by Gini Koch
“I know. But you’ll know if I’m in trouble.” A thought occurred. “Speaking of which, can you pick up anything emotionally from anyone who might be at Dulce?”
“No, and I’ve been trying. I’m betting that means there’s an emotional blocker or enhancer, or many of them, over there.” His brow furrowed. “That could mean I won’t be able to feel you when you’re there.”
“We’ll manage. I promise to call for help if we need it.”
Jeff put his finger under my chin and tilted my head up. “I’ll hold you to that.” Then he bent and kissed me. Like always, his kiss was amazing—sensuous and arousing. And also like always, I was ready to go to bed by the time he slowly ended the kiss. He chuckled. “Nice to see your laser focus on the priorities is still intact.”
“Always.” I hugged him tightly. “We’ll be fine. I promise.”
“Prove it to me by coming back quickly and in one piece. You know, do you want me to take you through the gate?” he asked, just a little too casually.
“Nice try. Do I need to call Chuckie down here to do his Vulcan Nerve Pinch thing to keep you under control?”
Jeff sighed. “No. I just thought I’d offer.”
White kissed Nurse Carter goodbye, came over, and took my hand. “I’ll handle my partner, Jeffrey. You go off and handle the things we can’t.”
“Fine, fine.” Jeff didn’t budge.
“William, are you on the com?”
“Yes, Ambassador. I’ve advised Mister Reynolds. He’s heading downstairs now.”
Jeff rolled his eyes. “Fine! I’m going, I’m going. We’re all going.” He ushered Nurse Carter and Amy before him and they all headed for the stairs. Jeff looked over his shoulder as he started up. “Just remember that the main military base we call on for support is most likely under siege, and that means any real firepower will take a lot longer to arrive.”
“We will do, Commander.” This earned me a grin, then Jeff headed upstairs. I heard him and Chuckie start kvetching at each other. Well and good, they were taken care of.
“Nice to see he thinks we’re completely incapable,” Christopher muttered.
“He just wants to go with us. Mister White, if you’d do the gate honors.”
White spun the dial and calibrated the gate for us to go one at a time to Caliente Base. “Dad, you go first, I’ll go last,” Christopher said.
White shot a look over his shoulder. “Missus Martini?”
“Sure, I guess. We’re going to a base we know is secure. Mister White, then Malcolm, Rahmi, Tito, Adriana, Rhee, me, and Christopher. Sound good?”
“Yeah,” Christopher said. I wondered if this was some holdover thing for him from when he’d been Head of Imageering.
“Great. We’ll get weaponed up once we’re all there.”
One by one everyone stepped through. As Rhee did the slow fade that was like a nausea appetizer to my stomach, I steeled myself for the trip. But before I could go through, Christopher put his hand on my arm. “Kitty, I need to tell you something.”
It dawned on me that I hadn’t asked Christopher what he could see of our people. Considering his Surcenthumain boost had given him the ability to see beings in the Alpha Centauri system—both externally and, in that creepy-but-good way we seemed to attract naturally, internally—this was an oversight on my part.
He looked worried and serious, and my stomach knotted. “What can you see from over there? Are our people okay?”
His shoulders slumped. “That’s what I wanted to tell you. I . . . I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
Christopher shook his head. “For the past few months my abilities have been . . . diminishing. Once all the chaos was over and Chuck and Naomi were married, I tried to see Alexander and the others on Alpha Four, to see if I could tell what was going on. And . . .”
“And?”
“I couldn’t. I couldn’t see anyone. I tried everything, but came up with nothing. I could still see people on Earth, though. But that’s been fading. My range has gotten less and less. Right now I can only see inside someone if I’m touching them. Otherwise, nothing.”
Had no idea what to say. “Wow,” seemed to about cover it. Congratulated myself on keeping the “that totally sucks” and “well this day just keeps on getting better and better” comments to myself. This diplomacy gig was good for something. “What about your speed?” In addition to his expanded imageering talents, Christopher had become the fastest A-C in the world due to the Surcenthumain.
