That must be why Morgan was staying hidden, if it was her. She was acting against his orders, and would expect him to tell her to stop. But, this time, Morgan didn’t want to stop. She thought Togo had to be taken out in order to protect Drakon, and she was going to do it without any interference by him.
But that still left a puzzling question. “Let’s say you’re right, that Morgan has been hiding that she’s still alive, and hiding her presence here because she wants to kill Togo. Why did she take that shot last night, then? If it was Morgan. Why did she take a shot that was likely to miss and alert her prey?”
“I don’t know, General,” Malin said, his expression harder than usual.
“Bran, you already admitted that shot saved your life.”
Malin shook his head. “Sir, that cannot have been the reason, if it was Colonel Morgan who fired. My life was never anything to her but a—” He choked off the words, his face rigid with unstated feelings.
Rubbing his forehead, Drakon looked away, trying to imagine once again how it would feel to discover that Roh Morgan was your mother. “I’m sorry, Bran. I didn’t mean to push you there.”
Malin, looking and sounding composed once more, nodded a single time. “It is not as if she ever knew, General. Not consciously, anyway.”
“Right.” She had felt something, though. It had been hate at first sight when Morgan met Malin. Morgan had treated most men, with the notable exception of Drakon himself, with amused contempt. But not Malin. He had pushed her buttons just by existing. Why, if it was her, had Morgan not let Malin die in that warehouse, then nailed Togo when he let his guard down, thinking he was safe? It would take reading Morgan’s mind to get an answer, and no one had ever proven good at that. And if she was pursuing Togo from deep undercover, that wasn’t a bad thing. In fact, if Morgan did show up now, Drakon would probably order her to do exactly what she was doing. If that was all that she was doing. “Let me know the moment you learn anything else about either of those two mystery people. And if, somehow, you establish contact with the second one and it turns out to be Colonel Morgan, tell her I urgently need to speak with her and will assure her of safe status if she contacts me.”
After ending that call, Drakon rubbed his face, straightened himself, then called Iceni. “Good morning, Gwen.”
She was in her own office, looking considerably more rested than he felt. Iceni smiled. “You already told me that a couple of hours ago.”
“I liked saying it,” Drakon admitted. “Have you seen Malin’s report?”
The smile was replaced with a businesslike expression. “I have. What is your take on it?”
“Three things, the first being the obvious that neither the Syndicate nor whoever is helping it have given up.” Both he and Iceni suspected that person aiding the Syndicate to be her former assistant Togo, but neither knew what Togo’s motives really were. Drakon didn’t want to bring up the next topic, but knew he had to. “The second is that the two people who escaped the warehouse could have been your former aide Togo and my former aide Colonel Morgan.”
Iceni gazed steadily back at him before replying. “She’s alive?”
“I don’t know. This incident tonight is the first thing I know of that might indicate Morgan is still alive.” The last person he wanted to talk about to Iceni was Morgan, especially after last night.
After several more seconds, Iceni nodded slowly. “You didn’t have to tell me your suspicions of who that second person was, Artur.”
“Yes, I did. I wouldn’t keep something like that from you.”
“Do you think Morgan is a danger to me?” Iceni asked coolly. “If she hears that you and I have become more than co-rulers of this star system?”
Drakon shook his head in reply. “No. She thinks that daughter of hers is going to become some sort of super warlord who will end up conquering every star system in what used to be the Syndicate Worlds. Morgan can play the long game very well. And, with one possible exception, she has always obeyed firm orders from me. One of those firm orders was not to harm you or let you be harmed.”
“Would that possible exception be her sleeping with you despite your clearly expressed orders that subordinates shouldn’t do that with superiors?” Iceni asked.
“That was my fault for getting so drunk,” Drakon said. “I should have said no. I didn’t.”
“I won’t belabor that point,” she said, “because I agree with you. However, there have been lasting consequences. Morgan’s daughter, wherever she is currently concealed, is not just hers. She is also your daughter.” Iceni waited to see how he would react.
Drakon bit his lip. “Yes. That’s true. Gwen, that baby girl hasn’t done anything. I can’t punish her for who her mother is. Or was, if Morgan is indeed dead.”
Iceni smiled slightly. “Did it ever occur to you that I might feel the same way? Oh, I don’t care for Morgan at all. And for a long time I didn’t care to think about you and her and the offspring that resulted. But you’ve owned up to your mistake, accepting full responsibility. What you say is true. None of us get to choose our parents, and none of us should be blamed for who those parents are. The stars above know that I have often sneered at the claims of those who consider themselves special because their parents are powerful and wealthy. It makes no sense for me to condemn that child because I don’t care for the mother.”
“Thank you, Gwen.” Drakon paused, trying to think what else to say.
“You said there were three things,” Iceni prompted.
“Oh, yeah. The last thing is that we should have been told right after the incident in the warehouse happened.”
“Agreed,” Iceni said. “Since under the Syndicate it is simply assumed that any CEO is sleeping around, I don’t understand why our subordinates felt a need to be so discreet. I’ve been trying to figure that out. But I think the problem will be solved if we openly acknowledge the relationship, even if we don’t formalize it.” She cocked her head slightly to one side and eyed him closely. “Do you have any objections to that?”
“You don’t?” Drakon asked. “I mean, you’re still interested? Even after talking about… ?”
“I could always change my mind if you hesitate too long or keep bringing up unpleasant subjects.” Iceni’s gaze on him grew more intense. “Do you have any objections?”
“To acknowledging the relationship or formalizing it?” Drakon asked.
“Take your pick.”
“No, I don’t have a problem with that.”
Iceni raised an eyebrow at him. “With acknowledging it or formalizing it?”
“Take your pick,” Drakon said, wondering how she would respond.
She laughed. “Serves me right after I teased you yesterday afternoon. I personally favor acknowledging the relationship, but holding off the formalities until we resolve the situation at Iwa.”
“That could take a while,” Drakon pointed out.
“I know. But I don’t think we need the distraction, and I don’t want anyone thinking we’ve rushed things because of a belief that I might not come back from Iwa.” Iceni paused, waiting for a response from him that did not come. “You’re not arguing with that? Are we agreed that I will need to accompany our forces to Iwa?”
Drakon nodded, feeling a heaviness inside. “You actually convinced me yesterday afternoon when you pointed out that you had sent me to Ulindi. It was necessary that I go there, but it must have been difficult for you. Seeing you off to Iwa will be hard, but I can’t expect a partner of mine to live by a different set of rules than I follow.”