by Gini Koch
“Exactly. Meaning, it would help to determine what the plans are or who’s running what or similar.”
Amy cocked her head. “Do you think that Villanova is the one who triggered the Kitty-Bot?”
“I think that’s part of what we should probably call the Strauss Initiative, so yes.”
“What about Janelle?” Amy asked. “Do you think there being a robot version of her is part of the same plan?”
“Not sure,” I admitted.
“I’d think it is,” Christopher said slowly. “Because of what you mentioned when you filled us in—Eugene was triggered into action via a robots take over people plan.”
“Yeah, we’d thought that was a ruse, but if it wasn’t, then Strauss had this going even during the Sith Apprentice Tryouts that were Operation Sherlock.”
“That makes sense,” Amy said. “I mean, who’s to say there’s only one Sith?”
“There are always two,” I said automatically. “The Master and the Apprentice.”
“You spend too much time with the hackers.” Amy shook her head. “That’s not what I meant. I mean—who’s to say that there weren’t two Masters?”
Christopher and I stared at her. “Ah, what?” he asked finally.
She rolled her eyes. “Come on, you guys. Kitty, this is normally your side of things. I’m suggesting that Monica Strauss was never working with Cliff Goodman, or if she was, she was faking him out. I think she was a Mastermind in her own right—the robot stuff makes it likely. And you’ve said how Ronald Yates was sleeping with anything that moved. So, maybe he slept with her early, she found out what was going on, and she distanced herself from Reid and Cliff and the others, but took what she could use from Yates and ran with it.”
“But we never had her on radar all this time,” Christopher said after a few moments of shocked silence. “We didn’t even distrust her until the other Kitty made it clear that she suspected Strauss of being anti-alien.”
“So what? Cliff had his crazy one-sided fight going on with Chuck. He probably could have taken over easily if he hadn’t been so bent on playing a chess game that Chuck wasn’t even aware he was involved with. Maybe Strauss didn’t have anyone she was trying to screw over, and she just wanted to get to become the President without ever having to be elected.”
“Ames, you’re on fire. Clearly having a baby was great for you. That makes sense, a ton of sense. Meaning that Villanova was always doing the double agent thing for Strauss.”
Amy shrugged. “Just like Camilla does for us.”
“Cliff was always looking for our double agents . . .” Had to formulate what I was thinking into coherent words.
“What?” Amy said after a few seconds. “I know that look.”
“What if Cliff figured out that Strauss was about to make her Mastermind move? Maybe that’s why he rolled Operation Epidemic when he did—because we’d not only given him a great patsy in the Planetary Council, but if he didn’t kill her in a way that didn’t look suspicious, then she’d win.”
“That means the action at Camp David was key,” Christopher said. “Because that’s where the Kitty-Bot was waiting.”
“Meaning what?” Amy asked. “The Kitty-Bot’s been captured. That plan is over now, right?”
“No, I don’t think so.” And not just because Algar had told me I had to go camping. “They’ve been doing their level best for years to keep you out of Gaultier and off the Board, and all of a sudden it’s your rightful place? That’s to get you alone and turn you into a robot. For all we know, they have the Amy-Bot ready to go and are just waiting to do the switch when you and Gardiner are in the same room.”
“Sounds like Ansom,” Amy said. “He’s all about getting things to do double-duty. But that doesn’t indicate they’re following Strauss’ plan.”
“How did they get the robot schematics?”
“She might have given them to several people,” Christopher said. “After all, Eugene had them, and he’d gotten them from Pia Ryan.”
“Who’d gotten them from Marion Villanova, most likely. Meaning that I think we’re safe for right now to assume that anyone working on the Stepford Wives Plan is working the plan Strauss had going in some way.”
“Meaning that we’re still out the person who took the helicarrier and our people.” Christopher shot Patented Glare #4 at the room in general.
