[Citadel] The Mixed Front

Kayana bit her lip for a second. Snow had probably annoyed Randall, that would make a lot of sense.

"I wouldn't count on that neutrality holding." She stepped forward, spreading her arms. She wasn't a great rhetorical speaker, but she had the courage of her convictions and knew when to be loud. "I don't work for Leaving the Ducts, I consider my alliance to be to the nation of independent drell, yeah? I do computer work freelance, as a favour, and the LTE jumped me."

"Thing is, I served with the N7 irregulars, I'm not actually a soft target, and that embarrasses them. They pick a duct rat who sometimes comes by my temple and have her beaten and raped."

"Now, where this helps you. The rule is almost always that Hanar groups like The Light that Dwells within the Depths get first crack at recruiting drell. I really doubt that they like people messing with their pipeline, and you know, race loyalty, the dutiful servants, it's a line but they believe it." (Yes, she doubted that the hanar cared as much as the drell did. But she was trying to sell it!) "You hand this guy over to them-and yeah, you'll be able to prove it, because I still have the clothes the girl was wearing, covered with the assholes genetic material-and things will probably work out for you..."

"That would be superb, if we were law enforcement. We're not the authorities, so we something need else, like say, general location of the rape? If you can give us the level she was found, I'll bring in the spotters we have in the area." Randall motioned to Desmond, "Call the perch and get Yara on the line, if the Light in the Depths have already have a Removal from the Tides order on this specimen, she'll have a copy at hand." Snow observing Randall getting things in motion as he sat on the edge of the table, content to just say silent. The other human, Desmond, keyed up his omnitool, getting a youthful asari in semi-casual attire on the othe end, "Yara, Randall wants to know if our hanar 'patrons' have sent down any new orders for the warehouse."

"Hold on, just finishing up with the monthly dues here, all right, here. No removal request here, but an informal query about a missing slant chemist," The voice crisp yet deep for an asari, "Awright, keep your specs on Yara, call back later." The dark skinned human turning back to Randall, 'well the good news is that the Hanar boys don't know for certain, bad news is that they know shit be screwy." "Better than I hoped at least, we've got a little time before the hanar find out more", Randall turning back to Kayana and Snow, all business as he pulled a skinning knife from his drawer, "My question is this, why come to Snowman with this kid. From the other day you seemed pretty chummy with the police that were present?"

"Send me a map." She opened her omni-tool. "Yeah, I didn't have anything against him. There may have been an anonymous tip. But like, rape of a duct rat with a totally uncooperative victim?" She held her other hand down at thigh height to show the expected priority. "So much easier to just put her into care."

"Because we're drell, that probably means some form of compact arrangement, and yeah no."

She shrugged. "Plus, I figured Snow deserved to know what his charity was getting kids into. I've complained about their security before."

"Snowman needed to know???? Kid, did you even pay attention to the story I told the other day? He knew full what he was stepping into, even at the cathedral," a mirthless smile creased Randall's features as he turned back to Kayana, "Snowman knows the game, and he in all probability warned Miss Fluffy that shit was about to get ugly. The only here that seems surprised by this is you." The smile vanishing, the enforcer pocketing the knife, turning to the taciturn charity worker, hoping for some additional support.

"It's what I told Miss Rondor from day one, you want to piss a gang off, fuck with their revenue stream. And when it comes to the LTE, duct rats are the way they push slant and make their money. Add the simple fact that static defense is suicidal when it comes to this kind of thing, finding the rapo, and the dumbfuck who hired him is the best option." Snow all keeping an even tone with his words, no emotion apparent as he turned to Randall, Kayana, and Desmond, the latter looking at the map before placing a call, "Hey, is Aulix and Nasira at the clubhouse, yeah, send up 'ere, Randall needs to have a word with 'em."

"Now we just wait for the spotters to get here, hopefully they'll have a face and name to go with the crime, and kid," Randall's voice going lower, "if we're going to get in the LTE's shit, you'd better have some meat at the end of this hook."

