Two years had passed since Victor Steele's conviction and since then the Wards had returned to normal, most seasoned veterans of C-Sec where expecting someone to step in and fill in the void in the criminal underworld especially now that Steele's Bar and Grill had new owners who were more interested in making the place profitable than they were in criminal dealings but if someone had filled in the gap they had been keeping their activities under the radar.
Off course, that didn't mean that there wasn't any crimes being committed.
"Gather round folks!" A Cajun voice rang out as the crowd gathered around the young man, he was in his late twenties and most women would consider him handsome with neck length brown hair, a matching goatee and brown eyes who was wearing a long black trench coat with a red t-shirt underneath blue jeans and black boots. "Pick a card! Any card!"
"How stupid can people be?" Anola thought as she walked past the scene, it was early in the morning and the Asari was on her way to C-Sec to start her day of work, she stopped briefly to get a closer look at the Cajun man's technique and her eyes narrowed. "Wait, is that who I think it is?"
"Oh, too bad, you've lost! That'll be twenty credits." The man continued and the Turian in front of him grumbled something under his breath before handing the credit chit over. "Who's next people? Come on, I've got plenty of cards and I'm sure that you have plenty of credits!" The man added as Anola pushed her way to the front of the crowd. "How about you doll face?" The man added as he turned to her, however once he saw the look on her face his eyes widened. "Oh shit!"
"Hello Felix." Anola greeted him as he stepped forward. "You wouldn't happen to have a "Get Out of a Parole Violation Free Card" among those cards, would you?"
"I…..I have no idea what you're talking about!" Felix stammered as Anola folded her arms.
"Oh really?" Anola asked as her eyes lowered towards the deck that was on the table. "Then why don't you lay all your cards out?" Anola asked and Felix grumbled before laying the cards out, on the surface it looked like a normal deck of playing cards but Anola knew better. "All of them."
"Those are all of my cards!" Felix protested and Anola's eyes narrowed, once he realized that she wasn't backing down he sighed in defeat before opening the trench coat revealing numerous cards.
"What's going on?" The Turian demanded and Anola got her badge out.
"C-Sec, this man is a con-man who was recently released on parole for this exact crime." Anola said as she showed the badge to them. "His con is pretty simple really, when he lays the cards out he secretly swaps out the card you selected with one of the cards in his coat!" Anola added and the crowd started yelling for their money back as Anola stood aside, once the coast was clear she approached Felix. "What was it this time? Loan shark? Gambling? Gambling with a loan shark?"
"You know me all too well Anola." Felix grunted under his breath as he used the railing to help himself up. "It was none of those things! Like you said, I just got out of jail so I needed some credits!"
"What about that job your girlfriend got you?" Anola asked and Felix sighed.
"Well for one thing she's no longer my girlfriend, I got talked into a "how many chicks at Trikario's can I bang in one night" contest with another guy, word reached my girlfriend and as soon as I woke up with a hangover this morning she broke up with me." Felix explained causing the Asari to stare at him in disbelief. "The job went with her."
"Felix, I'm two hundred and two years old, in human years that would make me at least thirty, around your age in other words." Anola said as she pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "And that is still the dumbest idea I have ever heard and trust me, I've heard a lot of dumb ideas in my time as a police officer."
"That's not fair! You have over a hundred years on me!" Felix protested as he folded his arms. "Still, I heard that you are looking to get in the dating scene and I just became available, what do you say?" Felix asked and Anola just stared at him.
"You just admitted that you made a game of having sex with as many women as possible, not once mentioning the use of a condom I might add, whilst you were dating a woman who was willing to stay with you despite your conviction and let's not forget the fact that the fact that a C-Sec officer dating an ex-con would raise more questions from IA than that one time my dad was caught streaking through the wards with a Vorcha and an axe in his hands, and you think I'd be willing to date you?" Anola asked after a few minutes and Felix rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Is there any way you can make the past five minutes of this conversation any dumber?!"
"Well one of the women I banged was an Elcor." Felix commented as the Cajun conman started shuffling his deck and Anola stared at him with her mouth agape.
"That just raises more questions like how are you not at Huerta Memorial in a full body cast right now!" Anola said pointed out as Felix grunted in annoyance. "I have to get going to C-Sec so I'm letting you off with a warning but Felix, stay out of trouble or I'm sending you back to jail." Anola sighed before walking off and Felix shook his head.
