Chapter 2

[1 Hour before the events in Chapter 1]

Garrus grabbed his arm pulling him along, "Come on Commander, I know the term 'shore leave' isn't in your vocabulary so just consider this a mutiny instead."

"I could have you all shot," mutter Shepard, glaring at Garrus, Grunt and then Jacob in turn.

"Commander you have been wound up tighter then a hormonal Quarian ever since you had that meeting Dr T'Soni," commented Garrus, who faltered for a moment as Shepard gave him a glare that clearly indicated Dr T'Soni was off limits, way off limits, "err, um, so yeah, for the good of the crew we decided you needed to get out and unwind a bit."

"For the good of the crew? All mutineers use that excuse." grumbled Shepard as he read the sign they had just pulled him under, "The Skylight Restaurant?"

"Yeah, Miranda told me they do great seafood." rumbled Grunt happily.

"And apparently the views are amazing at sun down.' added Jacob.

"And if I'm not hungry?" asked Shepard.

"I'll eat your fish then." replied a quite sincere Grunt.

"Look Commander," began Jacob, "you need to just stop thinking about things for a while before it buries you, and we thought a night out with the guys might just help, we didn't mean to upset you."

"Speak for yourself Taylor," commented Garrus, "Miranda made it very clear to me that if I didn't get the Commander here off the ship this evening I would be 'calibrating the latrines' for a week, her words by the way."

"Everyone is a mutineer round here," said Shepard, "Should I even ask why she wants me off my own ship?"

"She mentioned something about a girl's poker night and not wanting a bunch of louts in the way, I gather EDI was going to be the dealer." replied Jacob.

"Louts?" said Grunt and Shepard simultaneously.

"And what about Joker and Mordin, why aren't they here then?" ask Shepard, "Did Miranda make them honorary girls or something?"

Garrus snorted in amusement, "Nah, Mordin wanted to run a few tests on Joker to see if he could help out with his bones."

"And Joker was okay with that?"

"Dr Chakwas recommended to him that he let Mordin help."

Shepard shook his head as he and his 3 kidnappers walked into the restaurant and as grumpy as he was at his enforced shore leave he had to admit that they had chosen a nice looking place, with open air seating, lots of creams and purples on the walls and stunning views. It had a quiet and refined atmosphere about it and the thought of Grunt trying to fit in here made him smile. Apparently a somewhat similar but less amusing thought had entered into the head of the Asari Maitre d' who looked rather concerned as she approached the new arrivals.

"Errr. May I help you, um, gentleman?" she asked, looking at them as if they were contagious.

"Table for four, under the reservation of Shepard." said Jacob.

The Maitre d' looked down at her data pad, "Hmmm indeed. Ah yes, Shepard, for four. Your table is waiting sir. Your Krogan will have to wait outside though."

Grunt growled and thumped his chest, "Try and make me."

The Maitre d' swallowed and, rather bravely in Shepard's opinion, spoke up, "All bodyguards must wait outside, this is a peaceful establishment."

"Bodyguard! What? Shepard, let me..." but before Grunt could finish Garrus hastily stepped between him, the Maitre d' and a galactic incident, "I think you must be mistaking my friend here for someone else. Surely you would not refuse the Galactic Ambassador to Clan Urdnot entrance to your establishment?"

Shepard nearly chocked as he tried to swallow a laugh and Jacob threw an exaggeration bow to Grunt who looked like he had just eaten an Asari, or was about to. This however this was still a better look then the one the Maitre d' had on her face, which had suddenly gone a pasty cyan colour. "Oh I am so sorry your Excellency! Please forgive me, I did not mean to give any offence. If it would please your Excellency to follow me?" and without waiting for an answer she turned and hurried off towards the party's table.

"Ambassador?" asked Grunt.

"Yes your Excellency," laughed Garrus, "Well, I had to do something to stop you exploding."

Shepard wiped tears from his eyes and added, "Let it go Grunt, you might get a better meal out of it."

"Ha! True. Ambassador Grunt. I like it!"

