Alien vs. Alien (25 page)

“You take all the fun out of everything, you know that?”

“Not according to Amy. Seriously, what’s going on?”

“We need to gather up every family with a new hybrid baby or one on the way, along with any Embassy personnel who aren’t A-Cs or equipped to kick serious butt, and get them hidden safely where our enemies wouldn’t expect.”

“Where is that? We gave them all our responses to emergencies. They know everywhere we’d go, and in what order.”

I rifled through the papers. Sure enough, no one had mentioned it. I could try to get him thinking along my lines but Christopher was probably right—I had to trust those with us and that our phones weren’t tapped or we got nowhere. Nothing fort him it but to forego innuendo and tell the world of the genius that was me and White.

“Your dad and I want to get everyone out of Dodge and into the Dome.”

CHAPTER 43

T
HE DOME’S FULL NAME
was the Crash Site Dome. It was the real spot where the first aliens to visit Earth, the Ancients, had crash-landed on their second visit. So far as we knew, they’d done a lot better their first time coming around to say hi.

The remains of the Ancients’ spaceship powered the Dome. Apparently their fuel cells had a half-life like nothing else in the galaxy. The Dome was the main gate hub for the entire world, and had the most Security of any A-C facility. It was, essentially, the A-Cs’ version of JFK, LAX, and every other big airport rolled into one, without the mess and fuss most airports put you through, like parking garages and a zillion Cinnabon outlets.

It was also hidden from anything and everything human technology could discover. As far as I could tell, it was hidden from alien technology, too, because, so far, no one had tried to take the Dome out of commission. Maybe they couldn’t, I didn’t know. But I did know where it was and that it was going to be the last place anyone would think we were staying.

“Oh.” Christopher was quiet. “That’s a really good plan.”

“Thank your dad, he’s the brains of the operation. Anyway, I want everyone other than you, Tito and Walter out of the Embassy and over to the Dome. Tell them they’re going to a tea party.”

“Why?”

“Because I want the kids excited or acting like kids who don’t want to go to a girly thing, not crying. Ask Denise to pack some extra clothes and diapers and such for Jamie. Ensure
all
the pets, including my dogs and cats, go along as well.” I hoped he’d realize that “all” included Poofs and Peregrines.

“Can’t wait,” he muttered. “What about Jeff’s bird?”

What about Bellie? Reality said I didn’t like her and she didn’t like me. Reality also said that if any animal was going to stress out the folks in hiding, it was going to be her. Of course, reality additionally said that if I left Jeff’s bird to die, he’d never forgive me. Reality also said that if Bellie tried anything with me, she was going to be dinner.

“Keep her at the Embassy. I’ll get her and take her with me. Have her stay with either Tito or Walter, depending on which one she likes best, until I get back.”

“Why?”

Nice to see he was still focused on asking the big questions. “Because she has intel, and lord knows when she’ll want to share it, but those of us in active roles need to hear it, and not filtered through from those in hiding.”

“Whatever. She likes me better than Tito or Walter.”

“Then you score Bellie-sitting duty. Get everyone, Denise an. She d her kids and Doreen, Irving, and Ezra in particular, moving. I want Pierre with them.”

“Why?”

“Because out of every adult I’m going to send over, Pierre’s the one who’s most likely to come up with things that will keep everyone calm and focused on the fun of the moment, versus the terror. If he wants to bring ‘picnic’ supplies, let him. I don’t think we want them sending for take-out and such.”

“Good points. Should I escort them?”

“Yes, then get yourself back to the Embassy. Leave Bellie in our room, in her cage, until you’re back, and don’t let anyone say anything about this in front of her.”

“Why not?”

I resisted the impulse to give a sarcastic reply. “Because she’s a freaking parrot, and the last thing we want is her blurting out where we hid everyone in front of the wrong people.”

“Oh.” He sounded embarrassed. “Right.”

“Get moving. I’ll meet you at the Embassy if we don’t time out to go back together.” We hung up, and I dialed again. “Lorraine, how goes it?”

“Fine. You sound stressed.”

“Nice to see maternity leave hasn’t slowed you down.”

“I love my little Ross, but I’m also kind of bored.” I heard Claudia chime in that she felt the same way.

“Awesome, you’re together, and with the kiddos. I have just the cure for boredom, too. I need you two to pack up diaper bags for an extended stay of possibly a couple hours and possibly a couple days. Pack some extras for Jamie, please and thank you.” Sure I’d told Christopher to have Denise do the same, but extra diapers, food, and clothes weren’t going to be a bad idea.

“We’re at DEFCON Worse?”

