by Gini Koch
“And where is that?” Chuckie asked.
“The Cairo. With Nathalie and Elaine. We already have the building under guard, and you’ll like it, it’s very cool. The Operations Team will handle it, you’ll just need to sign whatever lease. Oh, and make sure that they install gates in your apartment and in Nathalie’s and Elaine’s, too.”
“Oh, will do, Boss Lady.” He laughed. “But that’s a good compromise, honestly. If they have a vacancy.”
My phone beeped. “They do, and you’re in.”
“That fast?” Chuckie sounded shocked.
Jeff grinned. “We move fast, remember?”
CHAPTER 38
IT WASN’T ALL THAT LATE but we were all that tired and more. So everyone headed off to either their rooms or their residences. The Planetary Council was briefed about the Vata at the Embassy, and they were all on board with the new arrivals and also about not sharing that said new arrivals were here with anybody else.
Raj was living in the White House along with the other A-C White House personnel, so he and Antoinette took care of getting everyone out and headed home. Not that we wouldn’t see most if not all of them first thing in the morning, but we liked to pretend our lives were normal occasionally.
Since Dad and her grandchildren were there, and his wife and child were also, Mom and Christopher came upstairs with us. “So, what does Malcolm want me to have plausible deniability for?” she asked.
“Shouldn’t we not mention that until we’re in a room without bugs?”
Mom shot me a look. “What was bugged?”
“The Oval Office,” Jeff replied. “And Chuck said he swept it yesterday.”
“Plus Vance gave us the Walls Have Ears speech on the way down,” Christopher added.
“I’m so proud. That was a Kitty-ism at its finest.”
Mom and Christopher both grimaced—her at the state of things, him at me—and she pulled out her phone and made a call. “Kevin, have Security do a full sweep of the White House complex, the Embassy, and Dulce. Probably the Cairo, too. Yes. Yes, I know they were checked yesterday. Today, the Oval Office had an infestation.” She barked a laugh. “Yeah, exactly, why would we expect that?” Laughed again. “Oh, good point. Yes, keep me posted.” She hung up and heaved a sigh.
“What would you expect?” Christopher asked.
“That no one coming in would be bringing bugs in with them. Kevin suggests Kitty’s purse be thoroughly searched.”
“And he’s probably not wrong. Mom, who could be bringing bugs in? This place is supposedly secure.”
“It’s also gigantic, and any system can be gamed. You do it all the time.”
Christopher and I looked at each other. “Several times today, as a matter of fact,” he shared.
“Traitor.”
“I’m with Kitty, Angela, about the security, even though my wife and cousin are clearly stating that I’m an idiot to think we’re safe. Who should I be firing?” Jeff sounded tired and worried, not that I could blame him. Put my arm around his waist. He was incredibly tense. Hugged him and he put his arm around my shoulders. Felt him relax a bit.
“Neither one of us thinks that, Jeff.”
“What Kitty said,” Christopher added. “We just both know that we got out easily enough, meaning someone else can get in. So, like Jeff asked, who should we be wary of, Angela?”
“Everyone. No one.” Her phone beeped. “God, I love hyperspeed and A-C efficiency. Per Kevin, there are no bugs anywhere in the complex. The Embassy is clean as well. Bugs were removed at the Cairo from, and I’m sure this will totally shock you, the apartments of Nathalie Brewer and Elaine Armstrong.” Mom was texting almost as fast as Tim usually did. “Kevin feels that the only reason there aren’t bugs at the apartment Charles will be in is because no one knows he’s moving in there yet.”
“Geez. Elaine was just moved in. By the Operations Team.”
“Yes, but then they left. I’d assume that every single Alphabet Agency had teams sneak in here to plant those bugs in the Oval Office. And of course your many enemies would have done so, as well. I’m having agents sent to the homes of every one of Jeff’s new appointees and also to the homes of those few that are holdovers from Vince’s regime.”
“How would they do that? We were all here, right here, today.”
