The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 59

After breakfast, Olivia headed to Dr Raleigh's lab. She still hadn't seen Scott and was beginning to fear for his safety. Kendra hadn't made an appearance either. Instead, Olivia was reasonably free to roam, though some areas were evidently closed off with guards who watched her frankly as she passed them.

"Firefly!" Dr Raleigh greeted her brightly. "You came, as promised. This is my assistant Hadley."

Hadley was a tall, thin man with eyes like a bird, sharp and almost black. There was a gun at his belt, she noticed.

"How can I help?" She asked.

"I wondered if you could activate this, see what it does." Raleigh indicated a small panel set into the wall. "We're still finding our feet in this place."

Both men were standing quite close to her as she placed her hand against the panel, letting it light up beneath her palm. There was the telltale sharp jerk in her head indicating that it had activated. Blue beams of light shone out of the panel in every direction and hit the three doors out of the room, forming what looked like a forcefield.

"Good gracious!" Raleigh's eyes were wide. "I believe you've locked us in." He and Hadley had wandered down, inspecting the forcefield. Hadley tapped it with the butt of his weapon. It crackled and bounced back.

Hadley's radio crackled into life. "All armed personnel to the south compound entrance. Creature breach. I repeat Creature Breach."

"I have to go." Hadley said urgently. "Now!" He shouted at Olivia. She ran back to the panel, slamming her hand on the panel and releasing them. He shot out of the room, leaving Olivia and Raleigh behind.

"How do you deal with the Creepers?" She asked.

"Is that what you call them?" He asked with a wan smile. "There are certainly enough soldiers to keep taking them on. Dr Croasdale keeps promising to get security features online but for now it's barricades and flames."

"I suppose Sara can't do everything." Liv said bitterly, turning away to hide her expression.

"Not everyone chose to be here, Firefly." Raleigh said quietly. She turned sharply to stare at him. "Bear that in mind."

"Then help me." Olivia said in desperation. "She has my friends, my sister."

"I can't." He shook his head. "But know you're safe with me. Just don't trust Hadley."

After a brief quiet lunch, she headed back to her room, keen to avoid Kendra's acolytes and their probing questions. As she got closer she heard a familiar voice going ballistic it seemed outside of her door. "Then where is she?" Scott was shouting, "You say this is her room."

"Miss Taylor must be out." Someone else was saying. "Pathfinder if you don't calm down, you know what will happen."

"You'll knock me out again and seal me in a cell, yes I know." Scott's volume decreased but the fury was still there, and the fear. "I need to know where my girlfriend is." He made an effort to calm his voice.

Olivia rounded the corner. "Scott, I'm here!"

"Oh thank god." He said heavily, lurching towards her, throwing his arms around her and drawing her into a warm, tight embrace. She clung to him, burying her face for a moment in the safe comfort of his chest before pulling back. His eyes were roving over her as if for signs of damage. "Are you alright?" He asked urgently. "Did they hurt you?"

"No." She shook her head, "I'm fine. Are you? I was so worried."

He laughed shortly, the worry remaining in his gaze. "That's my line." He glanced at the two armed men behind him. "I'm okay, Liv. Shall we go in your room?"

Worried it was bugged, she shook her head. "Let's go for a walk instead."

He was impatient to talk to her, but held his peace as they passed the armed guards, all of whom seemed anxious to let him out of their sight. She took him up towards Raleigh's lab. It was empty when they entered, and so she locked it immediately, frowning a little at the immediate headache.

As soon as the door was locked, he could wait no longer, sweeping her into his arms, crushing her lips in a kiss that was as possessive as it was passionate. His mouth moved down and across her jaw, planting kiss then on her neck and her vulnerable throat. She let out a soft noise of pleasure and he paused, grinning like his old self.

"I missed you." He almost growled.

"I did too." She admitted. "Did they hurt you?"

"Not really." He admitted. "They just kept knocking me out. I knocked a few of them out too. I kept trying to escape." He laughed. "They wouldn't tell me where you were and I was terrified that Kendra was hurting you like she did before." His smile faded. "I was scared, Liv."

"They've not hurt me." She promised again. "Quite the opposite. They're all keen to be my friend, trying to convince me that they're harmless, that Kendra is a good person, that she's just misunderstood. I'm reasonably free to roam and Kendra hasn't spoken to me at all."

"It won't last." Scott predicted, though he looked a little less anxious. "Your implant is stronger than whatever she's done to Sara." He looked ill at the thought of his poor twin. "Sooner or later, if you don't come around, she'll be locking you up and performing surgery." He shuddered."What the hell are we going to do?"

"I'm gathering allies...cautiously." Olivia admitted. "The guy who works in this lab was brought here against his will. For now, we play by Kendra's rules, keep our heads down, make friends. They're having issues with Creeper security, there might be an angle there too. You get in with them, get access to weaponry. I'll fiddle with consoles until I find some leverage for us."

"You are a marvel." He kissed the top of her head. "If anyone can get us out of this, It's you, Firefly." He rubbed his temple. "It feels so silent without SAM again."

"We'll get the two of you hooked up again in no time." Olivia said with a confidence she didn't feel. "Let's do this."