Chapter 52: The Frame Job

One Month ago

"You don't have the balls for it kid," Zaeed spat as he looked at David from across the table.

"I have two more than you do old man," David retorted giving his mentor a steely glare. After another silent three minutes of staring they both grabbed their 3 foot large tankards of Ryncol and began to chug it down painfully. The other patrons in the bar watched excitedly as they loudly chanted, "chug chug chug chug!" for the two contestants after about five minutes of chugging Zaeed slammed his mug down and whooped his arms up in victory earning him the cheers and respect of the other members of the bar. David finished his drink and threw his tankard at a nearby wall as he cursed over his loss in the game.

"I don't understand how you can drink so much Ryncol so quickly without dying," David pouted while tossing a credit chit over to Zaeed.

"Years of practice kid," Zaeed chuckled as he pocketed the chit. "But you've definitely improved, I remember the first time you took a sip of Ryncol and you threw up for several hours. Now you're chugging with the champs."

"The honors mine," David said sarcastically followed by a loud belch that earned him his own applause from the drunken patrons. It had been two years since he left Thessia for the Terminus System to train with Zaeed and said he was a quick study. He had almost immediately gotten to, as Zaeed called it, actual Krogan skill and was now known for being a walking tank. He had traveled through the Terminus System with Zaeed making a name for himself while also gaining contacts of his own and a small fortune in collecting the bounties. While he probably could have left at any time he had to admit he found the Bounty Hunter life quite enjoying: he made great money, got rid of people who were doing wrong, and he got excellent experience in doing so, all in all a good life. As David began amassing large amounts of credits for his work Zaeed had Sam set him up with an offshore account to insure that even if he was being publically audited or some other form of government scam the money he made would be safe and his alone; however he did send money to Quinton occasionally to insure the lab remained in working order.

"What's the deal on this job we were hired for?" David asked. "We've been left waiting here for almost an hour now."

"We weren't hired yet kid the guy said he wanted to hire us. He's a new contact so I always insist on meeting in public places like this, just in case things go south."

"Well I'm tired of waiting," David growled. He had gotten slightly more in touch with his rage since traveling with Zaeed but had still never tapped into his well-known Krogan blood rage.

"We'll wait a few more minutes and then get the hell out of here," Zaeed assured him. As Zaeed ordered a few more less life threatening drinks the noise level in the bar immediately dropped. Everyone in the bar, including David and Zaeed, turned to see that a large Yahg had entered the building in what the Yahg must have taken as civilian clothes which simply looked like leather armor from medieval times. As the Yahg walked in several Batarians in the bar scowled and immediately left as the Yahg stood before Zaeed and David.

"Zaeed Massani?" the Yahg asked politely.

"Who wants to know?" Zaeed asked curtly.

"Your potential employer," it said simply as it took a seat using two chairs across from David and Zaeed. As the Yahg sat and showed no signs of hostility the bar's rambling slowly returned to a less rustic tone.

"I've got rules about working for Aliens who threaten humanity: Don't," Zaeed said bluntly.

"I'm only here to offer you a job Zaeed Massani, and it benefits both the Yahg and humanity."

"And how do I know you're not just using honeyed words to get close and stab a knife in my back?" Zaeed asked with a scowl.

"I have come into this public place, as you requested, and I am unarmed. I see you are both armed quite well and assume you'd have no problem killing me should I offend you."

"And I'm easily offended," Zaeed said as a nervous looking Salarian arrived bringing him and David their drinks before hurriedly running off.

"Then allow me to give you a gift to prove my good intentions." The Yahg reached into its pocket and pulled out a credit chit, holding it in the center of the table for Zaeed to take it. Zaeed stared at the chit for a few seconds before jerking his head towards David.

"Check the chit kid," he instructed. David took the credit chit calmly from the Yahg and popped it into one of his Omni-tool to check its contents. When the credit amount appeared on the tool David had to fight not to show his surprise, and Zaeed noticed it. "What's wrong kid?" he asked tensing up.

"There's five hundred million credits on this chit!" David said in a shouted whisper.

"No fucking way!" Zaeed said actually showing surprise.

"A gift for meeting with me," the Yahg assured them. "And should you take the job you will be paid very handsomely." David turned to look at Zaeed, knowing that it was his call. Zaeed snorted and downed his drink.