“And this is why I call you. Yes, we are.”

I heard Claudia in the background. “Claudia wants to know if they’re after our kids.”

“You know, you two are so much smarter than the rest of us.” Well, they were Dazzlers. Dazzlers had it all when it came to brains.

“We’re not surprised, really,” Lorraine said. “I’ll tell you why later.”

“Ross and Sean are already manifesting hybrid talents?”

“You’re smart too. Okay, where are we meeting you, and who else, if anyone, should we bring?”

“Your mothers, if they’re around, and your dads, if they want to go. Serene and Bryan, regardless of whether they want to go. Any other families with hybrids newly arrived or coming. Other than those in our Embassy, who are likely already there waiting for you.”

“Gotcha. So, where is it they’re waiting and we’re going?”

I considered playing the innuendo game, but figured that time was really of the essence and decided to just go for it. “The Dome.”

She was quiet forgame, a moment. “You’re really worried, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Okay, I won’t tell anyone else where we’re going until we get there.”

“Have Gladys do your gate transfer.” I looked at White. He nodded emphatically.

“On it. I’ll bring med kits, too.”

“Always a good plan.” Hung up and considered. There were four other hybrids out and about. Three of them I knew I needed and probably wouldn’t be able to convince to hide out anyway. The fourth, however, I could get here based on the fact that I had cute girls who also needed protecting. Dialed again.

“Hey, Kitty, what’s up?”

“Michael, are you in the middle of anything?”

“Just waiting for the One World event to kick off in a few minutes. It’s dull waiting because nothing’s going on until launch. And after that, it’ll be hours of speeches. Basically, I’m in the middle of a long period of boredom.”

“Great! I’m going to save you from boredom.” I was saving everyone from boredom today, go me.

“I’m not supposed to leave my post.”

“What is your post and who are you with?”

“I’m in the audience and I’m alone.” He didn’t sound happy about the alone part.

“Seriously? Look, I need you for a plan of higher importance.”

“So you claim.”

“I have cute human girls who need protecting, and you’re the A-C for the job.”

“You do know my weakness.”

“I do. Zip over to the Romanian Embassy, will you? Use hyperspeed, please, not a gate.”

“Be there shortly. What do I tell James or Paul if they ask?”

“Tell them you need to pee.” He laughed and we hung up. I turned back to White. “We need a floater gate.”

“Already handled. I have a Bat-Line to Gladys just like you have with Mister Reynolds.”

“As always, you rock above all others, Mister White. Olga, Adriana, I’d really like the two of you to hide with the rest of our team.”

“Why so?” Olga asked. I was clear she already knew, but wanted to make sure I knew. Not a problem.

“Because after they don’t find us at the Embassy, they’re going to come here to find us. For all we know, they’ll come here first, just like the Club Fifty-One people did. Maybe
because
the Club Fifty-One people did. And if you and Adriana are here, they have hostages we care about. However, I don’t want your husband or the rest of your diplomatic mission panicking and searching for the two of you, either.”

Olga smiled. “Not to worry.” She nodded to Adriana, who went to the desk in the room, dialed the phone, and handed it to Olga. Olga spoke to someone in what I assumed was " face="Romanian, since I didn’t understand a word. But she said one sentence very slowly and clearly. Then she hung up. “We are fine. None will panic when we are not here.”

“Nice to see you and Andrei have a code phrase.”

“If you do not, you should rectify that error immediately.”

“Yes, ma’am. Just as soon as we ensure everyone’s all tucked away safely.” I looked around. They weren’t going to like what I was going to say next. “Richard and Senator Armstrong will stay with me. Len, Kyle, and Amy, you’re going with Adriana and Olga.”

They gaped at me. “Why?” Amy asked. It really was the Question of the Day.

“Because none of you are A-Cs, and I need people with the children, my child in particular, who I know will protect her.”

“Our jobs are to protect
you
,” Len said.

“Nope. You’re supposed to protect me
and
Jamie, and Chuckie said I was the boss unless he overruled me, and we don’t have time for you to call him. Malcolm’s around somewhere, he’ll show up when needed as was proved such a short while ago. Otherwise, I can’t do my job if I have to worry about my baby.”

Amy nodded. “You’re right. I’
ll be Team Lead on the inside.”

The boys looked like they were going to argue. White and Olga looked like they were trying not to laugh. I decided to forestall both outcomes. “Works for me, Ames.”

“Are we okay to keep our cells on?” Amy asked.

White nodded. “The Dome allows calls in and out but scrambles positioning. Even with the best GPS software, no one could determine where you were based on your phones.”

