The Cruelty of Hesitation

Chapter Three:

Watch My Back

"I still don't understand why you didn't wear your armor," Garrus complained as he adjusted his own. "Anywhere you go, fights break out and someone ends up dead. I'd prefer if the dead didn't include you or me." He rolled his shoulders and then tipped his head back and forth to stretch.

"I've got more at my disposal than just guns," Shepard shot back as she adjusted the sleeve around her wrist.

"Right," Garrus replied in a snippy tone while doing his final weapons check. "I forgot you can pack one hell of a punch too."

"Not what I meant," she had responded in a disinterested manner as she ran her fingers over the top of her head to smooth out any bumps or irregularities in her hair. Commander Shepard looked absolutely and irrevocably flawless that night. Her dark hair was pulled back into a tight and tense ponytail. Her dark fitted shirt darted and danced over her arms and skin in an intricate and alien mold she wasn't used to, and her dark form fitted pants melded almost perfectly with the fastened boots she walked in. Shepard had no use for things like make-up or jewelry. They were unnecessary, and at best trivial. She looked down to her laced boots to make sure the patterns of the laces were correctly weaved through each hole. She'd leave the high heels to Miranda.

She ran her fingers over her clothing as well to make sure any creases or wrinkles disappeared. Her clothing was padded (in a genius manner as to not let anyone know it was) and could protect against minor injuries, but wasn't good enough to try and stop a bullet. She had picked it after a careful assessment of both the people she would be confronting and the environment she'd be in.

She watched the entrance to the Afterlife Club as people bobbed and swayed in and out. Some seedy looking types were going in with a suspicious eye. Others, regular civilians, usually came out in pairs and drunk. She and Garrus had spent the past day or two tracking down informants and leads while on Normandy. Every piece of information, every subtle lead had ended here on Omega. After a few threats and the tactic of manipulation, they finally got a name. Antuin.

She looked back to Garrus. "Ready?"

"Just don't ask me to dance once we get in," he tilted his head toward her in acknowledgement.

Shepard's lip twitched in slight amusement. "Let's go."

She rounded the corner with Garrus on her heels and walked past the long line of people waiting to get in. Eyes were following her; each set snaking over her form, judging her. She could hear one man at the front of the line complaining to the Elcor bouncer as she neared. "Aria's expecting me," he said with a tinge of annoyance in his voice. Shepard shook her head and walked on to the door.

The second bouncer held his hand up and looked Shepard over. "Name?" He questioned as he held a pad in front of him. He looked bored.

"Shepard," she said as she clasped her hands behind of her back, waiting.

"Shepard…" He scrolled the screen a few times. "Shepard…" He did it again. "Yeah, I'm not seeing that name on here. You'll have to go wait in line like everyone else."

She could feel Garrus tense behind of her as he shifted his weight.

"I assure you I'm on there. I've been here before. Check again." She stared the bouncer down, her blue gaze unfaltering.

"Yeah, see…Thing is… I already checked twice. Not doing it again. Go stand in line." The bouncer waved his hand in some random direction.

"No." She said with a slight shake of her head. She held her body completely rigid.

Garrus could tell she was getting ready to do something. What, exactly, he had no clue. But she was fast and whatever the hell she was going to do he had to be ready. He could feel his muscles tensing in response to the situation. His hand was sliding to the pistol hidden at his side. His eyes were on the two in front of him. His breathing was quickening. Adrenaline was beginning to flow.

With lightening quick reflexes Shepard snapped her hand in front of herself and snatched the pad from the bouncer without him even knowing.

"See? Number twelve. Shepard." She looked the bouncer over disdainfully and threw the pad on the floor in front of him. She turned and headed in the door with Garrus in tow without another word. She didn't have time to deal with petty thugs and their games.

"Human asshole!" The batarian bouncer yelled after her.

Her form was suddenly alight in hues of red and orange as they snaked over her skin. They walked through the hallway, trying to adjust to the dimness of light. She could feel the vibrations from the music tickling her skin. "Remember Garrus," she said as she looked back at the turian for an instant as they went through the second set of doors. The club was finally revealed to the pair. The lights, the music, the crowd were all alive and feeding off of one another. Chaos; it thrived in places like this. "Watch my back. I'll meet you outside if there isn't trouble after we're done." Her lips turned up on one side in a half smirk. "Blend."

That was her final word before she turned and quickly melded in with the club's swarm of guests.

"Damn, she's good." Garrus commented under his breath before he spotted her. She was already over by the bar, nonchalantly talking to the bartender and ordering a drink. He moved to a beam on the wall that wasn't crowded; or too crowded anyway. He leaned back into it, crossing his arms. A few asari were sharing a drink to his right and giggling, but he paid no attention to them. His eyes were on Shepard.

She was leaning on the bar now, both her elbows behind of her as she casually scanned the crowd. Her legs were crossed. He tilted his head to the side as he observed her. He tried imagining by human standards if she was attractive or not. He slithered a hand over the side of his face and shrugged his shoulders to himself. The concept was too alien. He couldn't tell.

He watched as she pushed off from the bar and glided in-between people. He pushed his own form off the wall as he noticed a human male watching her. He looked well kept and clean, and judging by that awful outfit maybe a little mental. After a moment of studying Shepard the man began to follow her with a few steps in between them at all times. Garrus's mind calculated some of the possibilities; Merc. Assassin. Thug. Dealer.

