Citadel Part 8 Testing the Body Part 1

-Location C-Cell Holding area-

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Leo was leaning against a cell meditating. Hands templed in front of him. Also trying to suppress his anger. If he lays down he knows he will get angry. The biotic dampeners in the room doing nothing to keep him restrain really.

'Alright, A.I. give me the info, well the results of how to get out of this.' Leo was ready to kill his way out if need be. 'How the hell do I get out of this prison? I don't like it here and I am getting angry. Why is there nothing but corrupt officers here? First time in prison and the kicker it wasn't for something I did or an actual crime. Ok, I did shoot up the place a little. And the placeholder did some things. So sleepy me had some fun.'

A.I.- Scenario is ending right about now. There they are now.

Leo looked up to see Nirali Bhatia in a wheelchair. She was pushed in a wheelchair by an over-fussy husband. Samesh seemed to be working her nerves to the utmost.

"Leo, best we get you out of here. Posted bail." Nirali said. A small smile on her lips. "No way we can let you waste time here." The C-Sec officer came over at that. Looking mighty scared about something. "It pays to have good friends in certain places."

"Sorry for the inconvenience Commander Shepard." The officer worked away quickly. A bead of sweat going down his face. First a security breach, then a shoot out in Chora's Den. Anytime a Shepard was involved, things went awful it seemed. "All charges have been dropped as well. Just a slight mix up sir."

Stepping out was a bit of fresh air. The Bhatia's had something they wanted his help with. A friend of Samesh was in a bind and acting weird. After getting the relevant information Leo understood what was needed to be done.

"I will take care of it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention." Leo saw them off and hit up some of his members to come help. 'Good time to observe Zaed in the field and let's do...'

While he was thinking of the second person to contact, another person came up to him. The same person that tried to speak with him outside the Council Building. A survivor from the Mindhor incident when he was younger.

"Leo.." Her voice came out strained. A mix of fury and desperation. "..do not ignore me!"

"What.. ignore no. Just busy is all." Leo gave his full attention to the woman. She was the same age as him for the most part. From what he can tell, she was doing merc work now. ".. what is it, Hannigan?"

"So you remember who I am. That makes it even better. The others thought you forgot everything about us." Hannigan seemed to catch a surge of courage. Dressed in gear close to an Eclipse member. Except instead of yellow it was black. And the logo was scrubbed out. "I want you to help me stop some slavers that slip onto the Citadel."

"Alright." Leo nodded as she spoke about the details. The C-Sec officers that were corrupt still managed to get sensitive work out before they were caught. Stopping this would piss a lot of people off. Which was good enough for Leo to give his full focus. Then he felt an Aspect stir. A good bit of power would be gathered doing this. 'Scenarios are just something else really.'

Zaed showed up a few minutes later. A quick briefing and they were on their way around the Citadel. Jane contacted him. Having made it to C-Sec with him know where in sight.

Jane: Leo where are you? We went to C-Sec to pick you up. Imagine the surprise when you made bail and someone was already straightening out the charges.

"I am with.. an old friend." Leo gave Hannigan a once over. A very large stretch of the word friend just now. "Zaed is with as well. Just taking a stroll around the Citadel is all." He moved his omni-tool towards Hannigan to respond.

She really didnt want to at first. Sighing, she spoke up cheerfully.

"This is Felicia! I just couldn't let your brother get away without catching up with him. I promise I will get him back safe and sound!" The cheerfulness was enough to make Zaed and Leo cringe a little. Just unnatural somehow. "Look forward to meeting his little sis one day."

"Anyway, we have shops to visit and things." Leo spoke quickly. "Felicia has her work cut out for her. Since we have the time best to let your people do their thing. Real good time for them to wrap loose ends before you start hunting."

"Especially Kaiden." Zaed said. "Something not right on that one."

Communication ended after that.

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The Wards-

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Rolling up in full gear was easy enough. Even switched out Hannigan's gear to something better. Wouldn't want her shot by accident. Right?

Leo asked one more thing before they got started. Felicia Hannigan was the alias name that was used by Kelly Chambers in Mass Effect 3. A little prodding let him know the two knew each other. Just odd really.

Zaed was doing recon. Felicia was keeping put by Leo and checking with her contacts. Turns out she knew about this job because of a merc contract. Just was ending her connection to the Eclipse in a very bad way.

They didn't know she quit yet. Looking up, she close her Omni-tool speaking with Leo lowly.

"That blasted container the others acquired during the job is to be unloaded here. Just have to wait a little bit. I knew the Eclipse had issues with not checking any thing really. But this was to much." Her tone was definitely letting Leo know something more was going on. Way to invested in this. "Try not to hit the cargo."

