[table][row][cell][right] [img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/851798918349586452/1105602756863066162/mesvcerro2.png[/img] [/right][/cell][cell] [h3][u] RESCUE[color=red]◢[/color][/u] [sub][b][code]Cerro Municipality,[/code][/b][color=gray][s] Havana[/s][/color] [b][code]Evening,[/code][/b][color=gray][s] April 9, 2187[/s][/color][/sub][/h3] [sup][@Awesomoman64][@Shift][@Shu][@Auz][@High Casual][/sup][/cell][/row][/table] [indent][indent] [color=red][b]A[/b][/color]s if on cue, a dog's whine comes from the back alley. Peering past the mangled chain wire fence at the mouth of the alley, the group could see a dirty golden retriever prone next to a row of dumpsters. Clutched between the dog's front paws was a collar. The walls of the buildings have bullet holes, dark scorch marks and scraped trails of something heavy being dragged through. At Outcast's approach, the golden retriever perked up. It growled. Outcast began scanning with their omni-tool, and the dog's growl became more aggressive. "Doesn't look like the gangs' guard dogs." Their right hand hovered near their rifle. "And doesn't like me either..." Zenn kept back and watched as Outcast approached the dog. Even though he was more than protected by is suit, he didn't make it a habit of touch or going near dirty and possibly sick strays. He was close enough to spy the dog had something in it's paws. A collar? "Hey," Zenn said and pointed to the collar, "aren't they supposed to normally [i]wear[/i] those?" The collar was broken. The bone-shaped tag attached to it read "Ranger". There's also some krogan scribblings on it: "brave little warrior". The dog didn't show the same level of hostility toward Zenn, so Outcast stepped back behind the quarian. It's growling eased after a few seconds. The dog turned to a dumpster and started scratching it. Outcasted scanned said dumpster. "Just bags of trash. Wait, a tick of eezo." “There’s something familiar about this animal,” Nadara pondered out loud. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why. “Wanna go check out the trash, Zenn? The mutt doesn’t seem to mind you.” Zenn really did not want to root around in trash for the same reason he didn’t want to go near the dog, but if he was the only one the animal was hostile with there wasn't really any other options. "Fine..." Zenn groaned "But if I get sick I'm calling us even for the cab." Amina, readied her Vindicator, raising it up to chest level but keeping her eyes on the dumpster while her finger rested on the trigger. She didn’t like this, any of it - this surprise operative showing up onsite, the look of this dog, the tension in the air. This already unorthodox evening was just getting stranger. “Go.” Amina nodded to urge Zenn forward. The smell was nauseating, even through Zenn's suit filters. But it was more foul than just bags of refuse. At the bottom of the dumpster were two corpses. The first was a krogan clad in heavy armor with decorative bone pieces. Patches of the krogan's armor and skin were burned, but his cause of death was clearly a shotgun blast between his eyes. This dead krogan was too heavy for Zenn to move alone. "Help Shadow out." Outcast said. Once the krogan was out of the dumpster, the golden retriever immediately went to the corpse. It pulled a piece of leather from the krogan's pocket, the missing piece of the broken collar. The the dog pawed, scratched and barked. When it realized there would be no reply, the dog curled up with a defeated whine. Upon scanning, this krogan matched the descriptions of an Urdnot soldier of the missing team. Beneath the krogan was another corpse so badly burned that it couldn't be identified at a glance. A scan would reveal the corpse to be an asari, and the tick of eezo was a part of the asari's biotic amp. The amp was the only thing not burned. Nadara would recognize the amp as a commando grade one tailored for asari adepts. "Intact amp could be useful." Outcast noted. They took out a scalpel from their bandolier, but after a moment of pause, the scalpel was put away. Instead, Outcast went to scan the surroundings. "Multiple incendiary grenade impacts; classic Reds tactic." Outcast proceeded further into the alley. "Prints looked like more bodies dragged this way." They stopped at few footprints. "Though this set is someone running, and not human like the rest." Nadara was surprised such a high ranking Asari adept would succumb like this. Not to mention the Krogan, and an Urdnot at that. She opened her mouth to object to Outcast’s implication of removing the amp from the fallen Asari then and there, but he must have realized the insensitivity of his action and put it away on his own. “SRN will need to send a team to collect these bodies,” she said, sending a message indicating as such through her omni-tool. “One of us should stay back and wait for them. Zenn?” She didn’t make eye contact with the Quarian, instead moving to inspect the footprints Outcast indicated. [i]Why is he acting like our commanding officer?