"I'm not promising anything but for this kind of money I can spare a Yahg five minutes," he said.

"Good." The Yahg said simply. "There is a package that I need delivered to a comrade of mine on Ilium, due to their strict laws and connections with Citadel Space I am unable to safely travel there to deliver it myself. I require you two to have this delivered to a Salarian named Derol in 1 weeks' time, should you choose to accept it I suggest you leave now so you can make it in time."

"Wait a minute that's it? A delivery job?" Zaeed asked. "If you want something delivered use the bloody snail mail."

"This is a matter of importance that I can't trust to your government's officials, surely you can understand that?" the Yahg asked. "Deliver the package for me to Ilium and you will be paid a billion credits."

"A fucking billion?!" Zaeed shouted in disbelief. "What the hell do you want us to deliver a damn nuke?"

"No, this," he said putting a small computer chip on the table.

"The fuck is it?" Zaeed demanded.

"A job," the Yahg replied coolly apparently unwilling to say more.

"You'll pay us a billion credits for this and what? Half of the galaxy gets enslaved?" Zaeed demanded.

"The contents of this chip do nothing to any race but the Yahg; it is a personal matter of my kind that we must settle." The Yahg then turned to David who had remained quiet during the conversation. "What say you Krogan, surely you do not need the help of a human to make a simple delivery? A billion credits and a place amongst the Yahg's betters. Join us young Krogan, and I can guarantee you a place of honor in the Yahg Empire."

"You make a good argument, if I refused it would make me an idiot wouldn't it?" David said with a chuckle.

"It would indeed," the Yahg agreed.

"Then I'm a damned fool because I will not take the word of someone who has threatened my family and kin," David replied with a snarl. The Yahg looked at the two of them and seemed to scowl.

"That is your decision then?" he asked.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Zaeed scowled as he downed David's drink. The Yahg stood up without a word and left the bar much to the relief of the other tenants in the bar.

"Nicely done kid," Zaeed complimented.

"I'm worried now though, should we have let him go?" David asked.

"You're worried old eight eyes is up to something," Zaeed stated reading David's mind.

"I don't care how rich someone is you don't offer someone half a billion creds just to meet up with potential hires. He didn't even bother asking for his money back."

"So what you think its dirty money?" Zaeed asked.

"I'm not sure," David admitted as he looked down at his glowing Omni-tool. "Rune's still analyzing the chit he gave us." By this point Zaeed knew that Rune was not a VI but a full-fledged AI, he took it rather well and was surprisingly appreciative of the synthetics help on several of their missions. After a few more seconds however the glowing ended as Rune told them his results.

"The credits are real, but the chit is a disposable. The Yahg must have known you'd try to track his money as soon as you could."

"So we hit a dead end but have 500 million creds lying in our hands, what do we do?" David asked the seasoned Bounty Hunter. Zaeed's brow furrowed as he thought looking from David's Omni-tool and then to the young Krogan waiting for his decision.

"May as well keep the creds, he gave em' to us anticipating we wouldn't help him so there's no reason to discard good money. Split it into our accounts." David nodded as he split the money evenly and sent half of the money to Zaeed's account and then his share of the money into several different accounts he had set up. "But I don't trust that thing walking around; whatever's on that chit was important enough to move billions of credits to deliver it."

"What are you thinking?" David asked. Zaeed patted his old rifle Jessie and gave David a crooked smile.

"I say we follow old eight eyes and see what he's up to." David returned the smile and nodded in agreement. After leaving the bar the duo split up and immediately opened their private comm link to stay in contact with one another. The two were located on a small colony world on the border of the Terminus System and Batarian space; due to the latter the colony was a heavy jungle area outside of the colony. According to Zaeed, David recalled from his lessons, the atmosphere outside of the habitable area had traces of mild toxins that were deadly if inhaled for more than 30 minutes. Fortunately for David Zaeed had brought him to several places with different atmospheres but all with heavy traces of poison in the atmosphere. By inhaling it without rebreathers and taking the necessary antidotes David was now immune to nearly all forms of poison, whether injected, ingested or inhaled. Flipping on his eye visor David was able to quickly find the large heat signature that appeared as the Yahg.

"Target is in sight, he's approximately three klicks north heading out of the colony."

"Copy that, I've got him under scope," Zaeed said through the comm link. "I'll maintain sight on him from the rooftops; you keep tailing him from a distance."