"Gotcha." Leo nodded. Even her saying cargo just sounded off. 'Need to get a hold of all this spirit sense stuff. But a little work should help with that. "I will make sure not to." Leo caught a little movement in his left eye. He knew the person in front. It was a blasted Alliance Operative he served with once before. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Overseeing the shipment. What's it to.." It was Zaatar Alenko. A cousin of Kaiden's. "Is that you Shepard? Well, I'll be damned. What are you in the smuggling business now?"

"The hell!? No, I am not even remotely close in that kind of business. Let me think about it for a second to make sure." Leo stared at the man. His biotic's already priming up. "Nope. Not in that kind of business. Heard you washed out."

"Just a setback. However, it is already getting taken care of." Zaatar's people started to get antsy.

"Your family know you are here? You know, purchasing people and selling them. Just curious is all." Leo already consumed the spirit energy they produced. Disgust from Felicia and Bloodshed from the mercs. 'Hmmm, fun times are about to start.'

"What!?" Zaatar said shocked. He turned to the mercs that accompanied him. "You said this will help me. Help us!" He poked the next nearest smugglers. The mood in the area started to change faster. "You think I am gonna stand by and let you do this?!"

"Oh, you are going to stand in our way? How are you going to get your next dose for those headaches? What about your next shoot up?" A Salarian pulled out a syringe. "Look here, primo stuff." A blue-green mixture was in the solution. "You need your fix thats how you operate. Even better than the last batch to remove those L implant headaches."

Leo looked at it. It was just Ketamine mixed with Eezo+Omni-gel. He could even smell how long ago it was made after a few seconds of calculation.

Get a bunch of Biotic Users hooked, then give them the next version. Easy to do. Especially with the precursor giving a strong addictive quality. That and biotics traveling everywhere more than others lately.

The others kept alert. A blue wave started to shine around Zaatar. Leo was needing to Protect him to collect for his Aspect. Which seemed very tasty at this moment. Mixed with the Bloodshed really.

'Like drinking some nice Gin.' Leo licked his lips under the helmet. His arm twitched on the left side. This spooked a merc.

*Pow!* The shot tore into the shielding of the armor. Shred rounds right off the bat.

"Ouch, that stings." Leo looked at the men with a frown. He used Shockwave next. "Hah!" That blast pushed them back and away. Far away that he could see the other smugglers take firing positions. "Are we not gonna solve this peacefully?"

Felicia already dropped off to the side taking a firing position. Zaed already opening fire in the distance to prevent an ambush. Which was something he was good at preventing.

Leo was very grateful for that.

The smugglers were already getting up.

*Pow, pow!* Two more shots went out. Hitting Leo as he moved to pounce. He needed his body cultivation to go up higher. And fast. Both shots hit him in the shield as well. Looking back, he saw Felicia looked really angry. She moved up along the side. This caused fire to mostly focus on him.

Felicia was beelining it to the cargo. Banking on the smugglers wouldn't hit their own cargo in the crossfire.

"Blasted Heavy Pistols!" Zaatar said. One of the mercs already shot him in the back twice as he moved. They were not taking any chances. "Looks like I am with you now!"

"Right.... just be better than your useless cousin Kaiden!" Leo barked back. He slipped his arms around a merc. Then slammed them into the floor. The impact was enough to kill the person. 'Scan every one I takedown. I need to know how much force it is taking me with every armor I come across.'

A.I.- Focusing on cameras and hacking Omni-Tools as we speak to assess.

"What the hell!?" A merc started unloading against Leo's shields. Afraid caused some shots going wild. "Urkk!" Groaning in pain, he kicked at Leo's chest to try and get free. "Let.. me... go!"

"Ok."

*Rip!* Leo channeled some blood energy to his arms. With a pull, the merc had his arms ripped off. Still alive for the moment, Leo kicked him in the chest boosting it with biotic energy.

The body flew off a bridge hitting a merc that just took up position. The Bloodlust produce caused Leo to become really excitied. His cultivation kicking up as well. The bloodier the encounter, the more he would receive.

Felicia hit him up on the Omni-tool.

Felicia: Do not let anything fire go towards the containers! People are in there!

"Can do. Just focus on navigating through the fire. I will take the big stuff on." Leo then used Lift causing the smugglers to float. "Make sure you get to that shipment quickly." Sparing a glance, a few more mercs were arriving. Zaed was doing great but never good to press their luck.

"Move up! I will provide cover!" Zaatar barked. Posted with an assault rifle, he gave suppressing fire. Making sure to allow Leo to move up quickly. Watching him literally rip guards in two made him sick. "Can we try to kill them humanely?"

"No. I am testing something!" Leo called back. Jumping on the back of a fleeing merc, he pulled back on the head and then twisted it all the way around. "Hmm, slight resistance with this one."

The blood energy in his body throbbed. With the pressure from the chance of dying, it made the situation even better. The sooner Leo broke into a higher Realm the faster he could actually start using his Cultivation Manual's benefits.