Misc: To say, this chapter seems to stay pretty close to the dialog, except in certain spots. I hope that's not annoying, but I only really changed things where I figured they needed or could be changed. I dunno. Anyhow... one last thing, I hope the battles are fine. It's just a little weird with the powers bit, but well... I'll just have to see what you think, huh?
Chapter Four
"You humans have a saying. 'An eye for an eye.' A life for a life. Sidonis owes me ten lives and I plan to collect."
"You sure that's what you want to do?"
"I'm sure. I'm not asking you to agree with me, just for your help… like you offered."
Janelle wasn't one to go back on her word and she didn't even contemplate the thought, but… she was getting worried about the task she was about to set out to accomplish. Garrus finally got a lead on Sidonis, the turian that betrayed his team and now… he wanted the traitor dead for causing the deaths of the ten men that been part of the former C-Sec agent's operative.
It was nothing about getting blood on her hands; she knew her hands were already permanent stained with the lives of many and the number of deaths she caused would only continue to steadily rise. But she had her principals and though she knew better than to die in vain for simple – and idiotic – idealism, she didn't care to kill in cold blood. Especially if there was a chance to prevent such an outcome.
As much as she understood that what Garrus was going through was hardly dismissive, she didn't like the fact that he wasn't even considering the chance to see things happen otherwise. He was intent in having his revenge, in submitting to violence… without looking for another way.
Like Saren.
It sent a chill up her spine as she looked to the turian next to her in the transit shuttle they were taking to the warehouses for Zakera Wards. She didn't like this, seeing this ferocious fire in her friend's eyes, not while she knew she was past wanting their relations to remain platonic. She wished she had said something earlier to him about her feelings for him, but… she stalled. Kept telling herself that she needed to wait until later, maybe even after the attack on the Collector base, not to plunge the two of them into drama while they had other things to worry about. And now she found herself regretting that decision.
She didn't know if it would have changed his mind about what he wanted, but maybe Garrus would have thought twice about resorting to vengeful killing if he had a lover at his side.
But it was too late now. She wasn't going to try to persuade him to back out of his goal because of her feelings for him. She wasn't going to manipulate him like that, to chance turning him against her and losing him. She'd have to just try again to remind him what she tried to tell him when they went after Doctor Saleon, to bring him closer to the turian she remembered from two years ago.
Not that she wanted to change him utterly, that she didn't enjoy the person he was, or that she didn't find his more relaxed, yet rougher attitude… exhilarating. But she knew who and what it was that Garrus wanted to be, to do. He wanted to help people. He didn't want to deal with rules that harmed the innocent and pardoned the evil. That was the turian she fell in love with, the being that she adored.
She wasn't losing him to the sort of enemy she had been fighting for so long. Not when she was lucky enough to have Garrus, still alive and at her side.
As they neared their destination, Janelle cautiously glanced to the back seat, noting that Tali was even seeming tense and her hands fidgeting with her shotgun. She couldn't see the quarian's eyes, but she could feel them. She could feel the exact same cold worry in them as it enveloped her own body.
"There it is. That bastard Harkin… he'll finally get what's coming for him," Garrus broke through the heavy silence surrounding them as Janelle took his signal and lowered the shuttle to the ground. She would have said something, but the infuriated turian quickly unlatched the doors and stepped out, leaving the two women in his company with no other option but to follow him out.
It took no time for them to see their quarry, standing near a warehouse entrance, flanked by mercenaries.
"As if I wanted to see this scumbag," Janelle grunted, now feeling her own agitation in seeing Harkin before them. After the crude remarks he made the first time they met, she hadn't at all been eager for a second meeting.
She hadn't spoken loud enough for the mercs and Harkin to hear her, but she doubted then needed to hear anything to realize they had company. Not like the three of them were hiding or anything. And Harkin only needed one look to see who was before him…
"Shepard? Shit…" the racketeer hissed, shoving past a Blue Sun merc. "Don't just stand there! Shoot them!"
"Run all you want, Harkin! We'll find you!" Garrus cried out with eager bloodlust. Even though it chilled her bones once more, Janelle didn't have time to freeze. The three of them dove for cover, just as Tali summoned her combat drone. Her heavy pistol in hand, the infiltrator quickly used her omni-tool to send the other merc in flames before lining up a shot as the man writhed and screamed. She took down her foe just as Garrus fired a shot into the foe distracted by the drone.
There was barely a pause before the turian ran for the warehouse. Janelle and Tali both reacted a second too late and by the time they had entered after Garrus, there was a pile of fried mechs in a cargo crate while chaotic gunfire rung from just around a pile of crates.
"Dammit, Garrus! You're going to get your ass killed if you start rushing in headlong without us!" Janelle hissed as she took cover behind a row of crates by the turian while Tali sought shelter several meters away, distracting a large group of mechs with her drone. The human woman watched Garrus for a reaction to her words, waiting for him to say something even as she quickly looked over their cover to select a mech to hack and cause more distraction against their enemies. But Garrus said nothing as he careful, but swiftly took out the mercenaries, a bullet to the head each.
