Survivor

Chapter 25

Shepard
  I groaned as I sat up, rubbing my forehead, then dragging my hand down my face.
  I pulled it away when I felt wetness at the corner of my mouth, opening my eyes to see blood, then the metallic taste registered in my mouth.
  I spat off to the side, hitting the wall of the shuttle that was next to me.
  I looked around, seeing broken glass from the monitors, our scattered weapons, and scorch marks coming from the front of the shuttle.
  It was hot, especially toward the front, and I prayed that there wasn't an active fire. If there was, I was likely screwed.
  Suddenly I remembered I wasn't alone. "Tom?"
  I moved my weak hands to my waist, finding the knot I had tied still secure there. And that it had busted my wound open.
I groaned and clenched my jaw as I worked the knot loose, then undid it completely.
"Tom?" I stood, my legs like jelly after the crash but I took a moment to let them steady before I moved forward, toward three bodies in the back.
My heart sank. If Tom wasn't strapped in...
I still hauled the pilot's body off of the other two, and immediately I saw Tom's face. His eyes were open, staring off sightlessly, but I still checked his pulse.
There was nothing. His body was already cooling, even.
My throat tightened and I turned my head away.
Who knew how long I had been out... My heart raced in my chest as I realized that meant the other mercs probably knew their shuttle went down, then.
I grabbed the pistol and spare heat sinks before I hit the emergency release latch on the shuttle door and stumbled out, leaving a smudge of blood on the wall of the Kodiac as I steadied myself.
I huffed a few breaths before I started walking, moving north, opposite of where I had taken note of us going before the crash.
If I remembered correctly, Strike HQ was north, too. Along with the park where Anderson was buried.
If I could just get to the park...
I picked up the pace, making a slow, painful jog onward, trying to stay in the shadow of the buildings as I went.
I heard a shuttle pass overhead and I tucked into the doorway of a crumbling building, letting it pass before I kept moving, gritting my teeth against the throbbing sensation that ran through my body.
My heart worked hard to keep up with me, probably a side effect from the electricity, but I couldn't give in now.
I coughed as I broke into a run, just before I had to press close against another building, worried about being caught as a shuttle passed again.
I couldn't tell if it was the same one or not.
I edged along the side of the building until I reached another doorway, this time going all the way inside to hide from the shuttle that was passing.
My eyes followed the drops of blood that were my trail. It wasn't awfully much, not enough to be worried about bleeding out anytime soon, but it was enough to be worried about someone finding me by it.
I grimaced at the dirt that was in the corner, blown there by the wind and I sighed. I made my way over and grabbed a handful, pressing it into my wound with my fingers so it packed in as blood soaked mud, slowing the bleeding further.
I gritted my teeth against the pain of the pressure in my wound, but the sound of the shuttle was fading and I had to move fast before they discovered the blood.
I ran out of the building and continued in the shadow of the other buildings, breathing hard from the exertion and pain. Still, I pushed myself and carried on.
If I could just recognize the area, then I could make it out of this mess.
I just needed to find the hotel Garrus told me to meet him at. Even the park... Something.
  My eyes searched the buildings for something familiar that I could use to decide where I was but it was no use.
  There was no telling how far they had taken us before the shuttle went down.
  Frustration burned in my veins and I ducked into another building to sit down as a shuttle passed nearby again.
  I punched a wall, the interior crumbling away under my fist, which was now split from the rough material.
  I drew it to my chest, frowning at myself, but frustration urged me to put my fist through another part of the wall.
  "Dammit!" I hissed, spinning around to face the room.
  It looked like it had been some sort of office, and I wandered over to the reception desk, where there were scattered papers and data pads.
  I opened drawers, finding nothing but a picture of two women, one a young adult and the other a teenager, both laughing as the teenager hung off the shoulders of the young adult.
  A sad smile touched my lips as I wondered if they made it.
  Then I moved toward the back, where there was another desk, this one more plush and expensive.
  The floors were wood, portions of it still immaculately polished while the rest was scratched, scorched, and torn up.
  I walked to the desk and sat in the office chair, staring at the computer screen frame. Etched in was a name, Francis D. Tyrus, Attorney At Law.
  I raised a brow and took another look around the room.
  There was evidence of hidden compartments torn into, along with torn remains of old currency from different countries, all very valuable.
  It was highly unlikely that this man was an attorney for innocent people. More like a criminal lawyer, where the pay was more enticing.
  I looked up as I heard a shuttle pass low and sighed.
  There was no way I was getting out anytime soon.
  I decided to stay and wait until dark, when it would be harder to spot someone among dark buildings. Not only would it be harder to spot me, but it would be easier to see shuttles coming.
  I relaxed back into the plush chair and stretched my legs out. May as well get comfortable, right?
My eyelids grew heavy soon after and my eyes slipped shut with my hand covering my wound.
I fell asleep. I should have known better.