“Awesome. If you find you need supplies while you’re there, be sure to send one of the Security guys and have Len and Kyle scan them.” I looked to Bruno, who bobbed his head at me. Good. Any Peregrine Enforcers at the Dome would be on the alert as well.

“What about me?” Oliver asked. “I don’t believe you consider me a protector, but you haven’t given me an assigned duty.”

“Oh, you have a duty, MJO. You’re going to be causing our distraction.”

CHAPTER 44

T
HE DOORBELL RANG.
I realized it was the first time I’d ever heard it. Either Adriana was slipping, or she was so engrossed in our planning that she hadn’t noticed that we had someone arriving.

She, Len, and Kyle went downstairs. “Mister White, are you okay to take the senator over to our Embassy?”

He nodded, but Armstrong looked worried. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea for me to be seen going there.”

“Look, they aren’t releasi
World Weekly News
goes for it or not. We can spend precious time hiding you, or you can make life easy and just walk across the damn street.”

“Why don’t you want me at the Dome?”

“Because we still can’t trust you,” White said calmly. “For all we know, this is an elaborate ruse in order to get you positioned to hide with those our enemies want to kidnap.”

Armstrong opened his mouth—to argue, I was sure—but then he slammed it shut and nodded. “You’re right,” he said after a couple moments of what appeared to be contemplation. “I understand why you’d be distrustful. I do know where the Dome is, of course, so you’ve already taken a chance there.”

“Had to.” Hey, Christopher was right—chances were good that I’d still be on the phone, trying to make him guess what I meant.

“Yes. And aside from keeping me in your sights and under your control, so to speak, I also have clearances you may not, which we may need.”

“Good man, glad you’re on board. So, I want the two of you heading across the street now, so that Adriana can lock the door behind you.”

“You haven’t told Oliver there what you want him to do,” Armstrong pointed out.

“It’s
Mister Joel
Oliver, please,” he said. “And the Ambassador is waiting until you’re out of range so you don’t know what my part off the operation is.”

“And MJO shows yet again why I value his involvement.”

Armstrong nodded and stood up. “Shall we?” he asked White.

White stood as well and gave Olga a courtly bow. “Madame, please excuse me from escorting you.”

Olga smiled. “Just this once.”

“I assume I shouldn’t bother locking up our Embassy,” White said to me.

“Oh, do it, if only to stop petty thievery and to slow down the Bad Guys du Jour for a minute or two.”

“As you wish. I’ll see if I can arrange some sort of harness for the parrot.”

“A muzzle for preference.”

White chuckled and led Armstrong out as Adriana and the boys returned, with Michael Gower in tow. Michael was a slightly smaller version of his older brother—big, black, bald and beautiful. He was also the A-C Player of the Year for, as near as I could tell, his entire life.

This was evident in the fact that Adriana was getting his standard “you so hot, babe” smile, which he gave indiscriminately to any woman between the ages of 18 and 98. The smile was expanded to include me, Amy, and Olga.

Adriana had a large duffle bag. Clearly, she was trained to plan ahead. “Supplies,” she said with a smile, after Michael had been introduced to her grandmother. I assumed Adriana’s supplies included weapons of some kind, but that was probably good.

The boys also had duffels, and Jamie’s stroller was up here already, bat waased on my earlier instructions. I checked—the Poofs were still in it, looking expectant. Had to figure Olga and Adriana knew we had special pets. For all I knew, they knew the Peregrines were in the room with us. And I couldn’t send Oliver alone into danger without some kind of backup.

Reached in and took a Poof at random, handed it to Oliver. “Your Poof job is to assist Mister Joel Oliver here.”

It mewled at me and jumped into Oliver’s hand, where it mewled at him and purred.

“Well,” Oliver said. “Aren’t you a cute little button?” The Poof in his hands purred much louder.

“Ah, Kitty?” Michael asked. “Is that one attached?”

“Oops.” Unattached Poofs bonded to the person who named them. “Um . . . Button?”

The Poof turned, looked at me, purred even louder, then jumped onto Oliver’s shoulder and snuggled into his neck.

“Yes, Michael. It’s attached now.”

Oliver chuckled. “I didn’t actually mean to name it Button. But it fits.”

“Good. Okay, Button, you take care of MJO, and you report back to Harlie or Poofikins if he’s in trouble.” Button mewled at me and went into one of Oliver’s pockets.

“So, what am I going to be doing?” Oliver asked.

“I’ve run some ideas around in my mind, but most of them end with you being arrested and possibly killed. So I’m not going to mention them.”

