<span style="color: Orange">Confirmed, eyes on the Batarian.</span>One of the other security officers noted.<span style="color: Orange">Negative on visible weapon. He scanned clean.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Keep an eye on him.</span>The Malcolm said.<span style="color: Red">No unnecessary disturbances.</span><br/><br/>Ashana smiled at the guest she was entertaining, trying maintain her split focus. He was attempting to entertain and impress her with tales of his soldier years. She detected the expected undercurrent of desire for her, which she toyed with, neatly keeping an eye full of her shapely blue leg visible. She was more concerned with Vega, though.<br/><br/>From where she sat, she had no sight of him at all. She had to rely completely on the posted security staff to watch him and alert her - though from here, what could she really do if an assassin made a move on him? She feigned a laugh at a story from the older gentlemen, a story that he had made sure contained elements about his virility.<br/><br/>Vega continued to talk to Donovan Hock for a some time, occasionally greeting other guests that approached him. Most of the party appeared to be proceeding as expected. There were drinks and orderves and laughing and quietly whispered comment and deals. The Batarian continued to fidget between conversations, his four eyes more than once meeting Darions and Firas. After a time, he put his left hand in the pocket of his suit and did not remove it. A keen eye would have picked up on the subtle motions of his fingers as he toyed with something.<br/><br/>Ashana leaned a little closer to old man that believed he was entertaining her when he lightly rested his hand on her exposed leg just above her knee. He was speaking in lower tones, being suggestive.<i><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Stupid old fool.</span></i>Ashana thought angrily as she smirked at the man. As she looked at him, another of the guests behind him moved. The action itself wouldn't have bothered her, had it not been for a motion she just caught, a shrug of the shoulder, an arch of his neck. Her eyes darted down as he rubbed two of his fingers together. It was a nervous action, something incredibly out of place here among these people. It lacked the social masking, the trained refinement. The man - a human with tightly cut dark blonde hair - didn't belong here. She couldn't see his face, only his back.<br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">Ahh, too many stories?</span>The older man said. She looked at him, suddenly becoming aware of her posture, and that her eyes had broken from him for just long enough. Her focus on the other man had gone noticed.<span style="color: Teal">I do go on, don't I?</span>He chuckled.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Not at all.</span>Ashana smiled, trying to recover.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">I don't know much of the military, and were this another night, I'd suggest we continue elsewhere - but as far as my engagements, I am rather occupied tonight.</span>She smiled at him apologetically.<br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">Oh yes, Vega!</span>He laughed aloud.<span style="color: Teal">I had completely forgotten about him.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">I can have that effect.</span>Ashana smirked at him.<br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">Oh, very much so!</span>He laughed again and stood, offering his hand to her.<span style="color: Teal">We must return you to him before everyone loses interest in him.</span><br/><br/>Asahan smiled and took his hand, standing.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Thank you colonel. It's been a pleasure.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">Oh the pleasure was mine dear Ashana...</span>Ashana smiled, nodded and turned to leave.<span style="color: Teal">Oh, are you on Bekenstein regularly?</span>He asked.<br/><br/>Ashana turned, looking at him, questioningly.<br/><br/><span style="color: Teal">When your not otherwise occupied, I would love you bore you with more of my stories in private.</span>Ashana smiled, and nodded.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Another time.</span>She said and turned away, stifling the appreciation of an offer from someone of such class. She glanced back toward the blonde man that had distracted her before, then froze. He was gone. Her eyes darted across the faces in the crowd. He was gone.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Blonde man, dark blue jacket. He was near my position moments ago, where is he?</span>She asked, trying to maintain her poise while she searched for him, though she hid none of her concern in her whispered communication to the security team.<br/><br/>She couldn't see him - he had vanished.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Negative - I've got nothing from here.</span>One of the security staff answered, then another responded likewise.<br/><br/><span style="color: Red">The Batarian? Where is he?</span>Malcolm's voice this time, worried.<br/><br/>Ashana looked - nothing.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">I can't see him.</span><br/><br/>Down in the crowd, the Batarian was slowly, strategically moving outward away from the party. The general path he was taking lead toward a hallway away from the party that lead to back rooms.<br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Ashana, get him out now. 6, 2 and 5, Follow the Batarian, do not engage - repeat, do not engage. Keep eyes on Vega until he's clear. You spot the blonde, call his position.</span>Malcolm ordered.<br/><br/>Ashana moved quickly to Vega. He had broken from his conversation with Donovan, and was not engaged with a a rough looking Turian that wore the accolades of his rank on his uniform. Ashana approached and wrapped her arm around Vega's casually.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Excuse me for interrupting, but I'm afraid I must steal Vega away for a moment.</span>She said, smiling apologetically. The Turian eyed her.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Oh uhh... General I'm sorry but would it be alright if we continued this later in a more focused manner?