Mass Effect: The Forgotten Soul

Chapter Five: Tempered Indignation

"He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

The two Blue Suns bodyguards assigned to Mitchell climbed into the sky car, the Turian they had just taken from the apartment following closely behind. One of the bodyguards slid into the pilot's seat, while Mitchell settled into the front passenger position. Velpia was shoved into the back, wedged between the second bodyguard and the door. The car vibrated for a moment before its engine roared, lifting off the landing pad and speeding away into the dim sky.

Mitchell glanced through the rearview mirror, locking eyes with Velpia, whose head hung low. He could see the top of her head where her cranial ridge met her smooth scalp.

"I'm disappointed in you, Velp," he said menacingly. "You owed Drake credits, and then you skipped town. Doesn't look good for you."

Velpia lifted her head, "No, it wasn't like that," she shot back defensively.

"Oh? Then how did it happen?" He leaned closer to the side, skepticism etched on his face.

"I took out a loan to pay you and Drake," she admitted, her voice faltering. "But the people I borrowed from... they sold me off to the Batarians."

Mitchell erupted into laughter, a cold, mocking sound. "Tsk, tsk. After all the time you've spent on Omega, you should've known better than to take credits from slavers."

Velpia's gaze dropped, embarrassment and anger swirling within her as she looked away from the mirror.

"So, you never answered my question from earlier. Who was that guy in your apartment?" Mitchell asked.

"No one you should be concerned with," she replied defiantly.

The bodyguard next to Velpia interjected, his voice crackling through the comm system in his helmet. "He must be a bird-lover," he joked, as the two bodyguards erupted into laughter.

"Quiet!" Mitchell snapped, his tone sharp as a blade. "If Drake heard you say that, you'd be dead." The laughter died instantly, the two bodyguards straightening up, suddenly focused as the gravity of their situation settled back in.

==

The car zipped through the station, the hum of the engine and the rush of wind filling the cabin. Velpia felt a wave of regret wash over her; returning had been a mistake. Her actions nearly cost someone their life, and if Martin hadn't been there, she might have shot Mitchell on sight, an act that would have only escalated the situation.

After about thirty minutes of flying, they arrived at a towering warehouse. Velpia was led inside, navigating a labyrinth of dark catwalks and dimly lit hallways that finally opened up to a vast main floor. The area was cluttered with crates of various colors and sizes, their presence lending an air of disarray. Mitchell guided her to a desk where another Turian sat.

"Mitchell, I see you found our missing songbird," Drake said, standing up as they approached. He moved around the desk, eyeing Velpia with a mix of curiosity and annoyance. "Where did you find her?"

Mitchell smirked. "We found her in her apartment." Drake's expression shifted to one of disappointment.

"She was also 'accompanied' by a human," Mitchell continued a hint of amusement in his voice. "She won't tell us who he was."

"Oh, I see." Drake turned away from her and returned to his desk, his posture relaxing as he leaned back in his chair, claws folded across his midsection. "Is he a danger? Did you kill him?"

"He was a weakling, a bit of a freak, but nothing to worry about," Mitchell replied nonchalantly.

Drake nodded, dismissing Mitchell with a wave, leaving Velpia and Drake alone in the open space. Although she wasn't restrained, the presence of snipers hidden throughout the area made it clear that escape was not an option.