They might have pinned her to this table, but at least she’d put the wind up them. Her pleasure was shortlived, though. Somewhere over near the wall, the two remaining men were arguing. ‘Don’t tell me you’re actually going to do this?’ Raj’s voice was disbelieving. ‘You heard the Prelate,’ Drake replied, with his usual indifferent tone. ‘It’s an order.’ ‘I heard the acting Prelate. He doesn’t have the authority to make that call. You know the sort of damage neuro-chemical extraction can cause.’ ‘It’s not my problem.’ ‘She’s just a girl. If you do this to her now, then for the rest of her life she’ll be …’ ‘That’s enough, Mister Raj!’ Now Drake sounded rattled, angry. ‘You’d do well to remember the chain of command, I think.’ ‘I’m not trying to undermine you, sir, but I feel it is my moral obligation to …’ ‘The only moral obligation you have,’ Drake interrupted, ‘is to follow your orders.’ ‘Even when those orders are questionable?’ ‘Mister Raj.’ Drake’s tone returned to its usual emotionless state.
