A/N: For the Guest wondering (For Pete's sake, guys, I'm not gonna hate on you. Use your actual account.) yes, Kai has no business being a leader. He has no right to take command from Shepard, and he has no business beating her in livefire training at all. But you forget, that this isn't a game any longer. No, he only has slight firearms experience but an advanced mind for tactics, but he's charismatic. He's the kind of person who people find easily agreeable and that one person everyone likes being friends with. You know you've met at least one. The characters in my story are human (or alien in some cases). They have emotions and fallacies. Shepard loses because she severely underestimates him. She's an N7, and got cocky in her training exercises against him because he's "Only a civilian". That's where Kai shines. Everyone treats him like a civilian, because he technically is one. He has no formal military training and no background in politics, so everyone assumes less of him for it; even by accident. He uses that and takes advantage of people through it. He can subvert Shepard's orders and talk shit to the Council because in their eyes, he's still a civilian and not prosecutable by their rules. Shepard only considered Kai a serviceman at first because that's her way of keeping order; but once she realized that he's a loose cannon that can't really be contained (and she grew feelings for him) she stopped. People don't follow him and trust him because he's powerful or through position, they follow him because he's trustworthy and the kind of person you want to lead you.

TL;DR, Kai is the kind of person you want to follow, so people do. In many cases, even Shepard does. He takes advantage of the fact that he's technically a civilian and people underestimate him for it. He can get away with things soldiers can't because of that as well. Anyways, I didn't think I'd have to explain that. Onto the chapter!

Chapter Six: Kasumi Goto

Kasumi's POV

"Projects Violet and Cyan are thawing, professor!" W-What…? Who's there…? And… Why is it so cold? Flash! Agh! What was that? A doctor? Flash! F-Fuck… Cancer… I… Have that? Had that… My sister… Flash! She had it too… But why are we…? We froze ourselves, didn't we? Give us time for a cure to be found… So what are…

"Restore power immediately," that voice… He sounds upset… Is it because of us…? What do we care? Someone asks. Who…? All we need is our sister. Anyone else can go screw themselves. But the world is such a wonderful place…! How could you say that? Don't you care about the other people in your life? We're not you and me, anymore. We are one. And I plan on using you to live. No! My name is Kasumi Goto, and I won't lose who I am for you! You don't have a choice, little girl! If you reject me, then we'll both die! I can't leave my sister behind… Then don't. I can protect her for you. Just give me control. I won't… I can't…!

"Professor, Project Violet's heartrate is increasing at an alarming rate."

"Restore power, NOW. Use the backup generators if you have to! I won't have the Alliance shut me down when I'm so close!"

Give me your body, Kasumi. I don't want to! I won't! I refuse! If you don't, then your sister will become the last of her family! Do you want that!? No… I… You promise that you won't let her be alone…? …I promise. She'll be in good hands. …Ok… I'm so sorry, Hanako… I love you… That's good. Just go to sleep. Friend.

"Project Violet's heartbeat is slowing down again, professor. Cryo is now reactivating."

"Good. When she awakes, we can finally-"

I gasp as I wake up, suddenly as if in a dream. I grimace, sorting through the thoughts in my head. These… These aren't mine… Cancer? A family? Whose…? Kasumi. Kasumi Goto was her name, wasn't it? The girl who traded her life for mine. I frown and close my eyes. Is that what a sister's love is like? If only I had that… Wait, what are these? These are… MY memories. Ugh, two sets of memories in my head… Mine and… hers… I can't hear her voice, anymore. I guess she's gone for good.

"Both Project Cyan and Project Violet are waking up, professor."

"At long last… My creations… Wake, Miku and-"

Kai's POV

I gasp and jerk awake, beating on the inside of the sleeper pod to release me. Fuck! Fuck! Why won't it stop!? I growl and grimace as the door opens, stumbling out and falling to my knees. I gasp for air, closing my eyes while I attempt to calm myself down. Fuck… I take a few deep breaths before I stand, thankful that nobody was around to see that. That's the third nightmare in the last two days. We've been docked at the Citadel for almost half a week in order to stock up and have some time for ourselves, but I've been busy with my growing list of contacts. I need… To rest. I can't keep going like this. I could hear her this time. Begging me to come and save her as the acid washed over her. I could have saved her. I could have chosen for myself to let the Rachni Queen go free, but I had too much trust in Shepard. Too much belief in her.

