Liara

The glass behind Vasir began to crack in a spiderweb pattern. Her arm was tucked behind her back and I knew as she moved that the glass would be her weapon against us. I dashed to the front, lowered my weapon and knelt, throwing a shield around Shepard and me as the glass hurtled towards us on a wave of biotic energy.

Vasir turned as the glass continued to pelt us and Shepard broke from the shield, tackling the asari Spectre and hurtling through the shattered window and out of the building. I rose to my feet, immediately dropping back to my knees as pain sheared across my side. The door opened again and I heard a soft, never-forgotten voice as a three fingered hand cupped my elbow.

"Just like old times." Garrus purred.

I need to catch Vasir. I cannot lose sight of her!

"Not quite, Vakarian." I said, shrugging his arm off of me and running to the window and leaping out of it.

I spun biotic energy around my body, using it to slow my descent, watching as Shepard hit the ground and remained motionless, and Vasir kept running. She moved fast, and I knew that I could not stop to see if Shepard was all right. I could not risk Vasir getting away. Finding the Shadow Broker was too much a priority, the end of my mission was so close that I could taste it.

My feet struck the ground and I ran after Vasir, ignoring the throb that pierced through my side with every hurried step. Vasir disappeared into a walkway and two of the Broker's agents ran out, firing weapons. Biotic energy flared in my hands and I tore both of them off balance as I ran, knowing that I risked expending too much energy too quickly. I did not care. There would be time to recover later.

I raced down the stairs and heard Vasir screaming in front of me.

"Kill that pureblood bitch!"

I raised my weapon, firing sporadically as I chased Vasir through the city of Nos Astra. A bullet clipped my armor but the shields held.

[Liara, it's Garrus.] a voice crackled through my aural implant, linked to my omni-tool, and threw me off balance.

I stumbled behind cover and heard the sound of bullets peppering the metallic surface, striking sparks. I threw up another biotic shield across my body and charged, running for my enemies, watching Vasir disappear behind another corner. I fired my weapon without truly aiming, hoping that the bullets would take their target, but not particularly caring.

[I've hacked into your comm channel.] the turian informed me. [We're using it to track you. What's your situation?]

"Broker agents everywhere, keep your guard up and come in hot." I panted as I continued running, able to see Vasir once again, firing at her, but her shields held and too many of my shots went wild. "Dammit, she's getting away!"

[Not gonna let that happen.] I heard Shepard's voice in my ear and part of me breathed a sigh of relief.

She is all right, my body wanted to rest, to stop running, but I refused to give in. I could feel the heat of blood beneath my armor again and clenched my jaw, pressing forward, remembering my exhaustion on the Citadel, and how I had not let it conquer me.

I followed Vasir through a door, out onto Illium's transport dock. At last, I saw the Spectre's strength falter. She doubled over, breathing hard. I lifted my pistol, knowing that I was in worse physical condition than she. My vision was blurry and my arm wavered, but I fired, hoping once again that my bullets would take their target.

The bullet struck and her shields flared as her generator shrieked. Vasir dove behind a skycar and I ran towards it, determined to end this confrontation as it should be. With her blood and my victory. I heard a gun fire and an intense pressure in my chest that knocked me backwards. A subtle vibration ran out from my chest and through my entire body and I knew that my shields had deflected the bullet but that they were almost, like Vasir's, out of power.

"I have her pinned down!" I yelled into the comm.

[We're almost to you.] Garrus answered. [Shepard would answer, but she's too busy killing things.]

"Just like old times?" I asked, remembering acquainting myself with Garrus and Serena's penchant for joking in life threatening situations.

It had been so odd, at first, but then it had become comforting. It had become a necessity…it lessened the harshness of the taking of lives. Back when taking lives had been…harsh. It seemed as second nature now, an easy means to an end…like the intake of air, an autonomic reflex.

Garrus laughed through the comm link and I ducked as Vasir rose from cover and began firing again. I ejected the thermal clip from my pistol and locked in another one, resolving that I was done with this chase. It would end, now.

I stood up and fired at Vasir's cover, aiming through the hood of the skycar, hoping that the bullets would punch through it and pierce her, but I heard no cries of pain and saw no spray of blood. My own blood raged fierce in my veins, needing the kill, needing the success, needing to be victorious in this. All of my failures…Feron had been alive through all my failures. He would have been tortured, he would have been tortured for over a year.

Just die you Spectre bitch! My thoughts screamed.

Vasir rose from behind her the car and I knelt, throwing up yet another shield. I heard the hissing of a door and saw Shepard, Garrus, and, to my great dissatisfaction, Miranda Lawson, appear on the platform. A glow of orange caught my eye and I turned to see Vasir typing into her omni tool and heard the hum of a skycar overhead. It flew to Vasir's side of the platform and the Spectre leapt off of the transport dock and into her vehicle.

"Damn it!" I swore as she flew away, pressing my hand to my side as the pain became more insistent.

Ignoring it, I ran to a nearby skycar that I had not shot through, ran a simple hack, and the doors flew open. Briefly, I considered driving, but my vision was not good enough for that. Instead, I sank into the passenger seat. Shepard sat in the driver's seat and took the wheel. She nodded at Garrus, who moved to the back.

"I'm fine, just so you know." Shepard muttered.

"I am happy to hear it." I snarled.

"Out of the way, Vakarian." Miranda hissed, shoving the turian out of her way with a slight biotic push. "This is not a Cerberus sanctioned operation, and I will not let Shepard go rogue."

"Lawson," Shepard growled, but my eyes were fixed on Vasir's fading tail lights.

"If you lose her Cerberus will have to account for three lost assets!" I shouted, aiming my pistol at the dark haired woman, and Miranda slid into the seat.

The hatch of the car closed, leaving Garrus stranded on the transport platform. I did not like the fact that Miranda Lawson had insinuated herself in this, especially since she did so in order to protect Cerberus interests, and to report back to her Illusive Man about my actions. She would attempt to twist this somehow…I had an enemy before me, and one at my back.