Once the firing stopped, Janelle quickly lashed out a hand and grabbed Garrus by the shoulder, forcing him to stay put as she glared into his sea green eyes. She wished she took that the moment to enjoy their appearance, but right now… she was furious.
"Garrus! Did you fucking hear me? Don't you start ignoring me…"
"I'm not letting the asshole get away," the turian snarled, shoving away from her grip and standing. "And I'm not losing the chance to make Sidonis pay for what he's done."
"I'm not asking you to! I told you I'd help and you asked for it. All I'm telling you to is not to start running off ahead of us," she snapped, as she leapt from the crates after him and shoved him against some crates loaded on a transport vehicle. "And don't get bullheaded on me now!"
For a moment, they stood, their raging glares locked… before a tentative voice broke past the silence.
"Uh… if we're concerned about Harkin getting away, maybe we should stop fighting and head after him now…"
With a frustrated sigh, Janelle relented, backing away, but not taking her eyes off Garrus. He didn't drop his gaze either, but his shoulder did relax a bit. "Okay. You're right. But we better not let him get away."
"We won't," Janelle nodded. "You stick to sniping. Tali and I will move ahead. There's probably more mechs as we go on in and we can turn them against the mercs. And with Chikktika as well… it'll be easy to take out anything else."
"Fine," Garrus muttered with finality. Janelle could hear that he wasn't exactly pleased, but knew that he couldn't argue with her plan. And she wasn't about to cause more tension amongst them and instead turned to Tali, giving a nod and the quarian understood that it was time for them to move forward, her combat drone, Chikktika scanning ahead.
It took no time for them to run into another group of mechs and mercs. And in no time, that threat was eliminated as well. But before any of them had a chance to take a deep breath or step out from behind their cover, another wave of gunfire sounded and Janelle only poked her head from the side of the crate before her to catch a glimpse of legionnaires.
"Shit. Garrus, drop their shields," she growled, keying in her omni-tool to ready it for incineration.
The turian barely gave a nod before he quickly overloaded the legionnaires shields, then switched to his assault rifle and release short burst at each of their foe to dwindle down their shields even as Chikktika helped in that task.
"They're down Shepard," Garrus said as he fell back behind his cover.
Janelle gave a quick nod before seeing to it that one legionnaire was writhing in flames before she took a carefully aimed shot at his head. She had barely ducked down just in time to avoid the gunfire of the other legionnaire. And just then the ring of heavy fire sounded and Tali had taken care of that last annoyance with her shotgun.
Moving forward, they saw nothing else but a dead end… at least until Tali pointed out that it was just a raised bridge, the console connected to it nearby.
"Tali, see if you can get the layout of the warehouse at all from there. Let me know if you have any luck before we move forward," Janelle instructed before swiftly spinning around to face Garrus with a glare. "Don't even argue. If there's no other way out of here, then we don't have anything to worry about. If there is… then he's already stalled us long enough to get transport and run off somewhere else."
"Then we shouldn't be taking any chances and just press on forward without the need of the layout…"
"I'd like to know where the hell we're going and…"
"Hey you two! You can stop arguing!" the quarian called over to the both of them. "There's another entrance, large enough for the vehicles, but from the readings there are more mercs waiting for us. It would be pointless to leave behind more opposition if Harkin made a run for it. By now he would have put enough distance between us and him that there wouldn't be any need for concern."
"Then he's aiming to see us dead I bet," Shepard snarled, before turning to share an irate stare with Garrus. The anger wasn't focused on each other, but their obvious aversion of the other former C-Sec agent who had no good intentions as the turian did. "Tali, lower that bridge. I'm going to let that bastard know that I'm not dying again…"
Tali gave a quick nod and this time followed through, all three of them ready for the barrage of fire that greeted them as they were left exposed. But as soon as they could, they ran for cover, evading anything that would have been fatal.
"Status report," Janelle spoke over the radio, all three of them spread out and the air around them ringing with gunfire. She quickly sent an incinerating the first Blue Sun merc she saw, shortly noting that Chikktika was once again providing support and that one merc's head exploded just as she heard the heavy sound of a sniper rifle being fired. "Shields took a beating there for me."
"One bullet hit as my shields fell," Tali responded, but her voice was calm and was a telltale sign that there was nothing to worry about the quarian. "But it only grazed my arm. Suit's already sealed that section off."
"No problem here. Took a concussion shot, but it was nothing," Garrus notified the commander, just as he fired a shot again. A painful cry followed afterwards. "They've got a heavy defense set up here. They've got to be a protection force…"
"Harkin doesn't want us to get to him, but I bet he thinks that his numbers are going to stop us in our tracks," Janelle scoffed, quickly looking over the crate and getting in two headshots before she hid away again.
"Is he such a bosh'tet to forget the odds we faced two years ago?" Tali muttered over the radio, giving a hiss as Chikktika lost power. "I really hate dealing with such idiots…"
"Especially when all they do is put up a display of annoyance," Janelle grumbled just as she and Garrus took down three more mercs – two by her of course. "Told you I'm better at headshots…"
"You're just lucky you don't have to pop the heat sink after every shot you take," the turian countered, the three of them standing and moving forward, stepping over the dead bodies.