The four of them sat down at the indicated table and were immediately fussed over by an unending number of waiters who poured out drinks, laid out napkins and generally fawned over the 'ambassador' and his entourage. After ordering their meals and shooing away the waiters the guys sat back to enjoy their drinks.

"Ok, so maybe I won't have all of you shot after all." said Shepard as he finished a particularly pleasant green drink from some unpronounceable planet that Garrus had chosen for him.

His three companions smiled, glad to see their Commander loosening up a little and they continued to chat about inconsequential and minor things as the first course was bought out.

"Gods, is that thing even cooked?" remarked Jacob after seeing Grunt's first course which looked like a raw two headed fish, with tentacles.

"It had better not be!" replied Grunt with relish, "Maldovian Sucker Fish is best served raw in warm salty water, or so I read. Never thought I'd ever try one."

"Considering the price of that thing you would think someone would cut it up for you," said Jacob as he watched Grunt, who picked up his meal in two hands and bit into it, tentacles, scales and some unidentifiable liquid all over his chin, "or not. Ugh that is disgusting Grunt!"

"Speak for yourself." replied Grunt after slurping up a tentacle, "this is delicious!"

"Commander" said Garrus in a tone that immediately caused the hairs on the back of Shepard's neck to stand on end.

Looking up from his plate Shepard became very still when he saw Garrus' posture, which looked like a tracking dog that had just picked up a scent.

"There are two humans wheeling a maintenance cart towards us."

"So?" asked Jacob around a mouthful of salad, "probably just going to fix something in the kitchens."

Shepard shook his head, slowly putting his cutlery down and resisting the urge to turn around. "Ever seen a human working here? This is an Asari world. Plus, a place like this would have a tradesman's entrance so as to not to disturb the customers. What's your read Garrus?"

"Something is definitely fishy," he said, as Grunt burped, "if you pardon the pun."

"Suggestions?" asked Shepard who, like the rest of his team, had suddenly gone off his food. Why couldn't he just have a moment's peace?

"Not sure, they don't seem to be... DOWN!" Garrus leapt up and flung the table over between Shepard and Grunt. Instead of landing noisily on the floor the table appeared to explode in mid air with a heavy crunching noise which was accompanied almost immediately afterwards by shrieks of panic from the other diners in the restaurant who had all leapt to their feet in confusion.

The group instantly scattered for the nearest cover, all except Grunt who picked up a metal leg from the shattered table and with a ear shattering bellow charged the two maintenance crew who were now standing behind the maintenance cart holding vicious looking shotguns, one of which was still smoking.

Shepard looked up over the top of an indoor garden bed and saw Grunt as he began his charge. Cursing the fact that they had left all of their weapons back on the Normandy he none the less stood up and jumped over the garden bed and threw himself at one of the assassins just as Grunt reached the other and quickly proved that a Krogan with a metal table leg is no match for an assassin with a shotgun.

Garrus came running over holding a chair, quickly joined by Jacob who had found a wickedly sharp carving knife from somewhere. "Move and I'll give you to my Krogan," snarled Shepard at the remaining assassin who, after his flying tackle, he had pinned face down on the floor, "Anyone hurt?"

"Don't be insulting Shepard." replied Grunt.

"We're good" reported Garrus, "area clear."

A crowd begun to gather around the group now that the threat had passed and Shepard order Garrus and Jacob to try to keep them back before turning his attention onto his captive, "Now, who the hell are you!"

The would be assassin struggled underneath Shepard who stood and pulled him roughly to his feet, "I said who the hell are you!"

"Let me ask him" growled Grunt, stepping closer

"Okay! Okay, I'll talk but just keep that thing away from me!" cried out the assassin.

"Thing?" yelled Grunt.

"Easy Grunt, if he doesn't talk you can play with him later." replied Shepard, "Now, start talking, fast."

Shepard released his hold on the assassin and stepped back to question him when suddenly everything went to hell. The moment he was released the assassin dived onto the maintenance cart and managed to smack his hand down onto a large dull silver metal cube just as Grunt reacted by bringing down the table leg down across the back of his skull with a wet thud. As the dead assassin slid off the cart into a heap on the floor the cube began to emit a high pitch hum which was getting higher and louder very quickly.