Mom shot me a look I was quite familiar with—her “don’t try to lie to me, missy” look. “Not everyone was ‘right here’ all day, as Christopher and you just mentioned, and those who were here were busy. The staff is still reeling from Vince’s death, so if they saw someone who looked like they should be here, they’d ignore it. The Secret Service is spending all its time trying to keep you and Jeff from being killed. They’re focused far too internally right now.”
“Sorry.” I was. All the Secret Service agents we’d dealt with, save one, were awesome, and I didn’t want to make their lives even harder and more dangerous than they already were.
“They’ll adjust to how you are, I’m sure,” Mom said. “However, today, I’d think it was easy to get someone in here. My guess for when the bugs were planted is when you were fighting a robot on the South Lawn.”
“I have a hard time believing that Strauss was planning to overthrow the government in concert with every single protective agency we have.”
“No, but it’s obvious we were being watched. An opportunity arose, and apparently everyone took advantage of it.”
“They could have done it when we were in the theater and Kitty and the others were in my old office, too,” Jeff said. “Frankly, we gave these people plenty of opportunities. Bottom line is that we need to make sure that we aren’t breached that easily again. Bugs are bad, but they’re nothing compared to bombs or poisons.”
“I’ll have a talk with your Secret Service staff, all of them, not just the ones you know best. I plan to have Jeremy Barone with me while doing that briefing, too. I’ve requested that he leave the Embassy detail and move in here, and he’s agreed.”
“That’s great, but I have to ask—why would the Alphabet Agencies be spying on us? And I don’t want derisive looks. I’m serious. Now that Cliff’s gone, they’re all on our side, aren’t they?”
“Kitten, this is politics. That you’re still somehow surprised by it is both sweet and worrying. However, look at it like friendly fire—they’re listening to guard and to, you know, catch something they can use for blackmail, what’s called influence in this town.”
“Gotcha. Friends and enemies all want to listen in and take advantage of us. Wow, this is the best job in the world.”
“Tell me about it, baby,” Jeff said with a sigh. “I just want to see the kids and Sol and pretend we’re a normal family for a few minutes.”
“Ask and ye shall receive.”
Of course, it wasn’t quite as simple as that, mostly because no one was in Lizzie’s room, Jamie’s room, or Charlie’s room. Christopher checked the supposedly unoccupied rooms—no one. Belayed panic even though no one was in the rooms on our side of the hall, Master Suite included.
Mom wasn’t worried and headed us to the Family Dining Room where, happily, everyone we were searching for was waiting for us, Jamie and Charlie in their standard A-C-issue pajamas of blue bottoms and white tops. Mom also refrained from saying “duh” to me, but I could tell she wanted to.
Jamie and Charlie were thrilled to see their Daddy and their Nana Angela. They gave me perfunctory kisses but definitely wanted more of Jeff and Mom’s time than mine. Again chose not to be bitter. After all, if King Benny had come upstairs with us, Mom and Jeff would be playing Second Bananas to him anyway.
“Jamie and Charlie have already had their baths and brushed their teeth,” Nadine said.
“Super. Where are you sleeping?” I asked her as I sat down next to her and Dad, who was now also not of interest to his grandchildren, at least for
the moment. Christopher settled next to Amy and took Becky from her. She gave a happy baby gurgle and snuggled up to her father and Christopher got a look on his face I recognized well, since I saw it on Jeff’s face all the time—the happy glow of loving on his child.
“Well, we’ve been discussing that.” Nadine nodded her head toward Amy and Lizzie. “I’m kind of surprised that you have Charlie in his own room already at only seven months.”
“Seriously, that wasn’t my idea. The Elves set the room up and he really seems to like it.”
“Oh, he does, Mommy,” Jamie said. “Just like I like my room.”
“That’s great, sweetie, but Charlie is still a baby. And babies need their mommies and daddies nearby.”
“But you are nearby,” Jamie said. “Aren’t you?” She looked worried.
“Yes, we are. Just across the hall.” The ginormous hall, but still right across it. Didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make Jamie nervous. “But, um . . .”