However just as they were closing in on the other side of the room the air whistled violently… as a missile headed their way.
"Shit!" Janelle hissed just as they dove into a nearby cargo crate, barely avoiding the missile's splash damage. "This day just gets better and better. Now a fucking heavy mech… why can't things ever be simple?"
"Well, would this be half as fun if it were?" Tali questioned, her combat drone at full power again and the pink orb flared to life. "Go distract him, Chikktika," the quarian ordered before taking the chance to run out for a better vantage point as the drone engaged the mech.
"So… interested is seeing who can do the most damage on this sucker?" Janelle challenged Garrus, a smirk on her lips and her eyebrows cocked as she unlatched her own sniper rifle and extended it.
"And here I thought you were complaining," the turian returned, amusement in his tone which relieved Janelle, as she was glad to hear his anger had not invaded every aspect of him. Of course, her smirk was swiftly wiped of as her friend activated his omni-tool, and took a good portion of the YMIR mech's shields. "I think I just got one up on you…"
"Bastard," Janelle snarled… just as a voice screamed into her ear over the radio
"Keelah! The battlefield is hardly an appropriate place to be flirting, you two!" Tali chided, making both snipers jerk as she yelled. "Now would you get out here and help me out?! Before Chikktika loses power again!"
"Get moving, Turian," the human muttered, nudging him out of the crate. "I don't need a distraction to get to safety…"
"That's because you are one," Garrus returned with an amused voice even as he ran for a decent cover spot, far away enough that the mech couldn't close in too soon and close enough that he'd make it before the mech targeted him.
Still in the cargo crate, Janelle waited until the rest of her squad was peppering the YMIR mech, steadily taking down its shields before she made her dash for safety. She didn't do it too quickly as she knew that she was on the mech's sensors and its attention would be focused on her, letting her squad fire at it with relative ease. And she had no need to fear if the lumbering mech closed in on her, leaving her without cover.
Because as soon as it did, she had disappeared from its sensors… and her squad's sights. She activated her cloak at the last second, confusing the mech as his systems instantly began an analysis on the apparent anomaly, affording her team even more time to disable the shields as she made the quick dash for cover. She parked beside Tali, quickly lining up a shot before her cloaking faded and the mech's analysis figured out the problem.
"You know, I love it when you mess with those mechs' sensors," Tali said with obvious thrill, ducking down just before another missile was fired.
"Don't start being all friendly, Tali," Janelle muttered lowly, frustrated not only with what words the quarian had spoke to her and Garrus, but also because she realized that said turian was beating her at her own challenge. All because the damn mech had to be focused on her and Tali's position. "I'm going to have to have a talk with you later…"
"Oh please. Like you should be worried," the quarian scoffed, the both of them still remaining in cover as repeating fire rained down on their position. "You've been stalling long enough anyhow. If it gets you to confess sooner…"
"Tali! Not another word!"
"What the hell are the two of you talking about?!" Garrus's voice crackled over the radio.
Just before both women hollered "Nothing!"
It was only a short second after that when an explosion sounded just beyond Tali and Janelle. As they peeked out from behind the crates, all that remained of the YMIR mech were smoldering shards scattered across the floor.
"Looks like I got the points for that one… doing all the work while you two decided to be politicians and converse while there's hell around you," the turian muttered as he strode up to the two, his mandibles flexing with irritation. "What the hell was that about?
"And Tali… Shepard and I were not flirting…"
"That's what you think," the quarian grumbled beneath her breath before nudging her head in the direction they had planned to go before the YMIR mech had shown up. "So are we going to move on or have you forgotten why we're here?"
"Unlikely," said Garrus, but waved his rifle towards the quarian. "But why don't you go on ahead with Chikktika, make sure there's no nasty surprises ahead of us…"
"But let the quarian have to deal with them," Tali groaned even as she once more powered up her drone and scouted ahead of them. And as soon as her back was to them, Janelle realized that the turian had shut off his radio and stared down at her patiently, as if waiting for her to do the same.
"You know if there is anything ahead, shutting off our radios is a bad thing for Tali," she pointed out, even as she complied with his silent wish, already knowing where this was going. "And I thought you were eager to get to Harkin."
"I am, but I figure he wants us dead and he'll want to be here to see our corpses. It won't hurt him to make him wait," the vigilante shrugged as he looked over his assault rifle, just before his mandibles gave an uneasy twitch when he turned his gaze over to hers. "And since that means no real hurry… I just wanted to apologize. About getting angry…"
"Well… that would have been your ass, not mine," Janelle said with a smirk, before letting the mockery fell as she rested a hand on his arm. "But I understand. This whole situation can't be easy for you…"
"Doesn't mean I have to make things worse with what I'm lucky to have," Garrus murmured, looking ahead to where Tali had headed. They saw the quarian waving them over as she stood near a door. Although Janelle started to move ahead, the turian didn't. Instead he reached for her arm and held her back.
"Garrus? What's wrong?" Janelle asked, staring up at him with concern.
"That wasn't all, Shepard. I also wanted to say I'm sorry about that rumor still going around the Normandy," he explained hastily, his hand falling away. "I should have realized that something like that would have happened and…"
"Garrus, you don't need to say anything. Please," she interrupted, placing a finger over his mouth to silence him. "It doesn't bother me at all that people think that."
