As the Normandy moved toward the Citadel, Six was discussing the situation with Shepard in her cabin to decide what they should do. "Sidonis is in hiding, but he isn't trying to leave the Citadel…"

"Yet. But Koylat is probably trying to get closer to his target now. He's too inexperienced, he's going to make mistakes. He might be foolish or brazen with his attack if the target is always surrounded by witnesses."

Shepard looked to Six, "I'd like to help, but Garrus…"

"He's hurt, broken. I understand. You'd probably be able to make a better judgment call with him than I could. Then I suppose the question is who else you should take."

Shepard looked through the crew listing, "Grunt, Jack, Jorge and Zaeed would defiantly draw unwanted attention. Kasumi might have some insights on this Fade guy who helped Sidonis disappear. Maybe O'Brien to make it look like we're going to kill him."

"That shouldn't be too difficult. I'll talk with O'Brien to keep the façade up until you find him."

As Six was turning to leave, Shepard grabbed her shoulder, "Six, try not to do anything too drastic to find him."

Six looked back, "I'll try to show some restraint."

On Cronos Station, the hologram of the Director appeared, "Illusive Man, there is a question that has been plague my mind as of late and I was hoping you'd be able to settle my concerns."

"I'll try to ease your mind." Several new files were pulled up for the Illusive Man to review. "These are old mission reports."

"Reports involving failed tests or experiments, rescue operations, expenditures… My concern is that even with your tight oversight, it would seem that there is quite a high failure and casualty rate for these operations."

"When dealing with the unknown, incidences are bound to happen."

"Of which I can accept, to a degree." The Director next pulled a few hypothetical alternate scenarios to these reports, "There are a few assets that aren't fully being exploited to their full potential. Not to mention how certain loyalties are to humanity more than to you…"

"What are you suggesting?"

"ONI had a few special programs for ensuring loyalty without undermining an operative's capabilities. If you're willing, I have a cell I would like to try to implement this program on."

The cell in question was brought up for the Illusive Man to review. "Dr. Cole's cell?"

"The intellectuals are usually the first to abandon ship when they see the cracks get big enough. And should this fail, then other methods should be looked into to maintain 'loyalty'. At best they research for humanities sake, and at worse they exploit your relatively limitless resources."

The Illusive Man seemed to be aware of these facts, however nothing had come up that required such immediate changes. Yet something seemed to spark in his mind, "Proceed with your tests. Keep me updated on your progress." The Director bowed before the hologram faded. The Illusive Man pulled up the video feeds from within the Normandy as the ship returned to the Citadel.

After a lengthy chat with C-Sec involving Six not being in the genetic database and getting information regarding Fade and Kolyat, Six and Thane were traveling through Zakera Ward in the hunt for Mouse. O'Brien was still complaining to Six about this plan as the two groups separated. "Are you really sure I have to be the one to distract Garrus? Cortez or Jorge, maybe Tali even, could keep him distracted."

"You're the only believable one who'd argue with Shepard in favor of killing Sidonis that can be trusted not to."

Thane only heard Six's side of the conversation, though he easily pieced together the other half, "Don't forget to mention his mouth. He seems to be a bit of a braggart as well."

Unfortunately for Six, O'Brien could hear that, "Well tell the fishman that he can stuff it up his…"

Six shut off her comm however Thane pointed to a man chatting in a corner away from the crowds. "Yeah, yeah. I can get that. No problem. Well, okay. That might be more difficult. No, it's fine. I've got some quarians who can strip the copy protection." He was too busy with his call and list to even notice Six or Thane approach him, "Yeah. Sure. I can get you two cases by the end of the day."

Six interrupted him, "Mouse."

"What do you—" his eye catching Thane first, "oh, shit! Krios? I thought you retired!" He nervously looked around, "What do you want with me?"

Thane gently grabbed Mouse's shoulder, "Be still, Mouse. You can change your pants in a moment."

Six cut in before Mouse could ask anything, grabbing his collar, "We need you to answer some questions."

"Hey easy now," Mouse was starting to sweat with him being lifted into the air so easily by Six with just one arm, "I can't just tell you. The people I work for—" Mouse looked around again, making sure no one else was around, "Look, I can't answer questions for just anybody."

Thane put his hand on Six to lower Mouse, "But we're not just anyone. You gave another drell instructions for an assassination. Who's the target?"

"I…I don't know. I didn't ask. 'Cause the people I work for? They can make me disappear." Six and Thane shared a glanced to one another before Six released Mouse, "I'd like to help you, Krios. You always done right by us. but I ain't gonna die for you."

Six already tried to threaten him into talking, but that didn't seem to work. Shepard had shown Six that kindness can go farther with people like Mouse. She just wasn't sure she'd be any good at it. "Listen, you don't have to die for anyone. We just need a name. You won't be named and you'll never see or hear us again."

"This we swear."

It seemed to have worked as Mouse finally caved in, "All right…all right. He came with that holo you took of me. Said he wanted a job. I ran through your old contact to see who might give him a shot. The guy who offered was Elias Kelham."

