GALAXY AT WAR - Book 2 - Probing Anthera

CHAPTER NINE - September 2172 - Moon / Earth - 10 days to go

...Moon...

"Sorry, Roxy. I can't find anything," said Ben as he re-filed the papers he had just been going through. "Perhaps you should change tactics."

"What do you mean?" asked Roxanne.

"General Bolgon is a powerful man, and holding you without charge was wrong, but I was thinking. What if you were to go to him and talk about it? Perhaps you could both apologize. After all, if you can apologize to the general, your father and his bitch would be easy."

"Are you insane? I have nothing to apologize for. He put me in solitary, remember."

"For a reason," Ben held his hands up and shook his head slowly with his eyes half-closed. "Let me finish. Whatever the reason was, it was his reason. By my logic, if you apologize, and satisfy his reason for doing it, I'm sure he'd apologize to you as well. We could all get on with our lives."

"You think that by my apologizing, I would come across as the better person, am I right?"

"Precisely."

"It's a crock of shit, Ben. But I will think it over."

"Can we get some food? I'm starving."

"Sure," still finding nothing, Roxanne replaced the files. She joined Ben at the entrance to the File Room. They held hands as they left, smiling at one another.

The File Room door opened and closed, seemingly on its own, and moments later, the file drawer marked 'B' opened. The files that Roxanne and Ben had been going through started lifting and dropping back into place. Then the drawer closed again. The File Room door opened and closed once more.

Around the corner, the figure of a man suddenly appeared from thin air. He pulled a phone from his pocket and held it to his ear.

"It's me."

"She was in the File Room again with an unknown male."

"Right away. I'll know within the hour. Any other instructions?"

"I'll be in touch soon."

"Sir, one more thing. There is someone else following them."

"Okay."

*

Michael Toddwell entered the general's office.

"Please sit," said the general as he looked up from the papers on his desk. "So, Michael. Is there any news?"

"Roxanne has been at the files again. She has an accomplice who has access to the File Room. I'll find out who he is soon enough. What's next?"

"I think it's time for a final warning. If she carries on after that you know what to do," said Jim. He glanced at the empty drink cabinet, wishing it was full. "I could do without this hassle, Michael."

"One way or another, it'll all be over soon," replied Michael.

"Have we had any reports from Anthera?"

"None so far."

"Off you go then. I'll not hold you up any longer."

Michael left the office and rang a number. "It's a go."

*

Back in Roxanne's room, Ben was sitting on her sofa, waiting for Roxanne to join him. He looked around. The only photo he could see was of her father. He felt saddened at her family's dismissal of her.

"Have you thought about what you're going to do?" he asked as Roxanne sat next to him.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," she laughed. "But I think I'll drop the whole thing. What you said did make sense," she stopped and placed both hands on her cheeks and feigned a shocked expression. "Oh my god, what have you done to me?"