"Detectives?" a high pitched voice whispers few feet next to me.
Someone nearby snorts, but that's not enough to make me move. Instead I just shift and enjoy the flat warm something under me.
"Detectives please, wake up!" the voice repeats again, this time louder.
This day just doesn't want to end. Unwillingly, I open my eyes and start hurriedly blinking right away, because of the sharp light around me. The few minutes of 'sleep' on top of the hard bench apparently only added to my tiredness. When I finally manage to stand up I feel a bit embarrassed for falling asleep like that. I sigh and look at the salarian that woke me up.
"Sorry…," I mutter and reach to massage my stiff neck. "It's really been a long day," brief check of my omni-tool tells me that it's almost midnight already. No one else is around and empty halls are completely quiet.
I shield my eyes from the sharp light around and look at the alien. Unlike me he doesn't look tired, what I find surprising, considering how much time he has spent in the surgery room. He's still wearing a loose yellow full-body suit, with a surgical mask hanging just below his neck. For some reason his horns seem a bit smaller than Skinner's ones, but I am not really sure.
He gives me a small smile, which comes out rather creepy considering the green bloodstains on his clothes. "Heh, yeah. I heard that today a human took a bath in our lake. I thought it was a joke though."
My response is a polite smile, but despite the doctor's casual way of speech I can see the way he's looking at me. I wouldn't call it fear, it's more like he's nervous. 'Oh, why would that be?' Well, it is still better than open hostility and actually makes me wonder what he thinks about me. I am most likely the first human he has ever seen.
"So, can we talk to our guy yet?" I flinch at the look which the salarian gives me in return for my question. "Shit! He is dead, isn't he?" Just what we needed, we finally get him and….
"No, no, he is still alive! But it's well,… shouldn't we first wake up your colleague?" At that he points at Vala and only then I remember that she's also here. And she is still asleep? Yep, it certainly seems that way. I step closer and wave my hand in front of her face. It doesn't even make her snort.
Damn, she is frowning even when she is not awake. And how can anyone fall asleep while sitting? … I should probably stop staring at her, it makes me feel weird. "Yeah, you're probably right. Hey Vala, c'mon up!" I gently pat her shoulder, prepared to jump away at any second. I still remember the time when I tried to wake up Mel using a trombone. It was a perfect plan, I only forgot that she has a gun and very quick reflexes. There is still a hole in one of the walls there, I think. "VALA, GET UP!"
Thankfully she doesn't go for the gun, but instantly jerks herself right on her feet, almost making me trip. "St… human, what the…," she looks behind my shoulder and notices the salarian. "Oh…, so the surgery is over then?" Yeah, good plan Vala. Just play it cool, it's not like we noticed you were sleeping.
"Yes it is, but there were some complications." Salarian gestures us to follow and starts walking down the hallway. "The patient is stable for now and we decided to keep him sedated, but during the surgery we noticed a… strange scar tissue on his chest." You really did? Because I am pretty sure I told you about it when we brought him in.
"Let me guess, it was caused by a chemical?" Vala asks and tries to conceal a small yawn.
"Well, not exactly by a chemical, but yes. We couldn't believe it at first when we saw the cell structure of the damaged skin. It looked like the worst case of allergic reaction I've ever seen. His skin flexed to the point where it simply cracked, leaving ugly wounds behind. Apparently he cleaned them, but infection is now the least of his worries," with that he opens one of the doors and walks inside. I exchange a bewildered look with Vala and walk in the room.
The first thing I notice is that it's much darker here than outside, with most of the light coming inside from a large window next to the door. I can't quite make out the details, but this is clearly recovery room of some sorts. A quick look at the person lying on the bed in front of me is the main reason I think so.
"We brought him in only a few minutes before I woke you up. His condition requires extensive monitoring." That explains all the devices around. The only one that seems remotely familiar to me is the pulse monitor, but there are also other screens displaying all sorts of information. Skinner is lying motionless and his old clothes were unsurprisingly removed in exchange for a simple blue hospital robe.
