Fox Shadow chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect, this belongs to Bioware. Please enjoy.

Chapter 12: Watch this ass

The Wards of the Citadel were like another dimension to that of the Presidium. Where the Presidium was bright and clean with cheerful muted sounds of flowing water and light conversations, the Wards were dark and dirty. No matter where you looked people and other aliens gathered in large crowds while the air roared with shouts and laughter. The air was ripe with sweat and overcooked food but it still smelt better than the Keeper tunnels, the transits flying overhead adding to the roaring sounds of the wards. In the distance were the huge windows that looked out onto the rest of the Citadel arms, form the Presidium you wouldn't have been able to see them unless you looked directly into the blinding artificial sun but here in the dark and grime of the wards the lights of small buildings and…life, shone like stars in the smooth darkness of space. Vixen was always amazed by the life and energy the Wards had to offer, yes there were the back hand shady deals of drugs and the odd C-sec officer giving a blind eye but here was the true meaning of the Citadel. Races here were living together and learning from each other, something the humans did long ago with each other but have seemed to have forgotten again when it came the other races they shared the Galaxy with.

When Vixen first entered the Wards, everywhere was so crowded she wondered how she was actually going to walk from one side of the Ward to the other. But she didn't have to think about it for long when Wrex appeared behind her and the crowds suddenly parted like when Moses parted the Red Sea with a stick…expect this time Vixen had parted the sea of people with a Krogan…cool. There was only one (maybe two) word to describe Wrex, Badass.
Vixen had to literally grapple him away from the human bodyguards, before he managed to calm down. Vixen dragged him out of the seedy bar before the Bartender could do it himself, she even gave him a lecture about his behaviour and how he should be ashamed of himself for disgracing the Krogan name. What happened next was something she hadn't expected was Wrex to actually listen to her; he seemed to size her up before giving her the toothiest smile she had ever seen and said that she reminded him of the Female Krogan back on Tuchanka. Vixen swore she blushed at the comment but she couldn't be sure. She couldn't tell but whenever she looked into Wrex's eyes she saw a Krogan who was older and knew a lot more than he was letting on, his eyes glinted with wisdom that she hadn't seen before but they also gave her a sense of calm, like she knew he wasn't going to hurt her.

As they walked through the parting people Vixen caught sight of the clinic that Harkin had mentioned. Vixen pointed towards the clinic and Wrex nodded. Vixen had promised Wrex that she would help him get to Fist because no doubt Fist might be able to give her information on Saren or anything that happened at Eden Prime. He was one of the Shadow Broker's informants after all, and unlike Barla Von, he knew the dirty secrets. So Vixen saw no problem in shooting down a few bodyguards to get to Fist…he had the money to buy more. When the stood in front of the clinic however Vixen got a sense of foreboding, her instincts kicked in to overdrive soon the Citadel Wards faded into the back ground. Something was wrong.

"Wrex, ready weapons. We're gonna need them" Vixen spoke softly just in case anyone walking past heard. Wrex grunted and pulled out his beast of a shotgun while Vixen pulled out her pistol, the weight becoming familiar in her hand once more. Vixen opened the door and as soon as the metallic panel slide open Vixen was met with what she knew was coming.

"Please don't hurt me" a thick French accent sounded from the other side of the room. Vixen zoned in to see a woman with her hands clasped in front of her chest, pleading for her life. A man stood over her with a gun to her head. Vixen growled as she gripped her pistol tighter in her hand but then movement caught her attention. Vixen's eyes widened when they connected Garrus' form slowly moving along the wall with his pistol in hand.

"I didn't tell anyone I swear" the woman's voice made Vixen snap back to what was happening. Beside her Wrex was getting ready to charge but was waiting for Vixen's order. Other men appeared with pistols and other weapons in hand. Vixen scanned each man taking in the detail of what they held. What puzzled Vixen was that they all wore visors and radios, meaning that this was a shake down for someone higher up.

"That was smart Doc. Now if Garrus comes round again you stay smart…What the?" The man that held the gun to the woman's head suddenly spotted them. Vixen held up her pistol aiming at the man's head but before she could shoot, the man grabbed that woman and pinned her to his chest. Vixen growled as she tried to find a better angle keeping her eyes focused on the men in front of her.

