Author's Note: Sorry about spamming your guys email for just an update. I've been playing Mass Effect 2 (ahem... again) and just really wanted to update. Let me know how you like the updates. Can't promise the releases will be consistent with the start of classes and work after the holidays.

After hours yet again, the Salarian angrily shouted on the phone threatening to have the receiver's family killed if he didn't get his payment. His secretary looked over her computer screen and rolled her eyes knowing his threats could get pretty long winded. She glanced at the clock and sighed. A bang from the air vents made her jump and look at the ceiling. Vent rats usually didn't come into this part of the wards, but she slowly sat back at her desk. As something crashed through the vent in her boss' office, she leapt out of the chair again to rush in. Two gunshots rang out followed by a stifled tussle.

The secretary tensed all over trying to over power his hold on her wrists which were above her head, and he had his pistol trained on her heart. His lower body flattened hers to the floor, and Salarian blood was soaking into her hair covering it in a sickening green, slimy coating. "If you're going to shoot me you might as well do it now. You'll get no begging from me," she said finally relaxing. Dark eyes narrowed, and he cocked his head slightly. Then seemingly within a breath, he was gone. The secretary rolled over trying to catch a last glimpse of her would-be killer but didn't see any hint of his presence besides the dead body of her boss beside her.

She examined her wrists which were just starting to bruise by the time C-SEC arrived. "Did you get a good look at him?" the Turian questioned looking up from his data pad. While waiting for the officers to arrive, she has thought about what she would tell them. Feigning the classic girly excuse of emotions and nerves had seemed the best option.
"I-I can't really remember. It was all such a blur. He could have been anyone."
"So you don't have any idea what species he is?"
"Um, he could have been a Batarian? Or maybe a Vorcha? I really don't know. I didn't get a good look at him after he jumped me."
"Uh-huh, thanks, you're free to go."
"Thanks."

The next day she was loaded down with groceries on her way home when a man shaped figure threw himself into her throwing her into a side alley. Dropping her things, she fell looking up to see three men glaring down at her. "That her?" one asked. Another looking down at a halo before glancing back at her. The woman got to her feet brushing her skirt off.
"Yeah, Ali Winters. She's the one."
"Gentlemen, mind telling me what's going on here?" she asked. This switched their attention back to her causing a minor scuffle ending with Ali's arms twisted behind her back by two of the men as the third pulled out a pistol. "You're making a mistake."
"Nothing personal, lady, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Ali had just lifted her legs to kick him in the chest when a green blur did it for her. One man released her in shock, and she used the opportunity to kick him in the back of the knees followed by another one to the back. The green blur moved to the one she had moved towards him, and there was a sickening crunch before she threw the back of her head into his nose. Grabbing his neck, she threw the man over her shoulder, and the green blur again finished him off.

The Drell got to his feet and looked her over for a few seconds. "Are you going to kill me this time?" she asked preparing to run into the more populated street a few feet away.
"No." His voice came out forced, and he scanned the area trying to find something to look at.
"Then what are you doing here?"
"My contract specified that there were to be no witnesses to the Salarian's death."
"And I am."
"You are."
"That doesn't explain what you're doing here." He looked at her again watching her light brown eyes darting over his face.
"I didn't want to take your life."
"How are you going to do that?" He shook his head before looking at her again. "You know there's going to be more of them, right? Why didn't you just kill me?"
"I don't know. I couldn't." She sighed running a hand through her hair moving the curtain of orange behind her ear.
"I need to get back to my apartment."
"That's the first place they will go when they discover the first team failed to complete."
"I'm aware. But if I'm going to help you figure this out, I need my bag." Without another word, she left the alley abandoning her groceries, and he had no choice but to follow.

When she got close to the door, it slid silently open. A chosen few on the Citadel were implanted with a chip in the meat where their shoulder met the neck. It contained all her personal information including a key to her apartment. As the Drell went through his ritual of assessing the safety of the room and any emergency exits, she started opening a floor safe. "I didn't catch a name," she called over her shoulder.
"Krios. Thane Krios."
"Well, Sere Krios, I'm Ali. It's nice to meet you when you're not trying to kill me." A small quirk of the lips was his only response. She grabbed a pistol, a SMG, and a knife from the safe as well as a bag. Ali found herself glad that she didn't get rid of these years ago and smiled when she looked over the numerous upgrades she had almost forgotten about.
"A floor locker?" he commented.
"Yeah, well, I didn't want any of these things stolen, and robberies are prevalent in this part of the wards." He nodded and moved to the window to watch the street. Not having the time to change into a pair of pants, she shoved everything into the bigger bag and got to her feet. "Ready."

