Ascension

favorably to any suite in all but the most expensive planet-side hotels.

'We'll be arriving at the Grissom Academy in about eight hours, Mr. Grayson,' Ellin continued, setting his briefcase in the corner. 'Can I get you anything before lift-off?'

'I think I just want to rest,' he said. Every joint in his body ached, and his head was pounding — classic signs of red sand withdrawal. 'Wake me an hour before we arrive.'

'Of course, Mr. Grayson,' she replied, then turned and left him alone, closing the door behind her.

He stripped off his clothes, suddenly aware of how much he was sweating. There was a faint tremor in his left hand as he unbuttoned his shirt. But the idea of dusting up never crossed his mind; he wouldn't let Gillian see him stoned. Naked, he collapsed on the bed, too hot to bother crawling under the soft, silk sheets.

He heard the deep rumble as the pilot fired up the engines. Grayson could have flown himself, of course… he still knew how to handle a vessel like this. But Cerberus needed him to play a different role now. His cover was that of a high-level executive with Cord-Hislop Aeorospace, a midsized starship manufacturer based on Elysium. This allowed him to travel across the galaxy in private vessels without drawing undo attention, and offered a reasonable way to explain the large donation he'd given to the board of the Grissom Academy in order to get Gillian accepted into the Ascension Project.

The days of pretending to be a private pilot for up-and-coming politicians were long gone; now he was the one enjoying the luxurious room and service from a personal flight attendant. The Illusive Man looked after those who pleased him.

I bet Menneau thought that, too. Right before Pel killed him.

Grayson sat up in bed, his mind going back to Pel's recent visit. Maybe his old friend had told the Illusive Man about the red sand after all. Cerberus wouldn't just sit by if they felt his addiction jeopardized the mission.

Was Ellin really just a flight attendant? Thousands of everyday people worked ordinary jobs for Cord-Hislop without ever suspecting it was a corporation controlled by a shadowy paramilitary group. Hardly anyone at the company — or anywhere else, for that matter — even knew an organization like Cerberus existed. But hidden within the rank and file of employees, scattered across all rungs of the corporate ladder, were dozens of the Illusive Man's agents. Maybe Ellin was one of them. Maybe she was waiting outside the door to stick an ice pick in his neck, just like he'd done to Keo.

He rolled out of bed and pulled on the terry-cloth bathrobe hanging on the wall, then pushed the call button. A few seconds later there was a gentle rap on the door. Grayson hesitated, then waved his hand in front of the access panel. He resisted the urge to jump back as the door slid open.

Ellin was standing there, armed only with her relentlessly cheery smile and perky attitude.

'Is there something you need, Mr. Grayson?'

'My clothes. . can you have them cleaned and pressed for me?'

'Of course, sir.'

She stepped into the room and collected his discarded garments, picking them up with a cool, practiced efficiency. There was a confidence about her; a professionalism that could be a sign of specialized military training… or it could have simply been part of her job. He tried to watch her without being seen, hoping to catch her surreptitiously watching him. If she was working for Cerberus, she'd have been instructed to keep close tabs on her passenger.

Ellin stood up and turned to face him, the bundle of clothes in her arms. The well-practiced smile fell away from her face, and Grayson realized he was still staring at her intently.

He shook his head to clear away the dark thoughts. 'Sorry. My mind was somewhere else.'

Her smile reappeared, though her eyes looked nervous. 'Is there anything else, Mr. Grayson?'

He picked up the slightest waver in her voice. Either she's just a scared little stewardess, or she's very, very good at pretending to be one. The thought was quickly followed by another: The red sand's making you paranoid.

'Thank you, Ellin. That will be all.'

The relief on her face as he stepped aside to let her exit was obvious. Once she was safely outside the door, she hesitated, then turned back.

'Do… do you still want me to wake you an hour before we land?'

'That will be fine/' he said abruptly, closing the door before she could see the flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck and into his face.

Get it together, he chided himself, removing the robe and falling back onto the bed. Quit jumping at shadows. This missions too important to screw up.

The sound of the engines had changed. Staring up at the ceiling, he could feel a slight pressure on his chest pushing him down into the soft mattress. The ship was taking to the sky, battling gravity and atmosphere as it headed for the stars. The room that had seemed so hot before was suddenly cold; he shivered and crawled in under the blankets.

The artificial mass effect fields generated inside the ship's hull dampened the turbulence and g-forces of their lift-off, but his pilot's instincts could still feel the motion. It was familiar, reassuring. Within minutes it had rocked him to sleep.

'We have a new assignment for you,' the Illusive Man said, and Grayson realized he was dreaming once again.

They were alone in Grayson s apartment, just the two of them . . and the infant sleeping quietly in the Illusive Mans arms.

'I was impressed with your work on the Eldfell-Ashland job. I know it was a difficult mission.'

'It was for the greater good,' he replied.

Even if he wanted to, there was nothing else he could say. He had believed it back then, with every fiber of his being. He still believed it, though the part of his mind that knew he was dreaming realized things weren't as simple as they used to be.

'I have a special assignment for you,' the Illusive Man said, handing over the child. 'She's biotic.'

Grayson took the little girl in his arms. She was warm and soft, and lighter than he'd expected. Disturbed by the transfer, her eyes popped open and she began to fuss. Grayson shushed her gently, rocking her in his arms. Her eyelids drooped, she blew a small bubble, and then she was asleep again.

Based on her age he had no doubt as to how she had been exposed to element zero.

'You're going to be working for Cord-Hislop as part of your cover,' the Illusive Man informed him. 'Sales for now, but you'll climb to the executive ranks over the next few years. We want you to raise the girl as your own.'

'Who's my partner?'

'None. Your wife died when your daughter was born. You never remarried.'

Grayson wondered what had happened to the girl's real mother and father, but he wasn't foolish enough to ask.

'Do you understand how important this mission is? ' the Illusive Man asked. 'Do you see what biotics can ultimately mean to humanity?'

The younger man nodded. He believed in what he did. He believed in Cerberus.

'We went to a lot of trouble to find this particular girl. She's special. We want her to look up to you. To trust you. Treat her as if she is your own flesh and blood.'

'I will,' he promised.

He had offered the vow without understanding the consequence of what it really meant. Had he known the true cost, he might not have been so quick to reply. . although in the end the answer would have been the same.

The baby gurgled softly. Grayson stared down at her scrunched-up little face, fascinated.

'You wont be alone in this,' the Illusive Man assured him. 'We have top experts in the field.