Ground Zero

Normandy, 2185, November 6th 10:33 AM

"No, no, no." I glare at the blinking error message on the datapad. "You're supposed to parse the input, not crash the whole damn loop." I scroll up, searching for the reason. There, a missing bracket. I fix it and run the code again. Finally, it's compiling.

"What the fuck are you mumbling about?" Jack asks, leaning back on the bed as she looks up at me.

I hold up the datapad with a grin. "Upgrading my hacking code."

She just shrugs, not seeming impressed. "Why not just buy one?"

"Where's the fun in that? Besides, I prefer custom." I activate my omni-tool, holding it up. "Serrice Council Omni-Core 10, Rosenkov processor, and Ariake stealth optimisation. Expensive as hell and illegal in half the galaxy, but it's totally worth it."

"You're such a nerd." She rolls her eyes. "I almost miss when you had kitchen duty and weren't around."

"Hey!" I feign offence, clutching my chest. "Rude." It's still bullshit I got in trouble when I actually helped Archangel.

She smirks, already tuning me out and focusing back on the datapad in her lap. I take the opportunity to scan my code to my omni-tool. Nulan was the real genius at this sort of thing, but I can hold my own. And… I may have gotten a little help from Tali.

As I wait for the upload, my fingers drift to the necklace under my shirt. It's strange to have people I can call friends again. I don't get along with everyone on this ship… especially not Archangel and the Cerberus loyalists, but it's hard not to care about them all.

"Son of a bitch…" Jack gasps, her voice filled with urgency. "I found it."

I glance over. "The place you're looking for?"

"Yeah." She doesn't look up, her eyes still on the screen. "I have the coordinates. The Teltin facility on Pragia."

"All right." I stand up, brushing dust from my pants. "Let's go tell Riley."

"Wait," she says, stopping me mid-step.

"What's up?" I turn around, noticing the weird look on her face. Like she's deciding whether to tell something.

"Vex, before we tell her, I need to destroy that place." She puts the datapad down, her hands curling into fists on her knees. "I'm not talking about vandalism. I want to go straight to the heart… my cell. I want to plant the biggest fucking bomb I can find and watch the whole place burn from orbit."

"Cell?" I frown. "What do you mean? Was it some kind of prison?"

"Sort of." Her eyes darken, and for the first time, I see something vulnerable beneath the tough exterior. "Cerberus took me when I was a kid. They did tests like I was some kind of fucking science experiment."

I take a step forward. "What?"

"They tortured me." Her voice is flat as she looks down at the datapad. "Drugged me. Forced me to push my biotics until I thought I'd die. All so they could make a perfect biotic." She laughs bitterly. "Well, they got what they wanted, and now I'm coming for them."

"Jack… I'm sorry." I cross the room, placing a hand on her shoulder. "That's... that's fucked up."

"No kidding." She looks up, meeting my gaze. "And you're not the one that needs to apologise."

I nod, reassuringly squeezing her shoulder. "I'm with you. Let's blow up a fucking Cerberus facility."

A slow grin spreads across her face. "Fuck yeah."

Normandy, 2185, November 8th 9:18 PM

I lean back on the couch, staring up at the spacelight. My mind drifts to tomorrow. This mission, if you can call it that, is important to Jack. I want to help her.

I just hope she's ready for this.

The bathroom door opens, and Riley steps out, humming some absent-minded tune. She crosses the room and pauses at the top of the stairs, her bare feet quiet against the metal floor.

"What are you thinking about?" Riley asks as she starts down the steps.

"Jack." I sit up slightly, glancing at her. "I want tomorrow to go well."

Riley stops at the bottom, folding her arms as she studies me. "Are you sure Jack can handle this? Walking into that place will bring back a lot of bad memories."

"Yeah. She'll be good." I meet her eyes and nod. "I don't know everything she went through there… but she needs this. And no matter what it takes, I'll make sure she gets it."

There's a pause as Riley looks at me. Finally, she sighs, walking toward her bed. "If you say she's ready, I'll trust you."

"Thanks, Riles." I offer her a small smile.

