The Candidate – 15

Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect. I am merely playing in the world. It belongs to Drew Karpyshyn and Bioware.

Physical Inquiries

When Shepard returned to the Citadel, he had Tali waiting for him. She immediately filled him on the discovery of two more transmissions from the C-Sec. Shepard listened to the news with a grim expression on his face. For once, his lips were set in a hard line, as he queried, "When did you pick up the messages, Tali?"

The young Quarian replied, "The first was just before you left the Citadel, Shepard. The second was just after you sent word saying that you were going to Arcturus Station."

"The exact times of the transmissions? Do you have them?"

"Aye," returned Tali.

"The frequencies?" One communications expert was now speaking to another.

"A narrow band of ultra high frequency, Shepard."

"Makes life easier for us," muttered Shepard. "But why didn't they simply make it the regular high frequencies band? It would be very easy to mix it with the regular traffic, and would be quite impossible for us to track."

"Burst transmission would be impossible in that range, Shepard," pointed out Tali. "And if they are using burst transmissions with very short radio traffic intervals, they may have counted on not being found."

Shepard said nothing. His face was grave and preoccupied. Here on the Citadel, there were a lot of people with nothing better to do than to listen to each others' radio chatter. He inquired, "Was this in the same code?"

"Yes," returned Tali.

Shepard nodded, "Tali – were you able to locate the transmitters?"

"But you didn't want to find the transmitter ..."

"That was eight and forty hours ago, Tali. Things are changing. Did you find it?"

Tali nodded. "The first from a public computer terminal near the human embassy. The second was from the C-Sec public terminals."

"Whoever it is is tempting Providence sending all his messages from the C-Sec terminals," muttered Shepard. "What was your localisation?"

"Five square metres," returned the young Quarian, almost proudly.

"Excellent work, Tali," applauded Shepard. "You are really a delight to work with. I want you to listen for the next transmission, and note down the time you get. Then, also, localise it to the best of your ability."

The young Quarian nodded and left.

-(Scene Break)-

While Shepard was away on the asteroid of Terra Nova, Garrus was investigating the activities of Fist. Shepard had told him to keep Fist and his thugs under surveillance, so he was going to be thorough. He had broken into the home of Fist under the guise of a repairman – after he himself had sabotaged the heating in Fist's apartment – and bugged all communication facilities, apart from placing listening devices in all rooms. He did not expect Fist to actually make any incriminating calls, or meetings, but it would help still with who met him and who did not. Then, he had methodically covered the complete surveillance of Fist's immediate lieutenants, and then, he had just as meticulously tapped others whose conversations could yield useful intelligence. In this net were included Fist's lawyer, his accountant, and his doctor. However, actionable intelligence – or even, useful intelligence – concerning Saren was eluding him, and he had to report on what he had obtained from Fist.

When Shepard returned to the Citadel, he found Garrus waiting for him.

"Commander," Garrus was speaking, "There is no intelligence we have connecting Saren with Fist."

"What did you find?" inquired Shepard.

Garrus reeled off the list of people who were being kept under surveillance, and the information that he had obtained. There was some intelligence regarding other criminal activity – he narrated some details of Fist's involvement in extortion rackets, and his smuggling in illegal mods and red sand onto the Citadel – but there was nothing about Saren." Finally, he related, "There is a human doctor on the Wards called Chloe Michel. When thugs get injured, they go to her to patch them up without reporting the wounds to C-Sec. For a substantial fee, she patches up the thugs and keeps her mouth shut."

"I see," returned Shepard. "What about her?"

"She is also Fist's private doctor and in our surveillance on Fist and his thugs, Tali and I bugged her office to check what, if anything, is going on there. It appears that the woman is being blackmailed."

"Hardly surprising," murmured Shepard, his voice dripping with contempt. "If you mess with criminals, you will probably end up being blackmailed by them." Almost as an aside, he remarked, "How much is she paying?"

"She isn't being blackmailed for money." Consulting his notes, he continued, "In her case, she is being blackmailed for some chemical called adrophinone. She has handed the chemical once three days ago, and is being blackmailed for more."