"Who are you?" The man demanded as he gripped the doctor tighter against his chest. Vixen growled, she wasn't in a good position to shoot without harming the doctor and if Wrex charged even he wouldn't get there in time. Vixen considered using her biotics but even then she wouldn't be able to power them up in time. As the stillness of the room settled round them Vixen noticed movement in the shadows, Vixen powered up her nanites and then she saw more men in the shadows powering up weapons and gingerly taking aim at Wrex more than herself.

"Wrex, watch the shadows. About five men all pointing their pistols at you" Vixen muttered to Wrex. Wrex growled as he pointed his shotgun toward the shadows, the men that hid in the darkness suddenly stilled. Vixen turned her attention back to the man clutching the doctor while her grip on her pistol tightened again.

"Look why not let her go, then we can talk and we pretend none of this happened. That way no one gets hurt" Vixen tried to talk him down but the man only growled while pulled the doctor closer to him. Then something happened that no one was expecting…the man's head exploded. Blood flew all over the place and covered the doctor, even Vixen got some spattering on her cheeks but as the body of the headless man slumped to the cold ground while his hand that once gripped the Doctor's shoulders slowly slid down her body the air in the room suddenly stilled. Then Garrus appeared from behind a pillar that Vixen had failed to notice, his pistol smoking from the recently spent round. Vixen's mouth hung open from shock as the Turian before her looked at her before giving her the cockiest smirk she had ever seen but it didn't stop her lips spreading into a goofily wide smile. She felt a rush of feeling that she hadn't felt in a while…excitement. That shot was amazing and she was reeling from the fact that he didn't hurt the doctor but the silent moment between them wasn't to last when as if the flip had been turned from dumbstruck to act, the men in the shadows began to shoot. Wrex roared as he threw up a biotic barrier to block the oncoming bullets, Vixen leapt into action jumping over the small wall and covering the doctor with her own body. Vixen pulled out her shot gun and took a few well aimed shots at the men's legs, Garrus appear besides her and using his pistol he gave almost surgically precise headshots. Vixen felt that thrill of excitement run through her body again, warming her core and flooding her body with a fluttering feeling she hadn't felt since she was five years old. She knew now that while Garrus might play the naïve C-sec officer but if he wanted to be he was dangerous. His clear blue eyes so focused on his target while he held his mandibles close to his face, Vixen felt the heat rush to her cheeks as she bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from losing focus. As soon as the fight began it was over, Vixen wiped the blood from her lips while Wrex checked the bodies for any information and extra credits. Garrus checked on the doctor before walking over to Vixen.

"Hey you alright?" Garrus asked. Vixen nodded as she wiped the blood away from her mouth.

"Yeah, just overused my biotics" Vixen explained as she turned to him and smiled. Garrus nodded before looking over at the bodies and pulling his mandibles tight against his face. Vixen followed his gaze letting her eyes rest on the dead bodies of the men that attacked them. She wondered who would send a small gang to do a simple shake down of a doctor's office. It would have been easier if not simpler to send one or two men but a whole gang…something was up. Vixen turned back to the shaken doctor who was shaking uncontrollably, Vixen knelt down and gently placed her hand on the doctor's shoulder.

"Doctor Michelle, are you hurt?" Garrus asked as he knelt next to her. The doctor turned her wide eyes to the Turian; Vixen noticed they softened slightly before she answered.

"No…I'm ok, thanks to you" Doctor Michelle placed a hand on Garrus' arm and gave a soft smile. Vixen felt something stab in her chest and something slowly start to rise. For some reason Vixen wanted to snap that woman's hand off Garrus' arm, Vixen shook off the feeling as the Doctor turned her gaze towards Vixen. Vixen caught the moment when the Doctor's eyes turned from affectionate and warm to cold and professional, Vixen wanted to sigh she knew what was going on. It was a classic case of hero worship, when the hostage or victim is saved by a person they begin to think they love that person and the Doctor had fallen hard. Vixen might have too if only for that amazing shot Garrus displayed but she had to stay professional and she hated it.

"All of you" the doctor finished as she brushed her hair out of her face. Vixen nodded before helping the Doctor to her feet. Doctor Michelle straightened out her uniform and hair while Vixen looked over towards Wrex who was nearly finished picking through the bodies for any information.