Though he looks pretty harmless I can't help, but find the lack of any restrains slightly troubling. "Shouldn't we tie him to the bed or something? He is not exactly the nicest person you know."
The doctor responds with a firm shake of his head: "As I said we will keep him sedated for quite some time. The surgery was much more extensive than it looks like and we had to actually remove portions of his skin." I look back at Skinner one more time and that's when I notice something white showing through his robe.
"When can we talk to him?" Vala asks as I slowly approach the Skinner's bed. Very gently I pull away the collar of his robe to take a look at the bandages under it. The doctor gives me an uneasy look, but doesn't protest.
Instead he turns to Vala: "He needs some time to rest. Theoretically… within ten hours, but I'd highly recommend at least two days, preferably a whole week." The bandages are tightly wrapped around the entire Skinner's chest and they are not white as it seemed, but a light shade of orange. Medi-gel has something to do with it I suppose. Also one of his hands is fixated in a splint, and despite the blanket, in which he is wrapped, from up close I can clearly see that the salarian is shivering. He's running a fever.
"What's wrong with him?" I say and cut off Vala before she can ask anything more. "I am pretty sure that he wasn't on fire when we brought him here!"
My sudden harsh tone startles the salarian a bit and he instantly looks at me with a wary look. "I was trying to explain," he says apologetically and quickly continues: "During the regular procedure before the surgery we injected him with a dose of medicaments to boost up his immune system. But it only made the allergic reaction worse, much worse."
"Great. So he is dying because of that?" Vala asks with a frown. "Doctor, I am not sorry for him, not at all, but I need him to answer my questions."
"I understand that detective," the salarian nervously looks at his omni-tool: "The next few hours will be crucial. There is a chance he won't make it through the night. I will do what I can, but I can't make any promises. Good news is that the fever is not bad enough to damage his brain."
Heh, 'good news'. So we were waiting here for nothing, ahh this is just great! "Okay then, let us know as soon as his state changes," Vala orders firmly and send the salarian her address, or I think so. He seems more than happy when we finally decide we should go.
On the hallway we split up and I along with Vala make our way to the elevator. "We should check Skinner's office once more. There is a chance we overlooked something the first time around or…"
"Ow, come on Vala, you can't be serious!" I stop her as soon as my sleepy brain manages to process what she's suggesting. "I fell asleep on a metal bench Vala, I don't really feel like searching for anything."
She gives me a half-asleep look and shrugs her shoulders: "If you are too tired then go home. I can do this on my own."
"Fine!"
"Fine."
Oh God, how I hate this reverse psychology thingy she does. Now I will have to stay, damn it!
"Hey Daniel, wake up! Are you listening?"
"Huh," I take my eyes away from the cup of tea in front of me, and without much interest take another bite out of my breakfast roll. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Sorry, but it's Monday morning and I don't really find drones all that interesting." Maybe it would help if those asari knew how to make a proper cup of coffee… and that asari tea doesn't have enough sugar in it.
"No, really?" Ulah asks sarcastically and with unusual amount of interest starts observing his food tube. "Sooo, you came pretty late yesterday, I assume the case is going well?" I spent more than three hours in a hospital and almost drowned.
"You could say, or you could say that our suspect is unconscious, probably dying and we still don't have any clue what was going on in his head," with that I finish my tea and push the rest of the food aside. These 'rolls' are disgusting, I'd like to know what they put inside.
Ulah stops fiddling with his food and gives me, what I assume is, a curious look. "Seriously, that's it?"
"Well, Vala said she will check his… wait, were you being sarcastic?"
In answer he throws his arms up: "Of course I was Stoll. I remember that when I was a little kid there was a killer on one of the ships. It took the captain one month just to narrow down the suspects and you got your guy in what, one day?"
"It was more like ten hours actually. And we are pretty sure he is the killer… Shit, you are right! I AM pretty awesome," though I say it with a lot of sarcasm Ulah's comment actually makes me feel a bit better. He is right after all, this investigation is one of the faster ones.