She sits on her bed, her expression softening. "Jack's lucky to have you."

I don't respond right away, glancing down at my hands. "I think I'm lucky to have her too."

Riley smiles, getting under the covers. "Get some rest. You'll need it."

I lie back on the couch, letting my head fall against my pillow. "Goodnight, Riles."

"Night, Vex," she says quietly.

As the lights dim and the silence settles, my thoughts return to Jack. I wonder what will happen after tomorrow. Will it change her? I guess I'll have to see.

Pragia, 2185, November 9th 11:29 AM

"I forgot how much I hate this place," Jack mutters, her fingers fidgeting restlessly. Her eyes are locked on the view outside the shuttle window. "See the landing pad? Has to be on the roof, or the vegetation would overgrow it in a few hours."

Following her gaze, I look out the window. Heavy rain makes it hard to see the plain white building in the distance, nearly swallowed by the plants that cling to its edges and crawl across the roof.

EDI's voice comes through the comms. "Shepard, I am picking up thermal signatures everywhere, except at your landing zone."

Riley leans forward with a sigh. "Looks like something's messing with the sensors."

"Probably Cerberus' doing." I shrug, turning to her. "They wouldn't want anyone stumbling on this place."

"Yeah, they build their equipment to last. Assholes." Jack lets out a laugh, but her smirk fades almost instantly, replaced by anxiety as she turns to me. "This… this was a mistake."

"Hey." I reach out, covering her hand with mine. "It's not a mistake. You've got this."

Her expression wavers before she smiles. "Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Let's do this."

The shuttle touches down near some rusty shipping containers, and the door opens. Rain pelts the ground, the sound deafening against the metal roof. Stepping out, I'm instantly drenched, the water messing up my hair.

Riley walks into the storm, seeming unfazed. I glance back to see Jack hesitating at the edge of the shuttle's open door. Her eyes dart around the landing pad until they finally settle on me, and she draws in a deep breath before stepping into the downpour.

"We'll check out the building first, just in case," Riley says, raising her voice over the rain. She motions toward the facility. "It's probably just the sensors, but I want to be sure. Once it's clear, we'll come back for the bomb."

I give her a thumbs up, and we start down the wet, metal stairs, careful not to slip. The rain is steady as we round the walkway. When we reach the front of the building, we find the door missing entirely.

"Well, that's convenient," I remark, running my fingers along the edge of the doorframe.

Jack brushes past me, stepping inside. She scans the trashed room. Scattered debris litters the floor and empty containers like the ones we saw on the roof line the back wall. Broken consoles, flickering faintly in the dark. Plants creep through cracks in the walls, weaving around Cerberus logos that are still on the doors leading deeper into the facility.

I guess this really was Cerberus.

Riley steps further in, opening the doors. Without a word, we follow her into the next room, where a set of rusted stairs lead toward an old terminal at the bottom.

As we descend, I notice the ceiling above is streaked with water stains, as steady leaks drip down to the floor. I'm surprised this place isn't completely flooded by now. If I'm being honest.

Riley walks up to the terminal, activating it. A voice crackles from the speakers, a hologram of a man appearing.

"The Illusive Man requested operation logs again. He's getting suspicious," the man says.

Another voice replies, "When we get results, he won't care what we did. But if he knew…"

The hologram shifts slightly, turning. "He won't find out."

The recording cuts off and Riley exhales. "Maybe they went rogue."

"Bullshit." Jack steps closer.

"Calm down." Riley turns to face her. "It was just an observation."

Jack glares for a moment but doesn't argue, brushing past Riley to open the next door.

We step into the room, and it feels cool and damp. Metal pathways line the walls above us, some warped and sagging. Trees have grown inside, their thick roots cracking the tiled floor. So much for being built to last.

"I remember escaping to this room. Fighting here." Jack falters, looking up. "I saw sunlight through the cracks in the ceiling." Her expression hardens. "Only a half-dead guard between me and freedom. He was begging for his life."

I move closer, resting a hand lightly on her back. She glances at me, offering a small nod before following Riley and me further inside.

