And here is chapter 2. Hope y'all are enjoying it. Please comment and let me know what you think.
The music could still be heard from behind the doors of Chora's Den but the club looked completely deserted. No doorman, no guards, nothing.
"They'll have an ambush waiting for us right inside the door." Claire said taking her rifle from her back. The group followed suit and charged their firing chambers. "We'll have to get through the door fast. Alenko, bring up a barrier as soon as the door opens. Williams, Mallory, cover right. Luke, Garrus, and I will cover left." The male marine placed his rifle back on his back and started to glow blue as he summoned his biotic abilities.
The door opened and the bullets started flying. Alenko's barrier deflected most of the enemy fire while the groups shields did the rest. The group crowded together in the entry way pelting the defenders with bullets. Luke felt a round ricochet off his shields and glanced up to see a thug firing down from the stage at him. "Garrus, left of the central column on the stage!" The reaction was instantaneous. The turian swung his sniper rifle up peered through the sight for no more than half a second and fired. The thug dropped and group moved forward. Mallory led Alenko and Williams around the right side of the bar while Claire led Luke and Garrus around to the left. The eliminated the rest of the guards with relative ease before meeting at the door that led to Fist's office.
"Alenko, Williams, Mallory, hold here and make sure no one comes up behind us. Garrus, Luke, you too know Fist. You're coming with me." Luke nodded his confirmation. She was calling him by name but still didn't recognize him. How can she not tell that I'm her brother?
As the three moved into the back room, the saw fist scamper across his office and press a security console. Two tripod defense guns raised out of the floor and immediately opened fire on the squad. Garrus dove across the room to take cover on the other side.
"Are you any good with tech?" Claire asked.
"I worked in tech shop doing repairs for two years before I joined C-Sec, I'm sure I can come up with something." Luke brought up his omni-tool and overloaded one of the turrets. The weapon exploded violently sending Fist to the floor and allowing Garrus to put a bullet through the firing chamber of the other defensive gun. The turret caught fire and crumpled as sparks flew and the turret turned to scrap metal. Claire, Luke, and Garrus all stepped out of cover to find Fist cowering on the floor defenseless.
"What the hell do you want!?" Fist shouted. Claire pulled her pistol and took aim at his head. The man cowered under the barrel.
"The quarian. Where is she?"
"The quarian? She's not here. Said she would only deal with the Shadow Broker himself."
"Impossible, the Broker only works through his agents." Garrus said.
"Yeah, but she didn't know that. So I set up a meeting, but when she gets there it will be Saren's men." Luke made his way behind Fist's desk and took his OSD off the floor. He scanned it quickly with his omni-tool. It was all the evidence C-Sec would ever need to lock Fist up until he died.
"Where is the meeting and when?" Claire snarled.
"Here in the wards. Back alley. Should be going down about now." Fist sneered.
"Damn it! Let's move!" Claire shouted. She darted from the room.
"Go Garrus! I got Fist." Luke shouted. Garrus nodded and sprinted after Claire. I hope Garrus doesn't say anything about me. Any kind of introduction was going to be weird after thirteen years but he was hoping to do it himself.
Luke made his way over to Fist and placed a pair of shackles on him. He lifted him up onto his feet and started escort him toward the door.
"Fist, you have the right to remain silent. Although your OSD says plenty. You have the right to an advocate but I don't think the expensive ones will touch you with a ten foot pole, but don't worry, we'll find you the dumbest advocate on Zakera Ward." The man sighed as Luke lead him out the door. No sooner had Luke and Fist made it out into the club when a Krogan burst through the door. Luke recognized the bounty hunter immediately from the long scars down his face and neck. He had seen the Krogan at C-Sec academy when he was brought in for threatening Fist.
"Out of the way human! I have no quarrel with you." Luke stepped in front of Fist.
"Fist has been neutralized and I need him, Wrex. If he ever escapes, feel free to gun him down. Hell, I'll even shoot him a few times after you do, but until then Fist stays in my custody alive and goes to prison."
"Bad move. The Shadow Broker paid me a lot of money to get rid of him. No human C-Sec whelp is going to stop me." Wrex took a step forward. Luke had dealt with Krogan before but Wrex was different. An idealist… at least he was compared to other Krogan mercenaries.
Luke reeled back and rammed his head into Wrex's head plate. The hit was so hard it bloodied his forehead but he stayed firm in his stance and refused to allow Wrex to pass. "Take another step forward and I will put you down Wrex."
Wrex rubbed his head plate before chuckling and allowing the hint of smile to cross his face. "You got a quad human. Who are you?"
"Officer Luke Shepard." Luke's response caused the Krogan's eyes to narrow.
"I heard about someone named Shepard going after Saren. Wouldn't be you would it?" Wrex leaned forward looking straight into the human's face.
"Actually, that's Commander Claire Shepard. She was here a little bit ago helping me take down Fist. You want in on the hunt for Saren, talk too her?" Luke said stepping back and taking a firm hold on Fist's arm.