"Bomb!" yelled Garrus. "Move!" yelled Shepard at nearly the same time.

And putting actions to words he turned and sprinted towards the balcony. Suddenly the noise stopped and Grunt let out an inarticulate cry, grabbing Shepard and throwing both himself and his Commander over the top of restaurant's bar just as the device exploded.

...

"Commander? Commander?"

Why is Miranda whispering, thought Shepard, and why am I laying on the floor?

Shepard groaned as he tried to move, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his thoughts and causing a wave of nausea to wash over him. "Oh, bad idea." he groaned.

"Mordin, he's awake" called out Miranda who seemed to be whispering again, were they in a library he wondered.

Then he felt Mordin's tough leathery fingers probing every sore point on his chest, "Minor trauma. Some bruising. Nothing Serious. Being landed on by the Krogan didn't help. Very lucky. Krogan very heavy when armoured. Of course will need to do full scan on Normandy to assess any cranial damage."

"I'm fine Dr." Shepard groaned.

"Glad you are awake Commander. Need to tend to other patients." And with that Mordin left.

"He has the bedside manner of a Krogan," muttered Shepard. Hang on, he thought, other patients. Patients?

Realization of where he was suddenly came flooding back and he sat up, inducing another wave of nausea and another groan. "Oh, not good. Miranda, report."

"Everyone is fine Commander. I mean Garrus, Jacob and Grunt are alive, but the bomb destroyed most of the restaurant so the casualty list is huge. You sure do dine out in style. What the hell happened here?"

"Someone sent a team to kill us at dinner, hit squad of 2 humans. Grunt killed one and the other managed to trigger the bomb." He rubbed his face hard with his hands, "he set it off knowing he would die. This wasn't a simple mercenary hit."

He looked up at Miranda who was kneeling beside him looking concerned and behind her, parked where the balcony used to be, was the Normandy's shuttle and his crew climbing all over the restaurant's wreckage. "Not that I am ungrateful, but how did you get here?"

"Garrus called in a report moments after the bomb went off and we got here as soon as we could. Dr Chakwas stayed behind and is prepping the medibay for incoming."

Shepard stood, the effects of the blast slowly wearing off, "Do what you can for the injured Miranda, you have full authorization to use all of the Normandy's facilities."

"Shepard!" call out Tali as she came running over to her commander, "Are you all right?"

"I'll live Tali."

"You need to see this right away Commander." she replied, bringing her omnitool up, "I dumped this from the restaurant's security feed, I could only get the last 5 minutes before the bomb went off but it is enough."

Shepard watched the video reply on Tali's omnitool and swore quietly.

"Jack!" he called out. Jack came over, covered in rock dust and what looked like blood and Shepard got Tali to replay the video for her.

"What!" she screamed after watching the replay, letting out a huge cry of anger and managing to destroy the single remaining decorative vase that had survived the bomb with a blast of biotics, "Where the fuck is he?"

Tali shook her head, "This is all the video I could salvage, the only other bit I have shows him leaving in a taxi."

Jack spun around, hands on her head, close to losing it, her whole body glowing with biotics.

"Jack! Stand down, now! That is an order!" shouted Shepard.

Jack spun back around to Shepard, the hate in her eyes startling him for a moment, "Fuck you Shepard!"

"I said stand down!" repeated Shepard and then calmly added, "we will find him Jack. Trust me."

Jack clenched her fists, the hate in her eyes subsiding and being replaced by fear which scared Shepard more. "Why won't they just fuck off and leave me alone?" she pleaded.

Shepard stepped closer to Jack now that she had calmed a little, "Jack listen to me, we will find him I promise you. Trust me, you know I would not lie to you."

Jack stared at Shepard and nodded once, "Your way then Shepard, but we go now."

Shepard nodded back and got Tali to call up EDI on the comms.

"Yes Commander?"

"EDI I need you to find out the destination of a taxi that left the Skylight Restaurant. Tali will upload the details to you."

"Commander, that information is protected within one of Illium's many central mainframes; it is not available to me."

"Hack it EDI, that is what you were built for."

"I must remind you Commander that that is illegal."