[/i] She thought, further aggravated by the stranger. Before reaching the footprints however, Nadara paused by the golden retriever. From a closer look, she could tell the mutt had been well cared for until recently. A few baths, and the golden coat beneath should shine through again. She knelt down and placed a hand on his head, not comfortable enough with the grime on his fur for a legitimate caress, but it was probably more affection than he’d received of late anyway. The dog’s reaction was friendly enough, though he was clearly saddened by the loss of what had to have been his owner. Was Outcast the only one he was distrustful of? This only increased Nadara’s own suspicions. “Keep an eye on the mutt, too?” Nadara directed to Zenn, still without meeting his gaze. She picked up the colar with the intention of handing it off to him, using the very tips of her fingers to gingerly lift it and the second ripped piece of leather from the ground. Amina’s brow furrowed as she looked down at the two alien corpses. [i]So this is what became of the last team…[/i] she thought, drumming her fingers against her rifle. Amina chewed the inside of her cheek as she processed the scene before the group. “The Reds” it seemed were quite the prepared bunch, Amina wondered if it had been a fair actual fight or just a well executed ambush. Whatever may be they had found the missing team - part of them anyway. Nadara called in a pickup for the bodies while this “Outcast” ran his scans nearby, noting the footprints. Someone or something had taken off leaving a trail in it’s wake. [i]Nothing to do but follow it.[/i] Nadara requested for Zenn to hang back with the bodies - the dog too, Amina rolling her eyes at the latter. *Now we are animal rescue too?* Someone did need to stay back and secure the extraction of the corpses, though Amina wished the team as it were could stay together rather than splitting and she being stuck with this newcomer. *Better to have him where I can see him…* Amina thought. Amina remained silent though she took some assertive steps towards the trail, indicating for Nadara to follow along as well as Outcast whom Amina was staring daggers into. This. Was. Disgusting. Zenn had handled his fair share of bodies, and even a few burned ones before. But burned and buried in a dumpster? He couldn't tell what was a person and what was tossed out leftovers. After this mission he was going to need to change his filters and take a long decontamination shower. Together they were able to lift the corpses out without much issue, but Zenn remained in the dumpster for a moment longer. He decided this was the perfect opportunity to hopefully get some more info. Crouched down in the garbage and out of sight, the quarian opened his omni-tool and sent a hasty message to Lizbeth [indent][quote] [right][b][code]Shadow:[/code][/b] [code]Requesting all data on SRN Associate "Outcast".[/code][/right] [/quote][/indent] Outcast hadn't given them any reason not to trust him. But he also hadn't given them much at all. Zenn didn't want to keep second guessing this guy's every move, and having a confirmation he was who he said he was would be enough to put the quarian's mind at ease. His task completed, Zenn hopped out of the dumpster hoping he would never have to return. In his brief absence, Outcast had found a trail to follow, while Nadara had called for a team to collect the bodies and requested Zenn stay behind with them. Well, less requested and more expected as she didn't even look at him or ask his opinion. Amina seemed to go along with it as well, but it felt less like she agreed and more she just wanted to get all this over with. Outvoted before he even got a say. Guess he was stuck with the dog. The dirty possibly diseased dog that was currently pawing at a trash covered decomposing corpse… On second thought. "Are we sure that's a good idea?" Zenn spoke up before the others left. "If these Reds took down a Krogan and an Asari adept then they're clearly a formidable group. Splitting up now could leave us vulnerable." Nadara finally looked over to the Quarian and raised an eyebrow. “What do you suggest instead?” Zenn glanced around for ideas. He had one, but it wasn’t really in good taste. The others would probably disagree, but it was all he had at the moment. "We could put them back in?" Zenn suggested and pointed to the dumpster. "They were hidden there before just fine. All we have to do is let the collection team know where they are stashed and we'll be set." Amina shook her head and said to Zenn, “We can’t just toss them back in the dumpster. It would be better for you to just wait here with the corpses. We can manage. And this time damn concealment.” Amina wadded up the oversized jacket she had been wearing and stuffed it inside the suitcase, then tossing both into the dumpster. “As if that oversized rag did much concealment anyway,” Nadara mumbled to herself under her breath. Then, louder, she said, “I agree with her.” She shrugged to Zenn. “Sorry, seems like you’re outvoted. But hey, at least this way you’re less likely to get sick, right?” The odds of these thugs returning here now that their targets were dead was low. Especially if their prints indicated they’d run off somewhere. Nadara wasn’t keen on following Outcast to a potential ambush—his presence was all just too convenient—but they had to follow the lead. And truth be told, after they’d walked in on Zenn on his ass, she felt it was better he stay back. Not that Amina inspired much more confidence. [i]I guess as long as she doesn’t try to throw anything…[/i] She took a few steps over toward the stranger and Amina before turning back to Zenn, indicating her omni tool. “Message if anything.” The quarian lowered his gaze and shook his head. He really did not like this, but Nadara