal debris and hurling it at one of the overhead lights. The room dimmed slightly as the light exploded in a shower of sparks, momentarily blinding the mercs on the catwalk.

"Now!" Velpia yelled as the distraction took hold. Rinn triggered something on her omni-tool, and the remaining lights flickered, throwing the warehouse into a darkened haze. Martin saw his opening. With the chaos unfolding around them, the mercenaries hesitated, their attention divided between Velpia's gunfire and the sudden darkness. Lights flashed from muzzle firing as the mercs attempted to turn on their Flashlights.

Williams looked around him, not knowing where Martin had run off to. The sound of gunfire flashed brief lights around him. He charged his biotics to see, only to hear the sound of an Omni-blade unfolding behind him. Martin jammed it into his side, stunning Williams, who let out a sickening gasp of air. "Too slow," Martin whispered.

"Martin, over here!" Velpia called, her voice cutting through the din of battle. He saw her motioning toward their cover, where Athria was preparing for a biotic counterattack, her energy returning. He reveled in his victory, but he knew he had to move. Martin pulled the omni-blade from the clone's side before taking off to the others.