Paths to Vengeance
Chapter 16 Tensions are risen and the price of revenge
Authors notes I don't own Mass Effect Bioware does and this fic is a slight crossover with the film War, just so you all know.
Also I recommend that all my readers check out the fics written by Angels Anthem, Appa Appa Away, LongLiveThe Clones, XxheavendragonxX, Aurora Lunar 0Love This0, Icehockeychic4 and Canadiancloneluver as they are seven of the best writers on this site in my opinion. And please if you read this fic let me know what you think of it good or bad comments let me know as I want your opinions on it.
And lastly I recommend that all of readers have a look at the work written by Guardian Kitch as the work that author has written is very, very good.
Well that's enough of an authors note on with chapter 16.
Terminus Organised Crime Unit
As Danny and Andrew looked over the latest info from Omega about the murder of Raducu the brother of Grizz and as Crawford entered the office and said "This situation is getting worse as the Eclipse are attacking the Blood Pack's main base on Ealuf 4, all of the Eclipse attackers were killed but apparently Ganar has vowed to reduce their bases on Illium to scarps and his soldiers are on the warpath. We have to get ready this war is going to start somewhere, have people sent to Illium, Omega, Earth and warn C-Sec of this development. And keep an eye out for Rogue, wherever this goes down, you can bet that bastard will be there as well".
Everyone else acknowledged the order and got to work, Crawford then left the building as he decided to talk to his ex wife Sara about security for her and their son.
Omega Afterlife
Aria walked though the now empty club as her guards were doing a sweep to make sure no assassins were there to try to take Aria out. Aria then looked at Grizz who was drinking his fourth shot of Turian rum. Grizz then said "When are we going to go after the rats who were responsible for killing my brother?".
Aria answered "We cant attack yet, we have no real proof that the Eclipse did this, anyone could have put that mark on Raducu's face. Besides all of the other gangs not to mention that damn taskforce the Council set up to go after us are waiting for us to retaliate, if we strike now without knowing all the facts, we will risk everything we have gained in the last 50 years here on Omega".
Grizz then yelled out "What if it was your family Aria?".
Aria looked at the man and shouted back "What the fuck is wrong with you Grizz?" then in a calmer tone of voice she said "Have you forgotten Grizz, once it was my family who were killed by scum like the Eclipse. Raducu was like a son to me. Revenge is a must Grizz, but remember you have to learn to patient, I will allow you nothing to put our family at risk. I want you to do nothing Grizz. Is that clear?".
Grizz nodded and left as Rogue entered the club and Aria shook his hand before he got himself a glass of whiskey as Aria sat down next to him and said "All of these gangs, the Blue Suns, Eclipse, Blood Pack, the Roma 1 mafia. Their days are coming to an end, that is a promise. But this I think we both know for certain that no matter what more blood will be spilled before this is over. Rogue I want your word that Leslie will be safe?".
Rogue smiled and answered "I'll arrange transport for her off here to anywhere she wants to go and I'll make sure no one else gets in info no matter what Aria".
Aria simply nodded at this as Rogue left Afterlife a half hour later after the arrangements for Leslie were made and he saw Grizz taking out a cigarette near the club and Rogue took out some matches from his pocket as he walked over to him and said "A man should never give up his honour, or the honour of his family".
Rogue lit Grizz's cigarette and handed him the rest of the matches in his hand as he said "Keep them. I don't smoke".
Rogue then walked off to the Normandy as Grizz headed off determined to find out who killed his brother and make him pay for what that scum did.
The Citadel Zuckara Ward
Sara looked at the armed C-Sec agents who were outside the house and loudly asked "What is going on here John, why are there men armed with guns outside my own home?".
Crawford answered with all honesty "Its just a precaution Sara".
Sara then said "A precaution? For what John? What have you gotten us into now?".
When he gave no answer Sara knew what this was all about and said stunned "Oh my god. It's him, isn't it John. Now he's coming after us".
John shook his head and said with determination in his voice "That is not going to happen".
Sara sighed and John said "Look Sara, I'm sorry alright, not just for this, but for everything. I tried to do the right thing, make a good life for you and Billy, to give you the things you needed".
