The Firefly (Mass Effect Andromeda)

Chapter 60

It had been two days since Scott had been released from his cell. He found it hard to pretend, to do what Olivia seemed to do so easily. She smiled and laughed and befriended people who believed in her worst enemy. He had always been blessed with making friends easily but here his own anger was getting in the way.

He detested being trapped, and the thought of what had been done to his twin sister haunted his nightmares. Tired and testy, he decided to start on the plan Olivia had cooked up.

"Where are you off to?" Olivia asked him, her red ponytail swinging around as she jogged up to him. There was light perspiration on her face. She'd been running with the jogging group. There was a daily exercise schedule in the compound.

"I'm going to find the guards." Scott shrugged. "Offer to help." As if on cue, the alarm went off again. Kendra had managed to get that rigged up at least. Everyone knew to stay put and bar the door while the alarm was sounding.

"Good luck!" She raised an eyebrow.

He kissed her and then ran off before they could start closing doors. He hurtled through several hallways until a human man with a gun shouted at him. "You! Halt! Where do you think you're going?"

Scott skidded to a stop. Without his armor, he was vulnerable to gunfire.

"You're the Pathfinder." He said crossly. "You've been giving the men trouble."

"That's me." Scott smirked.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked again.

Scott turned, slowly, wary of the gun on him. "I was going to volunteer to help." Scott shrugged. "I'm good with a gun, and I can help with the creepers."

The guy was a similar age to Scott, with a blond buzz cut and scars down his neck. He laughed raucously. "If Evans gives you a gun, I will die of shock."

"Is Evans the guy in charge?"

"Sure." The young guy shrugged. "Come on, I'll take you, Pathfinder. The name's Swanson by the way."

"Ryder." Scott nodded, jogging in his wake. The alarm continued to blare.

They reached a barricade, where a group of men were huddled, loading guns. He could hear gunfire further down the hall. "That's close." Swanson paled a little. "They must be at the next barricade already."

"Who's this?" An older man, bald and tattooed snapped. "What were you thinking, bringing the Pathfinder down here?"

"He wants to help." Swanson said apologetically.

"Why?" Evans's eyes focused on Scott.

"The Creepers are everyone's problem." Scott said reasonably. "My girlfriend is here, my sister, my friends. I want to protect them, even if I'm not happy being here."

Evans gave him another scrutinising look. "Fine. But the gun goes back to me as soon as we're done. Any problems and my men will put you down. I don't care what Dr Croasdale says. Understood?"

"Understood." Scott said, accepting an assault rifle. There was some spare armour; not a patch on his own but it would keep him reasonably safe.

They jogged past the barrier, leaving a cluster of soldiers guarding the compound. Evans led the way to the final barricade. There were injured mercenaries there, and others just beyond it, still fighting. They expressed their relief at the backup.

"I thought they were coming through this time." One of them said.

"Not on my watch." Evans said crisply, issuing orders.

The group of them fanned past the barricade, opening fire on the first two creepers making their way forward. The screaming, grating sound of metal that Scott associated with them filled the air, a raucous din when combined with the blaring alarm.

Scott fired quick precision shots, moving up the hallway, stepping over vines and tendrils of black,  amber pods hanging perilously close to the compound. The Creepers were pushing their luck.

As the mercenaries took down a few, they made their way into another hallway, a crossroads that fanned in three directions. The men spread out slowly, right before they were rushed.

Five Creepers raced from two of the passages. "Pull back!" Evans cried out.

Swanson was too far away. He dodged one of the creatures lunging at him, and escaped into one of the side passages. Scott darted after him.

They were pinned down, the others fighting, fleeing.

Scott took down one of the two chasing them as the other again lunged at Swanson, taking a bite out of his shoulder while he screeched.

Scott seized his companion pulling him backwards and diving into the closest room, grabbing a desk and pushing it against the door.

"You saved me!" Swanson said breathlessly. His shoulder was bleeding badly, scarlet liquid streaming hot and slippery down his arm.

"Quiet!" Scott snapped. "We're not out of the woods yet."

The grating metal sound was close. Scott slipped from the room, using the last of his ammo, firing into the Creeper's gaping jaws as it closed in on their position. It shrieked and reared back as he emptied the last bullets. Gore splattered the walls as the monster finally fell to the ground.

He let out a breath of relief. They were awful creatures. What he wouldn't have given for one of the flamethrowers Liv and Evra had used to save him in the past.

Holstering the rifle, he returned to Swanson, who had slapped medigel over his wound. He looked at Scott with a wan but relieved face.

"It's done." He grinned. "We should get back. They might shut the damn alarm off then."

"You are one impressive guy, Ryder." Swanson shook his head, his face creased with pain.

Scott supported the mercenary all the way back, their boots skidding on blood, Swanson's arm slung around his shoulders.

As they reached the barricade, the men began shouting their names. Scott was smiling as they were helped through, Swanson being taken off his hands. "We'd given you two up for dead." Evans looked amazed.

"It was Ryder." Swanson nodded in Scott's direction. "He saved me, killed the Creeper."

He was slapped on the back by everyone close by, praise murmured. Scott smiled. Seemed like he'd earned some good will. And maybe in the future he'd get easier access to weapons.

Today we hit the number 1 spot for Mass Effect guys! Can't believe it, doing a little dance around the room. Thanks so much for all the support!