"Following the will of the Citadel, my ass," I growl. "You just wanted to fuck over the Rachni, didn't you…? You were afraid of them and didn't want to take a risk…!" I slam my fist into the floor. "Newsflash, Shepard. The Rachni weren't-"

"Kai?" a concerned voice fills my ears. I sigh and look up, seeing the blue skin of our resident Asari. I give her a short wave and slowly take a knee. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine, Liara," I tell her. "What do you want?" She closes her eyes a moment and looks to the side, rubbing her hands together. "Well?"

"I would like to go shopping with you, if you do not mind," she requests. My surprise must be evident. "I simply wish to acquire some modifications for my armor and weaponry. Tali has offered to help me." I blink at that. It's been a while since I've spoken to Tali, too. She's kept her distance. I would have thought she'd ask me out now that Shepard and I are pretty much through.

"Sure," I tell Liara. "Let's get going, then. I have some people I'm going to meet with later." Liara nods wordlessly before taking the lead. She seems a bit high strung. Maybe she hasn't slept well? "Hey," I catch her attention as we reach the stairs. "I've been wondering, but what does ai'a me mean? Your mom called me that on Noveria." I can see her smile a bit.

"It is what one calls a trusted friend, or ally," she explains to me. "My mother entrusted my well being to you, trusting your judgement and ability." I chuckle and scratch the back of my head.

"Well, that's a pretty big burden," I tell her. "I sure hope I live up to that. I'd hate to lose someone like you." She seems surprised at my words as we walk through the CIC. I can see Joker and Moana lounging in the cockpit, talking.

"Truly?" she inquires me. "We haven't spoken much before Noveria."

"You're still my friend," I tell her. As soon as we enter onto the Citadel, I grimace. The air smells around here. "I don't like losing friends." She hums.

"And the commander?" she asks. I hiss and frown, but she stands firm.

"I misjudged her," I tell Liara. "The Rachni are a huge boon against the Reapers. They stay true to their words for the most part and develop technology and starships faster than any other race. They arm the entire galaxy against the Reapers. At least from what I know of the trilogy of games. I never did get around to playing the third one." I kick the wall of the elevator on the way down. "I'm starting to regret that."

"You are telling me, that the Rachni were a force against the Reapers?" she asks me. I nod. "Do we defeat the Reapers?" I hesitate and look away. "Kai?"

"Yes, and no," I tell her. "The game has three endings, all of which are equally possible. The Reapers become a non-threat at the end of each, but…" I sigh. "Shepard dies in each one of them." Liara stops and gasps, even when the doors open. It takes her a moment to walk ahead with me.

"She must know about this! There must be a way we can-"

"There isn't," I tell her. "At the end of it all… Shepard has to die." She grips my shoulder, giving me a firm look. She's almost intimidating.

"You must do your best to save her, Kai," she urges me. "I know that you are angry, but letting her die will not help you. You must keep her alive. That is my request for you." I frown, and pause. I… There's no other way. I can't just save her. I sigh, but say nothing. Liara seems to accept my silence as neither a yes nor a no. It's a fact that I appreciate from her as we walk through the large space hub. It's an odd silence between us as we walk through the crowded streets of the Citadel, and she seems ok with that. It's not an uncomfortable silence, despite our disagreement. It's just there.

It isn't long until we hit the markets, and in search for a shop that sells modification parts. Most mods aren't nearly as expensive as actual weapons, but the best ones can go even further than the price of a standard issue rifle. "What exactly are you looking for?" I ask. "What kind of mod?" Liara stay silent, but she offers me a coy smile.

"Mod?" she asks. "Now, what ever gave you such an idea, Kai?" I blink at that. Did… Liara just pull one over on me? "Can I not simply spend a day with the human I consider… what was that word…? A brother?" I roll my eyes.

"Brother?" I chuckle at that. "What happened to the fact that we haven't spoken much before Noveria?"

