Title: A Drug You Can Trust

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Bioware.

Beta Reader: Marie-Fanwriter

Summary: Shepard fails Thane's loyalty mission and it's up to Jack to save the day. Can Jack play peacemaker long enough to get Kolyat to see reason? Or will the ex-con and budding assassin end up killing each other?

Part 1

Jack's foot slams into the skycar's dashboard. "'Don't leave the car, Jack.'" She mocks in a crudely high pitched voice. "'This is delicate work, Jack.'" Her arms are crossed across her leather clad chest as she stares up at the car's roof. "Then why the fuck did you bring me?" She asks the empty car and her temper only rises with the lack of an answer. Her foot slams down again, only this time she hits the door release.

"Oops," she says in a hollow tone as she rolls her eyes. The door lifts up and she hops out. The cool, slightly stale air is a welcome change as she walks across the parking complex she's currently in. Jack stops to lean against a wall and digs into her pocket.

"'Don't smoke on the ship.'" She mocks again. "'Could blow us all to hell.'" One stick is freed from the pack and she places it between white teeth; lips pulling back into a snarl from nothing more than habit. The pack is replaced in her pocket and a lighter is fished out. Both the lighter and the cigarettes are old Earth style. And while there are newer, Council approved, smokes that don't so much as make a baby cough, Jack finds the old Earth stuff to be more fulfilling.

Jack snaps her lighter open and close, listening to the quiet metallic click. She does it a second time before her eyes narrow at the point beyond her mouth and a flash of blue flares dangerously close to her face; her biotics lighting her cigarette.

Her fingers snap open the lighter again. The cool metal in her hand and the bumps of the etched on design are familiar to her. The snap is loud in the parking tower as there are no cars moving at the moment. She runs her finger over the wick once before flicking on the flame. Her finger repeats the movement and the flame is only slightly warm to her calloused pad.

Jack closes her eyes as her shoulders sag; the only sound is the sharp snap and her breathing.

Open. Close. Open. Close. Control.

Right now everything is under her control and, even if it is minuscule, it is still something.

She stays like that long enough to go through four from her pack. As she decides this will be her last one—who knows when the commander will let her off her lease long enough to get another pack—she hears the rapid approach of footsteps. For one second her heart quickens and she has the urge to hurry back to the car. But she pushes it away. She's near the car; that should be enough. If not, then she's in for another lecture.

Thane hurries in—no, not Thane.

Jack slips into the shadows as a very blue drell runs into the lot on the far side. His clothes are surprisingly slimmer to Thane's and Jack's not one for coincidence.

She hit her comm on her ear and quietly calls, "Commander." No answer so she tries again. "Boss lady, fish boy, ya there?"

"Jack?" Commander Shepard's voice is heavy and slightly panting. "What's wrong?" Jack ignores the fake concern layered in the woman's voice.

"I'm guessin' that 'delicate work' you were taking about was blown to hell, seeing that I'm looking at a drell who looks like a fluorescent Thane."

"Kolyat?" Thane's voice is controlled as always and Jack has the normal urge to break his calm façade. "You see him? Are you sure?"

"Nope. Just a wild guess. All you lizard men look the same to me." The drell in question is looking through car windows. "But he is about to steal a car."

"Stop him!" Shepard orders. "We'll be there soon."

"Oh?" Jack drawls. "I thought I had to stay in the car like a good little bitch?"

"Jack!"

She rolls her eyes. "Okay, okay. Leave it to…" the drell notices the open door to Shepard's rented skycar and is now jumping inside. "… me." The door closes. "Oh, son of a bitch! Fuck no!"

"What?" Both Shepard and Thane ask in worried voices.

"I will never hear the end of this you bastard!" She yells as she flicks her cig off to the side and angrily rushes the now powered on skycar.

"End of what? What did you—" Jack turns off her comm.

She jumps just as the car lifts off the ground and lands hard on the hood. For a second her eyes meet the inky black ones of the drell inside.

His eyes are wide in shock and Jack snarls, "Land this shit and get the fuck out!"

He hesitates. And for a second he looks like he will as he holds her gaze.

"Sorry," he calls in a voice so gravelly that she can hear it easily over the car and through the glass. "I can't." His hand darts to his hip and pulls free a pistol. "Sorry." He repeats as he aims.

Jacks snarl turns into feral grin.

The car violently jerks as her biotics slam into it. The drell inside is thrown like a rag doll and Jack sees his gun slip from his hand and slide under a seat. The man doesn't try to fish around for it; instead he grabs the wheel and tries to get the car under control. Only Jack's blast did more damage than she meant for it to and now the car is smoking.

He jerks the wheel hard and the car spins out of the parking tower. Jack sees the chance to jump off and land safely; instead, she punches through the windshield. If Thane's kid died because she couldn't control herself, well, Shepard would have every right to lay into her.

Her biotic protect her arm as the glass breaks. A flash of blue from inside tells her that the dell is a biotic as well. The car is sinking fast and smoke from under the hood is stinging her eyes.