We weave through the overgrowth, stepping over roots and puddles of water. As we pass under the metal bridge, snarls echo from around the corner. Varren.

They rush out, teeth bared. Jack throws her hand out, biotic energy slamming into the creatures, pushing them back. Riley and I draw our weapons, taking down the ones that survive.

I holster my pistol. "Varren? Maybe that's what EDI was picking up."

"Maybe," Riley replies, wiping rainwater off her visor. "But we're checking everything, just in case."

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes as we press on.

Turning the corner, we stumble into a cleared-out space. Half-walls are set up around it in a circle, some knocked over or thrown out of place.

Riley studies the area with a frown. "This looks like an arena."

"That's because it is." Jack steps into the middle of it. "They used to stage fights here. Pit me against other kids." Her eyes sweep over the walls. "I loved it. Only time I was ever out of my cell."

I run my hand along one of the half-walls. "Why? What was the point of that?"

"Hell if I know." Jack turns to face me, her expression blank. "Maybe that's how they got their kicks. I never understood anything that happened here."

Riley crosses her arms. "How often did this happen?"

Jack shrugs. "I was in that cell my whole life. Time gets… funny."

Riley's silent for a moment before she gazes at Jack. "Did any of them die?"

Jack's jaw tightens, glaring. "I was a kid, filled with drugs. They shocked me if I hesitated, and pumped me full of narcotics when I attacked. What the fuck do you think?"

That's… fucked up.

Riley looks at her for another long moment, then nods and turns toward the next door.

I hesitate, watching Jack's shoulders stiffen as she stares at the middle of the arena. Slowly, I step closer. "Are you okay?"

Jack glances at me, her expression softening just slightly. "Yeah." She gestures toward Riley. "Let's keep going."

We step into a dim hallway cluttered with a pile of old boxes, the shards of a shattered window scattered across the floor. Plants twist through cracks in the walls, making it feel damp. A console glows faintly in front of the next door.

Riley walks over and activates it.

A hologram appears, projecting the image of a frantic man in a security uniform. "Security Officer Zemkl, Teltin facility. The subjects are out of their cells! They're tearing the place up!" He quickly types something into the console. "Subject Zero is going to get loose. I need permission to terminate… I repeat, permission to terminate!"

He pauses, pressing a hand to his earpiece and a second voice comes through. "All subjects besides Zero are expendable. Keep Jack alive!"

Zemkl swallows, nodding. "Understood. I'll begin the-"

Jack steps forward and slams the console off, cutting the hologram mid-sentence. "That's not right." She turns to us. "I broke out when my guards disappeared… I started that riot."

Riley folds her arms. "You might not have seen everything."

Jack's hands ball into fists at her sides. "The other kids attacked me. The guards attacked me. The automated systems attacked me." Her voice rises in frustration. "That doesn't leave lots of room for interpretation."

"She's not saying it didn't happen," I interject, meeting her eyes. "But there's no way you could have known everything that was going on."

Jack exhales slowly, backing away. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Riley opens the next door. "Come on."

We step into another hallway, this one with a staircase. A dead varren is slumped at the top. Jack kneels beside it, frowning as she examines the wound.

"This place is supposed to be empty," she says, pushing herself to her feet. "Who the fuck shot that varren? It's a fresh kill."

Riley pulls her rifle off her back. "Weapons ready. Be on your guard."

The hallway leads us into a room filled with crates and stretchers. Movement catches my eye and several vorcha step out, weapons drawn. Above us, a krogan leans against the railing of a metal balcony, glaring down at us.

He smirks, waving a hand dismissively. "Just kill the intruders."

His words barely leave his mouth before the vorcha open fire. Jack rushes forward, summoning a biotic barrier around us. Bullets ricochet off it, clinking throughout the room.

I duck behind a crate, bringing up my sniper. One vorcha steps into my crosshairs, and I pull the trigger. He drops instantly.

Jack moves forward and drops the barrier. She slams a vorcha with biotics, sending him crashing into a wall. She dodges under another vorcha's swing, jamming her shotgun into his stomach and pulling the trigger.

