Chapter Sixteen

Roxanne

"Garrus, what's the plan when we find Harkin?" Raphael asks as he kills a mech.

"Make him talk." Garrus says as he snipes another merc. "I won't do anything permanent."

Raphael frowns as he glances at me. "Is that really necessary?"

"Raph," I snipe a merc before turning to him, "Harkin helped Sidonis. Sidonis got our entire team killed and I almost died too. I get that you don't agree but I'm with Garrus on this one."

Raphael shakes his head as he moves from his cover and the three of us continue through the warehouse.

"Shepard," EDI says into the comm, "I've patched into the warehouse scanners. The crates in the transport carriers overhead are rigged to explode when dropped."

I glance up at the words, noting the patterns that they move in. "Got it, EDI." I say.

I cloak as Harkin speaks through a loudspeaker. "Why don't you just give up and turn around?"

I roll my eyes as I slip past the group of Blue Suns and get behind their sniper. I slam my knife into the back of the batarian's head before crouching behind his cover.

"Roxy, singularity!" Raphael shouts into the comm.

I throw a singularity into the big group of Blue Suns and watch as Raphael detonates it with a warp.

The three of us push through the rest of the mechs and climb up to where Harkin is hiding. Garrus slips away from us to corner him.

I slip into the room, my pistol drawn and pointed at Harkin. Raphael does the same beside me.

"You were close." Harkin says as he turns to run. "But not close en-"

Garrus cuts Harkin off by slamming his rifle into Harkin's nose. Harkin cries out in pain as he clutches his nose.

Garrus grabs him and slams him into the wall. "What, Fade? Couldn't make yourself disappear?"

"Come on, Garrus- we can work this out." Harkin says. "Whaddaya need?"

"We're looking for someone." I say, crossing my arms.

Harkin's eyes flick to me. "Well, I guess we both have something the other one wants."

Garrus glances at me before kneeing Harkin in the thigh, close to his forbidden area.

Harkin grunts as he falls to the ground.

"Ouch." I say, tsking. "Must've hurt. You should probably just tell us what we want to know."

"Maybe." Harkin grumbles, pushing to his feet. "I still haven't heard what you want."

"You helped a friend of ours disappear." Garrus motions between me and him. "We need to find him."

"More information?" Harkin raises an eyebrow.

"His name was Sidonis." I say.

"Turian, came from the-" Garrus starts.

"I know him," Harkin glares at us, "and I ain't telling you shit."

"Why don't you take a good look at us, Harkin." I tilt my head as my glare turns murderous. "Is this information really worth this trouble? You have to know what happens if you keep protecting him."

"Giving out client information is kind of bad for business." Harkin shrugs.

Garrus knees him again, causing Harkin to drop to the ground instantly, and presses his foot onto Harkin's neck. "Know what else is bad for business? A broken neck." Garrus growls.

"All right! All right!" Harkin shouts. "Get off me!"

Garrus keeps his foot on Harkin's neck until I touch his shoulder. "He can't give us that information if you kill him, Garrus." I say.

"Terminus really changed you, huh, Garrus?" Harkin asks as he sits up.

"No," Garrus shakes his head, "but Sidonis... opened my eyes. Now arrange a meeting."

I point at the console beside us, raising an eyebrow. "Hop along, Harkin."

"I'm going." Harkin sneers at me as he steps towards the console. He clicks a few buttons and pulls up a channel.

"Yeah, it's me. There's a chance your identity may be compromised." The other person on the line says something that I can't hear. "That's why I'm calling. I'm sending an agent. Where do you want to meet?" Harkin stops talking as the other person speaks. "All right. He'll be there. Don't worry- I got it covered."

Once the line ends, Harkin steps over to us. "It's all good. He wants to meet you in front of Orbital Lounge. Middle of the day. So, if our business is done, I'll be going…"

"I don't think so." Garrus says as he grabs Harkin by the front of his shirt. "You're a criminal now, Harkin."

"So what… you're just going to kill me?" Harkin smirks. "That's not your style, Garrus."

"Kill you?" Garrus smirks as he lets go of Harkin's shirt. "No. But I don't mind slowing you down a little." Garrus points his pistol at Harkin's leg and fires a round. "Maybe give C-Sec a blood trail to follow."

Harkin shouts in pain as he drops to the ground. "Bastard!"

"Quit your bitching." I tilt my head as I regard him. "I wouldn't have shot you in the leg."

"What'd I ever do to you?" Harkin whines behind us as we walk away from him.

"Sidonis better be there, or I'm coming back to finish the job." Garrus calls over his shoulder.

Raphael glances at us. "That might have been a bit unnecessary."

I shrug. "Harkin's a criminal."

Garrus hails a cab and the three of us climb into it. Raphael drives us over to Orbital Lounge, silent.

"Harkin's a bloody menace." Garrus says as Raphael parks on the balcony above the Orbital Lounge. "We shouldn't have just let him go. He deserved to be punished."

"Garrus, he's C-Sec's problem now." I grip his shoulder from behind. "Don't waste your time on him."

"You're right. Thanks for helping with this, Shepard." Garrus says as he glances at Raphael.

"Have you thought this through?" Raphael asks, frowning. "You know what you're doing?"

"No. But I'm not turning back now." Garrus shrugs.

"It's not too late." Raphael says. "You don't have to go through with this."

"Who's going to bring Sidonis to justice if we don't?" Garrus asks, motioning between him and me. "Nobody else knows what he's done. Nobody else cares. I don't see any other options."

"Let me talk to him." Raphael says.

"Talk all you want, but it won't change my mind." Garrus frowns. "He almost got your sister killed."

"I know, but-" Raphael gets cut off by Garrus.