"Come on!" She reaches in and pulls him by the side of his high collar. A fist flies at her from the smoke and hit her square in her jaw. "Fuck!" She lets him go and slides back on the hood as the car tips.

"Don't touch me!" He growls over the wind as he climbs out on the hood.

"I'm not telling Thane his son's a skid mark on the Citadel floor, so come on!" At the mention of Thane the drell freezes and Jack's positive she made the right call assuming he was Kolyat.

Jack takes the opportunity to grab him—one arm under his and wrapped around his back—and jump.

Kolyat has enough sense not to push her away in midair. The car has drifted near an apartment complex and with a burst of energy they slam through a wide window. His biotics flare with hers to soften their landing. Jack is shocked as Kolyat tucks her head under his chin as they roll on the glass cover floor.

They slide to a stop and Jack kicks his body forcibly from hers. Kolyat grunts from the blow to his gut and glares at her.

"Oh, you're fun." He sneers as he stands. For a second it looks like he might hold his hand out for her but stops as he turns away.

Jack stands slowly, cautious now that they're in an enclosed space. He maybe unarmed but he still has biotics. She runs a hand along her side for her pistol but finds it gone.

Kolyat glances back at her and she can see her pistol in the hand not holding his stomach.

"You sneaky bastard." Jack can feel a real smile tug her lips. "I kinda like you." She muses as she pulls her shotgun from her back and starts walking slowly around the room. He does the same and they size each other up as they pace.

"Who are you?" Kolyat narrows his eyes. "How do you know m- Thane?" Jack can hear the hate in his voice and she knows that's all Kolyat will want her to hear. But she's an expert on pain at this point in her life and she can hear the bitterness, longing, and sadness all living underneath.

Looks like Mr. Perfect Assassin fucked up big time as a dad.

"I work with him."

Kolyat runs his eyes over her as his hand drops away from his stomach. "You're an assassin?" he asks with clear disbelief.

"Ex-con." She's never really had a job before and that title is only one she has.

"He's recruiting criminals now?"

Jack snorts. "What do you think assassins are? Ninja police?" She stops moving and so does Kolyat. "We're working with a Spectre, so everything's legit." She's not sure what her next move should be. Talking only seems to be pissing him off. Maybe if she knocks him out? Then she can just drag his ass back to the Normandy and throw him in the brig for Shepard to deal with.

But the thought of Shepard only reminds Jack of the prison ship they met on and how Shepard's lackeys suggested knocking her out. Shepard had just kept talking until Jack saw reason. But she isn't Shepard and talking was never her strong suit.

Kolyat rolls to the side as Jack releases a shockwave. He makes it to cover behind a half wall that separated the kitchen and living room.

"Here's the deal, kid. I'm gonna knock your ass out and drag you out of here. Don't even try and fake surrender." The fire she saw in his eyes will not let him give in easily, and Jack knows it.

"Wasn't thinking about it," he calls as he pops up from cover. His shockwave isn't as strong as hers. But he used her moment of defense to close the distance between them.

Assassin. She reminded herself. If he's anything like Thane then she needs to keep him at bay. Jack pulls up a barrier—like that Cerberus dog, Jacob, taught her—and is annoyed to see she still hasn't learned to erect it quite right as the drell smashes through. So she pulls up her shotgun and fires.

He dodges the blast but it is clear he was expecting it as he dances to the side and—quicker than she can follow—he is behind her. One arm wrapped around her body the other is holding her pistol to her chest. His head is on the side of hers, so she can't head-butt him, and his stance is wide to keep them balanced and to make sure she can't kick him.

Jack is surprised by how amused she is and how sure she is that he won't shoot. He's being too careful and controlled. If he was going to hurt her he wouldn't bother trapping her.

"Now," his mouth is next to her ear as he speaks. "Tell Thane I don't want to see him. Not now, not ever. Understood?"

She can feel his voice vibrating through his body as his chest is smashed tight against her back. The dark timbre of his voice echoes powerfully in her ear. A fire in the pit of her belly sparks, filling her with a heady rush.

Jack flares her biotics, flinging him back into the wall behind them. She turns and cocks her shotgun. "Tell him yourself." She smiles as Kolyat glares up at her. While he may not be willing to shoot her—just yet—she knows Chakwas can patch up a busted leg or two.

Kolyat must be able to read her thoughts as he makes no move to get up. "I'd rather you kill me." His eyes are not as dark as Thane's; more dark brown than abysmal black.

"Stop being such a bitch." She rolls her eyes at the theatrics of his last sentence. "Your dad's trying to do right by you—"

"Ten years too late."

Jack narrows her eyes. "Know what? I'm starting to think Thane shouldn't waste his time with you." Her shotgun lowers slightly.

Kolyat jerks as his anger increases. "He's the one who—"

"Fucked up? Yeah he knows. Hell, we all know. That's all he whines about on the damn ship; how he let your sorry ass down. Now he's here trying to fix it and you're just trying to run away like some pussy." What happened to just knocking him out? Why bother talking? "Now man up."

Slowly Kolyat stands; his eyes watching her with a predatory glint. He is faster and she knows he's been working as a hit man. Jack knows she should put some distance between them, but can't make herself look away from his gaze.