"It doesn't?" he questioned as his eyes gave a double blink, his startle apparent.
"No. Why should it?" she returned with a smirk, but her voice went somber promptly as she nudged him forward, noticing how Tali now had her arms crossed. "But… does it bother you?"
"Honestly? Hardly. I just…"
"Then why are we worrying about this?" she cut him off as they both continued forward, already feeling some tension ease from her shoulders, but now was hardly a time to relax… "We can deal with this after the mission anyhow. Before Tali sends Chikktika over here to move our asses…"
"She would, wouldn't she? You know, she's become much more… volatile in these last two years."
"Yeah, I wouldn't put it past her to pull her shotgun out on us these days," Janelle added with a smirk, which she still wore as they rejoined Tali, her foot tapping against the floor repeatedly, making the Spectre imagine that the quarian was probably glaring at the both of them. "Well, that wasn't a problem. No issues to deal with…"
"I'm glad," the younger woman muttered with agitation as she turned around and opened the door. "Didn't need anything getting in the way of your flirting, I bet. Now could we get a move on? And no more lovers quarrels that make you shut off your radios on me."
The reminder prompted the other two to reactivate their radios, sharing a questioning gaze with each other, but nothing was spoke as they followed the quarian into a small room, one that seemed set up like an office.
"What the hell is Harkin up to?" Garrus grumbled as he looked over the forged documents and IDs. "Pallin would have enjoyed seeing this though. He would have gladly put the ass away…"
"I'm surprised he never did. Heard enough that the bastard should have gotten his ass arrested," Janelle muttered as she was handed the documents and stored them away. She could probably hand them over to Bailey when they were done here. "I'm hardly surprised to see that Harkin's gone completely rogue…"
"Same here. He was always a pain in the ass to deal with and we certainly always clashed," the turian put in with a nod. "This time… he better cooperate or I'll happily beat him within an inch of his life."
She took notice that the turian moved to use a nearby panel to open the window shutters, but she herself turned to regard Tali, whose shoulders were stiffly set. Again Janelle felt that cold chill creep up her spine as worry settled in, not liking at all the way their turian friend was talking.
"Garrus, you seem to be getting tense…" she began as she moved t stand by him as his scanned the room beyond. She did as well, wondering if they could glimpse what was waiting for them. She didn't see anyone, but she knew better than to think no one… or nothing was out there.
Not a part of her imagined that Harkin was about to leave until he saw their corpses.
Whatever was out there was waiting and hiding, ready to ambush them and attempt to put them down for good.
"You think I should be calm and relaxed instead?" Garrus bit out rather brusquely, glancing at her from the corner of his eye before focusing forward again. "The asshole helped Sidonis disappear, the traitor that saw to my squad's death.
"But he better not get any wise ideas of tipping off Sidonis. Or I've got a bullet with his name on it…"
"Garrus, this isn't…"
She didn't get to finish her words, not as the betrayed man pushed her away from the window, as if in an attempt to keep them both from being seen by something on the other side. She looked over to Tali, who lingered on the opposite side of the window, her shotgun ready, just as Garrus readied his assault rifle.
"What? Did you see something?" Janelle questioned, retrieving her heavy pistol.
"It looks like an industrial complex out there," Tali spoke up, chancing a glance past the window. "I thought I noticed more heavy mechs, but I'm not sure…"
"That's what it looked like to me," Garrus agreed with a nod as an eager bloodlust seeped into his voice. "Harkin's getting ready for us… the asshole. And it looks like his got himself shoved in a corner, waiting. He must have more Blue Suns in there as well, thinking he's got all he needs to take us. I wonder if he'd still be so confident if he knew we took out the leader of this group on Omega, along with Eclipse and Blood Pack…"
"He's a bosh'tet. They never learn," Tali said. "If he had half a brain, he'd have given up by now…"
"You're probably right, but I agree with Garrus. Harkin is a pain in the ass. He never seemed to be one to cooperate easily," Janelle murmured, trying hard to repress a sigh of worry as she turned her gaze up to the vigilante's. "I'm sure you expect he'll be the same hard ass. You really are fine with torturing him to get what you want?"
"It will hardly be brutal for that coward. He'll talk long before I can really hurt him," the turian scoffed jadedly just as Tali peeked out past the window before crouching and making her way over to them. Garrus's gaze then turned to Janelle, a kind of cold fire in his eyes. "I don't see the point in 'protecting' him for any reason, Shepard. He's a real criminal now. This isn't just him making a profit for his sorry ass, but he's working with the Blue Suns and using his knowledge of C-Sec's procedures to help criminals evade the punishment they deserve.
"Don't tell me you think that's something we should let him slide."
"You know that's not what I meant. But… do you need to hurt him to get what you want?"
"I'd rather just shoot him on sight," he continued with a grumble, looking away as his mandible flexed with agitation. "But I need him alive, so I can't do any permanent damage. Just enough to loosen his tongue.
"Happy?"
"I guess it's the best I can ask for right now," Janelle sighed before waving her teammates to the door on the far end of the room. "But… are you still planning to kill Sidonis when we find him?"