“That’s still there. I don’t know why, but that hasn’t been affected at all. But I can’t tell if anyone’s alive or dead at Dulce or Home Base. Or anywhere else for that matter.”
“Who else knows?”
“No one. I haven’t even told Amy.” He swallowed. “I don’t know if the regression is done or not.”
“We’ll have Tito test you later. Are you okay to go on this mission with me?”
“Yeah. The rest of me is fine. I can still read and manipulate images, and do everything else I could before I took the drug.”
“That’s good. Let’s get over there. You want to tell your dad or you want me to?”
He grimaced. “I don’t really want to tell anybody. I didn’t want to tell you, but I figured you were going to ask me to check on something somewhere along the line.”
“Yeah, I would have. There’s no shame in it, Christopher.”
“Yeah?” he said as he made the “after you” gesture, meaning it was time for me to head through the gate. “The only positives from my taking the Surcenthumain were my expanded powers. Now I’ve lost the majority of them. So where does that leave me?”
I patted his cheek. “Back to where you started. You know, at the awesome level.”
CHAPTER 19
DECIDED THAT CHRISTOPHER AND I had both stalled enough, took one for the team and stepped through the gate. The usual feeling of moving very slowly and very fast at the same time ensured the usual additional feeling of overwhelming nausea.
But, as with all gate transfers, it didn’t last too long and, happily, I wasn’t bounced back. I stepped forward quickly, so Christopher wouldn’t run into me, and took a look around.
Caliente Base was like a miniature version of the Dulce Science Center. If the word miniature could be applied to a huge complex that went down ten stories and was who knew how wide. Someone knew, of course, that someone just wasn’t me. I’d decided early on not to sweat the small stuff and the various bases’ dimensions definitely fell on the “small stuff” side of the house for me.
We were in the main gate level for Caliente Base, which meant that, if memory served, we were one story under ground level. This level didn’t have as many A-C bells and whistles as the rest of the base, but the impressive display of gates, computer banks, and Field agents made up for the lack of snazzy, high-tech equipment.
In the olden days of six months ago I’d have been worried, with good cause, that Rahmi and Rhee would have attacked the men. However, the princesses were actually fast learners, and they’d adjusted well to the fact that we had a lot of men around and most of them weren’t evil or in need of a beating.
I let out the breath I’d been holding—there were a lot more than our team here. To a person, every face I could see looked worried. There was a face I wasn’t expecting to see here, though. Said face was chatting with the princesses.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” I trotted over and gave him a hug.
“I was with Alfred when the trouble started,” Dad said. “I asked to come with the agents who verified Caliente Base’s gates were functional.”
“And Alfred let you?”
Apparently I hadn’t kept the shock and disapproval out of my tone, because Dad chuckled. “There was no risk, kitten.”
Chose to refrain from explaining that there was likely a lot of risk. Dad was here, in one piece, and the troops needed me focused on the matters at hand, not to be asking why my fat
her had suddenly decided he was Action Professor.
“No worries, Dad. When Jeff and Chuckie arrive, then you can tell them to go back home, and you can go back home with them.”
“You told them to go to Congress,” Christopher pointed out.
“I did. And did you notice that Jeff only argued a little and Chuckie didn’t argue at all? I hope you don’t think either one of them has actually decided to be a big boy and trust that I can handle things on my own, because that would be a ridiculous assumption on your part.”
White laughed. “I noted that Charles passed a little sign to Jeffrey.”
“I missed that, but good catch, Mister White. I made my assumption based on years of experience. Anyway, Dad, I expect them to give us a few minutes and then show up. Please let them know I’m not happy that they’re here any more than I’m happy that you’re here.”
“Will do, kitten,” Dad said with a sigh. “What’s your plan?”
“I want to see if we can get to Home Base via a gate.”