"I'm not surprised, I'm pissed off." She put some markers on the map, then sent it back. "I feel like I've explained this in short words. If they don't have the security to deal with the backlash, they shouldn't be going around kicking kaza nests. Otherwise it's just damage, yeah?"

"Miss Fluffy?" Kayana grinned, tilting her head away so Snow wouldn't see. "Like...oh gods, I hate being the bait. I especially hate being like, sexy bait. Tell me no."

"You misunderstand, when the spotters give up a location, we go hunting. We grab the deviant, bring him here, and have a conversation with him", Randall replying absently, not even acknowledging the drell's attempt at humor, but leaving the implication unsaid, but very clear, 'if he's either dead or gone I take it out on you'. In response to Kayana's harping yet again about static defense, Snow just snorted disdainfully, "A word of belated warning Randall, people who claim to be an N7 irregular tend to talk shit. I blame the red stripe myself." The remark drawing a chuckle from Desmond, "damn right, who gives a shit about some wannabe hardass, war was rough everywhere." Turning to Kayana, Randall gave her a wry grin as if to say, 'your move', right as the asari known as Arcia ushered un the duct rat spotters, a teenaged arabic girl, and a pre-teen turian boy,

"Here's the spotters on the level Kayana mentioned, go on, tell them what you told me", the commando turned enforcer gesturing to the gathered crowd in Randall's office. "We saw a turian going into that rub and tug joint...what was it Nasira?" "The Sprito Sanctorum dummy, and yeah, we saw that same one skulking around that lizard temple." The two spotters giving the assembled group a description of the aforementioned turian, Randall's eyes narrowing as they finished, "Desmond call up Yara again, I need to call the boss, looks like Elthinus is up to his old tricks." Randall keying up his headset as Arcia cursed in asari, "should have killed him a while ago". The ex-salvager Snow turning to Kayana, whispering to her,

"Elthinus is a byproduct of the pardons given during the war, unapologetic drug chemist with a taste for underage girls. What little I've heard, it's not good. Rumor is that he was kicked out of Omega at one point. How he managed to worm his way onto the Citadel is beyond me."

"Hunting often involves bait. I'll do it if I have to. Great way to get someone's guard down. But I got it, I got it, bring him back in one piece. She rolled her eyes, giving Snow the finger. "I never wore a red stripe. Messed with my camouflage."

To the duct rats she was polite, nodding and saying "Thanks for your help."

She looked up at Snow, lowering her own voice. "He must have killed girls, to be kicked off Omega-like, more than one. Or stupid or uncontrolled enough that he didn't stick to slum girls." She shrugged. "Makes sense to me. Everything was such chaos that a lot slipped by before government started 'working' again. How do you think so many people got to keep weapons?"

"Honestly Kayana, I chalked up all of the guns floating around to Max the Gun Nut pushing his idiotic idea though the assembly", chuckling ruefully, Snow found it ironic that in all probability that he was the only one on Tayseri who didn't own a gun. A mirthless smile creasing the young man's face as the room buzzed around them. Desmond talking to Yara, trying to get a scematic for the massage parlor, Aricia ushering the spotters out, and Randall talking to the head of the Co-op, "yeah boss, I know we have at truce with those animals. Yara told me that the Hanar boys are already showing interest, the Removal from Tides order is just a matter of time. Who turned me onto this? You'll love this, a drell nationalist accompanied by Snowman himself. Bring them along? Can do, we'll bring him over once we get a confession out of him."

"Looks like it's open season, now just waiting on Desmond getting the floor plans. It's probably going to be a flushing job. No bait required", Snow remarking to Kayana, his dark grey eyes scanning the room, right as Aricia returned, handing Desmond a modded Crusader, her own weapon a Carnifex holstered in the small of her back. "Just a precaution kid", the former commando reassuring Kayana right as the ebony skinned gangster uploaded the scematic onto his omnitool, "Awight Randall, Yara sent me the plans, got an emergency exit two stories up, how you want to play this?"

She flicked her eyelids at Snow, but there was less vitriol behind it now.

"If I'd known all this was going to happen, I would have brought my own guns. So what am I supposed to be doing...everyone here seems pretty well co-ordinated."