"You think I should spare him otherwise? He'll get a greater share of mercy from me than the men he betrayed. His death will be quick and painless. My men weren't lucky enough to be spared the agony of a slow death," he said, grabbing her by the shoulder and turning her around to face him, forcing her to see the anger and agony in his eyes. "I'm not doing this for some sick pleasure, Shepard. This is about what he deserves. He deserves an excruciating death, but I'm not in this for torture. As long as he's dead. As long as he's paid for the lives he ended…I'll be satisfied.
"Now tell me you never felt that Cerberus deserves the same for your lost unit."
"Even if I do, even if that's how I feel, you know that's not the kind of action I can take," Janelle shook her head, refusing to believe she was anything like the real foe she was fighting, one not mortal, but possessed the mortal.
Yes, she hated and despised Cerberus and wanted to see the organization ended, having no issues with wanting to see to such herself. But not all of Cerberus's staff deserved to share the fate of her friends that died on Akuze. Kelly, Daniels, Donnelly, even Jacob and Miranda… they were all part of Cerberus. She didn't share their beliefs that Cerbus was a noble organization, at least in intentions, but she believed that all of her crew held noble intentions. She wasn't about to make them pay when it was desperation for a better life that led the people to Cerberus.
Could she blame Miranda for joining Cerberus to obtain protection from her father? How could she when the organization was even aiding Miranda's sister, Oriana, in avoiding their father's greed as well? And Jacob… he was sick of how the Alliance would drag their feet even when humanity was facing danger. How could she hold his decision against him when in all honesty, where else could the man turn to? At least Cerberus did attempt to get the job done.
And even Joker and Doctor Chakwas… they were old friends and part of Cerberus as well. How could she feel that they deserved the same that fate that her unit received?
"But regardless of how either of us feel about those experiences… Garrus, I'm not asking about what you think Sidonis deserves," she spoke in a quiet, but firm voice, feeling her body tremble as she just wanted to scream that she didn't want to lose him at all, in any way. She didn't want to see him becoming the sort of being Saren was. She didn't want to have 'Saren' part of her team. And she didn't want to fail Garrus by letting him become the turian her friend had despised in that first adventure together. She wished he could see and realize this, that his fury did not blind him.
"I'm asking: do you really think killing Sidonis will make things right?" she asked, repressing the desperation that she felt in her attempt to sway him without manipulating him to respond to feelings that weren't his own.
He gave a sigh and Janelle almost thought she felt his hand squeeze her arm, despite how his hand rested where her armor was reinforced by the hard, ceramic sheets. "I know you don't like it, Shepard, but I have to do this," he said softly. She almost didn't catch how broken his voice sounded and it was almost enough to make her reconsider her thoughts about Garrus's desire to see that Sidonis paid for his betrayal.
Almost.
"Is there no other way?" she whispered, resisting the urge to cover his hand with hers. Probably a good decision as his arm fell back to his side and he gripped his assault rifle with strengthen resolve.
"Maybe. But this is personal," he admitted, the gentle candidness replaced with a fierce determination as he moved past her… before turning his gaze back to hers. "I'll pull the trigger, Shepard. I'll live with the consequences. This isn't something you'll have to live with and regret. This is my decision and I'm not asking you to agree.
"All I'm asking is that you help me find him. Help me avenge the deaths of my men.
"Just as you said you'd see Williams death avenged…"
Repressing a sigh, Janelle turned away from Garrus's, refusing to meet with his gaze. She didn't want to continue this argument, to remind him that avenging Ashley's death wasn't because of her own anger at Saren – or herself. But the fact that Saren had to be stopped, that they couldn't allow him to make it possible for the Reapers to wipe out entire civilizations all over again. If Sidonis was truly as damning as Saren was, then perhaps there was no other option and she could live it that.
But right now… she didn't know that. And she didn't even know if Garrus knew either.
"We might as well go face Harkin, then. No point in turning back now," she spoke, now taking her chance to shove past Garrus and past the door into a smaller room. She turned to face Tali and Garrus once more, to give them instructions before heading out. "We'll switch things up a bit this time. Tali, you move ahead. Keep whoever is advancing distracted with Chikktika and anyone that gets past the drone, you should be able to handle with your shotgun. Shouldn't be much since Garrus and I will hang back, but we'll be sniping…"
"Great… so you're just going to continue you headshot contest. Keelah!" the quarian exclaimed with exasperation with made Janelle imagine that the younger woman was rolling her eyes. "At least you both are good at sniping otherwise I wouldn't be letting you play your games…"
"And why don't you be honest and admit you don't mind letting the games take place," Janelle murmured, nudging Tali with her elbow… and ignoring Garrus's confusion over the sudden lightness that had come over the Spectre. "Come on. Move out."
Garrus and Janelle had barely found cover before a barrage of gunfire was directed towards Tali. There was a spilt-second cry from Garrus of the target in his sights before that threat was eliminated. Janelle gave a curse under her breath, frustrated that again here she presented a challenge and Garrus was getting one up on her.
"What was that about you being a better shot than me?"
