Morgan Selwood 3: A Victory Celebration Read Online Free PDF Page B

almost ready for another test of the shift drive. She
grinned. And this time she reckoned it would work.
    Ravindra's office door opened as she
approached. He sat behind his desk, his hands steepled in front of him. Prasad,
standing facing the door, offered her a neck bow.
    "What's going on?" she asked. "I
thought you were staying planetside for the ball?"
    "I want you to be present for a small
ceremony." Ravindra rose and walked around to stand behind her. A glance
at his face was enough to tell her not to ask questions.
    A moment later Leila Peris entered, flanked
by two guards. Her eyes slid to Morgan for a moment and then she saluted
Ravindra, head respectfully bowed. " Srimana ."
    She was nervous, but then you'd expect she
would be, dragged into the admiral's office.
    Prasad stood in front of the girl. "Lieutenant
Peris, you are under arrest for treason against the Manesai Union, in
particular for conspiring to kidnap Suri Selwood."
    Morgan started. "What are you saying? That’s
ridiculous."
    She made to step forward but Ravindra laid
his hand on her shoulder. "It’s true. Watch."
    Judging by Leila's reaction, it was true.
The fear beamed off her, bright as a beacon but she managed to shake her head. "That's
rubbish."
    Prasad put a data card into the reader on
Ravindra's desk. "Is it?"
    Morgan recognized the nightclub, Trimpathi’s .
The grainy security footage showed Ravindra shoving through the dancers to
collect Morgan, showed the crowd following behind as he dragged her up the
stairs. A few moments later, the people returned, coming back down in small
groups, chatting and laughing. Morgan recognized all the women from the group
she had been with, saw them collect their things and leave.
    "I was fetched, they left. So what?"
    "Keep watching," said Ravindra.
    Leila, coming back. Leila meeting someone,
someone who put an arm around her.
    Morgan turned to stare up at Ravindra. "So
she met somebody. I still don't see the point?"
    "It's who she met," he said. "This
man is a local Bunyada operative. We found out about him from the rebel
data we obtained when we seized their headquarters."
    Bunyada . Again. Morgan's legs
trembled. It was all she could do not to sway.
    "He is under arrest," said Prasad
softly, smiling slightly, a nasty, satisfied smile as Leila started. "We
caught him yesterday."
    The room fell silent, except for the sound
of Morgan’s breathing, her chest heaving. Leila stared at the floor, mashing
her lips.
    "I thought we were friends,"
Morgan said. "I guess I should have known better." The disappointment
was a bitter taste in her mouth.
    "We are friends." Leila raised
her chin, staring at Ravindra for a moment. "I don't care what you do to
me. But you, Morgan. You don't want to work for them, these Mirka oppressors.
All we want is freedom to govern ourselves. We're equals, we Vesha and the
Mirka. We know you found evidence on Krystor." She flung out an arm
pointing a finger at Ravindra. "But he… he has covered it up. You must
see. They're trying to hide our past from us, prevent us from learning the—"
    "That's enough," Ravindra
snapped. "Prasad. Take her away."
    The guards gripped Leila's arms, one on
each side, and marched her out, Prasad following.
    Morgan leaned back against Ravindra's
chest, feeling the warmth of his body. He slid an arm around her waist. "All
right?"
    "Yes. Huh. And here I was thinking she
really liked me."
    "Perhaps she did. But the point is, my
love, you are a target. And you will continue to be."
    "Yes, yes. Point made and understood.
Was it just her? Not the others?"
    "Just her. And her boyfriend."
That at least offered a small sense of relief.
    "What was the plan?" she asked,
turning to look at him.
    "They were going to drug you—all of
you, spike your drinks so you appeared to be drunk."
    "All of us?"
    "Except Peris, of course. Then she and
her friend would have helped you out of the place."
    "And then?"
    "We can only guess."
    She sighed. "When did you know