"Yes Stoll you are, and I am pretty sure that you didn't have any help, right? It's not like there are other people working in C-sec too."
Ouch. That one hurt.
"Okay, I might have a little bit of help from Vala… and Tiber… and Jess. That reminds me that I have to introduce you and Tiber one day. I am sure you will like him," the thought is far too funny and I can't help but laugh a little what perfectly confuses Ulah.
We continue to ramble on for a while longer and I actually get a quick recap of his 'not-a-date' with Kassy-the reporter. Apparently she has had spent some time with quarians while filming a movie about the Flotilla. She likes cooking, some turian band with a weird name I can't pronounce and dancing. It might just sound that way from Ulah, but maybe I was really wrong about her. All reporters don't have to be evil assholes I guess.
"… and that's it. We said goodbye to each other and she said she'll call."
"Wait a second! So no kiss?"
"Nope, that was the disappointing part," Ulah replies nonchalantly: "But I was still closer to it than you were." Burn!
Or, actually not. "That is so not true! The other day an… wait a sec I sec, I've got to get this." What do you want Vala? And why was I so stupid to stay yesterday anyway? 'Because I am an idiot and because it would feel dumb not to stay?' Yeah, that might be it.
"Where are you?" Vala's voice is turianly-rough as usually, but despite that I can hear a hint of tiredness in it. Looks like I wasn't the only one who didn't get much sleep.
"Restaurant, but not a very good one," they could certainly clean up the tables a bit more. Not to mention they don't serve rakali eggs, I really like that stuff. But I suppose that with the setting of this place they serve more 'exotic foods'. Above the small bar table is hanging something like a brown flag with blue dots and most tablecloths also look very much alike. Sort of retro, if you ask me, but still a nice change after all that polished metal. "Oh, and good morning to you too."
"Uhm, sure. Did you have any luck yesterday?"
"Well, if you mean the 'interrogations' you tasked me with, then no, not really," though I received a lot of weird looks from the people working the night shift. Vala's job was easier, she just went to the station to check Skinner's background, again. "Apparently Mewal kept to himself most of the time, though one nurse said he traveled relatively often. All short trips to Illium according to the records I found."
The sudden enthusiasm in Vala's voice catches me by surprise. "Perfect! Didn't any of the people you spoke with mention the name Nical?"
"Hmm, Nical you are saying?" I say with interest, but the name doesn't sound familiar to me. "I am pretty sure I haven't heard it before. Who is Nical?" Is Nical a male or a female name?
"I'll explain later, I have one more thing to check," there is a slight pause when Vala seems to think about something: "Thanks for the help," she says finally, surprising me a little. "I'll message you later," with that she hangs down, leaving me to wonder who Nical is.
"So, that was your boss?" Ulah speaks up and I notice that the foodtube he was holding is now lying empty in front of him. When did he manage to eat it? And HOW did he eat it?
"Yep, that was her," I simply nod in response and stare into the cup of tea, still thinking about the mysterious Nical.
I stay like that for minute or two, until Ulah nervously shifts on his chair. "Are we done here? Because the waitress is looking at us weirdly,…I think she overheard you talking about the restaurant."
"Uhm…" I mutter without thinking or looking up. "That's great, but you probably don't happen to know if Nical is a female name?"
Meet me at 1902A/862,I think I have something. Apartment number 65, fifteenth floor.
I swear that I must have read the message like ten times now, but the words 'fifteenth floor' still make me clench my teeth. Right away I decided that the elevator in here is out of question and went for the stairs instead. Good thing they at least give people the choice, but this is a big hotel, after all. And I mean BIG!
The lobby itself was fabulous, and when I entered it left me stunned for a second. Not that it would be overly posh or anything, it was just… expensive. The word 'credits' was screaming at me not only from the asari stewards, dressed in the tight-fitting uniforms, but also from the perfect wooden floor and high ceiling. And I didn't even have to wave around with my badge for too long before they let me in.