"Please, as if the entire crew of the Normandy does not consider you like a younger brother," she counters me. "Idealistic. Headstrong. Silly. Yet somehow wise for your age despite all of that." Liara pauses. "Many of us have noticed you becoming less yourself, and more stressed than usual. It was decided that we would all come for lunch to simply relax and enjoy our shore leave." We stop in front of a restaurant, and I look up at the sign. Shade Of The Fire Ramen it's called. I chuckle and give the blue woman a sly look.

"Was it you that chose the location?" I ask her. Inside I can already see a few of the Normandy crew starting to sit down for lunch. They've acquired a couple of large tables inside and set them in a U shape. I can see Joker and Moana approaching us from behind, with the former leaning on the latter for support.

"Perhaps," Liara smiles back at me. "I found this restaurant several years ago, but thought nothing of it at the time. However, shortly after the ramen incident aboard the Normandy, I was inclined to bring you here." She glances at me. "I hope that you are not upset at this deception."

I shake my head and nudge the woman beside me as Joker and his trainee move on inside. "Not at all," I tell her. "In fact. It might just be what the doctor ordered."

"I am certain that Dr. Chakwas would proscribe no such thing," Liara tells me with a smile on her face. "Commander Shepard will also be here. I hope this is not a problem?" I hesitate. "I assure you, that this is not an attempt to force you to speak to her." Despite those ominous words, her face is completely apologetic. "You must understand; we could not have this event without her permission due to your… overwhelming voice of reason being absent."

"Are you trying to flatter me?" I ask with narrowed eyes. She returns the expression, but with a smile.

"That does depend. Is it working?" she asks, completely taking me off guard. Holy shit, did Liara just use wit!? I blink and grin. Do I just have a penchant for corrupting Asari?

"It is," I offer her my arm. "Now, will my dear big sister escort the fine young man to dinner?" Liara simply rolls her eyes, but there's a coy smile that she can't keep hidden.

"My little brother is old enough to take care of himself," she tells me, walking in front of me and leaving my arm hanging. My mouth gapes. I'm so proud of her! I chuckle and shake my head, making a short jog to walk in beside Liara once more. The inside of the restaurant is relatively empty, with a corner that seems to have been specifically rented out for the Normandy crew. I can see that Wrex, Garrus, and engineer Adams are already there along with most of the ship crew. They all seem to be enjoying themselves, and the food smells amazing!

I smile at the scene. This was what I wanted when I first joined. A family.

Kasumi's POV

I can't help but pace on the catwalks above the restaurant. Watching him walk in had taken the breath from my lungs. For better or for worse, my sister was interested in this man. Thus, for better or for worse, I was obliged to fulfill her interests. Still, what could such a guy have that would be so intriguing to her? He looked pretty average to me, and he was nowhere near as smart as us. At least, as far as I knew. Well, whatever my little sister wanted.

"Do you have eyes on him?" I heard her speak through the earpiece. I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Of course I do, chica," I told her. "What do you take me for? He's in the restaurant eating with his friends. Speaking of; you need to get out more. Staying stuck in that dingy ship is bad for your skin."

"That's what I have you for," she told me. "The boss won't be happy if we don't at least look into his offer for us." I rolled my eyes at her words.

"Relax, everything will be fine," I smiled and looked over my nails. Maybe a manicure would be in order after this. "I'll just leave him the datapad and meet with him today. I did tell him I would contact him after he landed."

"Three days is a stretch," the girl replied.

"Yes, mami," I retorted sarcastically. "I'll be sure to be extra nice for your little boy toy."

"I'm not interested in him like that!" my sister growled at me. "Now get to business! We've wasted enough time as it is!" I scoffed.

"Alright, alright," I sighed. So impatient. I pulled up my omni-tool and got to work. "Let me just hack into his omni-tool and… there. He should be receiving a message on his omni-tool to meet me, soon." She glanced up at the young man slurping up his noodles. What did her sister see in him?