Shepard's manner had become much more attentive. "Adrophinone?! You are sure?"

"Indeed, Commander," nodded Garrus. Seeing that Shepard's attention was riveted, he queried, "Is that important?"

Shepard murmured slowly, "It could be."

"But what is it?" inquired Garrus.

Shepard returned, "It is a secondary Krogan hormone. Among other things, it is used to treat very rare glandular disorders in Krogan."

"How do you know that?" demanded the former C-Sec operative in evident surprise.

"I majored in Chemistry in the university, and I am also trained as a field medic – which means that I know the anatomy of every major citadel species. It is my job to know these things. But let be – who would want this?"

"We don't know," replied Garrus. "All we know is that it is being delivered to the recipient near Morlan's shop in the Wards tonight."

"Has this doctor complained to Fist or his thugs about this?" inquired Shepard.

"Yes, Commander. But they did not care."

Shepard ordered, "I see. Find out who is receiving this chemical. Find out what you can about the recipient. But under no circumstances are you to confront him. And report to me."

"You think this is important, Commander?" questioned a surprised Garrus. He had not expected that little detail to be of any importance.

"It could be," answered Shepard. "More importantly, what interests me is why anyone would want to blackmail for it. Any doctor could easily order it, and it would be delivered. But why is someone blackmailing for it?"

"Some illegal hack job about Krogan genophage cures?" suggested Garrus. "There are many quacks selling fake cures to Krogan."

"It is possible," returned Shepard slowly. "But two things militate against that. First, this is Fist's doctor. A lowly Krogan hack would not dare try blackmailing Fist's doctor, and more importantly, would not have got away with it, as he did three days ago, nor would Fist's thugs have allowed their doctor to be blackmailed. If they did not care, it indicates that they are willing to condone it, or they are involved in it. We are not aware of any operation of Fist that involves illegal research. And Fist is the alpha dog of this section of the Wards - he would not allow another group to blackmail his doctor without repercussions. If he is willing to look the other way, it indicates that it is being done, with his consent, possibly for someone much bigger than him. I want to know who that is."

"And what is the second reason?" asked Garrus.

"Why this particular chemical, and why go to the extent of blackmailing a doctor for it? Wouldn't any other chemical – more easily obtained on the market chemical - serve for a fake cure?"

Garrus nodded slowly. "Very well, Commander. I'll track the recipient of the chemical."

-(Scene Break)-

When Dr. Michel's assistant delivered the chemical to a Krogan in a plaza in front of Morlan's store in the Wards, Garrus quietly followed the recepient in an unmarked C-Sec staff skycar at a discreet distance. The Krogan evidently did not suspect that he was being followed, and he simply took one of C-Sec's publicly available skytrams to his destination - a drop box in a small shop that advertised adult pin-ups and the addresses of prostitutes in its shop window. The Krogan dropped the package in an empty box, and then, without another glance, simply turned and walked away. Garrus noted mentally that this shop likely took in drops from people without a regular address for a price. He would need to make inquiries about the callers for the package. But he still had the second part of his task to complete. He still needed to discover more about this Krogan, and, consequently, he followed the Krogan to what appeared to be his own apartment, and having observed the Krogan's apartment, decided to pursue the inquiries the next morning. He posted two men to keep watch on the Krogan, and left the place.

The next morning, Garrus had acquired the resources of C-Sec and put a four man squad to tail the Krogan and observe what he did, who he interacted with and whom he talked to. That done, he entered the landlord's home. The landlord, a big, strong, human, observed the Turian in some trepidation. But Garrus was charming, "I am from the Wards Council office, mister, and we are updating the electoral rolls. I just wanted to check who is living in this apartment, so we can update all the rolls."

"What d'ya want to know?" growled the human.

Garrus produced a list he had obtained from the Wards Council office, listing the tenants of the apartment, and began to query, "I want to know what houses these people live in. Mr. Vansittart?"

"Yep. He's here in the second floor. Second door on the right," returned the landlord.