was right, he was outvoted. “Alright. Just be careful. Don’t let any cloaked figures get the drop on you.” Zenn relented and released them with a wave. He leaned against the wall and watched as his teammates left to follow the trail. Once they were out of sight he pushed himself off and headed back out of the alley. As he passed the dog laying by his fallen owner and held his hand out towards the animal and said in a hushed voice, “Stay” before activating his cloak and vanishing from sight. The others may not have suspected anything, and honestly he really hoped they were right. But there was something still bothering him. They were here to investigate a distress signal, and it would be naïve to assume the Reds were oblivious to said signal. If they were smart, they would realize that signal would bring backup for the SRN operatives they killed. If Zenn were in their shoes the first thing he would do is try to kill it. But if he couldn’t stop the signal, he’d find a way to stall the reinforcements so he could get into position, then trick them to split up. Once they were apart he’d strike the weakest groups first, which in this case would be him. Someone had already gotten the drop on him once today, it wasn’t going to happen again. The squad had decided he would stay with the bodies, and he was going to follow those orders, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do so from a vantage point. The roof of the building he had followed Outcast into would make a great start. From the top of a two story building he’d have a perfect view of the alley, but more importantly, the surrounding area. If anyone was setting up an ambush on him or his team, he’d see it. Now if only he had actually brought his sniper rifle… "Are you all done?" Outcast cut in. "No need to get worked up over two corpses, unless..." "Anyway, trail clearly split into two." Outcast was moving to the other end of the alley. That end opened to another road, a much quieter, much darker and much more poorly paved road. "Bunch of dragging here ended with tire marks near the curb. Reds stuffed into getaway vehicles and drove off." Outcast highlighted the other trail going across the street. "Runner went through there, but the pursuers stopped." The threshold in question was a series of sheet metal barriers. Graffiti marred them; one symbol, the letter M, was the most prominent. Just beside the M was a humanoid shaped hole. "Marielitos territory past that point." Outcast pointed out. "Feel free to go through and investigate. No toughs on the street; most of them must be off partying." Suggested Outcast. "I will go...extract footage from traffic cams; see which way the Reds drove to." "Here's my comms channel." Outcast revealed on omni-tool display. "Or I can use yours. Or just meet back here when you're done. Go with whatever you think has the least risk of me tricking you." Nadara made eye contact with Amina before narrowing her eyes at Outcast. “Let’s keep our comms separate for now,” she said, accepting the information from him. [i]Speaking of which[/i]…she switched over to their private channel. “Zenn, can you get eyes on us?” "Already got visual." Zenn confirmed at Nadara's request. "Though that wall of sheet metal will be a problem. Whoever built that did so to block prying eyes like mine. I could try another vantage point, but then I couldn't keep track of the 'dearly departed' or their dog." Was he being too harsh on the dead? It wasn't their fault he was stuck keeping track of them. Course, this wouldn't have been a problem if they hadn't gotten themselves killed- Nope. Stop. Don't think like that. He didn't know the full story. He couldn't judge them. There was a job to be done and he was assigned it. Gotta focus on that. Perfect timing, a quick distraction made itself known on Zenn’s omni-tool. Lizbeth had gotten back to him. The info was... inadequate to say the least. [indent][quote] [b][code]Egghead:[/code][/b] [code]Zenn? Sry, was talking to Thul.[/code] [b][code]Egghead:[/code][/b] [code]Anyway, quick search shows they joined 10 days ago. Only thing on file is species: human. Probably logistics/admin. Hired a dozen to prep for new office. Half aren't interviewed yet.[/code] [b][code]Egghead:[/code][/b] [code]Btw, tell Nadara Thul has a present for her. Cigars, "Jack Harper Custom Commission". I'll bring it back to the hotel.[/code] [b][code]Egghead:[/code][/b] [code]Gtg! There's Jelize. Gotta catch her before she leaves![/code] [/quote][/indent] All it confirmed was species and that they were a recent addition like the rest of the team, but it's what Lizbeth speculated that was concerning. Logistics and admin? Really? Someone like that wouldn't be in the field. Was Lizbeth playing dumb? Or was she just as much in the dark? Whatever the case, he wasn't going to hide things from his team. "Oh Nadara, just got a message from Liz. Looks like Thul got you a present. Guess you didn't totally miss out on the party. I'll send you the details." Zenn informed her with a cheerful tone. Zenn forwarded the messages to both Nadara and Amina. He didn't mention the info regarding Outcast over comms just in case he was being nosey and eavesdropping. It was such a drag to have to take the leadership role when she would much rather be partying it up with the locals. Nadara sighed internally to herself. But it seemed this was just how this mission would go. It did make