</span>Vega asked. The Turian eyed Ashana coolly then nodded slowly.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkRed">Make it sooner than later.</span>The Turian half waved them away.<br/><br/>Ashana started leading Vega away from the party toward the elevator. He shifted anxiously as they walked.<span style="color: Blue">That may have been an expensive interruption.</span>He said coolly and quietly.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">We're going to your loft.</span>She said quietly.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Is it them?</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">We don't know.</span>She answered. They passed Malcolm at the elevator. His eyes were locked on several of the security team members moving discreetly for a hallway after the Batarian. She noted Darion among them. As they entered the elevator, she stood beside Vega, her eyes moving across the crowd and people along the balcony above. Her body was tense, ready to throw a biotic barrier at a moment notice. The elevator door closed and they began to rise.<br/><br/>Vega looked at her. Then back at the doors. Ashana stood quietly, unsure of what to say. She had never had to ride with someone as their bodyguard at a time when their life might be in peril.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Someone looking at me wrong?</span>He asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">No...</span>Ashana replied.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Something was off. Given the circumstances, we decided to play it safe.</span><br/><br/>Vega nodded slowly.<span style="color: Blue">Well, I can always return to the party once its been cleared. Don't worry about it.</span>He looked at Ashana. She continued to stare ahead at the door. She listened to the feed from the security team. They were following the Batarian - no sight of the blonde man yet.<br/><br/>The door opened and the two exited into the loft.<span style="color: Blue">Come on,</span>Vega waved for her to follow.<span style="color: Blue">We'll be fine up here... let me get you a drink. You look on edge.</span><br/><br/>Ashana didn't argue as she followed him, sitting down on a quarter circle couch near the bar. She kept her ear open.<br/><br/>Down the corridor the two other security officers with Darion moved forward. they approached a corner and one put his back against it, then peered around. He saw a foot disappear around another bend in the corridor.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Left hall... Syler.</span>He nodded at Darion to take point. As they passed beyond sight of the party, the two security officers activated their Brief Case Mattocks, readying themselves for whatever was ahead. The lights in the hallway were dimmed. The occasional window form outside illuminated parts of the hall against the otherwise dark interior.<br/><br/>Vega sat down next to Ashana and handed her the glass.<span style="color: Blue">Relax. They've got it.</span>He said and drank from his. Ashana followed suit and swallowed a mouthful. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">I'm not used to being the prey.</span>She said, taking another deep breath.<br/><br/>Vega nodded slowly.<span style="color: Blue">What are you used to?</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">The Hunter.</span><br/><br/>Vega smirked and took another drink. He loosened the ties on his suit, then relaxed.<span style="color: Blue">Ashana, I have to be honest with you here... you're wasting yourself. </span>She opened her eyes and looked at him seriously.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Down in that party you played it well- you know that game, that world. A few years practice and you would be so far above them that its comical. You were born for <i>this</i> kind of work. </span>He said, motioning to her body.<span style="color: Blue">As a professional, high class consort you would make more than you could even dream about as a mercenary. You would live very comfortably, you wouldn't ever have to worry about being shot at... you've got the talent, so why aren't you?</span><br/><br/>On the comms she heard the security officers. The Batarian had entered an office and they were closing in. Another of the officers confirmed a sighting of their blonde haired man. He was moving down a hallway opposite the Batarian had taken, but was moving around, circling through the back hallways away from party headed toward the Batarian. Malcolm ordered them the officers to stop and wait, to see what happened before they engaged the Batarian.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">On Omega... I was stripper in Aria's clubs... I imagine you know who Aria is. There I learned how to pull on people, nudge them in the right way, get them to do what I wanted, to tip more or come pay for a dance... or fuck in some back alley for triple the cost. I got real good at it... but on Omega, if you did what I did for a living, you were just meat. It didn't matter who you were, or how good... or how wealthy the one paying... you were just an ass. So yes, I could make my credits, pay for my small little apartment, and I enjoyed it.</span><br/><br/>The blonde man came into view of the three following the Batarian. They stayed quiet as he opened the office door where the Batarian had entered and followed him in. Malcolm ordered them to close in and prepare to make a move and find out what they were doing inside. Ashana ignored it.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">But it was never going to be more than that. I was never more than Aria's whore, and I was content. I dreamed of escaping Omega sure, but I was content and safe. Then one day...</span>Ashana ran her finger around the rim of her glass.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">A Turian approached me with an unusual offer. He wanted me to kill someone, someone well guarded. A Krogan that managed a large portion of the red sand manufacturing on Omega. A normal assassin couldn't do the job, he was too well guarded, and paranoid... but, the Turian told me, I could. The Krogan enjoyed the company of women, as all men do... but he was picky - only payed for the best. I had a clean record, and I was skilled. It took time but eventually I found myself in one of his parties and there he was, vulnerable... I had never used my biotics before - not like that. I had trained, certainly... but when I looked down at him, and felt his flesh give way as I hit him...