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#FreedomFalls – February 20, 2016
Leah continues through the pouring rain towards her home. A long walk from Redrock HQ. As the scrolling text crosses her eye, she stops dead in her tracks. "Wha-... No! There's no way..." She shakes her head back and forth, causing her hood to fall off her head, "...Do you realize what you're asking!?"
How do you expect me to do this!? I'm exhausted! Don't tell me you didn't see what just happened. Please, just-...
Leah remains in place, her eyes fluttering back and forth. "Wha-... What will you do to her?" she asks, almost pleading. She brings an arm up to wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand, a mixture of rain and tears clouding her vision, "Please..."
Leah 's features harden as she sniffles and turns back to face Redrock HQ. "Enjoy issuing orders while you can..." she mutters under her breath, blinking away another stream of tears. She folds her arms across her chest and leans forward to push through the wind and rain on her way back to Redrock HQ.
Vasquez continues down the street as they get closer to the block with the diner. "Oh yeah, he did. Weird guy."
Leah nods a couple times. "Mmhmm. Total creep." she says. As the text flickers across her eye, she lets out an audible sigh. Her right hand moves into her jacket and a few silent moments pass, the quiet weighing heavily on Leah. "Chief... Linda." she finally says, "I have nothing but respect for you. I want you to know that. No matter what happens, please understand that I had absolutely
no choice...." As her hand is removed from her jacket, her Predator pistol comes into view. She does her best to hold back the tears in her glassy eyes, "You're just going to have to trust me, okay? Please, don't make this any harder than it needs to be, just follow my orders and everything will be fine." She tilts her head slightly, "Where are we meeting him?" she asks, seemingly to
Vasquez glances over at Leah in confusion as she begins speaking. Upon noticing the gun she tenses up, the car slowing down. "What the hell do you think you're doing Mercier?" She says in a harsh tone.
Leah brings her other hand up, palm outward. "Just-... Just work with me here. Please. Keep driving. We're going down to the old clinic, alright?" She swallows hard, not feeling all too confident with Vasquez staring her down, "I-... I wish there was another way, Chief. You have no idea how hard I tried to avoid this..." she continues, tears welling up once more, "...They're going to
kill my dad if I don't listen. I didn't want to hurt anyone..." her voice cracks when she attempts to continue speaking before breaking down completely, tears streaming down her cheeks as she falls silent.
Vasquez suddenly swerves onto the sidewalk by accident, just barely avoiding hitting a building before getting back on the road. Her shocked expression fades into a thoughtful one as she goes quiet, staring ahead at the road and driving straight for the clinic.
Leah is somewhat caught off-guard by the sudden swerve and lowers her free hand to grab onto the center console to steady herself. The Predator remains pointed at Vasquez. "Fuck... Just-... Just focus on the road." she instructs, fidgeting somewhat. "It's gonna be fine... I'm gonna figure this out, Chief. And when I do, I promise I'll do right by you and Damien." A few more tears run
Vasquez is quite clearly considering her options as she continues the drive. "Cerberus. I remember now... they were watching you. I-... how did I forget? I saw."
Leah seems relieved that Vasquez knows what's going on. "They got me while I was in surgery. Assholes had someone on their payroll... They're using my dad as leverage." she explains, as if it wasn't obvious by now, "I don't have any other options, Chief..."
Vasquez nods, fairly calmly all things considered. "I know." She can't help but dwell on the part about leverage, and her gaze flicker's briefly to her ring once more, but quickly returns to the road. She pulls into the clinic, coming to a stop in the parking lot. She sits in awkward silence.
Leah stares across at the woman for a few loaded seconds before gesturing towards the door with her gun. "Let's go. Operating room. Just stay in front of me..." she says. She keeps the weapon leveled on Vasquez and remains in place for now.
Vasquez slowly exits the car, remaining standing still as she waits for Leah. The area around the old clinic is empty. Almost all activity has moved to the new building.
Leah hastily climbs out of the passenger's side once Vasquez is outside of the car. She keeps the weapon pointed at her unwilling companion until she rounds the car. Once beside Vasquez, she shoves the pistol into her jacket pocket, causing it to push against the material and create a silhouette of the weapon beneath the fabric. "Alright..." she sighs, "Let's go. Like I said, operating
room." Her hands begin trembling as fear sets in. Fear of what they might do to Vasquez. She pushes it out of her mind as she pictures her father and reminds herself why she's doing this.
Vasquez crosses the parking lot without saying anything. Upon entering the clinic they're greeted by... no one. After a moment's pause Vasquez continues down the corridor towards the operating room. The door is open. She's starting to look more obviously worried as they get closer.
Decker waits in the operating room in full surgical garb. While most of his face is obscured by the surgeon's mask, his eyes have a gleeful glint to them.
Leah keeps pace just behind Vasquez, a chill creeping up her spine at the distinct lack of anyone inside. As they reach the operating room, she feels a large lump in her throat at the sight of Dr. Decker. "What are you going to do to her...?" she asks, staring him down.
Leah blinks a couple of times, looking a bit confused. Her gaze moves from Vasquez to Dr. Decker. She straightens up and begins looking around the room for the object in question as she awaits a response from Dr. Cuntbag.
Vasquez seems to have made her choice for the time being, remaining still and offering no resistance. Her eyes are closed and it's clear she's having trouble keeping herself from lashing out.
Decker smiles. "You're familiar with the procedure I'll be performing." He walks up to Vasquez while prepping an injector. He injects the sedative into her neck and catches her as she falls, lifting her over to the table with a grunt of effort. "You're dismissed. Go do... whatever it is you do."