her question the capabilities of the others on her team, though, the two who had gone to fetch their shuttle. How were they fairing? And wasn’t there another who didn’t even show to the initial meeting? Was this really the best and fastest way to get things back to normal? [i]It’s not too late to license that review business,[/i] she mused to herself until Zenn got back to her. Well, at least he’d had the foresight to keep a visual on both them and the bodies. And it seemed he’d even had the wherewithal to double check Outcast’s credentials. The lack of information Liz offered was troubling, further confirming her gut instinct not to trust the mysterious human. “Ooh goodie,” she said at the mention of a present. As she read through Lizbeth’s message however, her smile fell. “Ah. Yes, cigars, how… kind… of Bragus.” She’d forgotten how tactless the man could be. Nadara couldn’t remember how many times she’d told him she wasn’t fond of the noxious sticks. Perhaps they could be of some use, though. She remembered Cuban cigars were considered quite the delicacy to some. But that was best focused on at a different time. Keeping the private comms open so Zenn could hear, she said, “I’ll follow the runner. Perhaps you should assist Outcast in his investigation.” She directed the last part to Amina before looking back towards where they came from, wondering what vantage point Zenn was utilizing. “I think it’s best we keep eyes on the bodies for now. If anything happens, I can charge back here quite quickly.” “Right…” Amina said flatly. *This whole job is getting more and more complex and annoying by the minute…* The arrival of this “Outcast” had already thrown a knot in things, and now Amina, Nadara, and Zenn had to split up. Splitting up may have been the best course for following the trail of these killings but that didn’t mean Amina had to like it. She wasn’t sure what exactly to make of this armored newcomer but she didn’t trust them. [i]Well, not yet.[/i] Amina double checked her rifle and kit, satisfied as she could be, and then nodded to Outcast. “Lead the way.” "If you say so, Rogue." Outcast admonished, but didn't bother otherwise. "Sunset could've used your help." Anima planned to stay close and at Outcast's back the whole way. And she did relent to herself that she had Zenn and Nadara to back her up. They didn’t seem to be a completely useless pair - even if a bit on the ditzy side. Nadara nodded to Amina and walked toward the sheet metal barrier. “Keep an eye on those two, Shadow.” Just as said, Outcast made their way to the closest intersection. After making sure no one was around, Outcast pried open a panel at the base of the traffic light pole and began interfacing with their omni-tool. As far as Amina was concerned, Outcast seemed to know their way around hacking. "Don't suppose you're good with electronics?" Outcast said between omni-tool taps. "Could make this faster." [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] For Nadara, getting into Marieltos territory was incredibly easy. The hole in the sheet metal was barely covered by a plastic tarp. No alarms or traps were triggered. In fact, this space appeared to be the yard of a two-story villa. The only sources of light came from the villa, both through the windows and next to its doors. Several trees and shrubs made the yard even harder to see. There were two humans standing around the door. One of them had an M-23 shotgun, while the other lugged around a big machete. Both wore patches with the Marieltos' M, but neither wore any armor. "My cousin's out there partying and what do I get? Guard duty." Nadara could hear one of them complain. "What do we even need to guard?." Said the other one. "That turian's out cold. Reds fucked him up good, and we even smashed his comms." "Something about ransom. Bird-man's some kind of spec op." The first one replied. "Anyway, I'm gonna go take a piss." The human with the machete went inside, leaving only one shotgun-wielding guard. The entire alley smelled. She hadn't outwardly complained of the stench because so many other factors had been at play, but that didn't mean she hadn't immediately been repulsed by her surroundings when they stepped onto the grimy passageway that existed behind the building. The sheer notion that she was stepping over and on—she shivered—Goddess knows what, was enough to warrant multiple showers as soon as she was back at the resort. [i]They had better have cleaned the room by the time I get back.[/i] Before carefully pulling aside the tarp that crudely hung over the opening in the sheet metal, she found an unknown viscous liquid underfoot. It was nothing like stepping on the smooth, silky texture of the velvet carpet at the last Ambassador’s Gala she’d attended... but during said event, she had spilled some champagne and attempted to cover her faux pas by stepping on the evidence. She supposed that was slightly more similar to the mysterious viscosity she stood on now. Nadara tried pretending she was back at the luxurious ball, but as soon as she was faced with the glorified shack with an extra floor thrown on top that was the villa that lay beyond the tarp, she was mercilessly thrust into the present moment. She should be grateful the inhabitants had barely enough to fund adequate lighting, much less afford a groundskeeper, for she easily found cover behind some unkempt foliage, but she simply couldn't