Author's Note: Hey all, it's been a while but I've decided to go with an AU story for Shepard and Liara. Although that does not mean I will be leaving The Shepard and the Maiden unfinished! I've been working on this story for quite some time, brainstorming and such. It ended up with me growing a liking to it since it will have its occasional fluff but with a little more action (in more than one sense hah). Anyways here is my own story with the use of the Mass Effect characters which is owned all by BioWare (of course with all the lore and galaxy information)!

Also this story is rated M for language, 'graphic image' and sexual content that may make people uncomfortable so please keep this in mind before reading!


Chapter 1: Welcome to the Game

It was dark in Omega, as usual. The streets were dirty and rowdy, and the people were vile and deceiving. It was relatively quiet with the exception of occasional gun fire and scream of victims, but the commotion grew louder as one would approach the largest club establishment called Afterlife. There were many different species of people that lived on Omega and all of them wanted a piece of the action. Some wanted to be infamous, some sought out danger, a handful wanted to make a living with bundles of credits, and others just needed some way to get by, a place to start. Although there was no said leader on Omega, everyone knew that it was rightfully held in the hands of an Asari named Aria T'Loak. It was always the wisest decision to be on her good side whether or not one gets themselves involved in Omega's affairs. In a sense she does not give a damn about what goes on in Omega, as long as the balance of power is not shifted away from her. No one can ever feel safe if they knew they've done something wrong. Somehow and some way, Aria will find out and she will take care of it.

Shepard was found sitting in a booth across from her trusted friend Garrus Vakarian. They were both sharing drinks and exchanging glances as they occasionally looked across the room to a hefty, human man surrounded by Asari strippers who being both fondled and played with in open public. Not that anyone would question it as the two Krogan in armor scared and intimidated watchful perverts away.

"Would you like anymore to drink?" A purple hued Asari leaned over to Shepard as she stripped the human's sights away from the man across the room. The waitress began eying the red haired woman subtlety up and down.

"No that won't be needed, thank you." Shepard returned the Asari's curious glance with her piercing blue eyes, feeling a slight touch of hand on her thigh. Quickly grabbing hold of the waitress's wrist, Shepard pulled her a bit closer, the human's breath brushing the Asari's quivering lips. "And I don't need that either. Maybe next time. Now get outta here." The waitress sighed almost frustratingly as she kept her eyesight on Shepard, leaving the table.

"Well you certainly have a way with women, Shepard. And I say that confidently about all species." Garrus began to chuckle, his baritone voice echoing.

"Shut it Vakarian. It makes me glad that he's our target for tonight. Making me sit here and wait while being teased by attractive Asari and seeing his disgusting self having 'too much fun' is sickening. Honestly if I did not give a shit about how the employer wanted this done, I'd walk over there myself and tear his throat open." Shepard glared as she removed her sights away from the fat man, taking a swig of her Jack and Coke.

"Hm, it will be difficult to get close to him. He's not only surrounded by those Asari, but he has some muscle with him as well. Blood pack I believe. Suiting if I do say so myself." Garrus peeked with his single-visor that hovered over one of his sky colored eyes. "And I know this is a bit off topic Shepard, but how can you drink that stuff. I can smell it from over here."

Shepard leaned back and finished her drink, smiling as she smiled coolly from the heated taste in the back of her throat. "Good ol' fashioned Human liquor Vakarian. Besides I'm not here to get myself wasted from Ryncol. We've been briefed that our employer does not allow unprofessionalism to an extent. Besides, if I don't drink I'll think too much."

Garrus ignored Shepard's last comment, not being able to understand meaning behind the human woman's words. "You mean our employer wants a swift kill." The turian looked at the hefty man as his mandibles twitched from a gross excitement of killing him.

"Clean, swift, and severe, Vakarian." Shepard lifted up her coat's collar as she glanced over at the fat man across from them and glanced up at the booth seated high above the patrons. "And we need to do this under the radar. If this shit rattles Aria, then we're screwed. We were told that we won't have a rescue party if we mess up, and our employer won't have a thing to do with us."

"Right. Look Shepard, he's on the move." Garrus held his talons together as he and Shepard remained still and to their selves until the big man walked through Afterlife's front doors. "And looks like he's only taking one of the Asari girls with him."

"Good. It'll be better if there are fewer bystanders in the way." Shepard flipped her auburn hair as threw credits on the table for their drinks. "Let's go."

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As Shepard and Garrus kept their distance following the hefty man, they made sure that they too were not being followed. Keeping themselves in the shadows, they maintained a good distance away from their target, their chatter resorting to their radios. The streets were relatively quiet as they moved further away from Afterlife and nothing but the man's heaving grunts and idiotic chatter filled the air, following the Asari's alluring giggles and whines.

"Target is entering a skycar." Shepard radioed as she motioned her hand to Garrus.

"I got it." Whipping out a modified Predator pistol, he fired and it silently released a bug that tapped onto the skycar. Immediately after, Garrus pulled out a pad and began swiping and tapping on the holographic interface. "Now where are you going you fat man?"

The skycar flew off and Shepard rejoined with Garrus, leaning against a building's wall as she looked over Garrus shoulder. "I hope he's not going for a joyride. We don't have all night to sit out in the cold while he is screwing his Asari whore in there."

