Survivor

Chapter 32

Shepard
  I took another sip of the brandy I had in my glass, watching Elias give orders before he came back to me, looking slightly irritated.
  "Sorry, we just had someone try to come in by force. Happens every damn night. We're lucky if it's just a few times. Usually it's more like a few dozen."
  "Well if you wouldn't run your ring in such a hellhole then maybe you wouldn't have so many trespassers."
  Elias laughed and shook his head. "You've got it all wrong! It's that it's the best gambling ring, so of course everyone wants to come in. We can't accept just anyone though, you know that."
  I rolled my eyes. "Why didn't you just set up shop on Omega? You would have had a hell of an easier time."
  "Nah, too much true crime. Too many assholes. Besides, even Aria got kicked out when Cerberus took over. Here? The paint job got scratched up in the front bar. Cerberus had no use for searching a gentleman's club."
  "Really? Because I see a couple of Generals hanging out at those tables..."
  Elias held up his hands. "We keep alias names. Not the real ones. Specifically for our client's privacy. It's a really smooth running operation, actually. I mean, of course it is, since it's run by me."
  I laughed and shook my head at Elias. "You're so full of yourself. At least that hasn't changed."
  Elias just smirked in response and looked out onto the gambling floor, then stood.
  "Gambling den is closed! Take your winnings and get the hell out! Losers leave too!"
  There were groans of disappointment and frustration, but the clients stood slowly and began making their way to the door as Elias turned back to me.
  I gestured toward the obedient crowd. "They sure listen well for a bunch of slicks off the street."
  Elias laughed. "Yeah. That's because we used to gas the place if they didn't leave within five minutes. Word spreads quick about the consequences of not listening when the boss says get out."
  I chuckled. "Nice."
  As soon as the last client filtered out and the door shut, the day simulation lights came on, allowing me to see the mess made of the gambling den.
  "You guys close on a schedule?" I asked.
  "Nah, it depends on how many clients we get, how long it takes to clean up, and it all just stays semi unpredictable. It keeps C-Sec on their toes. They've never been able to catch us. We've got our claws in their ranks."
  He started walking toward the stairs down off the platform and I followed.
  "Let's get the hell out of here. I've been here all day, can't stand the smell any longer."
  I laughed. "You don't mean to tell me I have a stronger stomach than you now, do you?"
  He tossed the finger at me over his shoulder as he kept walking, which drew another laugh from me.
  "So what's this I hear about the great Commander Shepard hooking up with a Turian?" Elias asked as I caught up to his side.
  I smiled. "Those rumors are true. He's the one for me, Lie. He just gets me, and puts up with my shit."
  I bit my lower lip, guilt stabbing me as I realized I left him back at the docking bay with Miranda.
  "Yeah? Where's he at? You know he'll have to go through interrogation."
  I gave Elias a sheepish smile. "I kind of left him behind at the docking bay... Along with a pissed off biotic I punched right in the kisser. She wouldn't hurt him, though."
  Elias laughed. "You pissed her off and ran? What happened to duking out the biotic shit?"
  I shrugged. "They left the implant out this last revival and now wants me to have it replaced, which was the reason she pissed me off enough for me to punch her."
That drew an amused snort from Elias. "Yeah, like it takes much for you to throw punches."
I rolled my eyes. "That was before I joined the Alliance Navy. If I would have done that shit, I would have never made it as an N7, nonetheless as the first human Spectre."
Elias shrugged. "Okay, so you cleaned up some. I'll give you credit for that one."
"About time."
Elias grinned. "Only a little credit, though. I still think you're a pain in the ass."
I punched his arm, then bumped him away with my hip, making him stumble a few steps to the side before he rejoined me, laughing.
"See what I mean?"
I shrugged. "You started it."
"So," he continued, ignoring my accusation. "When do I get to meet this alien of yours?"
I chewed on my lower lip a little and shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. I hope really soon, but I have to go back and smooth things out. Yet another thing that's changed: I always try to make things right. I don't know how that will work out with Miranda- the biotic bitch- but I owe my crew an apology."
Elias nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like you have a good team at your back."
I smiled and shook my head. "You have no idea. They're the best team I could have hoped for, and then some."
Elias threw his arm over the back of my neck and crooked it so I was trapped, and he pulled me close to his chest to ruffle my scalp with his rough knuckles. "Awe! My little sister is all grown up!"
I growled in irritation and punched him right in the kidney zone hard enough for it to hurt.
He yelped in surprise and rubbed the punch zone with a mock pout. "Ouch, and battle has made her callous!"
I smirked and raised my middle finger to him, making him laugh.
His expression turned serious, and he stopped walking to face me. "Seriously though, if you need anything, even just to get away for a few hours, don't hesitate to come to me okay? And if yo need someone to disappear I have a few guys for that too..." He winked at me and I laughed with the shake of my head.
"Okay, thanks. I really appreciate that. I might take you up on that sometime. There's a lot of shit going on, it's nice to be able to just relax and spend time with you again."
Elias smiled. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Different situations, mutual feelings. We've always had something like that going on."
I chuckled. "Yeah, I remember. It's what made the bad nights a little better sometimes, especially when I first left for boot camp. I wondered if I had done the right thing. The only thing that kept me going some days was the mere fact that I knew if I came back failed out you would kick my ass."
Elias laughed. "Hell yeah, I would have! You had finally gotten yourself off the streets alive! It's not something that happens often."
I gave him a sad smile. "You can still do it too, you know. Maybe you didn't then, but I can help you now. You don't even have to join up, I've got good connections to get you great jobs. Here on the Citadel, civilian jobs in the Alliance, hell, maybe even aboard the Normandy."
Elias took a step back, turning his head away from me, but I still caught the flash of conflict in his eyes.
"Nah... This... This life isn't easy for me to get out of anymore. I'm stuck in it, it's a part of me now. Too late. Thanks though."
I nodded slowly and bit my lip before I replied. "Okay, well if you change your mind and want to give it a shot, I'm here to help in any way I can."
Elias gave me a wide grin, but there was something missing in it. "Okay, I'll be sure to let you know if anything changes."
He gestured to the elevator ahead with the toss of a hand. "Well, I guess I better let you get to patching things up with your alien and crew. We'll catch up some more later, okay? Remember what I said."
"Okay, Elias. Be safe."
He grinned and gave me a two fingered salute. "Always!"
With that, he sauntered off, leaving me to shake my head and walk the rest of the way to the elevator by myself.
Now it was time to face the crew...

((A/N: Okay, let me start with thanking you guys for all the reads! Survivor has reached over a 1,000 reads! I can't say how much that means to know that you guys like it enough to keep reading on! Thank you!
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