Shepard guided Veetor towards Tali.
"What happened in there, Shepard?" Tali asked, arms crossed over her chest.
"Isn't that my stance?" Shepard asked, then gestured towards Veetor. "I got him back. Your welcome. I also got the data on his omni-tool. You're welcome," Shepard glanced at Miranda. His eyes stopped on the gun pointed towards him. "I would advise, darling, that you put that gun up. Somebody- mainly me- might get hurt."
Miranda was about to fire when the phone began to ring.
"I believe," Shepard said. "That's for me."
"Just like old times." Tali laughed. "I have to go, Shepard."
"You mean you aren't joining my merry band of lunatics?" Shepard asked, leaning against the cold cement wall, next to the phone. "I don't blame you. Good luck on whatever you're doing." Shepard picked up the phone and asked "Hello?"
"That was risky, Shepard." A voice said. Shepard heard the man exhale before he spoke. "You might not know me, but you know of me. I'm The Illusive Man to most."
"Nicknames, eh?" Shepard said. "What are you gonna do? To the point, though. I know you brought me to this bar so I could see how serious this is."
"And?" The Illusive Man asked.
"I'm in. But I lead. A house divided can't stand." Shepard said. "Yes, I'm going to do stupid things. Yes, I'm going to argue. And yes, I'm going to save us all."
"Good. I'll give you the data you want soon. Not to mention the money." The Illusive Man said.
"How soon is 'soon?'" Shepard asked.
"As soon as I want." The Illusive Man said, inhaling. "Good luck Shepard."
"I've never been good at this 'luck' stuff. I just can't get some." Shepard said, then hung the phone up. He turned to Miranda and Jacob and said "Yes, that was The Illusive Man, and yeah, I'm your leader. Now, put that gun up. I really do hate misfires."
Once they left the bar, Miranda got behind the wheel once more, but forced Shepard to sit in the back while Shepard sat in the back. Shepard didn't mind; he laid down in the back seat and fell asleep. Miranda didn't truly believe that Shepard would fall asleep, but, eventually, heard his snores.
"My God. This man is who we depend upon." Miranda said. "We're going to die."
"Just because you don't like him doesn't mean you should judge him," Jacob said. "He saved our asses back there with that machine."
"He got us into that situation." Miranda reminded Jacob.
"Because he needed to talk to you and didn't want you running off." Jacob said. "Shepard may not be perfect, but he's who we depend on."
Miranda frowned, furious, but didn't speak. Eventually, the car stopped and a redheaded woman walked to the car, a smile on her face. She wore a light-green sundress that revealed her pale arms.
"Kelly." Miranda said as Jacob nodded.
"Hey Miranda," Kelly said. Kelly was the owner of the small hotel they'd be staying at. It didn't look suspicious, which was why they chose it. "Hey, Jacob. Who's that in the back?"
"Shepard, wake up." Miranda said sternly. Shepard sat up quickly, hitting his head on the top of the car.
"Ow." Shepard said, rubbing his black hair, and noticed Kelly. "Why, hello, miss. I'm Shepard."
"Shepard? Didn't you die?" Kelly asked. She had been told that they were trying to find Shepard, of course, but didn't believe it.
"I got better," Shepard said, getting out of the car. "So... We're staying here?"
Kelly nodded, walking to Shepard's side. "Yeah. It's a whole hotel chain, so we can move to another one in whatever city you need to go to."
"That's good. I had to stay on that cramped bus chasing Saren." Shepard said. "The Normandy got exploded, though, didn't it?"
"I believe so. A few days after you died it was bombed." Kelly said. "A few of the crew were on it. We have someone from the old crew, though."
"Who?" Shepard asked, hoping it to be a certain crew member.
"Joker." Kelly said, and Shepard frowned.
"Hm." Shepard said, walking to the door. He opened it for Kelly, saying "After you" and causing the redhead to blush.
"Skirt-chaser." Miranda said.
"There's enough of me to go around, sweetheart, don't worry." Shepard said. Miranda glared at him while walking into the hotel, Jacob following. Finally, Shepard walked in, and was surprised by the hotel. "This is classier than the last joint I was in." Shepard said, sitting down in one of the lobby's chairs.
"We may look bad on the outside, but we're good on the inside." Kelly said.
"That works for both Cerberus and the hotel." Jacob said.
"If you say so," Shepard said, putting his feet up on a coffee table.