Slightly panting I finally notice the number fifteen engraved in one of the light-orange walls of the staircase. And yes, they even have colored walls here.
"Nice," I breath out and clear the final few steps. The door, in the color of wood, open without a slightest noise as I approach it and open up the way into a wide hallway behind it.
"…you must understand. Matriarch T'Lanny is very busy and doesn't have time to answer your questions," sounds like Vala did not wait for me. "Not to mention that the information you are looking for is a very personal matter for her." I walk into the hallway and turn in the direction from where the voices are coming from.
Vala is standing there with some asari dressed in silvery robe and doesn't look very pleased. Thought the asari's back is turned to me Vala is looking in my direction, so I greet her with nod and approach the pair. "I am sure that Matriarch must be VERY busy at nine o'clock in the morning," the sarcasm pretty much drips from Vala's voice as she speaks. Compared to her armor, the high-heeled shoes the asari's wearing look like a joke. And she still doesn't seem to know about me, what is kind of awkward considering that I am already standing behind her. Unsure what to do I keep standing still. 'What now? Should I cough or something?'
Going for the less cliché version I tap the asari's shoulder and in amusement watch her quickly spun around. "Hi," I say friendly. Looking at her from up close I've got to say that she is very pretty, for an asari of course, and the surprised expression goes pretty well with her brown facial marks. "So, what's going on here?" Seriously? Stoll, you can do better!
"I… was just telling the detective… ugh," it is pretty hilarious to watch her while she is trying to look casual. People tend to do that often it seems. Her gaze quickly finds its way to my legs and then even more quickly goes all the way up and stops somewhere around my eye staring at my hair, impressive.
"Miss was just telling me why Matriarch T'Lanny can't give us the names of asari commandoes which have worked for her in the last few years," I almost ask why do we even need those names, but Vala's look quickly stops me. I guess I should probably just play along right now.
I walk away from the asari and stand next to Vala. "Right…, so I suppose that Matriarch would rather see her name in the news then. Right next to the bloody pieces of the elcor diplomat we found today, of course," to add to the image I furrow my brows while I talk. It is surprising what bullshit I can think of sometimes.
"The detective hasn't told me about any murder," the asari responds defensively, but quickly manages to regain her composure. "If so it might change Matriarch's mind… after she confirms the truthfulness of this information, of course." The last words she adds with a slight hint of sarcasm and that makes me more than sure she can see right through my poor lie. Luckily, there is Vala.
Almost instantly she pulls out her omni-tool. "Here, enough?" she asks coldly and shows the asari a picture which seems fairly familiar to me. It is the picture of elcor she showed me a while ago during the 'case Talis'. It looks just as repulsively as before and seems to throw the asari of balance again.
My repulsed look finishes her off: "Any more stupid remarks, or will you finally go for your boss?"
In a blink of an eye she mumbles something about asking and swiftly walks into the apartment, through the door next to her. I only catch a glimpse of what lies behind the door, but it is still enough to make me jealous. Then the door shuts, leaving me staring at the number 65, printed on it.
"Not bad with that elcor." Ehm sure, that's… exactly how I planned it. So glad I didn't say it was corpse of a vorcha or something.
"Thanks, but the photo definitely saved my ass. We are here because of that Nical, right?"
"Pretty much. Remember when I said that something about his financial records seem off?" No. "Well, I checked it and monthly a large portion of his wage was transferred to a private account on Illlium. I found out it belongs to a hospital there and so I made a few calls. Apparently the credits were used to pay for treatment costs of an asari named Nical Atrix." So it is an asari.
Asari! Like the rest of the Skinner's victims, maybe… "Let me guess, she has some sort of skin-issue thing?"
"Exactly," Vala sharply nods. "Burns from a nasty thing called Nosam, used by batarians. I'll spare you the details, but she could definitely use something to reinforce her skin."
"Okay, I get it. But why are we… the first victim was a commando!" I suddenly realize what earns me a surprised look from Vala. "And Nosam is something like a chemical weapon?"
