aubergines | ( #002 ) FAKE MARRIED AU

[ At that he nods, then moves back toward the hallway. And even if they haven't seen anyone, he's still keeping his blaster at the ready. ]

Was kinda hoping they were maybe celebrating someone's retirement, or throwin' a baby shower or something. It is lunchtime, after all.

[ She likewise moves toward the hall, taking one final glance back at the lab before stepping out. ]

Aw, and we didn't bring any presents? How rude of us.

[ He smiles a little, despite how fucked up this all is. ]

I'm sure we'll figure something out. Sweet severance package, maybe?

Let's just get them a gift card.

[ Forging onward down the hall, she pulls up her schematics to check their location. The west wing wasn't too far, now, but Kasumi has to wonder--if they already saw a lot, and they weren't even in the 'restricted west wing' yet, what could possibly be going on in there? ]

[ To say everything they've seen so far is unsettling would be the understatement of the century; but a quick glance over Kasumi's shoulder at the schematics -- and realizing that they haven't even hit the west wing yet -- makes him think that they haven't even seen the worst of it yet. So Peter speaks his thoughts aloud: ]

You think maybe they don't expect anyone to make it this far? Or that anyone who does gets-- changed?

[ The end of the hall, as it turns out, is their ticket into the west wing. This door is appropriately plastered with RESTRICTED ACCESS and AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY signs, but a cursory look through a nearby console on Kasumi's part reveals their transmitter will do just fine for getting them in.

For a moment, she thinks, I hope getting out will be this easy before turning to Peter. ]

West wing is right through here. You ready, partner?

[ He doesn't quite hesitate, but there is a thoughtful second where he doesn't say anything. And then he pulls out his second blaster. Just in case. ]

Born ready, partner.

[ She responds with a silent nod before using the transmitter. This time, the console takes a little while in opening the door; probably a couple of additional verification processes, Kasumi thinks. Then, with a beep, the console on the door turns green and slowly slides open to reveal yet another dark and ominous hallway with another, already-open door at the end. When she steps on through, she looks around at the hallway and finds something mounted on the wall above the other door. ]

There's a biometric scanner for this room. Though, hmm. It's not functioning? I mean, that makes things easier for us, but... Guess they're just letting people walk on through for this birthday party.

[ Peter's not sure if he's more relieved or annoyed or nervous when the door opens and they're still not greeted by heavily armed guards. On the one hand, hey, this job is turning out to be pretty easy. On the other hand, this is creepy as fuck.

Which is why he lowers his blasters, but he's still tense, prepped for action at a moment's notice, should it come to it. He flicks a glance to Kasumi, and in the look are all his conflicting feelings, but mostly it's screaming, What the fuuuuuuuck? But then he shakes himself and forges on ahead. ]

Must've been expecting family or something to join in. Hopefully they don't mind us crashing. I'm great at parties.

[ The look she returns is definitely a puzzled one, too. This is pretty much a horror flick in the making, and Kasumi's halfway to expecting something's just going to pop out at them from a corner or out of nowhere. She stops in her tracks and turns to Peter. ]

I think I should scout ahead. There's no way this entire level and wing are just completely empty--I'm not even sure what we'd be up against at this point, but it would be good to know before any crossfire happens.

[ He doesn't like that idea at all, and it's telling in the way he frowns. ]

I don't think it's a good idea for us to split up...

[ -- and the way he trails off is also telling: as much as he doesn't like the idea, it's also a logical one. ]

[ She gives him a reassuring pat on the arm. She knows it's a risky move, but there's something in her that's saying you have to go. ]

I'll just be going down the hall a little further, and you can still reach me on our comms. It'll be fine. Besides, you're freaking Star-Lord, and you can kick some serious ass.

[ By the end of her sentence, she's already going dark. ]

[ He sees that her image is already doing that weird ripply thing, which means she's about to go full ninja on him, and he makes a grab for her arm first. ] Wait, Goto, we need to--

[ -- too late, though, and his hand wraps around a fistful of air. He sighs. Like, a really epic one, one filled with the regret of a billion life choices.

(Not really. Mostly he's annoyed, and if there was a rock to kick, he'd be abusing it right now.)

It's a weird little quirk of Peter's equipment that his comm system is built into his helmet -- which means he has to actually trigger his mask on before he can open up a line. He does so immediately, though, because the idea of sitting silently in some ostensibly abandoned lab by himself is-- well, okay, it's not scary. Peter definitely isn't frightened (and how dare anyone imply as much!!!), but there's an uneasiness that's inching up his spine.

He has the weirdest feeling he's being watched, despite the lack of cameras in this hall. ]

Fuck radio silence. [ He's saying it into his comm, on the channel he and Kasumi had set up for this mission. His voice is quiet, though, and he leans against a wall, guns holstered once more and arms crossed. ] Don't keep me in the dark, okay?