There is a set of surgical tools on a rolling table not far from the door, more than one scalpel among them.
Leah scrunches up her nose at Decker. "You're disgusting." she says plainly as she takes a step backwards towards the door, running her hand along the table as she does to palm a scalpel. "I don't know how you can even live with yourself..." She takes one more glance at Vasquez, causing her gaze to soften as guilt hits her like a sack of bricks. She turns on her heels and stomps out
of the room. Once in the hall she begins breathing heavily, hyperventilating as she feels the tears starting up again. She quickly moves far enough down the hall to whisper without risk of being overheard by the doctor. "I can't leave her in there. You have to help me." she pleads.
Leah glances around for any signs pointing to the nearest bathroom. The implication of what she's going to have to do hasn't yet set in, pure adreneline is at the helm for now. Upon spotting signage, she breaks into a sprint down the hall to the closest restroom. "How much time do we have!?"
Leah hurries over to the mirror and grips the scalpel tightly. Her hands seemingly move on their own, following the instructions given. As she presses the scalpel against the top of her left eye socket, she tenses up. Her hand begins shaking uncontrollably and her breathing gets heavy. She blinks hard a few times and forces the scalpel in. She bites down hard, causing her pained groan
As the scalpel is forced in a jolt of electricity surges through Leah - it's unlikely she'd be able to keep the scalpel fully steady.
Leah 's hand jitters, slicing a chunk out of the left side of her forehead as the scalpel is ripped free. She drops the scalpel to the floor and grips the sink to steady herself through the jolt, leaving a bloody handprint smeared across the porcelain as crimson tears run down the left side of her face. Her heavy breathing persists while she whimpers through the pain. She stares into
the mirror for a few moments and tries to regulate her breathing as the stinging sensation through the left side of her face intensifies. She brings her left hand up and wipes at her face with her sleeve to clear the blood from her vision. "I'm coming, Chief." she groans and breaks into a spring back towards the operating room.
Leah balls her hands into fists and slams one into the panel beside the door. She stands right in front of the door, her entire body heaving with each breath as she anxiously waits for the door to open. Waits for her chance to look the good doctor in the eye and thank him for everything he has done. She bites down hard as another pang of pain shoots through her face.
Decker turns around in surprise as the door opens. He has an unbloodied scalpel in hand. His face goes pale as he spots Leah, half her face covered in blood. He starts to step away from the door, raising the scalpel in her direction. "Y-You... you have to follow orders. T-There are safeguards!" The fear in his eyes is unmistakable.
Leah reaches out with her right hand as if grasping for his throat, although she's a good distance away. A blue glow envelopes her as she attempts to lift him off the ground. Her left hand reaches in the general direction of the scalpel as she uses her biotics to turn his hand around at the wrist- the wrong way- causing it to snap like a twig should she succeed, with the scalpel pointing
back at him. She continues to walk towards the doctor as she presses him against the wall. "Is that... so...?" she pants, "How about.... you say please?"
Decker stammers as he is lifted of the ground. He cries out in pain as his wrist snaps, face twisted in pain, but just as quickly his eyes are focused on the approaching scalpel. "I-I-... I was just following orders! I have information! I can be useful!" he blurts out in rapid succession.
Leah gives something of a mix between a sob and a chuckle as she continues walking towards Dr. Decker. "Oh? Is that so? What sort of information?" she asks, tilting her head to the side as she pauses in place, "And let me remind you of the stakes. One little piggy!" she shouts as she lifts her left hand and quickly balls it into a fist, causing the pinky finger on his other hand to
bend all the way back in a single, fluid motion. For a moment she seems to even find satisfaction in it as she watches him writhe in pain.
Decker 's fear is interrupted by another burst of pain. Anger flashes across his face as he snaps. "GAAH! Cerberus won't let you get away with this you brain-mutated little cunt!" He spits out, shooting Leah a murderous glare. "I'M IMPORTANT!"
Leah 's shoulders rise and fall as she lets out another sob-chuckle. "I'm sure you are important, Dr. Decker." She closes the gap and stares him in the eye, biting her lower lip as she studies his features. If there was one thing she had learned, it was that you can never let yourself feel good about taking a life. As much of a monster as Dr. Decker is, she reminds herself that he
has a life. Probably a family. People who love him. People he loves. She lets the guilt soak in and accepts it as a few tears escape her eyes, mixing with the blood on her cheek as they trail to her chin. "You want to know who was important to me?" she asks, her eyes moving back and forth between Decker's. "I want you to repeat this name for me, okay?" she asks, her voice empty of any
Decker continues to struggle furiously against his biotic restraints, face still full of rage, but the fear has returned to his eyes.
Leah sighs and nods to herself. "That's alright." she says at his refusal to acknowledge her request. "I forgive you, Dr. Decker. But I made a promise. You're going to be the first, but I promise you won't be the last. I'm going to find the people you work for and make sure they pay for what they did to me. To my friend. I know I'll never be able to make up for my part in all of this....
But I'm going to make damn sure you psychopaths can't do it to anyone else." She doesn't sound angry, just sad. She furrows her brow and tosses her right hand off to the side, using her biotics to twist his head around like a bottlecap.
Decker 's struggling stops with a sudden twist and a crack, his face no longer visible to Leah. The doctor's limp body floats still, the room now fallen eerily silent.
Leah slowly lowers Decker's body to the ground before turning her back to him. Her shoulders rise and fall as she begins to sob uncontrollably. As happy as she is to be free of their hold on her, it still won't bring Damien back. It won't take her father out of their crosshairs. It won't take the target off of her or Vasquez' back. The thought of Vasquez snaps her back into the moment