bring herself to even feign the emotion. A sickly sweet rotting odor of well expired fermented beverages permeated the yard and various pieces of garbage lay strewn about as if someone purposefully dragged a ripped trash bag through the space. At least the foul smell and sight didn't affect her ability to overhear the conversation between the two guards at the door. "These 'Reds' are keeping a downed Turian inside a sorry sight of a two-story dwelling that doesn't even come close to the grandeur of a proper villa," she whispered into her omni-tool through the private channel she shared with Zenn and Amina. "I'm going in to extract him." There were many small items around her, and once the second guard went inside, she used the opportunity to toss a small stone to the opposite end of the yard, hoping to distract the first guard so she could sneak inside the building. [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] A new message appeared for Nadara and Zenn as the latter settled into position. [indent][quote] [b][code]Saneamiento 24/7 - SRN Partner:[/code][/b] [code]WTF two dead bodies?? You need to find a better party, amigos...preferably one without krogans o.o[/code] [b][code]Saneamiento 24/7 - SRN Partner:[/code][/b] [code]Anyway, will be there in 15 with a dog cage.[/code] [/quote][/indent] 15 minutes. That was the wait time Zenn was given. It was longer than he’d like to be stuck there, but all things considered it was still a quick response time. Actually, it might be quick enough that there wasn’t any point in waiting around. After all, what were the chances anything would happen to the bodies in the next 15- “And I get that some supplies are scarce right now, but I could get better food from street vendors.” A voice came into earshot from the streets below. Three humans, all looking rather displeased, were walking down the sidewalk. “Ugh I know. I’m glad we got out of there, but I really don’t want to walk all the way back home.” “Well, we could take the alleys? Shave a few minutes off.” [i]Shit.[/i] Okay, don’t panic. Even Zenn knew going down sketchy alleys at this time of night was dangerous. No way they would go for it. “Can’t we just call a cab instead?” [i]Yes![/i] “Are you kidding? This is the final night of celebration. Traffic all over Havana is going to be a nightmare. Our best bet is to cut through here and avoid any of the main roads. We’ll be home in no time!” [i]No![/i] “I don’t know. Is that safe?” [i]Not at all![/i] “Come on, everyone's out partying! No one is going to care if a few people ‘trespass’ on their territory or whatever.” [i]Fucking hell![/i] At that point, Zenn had stopped listening to the group and began his descent from the building. If there was even a possibility of them taking the alley he had to get into position to stop them. Luckily he was still cloaked, and the climb down wasn’t exactly difficult. This gave him just enough time to slip undetected into the alley and check his surrounding area. Hopefully there was something he could use to quickly hide the bodies. If not, he’d have to think of a way to keep the party goers away from here. After a quick survey of the area, all Zenn was able to find was a tarp hanging from the sheet metal wall. Would it be big enough to cover the bodies? And even if it was he couldn’t exactly move them out of the way. He had to think. The voices were getting closer which meant those humans must have decided to go down the alley. Shit shit come on. There had to be something… Wait. The dog! The mangy mutt was a decent size, any pedestrian would try to avoid it if they thought it was angry. Now he just had to get the dog from riled up, but how? Hold on, the krogan was the owner right? So maybe… Zen raced over to the krogan’s body and began checking the pockets. Thermal clips, rations, what looked to be teeth of some kind, ah-ha! The quarian removed a bag filled with bone shaped biscuits. He opened the bag and dangled it in front of the dog's nose, hoping it would pick up the scent and focus on them. He carefully removed one of the treats and started backing up to the entrance of the alley. He slipped the bag into one of his own pockets and concealed the treat in his hands. With his cameo still on it was the best way to keep anyone from seeing floating dog biscuits, and as long as the dog had the smell it wouldn’t need to see them to know where they were. Now all he needed was for the dog to make some noise. “Come on, you mutt.” Zenn muttered under his breath. “Start barking! Growl or something! Speak!” The dog started barking with all of its golden retriever might as its treats bag disappeared into thin air. It was just when the three humans were about to turn into the back alley. At that moment, they decided taxi was the better choice after all. While they were hurrying back to Alejandro's to hail a ride, the dog was getting tired of barking. It poised to leap at Zenn's scent. The plan worked perfectly. Zenn could hear the group as they hesitated, then ultimately decided a dog attack was not worth taking a shortcut. He waited a few moments to make sure they were gone before he deactivated his cloaking and relaxed his shoulders. “Whew. That was a close one. Good work, Ranger… Ranger?” The dog had stopped barking and was now bending it’s legs, was it about to- “No, NO! DOWN! [b]DOWN![/b]” Zenn cried out in vain as the dog lept on top of him. “Okay, fine. Fine! Take it!” The quarian released his hold on the treat and allowed the dog to snatch it from his hands. He laid on the ground defeated as the dog messily devoured the treat over him. His team was investigating clues and infiltrating gang hideouts, meanwhile he just spent the last few minutes scaring a group of humans with a stray dog that had now pinned him to the ground. As he lay there in that moment, only one thought was going through his head. [i]I’m a migrant fleet marine. I used to fight geth and reapers...