The Aurora Borealis Keeps Its Lament novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: The Plane Home

The director came back on the screen at eight, unshaven, with a cup in his hand and a pile of paper at his elbow.

He had not slept either, and neither had I.

The shirt was folded in my lap, under the table, and my thumb had not left the pressed letters since dawn.

ASK HER, and the date of the night he was rescued.

Iker sat beside me with his hands flat on the wood, and I had not asked him yet what he meant.

I would, as soon as this room was empty.

The whole station sat on the benches again, and Sabina had taken the chair at the head of the table.

Her coat was buttoned.

Her glasses were straight.

"I have read the draft, the logs and the tapes," said the director. "I have asked the Institute's files office when each version of Doctor Montalvo's paper was changed, and by which account."

He turned a page.

"Every change was made from Doctor Lorca's login, at night, after his dictated copy was saved."

Nobody breathed.

"I have also had the medical review checked against the insurer's records," the director went on. "It was received by Doctor Lorca a year ago and held in a private folder. Doctor Montalvo was never informed. The Institute was never informed."

"Director," said Sabina, with a smile that trembled at one corner. "I held it out of respect for his privacy."

"Then you would have given it to him."

She said nothing.

"You wrote a second review for the supply plane, and I countersigned it on your word," said the director. "That is my mistake, and I will answer for it. But the review is withdrawn. Doctor Montalvo stays on the station as long as he can do his work, and from today he is lead of the aurora programme again."

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