Alien in Chief (31 page)

CHAPTER 60

F
ORTUNATELY I'D
been doing a lot of work on the roofs of trains recently, because the wind from the chopper blades almost knocked me off, even though Wruck sheared off quickly. So I managed to drop onto my stomach and not get blown off. Just barely, but a miss was as good as a mile per some pithy saying.

Contemplated my options as “Devil Inside” by INXS came on and I decided it would be fastest on the roof, especially since we still had a door welded shut along the easy way.

Did the run and jump thing, but my time with Wruck had ensured that my rage levels were back to low, meaning I didn't have anything extra in the tank. Plus I'd used a lot of energy butt-kicking seven out of the eight Crazies.

Had no idea what I was going to tell the others, but figured I'd stick to the same story Wruck was going with—I forced him to take me back and he shoved me out at the last moment and escaped.

I understood why he didn't want me telling anyone else who or what he really was. He was in a position where he couldn't trust anyone. So that he had trusted me was kind of shocking.

Of course, it could all have been a lie and he was just a master at getting me to share vital information with him.
However, I hadn't gotten anything like that from him. On the other hand, if he was a master manipulator, I wouldn't pick it up. Cliff had certainly been able to fool all of us for far too long.

However, my gut, female intuition, or whatever we wanted to call it said he was the real deal. Algar's musical clues were also confirmation. And another reason I couldn't share what I knew about Wruck, because saying that the right songs came on to confirm his status would get me committed at worst or trigger a migraine from the pressure of trying to explain Algar without mentioning anything about him at best, and neither option was a winner.

I was on the middle car when someone else climbed up ahead of me and waited. Reached Jeff and he took my hand as we jumped to the next car. “You know I hate it when you do things like this, baby.”

“Yeah. Everyone okay?”

“Yeah. I was able to monitor you.”

“I thought your blocks were up.”

“They were. Your rage was really strong.”

“I'm an animal lover, what can I say? And I hate these people.” We jumped onto Rail Force Two. Contemplated suggesting a quickie, but then figured that wasn't appropriate in the current situation.

“Just not all of them.”

Stopped running. “What?”

“I could feel your emotions, baby. It's what I do. And I can read your mind, remember? You weren't trying to hide anything from me so it was fairly easy to access you. So I could tell when your emotions switched from overriding rage to confusion, then camaraderie, then sympathy.”

“Crap. I'm not supposed to tell anyone that—”

“We have an Ancient on the planet?” He tugged gently at my hand and we started off again.

“Double crap. You got all that?” We jumped to the next car.

“Actually, I was telling everyone else what was going on as it was happening, so we all got it. Chuck guessed, but honestly, most of us were on Beta Eight with you and we all met Usha. That the Ancients have more people out here than we first suspected isn't really that much of a surprise. In the grand scheme of things.”

“So, everyone on the train knows?”

“Yeah, all fifteen of us.”

“That's a lot of people.” We jumped to the War Room roof.

Jeff shrugged. “We'll keep the secret, baby. He's on our side, after all.”

“He seems to be.”

“I could access him. Not right away, but after a while. If he's representative of the Ancients, I'll be able to read them all now. He's lonely, determined, and on our side.”

“I'll take it.” The music changed to “Inside” by Vertical Horizon. Apparently Algar wanted us off the roof. We jumped onto Rail Force One. “Let's go the rest of the way inside.”

“Fine with me.”

Jeff had me climb down first. He jumped down onto the platform as I did and steadied me on the ladder. “Chivalry is not dead.”

He grinned. “I wasn't allowed to help you kick butt, baby. Let me pretend you need my help with this.”

Leaned up to kiss him. He put his arms around me, pulled me close, kissed me a good long time. As always, his lips and tongue owned mine and as also always I was grinding against him and ready to go, regardless of location of situation.

He ended our kiss, eyes smoldering, with the Jungle Cat About to Eat Me look on his face. I loved this look and was particularly disappointed that I wasn't going to get to enjoy it in all the ways I liked right now.

Jeff chuckled and kissed my forehead. “I'll make it up to you later, baby. I promise.”

“I'll hold you to that.”

We went inside Rail Force One and moved quickly. “I don't want us exposed to whatever was in here,” Jeff said. “But I think we're going to be coming into the station soon and we're safer inside.”

No sooner said than the train started to slow down and John Mayer's “Stop This Train” started. We left this car and entered the one with everyone else in time to hear Adriana tell everyone via the walkie to sit somewhere.

The beds were all occupied so Jeff sat in a chair and pulled me onto his lap.

