Out of Time

Chapter Eight

She was almost laughing, Garrus thought the exhaustion was finally getting to her. "Thanks, Shepard. You better get going." Shepard ran off for the basement seconds after. With him gone, Mordin took a closer look at Riley. Scanning her once with his Omnitool. "How's she looking?"

Riley was about to respond with slight sass but Mordin started talking first. "Temperature elevated. Shows signs of severe exhaustion. Low blood cell count could be problematic if this fight goes on for too much longer. Suggest she takes a stim just to be safe."

Riley's eyes narrowed at stim. "Not a chance in hell. Also..." She fired off a few shots. "The mercs are here. This can wait until the main problem has been dealt with." Mordin turned his attention to the door. Two mercs were already down. Several more could be seen coming up the stairs.

A moment of contemplation went through his head before he stood. "I see. Treatment would be problematic if these men were to get through. Be back shortly." Riley watched him leave. The sounds of gunfire echoes through the building. Garrus was still sniping on the bridge. Riley eventually turned to help him as Garrus spoke with Shepard over the comms system.

When he had a moment. Garrus, still looking through his scope, decided he wanted to know. "So, what Scenario are you thinking about right now?" Riley lifted her head, looking to the door that they were cutting through.

Her answer was simple. "Zombies. This is a horrible zombie movie though. Nothing like Resident Evil where they just get bigger. No, these had to be the smart ones." Riley laughed at her own idea of a joke. Her pistol cut through Gram's armor. When Gram got up top, Riley got to her feet. "Like hell is this big boy hitting my partner."

A fight between her and Gram ensued. Her getting off a few shots, Gram getting in several good hits. He went down when Shepard got up the stairs, armor falling as he burst into flames. Riley fell back, Garrus wrapping an arm around her waist quickly. Mordin ran over to assess the damage. "Thanks, Shepard. They hardly got through to us, and we took out Garm and his Blood Pack. This day just gets better and better. He was one tough son of a bitch." Shepard asked about the time they'd fought before. "Yeah, we tangled once. Caught him alone. None of his gang to help him. I still couldn't take him out. I've never seen a Krogan regen that fast. He's a freak of nature. He just kept at it until his Vorcha showed up. It was lose, but I had to let him go. Not this time."

Carefully. Mordin set Riley on the couch cushions. "Only the Blue Suns left. I say we take our chances and fight our way out."

Garrus couldn't agree more. "I think you're right. Tarak's got the toughest group, but nothing we haven't faced. Besides, he won't be expecting us to meet him head-on--" Riley moved with a sudden burst of speed. The aircraft's headlights caught the corner of her eye as she pulled Garrus to the floor. "Damn it. I thought we took that thing out already."

Shots were fired off from both sides. People coming in the windows. "They fixed it, but not completely. I made sure of that." Riley focused her attention on the ground troops, moving from one cover to the next when the vehicle moved windows. Moving to the window when they started repelling down the side wall to the first floor.

Just when they thought the room was clear, the vehicle moved windows again. Riley running up behind Garrus. "Watch out!"

Garrus turned hearing the speakers. "Archangel!" Garrus was pulled to the side by Riley, but the bullets ripped through the furniture. "You think you can screw with the Blue Suns!?" Riley was face down, blood pooling beneath her. Garrus had his hand on her back, looking out the window. "This ends now!" He was about to try and roll with her, when a torpedo slammed into the ground sending the two sprawling across the floor.

Garrus landed with his arm over Riley's back. Neither of them moved when Shepard made it back into the room. "Garrus. Riley." They didn't even twitch hearing their names called. With few options left, Shepard took out the gun ship before turning his attention to Garrus. Blue and red mixed on the floor, Garrus's eyes opened as he gasped for air, the arm around Riley tightening as he pulled her closer. "Garrus!" It was obvious that he was having trouble breathing. "We're getting you two out of here Garrus. Just hold on. Radio Joker. Make sure they're ready for us.'