"I'm still a Spectre EDI, so consider this authorization. Tali upload the data."

"As you wish Commander," intoned EDI, "data received. Searching."

Shepard studied the wreckage while EDI was searching for the information he needed, there were dead bodies everywhere and the state of the injured was not much better, many would not live through the night he guessed.

"Commander?"

"What do you have EDI?"

"Taxi number 43554 left the restaurant at the precise time Tali supplied and it carried 1 passenger to The Dawnlight Tower. I have downloaded the location to Tali's omnitool."

"Thank you EDI. Shepard Out."

"Logging you out Commander."

Shepard turned to face Tali, "Tali do you have the data?"

"I have it Commander. The towers are approximately 50 kilometres west of here."

"Jack, can you find transport?"

Jack stormed off without looking at Shepard and climbed up a pile of rubble. At the top she summoned her biotics, throwing her arms out, stopping a passing taxi dead in its tracks and slamming it down onto the balcony next to the shuttle, "Done, now let's get the fuck out of here."

"Make sure that thing still works and wait for the there." said Shepard as he walked over to where Miranda was co-ordinating the rescue of the survivors, "Miranda, we have a location and we need to go before the trail gets cold."

"Understood Commander. Take Tali with you, her tech will be put to better use getting you into somewhere you shouldn't be then it will be here. And you are taking Jack, aren't you? She seems to have become very disturbed, again."

Shepard nodded, "And with good reason, but I'll explain later. Have you got any spare weapons?"

Miranda pointed back to the shuttle, "your full kit is in there, after we heard of the bomb we assumed you were in some kind of fire fight and bought it with us. That was before we knew you were injured."

"Thanks, and keep me updated Miranda." said Shepard, who then jogged over to the shuttle and quickly began to secure his armour, snapping the weapons into place on his back and grabbing a spare shotgun and heavy pistol for Tali and Jack.

Once dressed and armed Shepard called for Tali to join Jack in the taxi and then jumped in after her. He had barely sat down before Jack threw the Taxi into the sky, straining the limits of its inertial dampeners and red lining its engine.

As Shepard held onto the dash he watched other cars, buildings and trucks flash past as blurs, he didn't think it was possible to make a taxi move as fast as this one was moving.

"Commander," called out EDI over the comms, "I have intercepted a radio message coming from the tower I located earlier, someone in there is calling for an off world shuttle to pick them up."

Shepard was positive that the taxi began to pick up further speed when Jack heard that, "Copy that EDI, we are on our way."

"I know Commander, now that I am inside the main frame I can track your progress simply by the location of each traffic violation that arrives. And might I add that they are arriving with alarming regularity."

"Shepard out."

"Logging you out Commander."

Tali pointed to a tall blue tower that had just appeared in front of them as Jack careened around a corner, narrowly missing 2 trucks and another building. "There, that is the Dawnlight Tower, Commander."

Shepard studied the Tower as they approached. It was a blue coloured tower standing apart from the other towers in the area, approximately 20 storeys high with the roof sloping sharply down from the top floor to floor 10, meaning that there was no easy access from the top, they would have to go in from the ground floor and work their way up. As they got closer Shepard noticed something strange about the building, there were no windows. None. Even the ground floor entrance appeared to contain only a single sliding metallic door, it was more akin to a warehouse then a building.

"No windows." Shepard commented to the other two.

"They are hiding something." suggested Tali.

Shepard nodded, "Well they know we are coming if that comms signal was anything to go by. Jack, how about we try the direct approach? That metal door is very large and doesn't look very strong."

Jack nodded and pointed the nose of the Taxi downwards towards the door.

"Err, right behind you Commander, thankfully," commented Tali as she scrunched down a little lower in her seat behind Shepard.

Jack ducked down below the dash and slammed on the brakes metres before the taxi impacted with the metal door, its own inertial crashing it clear through before coming to a halt inside the Dawnlight Tower. Shepard threw the door open and all three team mates dove for cover as the guards inside began to fire on the taxi. Shepard emptied a clip at them from behind cover as he assessed the layout of the battlefield.

"Four in hard cover on the right Commander!" yelled out Tali during a brief lull in the gun fire.