The Assassin’s Ordeal

DISCLAIMER:
I do not own anything, Mass Effect is not mine. The characters, game content and materials in the following story are copyrighted to BioWare. Neither I, nor this story, are endorsed by or affiliated with BioWare, or its licensors or subsidiaries. I do not receive any monetary compensation from the publication of this narrative. All Rights Reserved.
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4: PLANS

Garrus walks into the small shop and casually sits at the bar. He praises his luck that the clerk he wishes to speak to is working.

“I haven’t seen you before. You new to the Citadel?” The Human clerk asks as he wipes down the counter.

“I’m just passing through, hoping to meet an old friend of mine who tells me of this place. Perhaps you know my friend.”

The man chuckled and tossed the rag aside. “Mister, do you have any idea how many people live here?” He asks while restocking some of the bowls on the counter.

“Yeah, but my friend’s a Drell, and I understand there aren’t too many of them on the Citadel.”

The man pauses. “Sorry, can’t help you.”

“You sure? My friend was here two or three days ago.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t seen the guy. I can’t help you find him.”

“I never said my friend was male.” Garrus points out.

The clerk sputters, and freezes when he sees a Batarian walk into the shop.

“I’ll be right with you.” He says to the newcomer who sits at the end of the bar. “Let me get that special for you.” The clerk adds, returning his attention to Garrus. The clerk busies himself by preparing a Turian-friendly hot tea and sandwich. The clerk then hurries over to the Batarian to take his order.

Garrus sighs and watches the two from the corner of his eye as he sips the hot tea, which is surprisingly good. He then picks up the sandwich and sees something written on the doily underneath. He tries to act casual as he sets down the half he has and picks up the other; it’s a location in the wards and a time.

“Hey!” he flags down the clerk. “I gotta get back; let me get this to go.” Garrus says, watching the frightened man rush back over and pack up the food and drink to go.

..~~~**~~~..

“So, my Krogan friend informs me that there is a small bounty out on Shepard. And by small…I mean small. No one in their right mind would go after Shepard for so little.” Zaeed begins as he walks into the small ship he shares with Garrus. He tosses his side arm aside and takes a seat beside Garrus.

“Then why take Thane?” he asks, watching the Human wipes some Krogan blood from his cheek.

“Someone had the idea of getting Shepard’s location from Thane…or use the poor bastard as bait. We all know Shepard’s loyal to a fault. What’d you find?”

“Tried to talk to the clerk, but a Batarian came in and he became skittish. He did however; manage to pass me a note.” Garrus passes over the doily for Zaeed’s inspection.

“This could be a trap.”

“I know that’s why you’re coming with me.”

“What about the kid?” Zaeed tosses the paper to Garrus.

“Still at work. He says he’s found the ship’s registry and flight plan and is talking with his Captain to end his shift early.”

“I meant what are your thoughts ‘bout him coming to the meeting tonight?”

“He’s an amateur; I don’t know how he’ll react in this type of situation.”

“I can see that, but I’ve been reviewing his C-Sec record, the kid’s a lot tougher than you might think.”

“You want to bring him? To meet with the guy who aided in his father’s kidnapping?”

“Why not? The kid’s got the motivation to get the info we need.”

“Because we don’t know how he’ll react.” Garrus argues. He’s trying to formulate a loose plan in his mind about approaching the clerk, but the idea of Kolyat being there throws him off.

“I think he’ll break the guy’s nose, and then we’ll get the information we need.”

..~~~**~~~..

Thane collapses in his restraints, on the verge of unconsciousness. He’s lost track of how many days have passed, and Vox has stopped telling him.

“Just kill him. He’s not going to break.” Alak suggests.

“He’s worth even less to me dead; at least alive he’s bait.”

“Bait?” Alak’s interest piqued.

“Yes. Shepard is loyal to her crew as they are loyal to her. So we set a trap for her. In the meantime let’s offer a reward for anyone who can make this Drell talk.”

Alak nods.

“Monster!” Vox snaps. The battered and bruised girl quickly approaches. Vox grabs her collar and forces her to her knees. “I want you to hurt him.” He orders

“No want hurt.” She says in a small voice. Vox responds immediately by slapping her all ready bruised face.

“I didn’t ask if you wanted to hurt him. Your feelings are irrelevant.” He shouts.

“No, please. No hurt.” She whimpers. Vox grabs the girl’s collar, forces her to her feet and pushes her towards Thane.

“Then get to work!!” he shouts.

“Thisla.” Thane hoarsely whispers, his voice so low so the Batarians would not hear him. “It’s ok.”

“Thisla sorry. No want hurt Thane.” She says, tears running down her cheeks.

“I know.”

A loud sudden crack rips through the air, followed by Thisla’s cry of pain. Thane looks weakly at Vox who is now holding a thin metal rod. The anger is evident in Vox’s eyes as he raises the thin rod again to strike Thisla again.

