Chapter 2- Mouse and Cat

Kolyat walks out of the bar with Mouse at his side. The dank Alley way was littered with various pieces of trash and a fresh urine puddle. Stepping around the puddle, Kolyat continues and turns right heading back to the Presidium.

" Hey wait up dammit" Mouse just rounding the corner of the alleyway.

"Hurry then." Kolyat says looking over his shoulder at the young human.

Mouse breaks into a jog to catch up with Kolyat, " Listen, there are some things you need to know. You are gonna get your ass handed to you if you don't."

Kolyat huffs and shakes his head, looking at Mouse still partially jogging to keep up. " like what?"

" Slow down a little and we can talk." Mouse, out of breath, stops just before another alley.

" Fine." Kolyat stops and turns to Mouse, " What is it that you need to tell me."

" You forgot your pistol." Handing him the gun, he looks around. " And your dad is a great man. He was always good to me."

Kolyat shook his head looking down, and taking the gun, placing it in the small of his back under his coat.

"Thanks... My dad was never around and I haven't seen him since I was 10. Why would you admire father like that?" Kolyat says flatly.

Mouse was taken aback by the statement, confusion filled the young man's face. They were talking about his hero! He simply could not believe that his hero was anything less than perfect. Not just to his son, but every one he cherished. He had heard the stories of what Thane did to the people who killed his wife and he had a deep respect for a man that could kill in the way Thane did.

" Dude, you had a dad. Someone who could show you the ropes and make sure you had food and a place to sleep. I got a kick in the ass at 5 and was shoved out into the streets to make my way, on my own. I dint get to go to school and if I had food. I made sure I got it. You had it easy man..." Mouse could not believe how ungrateful Kolyat was for what he had. He had a Dad! He had a family! He had everything, even the clothing he was wearing now was finer than anything Mouse had ever owned in his life!

Kolyat turns away from Mouse and continues walking, the deep resentment rising in his throat again. Grumbling to himself, Who does the human think my dad really is?! He doesn't know what it was like to have HIM as a father. …

"Yes, I always had food and a place to sleep, clothing to wear and did get an education too. But HE was never there for any of it! HE missed every single one of my celebrations. It is HIS fault my mother was KILLED and AFTER left me in the care of my Aunts and Uncles at the age of 10 and disappeared! HE didn't even say a word to me about it!"

Kolyat stops realizing that he had shouted most of that out loud and at Mouse. Turning to Mouse he looks at his shocked expression. Kolyat closes his eyes and rubs his forehead.

Mouse shakes his head, poking his finger at him" That is shit that will get you killed, you dumbass. You need to get your head straight and get that sorted out. How does not matter, dude, you can't let that shit eat at you or you are good as dead and I don't do funerals, jackass." Shaking his head, Mouse walks away from Kolyat disappearing into the shadows.

Kolyat takes a deep breath and turns walking toward the Presidium. Stopping at a local store he picks up some food and alcohol. Then heads across the street avoiding the two C-Sec officers patrolling. Reaching his apartment block, he heads up the stairs, opening his apartment door he steps inside. Flipping on the light he sets down the few things he had bought and heads to the shower. Flipping on the extranet monitor as he passed and tuning it to the latest Political Views channel. The program was mid way through and the Turian politician was droning on about some fairness thing and humans.

Stripping off his clothing he steps into shower. Kolyat had become very conscious about his grooming habits and long ago decided, he liked being well groomed. He looks at the bottle of soap "Very Drell" A special crème soap, created by a Salarian scientist , to remove the toxins his body naturally created, from his skin and replace it with a nice scent. Anyone who touched him would have been hallucinating their head off if he didn't. As the commercial had said " All the ladies love the smell of a Very Drell."

His father would probably laugh at him and his uncle always did say, he was being a pretty boy. But, Kolyat doesn't care, he does want ladies to enjoy his smell. Who knows, maybe someday he will find a mate and no female will consider him if he stinks! Drying himself he wraps the towel around his waist and rubs the after shower cream into his skin, avoiding some of the more sensitive areas. Then heads into the other room, putting away the few things he had purchased while listening to the Turian, drone on. He begins to get a feel for the man and his ideals. The news caster states that the Turian would be making a live speech to selected members of the community the next day and Kolyat, considers this deeply, as he pulls out a clean set of clothing from the dresser and puts them on.

Turning off the monitor and opening his omni tool to send his Aunt a quick, 'I am ok, love you and we will talk again very soon' message. He falls onto the bed, thinking about the happenings of the day he drifts off to sleep.

The very loud "bleep...bleep...bleep" of his Onmi-tool alarm clock wakes him from his dark dream...Almost grateful to be awake he rubs the back of his neck, as he sits up on the side of the bed. Yawning and stretching he stands and walks to the kitchen and grabs the kettle and fills it with water and a special tea he loved to drink when he woke up. Pulling a cup from cupboard over head he sets it down pouring the tea and some sweetener in and goes into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for the day.

Picking up his pistol he straps it into place and pulls on his coat and heads out the door. As he walks to the Zakera ward he becomes very focussed, the people around him, the shops and their occupants. He is very aware and his eidetic memory records everything.

Arriving at the Zakera Ward, he hangs back in the shadows and watches the Target from quite a distance. The man easily manoeuvred though the crowds, stopping talk to various members of the public, all Turian of course, occasionally inviting one or two. Kolyat notes, that he was never with out his Krogan body guard. Slipping off into an alley way he heads off to check out the 800 blocks. Stopping after a few blocks to catch a cab to get closer, the target's private transport would be easy to spot if he could find a good vantage point.