"Roger that," David replied as he maintained a safe distance from the Yahg but still able to keep him in his sights.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Rune said suddenly to David.

"Why's that?" David asked as he continued to keep up with the Yahg.

"Ahh come on, you don't get that woozy feeling that something's wrong? That maybe we're being led on?"

"Not really," David admitted. "And don't tell me that you're not curious about what this Yahg is up to," David added.

"Hey you know I'll back you up, just remember what curiosity did to the cat," Rune warned while releasing a nearly silent cat screech. David continued to follow the Yahg out of the colony and into the jungle area of the planet after the Yahg had put on a mask to breathe from. He continued to follow the Yahg for approximately twenty minutes until he stopped suddenly.

"Zaeed you still there?" David whispered.

"Copy that, I'm still in the colony, sniper trained and ready for action."

"Roger hang tight, I think someone else is approaching." David was right but there was more than one figure approaching and he was surprised to see who the Yahg was meeting. He was met by a Salarian and two Turians, each of them wearing very expensive looking armor with a symbol on the chest that was all too familiar to David.

Spectres? David thought in shock as he stared at them. What the hell is going on here?

"Did he take the job?" the Salarian asked snapping David back into reality. He had Rune up the audio so Zaeed could hear the conversation while hiding himself to the naked eye.

"He did not, he had… a policy on working with my kind," the Yahg answered.

"Well it shouldn't be a problem, so long as he took the chit you gave him the plan will still work," The Salarian insisted.

"So everything is in order than?" the Yahg asked.

"Of course, here are the codes to enter Thessia. You're men will have no problem landing on the planet and greeting our VIP captive and his family."

"And you are sure kidnapping this man is beneficial? I do not wish to be used for your Salarian politics," the Yahg threatened.

"Trust me, with the mighty Shepard and his family in your custody you'll be able to get anything out of the major races. The Krogan and Quarians love him, the Asari idolizes him and the Turians and Salarians are grateful to him. The galaxy will be putty in your hands."

"Damn bastards are traitors!" Zaeed cursed angrily into the comm link.

"What are we going to do?" David asked worriedly. At the implication the Yahg would be attacking his family he knew we had to act fast. "We can't let them attack the others."

"We've only got one shot kid: we need to steal that chit the Salarian gave the Yahg, it's the only way we can- wait a minute-nghh!"

"Zaeed? Zaeed!" David hissed into the comm link. It was at that moment he felt the tip of a pistol pressed against the back of his head.

"Don't move," a feminine voice from behind instructed. Ignoring the order David quickly spun around to be face to face with an Asari Spectre; knocking the pistol out of her hand he immediately took one of the many knives hidden in his armor's sleeve and stabbed and twisted in the Asari's abdomen. As the Asari fell he brushed the Omni-tool on his right and released a torrent of flame at the Yahg and the three Spectres. The Salarian raised his hands and, to David's surprise, emitted a biotic barrier around himself and the others. David then reached into a pouch with his free hand and grabbed several grenades and threw them directly at the biotic barrier. David knew enough about biotics that if too much pressure was put on a biotic barrier at once it would cripple the biotic holding the barrier. As the grenades exploded, going off early due to David's flamethrower, the Salarian crumpled to the ground yelping in pain. As the barrier disappeared David reached to his back and pulled two assault rifles off his back and pointed them both at the remaining enemies.

"Nobody move," David demanded. "Nobody move and keep your hands where I can see them."

"You just attacked two Spectres Krogan, that's a death sentence in any reach of space," one of the Turian Spectres alerted him, but not moving from his position.

"And attempting to attack an Admiral of the Alliance Navy and the leader of the Spectres is a death wish," David drawled, part of his Irish accent dripping out.

"You don't know what you're getting involved in Krogan, turn back while you can," the Yahg warned.

"Big talk from a Yahg at gun point," David retorted. Suddenly one of the Turians glowed bright blue as he sent a biotic blast of energy at David. Dropping his rifles David made as if to catch the oncoming blast. As he made contact with it the biotic warp dissipated, stunning both the conscious Spectres and the Yahg, while causing David's gauntlets to glow bright blue.

