Stealing a ship from the Nexus was embarrassingly easy. Perhaps it was because she had an AI in her head, but when she was allowed to return to the Nexus they would be getting an itemized list on how they could improve security so their resident in Trouble Pathfinder can't sneak out. Sara had landed at Paradise on Elaaden mid afternoon with SAM scrambling her com systems as she touched down. Wearing a long black coat she had bought off a scavenger and armor that looked nothing like she had worn before she set out.

The place was still hot as well, but there was more of a breeze. She could feel the air kiss her skin as she began the long trail to the Flophouse. Cynopolis, she corrected herself. Her quarry was there.

Part of her hoped he would cooperate and the other half of her wanted to punch him.

She watched from a distance as Collective operatives came in and out of their settlement. Sara searched for the easiest way in. She saw Reyes and her heart lurched. He was wearing something different than he did in the cave in Draulir. She watched as men took their orders. She wondered what he was doing what he was inspecting. She wondered if he missed her exactly the way she missed him. Swallowing it down she snuck into the compound.

Think like Scott, she thought of her infiltrator brother and blended into the shadows as the sun began to set.

The inside of Reyes' house was dark and tidy. There were a few personal items. It was smaller than she expected. The living quarters shared space with the kitchen. A tiny bathroom next to what she assumed with a bedroom. She tried not to think about it too much. Instead on the counter two photographs caught her eye. She held them up to get a better look at them.

One of the photos was a younger Reyes, probably about 18, with an elderly woman and a younger girl. They all shared the same eyes and smiled happily at the camera. There were birthday balloons and he looked shy and uncertain. The second one of him must have been before he came out to the Andromeda Initiative. It was Reyes and another man. It looked like the old photos from the movie theatre. The other man wrapped his arms around Reyes protectively and Reyes smiled at him in the photo. The way he smiled at her on the crates a lifetime ago. Whoever they were they looked like family.

There was a sound at the door, and she remembered it was all about presentation with him as she slinked into the dark.

Reyes Vidal looked better than she remembered. He was clean shaven and his clothing was black with gold trim. He looked regal, even stately. He walked over to a bottle that had been on the kitchen counter.

She recognized it almost immediately. It was the Mount Milgrom they had shared. Reyes took a quick swig before throwing the bottle dismissively into the trash. Her hand formed a fist over him treating it so coldly as her other reached into her black coat for her gun.

Reyes froze as she held the barrel of the gun at the back of his head. "You look lie you are waiting for someone," Sara said softly as his body locked up at the sound of her voice. Good. He raised his arms up in surrender slowly turning around to face her.

Reyes' golden eyes locked onto hers. "You know, there are better ways to say hello," Reyes purred at her and she wanted to slap him. "Would have been a shame to waste such whiskey, it is a treasure you know."

"I bet you say that to all the people who are holding a gun to your head." Sara added playfully. She knew he was evaluating how best to approach her, or how to take her down. She hoped he wasn't stupid enough to antagonize a Vanguard in closed corners. Not even a Krogan would make that mistake.

"Ryder," He rolled her name the way he knew she liked.

"Knock that off." Sara had no patience for this game of seduction, and she wasn't willing to trade barbs with him. He had what she needed.

A look of pain crossed his face and she ignored her urge to make him feel better. She wasn't here for him. "To what do I owe this pleasure?" He stared at her beyond the barrel.

"You have something I need." She hoped she sounded more confident than she was.

"Anything I have is yours," Reyes smirked at her and she could feel him laying it on thick. How had she not noticed the subterfuge before?

"Cut the shit, Reyes." She was annoyed and tired. "You know I can biotically slam you into the wall before you could reach for a gun."

"Consider me schooled," He laughed at her. He had the gall to laugh at her while she held a gun to him.

"You don't reach for your gun and I won't break you into a million pieces." She searched his eyes for something, anything that meant she could trust him. Swallowing she hoped the man who wanted to be someone on a rooftop was in there somewhere.

"I promise." He replied softly with no bravado or jest in his voice.

"You make a lot of promises, Charlatan," she couldn't wipe the scowl from her face. "Hardly any of them kept."

Reyes looked at the floor. She hope that hurt as much as he had hurt her. "How can I help you Pathfinder?"

"Do you want a list?" Sara said near hysterics thinking of the last two months. "Alphabetically?" She was frustrated and angry. She just wanted one thing in this stupid galaxy to be easy.

Reyes moved closer as she holstered her gun. He was more confident that she wouldn't hurt him. "You could also do an outline," he added playfully.

"Stop," Sara looked up at him. "Don't do THAT." She waved her hand dismissively at him trying to put more distance between the two of them.

"Whatever could you mean?" Reyes held his ground.

"You know," Sara grumbled and fiddled with her hair, brushing her hand through it and almost disturbing the tight braid that circled her head. "THAT."

"What do you need?" Reyes spoke and he sounded so tired.

Sara smiled, she gave him that sweet smile she had a long time ago when they lived in the lines of innuendo. He loved that look. "What do I need?" She drawled, dragging out the torture. "Well, the information you stole from the Shadow Broker would be a great start."

The truth landed on him the same way it did to her in a cave long ago. The realization of what she might know spread across his face and he looked at her in fear.