Kai's POV

I had excused myself. I needed to. One of my prospective contacts had just gotten back to me, and I needed to speak with her. Of course Liara looked a little disappointed that I had to leave, but I promised that I wouldn't take too long and I would return to the get-together as soon as I was finished. I didn't bother telling her why I had to leave. That would have only defeated the purpose of me going alone, and my plans as a whole.

The message that was sent to me led me down several twists and turns. I could tell that she was more than likely following me, just trying to lead me someplace private and quiet where she could speak to me without drawing suspicion. A pretty basic move.

As soon as I passed by a news terminal, it switched to the face of Kasumi Goto. Or the hood, at least. I blinked at the differences, though. Her outfit was still dark, but it had purple linings to it that were absent in the game. Not only hat, but there was a soft purple flow under her hood that illuminated half of her face. She was not the pale woman I remembered, but someone with a dark olive skin complexion, purple lipstick, and only one of her purple eyes showing from the glow under her hood. She also had a beauty mark by her left eye that was missing in the games. She seemed really familiar, for some reason. But this couldn't be Kasumi.

"You contacted me," it wasn't a question when I spoke to her. The woman had a coy smile on her lips. "So, are we here to discuss my offer?"

"Straight to business, eh, nĩno?" she asked me, her entire stance playful. "C'mon, where's your sense of wonderment? You have a meeting with the best thief in the world!" I smirked at that. Her accent was Hispanic in nature. So, how exactly did she get here and end up taking Kasumi's place?

"You're not only a thief," I play my first hand. "You're a hacker as well. That's how you sent me that message." I could see the woman's single visible eye roll.

"Not many people know about that," she admits. "I can only caution a guess to why you do, eh? I doubt you'll tell me, but I'll find out eventually on my own."

"Probably not," I tell her. "Anyway, back to the matter at hand." She was trying to distract me. Drag the discussion out. Why? "I need you to work alongside one of my… friends. He deals in information. If you can get that information, I'd be all too happy to compensate you for it."

"And what is it that I get in return?" a hungry smile grazed her lips. "A nobody that just appears out of nowhere won't have much for someone like me." It didn't surprise me that she knew I didn't exactly belong.

"What exactly is it that you need?" I asked her. I saw the predatory look on her face return. I just gave her something she wanted. Ammunition to use against me. I hid my smirk. I wasn't this desperate to just offer her anything, but I could play her game for a little while.

"Well," she seems to be pacing as she speaks. "I can't think of anything right now, but I'll be sure to hold you that favor, amigo. So, where do we start?"

"You can start by jumping down from that rafter behind me," I tell her. She doesn't seem as surprised as I thought she would. Instead, she smirks and the screen goes into static. I hear someone land behind me just before I start to turn around. "So, Kasumi Goto," I look her over. She returns the favor with appraising eyes. "Or should I call you Sombra?" The woman's playful look instantly disappeared. In an instant, her hand is around my neck and my back is pressed against the wall.

"Cómo coño conoces ese nombre!?" she yells at me. I give her a quizzical look. The woman rolls her eyes and sighs, exasperated. "How do you know that name, cabrón?" She asks me. "Only my hermanita knows that name!"

"Not the only one here," I choke out. "One other, but different means."

"Who!?" She all but shouts into my face. I smirk and wink at her.

"My favor," I tell her. Her eye twitches as she lets me go. I cough and gasp a few times as she paces away for a moment. She seems to think for a moment before turning back to me.

"Give me one reason I shouldn't just beat the information out of you," she glares at me. I chuckle and shrug. "Do you this is funny, cabrón? You have one piece of information that I want. For that, you want me to exchange my entire database and my personal services? Fuck that!" She spits at my feet.

"And what about your sister, Project Violet?" I took a risk. It seems I was right on the money, though, since her eyes narrowed and steeled at the name. "We both know that you don't have the interest in me to buy me armor or even approach me for no reason. Someone has to be telling you what to do. That's Miku, isn't it? She must have a pretty lofty position to not only find me, but spend money on someone like me."

"You're pulling very dangerous information, cabrón," she warns me, approaching me in a threatening manner. She's definitely got a head and a half at least over me, but I don't let myself be intimidated. I can't seem weak in front of her.