The list went on, and the Krogan's name did not appear even when Garrus' list was exhausted. He then queried, "Anyone else is here?"

"Two other people," replied the landlord. "van Steyn – a human on the third floor, fourth house on the left. And Grazm – Krogan – second floor, fifth house on the left."

"These two been here long?"

"van Steyn's been here nearly an year. Grazm came here only three weeks ago." answered the landlord.

Garrus nodded, "Thank you. Tell these men we'll register their names to vote."

-(Scene Break)-

Garrus' underlings had followed the Krogan all day until he retired to his apartment late that night. They described the Krogan's movements. He had gone to work at the usual time. He worked at the Dvirada Construction company, owned by a Turian named Parnastus. The Krogan had worked quietly and efficiently until lunch, which he had had alone, without anyone else mingling with him. After that, he had returned to work, and had continued until evening. Then, he had gone down to the plaza near Morlan's shop, picked up another parcel from a human, and had dropped it in a drop box in the same small shop that Garrus had seen the previous evening. Then he had gone home to sleep. While the others had followed the Krogan, one person had followed the man who had handed in the parcel to Grazm. This man had been identified as Chin Woo, an assistant of Dr. Amelia Graham, another doctor on the wards.

Garrus reported all this to the Spectre, who had commended him on the work he had done, and instructed him to continue his watch on the Krogan and everyone he interacted with.

The next evening, it was the same news that the watchers brought. The Krogan had worked all day, and in the evening, he had picked up a parcel at the same plaza near Morlan's shop and dropped it in the same shop near the wards. This time, the man who had brought the parcel worked for a Turian doctor in the Wards. While the Krogan was at work, Garrus, in the guise of a maintenance worker, had entered the Krogan's apartment and had come up with only one interesting fact. The Krogan was being paid five thousand credits every other week from a company named Alcataraz, registered on Noveria.

Garrus had also placed a man on watch at the shop where the parcels had been dropped off to see where the parcels were being sent. The C-Sec officer followed the human who called for those parcels and followed him to a pharmaceutical warehouse named Asterius, in the Wardsand dropped off the parcels there. The C-Sec officer had taken several holograms of the human, and C-Sec was able to identify the human in question. His name was Robert Kahawel and he worked as a delivery man for Asterius, picking up various pharmaceuticals for them from plenty of sources.

-(Scene Break)-

The next day was to bring shocking developments. Early next day, one of the C-Sec officers who had been assigned to following the Krogan brought in some horrifying news. He rushed into Garrus' office, gasping, "Heard the news, sir?"

"What?" asked Garrus.

"Dr. Graham has committed suicide!"

Shepard merely lifted an inquiring eyebrow. "Indeed? How did it come about?"

"Not sure, sir," returned the policeman. "Yesterday, she was apparently very depressed about something. Sometime during the night, she seems to have shot herself. Her assistant went in this morning, and found her dead, with a pistol clutched in her hand."

Shepard and Garrus exchanged a glance. "I think we had better take a look."

-(Scene Break)-

C-Sec officials had just arrived and were cordoning off the area, beginning their search in the office of the doctor. The appearance of a Spectre caused some confusion and consternation in the officer in charge, Detective Chellick. He was not pleased, and remarked as much. "This is a small affair, Cmdr. Shepard. One of our local problems. No experts need apply."

Shepard remarked soothingly, "I'm sure the case is in excellent hands, Detective. I don't intend to meddle at all." Seeing the other's evident relief, Shepard continued, "What have you found?"

"Seems like a straightforward suicide, sir," replied the Detective. "Door was locked on the inside. All windows closed and fastened from within. There was a pistol in her hand, and only one shot has been fired – into her own head. We have been making inquiries and the assistant says that the doctor was depressed a lot in the last few weeks. No one has come into the office since last night. The commissionaire in the building lobby swears that much. Looks like a depressed woman committing suicide."

"Have you found any suicide note?" inquired Shepard.

"No, Commander," answered Chellick.

Shepard's mind was racing. "Do you mind if I check a couple of things?"

