Chapter 32: Going For The Kill

Sometimes Jack wished he didn't have to jump through twenty different hoops to get a job done. It would be so much easier if the Eclipse mercenaries just listened to him when he said he just wanted to talk with Nassana. Instead, it seemed like they threw every merc in their entire gang at him every few feet. He couldn't actually blame them for not believing him, he had just used a transport to break in. They had only managed to get to the elevator lobby three rooms away from the crashed construction vehicle and he had already run out of ammo. Currently, Jack was hanging from the ceiling because an Asari was using her biotics to keep him there. He had to hope Feron was having better luck getting to Nassana, otherwise they were in trouble.

Kasumi slid under the Asari, using her submachine gun on the woman's knee caps. "Hope you land on your feet Shepard."

The Asari let go of her biotics sending Jack back to the ground with a heavy thud. He grabbed a rifle from a dead Salarian next to him and started shooting at another Asari chasing Kasumi with biotic warps. Kasumi surprised him with her acrobatic skills, running up the wall a few feet only to jump off it getting behind the Asari. Before the weapon he was using broke the Asari's biotic barrier, Kasumi had kicked her into the wall she had just jumped off of and shot her in the back of the head. Jack got up to his feet and looked around for Vetra only to see the Turian using the stock of her rifle to slam against a Salarian's cranial horns.

He grabbed her shoulder after the third time, "We have to go before more of them arrive."

Vetra was shaking with anger staring at all the carnage they had just created, "We took too long, no way Sid is anywhere near Illium after all the noise we started."

Jack knew her well enough to know lying to her was a bad idea, "Your right, the auction holders probably moved their 'products' the moment we got here. That doesn't mean we can just give up though. Nassana is still alive and has to know where they're all going."

Kasumi was holding the elevator door open for them, "Come on you two, Nassana's office is up this way."

The three of them entered the elevator and Jack could only hope that it wouldn't stop. Vetra was absolutely right, their dramatic entrance along with the amount of Asari they had to deal with wasted too much time. Sidera and most likely Oriana were being shipped back off to whichever slaver or monster owned them originally. His deal with Miranda to keep them safe after the Collectors were defeated was definitely not going to happen but, he wasn't worried about that right now. Even if they were able to get to a talkative Nassana before Thane tried to kill her, it would be months if not years before they could track down who belonged to who. He wished he could do something more for Vetra but, this was all he could do right now.

Vetra was watching the numbers on the elevator display slowly tick upwards, "Is there anyway we can make this thing go faster?"

Kasumi smiled in her direction and yet shook her head, "I'm not that kind of miracle worker Vetra. Just relax, even if she's dead by the time we get there I'm sure Krios won't delete her files. Paper trails are always more accurate than testimony anyways."

Vetra glared at her starting to pace around the small elevator, "And if it's encrypted she'll be in her thirties by the time I get a lead."

Kasumi scoffed at that while reloading her gun, "Pfft, please Vetra. Eclipse encryption keys aren't that complicated, it might be a week but nothing more. I bet the password is something like, 'kids r us' or something just as stupid."

When she didn't say anything, Jack spoke up, "I think she knows that, it's just a few extra days with a slaver could feel like years to Sid."

Jack could hear gunfire coming from above them so, he quickly pushed Vetra away from the elevator doorway. Sure enough, when the door opened they were greeted by a hail of gunfire meant to kill a small army. He peeked around the corner quickly to see an Asari that he assumed was Nassana hiding behind two drones resting on tripods. The guns used on the drones were usually strapped to Alliance tanks, not even his palladium laced armor could take that on. He was going to have to talk Nassana down and fast.

Once the burst of bullets was over, he heard Feron say, "I told you it's over Nassana, those Cerberus swordsmen were just the beginning. You know things that are valuable and that makes you a loose end. The Alliance can grant you immunity right now."

Kasumi winked at them from the other side of the elevator doorway and whispered, "Keep them talking for a few seconds." She tapped her omni tool and disappeared.

Nassana had her own pistol drawn pointing to where Feron had taken cover, "The Alliance can't protect me! You know the Harpers were an Alliance family, I would be slaughtered if they have any friends left there."

Jack spoke loudly hoping she didn't know about his current employment, "Nassana, I'm Commander Shepard with the Alliance Navy. My friend is telling you the truth, we can put you under our protection if you talk."

Nassana's voice shook and she fired at the elevator entrance, "Shepard? Your dead! The only way your talking to me right now is if she rebuilt you. I can't trust any of you!"

