Chapter 11
Illium
They docked in Illium as John left the ship with Ashley and Garrus in tow to see Liara. Miranda recieved some disturbing news concerning her sister she needed help and fast, "EDI" where's the commander" she asked the AI.
"Commander Shepard has left the ship with Mr. Vakarian and Chief Williams.
"Shit, thank you EDI, where's Joseph" she asked.
"Mr. Shepard is in the starboard lounge Ms. Lawson" the AI informed.
Miranda walked out of her room to the starboard lounge quickly opening the door to find Joseph sitting on the couch singing, and actually sounding good.
"I don't know ,what ya came to do girl, what ya came to do tonight, but I came to party" Joe sang cleaning his gun oblivious to Miranda's presence. She walked in front him pulling the plugs out of his ear. He was about to complain until he saw the worry on her face.
"Miranda what's wrong? He asked concerned.
"This is very uncomfortable for me but I need your help Joseph" she said.
"Sure, what do you need me to do" he asked.
Miranda finally broke down and explained to him about her father, her genetic tailoring, her , her escape to Cerberus, and about her twin who was in trouble. Joe finally understood her reasons for going to Cerberus and he understood her need to protect her sister as he would do the same for John if it was necessary. He threw on his black leather jacket and grabbed his weapons agreeing to help her as they exited the ship to meet her contact. He wanted to bring someone else maybe Jacob seeing as she was a little bit comfortable with Jacob. She refused the idea, she didn't want anyone knowing about Oriana, the only reason she confided in him was because in a way she felt he was the only person she could trust to help her with this outside of his brother.
Meanwhile already on Illium John, Garrus, and Ashley made their way to see Liara after speaking to an asari who bared a message from the rachni queen John released on Noveria. Then stopping to help Gianna Parasini bring down a smuggler from Noveria, they finally made it to Liara's office. She greeted all three of them with a hug quickly divulging the information about Samara and Thane Krios to her old friends. They headed out promising to pass her any information they could find to help her if they came across it.
" So, who do we go for first Skipper" Ashley asked.
"Let's get Thane first being that we might run into this Seryna woman first" he replied.
The trio agreed walking to the docking area to find Seryna. She agreed to help them find Thane tonight when the shift workers left Nassana Dantius' buildings.
Joseph and Miranda walked into the VIP lounge of Eternity Bar where Miranda's contact Lantaeia was waiting for them.
"Good to see you Ms. Lawson, wish it was under better circumstances though, we've received Intel that an organization you listed was looking for your sister. They've hired Eclipse mercenaries to kidnap her" she reported.
"Ok what's next Miranda, this is your show we do this your way" Joe told her.
"Ms. Lawson you've listed a man named Niket as a trusted source, do you wanna bring in any of your other Illium contacts" Lantaeia asked.
"No I only trust you and Niket with this, give him full access to the families schedule and itinerary" Miranda said.
"Wait a second whose Niket" Joe asked looking at Miranda with a hint of jealousy in his voice.
"He's an old friend we go back a long way" she told him.
"So what's the plan, for us to get shot to shit by mercs while your sister makes it to safety" Joe asked exiting the lounge with Miranda.
"Thank you Joseph, I hadn't planned on Eclipse but they never planned on you" she said looking him in the eyes.
John, Garrus, and Ashley were readying their weapons while Seryna explained a layout of the building. She dropped them off at the lower floors as they fought their way up through LOKI and FENRIS mechs not to mention the Eclipse mercenaries spread out all through the building. They finally made it up to Nassana's office where she tried to pay them off to let her go, assuming they were the assassins after her. Just then Thane dropped down and expertly executed Nassana and her guards. Ashley and Garrus were clearly impressed with Thane's skills. Shepard proceeded to tell Thane of the missing colonists and the collector's, he quickly agreed no charge. They then exited the building, escorting Thane back to the Normandy to get situated.
The mercs opened fire on the car immediately until the lead merc recognized Miranda, they stopped firing as Miranda parked the car stepping out with Joseph.
"Because your not firing I take it you know who I am" she said to the merc walking over.
"Yeah your the bitch who kidnapped our bosses daughter" the merc shot at her.
"Kidnapped" Miranda scoffed " this has nothing to do with you, I suggest you take your men and go" she warned.
"We got orders to let you walk away as long as you stay out of our way" the merc said.
"Your not getting Miranda's sister" Joseph said to the merc.
"And just who the hell are you suppose to be" the merc spat at Joe.
"You ever hear of Commander Shepard" Joe asked.
"Yeah" the merc said a little shaken.
"I'm his psychotic older brother escaped from the mental facility, you really wanna ride this roller coaster" Joe said with a sadistic grin.
"Listen while you've been talking my men have been lining up shots so turn around and-" he was cut off as Joe grabbed his neck snapping it while Miranda killed the other merc who was standing with him. Together they shot down a large cargo carrier leaving one lone merc to fend for himself.
They tore their way through the cargo bay with a series of deadly biotic attacks and combinations until they finally reached Niket and Captain Enyala the head Eclipse mercenary.