A large number of A-Cs who’d drawn the short straws appeared and got the dogs, chochos, and ocellars onto leashes, because we all kept up the fiction that the animals behaved when semi-restrained.
Watched the kids while this was going on. They were still all about the King Benny Experience and were admiring Becky along with him. None of them felt the need to break off to exchange withering banter with an adult, not even Lizzie, who was about the age Stephanie had been during Operation Drug Addict.
Lizzie was so different from Stephanie, though, and not just because she was a human. In some ways she and Stephanie were alike, of course. But not in the ways that mattered most.
My brain nudged, rather insistently. “You know what? We need to get over to the White House pronto, because I think I need to share a theory with our core team. And I need to do it fast.”
CHAPTER 33
OF COURSE, fast was a relative term when dealing with children and animals.
Christopher went first, to ensure that the White House was prepared for the onslaught of fur and feathers we were bringing with us and to get Jeff and Chuckie ready to pull everyone into yet another meeting. Sent Mom a text requesting her help with this and why I felt I needed the floor.
Once we got an all clear from Christopher, the A-Cs on Animal Transport Duty headed off. Then it was time for the rest of us. Amy had Becky, King Benny carried Jamie—earning her the total envy of all the rest of the kids—and Dad took Charlie, who’d woken up thankfully without issue and also thankfully without wanting to telekinetically lift anyone or anything for the moment. Technically the boys had me, though Len went before me and Kyle went last, to ensure I went through.
Score one for the Elves—in the time I’d been gone they’d installed the First Kennels by converting what had been the Game Room on the third floor to the Luxury Kennels. Apparently Algar liked the animals as much if not more than he liked me, because they had the nicest digs of anyone so far. Not that I minded. My father totally approved, too, which was definitely one for my personal win column.
The A-Cs on Animal Duty had the bedroom that attached to the kennels, and it was set up nicely so that four could sleep while four were awake. It was quite military in that sense, but they didn’t seem to mind. At least, I took them telling me that they’d actually won the right to get to be on White House duty and were lording it over their comrades to mean they were happy with the setup. Of course, that might have been said for Dad’s benefit. Dad thought Animal Patrol was one of the best gigs an A-C could get. Needless to say, all the pets loved him. Wasn’t so sure about the A-Cs who worked this gig, and had a feeling most of them thought Dad was just this side of crazy due to his demands that the pets be treated like everyone else and therefore needed to be appeased.
Naturally, after we put the animals into their living quarters and requested they stay there at least until Antoinette went home for the night, we had to show the kids their rooms. All three of them seemed delighted, particularly Charlie who apparently no longer wanted to be in the nursery.
Managed not to have my feelings hurt by this. Well, not too much. Mostly because I had no time to wallow in anything, since we now had the issue of who in the world was going to watch the kids over here when Jeff and I were working. Maybe other First Families had their action stop at six p.m. every day, though I doubted it, but we certainly ran 24/7 far too often.
“I can handle this, kitten,” Dad said, as we all looked over Lizzie’s room and Jamie pronounced it okay because it had a Poof
Condo, dog beds, and Peregrine hammocks. “I’m happy to spend extra time with my grandchildren, all three of them.” Lizzie looked at Dad suspiciously.
“He’s not kidding. My parents consider Amy and my other best friend from high school, Sheila, to be their ‘other’ daughters. We adopt quickly in this family.”
Dad put his arm around Lizzie’s shoulders. “We’re all for as many grandchildren as we can get, including those who arrive a little later.”
Vance chose this moment to join us. “Ah, I see you’re ready for the First Family’s Nanny to come on duty.”
We all stared at him. “You took mind reading classes?” I asked finally.
He grinned. “Let’s just say that I’m well aware of how you roll and that I’ve spent a lot of time talking to Pierre this afternoon.”
“Who’d you get?” Amy asked. “Because it’s going to be hard to beat Denise Lewis at this.”