"What does she know?" Felix thought with a scoff as he started packing up. "I need a god damn drink!"
*meanwhile at C-Sec*
The scene at C-Sec was one that you could probably find at any police station in the known galaxy, officers were either filling in paperwork, escorting suspects to their holding cells or chatting with their colleagues over a cup of coffee and a donut but in Varnus Travekian's case he was doing paperwork.
"There are times that I wish I had stayed with the Turian Military, this is one of those times." Varnus thought as he filled in some paperwork and looked at the remaining pile with a exasperated sigh. "But still, I do a lot of good here at C-Sec so it's not all bad."
"Varnus, have you seen Anola?" Bailey asked as he walked up to his desk. "She's running late which is unusual for her."
"Her cars in the shop, broke down the other night, until it's fixed she's taken to walking to the station." Varnus responded as he filled in the paperwork. "But even then it shouldn't take her that long, her apartments a five minute walk away from the station."
"Blame idiots being idiots." Anola grunted as she walked up to them after hanging up her coat. "Sorry I was late Bailey, caught a recent parolee violating his parole."
"Urdnot Yusk is out drinking already?" Varnus asked and Anola shook her head.
"If he was there'd be news reports of a Krogan on a drunken rampage, besides that old bastard was lucky that no one was killed during his last rampage." Anola responded as she sat down and her fellow officers nodded in agreement. "It was Felix Truman."
"The Cajun Conman who thinks he's god's gift to women?" Bailey asked as he shook his head and Anola nodded. "I thought I heard that he got a job?"
"He never even started on that job if what he told me is correct." Anola said as she shook her head. "He was out drinking and someone challenged him to a contest to see how many women he could bang in one night, needless to say his girlfriend caught wind of it, broke the relationship up and any hopes he had of starting that job went out the window."
"At least tell me he mentioned using condoms?" Varnus asked and Anola shook her head.
"Unfortunately no, though I would love to be present for when at least one of the women comes to him asking for child support payments." Anola commented before shaking her head. "That wasn't even the dumbest thing about it though."
"The fact that he didn't use condoms wasn't the dumbest thing?" Bailey asked as Varnus took a sip from his coffee.
"Nope." Anola said as she shook her head. "Apparently one of the women he banged was an Elcor." Anola added as Varnus nearly choked on his drink when he heard that. "And no, I don't know how he's still able to walk."
"Right, if you excuse me I'm going to return to my office and try to look for a way to purge that mental image from my memory." Bailey responded before quickly walking down the hallway and entering his office slamming the door shut behind him.
"Just when I thought I had heard it all in all my years in this galaxy." Varnus commented once the surprise wore off and Anola grinned. "How are you Anola?"
"I'm good, in need of a strong drink after the conversation I had with Felix earlier but otherwise I'm good." Anola responded as she leaned back. "Anything exciting happened?"
"Not a lot, your dad was let out of the drunk tank this morning and Reya nearly jumped out of her suit when he told her that he was your dad." Varnus commented and Anola sighed in annoyance. "Before you ask, Reya was doing maintenance on the drunk tank and struck up a conversation with him."
"Let me guess, you could've heard her yell out "wait, what" from the Presidium, right?" Anola asked and Varnus nodded in response. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me, at least that explains why he never answered my knock yesterday."
"He should be home by now but if were you, I'd advise him to stay off the booze for a couple of days at least." Varnus commented before shaking his head. "For that matter, what's gotten into him? He never got this drunk before."
"I think it's because he's reached his twilight years, let's face it, not many Krogans live that long." Anola commented after thinking for a moment. "All I know about the Krogan life-span is that it's at least as long as an Asari's life-span but dad's at least a thousand."
"It sounds like he wants to live out his last years having fun." Varnus commented and Anola nodded in agreement. "Unfortunately his idea of having fun is drinking a whole bar under the table and still having room for more alcohol."
"You act like that isn't expected of a Krogan." Anola pointed out and Varnus shook his head as Reya approached her desk. "Morning Reya."
"Morning Anola." Reya responded as she handed over a data-pad to the Asari. "Here's the results of the lab analyses you asked for yesterday."