"I know those men were threatening you, more will come but if you give us the name of the guy who sent those…thugs after you" Vixen explained as she turned her attention back to the Doctor. Doctor Michelle started to pull and stretch her fingers like she was trying to pull her hands apart, Vixen heard the slight cracking of her knuckles causing her own body to stiffen.

"They worked for Fist, they came here to shut me up about the Quarian so that I didn't tell Garrus" Doctor Michelle explained. Vixen's interest was caught like a fish on a hook; it was rare (but not unknown) to see a Quarian on the Citadel as they preferred to go to the outer colonies or selling themselves off as slaves on Illium or stay within the Fleet. Still why would a Quarian come to the Citadel?

"That's the one I was talking about Shepard" Wrex pointed out as he slowly stomped his way up to him. Vixen nodded as she remembered the details of why Wrex was hired to kill Fist, he did mention something about a Quarian trying to see him but nothing much. When Wrex stood by Vixen's side, Vixen flicked his nose making Wrex snort.

"Shepard…" another flick hit his nose. Wrex growled but Vixen could tell he was struggling to keep the smile off his face.

"Every time you call me Shepard, I flick your nose" Vixen explained as she poked his large armoured shoulder. Wrex shook his head as he sighed but didn't say anything; Vixen smirked before looking back at the perplexed doctor and shocked Turian.

"So why would Fist try and shut you up about a Quarian" Vixen asked, as she slipped back into her commander persona. Michelle nodded as she brushed her fingers through her hair while she pressed her lips together.

"She was injured so she came here because it's a free clinic…She said she needed to get in contact with the Shadow Broker, so I told her about Fist" The doctor explained. Vixen cocked her hip as she sank down on to her back foot, it still didn't explain why Fist would want the doctor dead.

"She must have information on Saren" Garrus pointed out. Vixen's eyes snapped to the young Turian.

"We don't know that Garrus, the information could be anything but we do need to get Quarian away from Fist if this is the greeting she's awaiting" Vixen explained as she looked over the dead bodies that littered the ground. After a moment Vixen nodded and took a breath.

"Alright, Wrex looks like we'll be going back to Chora's Den and pay a little visit to Fist" Vixen spoke. Wrex grinned as he nodded, Vixen turned to Garrus who was shuffling about on his feet while his hands didn't know if they wanted to grip something or fall loose against his sides.

"But first we need to get Garrus a sniper rifle because we need to take him with us" Vixen smiled at Garrus who in turn let his mandibles flutter wide across his face and his eyes grew wide. Wrex groaned slightly but Vixen held up her hand to the Krogan, telling him to button it.

"Thank you Shep…I mean Vixen" Garrus spoke. Vixen chuckled, Garrus learnt fast.

"But first, Garrus that shot even though amazing and so precise it made me shudder was totally wrong to take" Vixen berated. "You could have hit the doctor instead of the now headless man" Garrus' sub vocals rumbled in a way that said he was sorry. Vixen sighed as she patted his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Vixen, I know but I just had to take the shot" Garrus offered. Vixen smiled as she tugged on his mandible to make him look at her, Garrus' mandibles felt warm even through her armour and Vixen had to fight down the blush that threatened to spread across her cheeks when their eyes connected.

"I know what you mean, you wanted to save the Michelle but next time you have to think about the situation before pulling the trigger" Vixen told him softly. Garrus nodded as he let out a sigh that seemed to make him deflate.

"I'll remember that" Garrus spoke with a smile. Vixen smiled back at the Turian before she moved towards the doctor and gave her the information she needed to get the protection Vixen had promised while Garrus called C-sec to come and clean up the mess. After that that three of them were moving out of the clinic back into the crowded corridors of the Wards, Vixen wasn't surprised that life was still going on as normal, maybe it had something to do with all the Asari that walked about the area. Vixen could feel her nanites tingle and ping to life as the calming aura that floated round the room making her shudder but her team paid no mind. As they started to push their way through the crowds, this time Wrex's badass aura wasn't working too well, Vixen heard something she had forgotten about but knew she couldn't avoid it for long.