[/i] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] Meanwhile, Nadara's distraction worked perfectly. The shotgun-wielding guard wandered away from the door for Nadara to slip inside, unaware of her movements in the dark. Inside, Nadara found several pieces of cheap furniture strewn about the villa lobby. There were three doors, and behind one door came the sound of toilet flushing. Thankfully, the lobby was poorly lit by only one old hanging light, which gave Nadara plenty of hiding spots behind sofas and under tables. The absentminded guard walked by, oblivious to the clatters of Nadara's stilettos across dirty tiles just seconds ago. Searching through the two remaining doors, Nadara discovered a kitchen behind one, and a storage behind the last one. At the center of the storage was an unconscious turian tied up to a chair. The turian matched the descriptions of a missing SRN member: Kysar "Venator" Proctus. Kysar had a bruise on top of his head, where the Marieltos knocked him out with something hard. At the side of his torso armor was a bullet hole, shot by the Reds and haphazardly stuffed full of medi-gel by Marieltos sawbones. Otherwise, Kysar seemed mostly healthy. At one side of the storage was hard case holding Kysar's weapons. On the other side was a table with a tablet. The tablet displayed plans to ransom Kysar to the highest bidder between SRN, Tenth Street Reds and the turian military. However, the Marieltos went to party before enacting their plan. Upon releasing Kysar from his bonds, Nadara noticed the turian stirring. “Oh good,” she said in relief. “For a moment there, I was thinking I’d have to carry you out, and I don’t think that would’ve worked out well for either of us.” She frowned as she looked down and noticed her stilettos had been scuffed in the shuffle from the dilapidated yard to the hovel they were in now. [i]Damn it![/i] She walked over to the table with the tablet and took it, thinking it might have valuable information. Then, to the private channel, she said, “Target acquired, returning to you, Rogue.” “Roger that Sunset.” Amina finally replied to Nadara. Offhandedly, she turned to Kysar once more. “You [i]can[/i] walk, right?” Kysar's whole world spun, frantically pirouetting about as the Turian attempted to grip reality. His senses were an utter mess: flushes of pain from all around his body, mixed with adrenaline and bouts of morphine. [i]What the fuck is going on?[/i] Images of the not too distant past began to flash through his mind. Earth. Dead Reapers. SRN. Namibia. Cuba. Alleyway... [i]Ambush![/i] The Turian coughed, spitting out blood, unable to tell if it was fresh or hours old. Something had corralled him from his slumber, had someone said something? Was it his captors? Kysar opened an eye, squinting into the darkness of the night. Standing a few footsteps away was a slender figure, decked out in some serious gear. Looking down, the Turian noticed the remains of bindings littered on the ground. [i]Rescue op? Turians? Rival Gang? SRN?[/i] Too many variables gave way to too many thoughts and the answers weren't going to miraculously come to him. "Who the fuck are you?" Nadara’s expression turned cold. “Excuse you, Venator.” Hands on her hips, she gave him a once over and sighed. “You’re just coming to after what seems to have been quite the nasty fight, so I’ll overlook it this once.” Goddess, could none of her new teammates hold their own? Nadara pulled out her handy pack of gum from a back pocket and popped one into her mouth before offering one to the Turian. A gesture of peace. “Go ahead, it’ll help keep your mind off that,” she said, motioning to the bullet wound. “I’m with the SRN—Sunset,” she gave a small curtsy. “Came to extract the victim here never expecting it to be one of our own members.” A noise from somewhere outside, either from within the house or from the yard drew her attention and Nadara paused to listen, hand immediately resting on her blade’s handle. When no one came bursting through the door, she continued, her tone more urgent, her volume lower, and voice quicker. “There’s two guards at the back door. Not sure how many others, but we need to head back that way to rendezvous with the rest of my team. Can you move? We need to go now before this gets any more complicated.” Ah, an Asari. What other race could display such arrogance through tone alone. "No," he pushed the offer of gum away, pausing for just a moment as he ruminated on a thought. To be fair to the woman, she had just saved him from an even stickier situation. "Thanks." As 'Sunset' went on to introduce herself and their predicament, Kysar stood. Wobbling to his feet like a newborn giraffe he used the chair to stabilise himself. The Turian's eyes widened at the Asari's final statement. [i]Two of them are still here? Alive?