If you missed the last chapter of REEF MOB, you can find it [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/221035319/0/0]here[/url], or if you need to find a previous chapter, you can find them all in the [url=https://www.bungie.net/en/Forums/Post/218618986?sort=0&page=0]Table of Contents[/url]. Please give a bump or leave a comment if you enjoy this and any other chapter! ***  Fallen swarm us as Kenedi and I fire indiscriminately. Solis regains her footing, summons her strength, and with a roar seizes two nearby Vandals and smashes them into a wall. She draws her blades and with a whirl she charges into the fray, slicing and slashing at her fellow Wolves in fury. Explosions continue to rock the room as Old Guard fires rockets at the Walker, teleporting mid-jump to keep his enemies off balance. I wrench myself away from watching him to put a bullet between a charging Vandal’s eyes. A crowd of Dregs rush from behind, and I whirl to mow them down. Kenedi fires at a Captain charging him, his cutlasses waving wildly – the Captain’s shield pops, but he’s still too strong, still keeps coming – I aim at the Captain’s head and empty my clip – his lifeless corpse collapses right in front of Kenedi, who looks at me curiously. “There was only a 0.076% probability you would hit him in the head with every bullet while he was charging. I’m astonished you succeeded.” “A simple thank you would suffice, at least every once in a while,” I tell him wearily back, loading my last clip and aiming carefully at two Vandals to conserve ammo. “How many bullets you got left?” “Seventeen rounds,” he replies without checking his clip. “And I don’t have knives like Solis.” I look to see Solis locked in heated battle with a Captain that looms over her, intimidating her, but she stands firm, using speed and agility to counter his strength – she ducks, spinning and slipping between his legs as she drags her shock blades across his tendons, bringing him down – she immediately springs toward him, blades raised, but the Captain blocks at the last moment – they snarl, Solis giving her all but the Captain slowly pushing her back, reaching out to choke her with his additional arms – I hear him growl something in Eliksni, and she loses focus – the Captain takes the opening, preparing for his kill – I put a bullet in his brain and end the confrontation – Solis looks at me, shocked and insulted – “[i]Dishonorable[/i] – “ she begins, but I cut her off. “We don’t have time for honor, they’re gonna overrun us!” I shout to her, and she rushes to her feet, rejoining us, though still clearly pissed. [i]She’ll get over it[/i], I think, though a part of me knows how Eliksni carry grudges. “Nas,” Kenedi says. “What?” I ask while my eyes rove the room, the Fallen temporarily hanging back, ours and Old Guard’s surprising offensive holding them off for a few moments. “Thank you,” Kenedi replies. “What?” “For earlier.” “Are you – “ I start, almost forgetting where we are for a moment – then I remember and flick my eyes back to the door we came in through, seeing it still open – I lead the way as we back slowly toward it, ignoring Kenedi for the time being – Once we’re through, Solis hits the door closed, locking Old Guard in with the Fallen alone. Somehow, though, I don’t feel bad about it. I turn back to Kenedi – “You’re unbelievable.” I turn from him and walk down the corridor away from them. Behind me, I can hear Kenedi talking to Solis. “That didn’t sound sincere.” Solis brushes his comment off coldly as she walks past him to catch up with me. “Where would Taniks be keeping her?” I ask Solis. “[i]Trophy Room,[/i]” she answers. “[i]Wolves talk of his….indulgences.[/i]” I feel a shiver at the thought. “Well, where would it be then?” “[i]Near personal chamber.[/i]” “I have the maps!” Kenedi cries from behind us, but I ignore him, nodding to Solis. As she leads us deeper into the ketch, I can’t help but asking, “You think we did the right thing? Leaving Old Guard in there like that?” “[i]Old Guard great warrior,[/i]” she answers briskly. “[i]Unfortunately for us he knows it.[/i]” “You are, too,” I tell her. “Sorry for the whole, ya know, ‘dishonorable’ thing.” Solis just nods, still visibly peeved. “So what’d that Captain say to you anyway?” “[i]Something my father would’ve said,[/i]” is all she replies. I don’t pursue it any further as I follow her around a corner – After a short way, Solis stops, sniffing the air. “What is it?” “[i]Not Guardians or Fallen,[/i]” she sniffs again. “[i]Human and Awoken.[/i]” “That’s gotta be it,” I tell her. “We’ll get Ia out and then we’re gone.” “[i]What about Verge?