Again she nods: "Not bad for a human." Yep, I am clever. "It is and that's also what made me think of how the asari was exposed to it."
"And you think she was a commando and was working with our victim. And this Matriarch was their guru or…," the sudden movement of the door interrupts me and a moment later the asari joins us again. The same one like before, but now she is also holding a data-pad.
"The Matriarch sends you this," with that she outstretches her hand and unsurely hovers it between I and Vala. It seems only right to let Vala have it. "Her thoughts are with the…"
"Yeah, yeah. Goodbye," Vala spits, grabs the data-pad and starts walking away without a second glance at the asari.
"Well, thanks for the help." Leaving the slightly angry asari behind I catch up with Vala, whom is already looking through the list of names on the orange display. "So?"
"They are both here, so they really WERE working for the Matriarch!" with that she handles me the device and I quickly manage to find the name Nical Atrix, right below Felia T'Sunn. Those asari names… "Now we just have to find out how Skinner fits into all this. He apparently knew Nical and most likely also his first victim." Involuntarily I open the elevator door and walk inside the cabin. Only when Vala selects the ground floor and we start moving I realize my grieve mistake. I mentally sigh and prepare for the long ride down. "What about the other two, the quarian and the other asari?"
"Mhh. I don't think we are going to solve anything in the elevator." The display says we are only on thirteenth floor.
…
I wonder when the doctor is going to call Vala. Maybe if we have some time I could check on Tiber, yesterday I, for some reason, didn't think of it. Not to mention that Jess' omni-tool is still in my pocket.
…
Damn, this is taking long. Tenth floor, are you kidding?! Vala is in her 'thinking mood', so I probably won't get anything form her. And I just realized that Skinner was paying bills of some asari. Was she his girlfriend or something? Ahm, weird idea. OR, maybe he was her father! No, that's impossible, salarians only live like forty years, he'd be long dead before she…
"I got a call from Tarrmal," Vala says at once, breaking the silence.
"Same as before?" I reply, glad for the change of theme.
"More or less, but he wasn't as pissed as I thought he'd be."
"That doesn't sound like him. "Really? Though we got Jess AND Skinner, so that probably helped."
"Yes… I had to lie to him," the slight hint of guiltiness in her tone caches me a bit of guard. It vanishes a second later, just as quickly as it appeared: "But I already have to work with you, not to mention that the budget of my department is a joke, so he can't really make it much worse," she keeps a nonchalant tone while she speaks, but I decide to play it as a joke.
"You know, you made it sound like working with me is a bad thing."
"And isn't it?"
"Sure thing it isn't! Humans are awesome. And I am also pretty it can't be any worse that working with YOU," the amused grin on my face is not something I can fight with. "Though okay… I have to admit that you are not such a lackey as I initially thought." The small smile which has been forming on Vala's face disappears with my last words. Suddenly the atmosphere in the cabin feels much tenser.
"Is that why you lied to me the first time? Because you thought I am a lackey? And I'd run to Tarrmal with it?"
Her tone is more curios than angry, but I am smart enough to stop smiling. "Ehm,… honestly? Yes. I thought that all turians are asses who can't think for themselves," where the fuck am I going with this? "But now I think you are not that bad. Oh, and you are more of an ice queen than lackey."
In the silence, which again follows, I uneasily inspect Vala's face, thinking about what I just said. Despite that Tiber told me turians appreciate honesty I feel like I just went 'a bit' over the line.
That is until Vala smiles: "Ice queen sure sounds better than lackey. And for the record, I still think that humans are asses." Thanks Tiber.
"Heh, no we are not," I say and smile. "And does this mean that you won't drag me to Tarrmal for, you know?" Warehouse.
"As I said, you did get the job done and the asari's lawsuit is already over… I suppose you pulled this one off, but I'll remember it." Great! One less thing to worry about. I give Vala my best smile and nod.
