"What is going on?!" Liara asks, shaken and confused. She stares at the imprisoned woman, who is obviously not in good condition.
"Two scientists on the ground! Knocked out! A woman in a prison cell, obviously not in good condition. Keelah, what is going on? Alex, we've been on this floor for less than a minute, and we're already in such a mess! How did you even find this room?!" Tali asks, equally confused.
"First of all! Tali, focus on opening the damn cell and obtain all the damn data you can! Obviously, they are conducting experiments here, meaning you can get access to their data. Second, get ready to bail! Liara, get ready to give that woman emergency treatment. GET TO WORK!" Alex commands loudly.
I can't allow them to fool around. I don't have any knowledge about these events, I need to take this as seriously as possible!
While Liara prepares her omni-tool to administer treatment and Tali gets to work on obtaining data and opening the prison, Alex tries to communicate with Kaidan, only to get an error as their comms channel is not working.
Fuck!
"Shit, the damn comms channel is blocked! We're too deep underground! I didn't think things would escalate this quickly— it's been fucking five minutes since we entered this building. Listen up. I've got a special tech skill that allows me to scan my immediate surroundings, even through walls, and it can't be blocked! That's how I discovered this room so quickly. I can easily spot Aur— people. Anyway, Tali, please hurry up! We can't contact the others and we're trapped without communication. I'm confident in escaping, but if possible, I'd like to avoid killing our way outside!"
Alex uses En to monitor his surroundings, as Tali continues hacking the system, trying to open the prison cell.
"This is heavily encrypted… this is top-security. Give me a few minutes!" she says, her tone slightly worried.
Alex holds up his hand as he sees two people walking in the hall just outside their room.
He holds his breath, ready to attack, but thankfully, the two people just walk along, ignoring the room they are momentarily in.
"Ple…ase… help!!!" the woman keeps begging.
"Please, be patient! As soon as you are outside, I will help you!" Liara promises her with a worried tone.
Alex tenses up as another person walks through the hallway. That person stops in front of the door— Alex senses he is holding a trail with a few cups, exactly three.
Two unconscious guys… yeah, he's coming in.
"Get ready, we've got a visitor!" Alex whispers.
As soon as the door opens, Alex reacts and grabs the person, a young man, by his neck and drags him inside. The trail with the cups drops to the floor as the man's face warps into one of panic. Alex then chokes him until he slowly passes out, before dropping him onto the ground next to his two fellow colleagues.
"The trash keeps piling up," Alex comments in an annoyed tone.
"Alex… I know this rough behavior is really not appropriate… however, it makes me feel weird, what is this feeling?" she comments, her face showing signs of confusion and embarrassment.
"Tali… I don't want to pressure you…but…" Alex mumbles.
"... Keelah! I got it!" Tali cheers. "I'm inside. I can not only open the cell… let me do that— I can also download all their research data! I have it all. Let's leave!"
The small prison cell opens, and the woman tumbles out, her body shuddering all over.
Liara immediately injects her with a few medicines Alex doesn't recognize, and the woman heaves a sigh of relief.
"Let's get out now, I don't want to overstay our welcome! This is enough! They obviously have cameras everywhere!"
If I'm right, this woman is a colonist from Zhu's Hope or someone infected with the Thorian spores. She shows signs of brainwashing and mental decline.
Supported by Liara, the woman, Tali, and Alex himself quickly leave the room.
Alex uses En again as they walk towards the elevator, only for him to hold up his hand, warning the others.
"Fuck!!! I sense 10 armed guards arriving. They are gathering in front of the elevator. Maybe they are waiting for even more backup. They are fully equipped with weapons as well," Alex whispers.
Shit… do I kill them, or do I evade them?
"Tali, is there another elevator? Do you have some floor plans?" Alex asks, staring at the Quarian.
"I only got the data recording their experiments. I don't have floor plans for this underground complex. Maybe there is another way up… however, I can't tell for sure…. In any case, there are cameras all over. If there are armed guards around, they've detected us. I recommend a quick escape, before more show up!" Tali responds, trying to remain calm.
You know what? Fuck consequences, fuck logic, fuck restrictions! I'll brute-force this!
"I have a high-tech cloaking device. I am actually wearing my suit and my blade. Don't question it. We are getting rid of them, and we escape through the elevator! If we make it back to the ground floor, we'll contact the Alliance. No need to escalate things, but we are not hiding like rats. Fuck these corporate scumbags!" Alex mutters.
"Tali! This is an order! Return to the cell and grab one of the scientists I knocked out! Liara, you take care of the hostage! Wait behind this wall until I clear the arena around the elevator," Alex orders forcefully.
"Okay," Liara responds, and Tali rushes back into the room and grabs the smallest scientist she can find, dragging him along with her.
"Help! Please!" he suddenly yells, causing Alex to gently step on his face, knocking him out again.
You have dealt 6 damage to ExoGeni Scientist
He then equips his [Colossus Armor S] and [Executioner's Blade R2] and sprints toward the elevator.
Using En again, he sees the guards are about to walk around the corner.