“Quit stalling!” he shouts, bringing the metal down full force onto the girl’s back. Again she cries out, tears of pain now filling her eyes.

She raises a trembling hand to Thane’s chest. “Thisla sorry.” She whispers as dark biotic energy surrounds her and fills him. He can feel it burning through his veins, and his lungs. He tries to hold back his scream, but can’t. When he opens his mouth the dark energy spills out with his scream.

Suddenly he finds that he can’t catch a breath and begins coughing violently. Vox grabs Thisla and pulls her away, tossing her to Alak. Thane’s cough persists and become body racking until he coughs up a large amount of black phlegm. His coughing finally dies down, and he’s left sagging and gasping for air.

“Now that was impressive. Looks like he lost half a lung.” Alak comments his amusement at Thane’s pain obvious.

“And he’s still alive. I’m impressed with you Monster.” Vox returns his attention to the barely conscious Thane. “Don’t suppose you’ve changed your mind.”

“…no…”

“Dax!” Vox called out. Shortly afterwards the Salarian comes into the room. “Is it here yet?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Upgrade it.” He says, referring to Monster.

Her protesting screams are so loud and so piercing it startles Thane back into awareness. Bleary eyed he watches her struggle as she is dragged out by Alak and Dax.

“What are you doing to her?”

“We’re upgrading it to the new L5.” Vox answers as Thisla’s piercing screams continues to cut through Thane like a knife.

“Anesthetic?”

“Why?” the Batarian seems genially confused by the notion. After all one does not administer to engine before rebuilding it.

Another scream, even more blood curdling than the last, echoes throughout the building.

“Stop it. Please.” Thane weakly asks.

“Give me Shepard.”

He pauses, and Thisla’s agonizing screams tear through him. “I don’t know. The Council sent her out on a secret mission. She did not tell me where she was going.”

Vox carefully studies Thane’s face, weighing the value of the Drell’s words as Thisla continues to scream.

“Not good enough.” Vox states as he walks out of the room.

..~~~**~~~..

“The fuck…!” the clerk exclaims as he cups his bleeding nose with his hands. He stumbles back, bumping into a large containment box.

Zaeed chuckles and Garrus grumbles, realizing he lost a 20 credit bet. Kolyat takes half a step back and shakes out his hand. It felt good breaking the guy’s nose.

“Where’s my father?”

“Shit. I think you broke my nose.”

“Now, imagine what he’ll do if you don’t answer him.” Zaeed says as he crosses his arms and leans casually against a wall.

“Where is my father?!” Kolyat repeats, his hand all ready balling up into another fist.

“Wait! Don’t hit me!” The clerk shrieks, raising his hands in defeat. “Look, I know Thane. He comes into my shop about three or four times a week. I didn’t want to do it, but they made me.”

“Who? Who made you do what?” Kolyat asks.

“And why?” Garrus adds.

“I don’t know why, I just did what they told me.”

“Who?!” Kolyat snaps loudly.

The clerk cringes confessing that a Batarian took his daughter, and promised to return her safe and sound if he drugs Thane. “That’s all I had to do was slip this knock out drug into his tea the next time he came in, and this Krogan would take it from there.”

“Yeah, I ran into this Krogan, he didn’t have much useful information. So that leaves you.”

“I swear I’m telling you everything.”

“Tell us about this Batarian.” Garrus suggests.

“I think his name is Vox. He came to me looking for Shepard, and I suggested he start with Thane. A few days later he came back with my daughter’s necklace and a deal.” The clerk wipes the blood from his face and looks at Kolyat. “I…look, I’m sorry. I like Thane, but…but I’d kill my mother if it meant saving my little girl.”

“What’s Vox got against Shepard?”

“I don’t know! It’s not like the guy shared his life story with me or anything. I don’t even know if Vox is his real name.”

Zaeed’s Omni-tool signaled that he had received a message from one of his contacts. He taps the device twice and quietly steps away from the group to read a message about a reward offered to anyone who could make a certain stubborn Drell talk. As he reads a plan began to form in his mind.

..~~~**~~~..

“It’s gotta be me going in. You’re a known associate of Shepard. They’ll never believe you. Me on the other hand; I’m just another merc.”

“Ok, I’m with you so far.” Garrus says.

“I go in with the kid…”

“You know I do have a name.”

“Good on ya for that…so, the kid and I go in first, you monitor our radio frequency and I’ll feed you intel. Any numbers I call out are the number of people in the areas we’re passing through, so track our movements. No numbers mean empty space.”

“You really think they’ll believe I turned against my father?”

“You’re not going in as my partner; you’re going in as my hostage.”

“This may actually work.” Garrus says.

“When do we leave?” Kolyat asks.

“It will take us three days to get to them, so we’ll spend tomorrow morning stocking the ship and leave in the afternoon.”

“Great, that will give me time to talk to Captain Bailey.”