"Thanks Reya." Anola thanked her and Reya nodded before walking off and Anola read the data-pad. "Oh damn it!"
"Bad news?" Varnus asked and Anola nodded.
"The lead suspect in the murder of that homeless Turian? Turns out his fingerprints weren't at the scene." Anola responded as she put the data-pad down. "Looks like it's back to square one."
"Remind me again, how is it a murder investigation? I thought he died of a drug overdose?" Varnus asked and Anola nodded.
"He did but according to the coroner the injection point would've been impossible for him to reach in his already doped up state." Anola responded as she turned to Varnus. "What's worse is that every other suspect had solid alibis."
"Then it's time you started trying to find holes in those solid alibis, otherwise the Coroner was wrong and this will be a cold case." Varnus responded and Anola nodded in agreement. "For now why don't you focus on double checking those alibis?"
"Not a bad idea." Anola nodded in agreement as she picked up a phone.
*meanwhile on Ilium*
It had been a long two years for the crew led by Andrea McKenzie and Alicia Lynch but in those two years their group had gone up in the galaxy, after a long building process The Black Widow metal nightclub had been opened on Ilium and it had proved a hit, not only that but the group had started taking on high reward missions and had welcomed three new members.
"Sardir, has there been any trouble down their?" Andrea asked into her earpiece as she leaned back in her chair, the Scottish Mercenary was now twenty five years old and despite not having any experience in running a nightclub she had risen to the challenge admirably, with Alicia's help off course.
"Ah the usual headbangers, not much really." Sardir responded from the DJ booth as he watched the crowd headbang to the song "Practice What You Preach" by Testament. "Just wait until I start playing the heavier stuff, then you'll have cause to worry."
"If I was worried about the crowd in a metal club I wouldn't have opened a metal club." Andrea responded with a grin as the door opened and Andrea turned around. "Gotta go, I have company."
"I swear if Alicia starts eating you out with the intercom on again I'm playing Justin Bieber." Sardir joked and Andrea rolled her eyes.
"That was just the one time and besides, Ricky's with her and I doubt she likes to watch." Andrea responded before hanging up and turning to the two women. "So how's the new recruit finding this place?"
"It's a lot better than the metal clubs on the Citadel, I'll tell you that much." Ricky responded as she sat down at the both, Ricky, also known by her birth name Taylor, was the crew's latest recruit who had been recruited after she helped Sardir break into a secure database to get the info they needed, she was an American with waist length black hair that had green and blue streaks in it, a nose and naval piercing, several tattoos and blue eyes and was currently clad in a midriff bearing red tank top, blue jeans and black boots. "And as for that offer, well I'm not exactly shy about the fact that I swing both ways but my preference is towards men."
"It was a joke Ricky, no need to take it so seriously." Alicia responded with a grin before she turned to her girlfriend. "Besides, aren't you a little underage for that stuff?"
"Oh yeah, another joke about the fact that I'm the only crew member who's still in her teens, those never get old." Ricky responded as she rolled her eyes. "The crowd's getting pretty rowdy, Nicholai and the Krogan have already thrown out three patrons."
"Yeah, I noticed." Andrea responded with a nod as she leaned her chin on her hand. "You see Tasara or Ehisnifuek?" Andrea asked referring to the crew's other new members, an Asari and a Female Drell respectively.
"Tasara's been helping Nicholai keep the peace down there." Alicia said as she pointed the Asari out. "Ehis on the other hand has been at the bar, I think she's getting anxious for some action."
"She's not the only one." Sardir chimed in and Andrea rolled her eyes. "Come on! You've finally installed the clean room and then you go and tempt me by recruiting a nineteen year old who's as hot as you, an Asari AKA the only universally smoking hot species in the galaxy….."
"I heard that Sardir." Tasara chimed in and Sardir gulped nervously.
"And a Drell whose kinda hot in her own strange way, I'm just waiting for either of them to make the move, I'm just saying." Sardir responded and Andrea shook her head.
"Did you forget that Ricky's in the office with me?" Andrea asked as she turned to the crew's youngest member who was clearly trying not to laugh. "Besides, remember what I told you when we got that clean room installed?"
"Yeah, I know, women like men who make the first move." Sardir responded as he played the next song, Let Them Burn by Kataklysym. "But the last time I tried that I got kicked in the nuts."