"Commander, Commander!" Kaidan's voice called over the hustle and bustle of the wards. Vixen's back became as stiff as a board as she turned to see Kaidan and Ashley pushing through the crowds. Ashley could barely keep the painful grimace off her face whenever an alien accidentally brushed up against her while Kaidan's eyes were fixed on Vixen's slender frame even though he was stepping on nearly everyone's feet to get to her. Wrex brushed up besides Vixen and gave a deep rumbling growl.

"Who are they Shepard?" Wrex growled as his blood red eyes watched the incoming Alliance soldiers. Vixen sighed as she ran her fingers through her red and white hair.

"People I thought I had gotten rid of" Vixen grumbled. She felt Garrus move behind her as Kaidan and Ashley approached, a shiver ran up her spine as she felt Garrus' breath on the back of her neck making Vixen swallow thickly and focus on the approaching Kaidan.

"What me to get rid of them" Wrex grumbled. Vixen smiled as she shook her head.

"No, they might have useful information that we could use" Vixen mumbled. She watched as Kaidan pushed past one last Asari before standing in front of her, his breathing slowing down from a rapid pant to a few deep gulps of air. Ashley came up behind Kaidan and immediately her eyes were set on the Krogan and Turian that stood either side of Vixen. Vixen shook her head slightly but focused on why they had practically charged through the crowds just to get to her. Kaidan saluted her after giving Wrex and Garrus a quick glance over.

"We managed to get information from Barla Von" Kaidan told her. Vixen nodded her head for him to carry on while glancing round for anyone who could have been listening, agents of other information brokers, C-sec or just general busy-bodies looking for something juicy to gossip about. She noticed that Garrus was going to same, his eyes slowly scanning the area and his body was perfectly stiff except for the odd flick of his mandibles…Spirits, he was the most handsome Turian she had ever seen. Vixen dug her sharp nail into her flesh, just between her armour, snapping her out of her small fantasy she concentrated on the flustered human in front of her.

"What did he tell you…and did you have to pay?" Vixen asked. Kaidan grinned and shook his head.

"No, he gave us this information for free" Kaidan told her, Vixen's eyes brows rose above her hair line in surprise. It wasn't every day that an agent of the Shadow Broker gave information for free unless it was directions to the restroom.

"Apparently Saren and the Shadow Broker used to do a lot of business together until Saren turned against him, plus Saren took one of the Shadow Broker's own agents with him…a guy named Fist" Kaidan explained. Vixen sighed; she knew Saren had to get his information from somewhere she just didn't think that it was from that infamous a source. But even then it didn't make sense, why would Saren simply drop the Shadow Broker as a source of information only to take someone who possibly or is worse than the Shadow Broker.

"Well we now know why the Shadow Broker hired you Wrex, but it still doesn't prove that Saren was on Eden Prime" Vixen pointed out as she rested her chin on her knuckle. Wrex shifted on his feet as she grumbled a response while Kaidan and Ashley stood glancing between Wrex and Garrus as if they were waiting for one of them to tear off Vixen's head. Vixen shifted her weight so that she sank down on her hip as she felt her nanites buzz from the feeling of the atmosphere.

"What do you want us to do Commander?" Ashley's voice appeared Vixen almost forgot she was there.

"Well, myself and my new friends will pay a visit to Fist, you two go back to Anderson and Udina and tell them to expect a report of a fire fight at Chora's Den" Vixen told them. Wrex rumbled with laughter while Garrus let out a muffled chirp of surprise. Kaidan and Ashley both looked shell shocked; Ashley looked like she had seen her first naked Krogan and wished she could wash out her eyes while Kaidan just looked like he had been slapped in the face with a wet fish.

"Co…Commander, this is an Alliance investigation. They aren't Alliance" Kaidan growled out as he shoved his finger towards Garrus and Wrex. Vixen rolled her eyes as she folded her arms under her breasts.