"Sounds like that's where the action is going to be." Wrex said nodding.
"Commander Shepard is the XO of the SSV Normandy SR-1. The elevator to the docking bay in C-Sec Academy should be how they are heading back to the ship. Just chill there for a while and join up when she comes by. Having a Krogan on her crew would probably tickle her a bit." Luke gave Fist a shove and the two made their way toward the door.
"What about you Luke? You gonna be there too?" Wrex's question caused Luke to pause. He had not thought about leaving C-Sec since Saleon got away, but Saren was a threat and that fight was going to be fierce. Besides, if he knew Garrus, the turian had probably already joined the expedition.
"This is unfinished business for me. If she'll bring me along, I plan on going." With that Luke moved out the door and called for a C-Sec shuttle to pick him up.
Processing Fist took some time but once he was in the system, Luke had him placed in isolation for his own protection. There was no doubt in his mind that the Shadow Broker knew Fist was in prison and might try to kill him again to keep him from talking.
"That is one great arrest, Shepard. Heard your sisters and a couple marines lent you a hand in the take down." Captain Palten crossed his arms as he looked down at his officer.
"They were running their own investigation on the same events. I just figured that having Fist off the streets was a bonus win for us." Luke said as he finished typing on his interface.
"Damn right. Oh and I heard that they made Commander Shepard the first human Spectre and stripped Saren of his status. I guess that makes our investigation closed huh?" The captain was digging, trying to find out if Luke was going to drop the investigation as ordered.
Red tape. There is nothing here but red tape. Arrest an innocent man so an agent of the council can do whatever they want. I have to see this through. Even if I have to join my sister, I have to finish this.
"Actually Captain, I don't think this investigation is over yet. Saren is still out there." Luke turned off his network interface and slouched back in his chair.
"Shepard, the Executor has ordered us off the case. Fist in custody, Saren is on the run, and your sister is chasing him. This is a win, case closed." Luke lurched forward and brought up his interface screen again.
"No, it's not closed. Saren is a threat. Look at his files. He kills people every time he is on a mission. Not just his target, he kills hundreds of people. The guy is a public health hazard." Luke argued as he flipped through several reports.
"Shepard drop it!" the captain ordered.
"NO! I have had enough of the bull shit around here. There is so much red tape we can't do our jobs! I quit!" Luke ripped off his badge and slammed it down on his desk.
"Shepard, you don't want to do this." As the captain was about to continue, his omni-tool pinged with a new message. The turian sighed and opened it as Luke turned and walked away. "Spirits! Where's Vakarian?" The captain's aggravated shout made Luke smile.
"I'm guessing he's where I'm headed." Luke responded without turning.
"You both can't quit like this!"
"I believe we just did." Luke walked out the door with a grin on his face. Bailey was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest with a smirk on his face.
"Always figured you would go vigilante in the end." Luke smiled and shook his old partner's hand.
"Not yet, but here's hoping. I'm gonna keep chasing Saren with my sisters and Garrus. Besides, what do they need me for when they have you." It was that moment that he noticed the silver bars on Bailey's shoulders. "Lieutenant…"
Bailey shook his head and wet his lips. "Their trying to stick me behind a desk Shepard. I don't like this. I belong on the streets." Luke pat his friend on the shoulder and started toward the rapid transit.
"Don't worry Bailey. I'm sure you'll screw up really bad one of these days and they'll bust back to sergeant." Luke punched C-Sec Academy into the console before turning back to this old partner and shaking his hand.
"Keep alert out there Shepard. Do us proud." Bailey's remark made Luke smiled wider.
"You too Bailey. Remember, Ward streets can be as bad as Earth cities." The shuttle arrived and Luke climbed in.
What am I doing? I just threw my career away…to go after Saren. I read the reports. He has to be stopped and if Claire is going to try then I have to go along. But what the hell am I going to tell her? Would she even take me once she finds out who I am?
The argument continued in his own mind for an hour or so before the shuttle landed in C-Sec Academy and he saw Claire, Garrus, Mallory, and Wrex step into the elevator. He leapt from his seat and slipped into the elevator right as the door closed.
"Luke, what are you doing here?" Claire asked as he straightened up and took a deep breath.
"This is your mission Commander, but I want Saren taken down too. Ask Garrus, I never give up on a case until it's closed." Garrus nodded his confirmation as Claire's eyes drifted to him. She wet her lips looking back to the officer then over to her sister.
"Luke might be useful. You saw him fight with us to get Fist. Besides, when Tali asked to join up, you said we could use all the help we could get." Mallory spoke in a soft tone but with a cold objectiveness to it. Garrus hasn't said anything. They still don't know I'm their brother. They're looking at me in a professional way. Thank God.
Claire wet her lips before nodding her approval and smiling slightly. "Welcome aboard, Luke."
"Thank you Commander. You won't regret this." Luke glanced at Garrus. The turian shook his head as the elevator climbed to the docks.