“I’ll test it,” Christopher said before anyone else could. “I’m the fastest and if the bounce back is what I expect, my speed will make it less of an issue. And if we have hostiles there waiting, again, I’m the fastest and they’ll have the hardest time hitting me.”
Chose not to argue. I didn’t want Christopher hurt, but it had to be an A-C testing the transfer, and if there was a problem he was indeed the best guy for the job. Plus, he’d been a Commander for over a decade. “Go for it, just go with a weapon at the ready.”
“And your phone on,” Buchanan added. “Wear a Bluetooth and be in contact with us.” He handed Christopher an earpiece.
“Where’d you get that?”
Buchanan gave me the “duh” look. “From the hackers. They’ve already paired the devices with everyone’s phones.” He slipped one on and handed out identical headsets to the rest of our team.
“Good thinking,” I said as Buchanan gave me mine. Decided not to ask when he’d gotten these. Could have been while we were all talking, could have been days prior. Buchanan worked in those mysterious ways and I didn’t have time or mental bandwidth to worry about said ways right now.
Christopher shot Buchanan Patented Glare #3, but acquiesced and put on the earpiece. My phone rang and I answered it. “Hello?”
“It’s me,” Christopher said, joining Buchanan in the Duh Experience. “Your bodyguard wanted me on with you, remember?”
“I was just being polite, geez. Carry on, and let’s hope that whatever’s on the other side isn’t faster than you.”
The gate was calibrated and Christopher stepped through. “I’m here,” he said a second later. “No issues.”
“We’ll come over, then,” I said.
“Wait and let me check the entire base out.” We waited. I counted. A whole fifteen seconds went by. “No one’s here. It’s completely deserted.” Good to know Christopher hadn’t been wrong about his speed still being all that and an extra-large bag of chips.
“We’re all coming, then. See if you can find us a jet that will hold the full team.”
“Do I have to?”
“Yes. Would you rather run across a state to get there?”
“You’re the only one around with a pilot’s license. So the answer is ‘yes.’”
“Ha ha ha, you’re hilarious. Find a jet and be sure it’s got a full tank of fuel. That’s an order.”
“Oh, yes ma’am. Hope your head can fit through the gate.”
“Wow, I can’t wait to get over there and hurt you. Stay on the line, just in case. And so you can hear me disparage you to everyone.”
“You’d better hurry if you want to beat Jeff and Chuck.”
He had a point, and we were both bantering because we were stalling. Decided to act like the Head of Field again and get the next phase of our plan going. “Okay, my team, let’s get over to Home Base.”
“What are you expecting over there, kitten?” Dad asked.
Saw no reason to lie and figured the troops here should probably know what was going on. “We think Ronaldo Al Dejahl is alive, well, and back in business. Clearly he has a hacker on staff now, because I don’t buy that we got hacked at the level we’ve just experienced in a random coinkydink. And, since none of the weather services or military bases or NASA picked up a sandstorm big enough to make everyone at Home Base feel security training had to move to Dulce, he’s probably also got someone who can create some seriously impressive illusions.”
“I’m coming with you,” Dad said. “And before you argue or order me to stay here, I need to remind you that there were only a few people who could hold out against his mind control, and I’m one of them.”
Dad had a point, much as I didn’t like it. Al Dejahl had expanded talents—he was an imageer and could create the illusion of being someone completely different, just like a shapeshifter. He also had troubadour talent and, as Dad had mentioned, he was really good with the mind control.
“Your father makes a strong argument,” White said quietly. “Most of our team, you and me included, are untried against my ‘brother’s’ mind control.”
“We will guard him,” Rahmi said. Rhee nodded enthusiastically.
I could argue and tell Dad to stay here, only he’d just convince someone to send him right behind us, my orders to the contrary or no. Or he’d wait and convince Jeff and Chuckie to bring him along. Better he was with me. If I chose to look at the term “better” to mean “lesser of a whole lot of evils.”
Gave it one last gasp. “I don’t think Mom would like it.”
