Chapter 16

Even after Miranda's image had faded from the screen, Jack was still shaking from the mixture of rage, fear, and impotent frustration that were boiling in her soul. Her fists clenched and the air sparked as waves of biotic fury rolled off of her.

How did this happen? How could those sons of bitches have gotten their fucking hands on Miranda?

Her instincts screamed at her to tear the entire fucking planet down, to rip apart every piece of Cerberus scum between her and Miranda. But some more rational corner of her brain knew that wasn't the answer. As much power as she had, she couldn't kill all of Ford's mutant goons before one of them managed to take her down. If she was going to save her -what the hell is she? My girlfriend? I don't fucking know, but whatever she is, I have to get her back, and that means I have to keep my head screwed on straight right now.

Jack took a long, deep breath and did her best to think rationally. Okay, Cerberus didn't break into the house or they would've tried to get me too, which means it happened outside. Did Miranda go out somewhere and get jumped? But where would she have been going? Maybe there's a clue inside.

She turned around and headed back into the house, hoping that nobody had noticed her biotic display. Fortunately, no alarm was sounding yet, leaving her free to look around. In her hurry, she hadn't noticed much besides Miranda's absence, but now she prepared to conduct a more careful search.

It wasn't necessary. When Jack walked back into the bedroom she saw the note almost immediately, pinned under the lamp on a nightstand next to the bed. She picked it up and as soon as she started reading, her heart sank into her chest.

Dear Jack,

By the time you read this letter, I'll be gone. Ford has to die, and there's only one way I can think of to make that happen. He wants me alive, probably because he thinks that he can convince me work for him, and that gives me a chance. With a little luck, I'll be able to get close enough to kill the bastard, and even though there's no way I come back from that, it's all right. Cerberus is my mess to clean up, and if I have to give my life to make sure it's gone for good, then that's a price I'm willing to pay.

But you shouldn't have to pay it with me. I wish I could've told you this in person, but we both know you would've tried to stop me, and I couldn't allow that. Words can't fully express how wonderful this last night was, but it doesn't mean that you have to die here as well. Get away from this place as soon as you hear that Ford is dead. Find a new life for yourself. I know it will be hard, but you're strong enough to do it. Stronger than I could've imagined when we first met. You deserve to be happy.

Goodbye and thank you for everything,

Miranda

Jack threw the note to the ground, her hands going up to rub eyes that were filling with tears. She didn't know whether to be touched by Miranda's words or furious with the operative for leaving her behind with nothing but this piece of paper, but either way, she was devastated.

High above the maze of ruined city streets, Miranda Lawson sat before a massive window. The view was spectacular from the top of Ford's spire but it was hard to appreciate with her hands in cuffs, or in light of her present situation. Despite what she knew was coming though, she didn't regret a thing. Somewhere down below she imagined Jack was furious for leaving her behind. She hoped it was the case, hoped that the woman she'd come to care for now hated her enough to leave Miranda to her well deserved fate.

Whatever keeps her safe.

It had been apparent from the second Ford's men dragged her into the tower that she'd made the right call. Nearly every inch of the building was crawling with troopers and defenses that she and Jack never had any chance of defeating or circumventing. The so-called "Cerberus" forces that occupied the city were pale imitations of the real thing. It was within this building that Cerberus truly survived and perhaps even thrived.

After being paraded before the cameras, she'd been thrown into a lavishly furnished room complete with a synthetic fireplace and king sized bed. The accommodations were undoubtedly selected to put her at ease but she saw the quarters for what they were: a glorified cell. The biotic cuffs around her wrists proved that point quite nicely.

Suddenly the door behind her slid open and Miranda whirled around to see the man himself enter the room with two of his troopers at his side. Anthony Ford supported his weight on a wooden cane, a white flowing beard hanging from his face as he set his gaze upon Miranda. He was dressed in a modified Cerberus outfit that had been made to look like some sort of holy man's robes. Every inch of the self proclaimed prophet screamed egomaniacal bastard. He reminded Miranda of her father.

Yet before he spoke, Ford closed the door behind him, reached up, and to Miranda's surprise, he peeled away the false beard from his face and tossed it aside. When he spoke, he did so in the same careful measured voice she remembered instead of the bombastic "holy man" tone he'd demonstrated in his broadcasts.

"Operative Lawson. How nice to be able to speak with you again."

"The feeling's not mutual, Ford," she replied. "Especially after that little show you had me pose for."

Ford chuckled. "I apologize for the theatrics of the broadcast. The people of the city require the proper narrative to understand what's happening. I'm sure you understand."

"I understand perfectly," she said. Miranda had to be careful now. She had to win enough of Ford's trust to get her opening, but she couldn't give herself over too quickly or he wouldn't believe it was genuine. "You used their grief and paranoia to manipulate them into serving you. Do you have any idea what the people are doing down there?"

