More adventures with Luke, Mallory, and Claire to come. I hope that those of you that were following Soldiers and Cops, this takes place a little after Claire's funeral. I hope you guys enjoy it. Please read and review!
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Hunched over the desk in his small apartment, Luke scrolled though his messages on his data pad. Some of the messages dated back several weeks sitting unopened. A few messages from Tali and Garrus but they stopped after the second week of no response, then there was Liara's call. He had only answered them to keep her from coming to find him and beating him within an inch of his life for ignoring her. She had become a little scary since she started working as an information broker on Illium. True she needed to have that brutality to survive there but the change was so drastic from the timid girl he and Claire had rescued from Therum to the battle-hardened biotic business woman. It made Luke uneasy.
Luke had considered the offer made by the woman at Flux. If she was telling the truth, he could not pass up the opportunity. One word had been enough to peak his curiosity. One word had turned was sounded like a hopeless fantasy into a very real possibility. Lazarus…as in the Lazarus Project. After all these years, it still exists? But Dr. Brexler is dead, Dr. Wayne is in an Alliance prison, and as far as I know, the research hasn't been pursued since I left. Of course if they continued working after I left, fourteen years is a long time with a lot of room for advancement.
Risky. That was the only way to describe his plan…risky. If anyone found out, he could be arrested or even killed. Cerberus was considered a terrorist group after all. He would have to play his hand so close to the vest that no one could be trusted. The Alliance would probably hide any involvement that could blow back on them and sully Claire's good name, but Luke could not have cared less. He had weighed the risks and the possible outcomes of all his options but he decided to move forward, after all, he already set some of his plans in motion.
Opening his omni-tool, he linked into the network and contacted the woman from the bar. "Operative Lawson, I'm in. Where do I start?"
The woman on the other end tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. "Excellent. We have information suggesting that Liara T'soni is already investigating and may have a lead on the target's location."
"I'm going to need resources. Armor, weapons, upgrades, credits, a ship; plus one more thing." Luke sighed and wet his lips, there was no going back after this. If he took all this from them, he owed them. It was like doing a favor for a gangster. Once they had their hooks in you, they did not let go. Luke only took a second to consider his position before continuing. "I want a new amp, implants, and anything else that can boost my biotic power. I want to condition and train myself to be the best."
"That can be arranged. We will be sending an old friend to meet you a dock D-14 at 1520 hours tomorrow. Be there on time in your blue hoodie," the woman paused as Luke nodded. "And you might want to get cleaned up."
Luke scoffed and closed his omni-tool. Clean up…of course he would have to clean up. For nearly a month Luke had been drinking himself to death. His hair hung shabby and unkempt as a red beard matching his hair hid his jaw line.
This has to work. It has to. Luke thought as he stepped in front of the sink in his bathroom. Opening his razor, Luke began to shave. His thoughts wandered as the long curly whiskers fell away from his face, prey to the edge of his blade. Could I really pull this off? So many things could go wrong, but I have to try.
In no time at all, his beard vanished. He barely recognized himself without it. Running his hands over his now barren face, Luke sighed and considered his hair before retrieving clippers from his cabinet. He needed the old Luke back. He needed the cold, focused operative he had been during the hunt for Saren to get Claire back. He needed the sharp senses and keen instincts if he was going to make this plan work. It was time for the Luke Shepard who served on the Normandy to come back.
000
Luke ran his fingers over his upper left arm. He kept his sleeves long simply to keep the new addition to his appearance concealed as well as the bandage while it healed. Honestly, no one else needed to know about the small memento Luke had inked into his skin; a reminder of what he had to live up to and who he had to honor and thank for his life.
Leaning against the wall, Luke checked his omni-tool for the time. 1518…who could they be sending? I don't have all that many friends who would be caught with a group like this?
The second the time hit 1520 hours, a shuttle pulled up and opened its door. Two men stood inside clad in white armor with recon hoods over their faces.
"Get in," one commanded. Luke raised an eyebrow at them before gathering up his bag and hoping on board. The moment his boots hit the floor, the door closed and the shuttle sped away.
"So, am I supposed to recognize either of you?" Luke asked crossing his arms and looking straight at his welcoming committee.
"No, but you should recognize me," someone said from the cockpit as the door opened. Luke turned to face the familiar face.
"Jacob Taylor, you son of a bitch. I thought you were still with the corsairs!" Luke said offering to shake Jacob's hand. Jacob smiled and gave Luke a pat on the shoulder.