“Well, Denise isn’t being beaten, so to speak,” Vance replied. “She’s still who will have the First Children during regular daycare and schooling hours, at least until they’re ready for the Sidwell Friends School.”
“The where?” I asked.
“It’s one of the best local private schools,” Amy said. “Loaded with children whose parents are hugely influential.”
“The best, as far as I’m concerned,” Vance said. “It’s one of the few places where First Children tend to go. And where yours will be going.”
“Normally our children school within our community,” Christopher said, shooting Patented Glare #3 at Vance.
Who ignored it. “Do they? How nice for those children who aren’t the children of the President of the United States. The children of the President of the United States, however, will be going to the Sidwell Friends School. As will the Lewis children. And as will Lizzie.”
“What?” she asked.
“School,” Vance said. “You’ll be at the high school when sessions resume. You’re already enrolled as, per Pierre, the ward of the First Lady. Expect to have your cachet increased from what it was at your other school. You’re welcome.”
Lizzie’s jaw was still hanging open. I shut it gently. “You already know Vance, Lizzie. Think of him as Our Pierre in the White House and just roll with it. What else have you magically handled while I wasn’t around? And please tell me it’s everything.” Made a mental note to not be around more so that Vance could work.
“Plenty, but you can just lose the idea that I’m going to cover as FLOTUS all the time.”
“Wow, I suddenly hate your mind reading skills.”
“I’m sure you do. However, I’ve gotten your double in place, which was simple, since Francine already has experience with that from what I’ve been told. Finding Jeff’s is harder, but Raj feels confident we’ll be able to find someone out there in the greater A-C community who can fit the bill.”
“Um, what?”
“Doubles,” Amy answered. “All the presidents have them. So the double goes to a gala when the President is having a tryst or having a top level meeting, things like that.” Clearly Amy was on the Vance Wavelength.
“Oh. Like Dave. Gotcha.”
“I suggest you watch that movie, and several others I have listed for you, carefully,” Vance said. “Take notes, even. You’ll need the information, though it seems unlikely that Jeff’s going to be chasing interns around.”
“Let’s be safe and make all the interns old, ugly, and stupid.”
“Nice try. They’ll be young and bright, and half of them will be A-Cs, so rest easy. At any rate, I also have your press secretary handled, chosen out of the selection of troubadours Raj suggested. Colette will be briefed by Raj tonight and will be fully on the job tomorrow.”
“Have I ever met Colette?”
“Doubt it. She’s been working with Raj and Serene a lot, though.”
“Ah, I’m sure she’ll be great.” Based on the Raj and Serene Connection, I was sure that she was in the A-C CIA, and that meant probably really efficient. “So, who’s the nanny, then?”
“Nadine, who I know you do know. She’s also been working with Raj and Serene, but she loves kids, so I think she’s a great choice.”
Nadine had been the A-C troubadour assigned to double Serene during Operation Infiltration. I knew and liked her, and that she was also in Serene’s Secret Club seemed obvious. Meaning a really well-trained A-C likely willing to take the smart risks would be watching my children. I was good with this.
“Okay, she’s awesome.”
“I’m glad you think so.” Nadine came in with Francine and another woman I didn’t know. The third could have been their sister, though—same Dazzler gorgeous, same blonde hair, similar features. As I thought about it, she probably was their sister. After all, I’d never asked Francine and Nadine if they were related. “You’re Colette, aren’t you?”
She dimpled. “Good guess.”
“Which sister are you, oldest, middle, or baby?”
“Baby.” Colette laughed. “Francine’s the middle, so she tries harder. You’re good.”
“No, I’m really slow, but sometimes I can catch on.”
Francine grinned. “Oh, don’t sell yourself short. We never said we were sisters.”
“Yeah, you only all look a lot alike.” Different enough to double me and Serene, who were not all that similar seeing as she was a typical Dazzler and I was not. Better looking than me by far, but the beauty of doubles was that as long as they were close enough, expectations covered the rest.