"We'll see." Garrus said as he kept his eyes on the bleeping dot.

After about half an hour, the dot finally stopped and was fixed on a large building not far from where the duo was. "Gotcha.

Shepard nodded as she smirked. "Let's go."

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Setting up among the neighboring hills of the man's estate, Shepard laid prone in a bundle of bushes while Garrus was positioned in an opposite location among the trees, having the perfect angle to gain sight of their target. "Target spotted. Looks like he'll be retiring tonight. And with his lovely companion." He added a seductive tone and Shepard shook her head at the gross image in her head.

"I swear, sometimes I wish I could ban you from radio privileges." Shepard was peering through her heat-seeking binoculars, finding the fat man and keeping sight. "I'm glad our employer was nice enough to provide equipment for this mission. These heat-seeking binoculars make it easier to spot this guy from a mile away."

"Yeah the rented skycar was useful too. I was kinda worried how we would end up getting around but when resources were mentioned, it was no joke." Garrus said as he opened up a black briefcase. "And our employer even mentioned that we'll be provided with firearms that would be well suited for the mission."

"You're really going to use that?" Shepard scoffed as she slipped off her dark coat and revealed her light, black armor with an N7 logo inscribed on the right side of her chest plate with a large 'X' carved into it. She pulled her Mantis from her back and had it extend to its rifle shape.

"Well I do want to see how the boss's toys will work after all. No worries if something goes wrong I do have my Viper with me." Garrus had himself propped up and leaned against the tree for more stability as he took aim through the scope of the Incisor in his hand. "Since I'll be a bit handicapped, you'll take priority shot."

"Roger that." Shepard wore her coat and placed her Kuwashii visor over her right eye, pulling her hood over her head as she lay prone with her rifle steady as she began to take aim. "Target sighted, looks like he's about to get ready for some action."

Shepard had aimed her rifle at the room, not having a full sight of the fat man. 'This is going to be tricky. This place is completely closed off on sights and if I miss we'll be fucked.' The estate had little windows and on top of it all most were covered with drapes and blinds, or even just completely shut. The window of the room the man and Asari were in had only a single window with a drape covering it and only subtle shadows could be seen. 'Egh, and I only have one shot. Sacrificing ammo availability for power can have its pros and cons I guess.'

Shepard kept having an internal conversation with herself as the silence began making Garrus uneasy. "C'mon Shepard, if you won't do it I will."

"Easy Garrus, you and I both know we have little to no shot on this guy. We're going to have to rely on heat. Give me the guy's location and I'll try to fix a shot." Shepard remained perfectly still, keeping her eye peered through the scope, her Kawashii visor aiding in maintaining a steady aim regardless of her growing fatigue.

"I know you have an extraordinary shot Shepard, but seriously can you possibly guarantee you'll make it?" Garrus laid down his rifle as he looked through the binoculars, calculating an approximate location.

"I know I can Garrus. And you know it too, so don't doubt me now." Shepard began slowing her breath, taking deeper inhales and quiet exhales.

"Alright, from the window, the target is standing about two feet to your left, his head approximately three feet up from the window sill. Looks like he's attempting to provide a show for the Asari to set the mood so give or take three minutes before he moves completely." Garrus's mandibles twitched again. "If you're going to take the shot. Take it now."

"Got it." Shepard whispered as she took one more breath in, her finger settled very gently on the trigger. Through her scope she could feel it shake in her grasp, the adrenaline now pumping through her hands and arms. Fixing a point from Garrus's directions, she held her breath, steadying her aim. Finding the appropriate angle she knew she only had about seconds before the man moved, but before she was too late, Shepard fired her single shot, exhaling fully as felt like an extension of her rifle.

With the silenced and powerful shot through the wall, the bullet struck the man right through the temple and escaped through the other side, blood had spurted from the point of exit as the man was shot, his eyes wide and rolling back to a ghostly white, death grabbing hold of him. His fat, nude body fell over onto the Asari making her shriek in panic and fear, a pool of blood covering her and the sheets.

"Target eliminated. Looks like we started a big of a party" Shepard quickly leaped onto her feet and retracted her rifle, carrying it by its body. "Let's get out of here, Garrus."

"Meet you back at the skycar." Garrus had already been prepared and had everything put away into the provided suitcase as he began leaving the estate, now approaching the parked skycar. 'Meanwhile I'll just send over our report to our employer.'

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"Ma'am looks like Shepard and her partner Vakarian have succeeded in annihilating Hammond Reich. Just got the report two minutes ago and they are making their way back to the rendezvous point." A voice radioed in from a monitor only showing vocal wave signs streaming across the screen. "Any further instructions, Ms. T'soni?"

"Provide them with the necessary credentials to leave Omega and have them return here to Hagalaz. I want to personally welcome them to the ranks of being a part of the Shadow Infiltrators." The Asari's slender figure stood as she walked over to another monitor having Garrus's and Shepard's records displayed, though her eyes mainly fixed on Shepard.

"Weclome to the Game… Shepard."


Author's Note: I hope you all enjoyed it so far. Feel free to leave some reviews for me and tell me what you think and what you hope to expect! It'll be highly appreciated!