Riley covers her, rifle steady as she picks off enemies. A vorcha on the balcony aims at Jack, but Riley is faster, taking him out with a clean shot.

"Vex, can you get the krogan?" Riley calls, pointing to the balcony.

I adjust my aim, lining up the shot. He hides behind the railing, but not before my bullet grazes his shoulder. He shouts in pain, slamming his fist against the metal.

"Get your asses in there!" he yells at the remaining vorcha.

Two more hesitantly move forward. Jack throws one aside with biotics, sending him into a stack of crates. The second doesn't get far before her shotgun blasts him in the chest.

"Riley, I could use some cover." I dart out toward a better vantage point.

She nods, giving me the chance to climb onto some crates. From here, I have a better shot at the krogan.

He glances over, noticing my position, and storms down the stairs. Jack grins, stepping forward to meet him.

"Perfect," she says, her fist starting to glow.

The krogan fires his weapon, but Jack sidesteps the shot, closing the distance. And with a wave, he's frozen mid-stride.

I steady my aim, waiting for the right moment. Riley continues to handle the remaining vorcha, keeping them off Jack's back.

Pulling the trigger, the bullet lands in his chest, staggering him. He roars, breaking free of the stasis, but Jack is ready. She steps forward, blasting him point-blank with her shotgun.

He collapses, and the room falls silent.

Riley lowers her rifle, scanning the room. "Clear."

I hop down from the crates, dusting myself off. "That went well."

Jack wipes blood off her cheek, looking around. "Why the hell did they need a morgue? This was a small facility."

What does she mean? I glance around. Stretchers, crates, and now that I look closer… It's definitely a morgue. "How many kids died here?"

Jack spins toward me. "Bullshit. I had the worst of it, and I made it out alive."

"That doesn't mean you were the only one who suffered." I step closer, gesturing around the room. "Look around. How many-"

"Vex!" Riley yells, standing by the far door. "This door's locked."

I glance at Jack, exhaling. "I'm sorry." Turning toward Riley, I add, "Yeah, I'm coming."

At least I get to try out my new code.

I open my program and after a minute, the door slides open, revealing a straight metal pathway leading to an empty door frame. Dusty windows line the wall, faintly outlining the trees swaying in the rain outside.

Jack steps inside, looking around. "So strange to be back here." Her gaze shifts to the window. "I feel like… I'm pissed off. I'm a dangerous bitch. But then I'm a little girl again." She shakes her head, stepping away. "Shit, it's complicated. Let's just go plant that bomb."

Riley nods, silently motioning for us to keep moving. As we cross the walkway, the outline of a Cerberus symbol comes into view on the far wall. I stare at it as I pass.

If I didn't hate Cerberus before, I definitely do now. The thought that Miranda might defend these people makes me sick. I hope she's better than that.

We enter a hallway, small rooms lining both walls. Inside each one, there are overturned furniture, rusting beds, and plants creeping in through the floor. These were bedrooms… cells.

"They kept kids here?" I ask, my voice catching.

I glance at Jack, but she doesn't respond. She looks away and pushes ahead, her fists clenched.

We follow her into the next room, stepping out onto a metal balcony that wraps around the walls. Below, there's a large space with tables and chairs toppled over. Must have been a cafeteria.

Jack's steps falter when we come across a mirror on the back wall. She stops in front of it, her reflection staring back at her.

"This…" Her voice is quiet. "It's a two-way mirror." She inches closer, placing a hand on the glass. "My cell is on the other side… I could see all the other kids out here. I screamed at them for hours, and they always ignored me."

I step up beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You didn't know, Jack. You couldn't have. These people… they were monsters."

She nods faintly as we stand together in silence.

"We should go," Riley says, coming up behind us. "It's not a good idea to stand around when we know others are here."

I give Jack's shoulder a light pat and follow Riley into the next room. It's dark with more stacks of rusted boxes. Beside two consoles, dimly lit, sits a single chair with restraints.

I don't want to imagine why.