"The shooting irons are just precaution, if it's done right they won't need 'em. Though I'm surprised Desmond, the 'brick' is piss poor when it comes to crowd control," Snow remarking as Randall rejoined the makeshift war council. Desmond flashing an evil grin at the ex-salvager, "this here don't fire slug, rechambered it to fire buck", retorting as he pulled on a coat, sliding the shotgun underneath as Randall looked over the floor plans, then decreasing the magnification, displaying the city block before addressing the group,

"The boss has given the go ahead, though she wants us to be in and out within half an hour. Aricia, you and the drell here, you two cover the side alley leading to the main drag. Desmond and I will go in and flush the pervert out of the den of delights, and as for you Snowman, you're to go on ahead and link up with our spotters scoping the place. Chances are he'll won't go topside, but if he does, well," a knowing smile appearing on Randall's face, suggesting inside knowledge of Snow's abilities, "you were my best runner in the past, let's see if you still got it."

"I got what it takes, just smoke that fuckin' mandible out of his hole", Snow answering back, the asari commando clapping Kayana on the shoulder, "c'mon, we take the switchback two blocks left, we'll be right next to our little hunting blind." Aricia giving the teenager a grin as things began to move, with Snow collecting his Turian combat blade and gloves, heading to the rooftops, Desmond and Randall heading towards a delivery vehicle, the two enforcers moving with a predatory grace, leaving Kayana and Aricia by themselves as the hunt began in earnest.

She followed along and offered her hand. "Well, thanks for helping us out."

[color= #c58c19]"Kayana Pesh, of the much besmirched N7 irregulars. Before that I did some work for the Primacy." She smiled back, taking her weapons back and securing them to her person. "So if we're lucky, he'll bolt our way."

"Well kid, I'd be lying if I said we're doing this out of generosity. But today, I'm glad we can mix business and pleasure", Aricia remarking, exchanging greetings as her and Kayana made their way out of the warehouse and into the backalleys of Lower Tayseri. "I'm Aricia, used to be a long range scout with the Armali milita, at least until my unit was wiped out at Norfolk", the asari replying cooly as she led Kayana up the level, maintaining a crisp pace. With Aricia deftly guiding Kayana through the alleys and backstreets, making sure to avoid the spotters the LTE had in the area they reached the choke point, only ten minutes had passed. Aricia motioning to Kayana to keep watch on the main drag as she keyed up her omnitool, "we're in place, ETA Randall?"

Snow in the meantime was keeping to the rooftops before climbing up to the level where the trap was being set, using the time to mentally relax, letting his 'runner sense' guide him to the rooftop adjacent to the massage parlor. Slowing up the charity worker found a shadowed area across from the emergency exit, giving him a bit of cover as he kept watch, the two co-op spotters nearby maintaining the pretence of normal surveillance. Keying his omnitool to Randall's frequency, "I'm in place, looks quiet for now."

At this point Randall and Desmond had pulled up to the front of the Spirito Sanctorum, the duo posing as delivery boys as they exited the vehicle. Hearing the two transmissions, the auburn haired enforcer called Aricia and Snow simultaneously, "we're at the front door and we have ten minutes. Let's make this quick and clean, no shots unless necessary, no bad decisions. Here we go." Turning off the comm, Randall and Desmond strolled inside the brothel.

"Well, I'm glad my little revenge play will be profitable for you as well."

Kayana almost seemed to switch modes, quieting right down and paying attention to the situation around her. Memories came, unbidden, of the two men who had taught her to stand this way, and then quickly faded.

"Just stay loose kid, don't know if he has friends." Aricia dryly commented as the duo kept watch, two minutes after Desmond and Randall had entered the bordello, the back door opened, with a barefaced, bedraggled turian spilling out, cursing all the while, "Goddamn co-op, first Boss Zahir won't buy my product, now this????" The commando smiling in return as she used her biotics to dump a crate in front of the turian, closing off the alley opposite her and Kayana, "all right Kayana, take him, I'll radio Randall & Desmond. Just don't damage the merchandise beyond repair", the short yet powerfully built asari walking away, leaving their prize at the mercy of one Kayana Pesh.