"Go ahead," waved the Detective.

Shepard began looking through the dead woman's bank records. They showed that her financial condition was declining, but stable. His lips tightened, seeing that several transfers had been made to a major pharmaceutical company in the last several weeks. A quick glance at her requisition orders confirmed his suspicions. She had ordered three consignments of adrophinone. With the permission of the officer in charge, the took the requisition orders, and left the scene.

-(Scene Break)-

After returning to his office after checking the suicide, Shepard, Garrus and Wrex were huddled in an impromptu meeting. Shepard had asked Wrex to check the Krogan's background, while he was investigating the blackmail, and Wrex was ready with an update.

The meeting began as Garrus remarked, "Three doctors are being blackmailed. All for the same drug, adrophinone, I think. At least, two of them are for adrophinone and the parcel, in the case of the third, looks similar."

"All of them are adrophinone," returned Shepard quietly.

"How do you know that?" rumbled Wrex.

"Adrophinone is an extraordinarily hard drug to manufacture in that it requires some very intricate equipment to manufacture. Besides, there is not much demand for it. Consequently, there are only two manufacturers for it throughout the galaxy."

"And?" prompted Garrus, urging the Spectre to continue.

"I checked with both the manufacturers about recent orders. Our surmises were right. There has been a sudden spurt in demand for the drug on the Citadel, and on Ilium. On the Citadel, eight doctors – including the three we have seen being blackmailed – have placed large orders for the drug. The manufacturers are not able to account for this sudden need for the drug."

"So eight doctors on the Citadel are being blackmailed for this chemical," mused Garrus. "Why does anyone want this much of the drug?"

Shepard shook his head. "It is impossible to say for sure until we have discovered to whom the drug is going."

"Why couldn't doctors on Tuchanka, Thessia or Sur'Kesh or Earth be blackmailed for this drug, Shepard?" asked Wrex.

Shepard replied, "Export to Tuchanka is forbidden, I think. As for the other worlds, there are very few Krogan there. If an Earth doctor started ordering this drug, it would swiftly raise the question why since there are no Krogan there. Only a doctor on a multi-species world with a substantial population of Krogan would be able to order the chemical without raising too many suspicions. So – only doctors on such worlds – like the Citadel, and Ilium – can be blackmailed for the drug."

"What's the next step?" asked Garrus.

"Two things. First, we need to find out Fist's role in the whole affair. Second, to whom is this chemical going and why do they want it?"

"How do we find whom the chemical is going to?" asked Garrus.

"It is very hard, unless we know who is handling the adrophinone in the warehouse. If we just raid it, we'll never find the mole. And finding the mole – that is not going to be an easy task."

There was a long pause, and then Shepard continued, "Tell me, what have you two discovered about this Grazm?"

"He's from clan Notalec – a small clan on my homeworld," rumbled the Krogan battlemaster. "His clan got scattered when his Warlord – Okeer – got exiled from Tuchanka for doing things which even few Krogan would dare do. Anyway, one day, Okeer got hit by a rebellion by most of his own followers and an attack by two other clans. He could do nothing but flee with a handful of followers. This Grazm was one of those who followed Okeer into exile. But after several years, he and Okeer quarrelled, and he broke off with Okeer as well. From then on, he's been taking odd jobs all over the galaxy to make his living."

Wrex continued, "He came to the Ilium about twenty years ago, and he's been working with various gangs. Used mostly as a bouncer in bars, and as a bodyguard to protect ganglords. Never been involved in too much violence. Seems to have known just how much violence he could employ and when."

Garrus took up the story, "He arrived on the Citadel about three weeks ago. Since then, he has been working for the Dvirada construction company. He's caused no trouble there, and his employers seem pleased with him."

Shepard put together the information given him by his two colleagues. "So – collecting blackmailed chemicals is a step down for him?" he asked.

"A long step down, Shepard," returned Wrex.

Shepard thought for a long moment. "Do you think you can get this Grazm to talk, Wrex?"

The big Krogan shrugged, "He's not a battlemaster, so I can try. What do you want me to do, Shepard?"