Immediately a sticky grenade blew open the door throwing both of them off their feet. Three mercenaries followed the smoke and fire, and Thane grabbed Ali dragging her behind the far wall. Being in the lower wards, the walls couldn't be called thick – after listening to her Krogan and Asari neighbors arguing for hours she knew all too well – and bullets ripped through the wall. His shield alarms screamed in his ears, and a sharp pain made him grunt. Warm, smooth hands pushed against his side and gently prodded the wound. "No organs seem to be damaged. Pressure should keep the bleeding under control for a little while," she murmured. Her eyes met his, and he was mesmerized for a second. She had the strangest eyes he had ever seen on a human before. They were a light brown that were almost a yellowish color. Meanwhile she yanked his pistol out of his holster sending a clip of bullets into the room. The Blue Suns mercenaries quickly grabbed cover ceasing fire. "Front door is obviously out. Bedroom window is too far away. Kitchen is possible but will be difficult."

Thane glanced over his shoulder before switching out the heat sink of the pistol still in her hand. "Three shots," he said meeting her eyes again. She nodded glancing around the corner again at the Blue Suns. His arms wrapped around her waist in a vice like grip and taking a step to the side into the open before charging forward. Around his body arose a purple-blue hue as he activated his biotics. Ali shot three times hitting a Blue Suns mercy in the head each time. Glass shattered around them, and her stomach flipped with the fall. Biotic energy flared, and their fall slowed before hitting the ground outside her apartment building. All the air left her body as they collided and both rolled a few times. His arms tightened slightly when they landed, and he didn't initially let her go. A flood of warm liquid soaked Ali's skirt, and she rolled over examining the wound with a critical eye. She grabbed his arm forcing him into a seated position.
"We need to get out of here," she said watching the door behind them. "Can you stand?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Let's go." She made a disagreeing face but helped him up anyways.
"There's a transit station a couple blocks from here."

By the time they got to the transit station blood was staining his pant leg, and he was exhausted. Getting shot and exerting his biotics had used his energy, and Ali had an arm draped over her shoulders helping him along. "Upper wards. Block 723," she commanded when they got into the transit car.
"Where are we going?" She ignored him instead searching her bag for her knife which she immediately used to cut a few wide strips off her full skirt. Folding one several times she pressed it against the wound on his back causing him to breath sharply in pain.
"Sorry." Quickly wrapping another few strips around his waist, she tightened it as much as he could take. "We are going to a friend's house. I can patch you up there."
"Do you trust this friend?"
"With my life."
"What are you?"
"That's a longer story than this transit ride is. How about when I finish with you, I'll tell you everything?" He stared for a few seconds then nodded before looking out at the passing city.

When they practically fell through the door of an apartment, Ali helped the Drell lie down on the couch and glanced up at the man who was pointing a pistol at them. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she set to work helping Thane out of his jacket and vest. "Mark, please grab me a towel." Slowly the man lowered his weapon knowing she wasn't afraid of it before taking the few steps to the kitchen where he threw her a towel. Though Thane's vision was fuzzy at best, he assessed the room for habit's sake finding exits and cover. He watched as the human male closed the door after looking up and down the hall.
"Were you followed?" he asked halfheartedly like he all ready knew the answer.
"Of course not. I'm not an idiot." He ignored her jibe.
"What's his story?" He gestured towards the bleeding man.
"Mark, are you going to help me or just sit their asking questions? Please boil some water, so I can sterilize," she snapped resorting to harshness since he wasn't getting that someone was dying on his couch. He nodded finally, and setting down his weapon, he moved toward his stove. Thane looked up at her seeing her eyes tighten ever so slightly when she examined his wound. She was scared that she was going to lose him, and while he didn't understand why she felt this way about an assassin, he felt it was his responsibility to comfort her. Before he could act though, her eyes hardened again blocking off her emotions. "Hold this here. I need to get my medical kit." He placed his hand over hers pushing down hard biting back his wince. Ali moved over to her bag where she dropped it, and pulled out her smaller medical kit.

When Mark brought a bowl of still boiling water, she dropped the needle into the water and nodded over a lamp on the side table which he brought closer pointing in at the wound. "Do you want me to knock you out for this? I can promise you that it will hurt a lot. I don't have an anesthetic," she asked when she pulled on gloves and started stringing the needle.
"There is no need."

"You okay?" Mark asked her. She was examining her fingers in the sink.
"Yeah gloves blocked most of the toxins. But I must have absorbed some in the transit car," she explained. Ali flexed her fingers trying not grimace through the stiffness and pins and needles.
"Who is he?"
"Drell assassin. By his age, I'd guess that he still under the Compact and is working for the Hanar."
"I gathered that much, thank you. I have the same information codex that you have."
"I don't know. He assassinated that Salarian loan shark I had targeted. From what the mercs who attacked me said, the kill order specified 'no witnesses' and well, here I am."
"He didn't kill you? Strange."
"Yeah, you're telling me." She turned off the water and started to dry her hands. "I have to tell him."
"What? Why?"
"I had to fight. There was no choice. I'll leave you and the rest out of it if you wish." He sighed running a hand through his dark hair. It had gotten longer since the last time she had seen him, and she found herself looking him over – dark hair, dark eyes, olive skin, handsome features, and a strong physique.