"Would you stop with the battlefield banter?!" Tali screamed over the radio just as a missile slammed near her location. "We've got mechs incoming! So don't mess around and get me killed!"
"Why is it no one is ever appreciative of attempts at being calm under fire?" Garrus returned with a heavy sigh… before another shriek filled both snipers' ears.
"Because it's my neck out here! And there's a commando ahead! Dammit! I'm pinned down good here!"
"And mechs incoming," Janelle growled lowly and glared over at Garrus, even if the turian wouldn't have noticed. "Garrus. You take out the mechs. I'll worry about the commando…"
"Surprised you're actually letting me have more kills…"
"You can overload their systems. I can't," Janelle growled past her grinding teeth, switching her rifle's ammo to disruptor and quickly adjusting her visor to aid in the targeting of the batarian commando. He was far off and taking him down would require slow, well-aimed shots. But sniping was the one thing that seemed to come naturally to her. And it wasn't long before his shields were down.
"I'm going on ahead. To get a better vantage to I can take down that heavy trooper," Garrus soon informed her, his task finished with the LOKI mechs.
"Just keep an eye out for more mechs if them come," she acknowledged, crouching down to hide completely behind the crate as the commando began firing, whittling down her shields.
She caught a brief glance of Garrus as he snuck away from his position and careful made his way towards one of the crate-laden platforms, those high stacks having protected him before from the missile, but made it impossible for the turian to remove the threat to Tali. It was the same for Janelle as well.
"Chikktika! Come on girl! Distract that merc," the infiltrator heard murmured in her earpiece, urging the woman to peek over the crate to see the pink combat drone float along to distract the heavy mercenary, making it all the easier for Garrus to snipe his target, something he had to do quickly not only because of the risk of being caught in a missile's blast, but he had no cover from the commando. In where he was.
No longer under fire herself, Janelle popped back up and got out a quick shot on the commando. Her shot only put a dent in the batarian's shoulder guard, but it was enough to delay the foe from firing and giving both snipers ample time to line up their shot.
Both the commando and heavy went down not a moment sooner… just as another wave of mechs was dropped.
"Can't these things just die!" Tali shouted, this time taking the opportunity to fire on the mechs, all of which were close to her. However, at least Chikktika still had some remaining power and helped in causing a distraction which lasted long enough for Garrus to switch to his assault rifle and lay down a barrage of fire on the LOKI mechs. Janelle placed a well-aimed shot in one of the mechs' heads, which was quickly followed by the other mechs becoming nothing more than scrap metal between Garrus and Tali's fire.
"All clear, Commander," Tali informed Janelle as both aliens stood and Garrus moved on up one platform.
"Unless more mechs are dropped. Besides… didn't you two say there were heavy mechs?"
"Haven't seen them yet," Garrus returned, moving on ahead of them as they continued across the room and over the raised platforms. "Maybe we're lucky and… Crap! Spoke too soon. Two heavy mechs! Incoming."
"Get your ass back up here!" Janelle shouted, dropping below a few crates on the top platform with Tali at her side, wrenching off her submachine gun fire on the YMIR's shields, the ammo already set to disruptor. "Tali! Get Chikktika out there to distract those damn synthetics!" she shrieked as the mechs already began to open fire on Garrus, the only one of them out in the open and from what Janelle could tell, it was only the two crates on the top platform with her and Tali that were any chance of decent cover.
She couldn't help but feel herself panic slightly, remembering how terrified she had been that first day she had seen him since the Normandy's destruction. Remembering how she had feared to have found him… only to lose him.
She wasn't losing him now.
"Turian! Move your ass!" she barked, ignoring her own shields as she continued to rain fire on the heavy mechs, Chikktika's power long gone and providing them no distraction.
However… Garrus finally scrambled back up to where Tali and Janelle were positioned and his first reaction was forcing the commander back down, no longer exposing herself to enemy fire as he took cover beside her.
"I understand your concern, Shepard, but getting yourself killed for my sake isn't about to help anything…" he chided before he quickly stood and fired against the YMIR mechs right before directing a tech mine to overload their shields. Then he was back under cover… as Shepard grabbed him by his armor's collar and dragged him back down.
"Don't get on my case, Garrus," she snapped as she glared at him, still keeping a hold on his armor. "You know I lost my unit, that I left Ashley to die on Virmire. That some of the people I thought knew me don't even trust me…
"You think I want to watch more people under my command die? That I want to lose another friend?
"I almost watched you die once, Garrus. I don't want that again. I'd rather die than watch that again…"
Though a sort of heavy silence did drift between the two of them as Garrus stared at her with startled eyes, no real silence could gain a foothold here. Not as two mechs continued to fire on them, sending a missile towards them racking the crates and forcing their focus back on the threat before them.
"I'm getting really sick of these damn synthetics," Janelle grumbled to herself, switching back to her sniper rifle, reloading her disruptor ammo before popping back up swiftly to get a shot in and bring down the shields of one mech. Without a second's delay, she deployed an incinerating drone to attack the mech's armor before she dropped back down and let her teammates do their part.