"What people have always done," Ford replied cooly. "Being violent, cruel, and savage in the name of hatred and faith."

"You think the fact that it's happened before excuses it?"

"It's human nature, Miss Lawson." Ford chuckled. "I'm surprised the Illusive Man's right hand would take such issue with our practices."

"The Illusive Man is dead along with my loyalty to Cerberus. Not that I'd call what you've built here 'Cerberus.'"

"Our people lost a great man but we both know the Illusive Man died long before Commander Shepard put a bullet in him. And Cerberus lost its way, that's true. But what I've started here is a continuation of the same vision we both once shared. An organization with a single objective, the preservation and advancement of the human race."

"At the cost of our humanity." Miranda spat. "I've seen what you've done to the men in your service." She gestured to the two hulking troopers flanking Ford.

"We've adopted the findings of some of Cerberus' prior, successful projects on Teltin and Sanctuary. I'll admit our early results are crude." Ford looked to his guards, who gave no reply. " But you cannot deny their promise."

"Maybe I can't," Miranda said, her tone non-committal. "But you'll have to excuse my skepticism about all of this. Much of the Illusive Man's research showed promise as well, at least until his creations turned into monsters and the man himself went mad."

"Which I have not," Ford said, folding his hands behind his back. "I am quite clear on the distinction between the role I play and the truth." Indeed, he seemed as cool and collected as one could ask for. Miranda wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. The deranged preacher he had pretended to be was contemptible, but at least then he would've had the excuse of madness for the misery he had created.

Ford turned and walked over to one of the windows. "I know that you must find much of this…" He gestured at the vast expanse of Typhon spread out beneath them, "Distasteful. So do I. But I'm afraid it's a necessary evil. And there will come a time when the facade can, gradually, be dropped. Human supremacy will ultimately be maintained by science and reason, not blind faith. But it will be won that way. I do not know how aware you are of what has become of the rest of the galaxy since the Reapers were destroyed…"

"I've seen enough to know it's not in good shape."

"True, but also a vast understatement. Most of the military forces of the galaxy were lost in the final battle against the Reapers and most of the resources their invasion didn't destroy were committed to the building of the Crucible. Necessary though those sacrifices might have been, what they left behind is famine and ruin, banditry and chaos. Everything around us is distracted, tearing itself to pieces, and if humanity unites and strikes now, we can secure an advantage that will endure for generations. Or we can slide into anarchy along with the rest of the alien trash."

"And you think you're the one who can unite us?"

"As you said, the people are frightened and confused at the moment. First, the Alliance ignored the signs of the Reapers' return and then it failed to protect most of them when the attack came. The only person who might have held the survivor's respect was Commander Shepard, but he's gone. Those who remain are weaklings and fools. With these elite forces that I am developing, Cerberus will be ready in six months time to strike a single, shattering blow to the heart of the Alliance, decapitating their leadership and paving the way for our new order."

Miranda felt a deep unease. Too much of what Ford said was either true or at least plausible. Still, there was one problem with his plan, and she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "You realize that whatever problems people have with the Alliance's response to the Reapers, Cerberus is far more hated?"

"For now, perhaps. But public opinion is fluid in chaotic times such as these. The people need something to believe in and a great cause to rally behind. After a few more months of the Alliance failing to provide those things, they will be ready for us to fill that void. After all, the Reapers and Cerberus are the enemy now, but when alien pirates begin to descend on their colonies, when the armies left at Earth begin to quarrel…"

Then you'll be ready to preach your brand of hatred, and maybe they'll be ready to listen, Miranda thought, but she kept such sentiments to herself. Ford needed to believe that she was interested in what he was selling. "So if you have all of this figured out," she asked, "What do you need me for?"

"Such a bold plan will required a strong leader to implement it. Which is where you come in."

Miranda was incredulous. Surely Ford hadn't done all this work building up his cult of personality just to turn his organization over to her. "Me?"

Ford laughed. "Not in the way you may be thinking, Miss Lawson. There's something I need you to do for me."

"And why would I help you?"

Ford smirked. "You're a woman who knows how to get what she wants, Miranda. So I know you'll be very interested in what I can offer." He gestured to the cuffs around her wrists. "We can do away with these. I'll be needing those hands of yours after all."

Before she could ponder what that meant, one of the troopers stepped forward. Miranda steeled herself for a possible opportunity, but the soldier snatched her by the shoulder and forced a tight metal collar around her throat. The device gave her a small electric shock as it was activated. She'd put enough of these collars on test subjects herself to recognize it as a biotic dampener. As the trooper uncuffed her wrists Ford turned to his other guard and outstretched a hand. The trooper handed him a small package wrapped in tightly sealed plastic.

