Spike and Wrex had been living in the slums of the citadel for the past few months. Living contract to contract; putting their skills to the test. All the while knowing one day someone was going to kill one or both of them. But, for now, they were living day by day. Spike sat up and looked around. He was inside their makeshift home. An abandoned warehouse right at the hind end of the slums. He yawned and got to his feet; attaching his holstered pistols to his body. The day they got there he learned quickly. Never leave home without your weapon. When he opened the door; a loud metallic screech echoed through the area. He then stepped out and quickly closed the door. He looked around checking the area for raiders. Such as batarians or vorcha and also other krogan. When he saw nothing looked out of the ordinary he began to walk away. He walked all the way up to an elevator and got it. He rode it all the way up to the upper-level of the wards. When it reached its destination he got out and made his way to C-sec. Once there he got to his locker and suited up; he had joined C-sec shortly after their arrival on the citadel. As he zipped up his uniform he felt a slap on his back. He turned and looked; seeing a turian with a smug grin.

Spike smiled, “Son of a bitch,” he closed his locker and locked hands with the turian, “What are you doing out of the hospital, Garrus?!” He finished as the two locked hands and entered an arm-wrestling match.

At first, it looked like neither of them was going to win, but then Spike started to get the advantage. Garrus' arm began to buckle; it slowly got lower and lower, “Losing your edge?” Spike commented with a chuckle. Only to have Garrus suddenly overtake him. The two kept at it for a good ten minutes until they finally broke it off. They went to the main lobby and entered a room where other officers waited. This was where they would get their assignments for today. After a few minutes of just sitting and talking with one another; commander Bailey walked in. in his hand was multiple data-pads. Each one ready with an assignment or simple officer work.

“Urdnot Spike.”

Spike perked up as his name was called. Quickly he stood up from his chair and walked forward. He retrieved the data-pad and walked back to his chair next to Garrus. He quickly activated it only to sigh in disappointment. He had been put on shadow again, and once more he was going to have to spend the day at fists club again. He didn't mind the job; he just didn't like the club. The place was a gentleman's club, and the main attraction was their Asari dancers. Although he was male and he didn't mind watching a few dancers. He still had respect for females of any species. Sometimes he had to resist the urge to tear a jerks head off. Either someone was touching one of them inappropriately or they had caused some injury to their bodies. But, because he was a shadow there was nothing he could really do. He got up and quickly made his way to the club; ready to get this long day over with.

After a few hours of crappy rave music, cigarette smoke, and the repulsive smell of drunks. He finished his shadow and made his way back to C-sec. Once again he saw nothing out of the ordinary at Fists club again. Bailey had a funny feeling about fist. He thought that he was smuggling in red sand or tainted element zero. But, the last few times Spike had been in there. The only thing that fist was guilty of was allowing public intoxication. When he got back to the academy he turned in his data-pad and quickly changed out of his suit. After changing he left for the lower markets and purchased a few ingredients. As he made his way back home his communicator went off.

Spike answered, “Hello,” He heard his father's voice in response, “Oh, hey dad. I got some.” his father interrupted him and then Spikes expression got serious, “Where?” He asked, “When?” he listened to his father's answer, “I'm there.”

He deactivated his communicator and called a taxi; he took the taxi back home and put away the supplies he bought. He then went to his room and pulled out his other gear; gear that he used for his other job. He equipped himself with a few grenades, equipped his guns with kinetic coils and some shredder rounds. While he put on some medium Ursa human armor. Although, he was a krogan their armor would not fit his body properly. But, thankfully human armor did. The armor also came with a face mask that was designed only for him. It only covered his face; leaving the back of his head exposed. But, his scales on the back of his head made up for the lack of armor.

Once he was dressed he exited the warehouse and flew to the location his father told him to meet at. In a matter of minutes, Spike reached the destination. A closed-off spaceport with no gravity tethers to keep a ship in place. A place meant for a future unloading dock for the wards. But, at the moment it was used for not only smuggling in illegal cargo. But, to also pick up privately hired mercenaries. When he landed he quickly located his father. But, he also noticed three other mercenaries there. Two of them he recognized from previous missions. One was a turian known as Scalper. He was a damn good assassin; his favorite weapon was a sniper rifle with Shredder X rounds. Hence then name Scalper; for every head-shot, he would make his targets scalp would come right off. The other merc he recognized was a krogan; he didn't know the name or clan. But, he knew the kurgans merc handle, Thresher-spit. The third merc he didn't know but it was salaried.