"I don't care about his reasons. He screwed us… he deserves to die." Garrus says.

"I get it, Garrus." Raphael sighs. "But do you really want to kill him?"

"I appreciate the concern… but I'm not you." Garrus says as he looks at Raphael. "Rox almost died because of him. Our whole team did die because of him."

"This isn't you, either." Raphael says.

"Really? I've always hated injustice. The thought that Sidonis could get away with this…" Garrus turns fully to Raphael. "Why should he go on living while ten good men lie in unmarked graves?"

I glance out the window, every one of their faces flashing through my mind.

"I'm sorry, Shepard." Garrus shakes his head. "Words aren't going to solve this problem. I need to set up."

Raphael turns to me, frowning. "Roxy."

I shake my head. "Sidonis betrayed us, killed good men, and nearly killed me. I ain't the best person to look to for help here."

Garrus glances around the area before pointing at a vantage point. "I can get a clear shot from over there."

Raphael and I look in the direction he pointed. "What do you need me to do?" Raphael asks.

"Keep him talking and don't get in our way." Garrus glances at me before turning back to Raphael. "I'll let you know when one of us has him in our sight."

"I want Roxy with me." Raphael says. "I want her cloaked."

Garrus frowns. "Rox?"

I stare at Raphael a moment before turning to Garrus. "We'll do it his way."

"Very well." Garrus says. "Give me a signal so I know you're ready, and I'll take the shot. You better go, he'll be here soon."

Once Garrus is out of the vehicle, Raphael and I head down towards the Orbital Lounge.

"Roxy…" Raphael says.

"Quiet." I hiss, cloaking. "Just follow the plan."

Raphael shakes his head as we walk towards the lounge.

"Shepard, Rox, can you hear me?" Garrus says into the comm.

"Loud and clear." Raphael says.

Anger fills me as I spot Sidonis, sitting on a bench outside of the lounge. Garrus spots him right after. "All right. There he is… wave him over and keep him talking." Garrus says.

Raphael locks eyes with Sidonis and motions him over.

My eyes widen as Sidonis walks over to us, much thinner than the last time I saw him. Filth coats him, depression oozes from him.

It's like he's the one who's dead.

"Let's get this over with." Sidonis says as he steps in front of Raphael.

"You're in my shot. Move to the side." Garrus says.

Raphael steps aside. I uncloak, causing Sidonis to jump.

"Val?" Sidonis asks, his eyes widening. "No. I thought you were dead."

"Rox!" Garrus shouts. "You're in my shot!"

I slam my fist into Sidonis' face, knocking him to the ground and completely out of Garrus' shot.

I crouch in front of him. "Right now? I'm the only thing standing between you and Garrus' bullet."

Sidonis shakes his head. "Fuck."

"Why don't you start talking?" I hiss. "I want you dead as much as Garrus. But I want to know why."

"Look… I didn't want to do it..." Sidonis frowns. "I didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice." Garrus growls into the comm.

"They got to me. Said they'd kill me if I didn't help." Sidonis says. "What was I supposed to do?"

"So, you sold us out?" I snarl. "Like some damn coward? I thought you were better than that."

"I know what I did." Sidonis says. "I know they died because of me, I know you almost died because of me, and I have to live with that. I wake up every night… sick… and sweating. Each of their faces staring at me… accusing me. Yours too. I'm already a dead man. I don't sleep. Food has no taste. Some days I just want it to be over." Sidonis looks at me, his eyes dead. "I'm sorry. No amount of apology will fix what I did to them, Garrus, or you, Val."

"Give me the chance, Rox." Garrus says into the comm.

"Garrus," I glance over my shoulder, "he's already dead. He's already paying for his crime."

"He hasn't paid enough." Garrus growls. "He still has his life…"

"Look at him, Garrus." I say as I stand and move aside. "He's not alive… there's nothing left to kill."

"Our men… they deserved better." Garrus says.

"Tell Garrus…" Sidonis glances behind me. "I guess there's nothing I can say to make it right…"

"Just… go." Garrus sighs into the comm. "Tell him to go…"

"He's letting you go." I say, nodding towards Garrus.

Sidonis turns to me, eyes wide. "You're a better man than I am, Garrus. Thank you." Sidonis says. "Thank you, Val."

"Get the fuck out of here, Sidonis." I say as I turn away and head towards the skycar.

Raphael flies us back to the balcony and opens the door as Garrus walks towards us.

"I know you want to talk about this…" Garrus frowns at Raphael and me. "But I don't. Not yet."

"I know it didn't go as planned, but I think this is better, Garrus." I say.

"I'm not so sure…" Garrus says.

"Give it time." I say.

"Yeah. Maybe that'll be enough." Garrus says. "I want to know I did the right thing. Not just for me- for our men. They deserve to be avenged. But when Sidonis was in my sights… I just couldn't do it."

"The lines between good and evil blur when we're looking at people we know." Raphael says.

I glance at him as he steps up to us.

"Yeah." Garrus nods. "There was still good in him… I could see it. Black and white is so much easier to see the world in. Gray… I don't know what to do with gray."

"You've got to go with your instincts." Raphael says.

"My instincts are what got us into this mess." Garrus frowns.

"Don't be too hard on yourself." Raphael says as he smacks Garrus on the arm.

"Thanks, Shepard." Garrus glances at me. "Thanks, Rox, for not letting me become a murderer. Let's get going. I need some distance from this place."

Author's Note

Hey, everyone! If my posting seems spotty, I want to apologize now. I've got things going on in my personal life and I might be delayed on posting for now. I'm still working on this one and will continue to do so but I might have to be in a hiatus for a little bit until I get everything situated. Any chapters I finish, I will post on the normal days. Thank you for reading!

Jinx