Chapter 12
Theft
"Here." Anderson passed a cool glass of water to Elia as Doctor Michel continued to examine her. Ash and Léon sat on an empty bed waiting. They wanted to question her as soon as she was ready.
"Thank you." Elia forced a smile. She was anxious to see James, and besides, she was feeling a lot better after a good meal, although she had struggled with it and half of the food still remained on her plate.
Anderson gave the Doctor a querying look.
"She'll be okay," Michel responded. "She just needs to eat properly to regain her strength and to take it easy until then. There's no long term damage."
"Good, now can you please take me to see James?" See said looking towards Ashley.
Ash stood up, frustrated. She wanted answers. "He's over in the larger medical clinic on the next arm over." She turned and looked at Anderson. "We good, Sir?"
"Yes, Williams. I'll be along shortly. I have business with our friend here." He said gesturing towards Léon.
Ash nodded and helped Elia to stand. She was still uneasy on her feet but already showing a vast improvement. The two women walked out of the clinic doors in search of a cab.
Léon walked over to Anderson. "I guess you want the evidence now."
"We upheld our end of the deal. Now it is time for you to uphold yours."
Léon nodded. "I gave you my word." The walked towards the back of the clinic, out of earshot of the Doctor. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a data card.
"You had it with you this whole time?"
"I have nowhere safer to hide it. I just took a risk and hoped you would search me too thoroughly." Léon grinned. "The data pad contains everything Elia sent to James. There's a lot on there, it should help with tracking down their suppliers at the very least. There's also a couple of names mentioned; officers in the Alliance." Léon handed over the card.
"What was the other information you told us you had?"
"Right. It's about Commander Shepard, and how he was revived. The Lazarus project." He paused and examined Anderson for signs that he recognised the name, but there were none.
"Go on." Anderson said.
"Elia had a brother. His name was Wilson. Looks like they found a way to talk to each other during Elias stay on Binthu. There are several emails from him. The emails between them are few and vague, but they talk about what they are doing without giving too much away. After Shepard's death, he talks about how he has moved onto a new project and is bringing a hero back to life. Elia didn't reply, because Binthu had already been destroyed. He eventually heard about Shepard's raid on the facility she was working in and he became concerned that he hadn't heard from her since the attack. He sent a few emails asking if she was okay, each becoming more and more written with distress. He tells her where he is. The co-ordinates for the ship the Lazarus project was housed aboard. The last message says he will avenge her death and Shepard would not be revived and allowed to kill more people. He expresses his hate for his boss Miranda and asks her once more to come to him if she is alive."
"Looks like Wilson failed. Do you know if the Lazarus project is still there?"
"No, but it can't hurt to check it out. Billions of creds went into this project. Whatever the illusive man's plans are for Shepard, they must be very important."
"Let's go and see what Elia has to say." Anderson walked out the door. Léon followed, a little unsure of his role in the plans ahead. Anderson had a car waiting outside, and they jumped in.
They found Elia sat in a chair by James' bed, leaning in looking distressed, which is exactly how they'd both pictured the scene before arriving. James' had woken up, but was struggling to stay that way.
"The nurse said he's been dropping in and out of consciousness for just over a day now." Ash informed them. "He's not talking much."
"Elia." Anderson said softly as he walked up beside her and knelt down. "I know this is hard, but we need some answers, if you are feeling up to it."
"I understand, of course. I'm okay. He'll get better, right?" She asked, looking for someone to reassure her.
"He's strong." Ash said.
Elia gave a weak smile. "Where do I start?"
"How about with what you found out that forced you to run?" Ash asked.
"I ran because they found out I was sending emails. I was caught sending information, but I'd covered my tracks well and they couldn't figure out where I'd sent them. "
"The emails we got from Binthu?"
"Right. Me and James modified the computer in the panic room and set it up on a separate server. That way we could talk with the outside world with little risk of Cerberus finding out."
"You didn't like Cerberus?"
"At the time, we believed in what we were doing, but they were strict. We wanted to talk to our families but all outgoing communication was forbidden."
"Is there anything you can tell us that wasn't in the emails we already have?" Ash was trying to keep her cool but still sounded frustrated. If there was nothing new, then rescuing Elia had accomplished nothing in terms of tracking down Cerberus.
"The last email is missing. I didn't get chance to send it. It was about using new technology on humans. They had plans to use reaper technology that they planned on Shepard obtaining for them."
"That doesn't sound good." Ash commented angrily, looking at Anderson. "They're using the skipper! While Shepard is trying to save the colonists, he's picking up tech for the Cerberus. I told him Cerberus can't be trusted!"
"Hold on, Chief. We don't know what is happening yet." Léon tried to calm her down.
"We have to find Shepard. We have to stop him from giving technology to those terrorists!" She turned back to Elia. "Where are they working on the new tech?"
"I don't know. It was just a conversation I overheard. The boss was talking to someone on a holocom, they didn't realize I was in the room."
"Damn!" Ash raised her hand to her forehead as if she was getting a headache.
"Calm down. We have one other lead, Chief." Anderson reassured. "We have a possible position on the Lazarus project, the place where Shepard was revived. Maybe we can find some more clues there."
"We need to find Shepard! We have to-"
"We don't even know where to look." Léon interrupted.
"I'm sorry I wasn't any help. You saved me, I wish I could do more" Elia apologized. She looked distressed.