Sara then said truthfully "It never had anything to do with we did or didn't have John. It was the job. The job always comes first. Even now, even knowing that right now you might be putting us in the same danger that Kalo and his family were in".
Sara then looked down as she said "You know John, I'm not even mad at you anymore. Most days now I just feel sorry for you, for what you've become".
John's com beeped and he saw who the message was from and said "Its Danny". Sara nodded in understanding and said "Say he to Danny for me" as she left the room and John left the house.
Zorya a few hours later
As the shuttle landed on the planets surface, Shepard, Zaeed, Rogue, Garrus and Jack left the shuttle and looked around before they moved out and headed towards the mining facility.
Just as the team moved forward Zaeed hacked into the Blue Suns communications and heard a voice say "Squad bravo, a shuttle landed near your location, check it out now!".
Suddenly Shepard ordered the team to hold up as they came across dead bodies and as they looked at them to see what was the cause of death Zaeed said "Shot in the back and left to rot in the hot sun, that's definitely Vido's style".
The team moved up as the latest chatter from the Blue Suns communications was for the squad nearby to take up defensive cover as it was very likely to them that wasn't going to a simple killing.
And a minute later they came across the Blue Suns and Shepard said "Garrus, Rogue, take out your sniper rifles and cover us as we move up, focus on the 1's with heavy weapons".
The order was acknowledged as Shepard and Zaeed opened fire while Jack fired her Biotics at any and all enemies that were in her way while Garrus and Rogue took out several merc's who were carrying flamethrowers and rocket launchers on them.
Soon all of them were dead and the 5 of them moved up as they soon came across an extension bridge and as Zaeed activated it, a voice was heard on the com saying "This is commander Santiago!, if any of you retreat while these intruders are still alive, I'll kill you myself. Now get the hell back out there!".
Zaeed then said with anger in his voice "Vido, sounds like he hasn't changed much". Rogue then said "He sounds like someone who needs to be shot dead".
Zaeed smirked as he said "Glad to see we agree on something after all Rogue. I always knew Vido was a crazy bastard back when we started the Blue Suns, they only got meaner after he staged his coup against me 20 years ago. So we have history me and him".
Shepard was shocked as he heard this and said "I had no idea you founded the Blue Suns".
Zaeed angrily said "That's because it ain't common knowledge Shepard, Vido completely wiped me out of all the records after he coup. He ran the books, I ran the men. It all worked real well for a while. Then Vido decided to hiring Batarian's, cheaper labour were his reasons. Goddamn terrorists I said".
Garrus then said "20 years is a long time to hold a grudge Zaeed". Zaeed only replied loudly "A grudge? Vido turned my own men against me, he paid six of them to restrain me while he put a gun to my head and pulled the trigger. For the last twenty years I have bastard every time I closed my eyes, every single time I've sighted down a target, every time I've heard a gunshot. Don't you dare call this a grudge".
Jack then asked "How exactly did you survive a gunshot to head?".
Zaeed answered "I survived that the same way Shepard survived getting spaced when he ship was destroyed, also the same reason why Rogue has survived all these years as a hit man without anyone taking him down. A stubborn enough person can survive just about anything. Rage is a hell of an aesthetic".
With that the five of them moved on as Vido said on the com "They're at the southern access. All squads form up at the gatehouse now!".
Zaeed only said "They know we're here". Jack smiled as she said "More fun for me".
They soon arrived at the gatehouse which was unlocked and as they entered they saw several armed Blue Suns merc's on a balcony looking down at them as the leader said "Zaeed Massani, I see you've finally tracked me down after all this time".
Zaeed only replied "Vido" as he aimed his gun at Vido and the others picked their targets ready for a fight. Vido then said "Don't be stupid Zaeed, I have a whole company of bloodthirsty bastards right here behind me, ready to kill or be killed on my command. Actually go ahead Zaeed, take your shot, give my men a reason to put you down like the mad insane dog you are, again".
