Free Hero Born: Project Solaris by Chris Fox Page A

find a way to take my own life?
    "No," Dick responded to my thoughts. "Your bonds are secure. I won't allow you to take the easy way out. Work with me, or I'll turn you over to the grey men. They are far less accommodating than I am."
    "I'll think about it, but I have one more question," I said, being as honest as I could. I would think about it. "What do the grey men want?"
    "They're honest about their goals," Dick said, giving a helpless shrug. "They want to colonize the earth. You can ask them about it yourself in a few hours, when they arrive."
    I panicked, thrashing in my bonds as the desperation mounted. Dick merely smiled.

Interlude 2

    Doctor Usir stared out the window of his penthouse office, hands clasped behind his back. He gazed across San Francisco Bay, enjoying the way the sunlight played across it. The Golden Gate Bridge dominated the view, its smooth, coppery arches connecting Marin to the city. He still remembered watching the workmen sink the foundation, with only a thin bulwark to shield them from the ocean's crushing weight. There was so much history in that bridge, a hundred little facts most had forgotten. What would people think if they knew that the concrete that formed the south pylon included ground-up headstones from a local cemetery?  
    History was near-sighted, which was why every generation had to relearn the lessons of their parents. It was only when one gained perspective bought over centuries that one understood the larger picture. Very few could make that claim; only those few understood how much the world had changed over time, and that deeper secrets than a few headstones were waiting to be uncovered. Secrets like the one that lay under the bay, the one he so desperately needed to find. His daughter lay within, assuming the Ark still had power. There was only one way to reach her, and that was Object 3.  
    "Sir." The door to his office opened; Usir turned to face Summers. "You're going to want to deal with this. The phasic we encountered? She just walked into the lobby."
    "Interesting," Usir said, smoothing his blazer. The soft material calmed him. "Have her escorted here, please. Bring Marcus back with you as well."
    Summers gave a tight nod and departed the office. Having Marcus present was a calculated move. It wasn't for protection, as a simple phasic was no real threat, not to him anyway. No, this was a statement. Usir moved to the trio of chairs near the center of the room. Sinking into the plush leather drew a sigh of contentment. He'd been hardened in battle long ago, millennia before mankind learned to write, but there was no reason not to enjoy the simple pleasures a life such as his afforded.
    He waited in silence for several minutes before the door opened again. Summers came in first, then a pair of women. He recognized the first from surveillance photos, one Jillian Kotati. She was a tall, raven-haired beauty, perhaps five foot ten. The girl beside her was just a hair shorter, with very similar features. A younger sister perhaps? The younger one's hair was dark too, but more of a deep auburn than a true black.
    Marcus was last to enter, six feet of thickly-corded muscle, dark skin, and menace. He trailed just after the women, stalking into the room like a panther. Usir nodded at him, and Marcus moved to stand silently next to the door. Summers led the two visitors to the seats opposite Usir, and he gestured at them to be seated.
    "Welcome," Usir said, crossing his legs. He smoothed out his tie, giving them a disarming smile. One of the benefits of appearing elderly was the implicit trust younger people granted him. Show them a friendly smile, and they'd assume he was a doddering old grandfather. "How can I be of assistance to you ladies?"
    "You can start by explaining why blondie there ambushed David and I at the hospital," Jillian said, folding her arms as she glanced contemptuously at the chair. Her companion eyed the chairs longingly, but remained standing. That, too, was