Degrees of Wrong by Anna Scarlett Read Free Book Online Page B

ship.
    After a few seconds, gravity forced me to the floor—we were moving up. The elevator stopped, and Captain Marek turned around, as if to say something. A door behind us opened, and he exited without a glance in my direction. Of course, I followed, but considered making a face at his wide back. Again, hand gestures crossed my mind.
    Trying to keep up, I realized with dismay that this hallway was a carbon copy of the last hall and the one before that. No signs or symbols adorned the walls, nothing to guide a person to their destination. Was this a defense strategy of some sort, to slow the progress of invaders or trespassers— if they could penetrate it in the first place?
    Captain Marek halted in front of the only door in this hall. As he stood at attention, a matrix of red light roamed over his face. Peering around him, I found the source over the door—a small laser, no bigger than the eraser of a pencil. Despite its size, it projected the light over his entire face like a net.
    “Captain Nicoli Marek,” he said, startling me.
    The laser then moved over my own curious expression, and a high-pitched siren began to wail, “Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!”
    The lights went dark, except for a red strobe, a robotic accuser shrieking in alarm. Biting my lip, I looked to the captain for a directive. He rolled his eyes. Again, a well-executed hand gesture seemed appropriate. I refrained.
    The chaos stopped, and the older man who appeared at the door raised a brow at Captain Marek.
    The captain saluted. “Her in-processing was…interrupted, sir. She’s not in our system yet.”
    The man returned the salute, studied me in apparent amusement, then stepped aside, motioning for us to enter. The room’s size and decor suggested a tenant of high rank. I was both surprised and pleased to see real books lining the shelves on several walls. A huge desk dominated the space in front of a massive bookcase. The other side of the room hosted a large metallic table surrounded by six matching chairs. The small sitting area in the middle—complete with gray sofa and a pair of armchairs—hinted at casual meetings, but none without appropriate protocol.
    Dr. Folsom was seated on the sofa.
    “Elyse.” She almost broke into a run to reach me. When she embraced me, I fought back the urge to cry. She’d been my mother’s closest friend, the one who most reminded me of her.
    After a final, hearty squeeze she pulled away, still hugging me with one arm. She grabbed my chin with her tiny hand and lifted it, although I was taller than she. Examining me with her big blue eyes—in the same way my mother would have—she said, “You look tired. Has everyone treated you well?” She all but pointed at Captain Marek with her glare, who offered an almost-indiscernible shrug.
    She turned back to me. “Well, don’t you worry about a thing. We’ll get you settled in and comfortable. Then we’ll worry about your research.”
    The older man cleared his throat.
    “Oh,” she said. “Introductions! Of course, you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Captain Nicoli Marek…” at this I narrowed my eyes at the one and only, “…but you haven’t met Admiral James Rudd.” She motioned to the older man.
    Admiral Rudd was still handsome for his age. Though gray had overtaken his hair, he had all of it. Wisdom and kindness crinkled his eyes in a smile when he extended his hand to me. As I accepted, he brought his other hand up to enclose mine.
    “It’s a great pleasure to meet you, Dr. Morgan,” he assured me, and I believed him. “If I can be of assistance to you in any way, please do let me know.”
    “The pleasure’s mine, I’m sure.” I couldn’t say I was happy to be here, but this man was sincere and deserved my respect.
    “Forgive the interruption, sir,” Captain Marek interjected, “but I feel I’ve been misinformed as to the reason for her presence on this ship. For instance, I was unaware that she is a doctor