"Naw, been out about three years. Started working for Cerberus. I know trusting me is a little hard to do 'cause of that, but we're the good guys on this one." Luke sat down in one of the chairs and took a slow breath. Of course they thought they were the good guys. Did the geth really think that they were bad guys? No one ever believes that they personally are the bad guys in any situation.
"Alright, I trust you. Not completely, but enough. I have a few terms and conditions before we kick things off though," Luke said leaning back in his chair.
"I'll see what I can do," Jacob responded.
"I'm sure our mutual, and rather seductive, acquaintance has told you I need equipment, armor, supplies, a ship, and new biotic implants with amp upgrades, but these next terms are non-negotiable." Luke waited for Jacob to give him the nod to continue. Jacob started a recording and sat down across from Luke.
"The equipment and so on is easy, but I think that these next terms might be a little hard for the boss to meet," Jacob stated. Luke nodded. That was good, he did not want them to think that he would sell his loyalty so quickly.
"Either these conditions are met or you don't get mine or Liara's help," Luke responded. Jacob nodded and appeared to be waiting for Luke to continue. "One, I want to be at Claire's side the moment that she is back in our possession. Nothing is done with her without my say so. Two, if things go bad and the project can't bring her back, I take her with me for proper burial. And three, if this, by some miracle, works and Claire is resurrected, I want to be there when she wakes up."
Jacob listened to and recorded the demands and sent them off to his boss to be examined and confirmed. Luke leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms as he watch Jacob submit the recording.
"How have you been? Last I saw you was that time when we stopped the batarian plot to kill the Council," Jacob asked while they waited for a reply.
"Quit C-Sec, joined the Normandy crew, killed a rogue spectre, saved the galaxy," Luke paused. That wasn't entirely true. Claire saved the galaxy. Luke had just helped. "Actually, I helped my sister save the galaxy…then she died because of me. That's why I'm here. I have to get her back."
"We will, but we need solid intel and your friend should have some, if not actionable intelligence. The boss as personally picked an extra team of commandos to support us when we have a location, but Dr. T'soni would never except our help in recovering your sister," Jacob explained. "I can't blame her. Cerberus doesn't exactly have a clean history."
"I know. I'm still a little sore with Cerberus myself," Luke said rubbing his knuckles.
Jacob's omni-tool chimed as a message alert popped up. He smirked as he opened and read through the message. Luke hoped it was good sign. The last thing he needed was for them to deny his requests and end his chances of finding Claire.
"The Illusive Man says you have a deal on one condition. I quote, 'in order to give you the access necessary for you to remain informed of Commander Shepard's, I will require you to enter Cerberus' employ as an operative.' Different organization but still as nervous as the Alliance," Jacob said looking up at Luke.
"When we find Claire, I'll consider it. But until we find her, we are working together. Not 'for' each other, 'with'," Luke said running his fingers over his buzz cut before folding his fingers. "Never thought I'd be agreeing to work with Cerberus willingly."
"How times change, huh?" Jacob responded as he sent off Luke's response.
"Yeah, anyway drop me off at the public spaceport up here. I'll get in touch with Liara and let you know what I find out," Luke said motioning to the window. Jacob patted the pilot on the shoulder and pointed to the platform.
"What do you think you'll find?" Jacob asked as the shuttle landed and opened its doors. Luke stepped out lightly and smirked.
"I'm not sure. Hopefully a lead. But I think I'm more likely to find a fight," Luke responded smiling slightly.
"Guess you're right. Hell, that's how you ran into me," Jacob said laughing.
"Yeah, but that was a different circumstance."
"What'd you mean?"
Luke shook his head and started toward the ticket counter. "I was looking for a fight back then, and found a lead."
000
The shuttle gained altitude as Jacob opened a comm. channel to the Illusive Man. The shadowed figure's eyes glowed like the churning sun that sat out the window behind him.
"How are things progressing?" the Illusive Man asked taking a long drag from his cigarette.
"As soon as we find the Commander, he'll be with us, but are you sure the Lazarus Project can bring Shepard back?" Jacob asked.
"Jacob, I put you in your position for a reason. Questioning the abilities of Miss Lawson and rest of the Lazarus team is not it. Keep Subject Alpha in play until we can discover what the Reapers are up to in the Terminus. I believe that Luke will be key in convincing Commander Shepard to join our cause," the Illusive Man said tapping the ash off the end of his cigarette.
"Yes sir. I'll keep on it."