Six knew Bailey probably had intel on Kelham, though she wanted some from a direct source, "Tell us more about this Kelham."

"Human. moved to the Citadel about ten years ago. He was little people when you were here, Krios. He got big after the geth attack. Lot of the big guys from before got cacked. All in them big fancy apartments up on the Presidium. Now he runs the rackets on the lower end of the Ward. Shin Akiba. He's seriously bad news."

Thane nodded to Mouse, "You did good, Mouse."

"Yeah. Hope I live long enough to pat myself on the back. I'm out of here, Krios. Next time you're in town," Mouse stopped next to Thane, "just don't bring the family."

With Mouse gone Six turned to Thane, "That dredge up quite a bit for you."

Something that Thane didn't need reminding, "Mouse knew more about my life than Kolyat ever did." His eyes opened wider as he relived the moment again, "He smiles up at me, broken tooth and scabby knees. Bare feet black. A dead-end future looking up at me. Worshipping the petty gifts I offer." Thane centered himself, "I was the only good thing he had, back then. But I left him, as I left Kolyat."

"We'll fix this."

After finding the volus and scaring off his bodyguards, they now had a name and location. Harkin had been using his knowledge of C-Sec protocols to make people disappear and his Blue Suns protection working out of the factory district.

Heading there in a shuttle they found him and a few Blue Suns moving crates, "There he is."

"Shepard?" Harkin turned to the two Blue Suns grunts not moving crates, Don't just stand there…stop them. Stop them!" Harkin was quick to run back into the facility as the two grunts ran to cover.

Unfortunately for one of the grunts, O'Brien was quicker on the draw of his pistol and put a new hole in the helmet.

Garrus quickly charged at the other, knocking the butt of his rifle against the last Sun and yelling, "Run all you want, Harkin. We'll find you!"

Kasumi turned to Shepard, "That's aggressive, even for him. Is he feeling alright?"

"That's what I'm hoping to help him get over." The girls quickly followed after the two sharpshooters who were already in the prefab block were the Blue Suns tried to lock them down.

It only slowed the two of them down momentarily as they quickly got beat of a target, O'Brien distracting them by 'trying' to fire as Garrus popped the first Sun. Garrus quickly took cover from the incoming fire that stopped when O'Brien brought the Sun on the high ground down.

One of the giant commercial cargo crates opened as a small battalion of LOKI mechs activated. Kasumi and Shepard both quickly tossed tech mines into the group, overloading most of them. Shepard then used her omni-tool to hack one of the few mechs that wasn't too heavily damaged from the mines and exploding mechs. More Suns were running to cover in an effort to block them, but they were only hindrances to reaching Harkin.

Jorge and Cortez took a trip to the Presidium, unarmed and heading toward Ambassador Anderson's office. There were quite a few lookie lous who stared at their armor, but this wasn't anything new. People would stare even within the UNSC, though unlike the soldiers and civilians who stared in awe the C-Sec and politicians had the looks of fear and curiosity.

Reaching Anderson's office, they were at least given the grace of not having to deal with Udina today. "Glad you were able to meet with us given your busy schedule."

The two soldiers removed their helmets before shaking Anderson's hand, "I'm glad to at least hear some good news from all of this."

Jorge was still bothered by that, "So the Council still won't do anything to help? Even after we confirmed that these attacks are being perpetrated by the Collectors?"

Anderson turned back toward the serenity of the Presidium, "On one side, openly acknowledging the 'myth' of the Collectors then the Council is either being persuaded by humanity into believe an old boogieman story or that we're that susceptible in believing rumors. On the other humanity has been viewed as an aggressively expanding species who aren't even capable of defending our colonies. The serum Vega found has helped, but there's no way for us to synthesis enough to provide to everyone. But that's not why the two of you are here. You wanted to talk about Alenko and Williams."

Cortez handed off some data that Dot gathered for them, "The Collectors have a base at the core of the galaxy, accessible via the Omega-4 Relay. Shepard has a team gathered for this mission, but even with Six, a Sangheili, and Jorge, I'd feel a bit better if we could also request aid from Williams, Alenko and some of his graduated Biotic Division trainees."

Anderson went through the files, "You don't believe that Shepard or this rogues gallery she's been gathering will be enough?"

"It's not that we don't believe in their abilities. More like we prefer to be prepared. A habit we picked up while fighting against the Covenant. We don't need an answer right away, but it'd be nice if we could get some extra support."

Cortez agreed, "This may be a suicide mission, but that doesn't mean we want casualties. Despite the number of criminals and murderers we've enlisted."

Anderson looked to them, "There's no guarantee that either of them will be willing to cooperate. Despite anything that Shepard or you guys might say."

Cortez nodded, "We know. But the least we could do is try. That and this," Cortez handed Anderson another datapad, "Tell Williams to at least say something to O'Brien before he does something insane."