“Better late than never,” Nadine said with a smile. “Now, it’s time for me to take over as nanny and for you all to get back to the business of running this country.”
Of course, we didn’t leave immediately, seeing as I had to kiss and hug the kids goodbye several times, plus go over what they should and shouldn’t have, do, and all that jazz. Then they had to hug and kiss King Benny goodbye even more than they had me. Did my best not to be bitter. Happily, Pierre had whipped up a schedule of how we did things and Nadine was a quick study. Plus the kids liked her, which was an added bonus. Oh sure, not as much as they liked King Benny, but I was getting the feeling that no one was going to compare to King Benny in the short or long run.
“I know I’m not needed downstairs,” Dad said. “I’ll help Nadine so you can relax fully, kitten.”
Amy was torn between staying with Nadine or coming with us, but Christopher put his foot down about Becky being around a ton of people. So Amy stayed with Dad, Nadine, and the kids, and it was decided that she would be on the phone with Christopher, listening in on anything of importance and adding in as needed.
“I thought Raj was supposed to fill you in before you started,” I said to Colette as the rest of us, King Benny included, headed back downstairs.
“He’ll go over it all tonight, but since I’m living here now, I came over early to get settled in.”
“We’re all in a room together,” Francine said, before I could ask. “The Operations Team did a great job.”
“Yeah, they always do. Are you two sharing?” I asked Len and Kyle.
Len nodded. “Yep, we’re used to it.”
“And there’s plenty of sitting rooms and stuff around here when someone has to hang the sock on the door,” Kyle added, then blushed bright red.
Francine and Nadine giggled, but Colette gave Kyle a look I could only think of as interested. Well, both he and Len were smart, and intelligence was the Dazzler weakness.
Managed to control the Inner Hyena. “Good to know. Good to know. It’ll be a change from the Embassy, though. No Elves here, at least not on a regular basis.”
“Yeah,” Len said quickly, presumably to keep us off the sock topic. “None of the White House staff live on the property anymore, but they used to. But there’s staff here around the clock.”
“Meaning t
hat all of you need to remember that you’re no longer in a secured facility,” Vance said. “And I don’t mean from a guns and bombs standpoint, because I know that shielding was put onto the entire complex. I mean that the walls will have ears and all of you need to restrict yourselves to casual chat about nothing when you’re not in closed-door meetings.”
Heaved a sigh. “Well then, I hope we’re meeting everyone in a room like that, because I what I need to discuss is definitely not for the general public at large.”
CHAPTER 34
WE WERE BACK in the big meeting room from earlier in the day. Had a sense of déjà vu—nothing like what I’d had during Operation Civil War, but still, the total feeling that I’d been here before doing this exact same thing was strong.
Of course, there were actually more people in here than we’d had before. Supposedly everyone had the high security clearances by now, even Abner Schnekedy, who was sitting with Culver, who had wisely kept her maiden name for business. Vance hadn’t been kidding—Abner seemed to be almost vibrating from the thrill of being here. Well, better to have someone keen on the job, especially since I certainly wasn’t winning the New Job Excitement Challenge.
Happily, the rest of Jeff’s cabinet had been selected while I wasn’t around and, other than nodding and waving at those now in the Inner Circle, nothing else was required of me in regard to this.
Chuckie was sitting between Jeff and Mom. He passed me a sign—the “keep quiet” sign. Meaning now wasn’t a good time for me to share anything I was thinking.
“We have about thirty minutes before dinner,” Mom said. “Kitty, we’re discussing the Camp David peace talks.”
Almost opened my mouth, but Chuckie shot me a quick glare and I managed to control myself. “Okay, when are they happening?”
“We feel it’s imperative to get those back on track as soon as possible,” Hochberg, who was sitting on Jeff’s other side, said. He looked a lot better than he had earlier, which was good—clearly the promotion to VP had been an ego-booster.