The crates continued to be racked by the mechs' rockets and they were constantly taking hits from the repeating fire when they tried to get in a shot, but from their vantage, there was nothing for the three of them to worry about. The YMIR mechs were as clumsy and unwieldy as they were powerful; there was no way for the synthetics to make their way up to the highest platform and despite the small amount of space the three had behind the two crates, it was enough that their position could not be compromised.
Thus it took no time before two explosions ripped before them, signaling the end of that arduous fight, more annoying than demanding.
And it certainly made their next foes no more than mere child's play…
Two LOKI mechs greeted them as they headed toward Harkin's position. But it took no more than a few swift, well-placed shots before the mechs were turned into burning metal piles, hardly causing a moment of hindrance as the three of them climbed up the crates, moving closer to room where Harkin had holed himself up in.
"I'll go around to the other side," Garrus murmured quietly to Janelle. "Make sure he can't get away from us…"
"Will do," she nodded, signaling for Tali to follow her as the turian swiftly, but noiselessly went on in the direction he had pointed out. Both women positioned themselves by the nearby door, one on each side. With a nod from the quarian, signaling her readiness, Janelle moved a hand to open the door.
"You were close, but not close enough," Harkin sneered as he caught the door's movement, already backing away to the other exit as Janelle trained her pistol on the rogue agent.
Of course his action didn't prove to be successful – for him. Not as the door came open and Garrus quickly stepped through, throwing his assault rifle up and ramming Harkin in the jaw. The man's hands went to his face as he stumbled back with a groan, but there was no moment of reprieve for the human male, except in the moment that the turian, replaced his assault rifle in its latch. But that was only a bare second as Garrus quickly seized his former coworker by the shoulder, shoving him forward before dragging him along as the turian grabbed the human by his abdomen.
Janelle gave a wince as Garrus slammed Harkin into the wall and shoved his forearm against the racketeer's neck, prompting her to turn to glance back at Tali, who trembled with the same apprehension the Spectre felt. Evident as the quarian was having a tough time replacing her pistol. She moved towards her friend, placing a calming and assuring hand on the engineer's shoulder, prompting a silent, but grateful nod from the younger woman. But it did not remove the concern from both of them as they turned to regard the two men in the room with them.
"So, Fade… couldn't make yourself disappear, huh?" Garrus mocked, a sneer clear in his voice. A sneer that sustained that shill in Janelle's bones even as she moved to stand beside the turian. She tried to tell herself not to worry about him, not to feel so anxious. Harkin was an ass, the sort that should frustrate in any good man as the asshole only continued to bend and break the rules without regard to anyone but himself.
"Come on, Garrus. We can work this out. What do ya need?"
Though the attempt was clearly one with aim to save his own neck, more so than help another, Garrus backed off as he returned with surprisingly cordiality, "I'm looking for someone."
"Well, I guess we both have something the other one wants," Harkin said, rolling his neck back and forth, not at all seeming to believe he was in anymore trouble, his voice certainly sounding utterly blasé.
That was a mistake as his carefree voice must have triggered an anger in the turian, who was swift to close the space between them once again, attacking as well. This time kneeing the man in the groin – enough to make Janelle wince as she came to stand by Garrus – and letting the man fall to the ground, curling into a fetal position as he groaned.
"I'm not here to ask you any damn favor, Harkin. And there's nothing I owe you," Garrus snarled, his glare focused on the pained man. There was no mercy in the turian's voice and especially not in his heart, proven as he held out his pistol, aimed at Harkin's head. "But if you're planning on living to see tomorrow, you better tell me what I need.
"You helped a friend of mine disappear. I need to find him."
"I might need a little more information than that…" Harkin groaned, slowly getting back up to his feet, but still heavily slumped against the wall behind him, still groaning in pain.
"His name is Sidonis. Turian, came from the…"
"I know who he is," the criminal snapped, despite facing down a gun. "And I'm not telling you squat."
"Harkin, this doesn't have to be hard," Janelle responded, shielding her desperation from her voice, hoping not to see Garrus make Harkin's head explode from his raging emotions. Perhaps the man had one thing keeping him alive, the knowledge of Sidonis's location, but Janelle wasn't going to fully trust that fact.
Not as she knew that Garrus wanted blood for the lives of his dead squad. She didn't know whether or not Harkin's blood might be some drawn if Sidonis could not be found…
"Screw you," the rogue agent muttered with derision at the other woman in the room before turning his attention back to Garrus, replying with an amused sneer. "I don't give out client information. It's bad for business…"
The words were another mistake on Harkin's part and proven swiftly as the turian once again closed the distance between then with one step. Then in a flash, he grabbed the man by the neck, jerked him forward just as his knee connected with Harkin's gut. This time however, Garrus wasn't done when the man hit the floor.
Instead he moved to shove his foot down on Harkin's neck, but had been slow enough about it that the reclined man was able to struggle against what could have cost his life. Although it seemed to be a losing battle as Garrus continued to shove his foot down, snarling, "You know what else is bad for business? A broken neck!"
It didn't take Harkin's cry for survival to prompt Janelle to lay a hand on her friend's shoulder, though it certainly did only make her nerves grow colder. She truly couldn't believe how lost the man before her must be. She cursed herself for not being faster and climbing into that escape pod with Joker, for 'dying' that day… for leaving Garrus.