Finally leaving him to think it over, Ali soaked a towel with water before going into the living room. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm better than I deserve. I apologize for getting you into this situation."
"Yeah, you probably should have just killed me and saved us both a lot of trouble. But for what it's worth, thank you for not doing it." He nodded before letting out a startled breath when she pressed the towel to his side and cleaned the stitches she had just finished. "I apologize for the scar this is going to leave. I'm afraid my medical training was focused on function over form," she explained before covering the wound with a thick layer of medi gel followed by a clean bandage.
"It'll do, Miss Winters. Where did you receive your medical training?"

Ali took an uncomfortable breath before sitting on the chair placed a few feet away from the sofa. While Mark's apartment was scarcely furnished, he did have expensive taste, and the chair was too comfortable to be true. She sank into it staring at her knees for a few moments before lifting her eyes to the Drell's. "That brings me to the subject you mentioned earlier. I believe you phrased it, 'What are you?' Well, I promised to tell you." Mark appeared in the kitchen doorway and leaned against the frame with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed. Thane nodded in silent encouragement finding himself a little more invested in her story than he would have liked.
"I was born on Earth in a place called Sigma 12 by the Alliance government. S12 wasn't government sanctioned but received many of its employees and funds through fine print. Their main purpose was to build the perfect soldier or weapon if you want to call it that. They focused on genetic engineering."
"You underwent genetic modification?"
"No, I was grown in a test tube. It made it so that the scientists didn't have to deal with junk DNA or hereditary defects. When they find their perfect specimen, the scientists would implant the embryo into a human female. And nine months later, someone like me would pop out." Her explanation gave him the impression that she had planned this years in advance. He could even imagine her standing before a mirror practicing her timing and inflection.
"How many 'soldiers' are there?" She paused looking down at her lap for a few seconds seemingly waiting for something before meeting his eyes again.
"I don't know."
"There are twelve of us that we know of," Mark interrupted. He seemed to immediately regret his decision but plowed on anyways. "The facility where we were raised was destroyed several years ago. Our group is the only one to have made it out that we know of."
"Raised?"
"Yes, once we are born, a rigorous amount of vitamins, minerals, proteins, growth hormones, and genetic modification was added into our diet and even intravenously. They want to make us physically ready for training as fast as possible. A three year old can receive the training of a five year old and a seven years old is all ready at the physical and mental level of an eleven year old. Gaining information that quickly and at such a young age requires time and repetition and discipline."
"Not the most nurturing of environments," Mark muttered darkly.

Ali's mind flashed back to what they would call 'brain dumps' where in they would be strapped into chairs for hours with their eyes pinned open staring at a screen. The screen would flash information about anything ranging from rifle schematics to turian political climates and structures. These would be repeated over and over agin until the subject was effectively unable to forget the information. They brainwashed the children. The words LOYALTY, DISCIPLINE, and RESPECT flashed before her eyes before Ali was able to cut off that line of thought with a thorough mental shake. Glancing over at Mark, she saw he was doing the same thing. All these years later, it was still difficult not to fall into sour memories or feel a shiver of recognition from something they had never actually seen. "When we were not being brainwashed into the soldier and weapon they wanted us to be, they would be training us. Martial arts, physical training, weapons training, vehicle training, espionage, sabotage, assassination, undercover work, I could go on all day. Specialties were found and sometimes we were forced to specialize in everything," she continued.
"Ali and I were two of those unlucky few."
"When we were sixteen, I finally decided that I had had enough. I escaped with eleven others. Two days later, we saw on the news that a government facility in the Siberian tundra was destroyed."
"They called it a scheduled demolition and assured the public that no one was injured or killed in the explosions. We released a coded signal that only S12 kids would be able to decode and received no reply," Mark murmured looking at the floor by Ali's feet. Those days of utter fear and squashed hope overwhelmed them momentarily.
"We waited a week, but we had to leave. Off world was the only safe place. That was three years ago."

Thane didn't speak for a long time. He seemed to be absorbing all they had said, and Ali was unwilling to interrupt his thoughts. "What do you do now?" he finally asked.
"Mark formed a group with the others. We didn't want to repeat S12's assignments, so we found a couple good clients and performed jobs for them. Tightening security, providing protection, even disbanding a couple pirate and merc groups," she explained.
"Ali used to be my co-leader but she quit a year back. Wanted a normal life." They exchanged a hard glare. "That is until you came along."
"That's not his fault. I chose the Salarian because I wanted to minimize his damage. I fixed the numbers to make it appear as if his clients weren't behind on payments. But he must have gotten the Hanar's attention."
"You're correct, Miss Winters. Your employer made a rather gruesome example of a prominent diplomat's family after failing to repay a loan," Thane explained
"Mm, yes. I retrieved that message from the archives. I couldn't warn him in time," she murmured balling her skirt in her fist. Mark placed a hand on her shoulder releasing her from dark thoughts, and she shot him a quick, half smile.