Roger that, Star-Lord.

[ She's moving quickly through the hall, peering into every panel of clear glass that she passes by and finding absolutely nothing. So far, nothing still, though she notices some signs of disarray. ]

There's a few offices down along this hall. Still empty, but some lights on and some screens are still active, so at least it looks like someone's been around.

[ The next thing she notices, however, are sounds that don't quite bode well for the situation. She'd much rather be hearing idle conversation, like two Cerberus lackeys talking about the Illusive Man's freaky eyes or something, but instead she hears something that starts out as indistinguishable groaning, which is way less fun and way more creepy.

The fact that what little lighting there was in the area just blacked out in favor of low, red lights and now sirens are going off is just all too well-timed. Then, an automated voice rings through the halls: Attention all personnel: a breach has been reported in the west wing. I repeat: a breach has been reported in the west wing.

Understandably so, Kasumi's first conclusion is that they must have found her and Peter. ]

I swear to god, Quill, I didn't touch anything--

[ But then the announcement continues on, Personnel present during the beach are unable to contain the situation. Use all necessary force to subdue and eliminate all hostile subjects upon contact. ]

Edited (woops typo) 2014-11-10 05:10 (UTC)

Shit.

[ The alarms make him jump -- which isn't particularly difficult, given the fact that he's wound up tighter than a spring. Then the recorded voice is going off, and he thinks, SHit, they found us. He's about to start demanding Goto's location, asking if she's okay, and then she responds before he can. He sighs in relief. ]

Wasn't me, either. Look, just hurry back--

[ ... And then the recording continues (and Peter hates recorded emergency messages, hates how goddamn calm they always sound), and something cold and heavy drops in his gut. Peter has a moment to think, The hell do they mean by "unable to contain"? before he hears the brief rapport of gunfire, ending with an all too human, all too wet scream from behind one of the doors. And then he hears the scraping of dragging footsteps, hears low, almost metallic moans coming from behind not just one door, but all of them.

One of the doors collapses under the combined weight of grey, ashen, too-thin bodies, skin covered in wiring and tubes and glinting metal, and Peter has just enough time to pull his blasters from his holsters and back up to the entrance. Another door collapses, then another, then another, and Peter is quickly realizing there's a hoard of motherfucking Reaper zombies standing between him and his partner; that he's got his back to a door he can't open, because Kasumi has the transmitter; and that he's so. Fucking. Screwed. ]

Goto. I've got a problem.

[ It's all he can manage to get out before a pair of unnatural blue eyes finally spots him, and a grating scream cuts through the directionless moaning. The creature leaps at him just as all the others turn to face him, and Peter thinks, I'm so fucked, before he begins firing. ]

Hold on, Quill, I'm coming--

[ Still cloaked, she immediately starts back in the direction of the entrance where Peter is. The sound of another door collapsing behind her, though, makes her take a quick glance back only to find a sizable squad of Cerberus troops coming through--no Atlas, at least (it wouldn't have been a problem to dismantle, but with everything else going on right now? It surely would have been a hassle).

She's silent on her end for a moment, leaping and climbing over hoards of Husks to make her way back to Peter, when she gives him the news. ]

I know you're busy, and don't panic, but there's a small-ish group of Cerberus guys heading over. Must be the latecomers to the birthday party. Two big guys, some guys with shields, a sniper--hold on, there's some cloaked chick coming too--how dare she?

[ When she hears the familiar whizzing of electricity through the air, she knows she's getting close to him and--whoa, yup, definitely getting close, seeing as she just had to dodge his own blasts. It's then that she decloaks to start plowing through the Husks, grabbing each one by the head and letting loose a dose of Overload before pulling out her pistol and dispensing them with a well-placed shot to the head. ]

[ Peter’s so goddamned relieved to have backup that he nearly misses the Husk sneaking up on his right side; he just barely has time to whip around and slam the butt of his blaster into its head, firing a bolt of electricity square in its chest. It twitches and writhes before falling motionless to the ground.

The news that they’re not alone, though, is less than comforting. ]

We should bail. Let them deal with-- Shit--

[ A Husk leaps at him, and he has to sidestep out of the way—which, naturally, puts him into the arms of another waiting Husk, who grabs him, pinning his arms to his sides. On instinct he drops to the ground, slipping out of the creature’s hold, and he spins around on a knee to shoot a blast of fire into its chest; he gets back to his feet just in time to shoot at another Husk making a grab for him, kicking it away. ]

-- Still putting in my vote for bailing.