</span>Ashana's eyes glazed over as she stared at nothing, replaying the memory, his empty hand instinctively curling into a fist.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">It was ecstasy... I had power over credits... over whims and desires but <i>that</i>... that was power over <i>life</i>. I could feel the life leave him beneath me, I could see the horror, the shock in his face... It was so unlike anything I had felt before... so exquisite. So I started killing... closing in on my prey, learning to hunt, to flaunt myself, to draw them, to strip their defenses, penetrate their guard as no weapon ever could. </span>She stared, grinning at the memory; feeling excited by it.<br/><br/>Vegas stared at her wordlessly looking at her.<span style="color: Blue">I take it back Ashana... </span>Vega said, leaning closer to her. She looked up at him.<span style="color: Blue">A few years of practice wouldn't put you above them... you already are above them.</span>He looked at her, transfixed.<br/><br/>Below, the security officers positioned themselves outside the door. They looked at one another. One nodded to Darion and Firas, who had joined them from the pursuit of the blonde man.<span style="color: DarkOrange">In position. Ready to breach.</span>One whispered.<br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Do not fire unless you have to. Detain them, take them alive.</span>Malcolm ordered as calmly as he could, from his post in front of the elevator.<br/><br/>Ashana felt Vega's hand on her leg, sliding up up. She stared at him, but made no move to stop him. His hand moved higher, beneath the cut of her dress. She felt his hand on her hip, his other lifting her skirt. He leaned in, and she felt his lips press against hers, and she leaned back, inviting him. It had been so long...<br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Breach!</span>Malcolm's over came. One of the officer hit the offices door key and the door flew open. They charged in.<br/><br/>The Batarian stood from the terminal he was accessing ,the security cracker he had been carrying plugged into it. The blonde man stood from nearby, shocked. He activated his omni-tool, the locking mechanism of a tech attack appearing on it. But it was too late, before he could attack, he was on the ground, his arm twisted painfully. The Batarian was slammed against a wall and fell, then felt a knee on his back, and the cold barrel of a gun on the back of his head.<br/><br/>Ashana felt Vega's hands on her beneath her skirt, cupping her ass as he laid her on her back, the other hand moving up her side to her breast. She felt his bated breath as they kissed, as she pressed her hips against him.<br/><br/>One of the security officers looked at the terminal and started scrolling through it.<span style="color: DarkOrange">They're detained... </span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">And?</span>Malcolm probed.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Its nothing... they were trying to access the secured databases with the schematics in them... their data thieves. Nothing more.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">So what? Nothing?</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Nothing... these aren't the guys we wanted. There's nothing going on here.</span>The officer sighed and yanked the security cracker from the terminal violently.<span style="color: DarkOrange">The whole place is clear.</span><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>One of the security officers looked at the other. The advanced carbon weave armor they were wearing looked great, but it was proving uncomfortable to stand in place for so long in it. The door between the two looked like every other office door on the 120th floor. No one passing by would suspect the closed network secured data cache behind the door. The two guards remained silent, as they stood their post while the party where the action was took place far below them.<br/><br/>From the corner of his eye, the guard don the right caught something, a flicker of light. He turned and looked down the hallway to where it turned. Around the corner, a light flickered again.<br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Hey...</span>He said. The other guard looked.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Check it.</span>He said.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Hub, this is the 120th... we may have something...</span><br/><br/>The guard moved forward, lifting his Avenger assault rifle. He neared the corner and cautiously moved around it, letting the barrel of his gun lead. Down the hall some distance, a light in the ceiling was flicking. As most of the lights on the level were out, the flicking immediately drew his attention. He moved forward, sweeping his rifle past every doorway, wary of a potential threat.<br/><br/>Nothing came at him, nor did any shadows move. There was no noise. He lowered his rifle as he approached the light and looked up at it. He let out a long breath to calm himself.<span style="color: Red">Hub, that's a negative. Some electrical problems with one of the lights. We're clear up here.</span><br/><br/>He shook his head and tried to calm his nerves as he walked back down the hall to his post. He turned the corner to the door and froze, his eyes dilating in shock. The other guard was laying on the ground, his neck protruding in an unnatural way - broken. As his mind processed what he saw, he took a sharp breath, lifting his comm to his mouth, but before a word could escape his lips, something struck his throat, hard. Pain exploded from his neck, the only reaction was a hoarse quiet gargle before the hand grabbed the side of his head and smashed it into the sharp edge of the corner, cracking his skull and killing him.<br/><br/>The dead guard slid down to the floor, his rifle clattering to the floor. His killer looked down at him with those Human eyes.