[Darius]

Moments turned into hours as I waited, gut twisting with annoyance. What the blazes was taking so long? I picked up the crystal decanter to pour myself another drink, but then returned it to the glass table. Getting drunk wouldn't help anything.

A beep from the tablet-viewer propped up on my desk made me flinch. Freezing, I held my breath — was it the expected update? But I blew out the breath and the annoyance returned when a female voice said, "Sir, your appointment--"

"Cancel it, Cerese," I shouted.

"What do I tell them?"

"Tell them I have more important things to do," I growled. "Now leave me alone!"

"Yes, sir."

This was much more important. My career, and maybe my life, was on the line.

Another beep captured my attention, and this time, it was not Cerese bothering me. Rushing to my antique wooden desk, I tapped the green button on my viewer to accept the incoming secure message. Gideon Lief appeared as a flickering hologram before the desk.

"Mr. Lief," I said, raising an expectant eyebrow.

The grin that rose on his face, something rare for the stoic man, gave me hope. "We have them," he reported.

I clapped my hands and smiled in return. "Wonderful news, Mr. Lief, wonderful. Were there any problems? Have you taken the appropriate precautions?"

"No problems, sir. And we have Avia sedated within a faraday cage. She will not hinder our journey. Should we bring them to you?"

"No," I answered, shaking my head. "Take them back to the Coronis research station. I'll meet you there. If this Avia will not willingly return what was stolen, there are those there who can take it from her."

"On that front, there was a development, sir," Gideon said. "Avia has developed an affection for your nephew. It helped us in her capture, and you may leverage it to ensure her cooperation."

"Yes, a vulnerability we might exploit. Anything else, Mr. Lief?"

"Just one thing. We intercepted the corporate documents that Zachary intended to make public and neutralized the blogger."

A smile grew wide on my face. "Splendid, Mr. Lief! And did you plant the passive tracker on Zachary's ship like I asked?"

"Yes, sir, but that seems redundant now."

"Likely so, but in our line of work, we must consider contingencies. You have done well, Mr. Lief, and will be appropriately rewarded."

With a mock salute, Gideon's image disappeared. My spirit lifted as I leaned back in my desk chair. Finally, fate turned my way, and soon, I would achieve the greatness I deserved.

Touching my tablet again, I said, "Cerese, have my ship readied for immediate departure."

*****

Two days into the journey, my invigorating elation came crashing down like a streaking meteor, rage flaring in its place.

"Idiots!" I shouted to the empty starship lounge, spiking a crystal decanter against the far bulkhead, shattering into shards and coating the wall and deck with amber liqueur.

Eight sensitive corporate documents landed in the Federation info-web and spread like a supernova, detailing Project Asclepius, including the brain altering aspects. And four carried my name at the bottom. This was a public relations disaster.

Cerese poked her red-haired head in the open hatch, eyes widened. "Sir?"

"Get Gideon Lief on the com!" I growled, snarling. Then I pointed at the shattered decanter. "And clean up this mess."

Her lower lip trembled. "Yes, sir."

I seethed. Gideon had said he intercepted the documents, so why did they appear now? Didn't he have control of that Aberrant, Avia? The Omni-Corp board would go ballistic when they get wind of this.

Cerese appeared again at the hatch, wisely not daring to enter. "Sir, Mr. Lief's ship does not answer."

"Well, keep trying," I said with a dismissive wave, shooing Cerese away. "Gideon can't avoid me forever," I grumbled to myself.

An hour later, true to my prediction and dread, Cerese beeped in through my tablet. "Sir, the Chairman wishes to speak to you."

After letting out a long breath, I replied, "Very well, put him through." Bile rose to my throat as I stood and rounded the desk, clasping hands behind my back.

Augustus Windsor, the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Omni-Corp, appeared as a hologram before me. His prominent forehead wrinkled as his eyes narrowed, scowling at me.

"Mr. Windsor," I said with as much an even voice as I could muster.

"It has come to my attention, Dr. Welde, that certain confidential company documents related to Project Asclepius have become public. Are you aware of this?"

"It had only recently come to my attention, sir."

"Do you realize how bad this is?" His eyes shot fire at me.

"I understand, sir."

