Page 141 of Legacy Elite

The meeting's at ten, in the long room in administration with the bad radiator.

Falken at the head. Voss with a folder. Two of the academy's security leadership. Faris, because somebody hates me. Jon at the far end.

Luke, Soren and Ander along one side, because their Houses are involved and nobody was going to keep them out. Torres beside me, which took an argument at the door that Falken lost.

On the screen, Wren and two other Council faces, joined in from somewhere with better weather.

"Rurik," Falken says.

Voss doesn't stand up, and doesn't open the folder.

"We're not going back over yesterday. You were all there or you've read it." He puts one hand flat on the cover. "Here's what's new. This was built over weeks. The restraint was made for her and nothing else, and the chemical load was worked out by somebody who understood it couldn't be looked up." He pauses. "They brought six doses. Four used or dropped. Two still in the case."

"Six," Falken says.

"Six. Which tells you they planned for the first one not to work."

Nobody says anything.

"And to be standing on that track at that hour, they had current information. Not the contingency card — anybody at this academy can read the card. But today, that party, that crossing, inside the hour."

"From where?" Wren says.

"Unknown."

"Estimate."

"I don't estimate about that," Voss says. "Four hundred people could have seen some part of what they needed. If I start narrowing that with a feeling, I'll narrow it wrong, and somebody's career ends over my feeling."

"Then let's move to arrangements," Wren says. "The Council's position is that Luftis cannot presently guarantee Miss Miller's safety, and that the responsible course is temporary relocation to a secure Council property."

Nobody objects. That's what I notice. Nobody in this room objects, including two men I'm bonded to.

"How long?" I say.

"Miss Miller—"

"It's a simple question. If I get in a car this afternoon, when do I get out of wherever the car goes?"

Wren doesn't answer right away, which is how I know.

"Until the threat is identified."

"And if it isn't?"

"Then until the security position changes."

"So nobody knows."

"Nobody can know. That's the honest answer and I'm not going to guess."

"Right." I sit back, and my ribs object. "Then no."

"Jessica," Luke says.

"Don't."

"You've been in this room ten minutes—"