<br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>Ashana moaned lightly, now having completely switched off her comms with the security team so that she didn't have to listen to them. She felt the fabric of Vega's pants on her thighs as she wrapped her legs around him. She wore nothing beneath her dress, not wanting to show any unnecessary lines beneath the garment. She pressed herself against him, wanting more, wanting to be unreserved again, to be carnal.<br/><br/>A quiet beeping sounded near her as Vega kissed her neck. The beeping persisted and Vega paused, getting up off her. She laid there, exposed below the waist where her skirt was lifted, her legs wrapped around his waist. Vega looked at his omni-tool annoyed.<span style="color: Blue">Stupid dam...</span>He started as he was about to dismiss the warning then he paused, looking at the message that was displayed, confused.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">How...?</span>He stared at it, and Ashana looked as well. Then she looked back up at him, then saw the slow realization take over his face, his eyes widen, his jaw fall slack.<br/><br/>In an instant he was off the cough and standing, his comms set to the security teams.<span style="color: Blue">All teams converge on the 120th floor NOW! ALL TEAMS! NOW!</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">Vega -</span>Malcolm started, but was cut off.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">He's accessing the god damn data cache! HE'S GOT THE GOD DAMN BUYER!</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">All teams, 120th floor now! Move move!</span>Malcolm shouted.<br/><br/>Ashana looked from the alert to Vega, the realization of what was going on sinking in. The assassin was there, in the building and he had gotten into the actual data cache undetected. She stood, wiping the previous moments desires from her mind. She made for the elevator. She turned back on the security feed.<br/><br/><span style="color: Blue">Do not let him escape! Do you hear me? He has the data, kill him!</span>Vega ordered, madly. He was scared, and Ashana didn't need to be a able to read vocal patterns to know it. Whatever data the assassin had terrified Vega.<br/><br/>Below, in the party rooms the guests all looked around and talked nervously as the security guards all suddenly broke from their posts and sprinted for the elevator, ignoring all formality as Vega ordered. In the room with the two hackers, the guards all looked at one another as Vega shouted orders to them. The two hackers had already been bound.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Leave em, lets go!</span><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>He flipped through the various code segments as his omni-tool identified the security patterns, diverting them away, keeping the data feed open as he downloaded what he needed. His omni-tool flashed a warning from the security feed attached to the cache's door. Someone was approaching it. He closed the connection, having found what he was after and moved across the room filled with the flashing lights of a dozen data centers. He stood against the wall beside the door<br/><br/>The door opened and a gun entered, followed by an arm. He reached and grabbed the arm pulling it into the room and down, dropping the security guard's arm. He followed with his other arm, hammering it into the man's chest as he was dragged into the room. He cried out as he went down. As he hit the floor, an armored boot stepped down on his throat and the barrel of a gun was pressed against his head, instead the kinetic barrier's range. The man fired, killed the guard. He heard gunshots down the hall as more of the security officers rounded the bend from one of the elevator accesses. He ducked inside the room for a moment then, in a flash, rounded the door frame and aimed his M-77 Paladin down the hallway and fire a shot. The round would have hit the attackers left shoulder, just above his rifle, but the powerful shield on the suit flared, stopping the shot, but depleting. The guard flinched at the burst of light when the shield went down. The second bullet from the assailant punched through his chest, filling his lungs with blood as he went down.<br/><br/>Just around the corner, another security officer watched his follow guard go down, and yelled into his comms.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Contact! Contact!</span>He leaned around the corner, over the dead body and fired a cautious cluster of rounds at the door from his briefcase mattock. Behind him he heard more security officers arriving.<br/><br/>He ducked back into cover as more shots were fired from the assassin, but they struck the wall without much aim. When the officer peeked back around the corner, he saw only the man's back as he rounded a corner and disappeared.<span style="color: DarkOrange">He's on the move! Say again he's on the move!</span>The guard ran down the hall after him while the other officers closed in.<span style="color: DarkOrange">He's moving south through the eastern corridor! Cut him off!</span><br/><br/>A group of three officers turned around from the pursuit to double back and around, to cut him off.  They rounded a corner, then another, sprinting down the hall.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Moving around him! Push him, we've got him trapped!</span>One of them yelled.<br/><br/>The other team rounded a corner, catching only glimpses of their target's back as he stayed ahead of them and out of their line of sight. They rounded another corner at the end of another long hall and froze, almost firing, but stopping just short as they found themselves staring at the flanking team, the target no where in sight.<span style="color: DarkOrange">What the fuck?</span><br/><br/>One looked down and saw a panel missing form the lower wall down into the maintenance access.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Shit, hub he's on the move, he's in the access way.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Red">We've got him... god dammit how the hell did he get up there?</span>Malcolm said, tracing the information from the security hub on his omni-tool.<span style="color: Red">He's in the freight elevator shaft, and going down. All units on their way to 120th, cut him off!</span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>