Snow was busy watching the rooftops and walkways, looking for any deviation from the LTE sentries, after three minutes he heard shrieks of pain, and two spotters from the LTE heading towards the alley, "Randall, got two LTE spotters heading towards Aricia and Kayana, better get moving, I'll try to draw off the reinforcements." "Will do Snowman, Desmond's getting the van into the alley, see you in fifteen."

Kayana nodded, then sprinted forward, jumping up on the crate.

She could have done all sorts of interesting things to him-mostly involving his knees, and his mandibles (but if that ever got back to Vindi)-but when it came right down to it, that wasn't what she wanted. Kayana wanted to put him down, and she wanted to take proof back for the girl.

She shot a stunning bolt into his face. Then she took a picture, saving it to an encrypted partition on her omni-tool. "And our pick-up will be here when?"

"Shit, more than just two," Snow leaning out of his hiding spot, seeing three LTE enforcers heading towards the alley. In another minute they'd be right on top of Kayana and the smiler commando, keying on the omnitool, the lanky charity worker called up Randall, "They got the rapo, but there's three LTE coming right for 'em. I'll draw them off." Looking around for something to throw, Snow grabbed a length of pipe, not exactly aerodynamic, but suitable for what was needed. Pulling his hood up, Snow tossed the pipe down the alley, the metal projectile hitting the far left one by luck, knocking him down and forcing his two partners to look up, seeing the red hooded punk that caused them so much trouble. "Hey, it's the bastard that the boss wants, get the fucker!" Smiling wryly, Snow motioned to the spotters to hide as he took off in the opposite direction, buying everyone else some time.

"Sounds like that furhead you came here with isn't completely useless", Aricia smirking at the very angry drell while binding Elthinius with some industrial grade wire. As the asari finished tying up the deviant the delivery van Randall & Desmond had arrived in barrelled into the alley, drowning out the faint sound of the pursuit above. With Desmond at the wheel, Randall cracked open the back door, motioning to Kayana and Aricia to toss the barefaced pervert in, along with themselves. "C'mon, we've got a jump on those LTE jackoffs, just hope Snowman can keep them interested."

"Yeah, I wouldn't wanna fight Snow"

Drell are stronger than they look, and Kayana, broad shouldered and muscular, looked strong. She grabbed the man by his bound arms, flinging him into the backseat. She then turned, firing a bolt into the back of one of the gangsters. With his attention on Snow, it was a relatively easy shot. "Someone needs to make sure he doesn't get mobbed."

"Well kid, if that furhead is smart, he won't start a brawl, he'll lead those Lower Tayseri retards on a merry chase while we drop off this deviant at the safehouse and put the screws to him," Aricia snorting, indicating how little she thought of Snow's abilities as the delivery vehicle careened onto the main drag. The turian prisoner groaning all the while as Randall made his way to the back, "I see our guest is safe and sound, you do good work." the enforcer giving Kayana a wry grin as he sat down across from the rapist, a sadistic grin taking form as Desmond guided the airvan past an intersection, taking them up a level, "I already gave Snowman directions to the loft, just hope Tarsk prepped the fuckin' room." Randall chuckling darkly as he turned his attention to the barefaced Elthinius.

"Here we go", smiling to himself, Snow let the LTE goons get onto the roof before beginning the run, leaping across to the next building and using an makeshift ladder to jump down ten feet, then sprinting for an abandoned machine shop two blocks away. Making sure to keep the LTE in sight he didn't want to lose them...yet.

Kayana frowned slightly-she knew he needed more support than that. She also knew they wouldn't provide it. "Thank you."

Aricia nodding perfunctorly, the commando's hard gaze returning to the prisoner, "just one question kid, why didn't you get your licks in?" Aricia's question was tinged with a hint of disbelief, "after what this sick fuck did, I'm just surprised. Thought I was going to have to restrain you." A sly chuckle coming from Randall as the van began to slow, "that's a good question Aricia, why just stun him Kayana? We wouldn't have minded some superficial damage to the merchandise," the co-op enforcer giving the supine turian a hard boot to the side, causing Elthinius to moan.