"I'm not sure you do, Dr. Welde. The Federation will launch high-level investigations that will damage the corporation at best, and ruin us all at worst. And it occurred on your watch. How did this happen?"

I gulped. The board was already trying to distance itself and set me up as scapegoat. "We have already begun the investigation, and I am on my way to the Coronus research station now. This incident appears to be related to the recent data breach."

"Of course it is," Augustus spat, seething. "Don't insult me with the obvious. Dr. Welde, I am very much doubting your competency to carry out--" The words shut off as his chin dropped and his eyes focused far away.

"Mr. Windsor?" I finally asked after a moment of silence. What happened to him?

"Yes, Dr. Welde." He answered as his eyes refocused. But his expression, before angry and contemptuous, was now blankly wide-eyed, displaying something more akin to paralyzing indecision. "I... What do you think we should do?"

Strange, this abrupt shift. "We have an extensive public relations department — we should utilize them. I think a statement strongly denying the allegations and claiming the documents were faked would be an appropriate response. Also, for a positive spin, we should move up the ad campaign for the medical nanobots, explaining their benefits to humanity."

"Yes, of course," Augustus responded, nodding briskly. "I will get right on it. Anything else?"

"In the meantime, I will continue my investigation. Oh, I should also report, we are closer to recovering the research data."

A wide smile appeared on the Chairman's face, but combined with blank eyes, it appeared hollow. "Wonderful, Dr. Welde. Keep up the good work. And thank you for sending me that bottle of rare French cognac."

I had sent him no such thing. Doing my best not to show confusion, I asked, "Did you enjoy it?"

"Yes, quite wonderful, yes," he responded, nodding. "Well, carry on, Dr. Welde, and let me know if you need anything."

Returning to my desk, I slumped down in the chair. What had just happened? I had expected an angry tirade, likely ending in my termination. But this?

My viewer beeped, pulling me from my thoughts, and I tapped it. "What is it now?"

"Dr. Welde," a familiar voice said. "You must improve your greetings. As it is you appear quite grumpy."

"Phoenix..." I hissed. "And I presume you listened in?"

A flickering holographic image of a man appeared, blurred enough that I could not make out identifying details. "Of course. Most interesting, the transformation in the Chairman, don't you think?"

My eyes widened. "You did that?"

"Me and your nano-bots. Although, I made a few improvements myself. He ingested them with that expensive cognac you gifted him, or rather, I did on your behalf."

"I thought the nano-bots had to be injected? And how are you controlling the brain altering functions?"

"Oh, the bots were absorbed through the digestive tract, although that is much less efficient and I had to boost the dose accordingly," Phoenix answered. "As for the external bot-network control, I hacked his personal com-viewer. Rather brilliant of me, don't you think?"

"Yes, brilliant," I deadpanned, rolling my eyes up.

A realization came to me. Phoenix must be Aberrant or had access to one who is. How else could he so successfully infiltrate so many secure networks?

"Don't be so glum, Dr. Welde." Phoenix put a hand to his chin. "But the best I could do was blunt the Chairman's emotions and make him susceptible to your suggestions. To fully realize the nano-bots' potential for mind manipulation, we still need that research data."

"Concerning that," I said with a slight grin. "I now have that Aberrant troublemaker, Avia. Soon, I will have the data as well."

Phoenix paused in thought, then raised a hand. Within a moment, a dull chest ache grew into excruciating pounding pain, as if I suffered a heart attack. I collapsed to my knees, clutching my chest, and heaving deep breaths as sweat beads came to my brow.

"Did I not tell you, Dr. Welde, to end efforts to capture Avia?" Phoenix huffed. "I will bring her to me. Your feeble attempts only complicate matters. And another thing, I find the term Aberrant demeaning to people with such special abilities, and I wish you to stop using it. Am I clear?"

"Yes," I wheezed in reply. Immediately, the chest pains faded, and I hoisted myself up by holding the desk edge, staggering on wobbly legs.

So, Phoenix was Aberrant.

"Very good, Dr. Welde. As I noted before, our goals are the same — the successful implementation of Project Asclepius. And I will help you achieve your dreams of power and prestige."

Pulling a cleansing breath, I glared at Phoenix and silently vowed to clear myself of his interference. "But I already have Avia."

Phoenix chuckled. "Do you, Dr. Welde? Are you so sure?"