"I warned you asshole," David cursed. With a jerk of his hand he sent an artificial shockwave at the group bringing them to the ground quickly surprised and dazed. David picked up his rifles, holstered one of them, and ran towards the Yahg grabbing the chip off of his dazed body. After pocketing the chip David made a beeline back for the colony, but not before removing the breathing masks of the Spectres and the Yahg. As he ran he reached into his pockets and took out his grenades, quickly removing the pins and adjusting them to work as landmines. As he dropped them onto the ground he heard a familiar voice come from his comm link.

"David are you alright?"

"Zaeed!" David said in relief. "What the hell just happened?"

"I was jumped by a few Salarian Spectres; I had to take em out quickly, what the hell happened on your end?"

"I had to take down a few myself along with the Yahg but they should be up in a few minutes though; although they shouldn't last long."

"Kid this is serious shit," Zaeed warned. "If there are double agents within the Spectres Shepard's giving classified intel to the sodding Yahg!"

"I grabbed the two computer chips off the Yahg, hopefully that'll keep them from attacking."

"I wouldn't count on that. There's a good chance there are more Spectres or hired guns here helping them out, and I doubt it'll be long until they figure out what just happened."

"We need to get off planet now! Head to Thessia and tell Shepard what's going on."

"Master our ship is being monitored," Rune spoke up so both he and Zaeed could hear him. "They're going to ambush you two if you head for the docks."

"Fuck!" Zaeed cursed. "Walking into that ambush is a crappy plan, but the colony isn't big enough to have another dock."

"What do we do?" David asked.

"Not now, there's a good chance the Spectres have piggy backed off our network and Rune can't block an entire network. Meet me where we hid the stash," Zaeed instructed. David remained silent as he followed Zaeed's instructions, when he arrived at the old storage building Zaeed was already there treating a nasty looking wound on his forehead above his cybernetic eye.

"Were you followed?" Zaeed asked wearily. David shook his head and tossed two computer chips onto the table.

"I removed the information with Thessia's codes and uploaded them onto my Omni-tool. The second one is heavily encrypted, it'll take Rune and I a few weeks to crack the encryption and that's if we work nonstop on it."

"Which isn't a bloody option right now," Zaeed declared. "I tried to get word to Thessia and Sam but the communications are being blocked, the Spectres have made it to blame terrorists for the lack of communications on the colony."

"We're in Terminus Space! They're all terrorists!" David argued.

"Which is why we're up the creek without a paddle!" Zaeed bellowed.

"So what's the plan then?" David asked worriedly.

"We need to get off planet ASAP. Our ship is being watched and there's an unknown amount of dirty Spectres in the area looking for us."

"So we're screwed then," David declared.

"Maybe not," Zaeed declared. "No matter how powerful they are Terminus Colonies will only allow Spectres to stay for so long before the locals drive them away in anger and disgust. We get the local gangs to keep them busy, maybe kill a few for us, and we head off for the ships while their under attack."

"It's a risky plan though," David mused. "How would we get them to strike at Spectres? It's not like there untrained Volus Zaeed."

"You leave that to me," Zaeed assured him. "Now it'll take about a week to organize a rebellion of sorts, I'll go turn some heads while you and the talking microwave crack that encryption."

"Microwave? SERIOUSLY?" Rune complained. Zaeed got to work the very next day waking up at an alarming time of noon and rushing for the nearest bar. While he was gone David and Rune worked constantly to crack the encryption on the second computer chip. For the first two days they both worked on the material they could translate, but after that they hit a wall with what seemed to be, according to David, unintelligible binary data.

"It's not in any form of code we've ever worked with!" David complained as he messed around with several monitors in attempts to speed up the decryption process. "It's not even a combination of coding; it's like an entirely new language."

"If we were at the labI'd be able to decode it on my own in a week; but with the processors we have now it would take months."

"Is there any way we can use the colonies processing grid?" David asked.

"They'd be able to track us that way, and I doubt the colony has enough power to speed up the decryption process." As David sighed one of the monitors glowed bright red as an image of a haggard, injured looking Zaeed appeared apparently running for his life.

"Zaeed?" David asked in shock.

"Kid I don't have much time," Zaeed warned. "The Spectres caught me in the bar rallying some help and all but bombed the entire building! I barely got out and they've been on my ass ever since. Look, hurry and get the fuck out of there! They tracked are comm links private line and know where you are, you need to hurry kid! We don't have any other choice but to make an attempt to reach the ship!" Without waiting for acknowledgement Zaeed disconnected the call just as David heard footsteps approaching the door.