Shepard explained his scheme at length. "Remember, we want evidence!"

Wrex nodded, and left.

"Garrus, this Fist must have his moles in C-Sec, yes?"

"Of course," nodded Garrus.

"Is there anyone you suspect?"

Garrus smiled. "Sure, Commander!"

"Excellent!" returned Commander Shepard. "Make sure he is on duty in the interrogation rooms tomorrow evening."

-(Scene Break)-

While Wrex had been preparing for a confrontation with Grazm, Shepard had been busy. At his invitation, a small human woman, hooded and cloaked, had come over to the Citadel to meet with him privately in the Flux. Shepard had set down Dr. Graham's requisition orders, and some of her other prescriptions before the newcomer, and explained his needs. The newcomer had agreed, and working from morning till evening, had finished her task just as dusk was falling. She had handed Cmdr. Shepard her handiwork, pocketed her fees, and left just as unobtrusively.

-(Scene Break)-

When Grazm returned to his house, he found another Krogan awaiting him inside his home. This Krogan was taller and heavier than himself, But this was not the first thought that registered itself on Grazm's mind. The only thing he realised was that this Krogan had entered inside without his permission. He growled, "Who the hell are you?! And how did you get here."

The other looked him with utter disdain. "Never mind how I got here. I'm someone who's got business with you."

"And what business's that?" rasped Grazm.

"This is my territory," growled Wrex. "You're collecting drugs from doctors, on my turf!"

"This is Fist's territory!" snarled the younger Krogan. "Not yours!"

Wrex's fist shot out, catching Grazm squarely in the face. The younger Krogan stumbled backwards, "Not anymore," Wrex growled. "It's mine now!"

Grazm was rising, and clutching his shattered face, as he growled, "Fist won't be pleased about this! And if you're smart, you'll stay the hell away from me!"

Another punch, and Grazm went staggering back. All the while, Grazm's mind was calculating furiously. He was alarmed, yet, at the same time, relieved. Alarmed that his associations with the doctors had been discovered, yet relieved that he had been discovered by a thug who thought he was a junkie or a pusher, and who could likely be paid off, played off, or bumped off without too much fuss. So he raised a hand in a pacific gesture. "Okay, okay – I'll give you a cut."

Wrex took two steps towards Grazm and head butted the younger Krogan. Wrex was a battlemaster, with his muscles honed by a millenium of combat, and consequently, a well timed blow from him was no small thing. Grazm did not stagger or check when Wrex's head struck him at the joining of the collar and neck. He went down as if hit by a truck. Wrex bent down to pick up Grazm by the bunched front of his clothes. His feet dangling in the air, and barely able to breathe as Wrex savagely lifted him off his feet, he heard the other growl, "You're on my territory, bastard! You'll bring everything you get from the doctor to me! I'll give you a share! Understood?!"

Unable to even choke out a reply, Grazm nodded dumbly. Wrex threw him contemptuously to the floor "Good. Bring your stuff to me tomorrow in the back alley off Chora's Den. If you ain't there..." Wrex's voice trailed off menacingly.

Grazm raised his hand in a placating gesture, nearly a surrender. "I'll be there!"

"Good! Don't fail!" With that, the big Krogan battlemaster turned and stalked out.

Grazm waited until he was sure that Wrex was gone, and then checked outside his door to make sure that he was indeed gone. Then he made the first mistake. He called Chora's Den – Fist's haunt – from his holo-vid, complaining bitterly about the attack on him. His call was on intercept and Tali had logged every word of it.

-(Scene Break)-

The next evening, Wrex approached the rendezvous. Garrus' C-Sec scouts had reconnoitred the area, and had informed Wrex that there were four humans and a krogan along with Grazm waiting for him in the back alley off Chora's den. Shepard, on hearing this report, had offered to send any support Wrex wanted, but the Krogan battlemaster had refused. Four humans and two Krogan pups certainly did not warrant any additional support in Wrex's books. He was more than capable of taking care of them. Shepard's orders had been clear. Get Grazm alive. The rest were irrelevant.

