The Outsider (Outsider #1) ✔️

Chapter 54 : Invitation to Regis

A few days after Dusk's date with Luke, unexpectedly, Susco got a call from him. "Good morning Ms. Susco. How are you doing?"

Susco gave a bright smile and waved her assistant out of the room. She knew whatever Luke had to say would be confidential. He would not call her for asking whether it rained the previous night... The assistant gave a knowing smile and left, assuming Susco was getting a call from her boyfriend and wanted privacy.

"How are you doing Mr. Jones. Nice to hear from you. You are going to take out Dusk out again? If so, I will not waste time going to Techredulous tonight."

"I am good, but I am still in Regis, so... Anyway, I do not think you will be going to the office tonight. I have set up an appointment for Dusk with the CEO of a company called Carla Vacuxa. They have been trying to meet her with some bad intention and I think it is time to do something to pre-empt them. The appointment is set for this evening."

"Does she know of it?"

"Nope, I have accepted it on her behalf. I have asked both Rosemary and Daniel not to come for the meeting, because what I intend will not happen in their presence."

Susco was a little surprised. She could not fathom why the meeting should specifically exclude the directors who were much better positioned than Dusk to attend a meeting with another Tech Company, specially one so large. She remembered Daniel crying about it.

"Now, I will send you both meeting notes on what to expect at the meeting and how to behave. The other thing is that as a director of a Tech company, obviously Dusk cannot attend alone. You will accompany her. And gather a couple of others from the office. I think that girl who is in the VR team may be a good idea."

Susco nodded. "So, the meeting will be at Techredulous office or at Carla Vacuxa?"

"Neither. They will meet over dinner at the Emperor's Ball." Seeing Susco's surprise at the mention of a ball, he continued, "Many private meetings happen during the ball. These social occasions are the prefect settings to make new business connections."

"Excuse me? Emperor's Ball? Umm... where is it being held?" Susco's brain suddenly sent into alert. Emperor's Ball would be big event, meaning both would need new dresses too. Hardly any time to get them.

"The Annex of the Imperial Palace. Where do you think the Emperor's Ball will be?"

Susco wondered whether she had become dull and stupid, or whether Luke was playing with her, or simply that he thought everyone knows about the Royal Social Calendar. She did a search on her universal communicator and then said timidly, "I can't find the Imperial Palace, ... in Ci'gazze."

Luke could be seen smacking his head in the video feed. "No silly, the Imperial Palace in Regis! When did Ci'gazze have a Royal Palace?"

Susco took some time to respond. Luke wondered whether the video feed was frozen. The finally she shut her mouth and said, "You set up a meeting for Dusk Hale, on the 'side-lines' of the Emperor's Ball, in Regis, today!"

Luke did look a little frustrated as he asked "Does she have any other appointment today? Can't you cancel it?"

Susco was getting angry at how Luke was just not getting the point but held her calm. She would not dare to snap at him. "How are we going to get to Regis? You know how expensive tickets are? Or whether seats are available on the flight? Or have you already booked it for us? And you want 3 of us to come to the Palace... Dressed in jeans and t-shirts? Will they even allow us in?"

Luke relaxed visibly and replied. "Don't be a snob, Susco!"

Susco lost her cool. "How am I a snob?"