…they're just paid to do dirty work, but I won't take risks to save them! Fuck them all.
Alex lifts his blade, activates Thundara Blade, uses Ko, and then steps forward, now seeing the guards. They're just wearing light, cheap armor—suitable for basic security, but laughable compared to suits made for combat.
"You… on the g—ground now or we'll sh—" one of the guards starts to yell, slightly stuttering.
Alex, however, unleashes his Flying Thundara Blade in a wide arc, the attack hitting them all. Screams erupt as the blade slash destroys their shields, ripping their weak armor to shreds. Some of them are beheaded, others lose limbs, or end up with terrifying injuries across their chests.
In a single moment, the bland and boring floor is painted red. Only the security officers who were positioned directly behind another one barely survive.
You have dealt 131 damage to ExoGeni Security Officer
You have killed ExoGeni Security Officer
…
…
…
You have dealt 69 damage to ExoGeni Security Officer
Alex quickly rushes forward and slashes three more times at the three remaining survivors. With each slash, another Security Officer dies instantly, without any hope of fighting back.
You have dealt 98 damage to ExoGeni Security Officer
You have killed ExoGeni Security Officer
You have dealt 121 damage to ExoGeni Security Officer
You have killed ExoGeni Security Officer
You have dealt 111 damage to ExoGeni Security Officer
You have killed ExoGeni Security Officer
Alex then, unable to believe his luck, sees three green chests on the ground and greedily grabs them before quickly shouting: "CLEAR! Come on, we need to hurry!"
Liara and Tali, each dragging another person with them, struggle around the corner and both stop—Liara even holding a hand before her mouth in shock.
They see ten dead, butchered officers lying on the floor, the serene, bland, sterile-looking white metallic walls now completely red.
"Keelah se'lai…" Tali mutters, before quickly going on, dragging the unconscious scientist.
Liara also recovers and moves forward.
They hurry into one of the elevators, and Tali activates her omni-tool, preventing a remote shutdown of said elevator.
As they make their way up and exit the elevator, walking back towards the lobby, numerous people stare at them—especially Alex, who is now wearing bloody armor and carries his [Executioner's Blade R2], completely dyed red, with traces of organs and meat visible.
Ignoring the employees, who flee, they quickly hurry back to the lobby. Alex uses the emergency channel to contact not only Kaidan's team, but also Shepard, Anderson, and Commander Livas.
"EMERGENCY, I REPEAT, EMERGENCY!" Alex screams. "ExoGeni is conducting illegal human experiments, probably involving some form of mind-control. We have rescued a prisoner who was held in a small cell underground, and have taken a scientist, conducting illegal human experiments, hostage. We also secured data which proves our allegations. ExoGeni sent ten armed Security Officers after us, which I have killed in self-defense. We are approaching the lobby with both civilians! Request immediate help to leave the building."
"This is Commander Livas speaking. We are entering the building with a few dozen men and assuming control. Commander Shepard, awaiting your orders."
As they reach the lobby, they see Alliance marines rushing toward them, surrounding them in a protective circle. Alex sees Commander Livas, looking worried. He stares at Alex in shock.
"Your armor and sword? How did you get them inside? Well, it doesn't matter. Anyway, we shoul—"
"Shepard speaking! Alex, Tali, Liara! Hand over the hostage and the freed prisoner to Commander Livas and join me upstairs! I'm sending someone to pick you up. Good job."
"Good job?! How can this be considered a good job?! This is terrible! It couldn't have gone worse," Liara mutters.
"Why? We got evidence, got a hostage, and freed a prisoner! It couldn't have gone better. Alex, you are incredible!" Tali cheers.
"Lieutenant Kerber? Miss T'Soni? Tali'Zorah? Please follow me," a man says, jogging towards them.
Alex recognizes the man as one of the people who followed Shepard upstairs.
Following him, they step into an elevator in the main lobby, quickly making their way all the way to the 29th floor.
They quickly get led into a large, luxurious room, reminding Alex of a large conference room from his own world. Shepard, with a few people behind her, sits in front of twenty high-ranked ExoGeni employees.
As soon as they see Alex, they all begin to murmur and point at him in shock!
"Murderer!"
"The Alliance is breaking any law!"
"Look at his sword and armor! He's a crazy butcher!"
One even throws up, from seeing Alex's appearance.
Alex smirks and plays with the handle of his sword, drawing it and then slashing towards a window, causing the blood and human remains to get thrown against it, immediately causing the room to go silent.
They quickly approach Shepard, and Tali activates her omni-tool to send Shepard the data they've acquired.
Shepard playfully yawns, despite Alex's gory provocation as she reads through the data.
A minute later, she begins to talk:
"I see… a plant-based lifeform, able to brainwash and control humans to a certain degree. You've obtained some spores from that being and are currently experimenting with their effects. Are you trying to come up with a way to brainwash and forcefully control humans or other beings? Should I consider this treason against the Alliance and the entire human race?" Shepard asks with a smug grin.
The entire room falls silent. The suits all shake their heads—some begin to tremble, and a few female members even cry.
Heh, I guess they've just realized how badly they've fucked up.
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