[/i] Kysar's body flared with a deep blue hue for a split second. Rage flowed forth, surging across his body. Revenge was in the air. Spotting a hard case off to the side of a storage box, he hobbled over. Bringing up his omni-tool, he scanned the case. [i]Scan suggests it's the right size to hold my weapons. There's a digital lock too.[/i] The Turian stroked his mandibles. [i]Could be hacked but it looks as if there's a device connected to it.[/i] He turned to Sunset, "That datapad you're holding, see if it's connected to this hard case. I'm going to collect my gear then head outside and kill whoever is out there. You're more than welcome to join me." “We don’t have time for this,” she hissed, unsheathing her blade in one quick movement. There may have been surprise in the Turian’s features as she moved toward him, but Nadara didn’t bother explaining herself as she brought the blade down against the lock. It sliced through easily, and the case split open. Nadara winced, hoping the sound hadn’t been overheard. As her new teammate began to adorn his gear, his expression was formidable, though she was certain the wound at his side was still smarting. Despite this, he seemed determined to pay back his aggressors tenfold, regardless of how many others there still were besides the two Nadara had outsmarted earlier. She recognized the look in his eyes. The hunger. The desire for spilled blood. In that moment, her respect for him grew. Even if he’d gotten his ass handed to him. “Ok,” she said, standing at the door, her sword ready. “Shall we?” She popped a bubble. There was a glint in her eyes as she smiled mischievously at Kysar. Kysar smiled, igniting his Omni-tool and activating his Tech Armour. As much as revenge was the goal, the Turian needed to make sure he survived long enough to see the light go out in their eyes. His rifle felt heavy in his arms, perhaps the cacophony of drugs were wearing thin, or perhaps it was the fact blue blood still trickled from his wound. Either way his pistol was the better option. Taking point he entered the lobby. Sat on one of the dilapidated lounges, snoring away, lay one of the guards armed with a machete. Kysar's free hand drifted upwards, feeling the lump on his scalp. This was the last person he saw before things went dark. "Time to return the favour." The Turian breathed, his blood boiling over. Kysar's pistol returned to its holster as his electrified omni-blade crackled into existence. "Oi! You!" He yelled, startling the human into action. The guard began to yell out as the Turian sprinted at him. Bringing up his machete, the man attempted a swing that was easily battered away. Kysar shoulder-charged the guard into the floor, quickly leaping on top of him, bringing down his blade and stabbing the man in three quick concessions. Suddenly, the front door whipped open. The other guard, brandishing his shotgun, fired immediately into Kysar, wailing as he saw his compatriot on the floor. Tech armour tanked the initial shot, bursting on impact with the neuron discharge knocking back the second guard. Off balance but not off his feet, the guard regained composure, firing again. The Turian had just enough time to duck back behind the couch, narrowly avoiding the shotgun's spray. He fumbled around in the dark for his sidearm but grew woosier and woosier as the adrenaline dissipated. Distressed by the sight of a dead comrade, shaken by tech armor explosion and tunnel visioned at the turian, the shotgun guard had no idea Nadara was less than ten meters away. A third shot was lined up toward the couch, and its cushions, shredded by the previous blast, would provide little protection to Kysar. However, there was a split second for Nadara to act before the guard pulled the trigger. Nadara was pleasantly surprised by the speed and agility the Turian displayed despite his condition. Even so, he’d only been able to kill the one guard because they’d been asleep on the couch. She doubted he’d be able to survive much longer without her intervening. The smile she’d given Kysar earlier never faltered as she witnessed the scene before her. The surviving guard firing the second shot was as enticing to her as a dinner bell to a hungry mutt. The excitement within her built to a crescendo as she savored every second of anticipation until her moment of action. In truth, Nadara would have preferred a more challenging opponent. This one was too easily dispatched with. All it took was a swift charge forward and her sword came down before they had the chance to pull the trigger a third time. With a low thud the hand, along with the shotgun it still held, fell to the ground. The sound echoed through the room followed by a momentary silence before the subsequent scream of shock and pain. “My hand!” The guard wailed pitifully. “Tell me who you’re working for and why you’re targeting the SRN or you’ll lose more than that.” Nadara kicked the shotgun in the direction Kysar had hid behind the couch. She hoped he hadn’t lost consciousness again from the blood loss. [i]It’ll be such a pain if I have to carry him…[/i] Running on empty was an understatement. Kysar slumped to the side, basking for just a moment in the guard's pain. If revenge was a tool for survival, then the Turian was going to need all the sustenance he could get. The shotgun kicked over by his new compatriot slid up next to him, beckoning to be used one final time. Kysar stood using both the couch and the gun as crutches. The guard cried