Human rituals

Chapter 9

She wanted to open her eyes, but it was too difficult. She didn't move an inch, even breathing was terribly painful. She definitely wasn't on the ground covered by ashes and debris. Where was she? How was that she was still alive? Even more important, what happened after she chose to destroy the Reapers? She forced herself to open her eyes once more, but the bright light and her blurry vision just allowed her to distinguish three shadows a couple of meters away. The place looked a lot like a laboratory.

"So she's out of risk now?" Asked a human voice. An awfully familiar one. But who was him? The one who seemed like a salarian checked some papers and took distance from the other two.

"Yes, she is. But it would be better if we waited a couple of days before we begin the procedures. She's not totally stable yet"

She heard the human let go an angry growl and she felt kind of anxious. Were they talking about her? Were they Alliance scientists?

"The procedures begin now. We can't risk losing any more time." The human ordered, but this time the third figure talked. An asari.

"Sir, are you sure this is going to work? If she managed to escape or if someone discovered what we are doing they…"

"Your insecurity is dangerous. People like you are the ones who end up being traitors" He took his gun and pointed it directly to de asari's head. A big noise, and the body ended up on the ground. The salarian didn't move at all, "And we can't risk the operation" He continued. "Begin the procedures. Now." The human left the room and the salarian completely ignored the dead body on the ground and got closer to her.

Alright, she was now pretty sure they were not Alliance doctors. She was aware that she was in trouble. Whatever they were going to do with her, it didn't seem good at all. She felt a string on her neck and her consciousness faded away.

-o-

"There are no proofs that the information is accurate"

"Then send teams to check it out"

"Already done. I sent a small team to investigate the area"

"Only a team? It will take them days to find something!"

The Admiral let go a little sigh, but he didn't soften his expression.

"I can't move an entire army based on a rumor, Garrus. There is some peace now, but this stability is fragile. The troops are needed to contain people, keep things moving. I can't dispense of them."

The turian leaned towards the table in an angry gesture.

"It is Shepard who we're talking about"

"And it is only a rumor"

The turian gave him a challenging look and then got away from the table.

"Fine" He said walking to the place where the guns were and he grabbed his old weapons. Hackett didn't say anything. He was pretty sure he knew nobody could change his mind. The turian walked towards the door very frustrated. Screw the Alliance, screw the regulations. He would go find her by his own. Even if it was just what a group of civilians said they saw, he would check it out. It was worth to try. A thousand times better than staying there, pretending he was doing something good for society. He arrived to the place where he was staying and grabbed essential stuff that would help him on his mission. Even if he was angry, he felt optimistic. He hadn't heard from her since he knew she made it to the Crucible, and the possibility of seeing her again had his heart running fast.

He left the place ready to depart, but he heard his asari friend calling his name.

"Garrus, wait!"