I wish I had more time to pay attention to this, since it is my pet project, but alas!

Props to GreenYoda987 for keeping up with everything I ask her to read, and always being excited to work on whatever I have.

The doors to the Illusive Man's office slid closed as Lieutenant Williams showed herself out, leaving the head of the Family, still in armor, behind. It had been a generally pointless meeting—nothing more than a quick check in—yet it left Shepard feeling more and more like there was something she was missing. Somewhere in her organization, C-Sec had an informant right under her nose… Who was this motherfucker?! She ripped the helmet off with a growl and tossed it across the space, her expression neutral as it clattered into a corner. The longer she waited, the more anxious it made her; she couldn't just sit back while some bastard tore her empire down from within. Maybe Tali—

"Tali to Illusive Man. I have the information you asked for."

Speak of the devil. "Thank you, Tali. Please send it up. I'm alone, if there's anything else you have for me?" she asked expectantly, setting her chin in the palm of her hand and propping her elbow on her desk. Sometimes, she wondered how the young quarian had enough time to do even half of the things asked of her, but Shepard never had the heart to ask the question; as long as everything kept running smoothly, there was no need to mess with a good thing.

"Of course, Shepard. I've forwarded the file you asked for on Detective Vakarian. So far, nothing surprising; standard military record, some commendations, some reprimands, nothing unusual or outstanding, but a good soldier overall. His C-Sec service is very much the same; unorthodox methods, some successes, a few lost suspects."

"He's still trying to prove himself," she mused, almost more to herself than to Tali. How very interesting… He had struck her as much more of the "golden boy" than a rebel… she'd definitely expected less hot-headedness and more of a by-the-book method from him. Apparently there were others beside herself that were hard to get a read on. An affirmative hum from the other line alerted her to Tali's presence and she redirected her attention back to the conversation at hand.

"It would seem so. Probably stuck in his father's shadow."

"His father?"

"Yes, Atticus Vakarian. He was a detective for C-Sec as well, before retiring to raise a family." Shepard could hear the tap of keys and she could imagine Tali typing away at her screens. "His service was a bit more commendable—fewer reprimands for bending the rules."

"Atticus… That name sounds familiar…"

"He spent some time investigating the Family toward the end of his career," Tali confirmed, "He didn't come up with much—nothing that will stick—but it wasn't enough to tarnish the end of his career."

Shepard nodded slowly, absently stretching her legs under the expanse of her desk. So there were some daddy issues… Interesting. "How long ago was this?"

"Almost twenty years."

"Hm. Before my time, then. And he didn't get anywhere?" It seemed odd that an Officer who had been so successful would have made negligible progress, even into a case as difficult as theirs.

"He couldn't get approval for stake outs or sending a man undercover. And informants were even less forthcoming then."

"Is that even possible?" Shepard laughed. "After that family was killed during our shootout with C-Sec last year, people have been very quiet."

"Surprisingly, yes. There was more fear then; I think compassion is still a better option, though." Tali paused before continuing. "There's more, but I'll let you look it over in the file, ma'am. I wanted to give you an update on the leak."

Immediately, Shepard perked up, fingers tapping anxiously. "You found something?"

"No… not yet, but I'm still working on it. I'm currently scanning external communications to C-Sec for any mentions of our operations or operatives and any of their aliases. I've confirmed it isn't a virus, or a bug. There are no listening devices or other tech; whoever's doing this is being carefully low-tech." There was a note of frustration in her voice and Shepard could almost hear the sigh of exasperation she was holding in. "I'll keep looking, Shepard; don't worry," she added quickly.

Shepard felt a smile pull at her lip. "Of course, Tali. Keep me posted. Shepard out." As the call closed, she lurched to her feet, swaying in the ill-fitting armor. Well, it could have been worse—she knew that—but it didn't shake the feeling that she was wasting time. Who could it possibly be? Who in her organization would dare betray her? In her mind, she ran through every name of every person who had ever worked for her, yet none stood out as even a possibility. Damn it, she hated being in the dark! She was supposed to be all-knowing!

She stomped into her attached chambers, shucking off plates as she went; even without the compression of the armor, her catsuit clung to her like a second skin as she picked through the array of drugs on her end table. Something to calm the knot of panic threatening to choke her… If Liara had been there, she would have asked to meld; the asari always knew just how to put her at ease. But, as it turned out, her lover would not be back for a good while… She knocked back a Hallex with a shot of alcohol, swallowing down the burn.

And now to sit back and watch the well-oiled machine that was her organization run. Or read the file on Garrus… Yes, that wouldn't be a bad choice. She settled back against the pillows of her bed and switched on her omnitool. Sure enough, the file from Tali blinked cheerily at her and she pulled it open; military records, personnel files, and medical records scrolled by in a sea of text, each line beginning to waver and twist as the Hallex spread through her blood. Personal communications were filed under a separate tab—didn't he know to encrypt this stuff?—and in another, a list of surviving family and acquaintances, along with their last known locations and activities. Very thorough… Well, she might as well get started.

