Chapter 7
A merry dance
Léon wasn't the type to be careless. He didn't like to think of it as being paranoid, just careful. And you can never be too careful, he figured.
He also knew sometimes you had to take risks, and he had taken one in the hospital earlier that day.
As much as it pained him to admit, he couldn't do this mission alone. His specialty was detective work. He was smart. He had some military training, a little time in simulations and on the ranges, but not much experience in battle. Even if he did, he was just one man; the odds were greatly against him.
He simply had no resources. He had himself, his KF Razer pistol, his credit chit and the clothes he was wearing. A grey shirt under a black jacket and matching black trousers. He kept his pistol in a holster under his jacket, concealed.
His armor was Alliance property and was locked away. The ship he once had was now back in his boss' hands and they were no longer on speaking terms, to say the least. The only people who knew of his true identity were dead.
Things were looking pretty grim, but he had purpose. He still had a job to do and he wasn't about to quit now. He'd come too far. Way too far.
The docks were a vast place and full of hiding places if you knew where to look. Léon remained in the shadows, laying still. Movement catches the eye and so he was trying to do as little moving as possible. Lying in wait, motionless and keeping a good level of alertness was difficult over long periods of time. History was riddled with successful surprise attacks allowed by the loss of concentration by watchmen.
5 hours he had said. The time limit was not random, it was the amount of time he could trust himself to stay alert. It was a decent amount of time.
He knew that Ashley would go straight to Anderson. He figured they'd spend a couple of hours identifying the body. Maybe they figure out who he is, maybe they don't, but sooner or later, she'll show. She needs to know more.
He couldn't have the Councilor coming along for the ride. He hoped that Ash would come alone, although realistically he was sure he'd come. Maybe they'd even send a squad and try to take him in. But he couldn't allow that to happen. He didn't know who he could trust and until he did, he had to keep what he knew secret. Hope for the best, plan for the worst, a saying which he followed.
He knew of Andersons past. He was a good soldier. But he worked for the council now. As much as he wanted to trust the man, it was too great of a risk, he wielded too much power.
He trusted Ashley Williams. She had helped stop Saren and the geth. She knew about the reapers and more importantly believed the existed. She had refused to help Shepard because of his ties with Cerberus, but he'd watched her. She regrets it.
Ash had stayed with the Commander when they defied the council in order to get to Ilos. Léon had pinned his hopes on her. Once he met with her, he was sure she'd help.
It was a risk. But a necessary one.
The elevator that rose up to the docks was a long one. Both Anderson and Ashley had been working as hard as they could and time had been tight. They had 15 minutes left to find Léon's ship, and Anderson had to get there unseen. Difficult, but not impossible, he figured.
He had very little luck discovering anything useful on Keane. He learned from C-Sec that he had only worked in the force for 2 years, not 5 as the written in the background check he had performed. There was a 3 year gap, but nobody had any idea where he had been. The last case he was on had been an undercover sting operation in which Léon had gone dark for several months before returning to at the last minute to stop an organized bombing of C-Sec headquarters. It had been kept quiet and Léon had vanished just days after.
He quickly ran over the story with Ashley over the sound of the latest news as the elevator rose.
"Vanished? So, he's either rogue or he went back undercover. That'd be my guess." Ash said after Anderson had finished.
"Yes, which means this meeting could go one of two very different ways. What did you learn about the patient?"
"He doesn't have a file of any kind. It's like he's a ghost."
"So you got nothing?"
"I didn't say that, Sir." She smiled. "The doctor examined the body for scars, tattoos and such that might help. No tattoos and most of the scars were new. But then he noticed a slightly lighter band of skin on his finger on the right hand. The doc suggested he was married. At first I thought it doesn't prove that because the wedding ring goes on the left hand, but I figured that checking for a marriage couldn't hurt. So I went to C-Sec and they ran a check on any married couples called Fale and got a match. James Fale, married to Elia Rapetti. An Italian women who moved to Elysium when she was a child. James was an Englishmen who moved there too, but we don't know when. James files are all still missing, so we only had Elias to work from. They got married about 3 years ago and were both on Elysium when it was attacked in the Blitz. We managed to contact her family and they sent some wedding photos. He looks much healthier in them, but you can see it is definitely him."
"Very good work Chief." Anderson looked impressed. "I'm surprised you managed all that in such a short amount of time."
"Not just a pretty face, Sir." She grinned. "I have no idea how Keane found this out, but we know he's telling the truth at least."
The elevator grinded to a halt as it reached its destination and a short sharp bell preceded the doors opening.
"True. Let's go find out what he knows."
The elevator was the most obvious place to watch. It was one of only two ways into the docks, the other being to fly a ship in. Léon watched as Ashley exited the car and went in search of bay 153-A. She'd soon find it, and realize the ship wasn't his. It was a big merchant freighter and the crew was still onboard. She'd have it figured out within five minutes. The only way back down would be this elevator. There wasn't any need to follow her.
He could devote his time making sure she came alone. He kept watch on the lift. There had been no new ships docking in the sector since he arrived and he knew there wouldn't be. He had chosen this sector because it was reserved for scheduled merchant ships, and he'd already checked the arrival lists. If a ship came in to dock, he could assume it to be hostile.