With a cling the elevator door opens and I find myself in the main hall again. For a second I keep staring at the dark wooden floor, but soon realize I look like an idiot. I turn to Vala thinking about what should I say and find her staring at her omni-tool. Looks like the chit chat time is over.
"C'mon Stoll, Skinner is alive and ready to talk."
After all the time I have spent in the hospital finding my way around isn't a problem anymore. Skinner is still where we left him and the doctor is too. Apparently he decided to do some preparations before we arrived, because Skinner's ankles and arms are now tied to the bed. Not that I am complaining.
"Everything is in place detectives," the salarian says the moment we enter the room. In the 'daylight' it looks slightly smaller than I remember it from yesterday. There are no decorations and a small TV screen opposite the bed is the only non-medical device inside. Skinner doesn't look much differently, but it looks like someone changed his bandages and the air around him smells weirdly. The classical hospital smell mixes with something what reminds me an ointment of some kind.
"I sent the others away, so you could have some privacy."
I thank with a small nod: "Any improvement?" My question is more or less rhetorical as it is pretty obvious nothing has really changed.
"No and that's also why we need to make this quick. The painkillers can only do so much."
Vala makes a few steps forward and stops right next to the bed. For a second she observes Skinner's motionless form, but then turns back to us: "I am not going to cry over him. Wake him up doctor," at that the salarian moves on the other side of the bed and with a nod brings out his omni-tool. Some of the devices around Skinner beep at that, their screens springing to life, but it doesn't seem to do anything with Skinner.
"There. I gave him a strong dose, but even with a salarian metabolism it'll take some time."
Yeah, 'some time' or you could just say thirty seconds.
Skinner's eyelids only slightly twitch at first and then he slowly opens his eyes for a second, but the light in the room forces him to close them again almost instantly. He then tries to bring his hand up, but the strap is tightly holding it in place. It takes another minute until he is finally fully awake.
"You are in…"
"Yes, I can see," Skinner interjects the doctor. Though his voice sounds very tired and overall muffled, thoughit is pretty clear he is well aware of his surroundings. The fact that he is tied doesn't seem to surprise him too much. "What did you do to me?"
"We fixed your ribs with Ibenyl, gave you two units of blood, put your arm in a splint…"
"And cut off half of my chest!" What was apparently intended as a harsh yell ends up like a quiet mumble. Looks like Doctor wasn't kidding when he said Skinner will be in a lot of pain. "This was not supposed to happen! Not this soon…," he adds in a silent whisper I barely hear.
"Hey, what is that supposed to mean? Not this soon, you knew it was going to happen?" After my question he, with much struggle, turns his head to me. As many times before I again get to feel what it's like being observed. Without all the practice it would most likely make me a bit uneasy.
"Of course," Damn, I wasn't really expecting he'll answer. "The imunobooster! They gave it to me and it speed up the reaction." Opposite me the salarian doctor silently breaths out and I could swear he loosens up.
"It doesn't matter anyway. If I won't die within two days I will spend the rest of my life… like this," Skinner spits out with disgust and looks down at his chest. Vala next to me outstretches her hand with omni-tool and only now I realize she has been recording this 'interrogation'.
"Well, to me it seems like a fitting punishment. Now, I will ask you some questions and you will answer them," she orders calmly and without waiting for the salarian's reply continues: "Is your name Mewal Grotos?"
"Yes," the Skinner's tone mimics my own annoyance. Even in C-sec we have to start with these stupid questions? I hope we won't have to wait for his advocate, too.
"You are charged of…"
"Please, can we stop with this nonsense detective? You want to know why I killed them, don't you," he states as matter of fact. But Vala's answer surprises me.
"I know why you killed them. Or at least I have a very good idea about those asari. What I want to know, is how the quarian fits into this. If I had to guess, I'd say it has something to do with your condition."
The salarian's annoyed expression changes immediately after Vala's reply and he gives her a curious look. I stop myself from doing the exact same thing and silently curse Vala. "Indeed," Skinner says with a slight nod. "What I am suffering from is a severe allergic reaction caused by the protein preparation I was developing. The reaction of my immune system was… more vivid than I expected at first."