Kolyat is more than a little disappointed that everything is so well lit. The large apartment tower had a few different entrances, two of which were viewable from a semi darkened area, not far from where the cabs and valet parking were. He did his best to meld into the shadows and waited, his mind was again very focussed, memorizing every detail of the area. A couple passes him; an Asari, very well dressed, conservative for how young she was and an older Human male. His clothing was fine and the slightly greying hair at his temples spoke volumes to Kolyat. He could imagine the man in some very well paid position, possibly even a diplomat for the human embassy. She giggles and tells the man how smart he was to know so much about Asari history and how she could not wait to hear more. They pass through the glass doors on the left not even noticing him.

After about three hours and probably ten various groups of people, ranging from a single human female to four very well armed Krogan, a Turian couple with two children, humans, Asari some with males some with females, he sees a private hire car pull close to the entrance. A valet opens the door and a Krogan steps out surveying the area. A Turian male follows shortly after. The krogan shoves the valet and tells him to make sure the car is take back where it belonged and not to go for a little ride in it first or he would blast a hole in him big enough to drive the car through. The valet blanches at the thought and pulls away with the car.

The Turian follows the Krogan, heading toward the entrance, as they pass him, Kolyat steps out from the shady spot following behind them. He has a very good shot and he raises his pistol and begins to squeeze the trigger...

"KOLYAT!" a female voice screams, His concentration broken he turns, to the direction of the sound, the gun goes off hitting the krogan. He looks back at his target running towards the entrance and squeezes another shot off taking out the Krogan before breaking into a run after Talid.

The target makes it to the elevator and Kolyat runs for the stairs, taking them two and three at a time where he can, reaching the fifth floor he sees the Target running down the hallway to the door at the end, his lithe body covers that distance before he could fully open the door and shoves his pistol in the man's back shoving him into the room and closing the door.

"What in the Spirits name are you doing!" the man shouts, "Please, I will give you anything...anything you want, I have lots of power and can get you anywhere safely." the man begs.

Kolyat tells him quietly, "Kneel." The man defeated kneels, with his hands on his head.

The door bursts open and a woman walks in her pistol raised, she cocks it and faces him down, her dark green eyes piercing him. His father follows just one pace behind her. Kolyat is stunned, what the hell kind of joke is this! He thinks as he stares at the crest of the turian.

His father stares at him and quietly says, "Kolyat"

A quiet rage begins to build and complete disbelief, " This...This is a joke...Now? Now you show up?"

"Help, Help me Drell!" The man on his knees begs, " I will do what ever you want!" the man promises.

Kolyat does not even get a chance to consider his options before a C-Sec Captain with an officer walk in their guns pointed at him, " C-sec, Put the gun down, son"

He thinks to himself, What the hell! Who the hell set me up! That bastard! Kolyat could hear the choppers and see the lights flashing in the room. His back was to the window and these people stood between him and the door. He was out-numbered...

Kolyat's rage nearly consumes him, "Get out of my way, I am walking out and he is coming with me!" he snarls at the group. He was in control of this, he had the target, he had a job to do and he was going to do it!

His father takes a couple of steps toward him, " They will have snipers outside."

Kolyat glares at his father, "I don't need your help!" a gun goes off and Kolyat flinches, glass bursts to his left " What the hell!" A fist meets his jaw and pan explodes through his head. He dropped his pistol and the Turian was now standing.

"Talid, get the hell out of here." The woman calmly tells the Turian.

Not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he says quietly, " Yeah...um, yeah I will." and turns making his way toward the door.

"Take the boy into custody." The C-Sec captain says to his officers.

"You son- of -a- bitch!" Kolyat snarls at his father.

Holstering her pistol the woman cooly says,"Your father doesn't have much time left Kolyat. He is trying to making up for his mistakes." Arching her eyebrow and standing with her arms folded.

"What, so you came to get my forgiveness? So you can die in peace or something?" He looks at is father disgusted, waving his arm at him. What forgiveness do you deserve, you were never even there! Kolyat thinks to himself.

His father walks toward him and calmly states, "I came to grant you peace." Kolyat folds his arms huffing at him.

His father looks down, his guilt obvious to Kolyat, "You are angry, because I was not there when your mother died."

"You weren't there when she was alive. Why would you be there when she died!" Kolyat coldly retorts, folding his arms and glaring at his father.

His father continues, " Your mother... They killed her to get to me."

Kolyat is stunned to hear the confession, "What?" He had known it was true, but to hear him actually confess it to him was something that took him completely by surprise.

" After she was given to the deep. I went to find them. The triggermen, the ringleaders..." the painful regret was deep with in his father's voice, " I hurt them, eventually killed them. When I went back to see you...You were older, I should have stayed with you."

"I guess it is too bad for me you waited so long, huh" Anger and hurt welling up inside Kolyat.

"Kolyat, I have taken many bad things from this world. You are the only good thing I ever added to it." Thane looks at his son and Kolyat cannot hold the tears of anger and hurt back any longer, they stream unchecked down his face.

The C-Sec Captain steps in interrupting them, " This isn't a conversation you should have in front of strangers. Boys, take Kolyat and his father back to the precinct. Give them a room and as much time as they need." Thane steps closer to his son, placing his hand on Kolyat's arm.

"I am surprised you are letting them do that" The woman says to the C-Sec Captain.

The C-Sec Captain, shakes his head and looks over at them," You think he is the only man who has ever screwed up raising his son?" Regret passes over the man's face, " I have to get back to the precinct, come on I will give you a lift." He offers the woman.