Jeff kissed Jamie’s head. “You stayed in the nursery for a long time, Jamie-Kat. We just think that maybe Charlie should, too.”
Jamie shook her head. “Charlie will be fine.”
Looked at my son, who was grabbing Mom’s nose. “Maybe. But Mom, what do you think?”
Mom kissed Charlie’s forehead. “I think that whatever makes you and Jeff feel safe is the right choice, kitten. But, frankly, as Alfred and Lucinda have told your father and me more than once, with hyperspeed and a good baby monitor, it doesn’t take long to reach your child.”
This was true. In fact, Alfred and Lucinda’s bedroom at Martini Manor was quite far away from their children’s rooms. Sure, the isolation chamber they’d had to install for Jeff was in their bedroom. Just as the isolation chamber here was now in our suite of rooms.
“And the pets are guarding us all the time, Mommy, you know that,” Jamie reminded me. She held up her Poof. “Mous-Mous is always on the case.”
“True, the Poofs are ever-vigilant.” I hoped and presumed. Felt a feathered nudge. “As are the Peregrines, dogs, cats, ocellars, and chochos.” Why risk hurting anyone’s feelings? “Well, why don’t we see how it goes? Charlie can always come into the nursery if he wants to, and if he’s happy in his own room, you’re right, we’ll hear him if need be. Which brings me back to the question of where Nadine’s sleeping.”
“I was thinking I should be in Charlie’s room, honestly,” she said.
“I think you should be in Lizzie’s room,” Jamie said. “That way, Lizzie will have a friend to talk to.”
Lizzie looked more than a little weirded out, not that I could blame her. Jamie was quite advanced to begin with, and her tendency to share things in a way that made it seem like she was mind reading or seeing the future was freaky, even to me and Jeff. Maybe mostly to me and Jeff.
“Lizzie’s a big girl,” Jeff said. “Bigger than you. That should mean she gets her own room and doesn’t have to share.”
“But all the big girls and boys are sharing,” Jamie said. “Upstairs and here, too. You and Mommy share, too, Daddy.”
“It’s fine,” Lizzie said. “There’s room in my room ’cause it’s totes big. Nadine can stay with me if you guys want.”
Christopher handed Becky to Amy. I blinked and he was gone. Blinked again and he was back. “There are two beds in Lizzie’s room now. When we came upstairs there was only one. So, I guess that means the Operations Team got the message.”
“Okay, um, well, I guess that’s settled then. Lizzie, are you sure you’re okay with this? We have plenty of room and the other bed can go in Charlie’s room just as easily as yours.”
“No, really, it’s fine, Kitty. Promise.”
Had a feeling that something had happened while we were downstairs, but had no good way to ask in front of the kids. “Well, it’s bedtime for the two who get to sleep in their rooms alone, then.”
Jeff handed Jamie to Lizzie. “Okay, Charlie first.” He took our son from Mom. “Back soon, Jamie-Kat. Enjoy your special time.”
With that we headed to Charlie’s room. “Any guess for what’s going on?” I asked him quietly.
“A little. Tell you once Charlie’s in bed.”
“Oh good. More mystery. Just what today needed.”
CHAPTER 39
EVEN THOUGH IT WAS A NEW, strange place, doing our regular bedtime ritual was soothing. We tucked Charlie in, sang songs to him, and made sure that his Poof and Sugarfoot the cat were both on his bed. Duchess was already settled in her dog bed and Wilbur was in his, right next to hers. They were on one side of Charlie’s crib. The two Peregrine hammocks were on the other side, already filled by a younger set of Peregrines, Mork and Mindy, who had attached to Charlie pretty early on.
Two ocellars and some random Poofs were in here, too, lounging in their Poof Condo. I knew without asking that the moment Jeff and I left the room that they’d be on the bed, but we all chose to pretend that they’d stay where they were supposed to.
Baby monitor set up, songs all sung, we kissed Charlie goodnight and headed out, our half of his baby monitor in Jeff’s pocket.
“Before we get Jamie, seriously, what’s going on?”
“I can’t be sure, baby, but I think that Jamie’s picked up Lizzie’s anxiety.”