He kept an eye on the man and followed him as he followed Shepard. The music drowned out most of the conversation around him, and he felt his heart racing to meet the beat. Two more steps and he'd catch that bastard and…

An asari stepped in front of him, her finger tracing over the front of his armor in a playful manner. "Hey there…" She said as she smiled up at him, brilliant white teeth showing underneath sapphire lips.

"Not interested." He said as the man and Shepard began to fade from view. He stepped to the side to continue following them but was blocked by the woman once again. His mind reeled. Red flags went up. Maybe she was working for that man. Maybe she was trying to distract him so he could lose his lead. Shepard's words echoed in his mind. Watch my back.

Reflections and images of provocatively dancing asari twirled around him as he tried to look over the crowd for Shepard. She was gone. He looked to his right; too many people on that side to try and pass through the crowd. He looked to his left; two men were conversing.

"I love that visor," the asari commented with a smile. "Where'd you get it?" She fluttered her long lashes at him and put one hand on her hip. The other went on her head to slide over her blue toned skin. She smiled at him again.

Garrus snorted in response and took a step to the right, sliding in between the conversing men and bumping each, knocking off their balance. He moved on in a hurry, not listening to the flurry of insults directed at him from the two. His steps were quick, and he looked like a predator seeking his prey as he slipped through the crowd.

Halfway around the club he spotted the back of a woman near one of the private tables with a dark ponytail; had to be Shepard. He worked his way through the crowd to move in closer. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. It was Shepard. The man stood a few feet away from her, his eyes weaving over her form. He suspiciously had his hand in his pocket as he stared at her. Shepard didn't see him, or rather, wasn't paying attention to him.

He had to move faster. He had to push his way through. What was he trying to hide? A gun? A knife? He'd been here too long. He knew what the thugs on Omega were capable of.

"Shep! Behind you!" Garrus called out in a rush as he shoved the last person out of his way.

She hadn't heard him. The man started pulling the object out of his pocket and stepped next to Shepard.

In an instant Garrus was beside him, grabbing the man's collar and dragging him off into the hallway in the back of the club. No one tried to stop him. Hell, he doubted anyone even noticed what was going on. In a few steps they rounded the corner and they were there. He grabbed the man's clothing and slammed the human up against the wall with a sickening force.

"What's your name? Who do you work for?" He commanded in a hissing tone.

The human's eyes were wide with surprise and fear. "I-" He swallowed hard. "My name is Brandon and I work for a-a small packing corp. here on Omega."

"Liar!" Garrus raged and slammed him up against the wall again. The music made the floor and the walls of the hallway quiver.

"Why were you following Shepard? What do you have in your pocket?" He let the man slide down the wall and moved his fingers to cover the man's throat. His other hand began to rummage in the man's pocket. Nothing sharp, and nothing shaped like a weapon.

"I-I didn't know who it was! I was just going to ask for a dance, I swear!" The man began to breathe heavily as Garrus tightened his grip around the man's throat.

"I-If she's your girlfriend, I'm sorry! I swear I didn't know she was with anyone!" He coughed and sputtered.

There were only a few things in the man's pockets that he could feel from the outside. So far the rest of the pat down had revealed no weapons or hidden objects.

"Old school human, eh?" Garrus asked as he dipped his hand down into the man's pocket and pulled a wallet out into the open. He flipped it open. A few cards popped out of the front. His eyes swept over the words and his stomach did a small flip in disgust.

Brandon F. Fisher

Senatics Corporation, Omega

Employee I.D. 99901234

"That…" Garrus started and shook his head. "…has got to be fake. What's in your other pocket? Saw you digging in it when you stepped near Shepard." He shoved his hand in the man's other pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

He began unfolding it and when it was finally opened, he began to read it out loud.

"Oh, thine eyes are as lovely as…" Garrus faltered. "…as the birth of a divine star in the heavens."

Garrus released the man immediately, letting him fall to the floor.

So he wasn't a thug. Wasn't an assassin. Wasn't a Merc. Wasn't a Dealer.

He wanted a date.

He wanted Shepard for a date.

What an awkward situation.

"Uhm. . ." Garrus wasn't exactly sure what to say. He handed the wallet back to the man as he stood up. "Listen…I…" He held out the poetry for the man to take back.

The man snatched his wallet back and then held up his hands defensively. "I'm not trying to cause any trouble. I don't want that back. I'm out of here."

Shepard suddenly appeared around the corner. "Garrus! There you are. Thought I saw you come this way," Her blue eyes were already assessing the situation.

Garrus looked over at Shepard, unsure of what to say or do. The man took the opportunity to use the distraction and run up to the second floor of the club.

"What was that about?" Shepard asked as her dark brows creased slightly in curiosity. "As soon as I looked back you had disappeared around the corner and were dragging him along with you."

"You don't want to know," Garrus replied lamely, shaking his head. "It's all confusing and not what it seems."

Shepard took the paper from his hand, and began reading over it. She raised a brow and looked back up at the turian. He crossed his arms and sighed.

"I didn't know you liked poetry, Garrus."

He shifted his weight, but didn't answer.

"..I also didn't realize you liked humans. Or men." Her tone lacked humor.

He stared at her for a long moment and then let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not like that, Shepard. That guy was going to give the poetry to you. I thought he was pulling out a gun or knife…" He let the rest of his words silently float between them as he waved a hand.

"Doesn't matter now. I'll update you in my report after we board Normandy. Have you found Antuin yet?"

She dipped her head back in the direction of the inside of the club. "I was talking to her. Come on, we need to get back before she decides the deal's not worth it and leaves."

He nodded to her and followed her back into the club.

He'd watch her back.