"Yes, Alenko I can clearly see that. But I am and Wrex is the bounty hunter hired to kill Fist and Garrus here is the C-sec officer in charge of investigating Saren. So I think they have a right to come with me" Vixen growled out, her biotics itching to slam his face into the floor or nearby wall. Kaidan struggled to form words into a sensible sentence while Ashley's jaw seemed to tighten under the strain of grinding her teeth but Vixen didn't have time, if what the Doctor said was right saying the she had sent the Quarian to Fist and now learning that Fist wasn't working for the Shadow Broker anymore…the Quarian could be in big trouble. Vixen nodded to Garrus and Wrex to tell them to get moving, Wrex broke out into a smile as he turned and started shoving people out of his way while Garrus gave Vixen a concern look before following Wrex into the throngs of people. Vixen bit her lip to hold back the smile that wanted to emerge on her face as she turned back to the two Alliance officers who didn't know whether to burst or storm off after the two Aliens that had left.

"Commander, this isn't right. We should be going with you not them" Ashley complained as she glared at the two disappearing aliens. Vixen sighed as she shook her head, making her red and white hair fall in front of her face.

"Think about it like this Chief, Chora's Den is about to become a shooting range and if Udina hears of the reports that will be made to C-sec what would look better to him? A team of Alliance soldiers discharging their firearms in an all-out gun fight against the other races. Or a Krogan bounty hunter, a Turian C-sec officer and a random Alliance Vanguard, who already has a bad reputation within the Alliance, having an all-out fire fight at Chora's Den, which sounds better?" Vixen asked them both. Kaidan looked to the floor as she shuffled his feet but Ashley still looked like she wanted to storm off to Chora's Den to prove herself, yes. Prove that she could do something stupid.

"Or think about it like this. Kaidan is up for being a Spectre; if he's in a fire fight at Chora's Den then the Council will tell him to forget becoming a Spectre for some bull-crap politic of a reason." Vixen suggested, her words cutting through the air like a razor blade. Ashley deflated at the fact that she could put Kaidan's Spectre future in danger while Kaidan's eyes widened at the realisation of the fact that Vixen was trying to help him. Vixen nodded before starting to walk away and blend in with the crowds of the wards.

"Commander…I don't care about the Spectre deal…" Vixen stopped Kaidan in his tracks with a glare. This guy would not give up in trying to follow her every move and truth be told it was getting annoying. Vixen pointed her finger towards her ass as she looked at Kaidan over her shoulder.

"Kaidan, watch this ass because it's going to walk away from you" Vixen gave the dumbfounded Kaidan a cheeky grin; though it didn't reach her eyes they remain hard and cold. Kaidan's mouth fell agape as Vixen continued to walk away almost dissolving into the crowds with the only thing identifying her among the throngs of people and aliens was her fox like hair.

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"Wrex, when we left Chora's Den…it was still playing really loud music right?" Vixen asked as she and her team stood outside the door to Chora's Den. The neon Asari figure shone above them giving light to the dark corner of the Citadel, the once loud thump of the music that rang from every wall had suddenly gone silent leaving the small corner a hollow empty shell of what it should be. Vixen felt her hackles rise from the silence, her biotics screaming for release at the nearest target. At her back she could feel Wrex's form slowly gathering tension as his voice became a low growl.

"Something isn't right Shepard…ouch! Will you stop doing that!" Wrex growled at her when she flicked his nose. Vixen smirked as she placed her hands on her slim waist.

"I'll stop when you call me Vixen or Vix" She told him. But her attention went back to the silent door in front of her, what Wrex had said was right it didn't feel right. It felt more like a trap, maybe Fist heard about his thugs being used as biotic and Krogan punching bags back at the clinic and now they were on their way to see him and decided to close up shop and hide. But then why didn't he do that when Wrex was roaring at his bodyguards to let him in, no this felt like a trap.

"Alright, ready weapons and prepare for a shit-storm" Vixen ordered as she un-holstered her pistol, the weight becoming familiar once again. Wrex gave a rumbling laugh as he pulled out his shotgun. Garrus pulled out his new Sniper rifle that Vixen had personally bought him, they had gone to the nearest high quality gun shop. Suffice to say the choice of snipers was huge and each one Garrus' mouth was watering but Vixen picked out a HMWSR Advanced class rifle which made Garrus' eye nearly pop out of his head. Vixen had to assure him that she didn't mind paying for it because she knew how much he would look after the rifle, though she didn't tell him how she had the funds to pay for such a high class weapon.

"Ready Vixen" Garrus smiled. Vixen nodded with a smirk and let her biotics flare, palming the door control they entered Chora's Den.

"Knock, knock. Is Fist home? We want to talk"

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