“Good timing,” Chuckie said.

“Remind me never to so much as step on an animal's foot in your presence,” Vance said.

“Just call me the Animal Avenger.”

“We have Field agents in hazmat gear ready to decontaminate the train as soon as we pull into the section of the rail yard we're being sent to,” Reader shared over the walkie. “The way things have been going, everyone stay alert and have whatever you need on you, because who knows if we're going to be attacked again or not.”

Picked up Bruno and Ginger and held them on my lap while Jeff chuckled. Ignored him. Didn't want to lose my pets in any kind of chaos or turmoil.

But we pulled in and off to a track that wasn't on the main line without issue. My music stopped so I took out the earbuds and put them and my phone securely into my purse. There were no Poofs On Board this time. Interesting.

Would have worried about this but real Secret Service agents were waiting for us—confirmed as such by Tim and Reader—and that didn't seem the time to bring up missing anything, Poofs least of all.

We were quickly escorted into a secured bathroom. Such was the glamorous life we lived. Christopher ensured the calibrations were right for the toilet and one by one we stepped through.

Due to his position, Jeff was not allowed to go last, and neither were Gower or I. Christopher took the caboose slot for a variety of reasons, fastest man alive and former Head of Imageering being the two strongest.

We also had to go in one at a time, though Jeff carried Bruno and Ginger with him. Not because I didn't want to hold them, but because he was concerned I'd squeeze them too much, potentially to death, because of my reactions to gates. Had to figure he wasn't wrong to be concerned.

Jeff stepped through, doing the icky slow fade that always started my nausea revving. Then it was my turn. Closed my eyes and stepped. The feeling of the world rushing past me was still there, but it wasn't as strong when I couldn't see the world rushing past via my peripheral vision.

My foot hit the floor and the nausea stopped. Opened my eyes to find myself happily with the others who'd gone through and where we were actually supposed to be—the receiving area for NASA Base.

The room had been changed quite a lot since my last visit, during Operation Drug Addict, and all changes had been for the better. There was far more security, better access to emergency equipment, and a variety of other safety features.

Of course, there were some things in here I hadn't been expecting.

Like Jeff's parents.

CHAPTER 61

A
LFRED AND LUCINDA
raced over and hugged me, since they'd just finished hugging Jeff. Then they left me to hug Gower. And on down the list until Christopher stepped through. Everyone, humans included, got parental—or, in the case of White, sibling—hugs.

“We were so worried!” Lucinda said as she hugged everyone again.

“We were fine,” Jeff said, but I could tell he was enjoying being fussed over.

“It's okay, Aunt Lucinda,” Christopher said as she hugged him a third time. He was also enjoying the fussing.

I would have been, too, but if we had a bioweapon loose, that meant that Alfred and Lucinda had been exposed now, too. Could tell that Chuckie was thinking the same thing, based on the worried look he was wearing when Alfred and Lucinda weren't looking at him.

“Thank goodness you knew how to drive that train,” Alfred said to Adriana as she got another hug.

“Have we heard anything from Airborne?” Tim asked, sounding as worried as Lorraine and Claudia looked.

“There have been communiques that went directly to the President that might be about the boys,” Alfred said. “I don't know for sure. But I'm sure they're fine and we'll get
them back safely and soon.” He gave them a supportive smile. Didn't seem to help.

“Speaking of which,” I interjected quickly, “where are the others who were with us?”

“Waiting for you at the conference center,” Alfred said.

“Um, I thought they were sick.”

“They were,” Lucinda said. “But they all seem better, even the President.”

“So, just a cold or the flu then,” White said, sounding relieved.

“Something like that.” Lucinda hugged him again. “You all need to freshen up. The visiting dignitaries are waiting for you. And, ahem, you all look a little worse for wear.”

“I'm betting I look like crap, so I can't argue with the need to clean up. However, we probably can't afford to take the time.”

“Sure you can,” Alfred said heartily. “We anticipated the need and have rooms set up for everyone.”

“I'd like to talk to Tito,” Chuckie said quietly to me and Jeff as Alfred led us through the NASA Base Rat Maze to wherever we were going to change. “Just to get his medical opinion on what's going on.”

“You don't think it's over, do you?” Jeff asked.

“The only logical answer for why the Crazy Eights attacked is Kitty's theory. And that means everyone's been exposed to a bioweapon. Maybe it runs its course if the infected aren't in close quarters with each other. But maybe it adapts after its contagious phase. And if so, then no one's cured, they're just in Phase Two.”