“She doesn’t seem anxious to me. I mean, anymore. She was freaked earlier, which was totally understandable, but why be anxious now?”
“Because her adopted father isn’t here. He’s at the Embassy and that means that, to her, she’s alone again.”
“But she has us. I mean, seriously, Pierre and Vance have announced her as my ward.”
“Yeah, but she isn’t convinced that she’s got us for the long haul.” Jeff ran his hand through his hair. “Like you said earlier, she’s been through a lot.”
“True, though Nightcrawler isn’t deserting her. He was disappointed that she wasn’t going to be in the family suite with him. I think he was as confused as I was by the Elves moving Lizzie in here. Jamie, on the other hand, plans for her Uncle Benjamin to move into the White House with us at some point.”
Jeff grunted. “I have no objection, but he’s currently Embassy staff so that doesn’t really work. Meaning that Lizzie’s going to be living separately from her father, and that has to feel like desertion, or at least a loss.”
“And right after she’s lost the Dingo and Surly Vic, too.” Just like I had.
“Yeah. Two of the men she knew as her new family are dead and gone, and she didn’t get to say goodbye to them.”
“And her father almost died, too. And, regardless of who’s sleeping where, he’s off doing things that are dangerous again, and what happens to Lizzie if something happens to him? I mean, obviously, she stays with us and remains with and within our family, but she doesn’t know that, does she?”
“Ah . . .” Jeff had a funny look on his face and he wasn’t really looking at me.
Turned around to see Lizzie standing there. Couldn’t read her expression. “I was coming to tell you . . .” She stopped, scrunched up her face, then threw herself into my arms and started sobbing.
I was shocked, but I’d been a teenaged girl before, and the right course of action wasn’t that hard to come up with. Hugged her tightly and rocked her a little. “It’s okay,” I said quietly when her crying slowed down. “It’s hard to have your life upended once, let alone twice. And now for the third time.”
Jeff put his arms around both of us. “Like Kitty said, it’s okay. Your father is part of our family, and that makes you part of it, too. Forever. I promise.”
Lizzie was still crying but she relaxed more and more. Finally her body felt normal. Kissed the top of her head. “You won’t be alone again, or deserted, or anything like that. In fact, get used to not getting a lot of alone time, just because that seems to be how A-Cs roll. They’re big on the once in,
never out mindset. And family is who you choose, too. Like I told you, my family is larger than it seems. Amy, Chuckie, Sheila, Brian . . . my parents consider all of them family. And you’re now part of that, too. Besides, you’re apparently the big sister Jamie’s always dreamed of.”
She managed a laugh. “Thanks. I hope. I’m sorry. Jamie and Charlie are awesome. I was coming to tell you that Jamie had Nadine, Sol, and Angela tuck her in and . . . heard you . . . and . . .”
I was still holding her but I hugged her again. “Heard us discussing possible outcomes.”
“Yeah.”
Tried to think of what would really make her feel like everything was really alright. “It’s okay. No matter what Mister Dash may be doing, Megalomaniac Girl and Superman will always need your help.”
She took her face out of my neck and smiled at me. “Quick Girl is always ready for action.”
Jeff chuckled. “Good. I hope the action Quick Girl is ready for right now, however, is bedtime.”
“She’s almost fifteen.”
“And I’m the President and I make the rules, and tonight our teenager is going to bed early.”
“It’s okay. Nadine and I are going to compare places in France we’ve been. She and her sisters are from Euro Base. They don’t sound French, but they are. That’s totes weird, isn’t it?”
Couldn’t help it, I laughed. “That, in a nutshell, is life with A-Cs.”
“I think I should be offended somehow,” Jeff said, looking a little hurt, as we broke out of our group huddle.
“Nah. You get used to it. After a while at least.”
Lizzie grinned. “That’s what Mister Dash says.” She heaved a sigh. “I miss my dad.”
“He misses you, too. We’ll get through the current madness and then things will settle down.” Oh, sure, I was probably telling a real whopper, but a girl could dream, right?