"Maybe it was because your idea of making the first move was complementing Ricky on the size of her tits." Alicia responded and Ricky laughed at that memory. "Don't get me wrong, she's got a great rack but you have to at least buy them dinner before you start making comments like that." Alicia added getting a laugh out of Andrea as well.
"I don't know, that seemed to work wonders for you when you got Andrea those implants." Sardir responded and Andrea shook her head.
"Yeah but last I checked she doesn't have any balls to kick." Andrea responded and Sardir and Alicia laughed. "Get back to work, maybe try again after the shift."
"Okay but if my balls get kicked into orbit again I'm blaming you." Sardir responded before hanging up and Ricky shook her head.
"Do all guys hold a grudge against women who kick them in the balls?" Ricky asked with a grin on her face and Alicia shook her head. "Wait, never mind, answered my own question."
"Sardir's black and blue balls aside, where you able to get any live bands to play here through your contacts Ricky?" Alicia asked and Ricky nodded enthusiastically before activating her onmi-tool.
"See for yourself." Ricky responded as she walked up to the older women and showed them the list.
"Okay, Elditchian Nightmare and Demonica are interested in playing a show together, never thought I'd see the day when an all Asari Death Metal band would form." Alicia responded with a grin before turning to Ricky. "Anyone else?"
"Waiting on word from the other bands I contacted but the wait shouldn't be too long." Ricky responded as she sent the bands contact details to Andrea and Alicia's Omni-Tools. "Anything else or can I go join the pit?"
"Go on, just try not to be trampled." Alicia responded with a grin and Ricky grinned before leaving the office, once the door closed Alicia frowned. "Any word from Marcello?"
"If there was I would've told you." Alicia responded with a frown. "Aligning with him was supposed to get us more work but so far not so good."
"Yeah but as we both know finding work takes time and at least this club will help up out financially." Andrea responded before turning off the intercom and locking the door. "So what do you say to a little make-out session whilst we wait?"
"You read my mind." Alicia said with a grin as she pulled her girlfriend out of her chair and started kissing Andrea passionately.
*back on the Citadel*
Whilst the Citadel's underworld had changed a lot in the two years that had passed since Victor's arrest there was one thing that hadn't changed a bit, namely the bad guy bars that the criminals of the Citadel would frequent and Trikaro's was no different.
"Back again Felix?" The bartender asked once he saw Felix approach the bar with a frown on his face. "You're not going to go on another bangathon are you? I'm still waiting on the pregnancy tests from the first one!"
"Don't remind me." The Cajun Conman grunted as he sat down at the bar. "I'm just here for a drink and make it a strong one, had a run in with C-Sec earlier."
"Wasn't that what you said before the bangathon?" The bartender asked and Felix shook his head as the bartender started pouring him a drink. "Besides I heard about that run in with the officer and I also heard that every schmuck that you ripped off got their money back once Anola exposed your scam, how do I know that you can afford the drink?"
"Because I have the money I won from the bangathon." Felix responded as he handed over the credit chit to the bartender who took it. "So, any word on who's risen to take Victor's place?"
"If I knew that then it would be the talk of the place." The bartender responded before he handed over the beer and Felix drank it, a few hours passed and Felix was out of money and thoroughly drunk and the bartender wasn't happy. "I think you've had enough Felix."
"Oh cooome on." Felix slurred his words as he leaned on the bar counter, unbeknownst to them an Asari had taken the stole next to Felix's and was watching Felix with a grin on her face. "I can take another?"
"No you can't and I think your wallet can't either." The bartender responded before turning to the Asari, she looked like she was in her maiden stage and was wearing an outfit so revealing that she may as well have been walking around in lingerie. "Lady, last I checked this wasn't the set of a porno."
"I know it isn't but if you've got it, flaunt it." The Asari responded and the bartender shook his head, whilst his back was turned she leaned in and whispered into Felix's ear. "Hey handsome, want to come back to my place? I'll show you an experience that will make you swear off human women forever!"
"How *hic* can I say no to that beautiful?" Felix said before he stood up gingerly, the Asari hopped out of her stool and helped him out of the bar.
"Now lady, are you going to order a drink or are you here to act as someone for the guys to ogle?" The bartender asked as he turned around only to see the Asari leaving with Felix. "Lucky bastard."