Jack stares at it for a long moment. "I must've passed through here when I broke out, but… I don't remember it." Her eyes linger on the chair. "This is a bad place."

Yeah… I agree.

Riley moves forward, stopping at one of the consoles. She brushes away a layer of dust before powering it on. The hologram stutters, displaying a man in a scientist's uniform.

"Entry 1054, Teltin facility," the hologram begins, the man's voice flat and emotionless. "The latest iteration of PergNim went poorly. Subjects One, Four, and Six expired. No biotic change detected among the survivors."

My stomach twists as the recording continues.

"We lowered the core temperatures of the surviving subjects," he rambles on, completely detached, "but no biotically beneficial reactions occurred. As a side effect, all subjects died."

The image flickers, fully disappearing at times. "We will not attempt this on Zero. I hope our supply of biotic potential subjects holds up. We're going through them fast."

Jack's fists clench. "This is bullshit!" She storms up to the console, glaring at the flickering image. "They weren't experimenting on the other children for my safety!"

"It's not your fault," I say quietly, stepping closer to her.

She turns to face me. "You don't get it. I survived this place because I was tougher than the rest. That's who I am."

"You survived because you're strong," Riley interjects. "And you'll get through this, too." She turns to the second console, her fingers brushing the controls. "Now, let's see what else they left behind."

A hologram appears, showing the same scientist. His expression panicked, his words faster now.

"It's all fallen to pieces. The subjects are rampaging, and Zero is loose. We're shutting Teltin down. What a disaster." He glances over his shoulder, his face twisting with fear. "We'll infiltrate and piggyback onto the Alliance's Ascension program. Hopefully that will-who are…? Zero, wait!"

The recording cuts out abruptly.

Jack's eyes narrow as she looks at Riley. "Shepard, they didn't just stop. They started up somewhere else."

"It's okay," Riley reassures her, offering a small smile. "Ascension is an Alliance program, a school. They don't torture kids."

Jack backs away from the console, shaking her head. "A lot of this… isn't the way I remember it."

"You were a kid," I remind her gently. "And a lot was happening."

"I was dumb." Jack glances at me with a half-hearted smirk. "Now? I keep my eyes open, and I always shoot first." She turns to the next door. "We're getting close to my cell. The place I came from. Let's keep going."

We step into the next room, which looks like another cafeteria. Tables and chairs are strewn about, and a kitchen area sits in the back. Between us and the next area, however, stands a group of vorcha and krogan, their weapons already on us.

One of the krogan, the largest of the group, raises a hand to his ear. "Hey Aresh, it's Kureck. Yeah, the intruders are here. You want them dead, we have to talk creds."

"This doesn't sound good," I mutter, tightening my grip on my rifle.

Kureck doesn't even glance at us, his attention still on his comms. "You promised us lots of salvage, but this place is a waste." He finally looks our way, his lips curling into a grin. "Fine, we'll put 'em down. Then I'm coming in there, and we're going to talk salvage."

"What are you doing here?" Riley asks, her eyes on Kureck.

He shrugs. "First we're going to kill you, then we'll see."

Kureck doesn't wait for a response. He gestures to his group, and the vorcha open fire. Jack reacts instantly, her hand glowing as she sends a shockwave across the room. The blast slams into two vorcha, sending them flying into overturned tables.

I dive behind cover, raising my sniper rifle. One of the krogan charges straight for Riley, but she's already moving, firing some shots. The bullets graze his armour, slowing him but not stopping him.

"Riley, behind you!" I call out as I take aim. My shot pierces the chest of a vorcha who was sneaking up on her. He falls to the ground by her feet.

Jack charges with her shotgun. She blasts a vorcha at close range and lifts another with her biotics, throwing him into the ceiling. She then tosses the body in Kureck's direction.

He roars, pulling out his weapon and firing at Jack, but she dodges, rolling to the side and returning fire. The two exchange shots as Riley and I deal with the remaining vorcha and krogan.

"I need some help!" Jack shouts, ducking behind a table.

Riley drops the last vorcha. "We're working on it!"