He figured Ashley would assume his plan would be to stay onboard the ship and simply fly away if there was trouble. It was the logical thing to do. They could lock the ship down, but that would give prior notice that something was wrong and possibly the chance to escape on a shuttle or destroy evidence.
The elevator stayed shut for a couple of minutes more. Léon saw the cameras moving, as if scanning the area. They'd been pretty still up to now. Looking for me? He thought. The elevator doors opened and he saw Anderson walk through casually. He was dressed in civilian clothes and he took the long route around.
People pay little attention to those who try to blend in and look like they belong. Léon sighed. A shame, but not unexpected. Logical thing to do would be to just stay hidden and let the danger pass. The elevators weren't available to him anymore. The cameras were watching and there would undoubtedly be an unfriendly reception at the bottom. If either of the officers were gone too long, backup would show up.
Any ships leaving unscheduled would be flagged down and searched.
It was worst case scenario, but he still had a plan.
Ashley looked at the freighter sat in bay 153-A. No way is this his ship, she thought. She checked the name. The Garuda. It was the right place. Is he really here? She doubted it, but this was the meeting point. A couple of engineers were performing maintenance checks on one of the thrusters.
"Hey, guys?" She asked. No response. She repeated the question with a raised voice.
"Oh! Hello there!" A short haired woman in mucky overalls looked up from her work. "Alliance? Oh, well, good to meet ya, Ma'am! Ricky. We got a guest, show some manners!"
The second mechanic looked up, an older man with a bushy grey beard. "Yes, yes. Hello. I'm very busy, is there something important?"
"Come on now, Ricky! That ain't no way to welcome a guest! Geez! What's wrong with you?"
Ash was now almost certain this wasn't the ship. "I don't mean to be any trouble, I just need to know if a man named Léon Keane is on this ship?"
The old man piped up again "Ley on? What kinda name is that? Sounds like a girl's name."
"Oh! Don't you listen to this sour grape! It's French, Ricky! Ricky here was born on Terra Nova, he don't really care much for the cultures back on Earth."
"What? You were born there too."
"Yes, but I appreciate the finer things! Culture, theatre! You just sit at home watching that show about Asari commandos. What is it with men and Asaris? They don't even have hair!"
Ash often wondered the same question. But she didn't have time to debate. "I know, right? But I'm kind of in a hurry. So you say there's no Léon here? Or Mr. Keane perhaps?"
"No sorry honey, no one by that name here." The friendly woman replied.
"Okay, thanks. Sorry to trouble you." Ash smiled and turned back the way she came.
"Nice to meet you! Good luck finding your friend! Say goodbye, Ricky! God! You're such a stick in the mud…"
Anderson watched the exchange from the cover of the entrance to the ship on the next bay down. He had circled around without seeing anybody and it was obvious that their target wasn't on the ship. So where was he?
Things hadn't gone as planned. The meeting place was a dummy. Something was wrong.
He followed Ashley from a distance as she made her way back. If anything was going to happen it would be before she reached the elevator. C-Sec would inform him if they saw anything on camera. Ash turned the corner and disappeared from his view. Not good. He broke into a run to get her back in his sights. He turned the corner. No sign of her. Shit!
The councilor looked around. Where could they have gone?
A set of doors belonging to the ship on his left began to open and a shuttle hovered in the gap waiting for space to leave.
Big mistake, Anderson smiled. There was no way out for Keane.
"I've got him," he spoke over the comms "He's trying to fly a shuttle out of here."
The shuttle left the hangar of the ship and started on a course headed out into space.
Anderson had expected him to land in the wards and disappear.
Where is he going? Is he trying to get to another ship?
"We see him councilor."
"Disable it only, we need him alive, and Chief Williams is onboard too. No casualties, understand?"
"Of course councilor. Looks like he's headed for a one of the ships waiting outside the citidel for authorization to land. He doesn't stand a chance. I guess he didn't count on us being involved." The C-Sec officer sounded like a Turian.
"I guess not." Anderson replied as he watched the shuttle vanish out of sight. It was out of his hands. He had to rely on C-Sec now.
Ashley opened her eyes to find herself on a metal floor. She turned her head and looked around. Her neck felt sore. I'm on a ship? My neck… She felt dazed and sluggish. Her right arm was handcuffed to a pipe, her left arm was throbbing and her weapon was missing.
"You're awake. Good." Ash looked up to see Léon standing on the opposite side of the small room.
"I'm sorry I had to do it this way."
"Son of a bitch! What did you do to me?" She yelled as she tugged hard at the chains, but neither they nor the pipe was budging.
"Relax you're fine. The dart was just a tranquilizer of some kind, Salarian made. The pain in your left arm is where I injected another drug to wake you up. Salarian again. Don't worry, they assured me it's harmless."
Ash was fuming. She had a look in her eyes that said as soon as I get free, I'm going to kill you. She thrashed on the chains but it was wasted energy.
"They're looking for me, you know." She said, not knowing if she meant it as a threat or to reassure herself. "Where are we?"
"Still in the docks. We're in an escape pod. The owner of this ship just went out on a delivery to the ships circling the Citidel in his shuttle. These merchant ship captains will do almost anything for extra cash."
Ash glared at him. "You're not getting away with this. You know that right?"
"I just brought you here to talk, but we don't have much time. So let's get down to business, shall we?"