Unseen: Mass Effect FanFiction

Chapter 12

Garrus stared at Councilor Sparatus speechless. His hearing left him for a few moments. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kill Aster? Why? Who wanted her dead? For what reason?

"What changed?" Garrus asked regaining his composure.

He could let the Councilor know his true feelings.

"New evidence," he replied handing him a datapad. "Everyone is sympathetic toward Shepard at the moment. They think she's a hero."

"If we do something against her now, publicly," he continued. "There will be too much backlash. This needs to be kept quiet."

Garrus looked through the datapad surprised at what he was seeing, Aster attached to a machine. She wasn't struggling or being restrained, it appeared as though she walked up there and laid down willingly.

"That globe thing you see in the corner," Sparatus pointed out. "That's the A.I."

"How do you know?" Garrus asked replaying the short clip.

He could barely see the globe thing the Councilor was pointing out. In his eyes, the clip was too short to determine anything and it looked very vague. It didn't show how she got there just that she was laying there with cables attached to her head.

"The informant wants to be kept out of this," Councilor Sparatus said suspiciously. "They don't want to be involved."

"How did they come upon this video?" Garrus asked. "I thought we didn't have anyone on Junhix. Is there something you're not telling me?"

The Councilor didn't reply. It didn't look like he had an answer.

"Councilor, this video," Garrus began. "This video doesn't prove anything. I'll lose my status if-"

"This video is all the proof we need that Shepard lied," Sparatus said cutting him off. "I trust you'll be discrete. I wouldn't worry about your status; I can take care of it."

The Councilor was acting as if he had already agreed to it. If Garrus was a good turian, which he didn't think he was, he would have accepted no questions asked. But something about this was wrong. He needed to get to the bottom of this before the contract was given to a mercenary.

After speaking to the Councilor and reluctantly accepting the contract, Garrus made his way straight to Aster's apartment. He needed to speak to her before he took any action, maybe together they could figure out who was behind wanting her dead. He had a few questions about the video that he needed to be answered but that could wait.

Garrus headed straight to the elevator when he entered the building and waited patiently for it to stop on the correct floor. He rang the doorbell several times with no answer before he inputted the code she had given him.

Upon entering, he got a small scent from the room but nothing more. The apartment looked the same it did the last time he was here taking his things. A further inspection revealed that she had taken a small bag of items before departing.

Garrus put out some feelers to get Aster's location but none of them came up with anything useful. He couldn't believe she would disappear, especially now that the video surfaced after the trial. Her actions made her guilty.

He needed to find her.

                                                                                ***POV Change***

Shepard put her hood on and waited for the people in front of her to file out before she followed behind them. She mostly stayed with the women in the group and avoid standing out as much as possible. The cargo ship that SAM was able to secure passage on was undoubtedly heading to Omega. Shepard hasn't thought much about it until she looked at her ticket and realized they were on the wrong ship.

SAM, on the other hand, wasn't worried and acted like it was all part of the plan. A plan that didn't include telling Shepard anything about what they were doing or where they were headed.

The string of passengers all stood in line and waited to be checked in. One thing about Omega is that they tracked all newcomers just in case they were fugitives.

"Name," a batarian said looking bored when it was her turn.

"H-Helen," Shepard replied as shyly as she could.

"Last name."

"M-Montoya," she replied.

The batarian grunted and waved her through.

'Where am I headed?' Shepard asked walking through the street.

'We are being expected at a clinic,' SAM replied. 'Ask for a Professor Solus.'

'I'm assuming you know where this Professor is at?' Shepard asked still walking.

'The slums' SAM replied not happy.

'Maybe if you talk to me more, I wouldn't have to ask what's going on.'

'I'll keep that in mind,' SAM said sarcastically.

Shepard kept in the same direction and followed several groups through Omega as to not stand out on her own. She was beyond relief when she overheard a group talking about going to see the Clinic. Shepard assumed it was the only clinic that Omega had.

If the group noticed she was tagging along or not, they continued on their way as though she was there. The further they went into Omega the dirtier and more desperate people looked.

'A mecha?' Shepard thought as the group got closer to the Clinic. 'That's some security.'

After she checked in with the receptionist using her new fake name, Shepard took a seat out the way. One by one the other patients got seen in what seemed like a random order. There were a few that were taken back and returned to the waiting room. While some were taken back for some time, paid, and then left.

Shepard was sure how long she waited but she was beginning to feel tired. Not wanting to miss her turn, Shepard walked around for a bit and took her seat again.

Shepard must have dozed off because when she opened her eyes she saw that the receptionist was gone and so were the other patients.

"Good, you're still here," a sprain said walking to the waiting room. "Follow me."

The salarian led them into one of the treatment rooms and closed the door behind them.

"I'm Professor Solus," he greeted. "I'm assuming Helen Montoya is an alias name."

"Yes," Shepard replied.

"Female, slight built, turquoise eyes...you wouldn't be Captain Shepard, would you?" Professor asked.

"I am."

"Your situation is interesting," he continued. "I can help."