"You won't get anything if you kill him now, Garrus," she whispered softly, unable to restrain the concern in her voice. Especially as he turned around to face her. "And then this would be all for nothing…"
"Yea… you're right," he returned, almost regretfully, stepping back and no longer restraining Harkin, allowing the human to slowly get back up, though her lingered in a crouching state, his arm at his stomach.
"Terminus really changed you, huh, Garrus?"
"No, but Sidonis … opened my eyes," the vigilante returned, his voice mournful as if he was recalling the faces of his dead squad, the pain of those tortured. And Janelle only felt more certain that that was the case as a determined revulsion entered his tone now. "Now arrange a meeting."
Harkin didn't move immediately, still remaining close to the ground. Until Garrus kicked at him and pointed his pistol in the man's face.
"I'm going," the racketeer mumbled with defeat, gingerly getting up to his feet and shuffling his way to a terminal, making the call as demanded.
Though Janelle could hear the man's voice as he arranged the meeting, she hardly listened. Her eyes were on Garrus, watching him as he kept his eyes on Harkin. His mandibles gave a slow flex, one that Janelle worried was made out of relief and satisfaction. She felt that chill go up her spine once more… especially as she watched Garrus no longer watch his former coworker, but turn his eyes to the pistol still in his hand.
Her eyes flashed up to his, worried and terrified of the turian's intention. But he wasn't noticing her. He didn't see the shock in her eyes. She wanted to say something, try to make him think differently from whatever plans he had and would have. Until Harkin returned to stand before them.
"It's all good. He wants to meet you in front of Orbital Lounge. You've got a few hours," Harkin informed them, almost too casually, almost hiding the terror that showed in the slight tremble of his body. Those trembles didn't even fade as Garrus gave a nod. Instead the human man's voice only began to sound blatantly nervous. "So, if our business is done, I'll be going…"
Harkin's anxiety was far from in vain, well proven as the turian swiftly lashed a hand out and grabbed the man by his shirt, dragging him towards his captor. "I don't think so. You're a criminal now, Harkin."
"So what… you're just going to kill me? That's not your style, Garrus," Harkin pleaded and though there was determination within the man's eyes and voice, it did nothing to hide the fact that the man truly was desperately trying to save his own hide.
And it almost seemed for his attempt to work as a questioning silence settled within the room, Garrus stalling before he finally released Harkin. But it was only almost a successful attempt…
"Kill you? No," the turian shook his head, sounding to be savoring this moment to a point that panicked Janelle. Especially as she watched as both his hands settled on the pistol and raised it just slightly… "But I don't mind slowing you down a little."
She leapt at him, shoving his arms to the side and up and not a moment too soon. The gun fired, but Harkin was spared of the wound he would have received.
"Garrus. Don't. There's no need to shoot him," she reasoned, still having a strong grip on his wrist, not at all feeling threatened, even as his angry green eyes bore into hers. She wasn't going to back down, not as she saw that her friend wasn't acting on his desire for justice, but simply malice. For the simple lust for violence.
But she did almost flinch away, almost feel her heart tremble with weakness.
As her eyes could almost quite clearly see Saren standing before her…
"He won't be able to hide from C-Sec now," she assured, grinding her teeth and forcing herself to come to grips with her fear. Garrus wasn't Saren and she wasn't going to let him be. And she knew… if Garrus could see what she did, he would have stopped this.
But telling him outright, he wouldn't agree with her, he wouldn't see as she did. He needed to see for himself, realize as events played out before him.
He needed to feel the fact that he was becoming the turian he once claimed to despise.
"He's not worth your time, Garrus," she added with finality, watching as his mandibles vibrated with irritation…
And capitulation.
"Fine," he growled, struggling against her grip before finally shoving her away… and replacing his pistol as he turned to Harkin and snarled with reluctance. "I guess it's your lucky day."
"Yeah, I hope we can do this real soon," Harkin replied with a nod and mockery. Mockery that made Janelle roll her eyes…
And not care as Garrus slammed his head against the criminal.
"You asked for that, asshole," she muttered at the bowled over man before turning to the turian and nudging her head towards the door. "Come on. Let's move. I've seen enough of this bastard."
The turian gave a conceding nod and followed her towards where Tali waited for them, the three of them making their way to the warehouse's exit and back to their waiting shuttle.
"There… I didn't shoot him," the turian responded as they returned to the set up of platforms, his voice rather light and humorous. Something that made Janelle smile as she turned her gaze up to his.
"Did I voice any complaints?" she challenged, feeling slightly better, but there was still a cool fear gripping her heart as they continued forward. "Like I said… he asked for it. You don't provoke someone that's just turned down hurting you. I'm just glad that C-Sec will get him and we should be rid of him. Hopefully."
"Hopefully," Garrus agreed with a nod… before the menace slipped back into his voice as he glared forward, no longer facing her. "Unless this doesn't go as it should. Because if Sidonis isn't there… I'm coming back to finish the job."
Endnote: Eh... nothing? I had fun writing the chapter, especially with the few interactions from Tali, but that's all I can think...
R&R