Kureck charges, smashing through some chairs. I fire at him, hitting him in the side. He cries in pain but doesn't slow down.

Jack leaps over the table, slamming into him with a biotic blast strong enough to make him stumble. He catches himself and pulls the trigger on his shotgun, but it misses, allowing Jack to send a glowing fist into his stomach.

He snarls and raises his shotgun to fire again, but I already have him in my sights. I squeeze the trigger, the bullet hitting him in the neck. Blood sprays as Kureck groans, collapsing to his knees before falling forward with a thud.

Riley lowers her rifle. "Everyone good?"

Jack nudges Kureck's body with her boot before looking up. "Better than him."

I reload my sniper, sighing. "At least no one charged at me this time."

"For once." Jack grins. "Only room left is my old cell. Whoever Aresh is, he's in there."

Riley nods, stepping closer. "Then let's finish this."

Jack shrugs. "I'll plant the bomb right on his corpse if I have to."

Riley gives her a look but doesn't argue, leading us down a damp, dark hallway. Only a single door waits at the end.

Jack takes a deep breath as the door slides open. The room is larger than I expected. A broken sink against one wall, a toppled wardrobe to the side, and bookcases are shoved against the wall beside a table. An old, rusted bed sits in the far corner. But, there's no sign of Aresh.

Riley steps forward. "Come out."

A man emerges from between the bed and bookcase, his steps cautious. He's bearded, freckled, and wearing faded clothes.

"Who the hell are you?" Jack demands, her weapon ready.

The man stops in the middle of the room, his hands slightly raised. "My name is Aresh, and you're trespassing in my home." His eyes are narrow as they land on Jack. "I know you, Subject Zero."

Jack's grip tightens on her weapon. "My name is Jack. How the hell do you know me?"

"We all knew your face, Jack." Aresh carefully steps closer. "They inflicted horrors on us so their experiments wouldn't kill you."

Jack's expression hardens. "That's bullshit."

Aresh shakes his head slowly. "You were the question, and I'm still looking for the answer."

Riley steps closer, her arms crossed. "Why are you here?"

"I tried to forget this." Aresh gestures around vaguely. "But a place like this… it doesn't forget you. It follows you."

"That's not an answer," Riley says with a firm tone.

Aresh looks at her, his face a mix of desperation and pride. "I hired mercs and came back almost a year ago. We're rebuilding it, piece by piece. I'm going to finish their work, find out what they knew… how to unlock true biotic potential in humans." His eyes glint as he looks up. "I'm restarting the Teltin facility. It will be beautiful."

"Beautiful?" Jack's hand flickers with biotics. "I wanted to bury this place, and you're trying to justify what they did?"

"But why?" I ask, stepping forward. "What happened here was horrible."

"They must have had a reason." Aresh's eyes meet mine. "The things they did to us… they wouldn't have gone that far if it wasn't worth something."

Jack grits her teeth. "There's no reason good enough! Are you nuts? You lived it! You should know!"

Aresh's calm expression cracks. "It has to be! Otherwise, we all suffered for nothing!"

Riley steps between them. "Jack, we can blow this place up, but we need to decide what to do with him."

Jack smirks. "That's easy."

Aresh shrugs, his shoulders slumping. "Just leave me here. This is where I belong."

"Fuck that." Jack lifts her arm, pulling him to his knees with biotics. She strides over, her shotgun aimed at his head.

"Jack." My voice is calm as I step closer. "Don't."

Her finger tightens on the trigger. "He wants to restart this place. He deserves to die."

I lower my weapon, stepping into her line of sight. "You're better than this. He's just grieving. He'll never rebuild this place."

"He's not… he's-he's justifying all of it!" Her voice cracks with frustration, and I see pain beneath her anger.

"You're not what they made you," I say softly. "You're not a weapon. You're a person. You get to choose."

Jack's hand shakes, her expression twisting. Finally, she lowers her weapon. "Fuck." She steps back, glaring at Aresh. "Get out of here. Go!"

"Thank you." Aresh scrambles to his feet, glancing at her one last time before disappearing down the hallway.

