Mass Effect: The Forgotten Soul

Chapter Fourteen: Titans

They returned to the motel room to rest, they hadn't slept in twenty-six hours, and the fatigue caught up with them. The following day they awoke and headed out to locate Sören at his home. Martin had talked her out of fleeing the planet. She had visited the tower where he lived the previous day but wasn't allowed to enter. Martin was determined to force the issue if needed.

They traveled to the luxury towers located in the city's center. They entered the building and asked the front desk to see Sören. The woman called him, and he agreed to meet with them. They entered the gold-trimmed elevator.

"I'm surprised you took off your helmet; getting used to the cold?" Martin said.

"Do you know how it feels when this starts getting cold?" She pointed to her face. "Besides, it apparently makes me look more intimidating to humans."

Martin chuckled, "The only thing intimidating about you is your height."

She smiled at his remark as the elevator came to a stop.

They exited the elevator and were welcomed into the lavish penthouse apartment. They waited by the front door as the maid walked to find him; the front room was a prominent, wide-open, inviting place. White Marble floors, modern artworks, marble statues, a koi fish pond, and a giant piano all laid in front of them. Martin thought it was a little too extravagant to be on a frontier world.

"What is that awful sound? Velpia asked quietly, commenting on the music.

"Mozart, Piano Concerto Number twenty-three," Martin replied without hesitation.

Martin stepped forward to a statue of a large muscular bearded man holding a three-headed dog behind his back.

"Humans have some imagination," Velpia commented.

"It's a replica of an ancient greek statue. The mighty Heracles, the greatest hero in the greek world, holding back Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld," He replied; she wandered to the other statues around the room. Martin remained at the Cerberus statue; that name had taken a new meaning in his mind.

"Ancient humans sure liked their nudity," she commented, seemingly enthralled by the statues.

"It was their way of projecting power; they displayed their heroes in the perfect human condition to scare off their rivals."

"Were their enemies scared of penis'? She joked.

After a few moments, a well-dressed man, clothed in a black and white suit, entered the room. The man had slicked-back, jet-black hair and was clean-shaven. Everything about the man gave Martin the impression of a rich, pampered lifestyle.

"I see at least someone appreciates humanity's past." The man approached the both of them and shook their hands.

"Sören Köhler, I am told you wished to speak with me?" He smiled as he took a few steps back.

"We were looking into the planet's red sand issue and happened across your name. Care to explain?" Velpia bluntly stated. Sören was unphased by the bluntness of the question.

"Dreadful business, I assure you it isn't what it seems."

"Not what it seems? Mind telling us about it?" Martin responded. The man turned around, walked to a small table, and poured himself a drink.

"No, I don't make it a habit of explaining my dealings with mercenaries." He took a sip from his glass.

"Then why meet with us at all?" She questioned. He smiled and looked at Martin.

"Miss the chance to meet the infamous Martin Winters?" He approached him as Martin's demeanor changed. "Yes, you thought you'd go unnoticed." The man shook his head slightly. "We can rarely outrun our past, and what a tale yours is."