Vido then ran ahead and opened fire at the gas pipes as the others opened fire on the Blue Suns and suddenly the pipes exploded as Vido yelled out "You just signed your death warrant Massani".
As Vido ran off Zaeed shot another pipe above the balcony as Shepard asked "What are you doing?".
As the pipe exploded killing all the remaining Blue Suns in the room Zaeed answered "Opening the gate".
Shepard walked over to him and said "We don't sacrifice lives for the sake of the mission Zaeed, there is always a better way".
Zaeed only said "Like what Shepard? Wandering around in the jungle for hours looking for another way in? You want to waste your time out here, go ahead, I'm killing Vido".
Shepard then punched Zaeed in the face and said "Your endangering innocent lives and this mission all for your own selfish revenge".
Zaeed only asked curiously "Do you really want to do this Shepard?".
Shepard answered "I ought to knock you out cold. But now thanks to you we have a burning refinery to save".
Zaeed dismissed this as he said "Let them burn, Vido dies, whatever the cost!".
As they moved forward Shepard and the others took the few Blue Suns who were trying to stop them from getting across the catwalks to the rest of the facility as the whole place started to be set alight.
Just as they were about to enter another room they saw a miner on a catwalk above them scream out "Help we're trapped! We cant get to the gas values to shut them off! This whole place is going to blow!".
Zaeed only said "No time Vido is probably halfway to the shuttle docks by now".
Shepard only said "If you want Vido dead so badly Zaeed, do it yourself, me and the others will save those people".
Suddenly Rogue said "I'll go with Zaeed Shepard, he'll need some backup" Shepard only nodded as he and others went to activate the water valves and as Zaeed and Rogue went after Vido Zaeed said "Thanks Rogue". Rogue replied "Don't mention it".
The two of them got into the last room just ahead of the shuttle bay and with Rogue staying behind cover with his sniper rifle all the Blue Suns merc's were dead and then they headed out to docks just in time to see Vido badly wounded from the earlier explosion mere metres away from the shuttle.
Zaeed took out his pistol and fired at the ground near Vido's feet Vido only turned around and said "Zaeed please, you know that it was nothing personal, just business I swear".
Zaeed shot Vido in the leg and as the leader of The Blue Suns fell to the ground he said "It was twenty years ago, look at you, I did you a favour. Zaeed please, I'm going to fucking die here man, do something!".
Zaeed only said "Fry you son of a bitch as he threw a hot terminal clip into the pool of gasoline right at Vido's feet and as the merc screamed in agony Zaeed smiled.
Then he heard a gunshot and felt a lot of pain in his chest as he saw Rogue pointing his gun at him ready to open fire again. Suddenly an explosion form some of the still present fires made a piece of debris land of Zaeed trapping him there as Rogue walked off with a smile on his face.
As he met up with Shepard and the others outside the facility he saw all the hostages were rescued and when Shepard asked where Vido was Rogue lied and said he died in an explosion. With that the four survivors and the hostages headed back to the Normandy leaving Zorya behind them.
A half hour later Zorya mining facility shuttle docks
Just as Zaeed saw the fires on the docks approach he saw another ship land near by and smiled to himself when it wasn't a Blue Suns ship. And as the crew of the ship exited and secured the area their leader a woman in black armour with long red hair down to ordered her men to put the fires out as she walked over to Zaeed and knocked him out cold with a hot to his head with her pistol.
The woman then opened a com and said "Father, we have Massani, returning home now".
The Citadel Henry Radcliff's mansion
Henry Radcliff smiled at this good news and said "Excellent work Tashya". He then hung up and said to Alan "Have all the bounty hunter's we hired killed, and Alan make sure all the blades are sharp and cleaned. Massani will tell us where Rogue is, it'll only be a matter of how much it has to hurt before he does".
Alan then left as Radcliff took out a spiked dagger from his desk and smiled as he looked forward to the question as he really wanted to meet the real Zaeed Massani in this interrogation.
Authors note well that's chapter 16 completed please let me know what you think of it read and read no flames though ok. And just so you all know the OC Tashya isn't mine, that OC belongs to Canadiancloneluver whose stories I really do recommend you all read, they are great.