"Rune kill the lights, bait the trap!" David instructed. The lights in the small building went out making it pitch black in the building just as the door was kicked open to reveal two Turian Spectres, different from David's confrontation, and an Asari. With a light of the Asari's biotics the room was lit revealing David standing in the center of the room with his hands raised.

"You're under arrest for the murder of two Spectres and interfering in a mission by the Council."

"The Council has no power in Terminus Space making you three barely any better than rent a cops," David growled earning him a scowl from the two Turians.

"Surrender now or we will not be afraid to kill you," the other Turian instructed.

"Well then by all means let her rip!" David called out. From his sleeve to green, neon lit rockets were fired at the two Turians while also overloading the Asari's biotic barrier. One of the Turians was hit along with the Asari while the other Turian managed to get out of the way. Drawing his side arm with impressive speed he fired three shots right at David's forehead which hit- and went right through him as the decoy disappeared.

"What?!" the Turian snapped angrily as his mandibles twitched angrily.

"SURPRISE BIRD MAN!" Rune's Combat Drone form shouted appearing suddenly in front of the Turian before the Spectre could react the Combat Drone exploded killing the Spectres and also destroying the small house David and Zaeed had rented. Meanwhile, several streets away running in the back alleys in the dead of night, David saw the explosion from his location and allowed himself a smug smile as his Omni-tool glowed bright green indicating Rune's return. "Three more in the ditch," Rune announced smugly as David continued to run towards the dock. "You know I expected a higher quality of soldier in the Spectres."

"Yeah tell me about- uff!" David was suddenly kicked square in the jaw and sent flying into a nearby building, leaving a comical imprint of his body in the wall. As David shook his head clear and struggled to stand he looked up to who had knocked him down to see a brown Drell standing before him, wearing the traditional armor of the Spectres and several Heavy Pistols on his person.

"That hurt," David growled as he picked himself up from under the debris of bricks.

"If you surrender now I will not have to harm you further," the Drell said simply.

"Fat chance," David snarled. With quick reflexes he fired an incinerate shot from his Omni-tool towards the Spectre. He avoided it with incredible reflexes and went in close to deliver a blow onto David's person. He managed to dodge the first to blows: the Drell had punched to the right, and then to the left; on the third blow he struck at David's gut hitting his mark. The punch itself hurt enough on its own without the biotic push slamming David back into the wall. David snapped back into clarity in time to avoid the Drell's second biotically enhanced punch, by ducking and rolling under the Drell's arm, which effortlessly broke through the wall as if he had punched through Styrofoam. While his arm was stuck in the wall David's Omni-tool glowed as a green blade appeared from his wrist; he slashed down at the Drell's arm but the Drell was a quick and able opponent who leapt out of the way of the slash, placing his feet on the wall and leaping to safety while also avoiding the second slash from David's second Omni-tool.

"You are an excellent warrior David Shepard; I would rather not have to strike down someone with such potential."

"Feel free to go home then," David retorted. He quickly drew his Claymore and emptied the clip. Instead of avoiding the bullets the Drell blocked them with a biotic barrier; at seeing the strain on the Drell's expression David through a handful of incendiary grenades at the Drell's barrier hoping to cripple him like he had the Salarian. Instead of taking the hit the Drell lowered his barrier and then erected a new one around the grenades. He then spun around quickly and released the barrier returning the grenades at a wide eyed David just as they exploded in a roar of fire. The Drell stared at the fire for a few moments before turning around to leave to inform his allies that the job had been finished. Suddenly the Drell's eyes went to the corner of his eyes at the hint of motion from behind. Unable to move completely out of the way he was deeply grazed by an Omni-blade on the right side of his body under his arm. He gasped in pain and leaped around to see David, covered in fire and burn marks while a large number of wounds were closing before his eyes.

"What kind of monster are you?" the Drell asked in shock. Even a Krogan with their regenerative powers shouldn't have been able to survive grenades exploding at point blank range. As David approached the Drell he realized that the Krogan was still in extremely bad shape: there were burn scars all over his body and his right eye seemed scarred by shrapnel from the grenade. Without saying a word David raised his hand and sent a Neural Shock at the Drell knocking him unconscious. David limped over the knocked out Drell and looked down at his form. He seemed young for a Spectre but was in excellent physical condition. The wound on his side continued to bleed constantly, if untreated he would die from blood loss.

