CHAPTER THREE

Walking along the street Liana could still feel the vibration the Reapers were causing with every step they took. The sound of gun fire had subsided with only faint echoes around the entire city like a symphony of violence.

All along the street, cars and military vehicle were scattered in pieces but, ironically enough, the most disturbing thing about her surroundings was that there were no bodies. The Reapers and the husks had killed many people out in the streets...so where were they? She shuttered at the thought of what was most likely happening. “Bastards,” she muttered under her breath.

At this point, she was looking for anything she could use. It was better to be prepared than to be caught off guard. She slowly approached a car that was caught on fire and carefully took a peak inside. She smiled when she saw some food and some credits. She took them and slipped them into her backpack. When she looked down on the ground, she saw what seemed to be drag marks, leading away from the car. That sent chills down her spine.

After scrounging through a few more vehicles, she found more ammo, some medi-gel, and a considerable amount of food and water. "Guess the Reapers don't eat much," Liana chuckled.

"Fuck...Damn Husks!"

Liana straightened up when she heard the voice. It sounded very close. She rushed over to the corner and peaked around the wall. There was a half-dead Turian leaned up against some concrete with a few husk's scattered around him.

"Looks like you've had better days," Liana approached him.

"Great, a comedian. Just what I needed," The Turian groaned as he held his side which was gushing of blue blood.

"Care for some medi-gel? Might help that little cut you have there?"

"Bit to late for that," he struggled to talk.

Liana leaned down and took the Turian's hand. "I'm Liana," she offered him a smile.

"Zuk," he coughed up some blood.

"Well Zuk," Liana took a bottle of water out of her backpack. "Care for a drink?" These were most likely the Turian’s last moments so the only thing Liana could do for him at this point was keep him company.

"Got something a bit stronger?" Zuk chuckled as he took the water from Liana's hand and gulped it down with some trouble.

Suddenly, Zuk's eye's widened. When Liana turned around to see what had startled him, a loud bang zoomed passed the side of her face and she saw a husk fall to the ground, its head scattered across the road.

"At least I got one more,” a faint Turian grin formed on Zuk's face. He brought his assault riffle down beside him. "Take my equipment and ammo. You'll need it more tha..."

Liana felt his hand go limp. "Thank you Zuk. Rest now," she closed his eyes and then started to gather up his equipment and ammo.

****

They hadn’t walked for too long when Len glanced down at the girl that the Asari was escorting. He looked back at Sarina. “So...did you find her or something?” Before she could answer, he heard ruffling coming from around the corner. He noticed Sarina had heard it too because she held the little girl back as if to protect her and get ready for whatever was around the corner. Len readied his riffle and quickly turned the corner but found himself starring down at another Asari...looting the body of a dead Turian! 

“What do you think you’re doing?” 

The Asari quickly turned around. "Who the fuck are you?”

Len frowned and felt his mandible flare but before he could snap at her, Sarina jumped in.

"We mean you no harm. What is your name?"

"Liana...Liana T'Loch. Who are you?" She sounded wary. 

Sarina took a few cautious steps forward. "This is Serenity, and Captain Len Tonrik...and I am Sarina. Justicar Sarina."

Len looked down at the dead Turian and then back at the young Asari. He wasn’t very good at guessing the age of Asari, hell, it was almost impossible, but he could tell she was young. At least younger than Sarina was. He wanted to make her put back everything she took from the dead Turian but something inside him kept reminding him that they were in a pretty desperate situation. It probably made him so uneasy and angry because it was a Turian. He cleared his throat and looked away. “Do you know about the rendezvous?” He looked back at Liana.

She looked at Len and Sarina and then noticed a human child. "Yeah,” she said slowly. “I got the coordinates over the comm.”

Stepping forward, Sarina put out her hand "Would u consider joining us? It may be safer. For all of us."

Liana seemed to take a moment to contemplate her options. "Well...I may be a slight gambler but my chances are probably better off with the thre...four of you."

Len was about to say something but he heard rustling behind him. He looked over his shoulder. "Uh...don’t mean to rush you guys but we should get going.” He looked back at them. “It’s not safe to stay in one place for long."

Sarina nodded. "Agreed. The faster we reach Anderson, the sooner we get instructions."

They continued their way down the streets for a long time in silence. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. 

Len, on the other hand, remembered he had a few things he wanted to ask the Justicar. This was possibly the only chance he would get. He slowed down to match Sarina's stride.

"You have some skill.” He looked at her. When she said nothing, he hesitated for a moment before he asked her what was really pecking at the back of his mind. “You said you destroyed a Reaper? How is that possible?"

"All things are possible Captain. Given another resolve and you can do pretty much anything. If your asking how I PHYSICALLY did it, I have always been particularly powerful in biotics and with multiple implants, well...let’s just say my powers are enhanced...” Sarina started to trail off. She looked behind them as Liana and Serenity talked. "And then there is Serenity. I promised I’d return for her. It wasn’t as if destroying the Reaper was a small feat...it drained me of my strength.”

"Either way, I’m sure that’s unheard of,” he looked away for a second. “By the way, when you killed that husk, you said something...what was it?"

"'Find peace in the embrace of the Goddess. You shall be avenged, this I swear,'” she repeated the words. “I am trained to kill the evil and the unjust. Though the code deals in black and white, some who commit evil do so against their will. Had that husk been who they used to be, they would never have done what they did. It was a mercy killing."

