Ch. 18

If you reveal your secrets to the wind you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.

Kahlil Gibran (1883 - 1931)

I'm sitting in a C-sec interrogation room, I have been for what feels like an hour. I've seen cop movies, but those were humans and of course over 100 years in the past. I start to fall asleep, I know for a fact the owner is getting me out of this. I feel a tapping on my head, I open my eyes, almost asleep, to a rather ticked off looking turian officer. "Wake up punk," he says.

I nearly laugh, "Did you just call me punk."

"What about it," he says.

"You've got to be kidding me," I say.

I was so focused on the turian that I didn't notice the asari sitting across from me. "This is no matter to be kidding about," the asari says.

"Is this the good cop bad cop part," I ask a little impertinent.

The turian reaches out towards me, presumably to grab my collar and yank it up. He never gets there I grab his wrist and squeeze, hard. He collapses in pain, I hear a click as the asari's pistol unfolds. "Tell him not to try and grab me," I say, "I have personal space issues."

"Let him go," she says slowly and clearly. I release him he backs off.

"Now then," I say, "why have you fine officers brought me here."

"You are a suspect in the murder of Talvin Pavick," the asari says, she puts her pistol away.

"And that warrants your rude friend," I ask.

"Murder is serious business," She answers

"Why am I a suspect," I ask innocently.

"The figure seen was wearing a black cloak and cowl and moved faster than possible naturally," she says.

"So your discriminating against me due to my mods and fashion sense," I ask.

"The perpetrator purchased various items and had them delivered to the ship in dock 422," the asari answers.

"So..." I ask. I thought the Owner would deal with this.

The turian loses control, "You were the one who made the purchases," he shouts.

"I couldn't have been," I say.

"Why is that," the asari asks.

"As you are most likely aware I was at a restaurant with a friend all day," I answer, "I can't remember the name, but just look for the one where a guy ran across tables." Man the fact I'm being asked these questions means the Owner's agents missed some things.

"Don't bull-," the turian almost shouts.

There is a beep and the door opens, a rather well dressed, looking asari walks in, she hands the officers a datapad.

"He's not lying, sorry for the inconvenience sir," the turian says. Wow that quick huh.

"No problem get that checked out," I say pointing to his wrist, as I am leaving, "stay safe."

I arrive in the main room, Shepard, Tali, Liana, and Garrus are there. "What was that about Will," Shepard asks.

"A case of mistaken identity," I answer. My cover for now.

"Is everything cleared up," Shepard asks.

"Yes," I answer, "sorry about that." "Tali I need to speak to you," I say grabbing her arm and leading her back to the Normandy.

"What is it," Tali asks when we arrive at the dock, the stuff I had bought was there.

"I got something for you," I say.

It is a new set of armor, "I found this one at a shop in the Wards, it has a medical interface so when you get injured it will help you heal, a shield booster, and it looks the same as your current outfit..." I realize, seeing both suits looked exactly the same. "I'm an idiot."

"Will you shouldn't have spent so much," She says noticing the price tag.

"What's 100,000 credits compared to your safety," I say.

"Keelah Will, this armor is worth more than my all my other possession," She exclaims.

"I don't want you to get hurt," I say with finality. I hug her, "You're my friend."

Shepard's group arrives, I let Tali go, Liana narrows her eyes at me.

"I don't have the experience necessary for this," I say to the world.

"Thank you Will," Tali says.

"Will I need to talk to you," Shepard says, "now."

I wonder what's up, "Sure Shepard," I say following her. We pass through the airlock, we enter the conference room. I'm uncomfortable I can guess what Shepard wants. The one thing I can't give her.

"I need the truth now," Shepard says.

"I told you I can't tell you," I say. I wish I could, then you'd find some miraculous lead we'd find the Owner and take him down.

"What is going on with you," Shepard asks.

"I can't, believe me I want to, but I can't," I say sadly.

She sighs, "Until you do you're confined to the Normandy," she says, almost sadly, "you wont be joining us on the Noveria mission."

"What," I say, "you said you trusted me."

"I did, but too many things are going strange," Shepard says, "I feel like you haven't told me the truth since you stepped on this ship, being brought in on murder charges, I don't know what to do Will." She heads towards the door, "So until you can tell me what's going on you wont be leaving my ship."

I sit down in one of the Conference room chairs, "Shepard," I say before she leaves. "I can't tell you now, but I will." "Thanks for letting me stay on-board."

"Until that day you don't get to go on anymore missions," Shepard says as the door closes.

"Man I wanted to see Noveria," I say to the air.