The moment he spotted his father he quickly walked up to him. He greeted him, “Urdnot Wrex, nice to see you again, sir.” Thanks to his mask his voice sounded robotic.

Wrex responded, “Good to see you again, Drako.” he answered as he shook his son's hand, “Glad you got my message.”

Whenever Wrex had managed to get them a mission; Spike would have to go by the alias Drako. It was to keep other mercenaries from gaining an edge over either of them. The group waited for a little bit and four more merc's had joined them. Two of them were humans that made their living as pirates. The third was a quarian who had been exiled from the flotilla. And, the fourth one was another turian. Spike looked at each of them; he knew all of them had a reputation. He also knew like him and his father; none of them were cheap to hire. Which meant one of two things; either someone had just called in a few favors. Or, this person had a lot of credits that they didn't mind spending. He hoped it was the later.

After another hour a ship docked into the spaceport; each of them looked at the airlock door. Waiting for it to slide open; in a matter of minutes, it did. They each watched as a turian walked out of the ship; he was gray in color and looked almost robotic. Spike shook a little as a cold chill went down his spine. Whoever this turian was he knew do not mess with him.

The turian spoke, “Good to see you all made it,” his voice sound too calm, too cold. Almost as if this turian was pure evil. He continued, “ Come aboard. We don't have much time.” he finished before he walked back into his ship.

One by one each of the merc's walked onto the ship. Each of them ready to not only get the mission over with. But, also ready to get paid for the job. Spike had an uneasy feeling about this and he wasn't the only one. Wrex also had one; whatever was about to happen the two just had to get it done and get out. The ship left the citadel somehow it didn't set off any alarms. Meaning the ship either had stealth systems engaged. Or, the one who owned the ship was that good. Spike and Wrex decided to wait in the cargo hold. While the other merc's waited in the mess hall of the ship. They both sat in silence for a moment. Feeling the vertigo of a ship entering a mass effect field.

It was silent for a moment until Spike broke it, “Wrex?” He started.

Wrex responded, “What is it Drako?”

Spike continued, “I have a bad feeling about this.” He answered as he looked around the hold.

Wrex grunted, “You and me both,” He responded as he shifted into a more comfortable position, “Something's not right.” He finished.

Spike commented, “Yeah, but, what?” he asked before the calming sound of silence returned.

After about an hour or two the ship slowed; it was then the turian who was known as Saren called them to the bridge. Once there all of them were briefed on the mission. They were stealing from a ship full of batarian slavers. The group was anti-turian and human. The crew on the ship was fifteen strong; all extremely hostile. When he was asked about the cargo; he replied that it was tainted red sand. But, they knew there was something else in play. Something more important than red sand. After the briefing, each of them readied to board the ship.

First, their ship fired an EMP shot; disabling the slaver's ship. They then flew in close and interlocked airlocks; the two humans of the group used plasma torches to cut through the doors. The moment the door was cut through Saren had used a heavy biotic throw to launch the door forward. The door crushed two barbarians standing on the other side. The group then entered the ship; hearing the native yells of slavers. It was then the firefight started. Saren had taken out the remaining three on the ship's bridge. That left ten more barbarians left alive on the ship. The group advanced forward slowly descending down into the lower levels of the ship. On the second level, Drako and Wrex took out a group of three. Scalper took out a fourth with a clean shot to the head. The group continued to move forward. When they reached the entrance of the cargo hold; the two humans from before began to cut through. But, then the door was blown open; blowing both of them onto their backs. The two were almost taken out. But, Spike shot the batarian that came through. In the cargo hold, it was a slaughter; the remaining five were quickly taken out by the group of mercs.

When the firing stopped Saren had claimed only one case. While the rest went to the merc's; as the other raided the ship's cargo. Wrex and Draco quickly made their way off of the ship. Both of them escaped inside a shuttle. Heading right back to the citadel. Neither of them looking back at the ship they helped take. Neither of them wondering what Saren was after. Neither of them wondering what was going to happen to the other merc's.

A week had passed and life seemed to almost return to normal for them. Spike continued to work his ass off for C-sec. Still shadowing fist and working other jobs for the force. While his father continued to get them small-time contracts and other missions. It wasn't until the end of the week that they learned. All of the other merc's had turned up dead.

Author's Note

Chapter 7. I am glad to have this chapter posted. I am also thankful for all twenty-nine likes and the comments on this story. again thank you all I hope you all like this chapter and I am eager to get the eight chapter up.