The orange interface dinged and a new window popped up, declaring she had a new message. That was… odd… She never received messages directly, not as the Illusive Man. And no one trying to reach Regina Shepard dared try to contact her when she was out of the office… Her eyes narrowed slightly as she clicked it open.

Regina, I hope this isn't disturbing you. I wanted to invite you out for coffee this afternoon, if you're available. There's a place near C-Sec headquarters that caters to levo and dextro, if you want. –Garrus

A smile spread across Shepard's face as she read it, slowly getting to her feet. Well, well… why read about her enemy when she could observe him herself? Oh, this would be perfect.

Garrus, I'd love to. I just have a few calls to take care of. How about 1400? –Regina

His affirmative response was almost immediate and she let the interface go dim. And so it began… In a few hours. What to do for two hours… Absently, she thumbed through the garments in her closet, considering her options. What did one wear to a coffee meeting with one's sworn enemy?

People strolled through and around the corner café where Garrus had asked to meet her, yet there was no sign of him, and nearly an hour had passed since she'd arrived fashionably late. Her coffee had gone cold long ago, and the sensory flare of the Hallex had long faded. As she watched the crowds come and go, she began to wonder if maybe Garrus had forgotten their—

"Regina, I'm so sorry, I should have sent you a message," Garrus interrupted her thoughts, falling into the seat opposite her. His mandibles twitched apologetically as he cast a glance over the menu. "I got caught up on a possible lead."

What a coincidence… "I understand, Detective," she replied with a smooth smile, "Anything concrete?" Their waiter appeared, blandly inquiring what they would have and she turned her smile onto him. "Fresh coffee, please."

Garrus quickly ordered something turian—probably the equivalent to coffee, she mused—and turned his attention back to her. "No. Well, maybe. I don't know yet. It's hard to get anything confirmed on the Family. Everything that looks promising ends up being a dead end; witnesses disappear or refuse to talk, evidence gets lost… If I could just get someone inside…"

Shepard nodded slowly. Of course, that would be the next logical step in any plan… But it had already been done and failed. "Venari mentioned something like that… But didn't the Spectre get killed going undercover?"

Instead of agreeing, Garrus scoffed, crossing his arm loosely as he reclined in his chair. "No offense, Ms. Shepard, but Spectre Alenko was an idiot," he informed her bluntly as their drinks arrived. He nodded his thanks and sipped, sighing contentedly. "Stealth and recon were not his strong points, and the Council should have known that when they assigned the case an operative. But they didn't; instead they saw a chance to throw the humans a high profile case for their hard-won Spectre and get them working with a turian officer. Probably wanted to improve relations." After a moment, he realized what he'd said and grimaced. "Sorry, Ms. Shepard. I didn't mean that. Well, I mean, not like that. It's just—"

"Politics," she finished for him, smiling as she set down her coffee. "I really don't give a damn about politics, Detective, I'm a businesswoman. Whatever the politicians wish to do is none of my concern, so long as they leave me out of it. So, who would you have sent instead, now that it's your case?" she asked, raising a brow in challenge. At his pained expression, she laughed. "Oh, come on Detective," she pressed, "I'm not going to tell anyone, I'm just curious! Surely you have some thoughts on what you'll do? You're in charge, it's your show."

"Yeah, well… I may have thought about it a little. It would have to be someone subtle, someone with experience… Someone who isn't afraid to bend the rules…"

"Like you?" Again, she laughed at his expression and lifted her cup. "Detective, I'm disappointed," she said with kind eyes and a smirk, "You should have known I'd read your file. Very impressive." The way he puffed up a little confirmed her suspicion that his reputation as a maverick was a point of pride. Well, maybe she could use that to her advantage…

"Yeah, well… Pallin would never agree to it. And even if I could, I'd have to find a way in, and of convincing them I'm trustworthy."

Something about the way he said them almost made her stiffen, but she forced herself to remain neutral, expression impassive as she sipped her coffee. "If it were Chellick suggesting it, I would have said that they'd out him in under a minute," she finally said, "but you're different. Even I can see the difference between you; you questioned your commanding officers on several occasions, you know how to challenge authority. Besides, you spend all day locking criminals up, just pretend to be one." After a moment's pause, she laughed. "I'm sorry, that must sound ridiculous. What would I know about this?"

Yet he didn't laugh with her, his expression speculative. "Maybe…" The single word trailed off and she noted, with some glee, that he was actually considering it. What better way to find the leak in her organization than by using the Detective as bait? Whoever brought him in would be her traitor—Oh, it was almost too good! "Pallin would still never agree. Too dangerous."

That was probably true, Venari was very "by the book"… "What if I talked to him?" she inquired, smiling, "I'm sure if I asked, he might change his tune. Especially with the announcement of the fund." Might as well put it to good use. "I want you to stop them, Garrus, and I want to help. What if I talked to the Executor?"

Garrus immediately held up his hands. "I appreciate it, Ms. Shepard, but please. I can deal with the Executor, you don't need to worry about it." At her slightly disappointed expression, he forced a small smile. "Let's just… talk about something else, maybe?"

