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“You know the answer to that”

“I do But I’d like to hear you say it just the same If it’s not a problem”

The one-armed man looked distracted by the conversation A few centile ht a little to make it easier, and the one-ar his mind

“Misappropriation of Laconian funds is at best larceny, at worst treason,” Biryar said “One is a prison sentence The other is death”

“What about a governor’s pardon? You can do that, right?”

“No Laconian is a

bove the law,” Biryar said “That is what discipline means”

“That’s what I thought,” the old man said His eyes locked on Biryar’s as he drew a handheld from his pocket “For what it’s worth, I am sorry about this”

He held it out Biryar’s gaze flickered down to it, and then back up, ready for the attack It took a few seconds for what he’d seen to register Mona Rittenaur Alainst his will, his eyes drifted back down The oldit out, and this time Biryar took it

The financial records were marked as Xi-Tamyan, and the spreadsheet listed Mona’s naet levels and outflows There were other na a bell Carmichael The woman whose research had been unfairly canceled The one they’d fought over The one-arh the files Mona’s nararams like that existed, he would have known about them He would have had to approve them He hadn’t

The stor the building itself,the walls shudder, only it wasn’t any louder And the beige surface of the coffee was s Biryar put down the handheld

“What do you want from me?”

“Nothing,” theyou know that one of your own stepped a little off the path”

“Blackmail?”

“For black fro it to you That’s all I’uy here”