"I can get you two off the Citadel," Mark announced a few moments later.
"They're not going to stop chasing her. No matter where she is," Thane responded not missing a beat.
"What if the kill order was cut off at the neck?" he asked giving the Drell a hard look.
"Mark-"
"Shut up, Ali." She gave him a glare instead of retorting.
"Kill the person who signed the contract. That would be a hanar. I can't do that."
"What if it wasn't a Hanar order? I looked into it. The contract didn't originate from them. Your handlers just offered to use their own resources to complete it."
"I wasn't aware they did that," Ali commented.
"The Hanar simply saw a contract out on a man they wanted dead and filled it. I serve the Compact without question. The fact that the contract didn't originate from the Hanar government doesn't matter. They wanted the Salarian dead, and I killed him."
"We understand the Compact more than you probably know, Drell. What I'm saying is that if the 'no witnesses' part of the contract came from the original person and not the Hanar, then you are under no obligation to follow that part. Which would in turn allow you to use your skills to remove the problem from Ali's life."

Ali frowned up at Mark a little irked at how insensitive he was acting and looked over at Thane. His brow was creased in thought, but he didn't counter what the man had said. "I will have to go over the original contract which will take some time. May I borrow a data pad? I need to message my contact in the Hanar government."
"Yeah, I can lend you one. Meanwhile, Ali, why don't you go get some sleep? It's getting pretty late. I'll keep watch for a couple hours then wake you." Ali gave him a face and opened her mouth to argue. "Nope, you're not arguing, Ali-cat. You get in that bed, right now."
"Fine, goodnight, Thane. If you feel any discomfort, let me know. My medical training was more in depth than Mark's, so it's better if you ask me." This earned her a snort.
"You have more medical training because you flunked out of tech classes." She gasped at him and glared.
"You promised you'd never bring that up again."
"Well, I lied."
"Watch me make you breakfast in the morning."
"Wait, what? Can I take it back? I need your cinnamon buns. You don't understand the addiction," he complained ignoring the fact that Thane was staring in confusion.
"Maybe you should have thought of that before teasing me yet again about my tech skills," she sniffed before picking up her bag and sauntering from the room after sending a subtle wink to Thane.

"You are correct. The Hanar's contract says nothing about witnesses," Thane quietly announced to the man sitting across from him. Mark looked up momentarily from his data pad then looked out the window for a few seconds before returning his gaze to the glowing orange screen.
"Told you. The Hanar don't condone killing innocents."
"I'll start on Illium. I met with a contact there right after I received the job. I'll arrange another meeting to get information about who ordered then hit." Mark put down his data pad and stared at the Drell for several moments.
"You had better take care of her, Krios. That woman means a lot to many people. And if you let her get herself killed, we're going to find you and make sure you join her."
"I understand. I won't let anything happen to her," Thane assured. Mark nodded once appeased by his sincerity and went back to his data pad.
"You should get some rest. Tomorrow's another day, and she's a hand full."

In her sleep, Ali felt like a snake was crawling up her back. With a jolt, she sat up and silently glared at the man outlined by the window. "Getting rusty, there was a time when I couldn't even enter the room without waking you," Mark commented not looking back at her.
"Yeah, well, jerking awake every time a door opened or closed in my apartment building wasn't very pleasant, so I adapted," she replied.
"I'm not sure why you're doing this. I could put you into hiding, send the team out to take care of this contract out on your life."
"That's not what they're meant to do, Mark, and you know it." He sighed running a hand through his hair.
"Righting wrongs. That's our goal. And trying to kill you is wrong. Come on, Ali, don't be an idiot." She frowned at him.
"No, it isn't. I would call this more self defense. I'm one person, Mark. Since when is one person enough to send out the team to take care of? Especially one who has no power to change things. I'm not a diplomat, a freedom fighter, or some struggling rights activist. I'm just a secretary."
"Never mind, I didn't mean it."
"I don't believe that. I'll be looking over the mission reports when I get back. Have Jane put them together."
"That's not necessary, Al."
"I think it is, so you're going to do it for me. Got it? Good. Now get out so I can go back to sleep." His mouth tightened ever so slightly, but he smiled and left the room. Silence fell again, and she felt the week's events catching up on her. Plus there was the matter of how her partner was running their enterprise. Turning over so her back was to the door, Ali closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.