It turned out that Niket had betrayed Miranda helping her father in his quest to get Oriana. Miranda couldn't believe her only friend would turn on her for money and when she pulled her gun on Niket, Joe didn't stop her from taking his life. He owed it to her for his betrayal, they quickly decimated the rest of the Eclipse guarding the area, Miranda wanted to make sure her sister's family boarded safely.
."There she is, she's safe, with her family" she said voice cracking
"You gonna go say hello or what" Joe asked her.
"No she doesn't need me complicating her life its too dangerous" she tried to explain.
"Lawson these are my favorite boots, their destroyed now, if you don't get your ass over there and say hello and stop being such a punk these boots may end up in your underwear drawer one morning" he said to her in all seriousness.
She gave a slight chuckle walking over to her sister as he sat down pulling out his ear buds listening to his music while he waited.
Miranda introduced herself to Oriana and her family as they got to know each other adjusting quickly to one another.
"Whose that Miranda" Oriana asked pointing at Joseph who was singing rather loudly to whatever song he was listening to.
"That's Joseph Shepard, he's a good friend" Miranda said looking at Joe, eyes giving away more than friendship.
"He's cute, you guys should date you look cute together, I can tell he likes you" Oriana said making Miranda a little uncomfortable. She was new to this sharing personal information business.
"No Ori, he's just a friend" Miranda tried to explain.
"Well since you don't want him you wanna give him my number" Oriana said jokingly to Miranda.
"Absolutely not, he is way too old for you, you need to focus on your education leave the boys alone until later" Miranda said seriously.
"Ohhhhhh somebody's very possessive I see, don't worry I'm the same way" Oriana shot back at Miranda.
They exchanged information and agreed to keep in touch as Miranda walked back towards Joseph who was putting on a damn concert for all the passersby. Some even dropping credit chits at his feet thinking he was a vagrant.
"High, higher than the sun, shoot me from a gun, maybe you can educate my mind" Joe singing loudly oblivious to Miranda standing in front of him until she put her hand on his head playing in his hair.
"Hey Miranda, you ready to go" he said standing up.
"Yeah let's go" she said grabbing his arm walking back to the elevator.
As they got on the elevator Miranda gave her sister one last look eyes watering as she waved goodbye and the elevator closed. She turned looking up at Joe, he wiped the tears out of her eyes leaning down to kiss her. She hesitated at first then reciprocated the kiss, grabbing his face leaning into his neck, "thank you Joey" she whispered in his ear.
"Anytime Miri" he said wrapping his arm around her shoulder as they exited the elevator to head back to the ship.
John was helping get Thane situated in the life support room, as he exited he called out to EDI. "EDI where's Joseph" he asked.
"Mr. Shepard left the ship four hours ago with Operative Lawson" she informed him.
"Did they say where they were going"he asked.
"No commander, but I can pull up the logs from their conversation in the starboard lounge if you wish" she informed him.
"No that won't be necessary, have him stop by my cabin when he comes back on board I need to speak with him about a personal matter" John said getting on the elevator to the CIC.
Joe and Miranda stopped to have dinner at Eternity Lounge due to using their biotics both were starving. In reality Joe was just using that as an excuse to take Miranda out on a date. They ordered a bottle of wine while they waited for their dinner.
"Let me ask you a question Joseph, how do you have biotic abilities when neither of your parents do or your brother" she asked.
"It's a story if you wanna know" he said.
"Please do share" she said jokingly.
FLASHBACK
2163
"Joey, Joey look at me" nine year old John Shepard called out to his twelve year old brother Joseph. He was jumping around on top of eezo canisters in an abandoned junkyard they cut through to go home from school.
"Johnny get down, right now those are eezo tanks, if they explode you'll die" he yelled at his brother.
"Awwww your no fun" John Shepard said jumping down getting his foot caught in between the fence and an eezo tank. "Joey I'm stuck" John yelled out fear laced in his voice.
Joseph ran over immediately trying to get his brother free, the longer it was taking Joe to get him free the more scared John got, he began to cry begging his brother not to leave him.
"Stop crying Johnny I'm not gonna leave you, I will never leave you ok" he said trying to reassure his brother of his safety.
"Ok" young John said sniffling.
Just as Joe got John free he realized that the eezo tank John was stuck between had punctured, he threw John back seconds before it exploded.
PRESENT DAY
"So wait a minute you had a direct exposure to eezo and you don't have any physical deformities, let alone your still alive" Miranda said in shock.
"Yup, that's where those burn marks on my chest came from also why I keep a little bit of hair there" Joe said jokingly.
"Awwww I actually like your hairy chest" Miranda said playfully taking a sip of wine.
"Now that I know maybe I'll let it grow into an Austin Powers chest carpet" Joe joked.
"Who?" Miranda asked confused
"Really, you don't know who Austin Powers is, have you ever watched a movie Miranda, you know nothing of the classics" Joe said in pure shock.
"I never really had a chance as a child my father was always making me do what he wanted me to do. Then when I joined Cerberus I really didn't have any time for it, there was always a project to oversee or and assignment to be done" Miranda explained.
"Don't worry Lawson stick with me, and together we'll reclaim your stolen childhood one movie at a time" he said bringing up his glass for a toast.
They sat and talked until their food came finishing off two bottles of wine with their dinner. Together they left the lounge making their way back to Miranda's apartment on Illium arm in arm.