Dad chuckled and showed me his phone. He had a text from Mom. “Be careful and remember that Kitty’s in charge. So be extra careful.”
“Oh, Mom is just hilarious. Fine, fine, Rahmi and Rhee, protect my father, please and thank you. I guess that’ll be eight more to head over to Home Base now,” I said to the A-C doing gate duty.
He nodded. “We’re ready, Commander. Do you want anyone else accompanying you?”
I’d been thinking about this. “No. But I do need to give instructions to whoever’s in charge over here.”
The A-Cs nearby looked at each other in an uncomfortable way. “Ah, the Base Leaders are all at the security training, Commander,” the gate agent admitted finally.
A niggling worry crawled up. I looked at White. Was pretty sure he was having the same worry experience. “Okay,” I said slowly. “So, when they’re gone, who covers the leadership role? You’re set up like every other military group on the planet, ergo, there’s always someone in charge.”
“Not really,” Buchanan said quietly. “If you consider our military, once you have the officers out of commission, the enlisted men fracture into their groups under their sergeants.”
“Sort of like Under Siege, got it.”
“Under what?” Christopher asked in my ear.
“An old Steven Segal movie.”
“Great. You’re going to use that as your blueprint, aren’t you?”
“Maybe.” Totally. “Okay, I want whoever is in charge of the gates, whoever is in charge of military actions, and whoever’s in charge of science and medicine within Caliente Base here in less than five seconds. I realize you’re all thinking that said individuals are over at Dulce right now, so I want you to all either choose your representative or whoever’s been doing the job the longest to show up.”
“What about weapons?” Christopher asked.
“Request whatever you and Malcolm think we need. I’ve got my Glock in my purse, so I’m good.”
While Christopher and Buchanan discussed armaments, three A-Cs appeared: two men, one woman, all extremely young. Not that A-Cs would, since alcohol was deadly to them, but I wasn’t sure that these three could legitimately buy a drink, let alone enter a bar without being carded. To a one, they looked uncertain and like they didn’t feel they should be hanging with me.
The Dazzler, who was typically gorgeous with long, curly, light brown hair and a perfect h
ourglass figure, cleared her throat. “You wanted us, Commander?”
“Names, ranks, serial numbers, please and thank you.”
“Viola Sciacca,” the Dazzler replied. “I’m in charge of the sciences right now.” She didn’t add, “I think”, at least not out loud, but her expression said it plainly.
“Carmine Giordano,” the taller male A-C said. As with all the clan, he was incredibly handsome, with a darker Mediterranean look going. “I’ve got Security, which includes the gates, Commander.” He didn’t look or sound nearly as uncertain as Viola, had, but he didn’t sound ready to take charge, either.
“Romeo Ruggero,” our last A-C shared. He was about Christopher’s size and build, but unlike Carmine, he was on the fairer side. “I’ve got military actions right now, Commander. So to speak.”
“What were you all told, when everyone else went off to the Security training?”
The three of them looked at each other. “Nothing,” Viola said finally. “Just that everyone would be back later today and to carry on with our regular duties.”
“None of us are actually in charge,” Romeo added. “But our teams felt we were the most appropriate for who you were asking for, Commander.”
“Gotcha. Okay, well, as of right now, you three are in charge here. Adapt your thinking and actions accordingly. You’re the nearest base to where we’re going, and therefore to where I expect a lot of bad things to be happening. Romeo, what’s our military status here? As in, do we have jets, tanks, or weapons?”
He nodded. “Yes, but only a handful.” He cleared his throat. “We don’t have most of our human personnel, Commander. They were all sent to Home Base for the training.”
A-Cs had reflexes that were so fast they couldn’t safely operate human machinery. Meaning that a base without human personnel was a base that couldn’t actually use any of its military vehicles.
Worry coalesced into certainty. I looked at White. “They chose their first target very well, didn’t they?”
White nodded. “I think so, Missus Martini. But I don’t know how they got to her.”