"And you thought that you can figure out how to stop it by experimenting on the quarian?" I jump in as I finally start getting what Vala is suggesting.
Again Skinner nods: "With their almost nonexistent immune systems I was hoping to see how far the reaction would get and how it'll proceed. Unfortunately, it killed the quarian almost instantly. If I knew it was pointless I wouldn't… but it doesn't matter. What is done is done."
When he says that I catch a glimpse of something in his eyes. A guilt maybe? Or is he just upset because his experiment didn't go the way he planned? Any way, it is still more than I was expecting from him.
"The second asari was just some hooker, wasting her life in a bar. I don't even know what her name was." If there was some guilt before, now it's all gone. "And then there is Felia,"at the mention of the first victim's name I see something entirely different form the salarian. Rage.
"She led her team into an ambush and she is the only reason of what happened to Nical. I suppose you know who that is detective."
Vala locks her eyes with him and nods.
"Then you also know what happened to her? She has to be constantly sedated because every movement causes her skin to tear. All I wanted was to help her. I quit STG and found the best paid job I could, just so I could pay for her hospital bills. Skin implants, surgeries,… and all of that was for nothing, because it didn't help her."
"No one could help her, because it's not possible," I hear Vala say. "You are a doctor, you must know that wounds caused by Nosam are…"
"But Extranet doesn't know everything detective!" the bitterness in Skinner's voice is suddenly over the chart. "I started my own research and soon found something. The protein I designed merges with the damaged cells, increasing their toughness. It would allow Nical to move and live at least some sort of life. Unfortunately, salarians react to it differently," he sadly looks down at his chest again. "So I had a prototype and the only thing I needed was an opportunity to test it. And as if…"
"Wait a second! The protein you were describing… it's not possible. I don't see a way it could work," the other salarian doctor pipes out suddenly in a slightly harsh tone. "Regular cells aren't able to just absorb something the way you're describing."
"But asari don't have regular cells," Skinner cuts him off confidently. Both doctors then keep staring at each other in a silent argument. At once the doctor opens his mouth in awe.
"You mean… that's ingenious!" at that he turns to us, still with sparks in his eyes. "He used the specific way of asari reproduction to…," when he sees our blank expressions he enthusiastically turns to Skinner, again. I think he is forgetting who the bad guy is. "And how did you create the protein? Something like that must take serious lab equipment."
Skinner nods and for the first time he looks hesitant. "Well I tooksomefrom the hospital, but I also had… help." Of course he had help! Because this isn't complicated enough as it is. I am still trying to get over the fact that this guy has a girlfriend. "From keepers."
…
Ehm, why am I not surprised?
"From keepers? Really?" Vala laughs out sarcastically. The doctor opposite her, on the other hand, looks stunned. As for me,… I am just waiting how this'll turn out.
"Yes, really, but not the way you think. When I was first looking for a place to set up a laboratory I had the keeper tunnels in mind. Clean, empty, it seemed perfect. I explored them for a while and though I didn't find sufficient place I found something else," he adds a dramatic pause, which, according to the monitors, could just as well be something more pain related.
It only takes a second or two before he continues, a bit more silently than before: "It was a machine, which keepers used as a recharge station."
Recharge station? But Skinner's explanation continues and goes into more detail. From what I piece together it is something like a high-tech vending machine. It scans the keeper and then creates the right mix of necessary nutritious for him.
"So, to sum it all up. You decided to hack a machine, which you knew nothing about, somehow created that protein and ended up exposed to it on the way," I bet he was thinking that nothing can go wrong. "To me it sounds like we just figured why those keepers were acting … unusual."
Well, some of them were trying to kill us, so unusual is putting it mildly.
"What do you say, is something like that possible?" Vala asks while looking at Skinner. His answer is almost instant, so he must have been expecting the question.
