Chapter 14: Putting the band together again
Light had once again penetrated the dark confine of his cell, a few rays intently falling on his eyelids. Shepard had little choice but to wake up. There was a chill on his front side, as if something that had kept him warm had left him behind. It was a sad realization for him that it actually had. He rolled around, trying to find her. She couldn't have left that long ago. Sitting on the other bed, a small bald woman was tying her shoelaces. You're up, she remarked nonchalant.
What time is it? he asked, trying to shake the sleep off.
About 2 hours too early for you, she informed him.
Dammit, the prisoner exclaimed disappointed. I don't think I'll be getting any more sleep today. He shook his head.
Jack's omni-tool came to life. She fiddled with it, but nobody talked. What? she shouted, rather agitated that she had been interrupted.
Where have you been, Jack? the voice of Garrus Vakarian sounded in the cell.
The human biotic raised her head and looked at Shepard. None of your fucking business, bird, she barked.
She's with me, Garrus, the specter intervened.
Shepard? the turian asked after a small respite. Is this a bad time?
The commander chuckled. It's alright. Nothing happened.
Shit, Shepard, don't tell him that! She protested, then sighed. What the hell do you want?
I need you in docking bay D24, the veteran marksman informed her.
Docking bay D24? Zero wondered aloud. What's in docking bay D24?
The Normandy, came Garrus' laconic response.
So ... cheerleader did it? She hesitated to ask, her eyes squinting.
The cheerleader did it, came the confirmation from the turian.
The cheerleader did it, she shouted out loud, jumping up from her cot. Shepard looked at her, expectantly. Maybe she was ready. Maybe she could put her hate for Cerberus behind and start life anew, maybe she could give Miranda a chance and they could finally get along like normal people. So when I hunt her down to kill her, I'll give her a five second head start, Zero concluded and the specter hung his head. Maybe it was just too much to ask for.
The venerable krogan exited the elevator and walked into the CIC, a smile on his face. I thought I smelled a turian, he joked.
Wrex? What are you doing here, big guy? I thought you had a planet to run, Garrus extended his arm for a handshake, but the former mercenary refused it. Instead, he slammed his head on the turian. Garrus took a few steps back, dizzy, only to be hoisted up straight again by Jacob and Zaeed.
Hmpf, still a pushover, he remarked, losing his interest.
Let's ... let's just go over the passenger manifest, Kaidan hastened.
Passenger manifest? the turian asked, his legs still wobbling.
Kelly got us the passenger manifest of the ship Billy boarded to get to the Citadel, Miranda explained. Aria gave it to her.
Speaking of little Red, where is she now? Jack wondered.
She's recuperating in the infirmary. Just a precaution, Jacob informed her.
Oh, poor Kelly, Tali sympathized. Is she alright?
Kaidan cleared his throat. S-so, h-how about that manifest.
Yeah, just a little dehydrated, Jacob remarked.
Wow, Jack exclaimed, folding her arms around her chest. I don't think I wanna know why.
I do and I hate knowing, Miranda rested her head on her hand.
Good call, whispered Tali in Jack's ear, resting a hand on her shoulder.
G-guys? The manifest? Kaidan said trying to catch everyone's attention.
We can chit chat later, let's take a look at this manifest then, Garrus ordered, having recovered from his blunt head trauma.
Right, Jacob beckoned. EDI, put it up on the monitor.
One of the side panels, near the galaxy map, turned to life, a list of names appearing on it, for everyone to see.
Alright. We're looking for turian passengers. Jack managed to discern Billy's, Garrus sighed before continuing, 'chicken legs'. Miranda and Jacob shared a look, that he caught almost instantly. What's wrong? he asked.
Both of us checked the list, Miranda answered.
There was no turian on board that ship, Jacob concluded.
What? Garrus exclaimed surprised, scrolling through the list. No, there has to be a mistake, Jack said-
Maybe Jack is wrong, Miranda barked, nailing Zero with her stare.
Fuck you, cheerleader! She raised her hand and pointed accusingly at her face. I know what I saw!
Maybe she isn't wrong, Samara, who had been quiet the whole time, interrupted, but she may not be entirely right either. She took a step forward, placing herself in front of the monitor. We assumed she meant a turian, she scrolled through the list herself, when she said 'chicken legs'. But what if it was something else entirely? What if it was, she paused both her speech and her scrolling, stopping at a name, then highlighting it, a quarian?