Thane and Six worked with Bailey to get Kelham isolated in the interrogation room. And with the two assassins working off each other naturally, they easily got Kelham to tell give them the information without having to lay a finger on the scum. Kolyat's target was a Citadel politician Joram Talid.

The two easily shadowed Talid through the 800 block as he continued his campaign for his election. Six really couldn't care about the turian's anti-human platform, though it was the use of his krogan bodyguard to do shakedowns against human run businesses that reminded her of human politicians.

Unfortunately, while Talid was meeting with more krogan from the same mercenary band, both Thane and Six were going to be temporarily blind to what he was up to while moving to the next area. Six was entering a store room that happened to be occupied with a stock worker.

"Hey! Who are you?"

Six quickly rushed the stock boy before he could react, pinning his neck with her arm against a wall and covering his mouth, "I wasn't here, understood? If not," Six moved her arm away from his neck and started to bend a metal shelf to demonstrate the situation he was in. He nodded his head, giving a quiet grunt. She released him, looking to the bent shelf and doing her best to fix it, "If anyone asks, just say you found the keepers doing it."

Six quickly rush through knowing that they couldn't risk leaving Talid alone with how inexperienced Kolyat was at the kill. When Six arrived she found Kolyat ready to shot Talid in the back about two meters away with a pistol and no silencer.

It was out in the open, no cover, not even caring about the security cameras that were tracking him. He even shoved a civilian out of the way. That alone should have drawn unwanted attention. This was a mess and Six was doing the kid a service in stopping him now. "Kolyat!"

A trained assassin would have ignored this, but Kolyat, Talid and his bodyguard turned up toward Six. Kolyat however tried to finish his contract, firing at Talid. The bodyguard took the first shot, trying to draw his weapon, "Call C-Se—" Talid ran toward the apartment but Kolyat continued to fire at the krogan until he fell and gave chase.

Six jumped down, running with Thane after Kolyat. Six quickly pulled out the pistol she carried where Kolyat was holding Talid hostage. With Six aiming her weapon at a non-vital area of Kolyat's chest Thane moved forward, "Kolyat."

Seeing Thane almost made Kolyat spit in disgust, "This—This is a joke. Now? Now you show up?"

Talid however groveled for his own life with a gun to the back of his head, "Help me, drell. I'll do whatever you want." Police lights started flaring outside the balcony windows as Bailey and a few officers entered the apartment training their weapons on him.

Bailey was willing to let Six and Thane try to save Kolyat, but he played on the cautious side and had a number of C-Sec agents move to the block, "C-Sec. Put the gun down, son."

"Get out of my way. I'm walking out. He's coming with me."

Thane tried to dissuade his son, "They'll have snipers outside."

"I don't need your help." Six fired, knocking over a lamp behind Kolyat, "What the—!" While Kolyat turned back at the sudden event Six rushed him, grabbing his arm and squeezing just enough to only cause him pain to release his gun without breaking bones.

Six kicked Talid away and toward Bailey, "Get up and get out. This no longer concerns you."

Talid crawled away before actually getting up, "Yeah. Yeah! I will."

Six thought about just shooting Talid to resolve this, but she doesn't have the same immunities as a Spectre would and she didn't want to complicate things for Shepard any more than what happened with the bioscanners.

A C-Sec officer escorted Talid out as Bailey lowered his weapon, "Take the boy into custody."

Kolyat tried to free his arm, but Six wasn't ready yet, "You son of a bitch!"

Six stopped the officer before he could take Kolyat, "Your father and I have taken a lot of lives. You haven't. There's no reason you should start."

Kolyat continued to struggle in Six's hand, "I read his files. What made it all right for him to kill all those years?"

Thane moved closer, "I was six when the hanar began to train me," oddly enough another trait the two killers shared, "I didn't know any better. Your mother woke me from my battle sleep."

"Then why did you leave her? Why weren't you there when she died?"

Six finally released Kolyat and moved aside, "Your mother—" Thane hesitated, though he wasn't going to stop, "They killed her to get to me. it was my fault."

"What?" that obviously wasn't in Thane's files.

"After her body was given to the deep, I went to find them. The triggermen. The ringleaders. 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's too bad for me you waited so long, huh?" still angry over the years of abandonment.

Thane knew he had no excuse. "Kolyat. I've taken many bad things out of the world. You're the only good thing I ever added to it."

As deep and impactful as this was, Bailey moved to Six's side, "The 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."

Six looked to Bailey, "Isn't this going beyond your duty?"

"You think he's the only man who ever screwed up raising a son?" Bailey seemed rather happy for Thane, though he quickly shook his head, "I have to get back to the precinct. Come on, I'll give you a lift."

A/N: I'd rather leave the interrogation scene up in the air for people to imagine. My view was that it was bad cop, worse cop with Six ready to rip his limbs off. Partly in my wanting to finish up one of the shortest loyalty missions and since the interrogation ends with Kelham giving up the information regardless of how it plays out(then again Spectre status probably helps if the lawyer does manage to get in).