“Good. I’m all for helping with the cause, but I’d like to see tomorrow, if you know what I mean.”

“I do. So what I’m going to ask you to do has more to do with you confusing whoever’s watching us more than anything else.”

“You’re sure we’re being watched?” Michael asked. The entire room snorted at him. “Whoa, just asking.”

Oliver nodded. “I believe it’s the safest best we have right now.”

“Me too. Okay, MJO, I want you heading over to Andrews Air Force Base. Demand to see the head man. Use whatever means necessary, but be sure that it’s obvious you’re trying to get into a military facility to warn them of an impending threat.”

“That’s a nice idea, but what makes you think I’ll get past the gate?”

This question had occurred to me, too. Luckily, I’d come up with an answer. The Club 51 folks had been good for something. “Tell them you have proof an alien invasion is imminent.”

He shook his head. “No one’s going to believe me. I have a reputation, and it’s not a good one.”

“On the contrary,” Olga said. “Your reputation is quite good among a select few.” She nodded toward the desk and said something in Romanian. Adriana went to the desk, opened a drawer, rummaged through, and pulled out what looked like an old-fashioned writing kit, complete with a candle and small wooden handle with metal at the end.

“I have to ask—first,somethi is that a sealing wax set?”

“Yes,” Olga replied. “I do like to have some touches from the past at hand.”

“Uh-huh, I’m sure. Here’s my next question—what are you two doing?”

Adriana was writing industriously; she handed whatever she’d written and the pen to Olga, who nodded again and signed what I was pretty sure was her name at the bottom. Adriana folded up the letter, lit the sealing wax, let it carefully drip onto the envelope, pressed the seal into, and handed it to Oliver with a little flourish.

“Presto, old fashioned correspondence. Why?” Olga gave me her Disappointed Teacher look. I sighed and gave my best guess. “Sending something this way up to Andrews is some Diplomats of the Old Republic thing, right?”

“In a sense,” she said with a smile. “It will help our friend to gain entry, which should assist in causing our enemies to watch the Air Force base more closely than . . . other places.”

“What do I say when I actually gain entry?” Oliver asked.

“Demand to speak to the man in charge, only. That should take some time. Also insinuate that others will be joining you at Andrews. Hopefully it’ll distract whoever the heck is watching us, at least long enough.”

“I hear and obey,” Oliver said with a smile. “Should I call for a cab?”

“Hail one, let it go by, hail another, you know the drill. Make it clear you think you’re being followed and are trying to hide your tracks.”

“I’ll do my best.” He nodded to all of us, then left. Adriana walked him down. I watched him from the window. He went to the Circle and started looking for transportation.

“So, what interesting thing do you have planned for me, Kitty?” Michael asked while we waited for Adriana to return and Oliver to score transportation.

Oliver had waved three cabs by before Adriana returned. “I locked the entire downstairs, drew all curtains, and generally made it look like we are hiding here.”

Oliver finally got into a cab. “Great. Let’s close the curtains in this room, too.”

“Kitty, what’s really going on, and what am I supposed to be doing?” Michael asked again as Adriana did as I’d asked.

I saw a shimmering in the air. “Tell you about it when we get there. Boys, please assist Olga through.”

Jamie’s diaper bag was still hooked onto her stroller. Amy grabbed the stroller, Adriana and the boys had their duffels, I had Jamie and my purse. All set.

I looked at Bruno. “You first or us?” He fluffed his feathers, then all the Peregrines flew into the stroller and settled down with the remainder of the Poofs with us. “Fine, you’re going in style.” Thankfully no one asked me what or who I was talking to.

The gate looked big enough to take at least three at a time. “Michael, you take Adriana through first. Boys, you and Olga next. Ames, then you and the stroller. Jamie a
nd I will bring up the rear.”

Michael grinned at me, took Adriana’s hand, and they stepped through the gate. Here one second, gone the next. I ignored the slow fade everything did going through a gate because nausea wasn’t on my list of things to experience today.

The boys each took one side of Olga’s wheelchair and lifted it, then they stepped through.

“See you over there,” Amy said. She and the animal-laden stroller went through.

I steeled myself. I’d hated gate transfers from Day One with Centaurion Division, and gaining some A-C powers hadn’t made them any better. Going through the gates was, for me, a nauseating experience at best. I didn’t want to literally toss all the cookies I’d been scarfing down, and I really didn’t want to toss them onto Jamie.

Took a deep breath, relaxed. Took another, relaxed more. Took a third—and heard a step behind me. In an Embassy that was supposedly locked tight and devoid of anyone other than me and my baby.