With this cheery pronouncement of doom we divided up into changing areas. We were sent to the employee locker rooms, men on one side, women on the other. Refrained from asking if this was to keep me and Jeff from doing the deed because I was pretty sure that it was. Or maybe I was just a little paranoid.

However, we didn't argue and the other girls and I stepped into our locker room. The Elves had clearly been by, which was a relief.

True to my expectations, I looked like a bedraggled cat who'd dragged herself through mud to get to the family homestead in order to die on the porch. Was truly glad I hadn't looked in a mirror at any point during the attacks on the train.

We all took showers, which were needed and also felt great. What wasn't great or a relief was that we had Official Suits of Those High Up in Politics waiting for us once we got out and were dried off, me in particular. Managed not to groan, but it took effort.

“It could be worse, Kitty,” Claudia said.

“Yeah.” Lorraine laughed. “They could have you in white.”

Managed not to point out that they were in the standard Armani Fatigues for Women, aka a black Armani slim skirt, white oxford shirt, and low-heeled black pumps, and were therefore used to and comfortable with what they were wearing.

“Oh, my standard pretty blue that I still manage to destroy every damn time I step out in it is good enough for the likes of me.”

Adriana was also given an Official Outfit and she wasn't complaining about it, so I stopped. Out loud.

Checked my purse. Still no Poofs. “Um, does anyone else have missing Poofs?”

“Yes,” Mahin said. “But you know how they are—they come and go as they please, not as we please.”

“True.” Decided I had bigger worries right now. Like what to do with my hair. Decided to go for my favorite standby—pulled back into a ponytail. Ready for action—which I fully expected—and still managing to look semi-put together.

“Kitty,” Adriana said once I was done, “do you think anyone will notice if I'm gone?”

“You mean forever or right now?”

She laughed. “Right now.”

“Do you want to leave and go home?”

She shook her head. “I'm learning to think as Grandmother does. And . . . I feel that I need to be on the outside.”

“Kitty always says to listen to your gut,” Lorraine said.

“And carry a rocket launcher,” Claudia added with a grin.

“True enough. Yeah, I think if you can slip out, that would be a good idea. There are so many people here only Len, Kyle, and Malcolm are likely to notice that you're gone and they may not even realize that you came in with us from Savannah. But where are you going? It's a long trip home without a gate.”

“Not home, unless that's where the trail leads me. We all know more is going on. I would ask you which is more important—finding our missing pilots or where the Crazy Eights are hiding?”

The rest of the girls and I looked at each other.

“I want to say the pilots,” Claudia said, “but I think that's because my husband is one of them.”

“If we remove the emotional factor,” Mahin said carefully, “I would say that finding the Crazy Eights would be paramount, since Annette Dier seems to have a direct line to the Mastermind at this time.”

Lorraine nodded. “Much as I hate to say it, Crazy Eights would be where I think you should start.”

“Escaped prisoners it is, then. You sure you're okay doing that alone?”

“I'd ask for Len, Kyle, or Mister Buchanan, but that would be noticed for certain. Otherwise, I know how to stay hidden when I have to.”

“I don't doubt your skills.” Hugged her. “Choose wherever you want to disappear and we'll cover for anyone who notices. And stay in touch so I know you're okay.”

She hugged me back. “I will as I can.”

Dressed, coiffed, so to speak, and Mission: Adriana Disappears rolling, we headed out to rejoin the guys. They were all in the Armani Fatigues. Basically, I was the bright spot of color in our group, which was not my preferred option but one I'd gotten used to over the past couple of years.

Onward to the conference center through the Rat Maze I didn't even try to memorize. I was too busy wondering who was coming to visit and what the next thing our enemies were going to throw at us would be.

Adriana had been hanging in the back of the group, so I wasn't surprised when we got into the room to see that she wasn't with us any longer. None of the men mentioned that she wasn't around, probably because they were focused on what was waiting for us.

Was overjoyed to see everyone looking better. Well, not really everyone. The people who'd gotten sick on the train still looked sick, just not that bad. Armstrong, Strauss, and Ariel, however, looked good or at least better than they had. Mom was sort of in the middle in terms of looking okay. She still looked sick but nothing like Strauss or Armstrong had. Thought back—was pretty sure Mom had been in the meeting that Jeff had left. The meeting whose participants were all sick.

Gave Mom a hug. “How are you doing?” I asked softly.

“Pumped full of all the cold and flu crap, chicken soup, orange juice, and whatever else Tito could come up with. I'll be fine, kitten.”