"What about your other cases?" she asked with a sly smile, "What pivotal crime did you put a stop to before Venari set you up investigating the Family?" Garrus grimaced and she arched a brow. That wasn't the reaction of a successful cop. That wasn't the way one reacted when asked to brag about their exploits. That was the way someone who was ashamed to admit they'd failed reacted. Of course he's ashamed, he's a hothead running and gunning for the bad guys. Failure isn't exactly an option. Still, as he remained firmly silent, she finally spoke again, "Ok, so not pivotal crime…" Again, he didn't speak and she frowned. "What happened?"

Garrus scratched absently along his forearm and mumbled something nondescript. He didn't like admitting Saleon had gotten away, and especially didn't like that Pallin had let it happen, and then reassigned him to an impossible case. It was all so… infuriating. No, no. Don't complain. Pallin wants you to make her happy, so make her happy. Tell her what she wants to hear. "It didn't end as planned."

Uh huh… Well, she could have gathered that on her own. "How so?"

Garrus leaned his elbows on the table, cradling his cup between his hands. "I was investigating illegal organ trafficking down in the Wards—human kidneys, salarian livers, even krogan testicles." Shepard bit down a laugh and he managed a small smile. "It was strange, but nothing unusual. We were running DNA tests on the seized organs and chasing down anyone we found. Most were already dead, and we thought it might be a dead end… Until we got a match to a turian who was still very much alive and pretty sure he'd never lost his liver."

Shepard caught herself leaning toward him, enrapt in the story and hummed. "How is that possible?" It certainly explained the sudden spike in C-Sec activity down the Wards in the preceding weeks… And if the case "didn't end as planned", it was very possible that the presence of the officers would become the new norm. She didn't like that idea.

"I was wondering the same thing," Garrus replied. It was clear he had hit his stride in the story, gesturing animatedly with his arms, and Shepard pursed her lips in an effort to keep from smiling. "We brought him down to C-Sec for questioning, but before we could get anything out of him, he started coughing up blood." Garrus shook his head and Shepard covered her mouth in appropriate surprise. "Before we knew it, he was dead. Blood everywhere… Eventually, we found out he and a lot of our dead donors had worked for a scientist named Doctor Saleon and had all suffered an accident at work." After a brief pause he sighed. "We realized too late that the good doctor was growing organs inside his employees, harvesting them when they were ready. If an organ grew in wrong or malformed, he'd just leave it in them. These people were dying from the inside out because Saleon couldn't be bothered. We were too late when we finally went to arrest him at his office; he had already packed up everyone and everything and chartered a ship to take him off the Citadel." His expression darkened and his hands clenched into fists on the table. "I told Citadel Control to block their departure, but it was too late. And when I told Citadel Defense to shoot the ship down, Pallin overruled me. He said that we couldn't risk the casualties of the civilians Saleon had on board. Doesn't matter anyway, they were dead the second Saleon got his hands on them."

"But… you got him, right? I mean… Pallin wouldn't just let him go," Shepard pressed, trying to tell herself that she didn't actually care. Ok, that was a lie; she did care. She cared about anything that affected the Citadel, especially people like Saleon that were a threat to her people on the inside. The Family had operatives within most businesses, labs, and offices. And someone like Saleon could very well cripple her organization by eliminating an operative. That, and his illegal organ smuggling drew unwanted attention to the warehouses in the Wards, where she did business. And this attention had put a serious dent in her shipments and profits. People like Saleon had to pay. Saleon would pay.

"I tried to get any information I could on him, but…" Garrus sighed. "As far as I know, he's in the wind. I can't get any eyes on him in the Terminus Systems, and when Pallin switched me to the Family's case, he declared Saleon a cold-case. Until the Family is taken care of, we can't devote any resources to it."

Shepard's mouth fell open, but she quickly snapped it shut. "So he's still out there?" A small voice in the back of her mind hissed that it was her fault the bastard was free—hers and her organization's. Without them, Saleon might have been caught, but instead his case was dropped in favor of hers. Fuck, she felt worse about this than killing the Spectre. Both of them.

"As far as I know. Unless someone else got to him first, in which case I'd like to shake the hand of whoever kills the son of a bitch." Garrus finished the last of his drink and shook his head. "I'm sorry, this probably isn't the type of conversation you wanted when you agreed to meet me here."

Shepard scoffed. "You're kidding, right? My office is so unbelievably boring." Lie. "Besides, I did ask you about it. It's only fair that you tell me." She smiled. "That, and you looked like you needed the distraction from the Family." As if on cue, her omnitool pinged and she pulled it up curiously. A new message from Williams blinked at her and her mouth twitched into the shadow of a frown. "I'm sorry, Garrus, something just came up and I really need to head back."

Garrus blinked in mild surprise, but nodded. "Of course, Ms. Shepard, I understand."

"Regina, please," she insisted as they both stood. He held out a hand for her to shake and she took it, but quickly leaned forward and planted a light peck on his cheek. "Thank you for distracting me." And telling me exactly what you plan to do.

"I… My pleasure."

She left him standing there looking confused as she headed back toward the company car that had brought her. Her eyes skimmed over Williams' message as she walked, her expression growing darker with every step.

She had really hoped to avoid calling in this favor.

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