[/i]” she asks. “If they miss the boat, they miss the boat,” I respond. Solis finally grins behind her ether mask. She leads the way forward, following her nose to the Trophy Room. Alarms blare throughout the ketch, and somewhere, suddenly, we hear a roar, echoing throughout the labyrinth of Kaliks-Syn. We all freeze as Solis begins to growl. “[i]Taniks[/i],” she rasps. “Old Guard must’ve gotten his attention again,” I reply. “As long as he keeps him busy, we should have time to – “ Sudden footsteps around a corner ahead cause us to wheel in the other direction, aiming our guns – The Verge come jogging around the corner toward us. They all freeze, and Galen looks at us sheepishly. “….there you are,” he says weakly. “Well isn’t this a bloody sight,” I snap, instantly irritated. “And where the hell have you three been?” “Searching for your friend, of course,” Galen answers. “Bullshit.” “Whoa, hey, we came to help you, what else would we – “ “Spill it!” I bark at them. They fidget and I raise my weapon – they look stunned, but Solis merely growls as she stands behind me. “Or you can walk back to the Reef.” Galen and Dmitri exchange looks. Bo fidgets in the back, then finally says, “We were planting surveillance.” The other two wheel on him angrily, but he just shrugs and says “I don’t wanna walk that far.” Dmitri cuffs the back of his head, hissing “You can’t walk in a vacuum, dummy!” “What surveillance?” I interrupt them. Galen sighs. “Rafe wanted tabs on Kaliks-Syn. Probably wants to keep an eye on Taniks.” “And why would Rafe care about Taniks?” “Probably orders from the Baroness.” I freeze, unable to retort. [i]Why wouldn’t she tell us this?[/i] Another explosion rocks the ketch, and we pitch forward. “[i]Old Guard,[/i]” Solis growls, looking back the way we came. “[i]We must hurry![/i]” Taking a page out of Ia’s book and burying my anger, I push past the Verge. “Lead the way then!” I shout back to Solis, and she jogs ahead, sniffing, looking – A moment later, she’s found it – a large, circular door, locked from the outside. “Kenedi!” I bark, and he joins me. “You’re up.” He walks forward primly, studying the lock. After a few moments, he removes several small tools from a pouch on his belt – inserting them into the lock, he makes a few deft movements and the lock clangs open. “Yahtzee!” he says happily. Turning to me, he sees me cocking my head. “What? I know about old colloquialisms, too, you know.” I shake my head wearily as I push past him. “You’re hopeless.” As I walk into the room, I click on my light, peering in as the ground whispers around us. Solis growls and whimpers behind me – I turn back and see her holding a hand over her ether mask in disgust. “Gods, what is that?” Dmitri asks, covering his own mouth. “It smells like something died in here.” I feel panic as I sweep my light around, peering into the corners – a human woman scoots away quickly, whimpering – I swing it in the other direction, and several more bodies push themselves quickly back into the shadows. “[i]Where’s Ia?[/i]” Solis hisses to me. I search every corner, starting to panic as I start over, shining it onto every inch of the room – [i]No.[/i] I swing the light around again, my hand starting to tremble. [i]where is she where is she where –[/i] “Nas,” Kenedi whispers. [i]no no no –[/i] “Nas.” Kenedi insists. I ignore him, looking to Solis. “She’s gotta be in Taniks’ chamber.” She nods, tapping Kenedi, who follows her reluctantly. Galen tags along, saying, “I’ll watch your back.” Solis growls as they disappear around the corner. Turning back to the crowd, I shine my light around again, finally asking, “Who knows an Ia Tanis?” There’s no answer as I shine my light around, still searching – “Does anyone know Ia Tanis?” An Awoken male peeks out the shadow after a moment, finally whispering, “I’m a Tanis.” “I’m a Tanis,” the rest of them reply. “I’m a Tanis.” A chill runs down my metal spine as I scan the room again – there’s a small sack lying in the corner of the room, curled up, hiding – I rush in and pull it away roughly, hoping, praying – An old man hisses at me and darts away, back into the shadows as the rest of them whisper “I’m a Tanis.” Footsteps draw closer to the door and I whip around – [i]That was fast. Good news? Or –[/i] Solis jogs up, seeing me – I stand and walk toward her hopefully – She shakes her head, and my artificial heart plummets. [i]How… How….[/i] Galen joins Solis as another blast rocks the ketch and Taniks’ roar reverberates – Kenedi looks at me blankly. “Nas.” [i]How…[/i] “Nas.” “What. Kenedi.” “We…we need to go. Ia’s not here.” [i]How…[/i] “And what then?” “There’s…” he begins hesitantly. “there’s something I haven’t told you. Something Seren wants you to know, but not until…” “Until when?” “…until now.” I look at him shrewdly. “What do you mean?” He looks nervous. “It’s something better left for Seren to say.” I advance on him. “It almost sounds like you knew we weren’t gonna find Ia here.” I glare as I approach, daring him to meet my eyes. “Did you know we weren’t gonna find her?” Kenedi looks sheepishly away, but I at least have to give him credit – he doesn’t lie. “Yes.”