"Then take my offer," I tell her with a warm smile. "You only need to report certain things to my friend, I assure you. In exchange, I give you all of the data I have and you can catch up with an old adversary. We aren't the only ones that don't belong in this universe, after all. From what I can tell, there are plenty of us. You want to pull the strings? Then first, you have to meet the right employers." I offer her my hand, pulling up a few things on my omni-tool. It was my own list of contacts. Well, the ones that were already loyal to me. I specifically blacked out the name she wanted the most, though. "What do you say… amiga?"

There's a tense silence as I see her single violet eye look over the information. Her lips purse when she sees the blacked out name. She underestimated me, and was now paying the price for it. An orphan girl would do almost anything for some familiarity. Something of the past to cling to. I was one swipe of the finger away from giving her just that. The question was, just how much did she want to see someone she knew from her past? Sombra from the game Overwatch was independent, playful, and relied on no one except herself. Served no one but herself. But it's been several decades since Sombra came into the world. Even if her original personality was that of Sombra, she's still a person. And people change. I lift the information a bit higher to her eyes. She stares at it before her gaze focuses on me.

"What do you need, amigo?" she finally asks me. A smile crosses my face. I've won. I hold up my omni-tool and ready the data for exchange.

"Just someone to keep my group well informed," I tell her. "I'll send you the contact information for Shaun and he'll hook you up. Just keep him up to date on anything you find. Corrupt officials, military movements, the like."

"It sounds like you're planning a revolution," she gives me a sly look. "An uprising against the Council?"

"Just preparing for a war," I tell her. "There are some big things coming, and we're going to be stuck in the middle of it. Commander Shepard won't be enough."

"We?" she scoffs and looks over the information I'd just sent her. "And just who else have you dragged into this mess, cabrón?" Her eyes widen as she looks over the name I'd previously had blacked out. "How?"

"Same way many of us came here," I tell her. "We're not quite like you, but we don't belong in this universe either. Reinhardt has been doing his best to start up another group like Overwatch, but it hasn't had much backing. You help us, and you help him. You help him, and you help yourself." I smirk. "It's a win-win, don't you think?" the woman nods slowly, a smile appearing on her face.

"I see your game, cabrón," she tells me. "You want to start another Overwatch."

"Not quite," I correct her. "I want to build a team of the biggest, baddest people to ever grace this universe. A team with the power of an entire planet's military."

"I've heard of a few of these people," she tells me as she continues looking over my list. My full list. "If you get everyone here, I'll help you without question. This could be useful for me."

"Glad to see you've decided to be honest with me," I tell her. She only laughs. "I'd like to speak to Miku sometime in person. Not for anything weird, I assure you," I try and appease her when she gives me a sharp look. "I just want to meet her. I'm a… fan of her work." I give her a sheepish smile, which she returns with a teasing look.

"I'll see what I can do," she tells me before backing up a few steps. "I'll keep in touch, cabrón. Adios." With that, the expert hacker disappears. I hum to myself as I let out the breath I had been holding on to. That went as well as I could have hoped. I can only hope that the next woman on my list won't be as scary.

I make my way back to the restaurant I had left from, all the while typing out a message fir Shaun. He beats me to the punch. Always the crazy ones, eh Kai? He sends to me. I chuckle. I just received a message from her and wow, she has some colorful language. Where do you find all of these freaks?

Be careful, I type back to him. These freaks can all kick your ass five ways to Sunday with little to know effort. There's a pause.

I'll keep that in mind. So far I have a few potential recruits for my end. What are we calling ourselves, anyway? I pause at that. We do need a name, don't we?

We can bring that up at our first official meeting, I tell him. Anyways, good work. I'll get back to you. With that, the communications go silent once more. Today was a successful day.

A/N: A short chapter while I get my muse back. I've been getting hooked on Overwatch, and I think it's showing. Well, so far a lot of things are changing. This is sort of the pilot I have for the next arc, which I'm dubbing the Cerberus Arc. It's mostly going to be stuff that wasn't in the games for a few chapters in episode styles so I can reacquaint myself with the characters again. Anyways, see you then! Also, I might update LOTIH a few times, first, so keep an eye out for that.