Feron groaned from his position hiding behind a separation wall, "Your not really helping Shepard. Nassana, just ignore him and listen to me. I just have a few questions about Cora and then I will be on my way. That's it, you don't have to give The Illusive Man up."

The lights flickered for a few seconds and the drones powered down as Kasumi revealed she was standing infront of Nassana's desk, "Oops, did I trip over that? I had no idea it was the power cord. Maybe you should start talking now?"

Nassana lowered her weapon in defeat allowing Jack and Vetra to come around the corner of the elevator and into the room. He was relieved that they had gotten to her before Thane but, now Jack had a choice to make. It was clear from the way Feron was talking about her, Nassana could be the key to bring Cerberus down for good. Jack would normally be one hundred percent on board with that idea except for the fact that the Collectors were still a threat. Nothing had changed with the Alliance to make him expect they were suddenly going to believe him. So, he could kill Nassana behind Feron's back to give him more time or, he could do the right thing and let this play out. It was a hard decision but, his crew came first and Vetra needed Nassana alive.

Nassana looked at Feron with a resigned expression, "What do you wanna know?"

Feron relaxed as though an anvil had been lifted off his shoulders, "The Red Rose, does Cora Harper still fly the Red Rose? Hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved if you give me the right answer."

Nassana gave him a furious glare, "You've caused all this damage to my property, and my life, just for that?!"

Vetra took the opportunity to add, "And I want to know what you've done with my sister but that seems less important now."

Before she could answer any of them, a Drell's voice came from the ceiling, "Amonkira, lord of hunters. Grant that my hands be steady, my aim be true, and my feet be swift. And should the worst come to pass, grant me forgiveness."

Feron went running in Nassana's direction but, they were all to far away to stop what was happening. A flashbang grenade landed at the center of the Asari's desk and a foot coming from a vent above them kicked Kasumi backwards. By the time the effects of the flashbang wore off, Nassana was dead on top of the table and Thane Krios was standing over her. Jack thought it was curious the Drell had immediately closed his eyes and clasped his hands together as if he was in prayer. Wouldn't he want to greet his son? While he would have more time to go after the Collectors now, Jack couldn't help but feel his heart sink for Vetra. Another promising lead to find Sidera was dying right infront of her eyes.

Vetra's eyes widened and she ran towards Nassana with medi gel, "Fuck!"

Jack moved to help her even though he knew it was pointless, as he watched Feron approaching Thane while glowing blue with biotics, "Were you even paying attention to what I was saying, or did your contract just have to be filled no matter what?! Enkindlers forbid that the great Thane Krios have another spot on his record."

Thane spoke quietly not moving from his position, "Be quiet Kolyat, I'm praying for her to go across the sea."

Feron threw a warp at him with tears welling up in his eyes, "That's what you have to say to me? I thought you were dead! DEAD! I was raised by a Hanar because of it. Now you have the nerve to interrupt my mission, kill the person I was questioning, and put me off for a prayer?!"

Thane casually slapped away the warp with his own biotics while keeping his eyes closed, "Even the wicked deserve to be taken across the sea. Your just angry because I wasn't there for you when your mother died."

Feron sent another warp in his direction that Jack had to duck away from, "You weren't ever there when she was alive. Always away on 'business.' Why should you be there when she died?"

Thane sighed opening his black eyes and took a calm posture, "Your mother... They killed her to get to me. It was my fault."

The immediate silence was cut off with Vetra's fist desperately trying to give Nassana CPR even though the Asari's neck had been broken, "Come on, wake up! Spirits don't do this to Sid."

Feron lowered his biotic charge, "What are you talking about...? Don't you dare lie to me."

Thane stayed exactly where he was, "After her body was given to the sea, I went to find them. The trigger men, the ringleaders. Nassana was the last person I needed to eliminate in order to free myself of my pain. I wanted you to have a different life then mine. It's clear now that I should have stayed with you."

Feron gave him a cold harsh laugh, "I guess it's too bad for me you waited so long, huh? Now I have to figure out how I'm going to clean up this mess... You just destroyed years of work for me... Fuck!"

Thane reached out to grab his shoulder, "Kolyat. I've taken many bad things out of this world. You're the only good thing I ever added to it. Come home with me and we can start over."

Feron slapped his hand away, "It's Feron now thank you, and I have a job to do. People are counting on me." He marched over to Kasumi, "I know you stole her omni tool already, I'm going to need it as Alliance evidence."