"So I'm supposed to do what? Act like everything's okay? Now that he wants to see me? I stopped waiting for him years ago. And I'm not about to forgive him just because he's dying."

That catches Jack off guard. "You know he's sick?"

Kolyat tempter seems to be cooling as he leans back on the wall behind him, one arm crossed over his chest, the other still holding her pistol.

"Of course I know." It's his turn to roll his eyes. "I've been keeping tabs on him for years. While he was content not knowing where the hell his only son was, I knew every job he was doing; every life he took. I only lost track of him a few months ago."

"Why not contact him?" Jack raises a brow.

"If he didn't care, neither did I." Again, the dramatics make Jack roll her eyes at him.

"Damn, you whine a lot." She sighs. "And now he cares—"

"Ten—"

"'Years too late'. Blah, blah. I get it." The idea of knocking him out is looking pretty good again.

Kolyat aims his gun at her and fury fills his face. Jack brings hers back to proper height. "Don't mock me, human! You don't know what it was like! Growing up—"

"If we're about to play 'Who had the most fucked up childhood' I win every time. So don't waste your breath with whatever sob story you have unless the words 'kidnapped,' 'tortured,' and 'experimented on' show up." Shit, why say that?

Shit, why is her mouth still moving? Shut up Jack. Shut the fuck up. "Just be happy you got a shot at being normal. That you are here right now because you fucked up, not daddy dearest."

They're quiet after that. The rage in his face is gone and in its place is a look that she's seen on Thane, so she knows he's deep in thought.

With guns still pointed at each other Kolyat quietly asks, "What's your name?"

"Jack." And even though she knows his name, she waits for him to tell her.

"Kolyat Krios." He lowers his gun and slowly Jack does the same.

"So," he starts and looks off to the broken glass window they smashed through. "If I meet with him once, you'll leave me alone?"

"I'll leave you alone," but Shepard and Thane may not.

She has a feeling that he hears her unspoken message, but still gives a slow nod. "Alright."

He flips the gun in his hand and holds the handle out to Jack, returning the weapon before turning away. Jack is shocked by the trust that it implies. After all, she's the better biotic and, without a gun, he's at a big disadvantage. His cool fingers brush hers as she takes her gun and the fire in her gut burns strong.

Jack takes her first good look at the drell. He's taller than his father. A broader build, but has the same tight muscles. His face is longer and more angular than Thane's; manly whereas Thane's always looked a bit girly to her. He has the same strangely full drell lips and his skin is blue-green.

His head is slightly turned back to her as he looks at her from the corner of his dark eyes; tracing the tattoos on her body with interest.

She finds she doesn't like the trust he has given her. It makes her think he knows something she doesn't. That there is another act to this game they're playing and only he knows it. So Jack turns her back to him. It's stupid, but it's an act of defiance; her way of hopefully throwing him off guard.

"Commander," Jack calls as she walks through the half destroyed room; her ears straining to hear any movement from the other occupant.

"Jack." Again the worry is clear in Shepard voice and it's getting harder and harder to pretend it's fake. "Are you okay? Where are you?"

"And Kolyat?" Thane asks and Jack actually laughs at the worry in his.

"Stopping being such worry-warts. I'm fine and so is Kolyat. He's agreed to meet with Thane."

"Agreed?" Shepard starts cautiously. "How many bullets did that take?"

Jake glances back at Kolyat and grins. "'How may bullets?' None; took a page from your book and sweet talked him." She winks and is amused to see Kolyat glance shyly away.

"So no injuries?"

"Just a few cut and bruises from the fall."

"What fall? And where is the skycar? It hasn't been responding to my calls."

Shit. She had forgotten about that. "Uh, about that… don't freak out, but it kinda of crashed."

"What?" Jack winces at the volume.

"Chill, just take it out of my pay."

"You don't make enough." Shepard says flatly.

"And why not?" Jack huffs, slightly distracted with the conservation. "I know for a fact that bitch Miranda gets a fat check. And I've been on a shit-load more missions than her."

"She my XO and Cerberus pays her."

"You have money," she counters.

"I'm not giving you a raise out of pocket," Shepard sighs and Jack knows she's rubbing her temples at this moment. "Just get your ass back to the ship." The comm cuts and Jack realizes she had stopped paying attention to Kolyat. She turns to his spot and is surprised to see him still here.

"You're working for someone and not getting properly paid?" he asks. "Why?"

Jack shrugs as she waves her hand for him to follow her out the door. "She helped me out of a jam and hasn't stabbed me in the back."

"Sounds like there should be a yet at the end that sentence."

At one point there was, but she isn't so sure now.

"Freeze!" Outside the apartment, the hall is loaded with C-Sec officers. Of course someone would hear all the noise they were making. "Put down your weapons and put your hands in the air." A human cop yells.

From behind her Kolyat sighs. "You just attract trouble, don't you?"

"Don't be such a pussy, you know you like it."

His gravelly laugh sends a trill up her spine and Jack gives a feral grin.