"It might be, but I don't see any other option really. I can tell you how to get to it, I made marks on the walls so I could reach it again. All you need to do is follow the trail and…"
"Mhh, right," Vala cuts him off. "This whole 'recharge station' could as well be a bomb or some nasty surprised you left us. And even if it does exist, why the sudden change of heart? Why help us?"
By now Skinner's eyes are half-shut and the monitors are displaying some ugly looking spikes. The doctor hurriedly starts fiddling with his omni-tool, shooting us a meaningful glance afterwards. Skinner's breathing get more regular after a few seconds and his eyes focus on Vala again. "You need to find it," he lets out a sigh, "because it's the last place where the formula of my protein is stored. I destroyed my omni-tool, wiped out the terminal in the lab… this is my last choice," by the time he finishes he's pretty much pleading. "I don't regret what I did, but if you don't get the formula it was for nothing."
Out of nowhere all the machines around go wild again. In the sudden outburst of beeping sounds and blinking lights the doctor once sharply yells at us to get out and produces an injection out of nowhere. Surprisingly it's Vala who nudges me towards the door and before it closes behind me, the doctor is already leaning above Skinner, covering my view.
"Hey, Stoll! Didn't think I'll see you here," Tiber greets me, full of enthusiasm, as I step into room. " I've heard you brought Skinner here, is it true?"
And here I was expecting friendly chit-chat.
"Yeah, I am just coming from him," I say with a small smile and approach Tiber's bed. Once I asked around for him a bit, it wasn't a problem to find his room. It isn't much different from Skinner's, but at least Tiber isn't hooked up to any machines. And apparently, he was just watching some turian war movie when I came in. "Figured out I could check on you while I am here. So, how are you?"
The question makes him take a quick look at a place somewhere slightly below his collar, but the wound isn't visible through the thick robe he is wearing. Unlike the ones I saw before, turian version is shaped kind of like an armor, though it is still made out of the same cloth-like material. "Fine, I suppose. But the food here sucks and there's nothing on TV, so, yeah, I am bored."
"Okay, long version it is then," with that I sit on the edge of his bed and explain most of what happened after he was injured. And after a few of his interruptions and one attempt to get out of the bed, to see Jess, I finally get to the talk with Skinner we just had. Strangely, I enjoy talking with Tiber and it certainly helps me to recall all of up what happened.
"So he has that thing stored somewhere? Then why aren't you and Vala there already?!" Don't even remind me.
"Vala is there… with guys from TALON. But Tarrmal, well, you know... And I wouldn't be much help with just baton anyway," at least that's what the old moron is thinking. "Shit, I'd still love to be there. Now I'll never get to know what keeper buffet looks like," I add with a smirk to mask my disappointment. After all of my work, I won't even be there to see how it'll end.
"Heh, sure. But who knows, Vala might take some pictures if you ask her nicely." I'd be gladder if she got that protein instead of pictures. So many people died because of it that destroying it now would be a horrible waste. "And speaking of pictures, I was wondering, what does human females look like? You know, I don't suppose they have crests, but c'mon they can't have so much fur like you do." He can't mean this seriously.
"We were talking about a… just how does this have anything to do with… anything? And yes they have 'fur' too." Gee, next he is going to ask me if they have boobs.
"Wow. And do they also have those asari things you know in front of their che… okay I'll shut up," he quickly says when he sees my expression. "How about we go and check Jess?"
"Sure, you can also ask her about those her 'things'." I swear he'll do it.
And I must see it.
Author note:
So here goes another case. Sorry, it took so long. Don't forget to leave a review, I'd love to know your opinions and ideas about the case and story.
P.S.: As always sorry for mistakes.
Also I forgot to mention him in the previous author notes, but huge HUGE thanks goes to Bler, for helping me out with this fic with his useful ideas and overall his support. So thanks Bler, I really appreciate it.
To Guest: Thanks for the review, I'll try to keep Vala/Stoll 'relationship' interesting. I also hope the story will get even better overtime, but it's awesome to know you think it's awesome already :D