"You did more than enough." Anderson told her. "The emails we already have a great help. We knew it was a long shot when we followed your co-ordinates."
"Hopefully the Lazarus project will provide a few clues." Léon added.
"We can't just, Shepard, what are we going to do about him?
"Williams, we have no idea where he is. We just have to trust that he will do the right thing and keep the technology out of Cerberus' hands."
Ash sighed. I know they're right. But I just can't stand the thought of my skipper helping terrorists.
"I'll go make preparations for a mission to Lazarus."
"What about me?" Léon asked.
"We still need to keep this quiet. Cerberus followed you to Watson. We can't afford that kind of mistake again. This time, we'll simply have to take a ship and go. We can deal the problems it'll cause later."
"C-Sec will try and disable any ship that launches without permission. I can get in and clear you for takeoff. Won't take them long to realize that a ship has been stolen but will give you enough time to get away."
"If you do that, you'll be arrested."
"I know it's likely, but there isn't much choice. I know C-Sec, I'm the logical choice. And I've done everything I can here. We're no closer to the illusive man. That path has come to an end. It's up to you guys to stop Cerberus getting that technology."
Anderson nodded. "Stay on comms, we'll find a suitable ship."
"You're coming, Captain?"
"We have to keep this quiet. Léon has his job to do, so you will need help."
The three started to make their way out of the door. Elia called after them.
"I want to come. I can help."
"You heard the doctor, you need to rest." Ash said.
"I'm okay." Elia insisted. "I know Cerberus protocols. I can help."
Ash walked closer and knelt down next to her. "You should stay with James."
"Shepard saved my life on Elysium. Now I have a chance to help him in return. Please."
Ash paused. "Captain?"
"It will be risky. We can't afford to have anyone slowing us down. James needs you."
"James will be okay. I can't do anything here. But I can make a difference with you guys. I'll stay on the ship until its safe. You have to let me help!" Elia pleaded.
"I guess, if she stays on the ship?" Ash asked the Councilor. "And she might be safer with us, if Cerberus is still looking for her."
"I guess an extra pair of hands won't hurt. Okay, let's get going."
Ash offered a hand to Elia, but she didn't take it. She stood up on her own strength, trying to show she wouldn't be a burden. The four of them left the clinic and got into the car Anderson and Léon had travelled in.
"Léon?" Ash asked as the Anderson pulled the car into the flow of traffic. "If you aren't with the Alliance or C-Sec, who sent you to investigate Cerberus?"
"Admiral Kahoku. Just before he was taken. I helped him with finding out the information on who killed his men."
Elia looked distressed, but didn't say anything.
"Cerberus killed Kahoku, why not you?" Ash questioned.
"Kahoku made too much noise, made a lot of mistakes. I'm not an easy man to track. Cerberus must have thought that whatever I was doing was done by him. After Kahoku was killed, I vowed to track down the illusive man. I asked a Shadow Broker agent and asked for help to track down Cerberus. The information cost me my life savings, but I was able to track them down. I gave them a data stick with information I had on them, and told them I wanted to help them. Took a bit of effort, but eventually I was given work."
"We'll find him. He can't hide forever." Ash said with conviction.
Anderson pulled the car over outside C-Sec. "We're heading up to the docks. Lay low and keep in contact."
Léon nodded as the three went inside. Nobody questioned the councilor and his team as they entered the elevator and travelled up to the military docks.
"We're in the elevator." Anderson said over comm. Léon didn't respond.
"I hope he comes through." Ash said. She was nervous but he done a lot to gain some trust back. Enough to go along with this plan.
The elevator opened and Anderson quickly spotted a suitable frigate, the Blenheim. The Councilor questioned a mechanic working on it outside and found it was space worthy and that there was a small Alliance crew including the pilot inside. The trio entered the ship and the decontamination chamber got to work.
"The Blenheim, Léon. Dock 6 Bay 4-B."
"Got it." Came the reply.
As the decontamination finished, the inside doors opened and the Blenheim's captain stood ready in the door way with 2 armed crew members.
"Councilor Anderson, Sir. We weren't expecting you."
"We need to take your ship on an urgent mission. You are to remove your crew except the pilot and report to Alliance command or new orders."
"We weren't told of this-"
"That's an order, Captain."
The Blenheim's crew paused. They knew something was up. This certainly wasn't the way to do things; the councilor had no authority to just take his ship. But this was Anderson. They respected him. He was a hero.
"Alright." The captain said after a few tense seconds. "But if anyone asks, you removed us by force."
"Fine by me." Anderson said as the Captain gathered his crew and left the ship. Anderson and his team entered the cockpit and explained to the pilot what was happening.
"Whatever you say, Sir." The pilot replied flatly. He was excited about working with such a man, even if he chose not to show it.
The four of them waited. After a few minutes, Léon's voice sounded over the comms.
"It's done. You won't have long so get going. I'm going to try and get out of here. Good luck."
"Good work." Anderson replied.
"Let's go!" Ash encouraged the pilot.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it!" He replied.
The ship backed out of the docks and turned, maneuvering out of the docks towards open space.
"We got a destination?" The pilot asked. Anderson gave him the co-ordinates.
"This is top secret, alright? No talking to anyone." Ash told him.
"Got it. Alright, here we go!" He said as he engaged the FTL drives and sped off towards the mass relay.