As he approached the rendezvous, he sensed the five moving all around him. The two Krogan were in front, waiting for him in the agreed upon spot. Two humans were standing away in elevated spots with sniper rifles. And two more were moving on his flank and rear.

Standing about thirty paces from the two Krogan, near a high concrete slab, one hand in a pocket, Wrex called, "Call your varren back and slip their leashes on them! They ain't invited!"

Seeing that his surprise had failed, Grazm screamed to his men, "Get him!" Ere the others could fire, Wrex's unseen hand emerged from the pocket, and he tossed an armed grenade at one of the snipers standing on a ledge, about twenty five feet high and fifty feet from Wrex. The grenade flew true to its aim, and the man with the sniper had little time to react. He dropped his rifle, and tried to kick the grenade away, but it exploded just as the human's foot lashed out, and his leg and lower body were blown to bits. He barely gave a scream, as he collapsed in a pool of his own blood, his rascally life ebbing away fast. Wrex had ducked behind the concrete slab, before the sniper or the other two humans could fire.

Wrex had chosen his position at the angle of two concrete slabs well, and neither of the Krogan, nor the sniper, nor the human on his right could reach him with their rifles, as long as he kept his head down. However, the human behind formed the flaw in Wrex's defence and the battlemaster resolved to deal with him first. His biotics flared and the human had barely raised his rifle to fire when he felt himself driven by a phenomenal force, head first into the wall behind him. His neck snapped like a rotten twig. He was dead before the knowledge that he was going to die had registered in his mind.

Wrex knew that the other humans and the Krogan might toss grenades into his hiding place, even if the angle of the slab shielded him from direct rifle fire. So, even as the human behind him was falling, Wrex had propelled himself backwards along the ground with his biotics and sheltered himself in the doorway an abandoned shop. Wrex's instincts had been accurate – no sooner had he thrown himself backwards into the shop, than two grenades landed near his old hiding place, exploding harmlessly.

Wrex's move into the doorway had been out of the line of sight of the others. They were now looking in some trepidation and interest to see if Wrex had been finished off by the grenades. The Krogan bodyguard barked out an order, and the sniper took up a position to cover his old hiding place, the two krogan took up positions on either flank of his hiding place, and the human on his right began inching his way towards the concrete slabs.

Wrex waited patiently until the human had crawled around the angle of the slab, and armed another grenade. Timing his attack perfectly, he tossed it at the second sniper, his throw aided by his biotics to land at precisely the spot he aimed for. Even as he threw the grenade, his shotgun blazed at the human who had crawled to his old hiding place. The sniper, seeing the grenade sailing towards him, dropped his rifle and tried to leap down to safety, but unfortunately for him, Wrex had thrown a fragmentation bomb, and not a standard stick grenade. The explosion strewed his body parts all over the alley. The shotgun had been equally effective. The human had taken the blast full in the face, and upper body, and giving one convulsive shudder, lay still.

Seeing all the squad slaughtered, Fist's Krogan bodyguard gave a roar of rage and rushed towards Wrex, intent on killing this upstart, but he was facing a battlemaster. The physical confrontation was intense, but brief. A minute later, the Krogan bodyguard lay stretched on the ground, insensible. Wrex's fists were certainly effective.

Grazm, in the meantime, seeing that the ambush had failed, had decided to hightail it. He rushed to the other end of the alley, and suddenly found himself paralysed. He looked around, and realised that he had run into a full biotic static field, that was being maintained by two figures, a human and an Asari. He roared and struggled, but the struggles were brief. A moment later, another figure fired a dart into him, and Grazm felt all strength leaving him.

-(Author's Notes)-

Okay – there you have the first breakthrough for Shepard. I am using the Dr. Michel's blackmail quest in a different fashion. Do guess what you would do if you were Shepard. Coming up next, some information warfare from all aides.

By the way, do guess who the woman Shepard met privately was. And if you can guess her identity, you may also be able to guess what Shepard is trying to do.

As usual, all comments and criticisms are welcome.