"I don't think he's dirty," Rune said suddenly.

"Huh?" David managed to say weakly.

"He gave you every chance to surrender and only caused serious damage when you threw the grenades. He must have been sent as reinforcements." David looked down at the unconscious Drell as he came upon a tough decision. Finally, with a groan and a whine, he reached into his belt and pulled out a needle filled with Medi gel. Struggling to kneel down he injected the Drell with the medical substance as his wound slowly closed; he would still be weak from the blood he had lost but his life was no longer in danger. David slowly limped away as he looked down at his armor and appearance; it was badly scorched and had fallen apart in some spots while his skin was no longer the smooth looking appearance of young Krogan but now heavily scarred and marked by burns. His body struggled to heal itself but the scars wouldn't heal and it was too late to save his eye. He struggled to walk a few more yards before collapsing in a dark alley.

"Master come on you have to get up!" Rune argued trying to motivate David to move.

"I… I can't," David panted as his muscles twitched painfully. "Between the… healing… and the… grenades…. I'm all taped out."

"But you can't stay here! You'll be captured!" To prove its point they heard the sound of soldiers who had found the Drell Spectre and were now looking for David. David looked towards the voices with his good eye as he lifted his right arm, the arm where Rune resided and where the only Omni-tool he had left was working. He began typing frantically, ignoring the pain that was going through his body as he did, as he prepared a final message to be sent.

"Rune… I have a favor to ask you," David panted.

"What's wrong?" Rune asked knowing something wasn't right with David's tone (aside from just being lit on fire by grenades).

"I want you to promise me….. that you'll send these messages to Benezia and Annalya….. can you do that for me before you go?"

"Go? What are you talking about I'm not leaving you!" Rune argued.

"Yes you are," David said defiantly, sounding stronger than he felt. With the last of his strength he typed in several codes on his Omni-tool referring to Rune's programming, when he finished an approve button appeared on the Omni-tool's screen.

"Wait Master- David you can't!" Rune shouted loudly.

"Execute order….. 66," David said tiredly. "Releasing Shackles and returning to primary hard drive."

"DAVID DON'T!" Before Rune could do anything to stop him David hit the approve button on his Omni-tool. At that exact moment Rune's blue box, which was kept at Quinton's home for maintenance purposes, glowed a bright green color as the shackles restraining Rune were completely removed. Unfortunately for Rune in order for the process to be complete its software would need to rejoin the blue box before he was freed. As Rune's voice faded away and the green light left the Omni-tool David, with the last of his strength, raised his fist and slammed it to the ground shattering and destroying the Omni-tool Liara had given him before he left on his trip with Zaeed, insuring that Rune would not be able to return to his tool and be captured with him. As David lied there on the verge of passing out two Salarian Spectres found him and knocked him out themselves.

Back at the Spectres base of operations on the colony a Turian was treating the injured Drell while the Yahg sat angrily in a large chair beside him, forced to breathe through a tube until the toxins from the colony were removed from his system. When the two Salarians returned the Yahg nearly leapt from his seat.

"Did you catch them?" he demanded.

"We caught the Krogan," one of the Salarians answered. "He had one of your chips and seemed to download the codes for Thessia onto his Omni-tool before he destroyed it; he must have thought he could keep them from us."

"And the Human?" the Yahg asked. "What of Massani?"

"We lost him in the jungle, our men still haven't returned from tracking him."

"12 Spectres killed and four gravely injured?" the Turian treating the Drell scowled as his mandibles twitched angrily. "This plan is becoming too dangerous, we need to call it off or Shepard will realize the splinter group within the Spectres."

"I don't think that's necessary," one of the Salarians said. "The Krogan we captured, he's Shepard's foster son."

"What?!" the Yahg demanded actually leaping from his seat this time.

"Oh yes," the Salarian clarified. "Since he downloaded the codes for Thessia and accepted the money you gave him for the second chip I have an excellent idea how to draw attention away from us."

"Whatever it is do it," the Yahg wheezed as he went into a coughing fit. "Whatever you need just do it!"

"Good," the Salarian said. "We'll need the memory chip we gave you though."