Yeah, let's-- [ the following get out of here that she says is promptly drowned out by the crackling sounds of a chain overload from her omni-tool, current jumping from husk to husk and sending them writhing to their deaths on the floor before a distinctive cry of Hey! Who're those two!? from one of the Cerberus troops catches her attention. ]

--might I also suggest a flashbang grenade?

[ Right after she says that, she waves her omni-tool another time as a surprisingly convincing holographic projection of Kasumi appears in the midst of the Husk party, moving almost as though its actually interacting (read: beating the crap out of) the nearby targets. The real Kasumi cloaks in the meantime, only to reappear to strike at a Husk sneaking up beside Peter. ]

Hey.

[ Peter’s not sure what makes him jump more -- the casual way Kasumi uncloaks beside him, or the gurgling moan of the Husk very nearly right in his ear -- but if she ever points it out, he’d totally deny it until the day he died. (“I did not jump. I was not startled. I was totally aware of my surroundings at all times, yep.”)

And in any case, now that Kasumi’s here, he digs in his pocket for one of Rocket’s patented flashbangs. ]

Prepping a light show. Be a doll and get the door, would you?

Only because you asked so nicely. [ She moves on out, slipping between two approaching Husks and then taking each by the head and smashing them together before zapping them for good measure. Her decoy, meanwhile, fizzles now and then, but luckily Husks aren't the most intelligent beings to roam the galaxy, and many of them are content trying to attack it.

With the facility going into lockdown the transmitter they used to get in doesn't quite respond as favorably as before, but at least it gives Kasumi enough to work with in accessing the security program, and she makes quick work of hacking in and overriding the lockdown procedure. The lights are still red and sirens are still sounding off, but the elevator's doors open and that's all they need. ]

Got it, Quill!

[ She steps into the threshold and fires up her omni-tool, ready to unleash another chain of electricity to provide cover for Peter when he would eventually have to make his way back. ]

[ That's all the prompting he needs before he activates the flashbang and chucks it into the fray. He hasn't faced this many Husks before, doesn't know what effect it might have on them, but they'll at least distract the Cerberus guards long enough to make good their escape.

The thing about Rocket's devices is that they tend to be a little over the top, tend to do their jobs a little too well. So when the flashbang detonates, there's a brilliant burst of light and a god damn strobe effect, accompanied by a high-pitched wail from the device, even louder than the sirens, somehow.

For good measure, though, he fires at the closest Husks before turning to the elevator and making a run for it. ]

[ Kasumi's sure to look away, but even then she can tell just how bright and obnoxious the flashes are, so her reaction is a mix between oooh, aaah and good god. Definitely more potent than Kasumi's own flashbangs, which is totally fine given that they're shaking off two types of enemies at once. When her eyes begin adjusting again and the sound dies out, she leans out of the elevator a bit, waiting for Peter. ]

Come on!

[ Her omni-tool is already crackling. And her decoy? Totally exploding now, knocking back the already-blinded and discombobulated Cerberus lackeys. Unfortunately for them, there always seems to be a lot of sparks flying around whenever these two are involved. ]

[ Say what you will about these two -- at the very least, they don't do anything halfway.

Unfortunately, that's butting right up against the fact that Peter is, at best, unlucky as fuck. So while he's distracted in getting his ass out of the fight, he doesn't see the Husk coming in from his left, leaping and wrapping its limbs around him bringing him to the ground. Its teeth clamp down on his shoulder before he's able to shuck it off, blasting it with a bolt of lightning from his gun. He leaps to his feet again and jumps into the elevator beside Kasumi ]

Get us the fuck out of here.

[ There's a moment of silent panic on her part when her "On your left!" comes too little too late, and he gets tackled to the ground. But he's made it, which is one hell of a relief, and with that Kasumi unleashes the chain overload. It jumps from Husk to Husk to Cerberus guy to whatever's next. She ducks back into the elevator just in time as the doors start to close, and she takes care of one last, very resilient Husk whose arm is about to block the door from closing all the way by shooting it in the face.

The doors close, finally, and so begins the most excruciating elevator ride ever. The silence that follows makes Kasumi realize how her heart is beating quickly, how "adrenaline rush" doesn't even begin to describe this, and how hard she's breathing, but it only takes her a moment until she turns to Peter, Medi-Gel ready. ]

That looks like one hell of a bite, Quill. Let me take care of it for you.

Edited 2014-11-11 12:00 (UTC)

[ These elevators seriously suck, but at least they have time to catch their breaths, now. At some point he had holstered his guns in favor of applying pressure to the injury in his shoulder, but once Kasumi turns to him, he moves his hand aside. The bite is angry and red and bleeding with definite teeth marks there, but at least the Husk didn't end up taking a chunk out of him. ]

Christ, that asshole probably had rabies or something. Fuck husks.

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