Didn't want to consider otherwise, so I didn't argue. Especially since I was also overjoyed to see who had come to visit.

The Planetary Council was pretty much who I'd expected to see, but it's always nice to visit with friends from far away.

In addition to Formerly King and For This Journey Emperor Alexander, Queen Renata, Felicia and Arup, Wrolph, Wahoa and Willem and my Reptilian Soul Sister, Jareen,
were all here, so we had the Not Nearly As Pissed Off Now Amazons, Cat People, Major Doggies, and Giant Lizards representing.

Added onto the Council were Rohini and Bettini from the Shantanu aka Penguin People, King Benny representing not just the Lecanora but all of Beta Eight—without his Antlers of Office but still looking like Benedict Cumberbatch to me—Lakin of the Rapacians aka The New Hawkman, Misorek from Alpha Six and Haliya from Alpha Five, who both looked like humans and who I therefore suspected of treason either now or later.

This visit was gigantic news, of course, and we had a tonnage of media of all kinds here, including Oliver, who'd gated over once we were on site. The princesses were still at Guantanamo, though.

Hugged everyone, of course, while trying not to worry that when things went wrong—as they so often did—it would be blasted to the entire world live, but grabbed King Benny early on. “It's good to see you. Why aren't there more of you representing on this trip?”

“Ah, Shealla always asks the right questions. Rohini and the Matriarchs felt that bringing the katyhoppers or strautruch along would . . . frighten many of your people.”

“Possibly.” Probably. Big walking otters who looked like Benedict Cumberbatch and giant, colorful penguins were cuddly. Giant katydid-grasshopper and Real Life Big Bird animals were not, necessarily. Plus mind-reading and telekinesis tended to panic humans, too.

He nodded. “Fancy Corzine is unwilling to leave the planet without leadership protection, Zanell is not, ah, diplomatically minded, and we felt that bringing a representative from each of the Clans would be overwhelming. And Ronaldo said to tell you that he knows better than to come to Earth without your express invitation.”

“Good thinking on everyone's parts.” Ronaldo 2.0's in particular.

King Benny beamed. “I am honored to be the one who was allowed to visit the Home of the Gods.”

“Ah, yeah, I think we'd prefer that you not call it that while you're here. People get a little, um, touchy about that.”

He bowed. “What Shealla requests, I will do.”

“And call me Kitty here, no Shealla unless we're in private.”

“As you wish.”

Hugged him then went to Jareen. “Where's Neeraj?”

“At home with Jeenar.” Jeenar was their son. “It's time for Jeenar's Young Rites and the father is more vital than the mother for that.”

“You're going to run out of names if you have another child.”

She grinned the wide Reptilian grin that could look threatening unless you knew better, which I did. “We normally only have two offspring. So if we have another, their name will be Janeer.”

“Weird naming on your planet, but who am I to judge?”

“It works for us.” She studied me. “You're worried. Is it because Jamie and Charlie aren't here?”

“No. I'll tell you why later.” Hoped that aliens were immune to our diseases, but then again, clearly A-Cs weren't, since Manfred and Raj and the other A-Cs that had been in the War Room looked like they still weren't feeling totally well.

After everyone had hugged everyone else—ensuring that if we were indeed dealing with a bioweapon we were all nicely contaminated—we settled down to find out whatever it was the Planetary Council wanted.

Armstrong, Jeff, Strauss, and the Planetary Council members were all on a small stage. Gower, as the Supreme Pontifex was on stage as well. Gideon Cleary was up there, too, looking rather thrilled. Apparently Armstrong wanted to show that there were no partisan issues for this event. The rest of us, me
and Elaine included, were in the audience, though Elaine and I were in the front row along with close members of our staffs.

Was impressed with the setup—it was very reminiscent of what we did at the White House, down to microphones and sound system—considering NASA Base rarely hosted this kind of gathering, but there were A-Cs all around, meaning someone had shared what was needed and Centaurion had provided the speedy accomplishment and preparations.

Unsurprisingly to me, Rohini was the speaker. He always deferred to Alexander during his remarks, but it was clear that Rohini was still the Councilor Leonidas of the group. Fine with me—I liked Rohini quite a lot.

As did the press. Cameras were flashing, video was rolling, and reporters were trying to sit still in their seats, with limited success. This was basically Christmas in May for the press.

Rohini spent some time on preamble, but not as much as most Earth politicians would have. “So,” he concluded, “we all, from the Annocusal Royal Family to every citizen of every other planet in our system, are here to request that Earth take its place in the Planetary Council as a full member of our Galactic Community.”