"I brought you a gift. To welcome you home." He handed the gift to Miranda who sntached it from his hand. She'd worn enough of them over the years to recognize the white catsuit immediately. The Cerberus logo on the breast stared back at her as she shifted her gaze to Ford.

"I must insist you wear it to dinner," he said with a smile.

"Dinner?"

"We have much to discuss."

She sat the end of a long dining table and stared down at her food. Someone had prepared them a delicious looking steak and yet Miranda had done little more than pick at it. She'd spent two decades wearing the Cerberus insignia on her chest and yet now it made her sick to her stomach.

"The food is not to your liking?" Ford asked.

"Did you bring me here to be your date? If that's the case, than I'm afraid you're going to be disappointed by the end of our evening."

Ford laughed. "Of course not! I had you brought to me because I know you. I know what you're capable of."

"You don't know me," she protested on reflex. He had known the woman she used to be, and Miranda wanted to believe that wasn't her anymore.

"Don't I? I seem to recall spending some time together while you engineered my synthetic heart." Ford laughed. "Ironic isn't it? We meet when the Illusive Man ordered you to save my life and we're reunited when the Alliance ordered you to assassinate me. It seems almost poetic."

Miranda simply stared, and Ford continued, "That is what brought you to Typhon isn't it? You may not work for Cerberus anymore but you're certainly still an operative. Always looking for orders to follow. So who are you answering to now?"

"I answer to nobody," Miranda answered.

Ford ignored her response. "And Subject Zero, you must tell me how she factors into all this."

"She hates Cerberus," Miranda told him, affecting as much of an air of unconcern as she could manage. She "It made her a useful asset for this mission."

"As you say. It's only a matter of time before the troops I have scouring the city find her. There's another bit of irony, I suppose. Teltin's crown jewel returns to us to be destroyed by the very same weapons she helped to create. " Miranda clenched her fists under the table. Her heart ached with worry for the woman she'd left behind, but Ford couldn't know that. It would only be a weakness he could use against both of them.

"Regardless," Ford continued, "I'm not here to be your enemy, Miranda. Indeed, I'd like for us to be friends."

"Skip the bullshit, Ford," Miranda snapped. "You want to make a deal? Well, I can't do that unless I know something about the terms. What do you want from me?"

Ford leaned forward and smiled. "I want you to save my life."

"What do you mean, save your life?" Miranda asked, but she was starting to suspect that she already knew the answer. It was only logical, after all.

"I'm dying. My doctors give me two to three years at most, hardly enough time to see my dreams for humanity's future come to pass."

"Your heart. Was it the Crucible that damaged it?"

Ford nodded. "Given that Reaper technology was used in its construction, I suspect that, yes, the Crucible's pulse has something to do with its slow failure. I've had my scientists examine the damage, but frankly, they're out of their depth. Is it possible they could make the repairs? Certainly. But there's a better chance that they'd kill me trying. You, on the other hand, are the one who invented and implanted the heart in the first place. The odds are considerably better, and since it's my life on the line, I'm keen to improve them."

For once, Miranda deigned to eat. Chewing on a piece of steak gave her a moment to think about the news she had just heard, and to try and conceal her enthusiasm. This is it. This is how I get to him. Of course, he'll have considered that possibility, and if he's not convinced I'm willing to save him, I won't get my chance.

Once her mouth was empty, she looked back at Ford, trying her best to put a glimmer of enthusiasm behind her eyes. "And in exchange for this service, I would receive what, precisely?"

"Your life, of course," Ford said, before spearing a piece of his own steak and eating it while Miranda weighed his words.

"And that's all?" she finally asked.

"No." Ford dabbed at his mouth with a napkin. "For the services of a woman of your talents, I would be prepared to bid considerably higher than mere survival. You were the Illusive Man's right hand. In time, when we had, shall we say, built trust, you could be mine as well. Wealth and power would come with that. As, of course, would purpose. I know you well enough to know that's all you've ever truly wanted. You're not like the sheep down there, in need of myths and lies, but like anyone else, you require a reason to live beyond simply existing. Do you think the Alliance will provide that for you?"

"Maybe not," she admitted, telling the truth for a change. "I'm not exactly popular with them, as you might imagine."

"Indeed. As long as they are around to drag the name of Cerberus through the dirt, yours will be besmirched as well. But when we return it to glory, well, I'm sure you can imagine the benefits, not only for the human race, but for yourself. When the Alliance sent you here to die, they had no idea what they were throwing away. But I see you for the prize you are, Miss Lawson. You and I may very well be humanity's only chance for true greatness."

Miranda took a long, slow sip of the wine. It wouldn't do to seem too eager, but really, there was really no choice for her. "At some point, I imagine we'll have some much longer conversations about both my role in the new Cerberus, and our plans for it."

Ford nodded. "Naturally."

"Then I think it's fair to say we have a deal."

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