Jack watches him go, her jaw tight. "Let's finish this."

"You did the right thing." I approach her, resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe." Her voice is quiet, distant. She finally looks up at me. "This room was my whole childhood." She gestures around vaguely. "Give me a minute."

Riley nods. "We'll just be outside."

I squeeze Jack's shoulder lightly before following Riley.

"Vex?" Jack's voice stops me as I reach the door. I turn back to see her staring at me. "Can you stay?"

"Of course." I glance at Riley before shutting the door, leaving the two of us alone.

Jack stands there for a moment, silent. Her eyes scan the room. "Nothing's changed… but it's all different." She steps toward the small table and places a hand on it, her fingers trailing over the surface. "This table was everything to me. I used it for eating, drawing… and sometimes I'd crawl under it and cry. It was like my best friend." She lets out a bitter laugh. "I was pathetic."

"You weren't pathetic," I say softly. "You were surviving."

She shakes her head, staring down at the table. "Surviving. Yeah. Funny word for it."

Jack moves to the bed next, running a hand along the tattered sheets. "I still dream about this bed sometimes. About being strapped down. About what they did to me here." Her voice is quieter now, almost a whisper. "I used to tie the sheets around my wrists and try to rip them off." She sighs heavily. "I want to stop coming back here."

I hesitate for a moment before stepping closer. "Jack…" I don't know what to say. Words feel useless here, but I'll try anyway. "You're here now, but you're not that little girl anymore. You've made it so far. And whatever this place took from you, it can't take who you are now."

"I know." Her lips press into a thin line as she looks from me to the window. "I used to think that room out there was the rest of the world." She gestures toward the two-way mirror. "I'd pound on the glass. I'd scream at the top of my lungs. No one ever answered."

"I'm sorry," I say quietly.

She turns to me, her expression softening. "It's okay." There's a pause, then she nods toward the door. "Come on."

I follow her out, and we find Riley leaning against the wall, waiting for us.

"Ready to go?" Riley asks, looking between us.

She sighs. "Yeah. No more wallowing." A grin spreads across her face. "Let's blow this place to hell."

Pragia, 2185, November 9th 3:38 PM

I'm glad we're finally leaving this place. What they did here… it makes me sick. Even if they went rogue, Cerberus is still evil. But… Miranda isn't. I don't know how to reconcile that. How do you stay loyal to something so… flawed?

I glance over at Jack, her face half-lit by the shuttle lights. She's deep in thought, absently playing with the detonator. She's quiet, but I know her mind is anything but. What she's seen, what she's survived… I finally understand it.

Her eyes shift to me, catching me staring. I don't look away. There's something unspoken in her eyes. Slowly, she lifts the detonator, her thumb hovering over the button.

Riley leans back, her hand steadying against the shuttle wall. "Go ahead, Jack."

Jack's lips curl into a small smile as she presses down. For a split second, nothing happens, and then the horizon behind us blooms with light.

The explosion tears through the facility, sending flames and debris flying into the air. The blast wave rushes toward us, rocking the shuttle as it pulls up. Riley slams her hand against the wall, signalling to hurry.

The shuttle speeds up as the inferno consumes the nightmare Jack left behind. I find myself unable to look away. It's beautiful in a way. A final, fiery justice for everything that was done there.

Jack leans back in her seat, watching the destruction with a satisfied smirk. "Hell yeah." For the first time today, she seems happy. Like she's finally put something down she's been carrying for years.

I reach out, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "You did it. It's over."

Her smirk softens, and for a moment, she looks almost at peace. "Yeah. I guess it is."

Riley sighs in relief, glancing back at us. "I'm glad you feel better. Now, let's get back to the Normandy."

Normandy, 2185, November 9th 4:02 PM

"Good job today," Riley says, standing up and nodding to the shuttle exit. "I'm heading to the armoury. See you there soon."

She steps out, leaving me alone with Jack, whose hands are clenched in her lap. We sit in silence for a minute as I think of what to say.

"You okay?" I ask hesitantly.