Tali took a few steps back. Kaidan, seeing her retreating like that, sensed there was something wrong. He placed an arm around her back and leaned forward to check if she was feeling well. Tali motioned to him that she was fine, but she still took a few more steps back, bumping against the bulkhead. Kaidan turned around, not letting her out of his sight.
Shit, Zero started a sentence as she usually did, it could be a quarian. Fuck if I can tell the difference. It could have been a geth for all I know.
Garrus squinted his eyes, trying to read the name on the list. I have no idea who that guy is, he resigned.
That's not his real name, Tali said, finally.
You know who he is? Kaidan asked her, surprised. He knew there was something wrong with the way Tali acted since she heard the word quarian, but he didn't expect this.
She nodded her head to the group. His real name is Wil'Nighy. I don't know which ship he originated from. His name was struck from the archives. He has been branded a traitor amongst my people, ever since he returned from his pilgrimage.
So what did he do, exactly? Jacob wondered.
It's not what he did, Tali elaborated, it's how he returned. He wasn't a quarian anymore. His arms and legs had been replaced with geth prosthetics.
It all made sense to Garrus now. How he could run so fast, how he seemed to glue on to vertical surfaces. Billy isn't just a quarian, he's also a geth hopper, he established. That's why he could take the sniper shot and still stand and that's how he could climb the walls so effortlessly.
Talk is cheap. We need to find this fucker and put him down, Zaeed prompted.
He will need to care for his wound first, Thane contributed, but it is unlikely he visited a hospital.
Many practitioners work on the side for crime syndicates, Kasumi pointed out, but his condition would require a geth specialist.
There are no geth on the Citadel, Legion chimed in. We know. We have looked. It almost sounded like the geth collective complained.
His prosthetics would be easy to spot in public, even in a place like the Citadel. If I were him I would walk in a disguise. Or invisible. I find that helps the most, the thief reasoned.
Would an envirosuit be sufficient to hide his implants? Thane turned to Tali.
I ... I don't know. If they were tailored to him, then I guess so, but I just can't be sure. I've never seen him and, like I said, the fleet holds no record of him anymore, she replied.
His condition explains the ritualistic murders, Samara interrupted. He is trying to relive his own loss by mutilating his victims, but I do not understand why he called himself Billy.
Probably to make a mockery of humans, Kaidan informed her.
Yes, it is an old human custom to change a letter of your name to something else. Hence why a lot of humans called William, or Will are often referred to as Bill, Miranda explained.
So, perhaps due to his personal grudge against Shepard, who is considered as the greatest human alive across the galaxy, he decided on changing his name, the staff lieutenant concluded.
So that would make Wil'Nighy into Bil'Nighy? Kasumi wondered.
Well, yes, Kaidan stammered a response.
So how do we catch this clown? Do we know where he is now? Wrex intervened.
We lost his tracks somewhere in lower Kithoi last night. By now he could be anywhere, Garrus shook his head.
If he's moved, he's likely taken a shuttle, Thane pointed out. His wound would prohibit straining.
Would the shuttle driver have to report transporting an injured quarian? EDI chimed in.
He could, but I find it highly unlikely, Kasumi retorted. Cooperating with authorities would limit business potential.
But he would still disclose the information to us, if we're convincing enough, Thane prompted.
So ... race to the lower Kithoi shuttle station? the thief challenged the assassin.
I'm dying, he reminded her.
Oh, right, she sulked. Last one there's a rotten egg, miss Goto exclaimed and run off. Thane sighed, shook his head and went on his way as well.
Guess while those two try to figure out where Billy went, me and the whelp can ... Wrex looked around for Grunt and only just realized he was missing. Whelp? Where the hell did he go?
He took the elevator off, just as you came to the CIC, EDI informed them.
So where is he now? Jacob asked.
He got off the elevator once he reached the mess hall, the robotic voice of the AI chimed again.
Oh, no, remarked Miranda, slapping her head with the palm of her head.
Heeeeeeeeeeelp! Gardner's voice resounded across the CIC. Someone come get this stinking krogan outta my kitchen! He's eating everything. Again!
Heh, cheeseburger. What are they going to think of next? Grunt's voice could be heard in the background, amidst the sound of creaking, broken crockery.
I'll go get him, Jack remarked and run to the elevator.
You? the former Cerberus agent exclaimed.
Yeah, she retorted, slapping the elevator button. If Shepard's his adopted dad, then I'm his mom, right? she explained as the door in front of her shut down.
Did she just say she's his mom? the quarian couldn't believe her ears. The rest of the group stared with a mixed look of disgust and surprise at the metallic elevator door.