Kasumi stood up and dusted herself off, "No can do officer, me and Shepard need what's probably on her omni tool now that she's dead."

Jack stood up and stepped infront of her, "She's right, we need that data for the auction she was supposed to be having tonight. Maybe we can work together again just like old times."

Thane grabbed his pistol from the table, "If you are really both working with the Alliance, you may wish to brace yourselves. I see Kai Leng and several Cerberus Phantoms fighting Archangel on the lower floor."

Five minutes earlier:

_o0o_

Kal felt terrible now about just leaving Shelrrik like that but, Jack could use his help right now. If The Illusive Man really had decided to backstab them because they were helping Miranda, he could walk right into a trap and not know what to expect. Keelah had been cruel enough to take his cyar'ika away from him once, he prayed she wasn't vengeful enough to do it again. Of course, Miranda was in denial thinking there had to be another explanation for the Phantoms appearance here. She trusted her contact fully which was why they were running into a large dark room just below the top of the tower.

Garrus tapped his shoulder and quickly signed, "More Knights are in here, gonna get a good vantage point."

He was about to warn Miranda they were running head long into a trap when all the room's lights flashed on brightly. Kal slid to a stop only to see Cora Harper standing next to a man he assumed was Miranda's contact. Cora hadn't changed a day from the time he saw her on Omega at the Blue Suns base. She still appeared to be in her twenties with white hair that flopped to one side to cover the wound he had given her. Unlike Omega however, Cora was wearing Cerberus Phantom armor and carrying their signature sword. Kal stood infront of Zero to protect her from being seen.

Cora clapped her hands together slowly, "Congratulations on following orders and getting here on time! Look everyone, the traitor's good at following orders when her own life depends on it."

A boo came from the other Knights surrounding them and Miranda took a shot barely missing her, "Where's Oriana?"

Niket stepped forward a little, "Where she belongs, safe with her family."

Miranda's hand started shaking as she realized what was happening, "Why, Niket? You were my friend. You helped me get away from my father."

Niket gave her a sympathetic look, "Yes! Because you wanted to leave. That was your choice! But if I'd known that you'd stolen a baby-"

Miranda interrupted him sounding defensive and vulnerable, "I didn't steal her! I rescued her!"

Cora gave a snort of a laugh, "Just like you tried your hardest to rescue Leng on Luna? Give me a break."

Another boo from all around them made Kal realize there were a lot more than six Phantoms in here with them. Cora could probably kill them whenever she wanted and yet, she was letting Miranda argue with Niket. She was playing up to the invisible crowd as if she was putting on a stage performance, but who was she playing too? The only thing that mattered right now was getting Zero out of here, he had promised to keep her out of Cerberus hands and he had meant it. He just had to figure out how they were going to make it out of this ambush in one piece.

Kal whispered quietly trying not to move, "Jack, I want you to run as fast as you can back the way we came. No matter what happens to me, you run and won't look back."

He wanted to scream when she said loudly, "I'm not afraid of any of you fuckers, you should've seen what I did to your friends outside!"

Cora pivoted to face them with a wild grin on her face, "Zero! I'm so proud of you for getting out of the lab and actually showing off your powers! Golo told me not to give up on you but, I gotta admit it was hard when you ran away."

Jack stepped around Kal ready for a fight, "I don't know who you are lady but I don't belong to you. Everyone involved with Noveria died with the neutron purge."

Kal knew his lie was about to come out but, he tried one last time to stop it, "Jack, I'm ordering you to leave right now and let me deal with Cora."

Cora took on a mocking childish tone, "Kal...how could you do that to her? You know me, we go as far back as Noveria technically. I don't appreciate what you did to Golo on Omega but, he wasn't useful anymore. You see sweetie, Kal knew I ran Noveria because he killed my second in command."

Jack stepped away from him and gave him a devastated glance, "You...you lied to me...?"

Niket was yelling now, "From a life of wealth and happiness?! You weren't saving her! You were getting back at your father!"

Miranda sounded like she was going to break down into tears, "You don't know what my father wants for her. She's not safe with him."

It was Niket's turn to sound defensive, "I know that I've been poor, Miri. I didn't much care for it. He wants to make her life better, he told me himself."

Miranda raised her gun towards him, "Which means that you're the only loose end. This isn't how I wanted it to end, Niket. I'm going to miss you..."