Her words were so simple, yet, extremely philosophical. He could barely sense any emotion from her though. He was sure it was for their sake. Or at least for Serenity’s sake. 

Giggling to herself, Liana spoke up. "Well, we made it. Damn, should've bet some--"

"Shhh, listen," Len spun around raising his rifle instinctively.

Sarina pulled out her pistol as they all listened.

None of them moved. They didn’t even breathe. Before Liana could say something, they heard it again. 

A terrible shriek that sent shivers down their spines, vibrating through the streets.

Len squeezed his eyes shut. His mandibles flared as he shook his head trying to make the piercing pain in his ears stop. Then, a glass window shattered to his right and thats when they saw it. A creature they had never seen before. One that could only haunt their nightmares. It had what seemed to be horns and its arms were unusually long. Everything about it was terrifying. The sharp talons, the teeth, the look on its face...It wanted nothing more than to destroy them. 

Sarina saw it slowly approaching them, when it shrieked again. She yelled out to them. "Get Serenity and go to Anderson now! This is too much for you to handle!” She rushed at it, full speed. 

“No!” Len reached out to stop her but he was too late. “Shit,” he looked at Liana and the little girl. “Get her out of here!” he yelled as he ran to the opposite end of where Sarina and that horrible creature were. 

"You'll get no argument from me," Liana picked up Serenity and ran to the hospital. 

Len quickly jumped up on top of a car and aimed his sniper rifle. 

The creature hurled a powerful biotic throw towards Sarina but she jumped out of the way just in time and swiped her sword out of its sheath. Before she could reach the thing, it launched another powerful throw at her but this time she didn’t have time to jump out of the way so Sarina dropped the sword and countered the attack with her own throw. The two forces battled for domination. The gravitational pull that resulted, ripped chunks of the road straight out of the ground and floated around them. Anything that wasn’t nailed down was now dangling in the air.

"By the Goddess." Sarina knew this was it.

CRACK!

Len let out the breath he was holding in and brought his scope down. He had nailed it in the right ear but it didn’t seem to do much damage because of it’s biotic barrier. But, the force had been just enough to cause it to stumble back slightly allowing Sarina to get the upper hand in the biotic beat down they were tangled up in. 

The thing screeched even louder this time.

Len cursed under his breath and reloaded as fast as he could. Damn thing had balls.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Sarina clenched her jaw tight and struck the creature with another biotic throw, this time sending it crashing into a store window. She looked over at Len and nodded in appreciation.

As Liana charged towards the hospital, several husks sprinted out of a near by building. She pulled out her pistol and fired killing a few of them instantly with head shot's.

When she reached the entrance to the hospital, it was sealed. She put down Serenity."Just my luck," she turned and fired at the charging husks. "Stay behind me!" She shouted at Serenity.

More and more husks seemed to appear out of no where. There was easily twenty now charging towards her and Serenity. "Give me a break Goddess!" Liana shouted as she charged up a biotic push and launched it at the Husks, knocking them back. It had all been in vain cause the things got right back up. 

"Hey!" A voice shouted from behind Liana she turned seeing the doors of the hospital open. Four Alliance soldiers with assault rifle's stepped forward, firing at the Husk's .

Liana ran inside the hospital with Serenity.

"Over here!" a Turian shouted to them.

 

"Go with the nice bird man Serenity."

 

The Turian glared at her. 

Liana’s attention at that moment was not on the Turian though, it was on a M-LL Missile Launcher just off to the side of him. Liana grinned, perfect.

Sarina kept her distance from the store where she had sent the creature crashing into. She just stared at the broken glass. Nothing. Was it dead? She looked over at Len again and saw him still aiming his sniper. 

Something moved inside the store.

She quickly faced the window again and saw the creature jump up and shriek loudly. She didn’t think it possible but it sounded even worse this time. It was mad. 

Sarina braced herself, she wasn’t sure where she would muster up the energy for another biotic attack but before any of them could even make a move, two missiles zoomed past her. She dropped to the ground and covered her head when she saw the missiles hit the beast head on. The explosion was deafening since she had been so close. After all the dust cleared, she looked up and saw no trace of the creature. She turned around and saw Liana standing atop a pile of rubble holding a Missile launcher over her shoulder.

"That was easy,” she smirked. “Are you two going to get up or would you like a blanket."

After the initial shock, Len jumped off the car and stormed over to where Liana stood proudly. "What the hell is wrong with you?!” he growled. “You could've caught us in the crossfire!"

Liana just laughed. "But you have to admit, that was pretty cool. The way it just went up. POOF. It looked like fireworks...except, more gooey."

Len grunted and reached out to yank the missile launcher out of her hand. “Give me that.”

Liana pulled away before he could take it from her. “Find your own!” She snapped.

Len tightened his jaw. “Fine, blow yourself up, I don’t care.” He turned to look at Sarina. She looked exhausted. If she kept it up, she would probably drain herself out so much she would pass out. “You okay?”

She nodded, but he could tell it was more for their sake. 

He looked back at Liana. “Where’s the girl?”

Liana pointed towards the hospital.

“Let’s get the hell off these streets, I don’t want to come into contact with one of those things again...you might just blow our heads off next time.” He brushed passed Liana, heading towards the hospital.