in agony, mumbling incoherently towards Sunset. The human deserved this and worse but there were more pressing matters. Shouldering the shotgun, the Turian fired a final round into the man’s head. With no armour to speak of, the buck painted the room with brain matter. The gun clattered to the ground as the Turian grabbed hold of a piece of furniture for stability. “He didn’t know anything,” Kysar said through panted breath. “These animals were nothing but scavenging opportunists, a small-time gang suckling at the tit of the Reds. Let’s get out of here, there’s a lot of work to do.” Venator clutched his side and began limping to the door. “Tell me,” His voice dropped to a soft whisper. “Did anyone else make it?” “Figures,” Nadara muttered at Kysar’s revelation that the guard knew nothing of importance. It was then she realized the Turian would certainly have some of the missing pieces to this puzzle. She nodded at his suggestion they take their leave, and started walking towards the back door but paused at his question. “We know of at least two who didn’t. We’re having their bodies collected now. Come on.” She began walking again. “You can fill us all in on what happened after we get you patched up.” [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] Zenn sat on the ground with his back against the alley wall. Ranger lay at his side while the quarian almost begrudgingly pet his head. He still wasn't fond of the animal, but it had helped him complete his job, so this was the least he could do to pay it back. Zenn thought about going back to his vantage point from before, but after the potential crisis he narrowly avoided, he thought it would be safer to just stay with the bodies. Their evac should be there any minute now anyway. And once they were taken care of he would finally be able to join the others in the actual work… Wait what the hell was that? A muffled bang echoed through the alley. Zenn leaned forward while Ranger's ears perked up, both of them now listening closely. He knew that sound, but he had to be sure. Another bang rang out confirming his hunch. It was the unmistakable sound of a gunshot, and it came from the villa Nadara had slipped into. His first instinct was to jump into action. Run through the fence, kick the door down, and start blasting. But that would probably just get him killed immediately. He needed to slow down, make sure there was even a reason to worry. His omni-tool flashed to life as he called up his teammate. "Shadow to Sunset. I heard gun shots. Is everything alright? Do you need backup?" “All fine here, Shadow. I have Venator with me. He’s a bit banged up, but still breathing. He’ll need medical attention soon. Let’s regroup with Rogue at your position.” Zenn let out a sigh of relief. "Copy that. I'll let Rogue know, but you'll want to hurry. No telling who else heard those shots." He pressed a few keys on his omni-tool, switching the line to Rogue. "Shadow to Rogue. Sunset has callsign Venator and it sounds like he needs immediate evac. We're regrouping on my position. Hope you and Outcast had enough time to find something good." [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/w0XWwEk.png[/img][/center] “I copy.” Amina’s voice cropped up. She was still with Outcast, who had managed to interface with the traffic pole from earlier. She was too busy between watching him and watching both their backs to really offer any assistance. “Using the cams to get a bead on our culprits?” Amina guessed aloud. “What have you got? It’s been a good minute there.” "Yes, rudimentary security. These recordings from two days ago; they're headed to eastern suburbs." Outcast brought up footage of an SUV and two vans. "No cam coverage beyond central city, but I think they went to a reaper processing camp, one of the few left." “Wait a moment,” Amina threw up an open palm as she tried to process what she had just heard. “A Reaper camp?” Amina immediately realized how ridiculous her surprise sounded. The Reaper War felt like such a distant memory these days but the conflict was not so long past, especially considering the impact it had left on the galaxy as a whole - putting it lightly. Still, the idea of Reaper facilities still standing even now for some reason left Amina feeling a bit perturbed. [i]Why would any idiot be trifling with Reaper facilities?[/i] Amina knew the answer to that too. With the Reapers seemingly gone as a major threat scavengers, hawkers, and scientists were scrambling to get their hands on Reaper artifacts and technology - even knowing all the harm a single shard of Reaper tech could do. [i]Thats just it though. With the Reapers no longer perceived as a threat it’s time to harvest all that remains of them and their technology for whatever reason can be came up with.[/i] The traffic footage on Outcast's omni-tool switched to a holomap. "I will go recon the area. Sounds like you need to regroup with your team." "And for the record, Rogue, I...apologize for the ambush earlier." For the first time, Outcast actually sounded they're speaking to another person. "Been fighting Cerberus alone for too long, and you get anxious. But sometimes we need...allies, you know?" "Anyway, I forwarded you the footage." Outcast's voice returned to its filtered monotone. "I'm sure we'll be in contact again soon." “We do have something. I'm on my way back to you now.” Amina notified her team. [/indent][/indent]