She doesn't answer, just stands abruptly and walks out. I unbuckle and follow, seeing that she's already halfway to the elevator.

"Hey, wait up." I jog after her, but she doesn't stop. She steps into the elevator, and the door closes before I can reach her. "Jack!"

I stare at the elevator controls. Crew deck? Why there-oh, no. I hit the button to bring the elevator back.

When it arrives, I step inside, setting it to the crew deck. The ride up feels too slow, my thoughts racing. Jack. Miranda. This is bad.

As the door opens, I hurry out and rush toward Miranda's office. The door's already open, and I step inside, seeing a chair glowing with biotics, lifting into the air.

"Touch me, and I will smear the walls with you, bitch!" Jack shouts as she hurls the chair across the room.

Miranda doesn't flinch, sidestepping it. It smashes into the wall behind her.

"What the hell's going on?" I snap, stepping between them.

Jack glances at me. "The cheerleader won't admit what Cerberus did to me was wrong!"

Miranda crosses her arms, her expression cold. "It wasn't Cerberus. Not really. But for someone who hates them so much, you owe them your life after Purgatory. Perhaps you should show some gratitude."

The glow of Jack's biotics intensifies, and she lunges forward. "Gratitude?"

"Jack!" I grab her shoulders, holding her back as she glares past me at Miranda. "Enough!"

She grits her teeth, her body trembling with rage. "Get out of my way, Vex."

"No." I meet her eyes, refusing to budge. "Hurting her won't solve anything. You know that."

"You're defending her?" Jack shoves my hands away and takes a step back. "Figures."

I shake my head. "That's not-"

"Of course it is," she cuts me off, a sneer on her lips. "You were sleeping with the bitch."

Miranda stiffens. "She knows?"

I don't answer, keeping my focus on Jack. "I'm not defending anyone. This isn't about her. It's about you. You need to calm down before this gets worse."

Jack scoffs, brushing past me hard enough to make me stumble. She stops at the door, glancing over her shoulder with a glare. "You're just like them."

The door shuts behind her, and I step away, putting some distance between me and Miranda.

Miranda exhales, sounding almost angry, and straightens herself. "What she did was completely uncalled for."

I glance at her. "And what you said wasn't?"

Her arms fold tightly over her chest. "I was stating a fact."

"You were provoking her." I shake my head. "Do you have any idea what she's been through?"

Miranda's jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think I see guilt flicker across her face, but it's gone before I can be sure.

"I don't know the full extent of what happened there," she finally admits, her voice quieter. "But it's clear they went rogue."

"You don't know?" I laugh bitterly. "I'm sure you'll find out when you read the fucking reports."

I turn to leave, but her voice stops me.

"Vex…" She hesitates, sounding uncertain. "Thank you. For stepping in."

I look over my shoulder with a sigh. "Yeah… don't mention it."

I'm done.

Stepping into the hallway, I let the door slide shut behind me. The tension, the anger, the regret. I feel it all, but I push it down.

For a moment, I stand there, staring at the mess hall. I take a deep breath, my eyes shifting toward the elevator.

I step forward but stop when Riley rounds the corner, her gaze locking onto me immediately.

"What happened?" she asks as she stops in front of me. "Joker said there was an argument."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I handled it."

She crosses her arms, her brow arching in that way that tells me she's not about to let this go. "Should I be concerned?"

"No." I shrug, glancing away. "I'm going to get out of my armour now."

I step past her, walking away. But I feel her eyes on me, I just hope she doesn't question me further.

"Vex," she calls after me, almost hesitant.

I pause, my back to her. "Yeah?"

"She'll come around." There's something in her tone, something I don't quite know how to respond to.

For a moment, I consider saying something, anything. But the words don't come. Instead, I just nod and continue forward.

The elevator door closes, leaving me with my thoughts. I stare at my reflection in the metal for a moment before leaning back against the wall and closing my eyes.

I can't help but wonder if Riley's right, or if I'm just fooling myself. Either way, I push the thought aside. I don't want to deal with it. Not right now.

Thank you for reading.