by Gini Koch
“You’re working him over,” Jeff said. “To the point that I may not be able to keep on reading him. He was interested in Gardiner while his wife was alive but made no advances, at least as far as I can read. So there’s guilt and lust and panic, plus everything else he’s feeling. You have him on the ropes, baby, keep going.”
Confirming Jeff’s readings, Tobin was the most flustered that I’d ever seen. Time to continue pushing. “So, are you still a good guy in black if you were lusting after another woman when you were married to someone already? I’m just curious again.”
“I never strayed,” Tobin said staunchly.
“Right. I’m sure that you, the King of Fast Food and then some, never once considered stepping out on your wife. Other than, you know, with Janelle Gardiner. Seriously, was Quinton Cross that much of a smooth operator?” I’d always pegged Cross as a perverted deviant, but some people liked that sort of thing, and I was never going to try to guess what our friends, let alone our enemies and frenemies, were into.
“What would you know about my private life?” Tobin demanded.
“As much as you know about mine.”
At this, Tobin jerked, just a little, but enough for me to notice.
“He’s spied on us,” Jeff growled in my ear. “And now he’s panicked that we’ve done the same to him.”
“It sucks when turnaround equals fair play and all that jazz, doesn’t it?” I asked Tobin nicely. “But the relevant conundrum isn’t whether or not you and your cronies were spying on us. Or if we’re doing the same to you. No the question I still want answered is what your relationship with Harvey Gutermuth and Farley Pecker is.”
“Huh?” Tobin seemed utterly thrown. Either he was still focused on Gardiner or I was that good. Had to figure he was having issues due to being caught out as an adulterer in his mind or whatever, rather than that my interrogation skills had gone nova.
“Kitty, I’m moving Jeff to an isolation chamber,” Chuckie said. “He’s fine, but Christopher feels he won’t be for too much longer if he doesn’t get away from the emotional impact. Richard is going with him, along with his entire Secret Service detail, so don’t worry.”
Managed not to panic about Jeff’s condition. Just hoped they wouldn’t have to give him the adrenaline shot to his hearts. One person had never been able to hurt Jeff unless he was already weakened. Of course, the entire day had probably been an Empathic Stress Test, so it wasn’t hard to believe that if I was affecting Tobin then it was going to affect Jeff.
“I want to know your relationship with Harvey Gutermuth,” I said briskly to Tobin, so as to focus on interrogation and not worrying about my husband, “and I want to know now.”
“I’m not interested in Harvey!”
Didn’t need Jeff to tell me that Tobin had taken my question to be about sexual interest. Managed not to laugh or roll my eyes, but only because I was in the moment, so to speak. “Interesting place your mind went to. I want to know what your relationship is with Gutermuth—in detail.”
“We’re business associates.” Tobin still seemed shaken, but he was recovering.
“Is he in love with Janelle, too?”
Tobin jerked. “What in the world? Do you think everyone’s zooming each other?”
“Depends on who you’re talking about. I’m fascinated, personally, that you’re taking anything I say as being sexual in nature. I wonder if the YatesCorp Board is aware of your deviant nature.”
“Now you listen here—” Tobin started.
Prince, Riley, and Duke all started growling, stood up, and moved in between us. “I believe my precious puppies want you to check your attitude. Fast.”
Tobin took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Fine. Excuse me.” The growling didn’t stop. “I’m not going to try to hurt her,” he said stiffly to the dogs.
Had to give him a modicum of credit—he was treating the dogs with more respect than I’d expected. “If only you treated me, my husband, and the rest of those trying to protect this country and world with the same respect you just gave three police dogs, we might be able to reach some kind of understanding.”
Tobin opened his mouth, then his eyes bugged. “Gah!” His eyes rolled back and he went down.
Moved fast and caught his head before it hit the ground. Then looked around. To see Siler standing there. “Wow, Nightcrawler, I think you gave Tobin a heart attack.” Put Tobin on the ground and checked, but his heart appeared to still be beating.
Siler chuckled. “He just fainted.”
“Did you know he would?”
“No. I told you, I can’t hold a blend forever. I’d been behind you so I could see his expressions and didn’t have time to get behind him when I lost the blend. At any rate, it’s convenient that he passed out. I want us moving him to a secured location now, and by that I mean to where Janelle Gardiner is. Your mother can decide what we do with him.”
As he said this Christopher, Chuckie, and Buchanan arrived. “Jeff’s fine,” Chuckie said reassuringly as Christopher barked some orders and two Field teams came in with a stretcher. “But I think, based on what just happened, we probably got him into isolation just in time.”
“I feel bad. Okay, not that bad, but still, kind of bad. It’s not every day we watch someone faint on us.”
“He was just emotionally battered,” Christopher said. “And Siler here appearing out of nowhere was the last straw. Per the empathic Field agents we had outside the room.”
“Works for me. What’s the plan for the rest of us?”
Chuckie sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Your mother wants a full accounting. Immediately.”
“Um, are we in trouble?”
Chuckie managed a grin. “I doubt it, but she’s concerned and wants everyone back in D.C. Can’t blame her. But that means we either leave the Turleens here or bring them back with us. Neither option is what I’d like.”
“Leave the majority here, but I want Muddy coming back with us. And I gave that order as the FLOTUS, by the way.”
“Not as Mata Hari? Good to know.” Chuckie went to the Secret Service agents who were nearby and gave them some instructions.
Buchanan, meanwhile, was talking quietly with Siler. Joined them. “Okay, I want to know why Nightcrawler chose that exact moment to show up. Because I don’t buy your whole ‘I lost my blend’ line.”
Siler grinned. “You’re not the only one with an earpiece. I lost the blend because I lost focus, due to the news Malcolm’s going to share with you.”
“We’ve heard from Wruck, Missus Chief,” Buchanan said.
“And?”
“And he and the two Turleens he’s with feel that they’ve got something you need to focus on far more than whatever Amos Tobin has going on.”
“And that is, Malcolm?”
Buchanan grimaced. “They’ve found a race of aliens who are not only on Earth, but have been here possibly longer than the A-Cs.”
CHAPTER 36
LET THAT SIT on the air a bit. “Um, come again?”
“Aliens are among us,” Siler said. “It’s not really that much of a surprise. If Muddy’s people can travel here without most Earthlings knowing, and the Ancients and Z’porrah can travel here, again without most Earthlings knowing, and A-Cs can land here and be hidden for decades without most Earthlings knowing, why not a race that wants to hide here and just never bothered to check in with the authorities?”
“Is that what they found? A hidden race?” Wondered if Jeff was going to be able to take this news once he got out of isolation, or if it would just put him right back in. I wasn’t an empath and the isolation chambers terrified me, but right about now, they were looking pretty good.
“Somewhat hidden,” Buchanan said. “Hiding in plain sight, so to speak.”
“Either you’re trying to be coy—which isn’t a good look f
or you—or you don’t want to tell me. Which is it, Malcolm?”
“Neither. I only want to tell you, your mother, Mister Executive Chief, Mister White the Elder, and Mister Reynolds.”
“God, I hate it when you get all official. It only means bad things.”
“Exactly.” Buchanan took my arm. “Let’s get your husband and Mister White, grab Reynolds, and get to your mother, pronto.”
Put Alpha Team in charge of getting Tobin to wherever we were getting him. Put Christopher in charge of finding out what Serene and her team were now up to. Had a brief argument with Buchanan about bringing Muddy along with us. Siler backed me, though—if we had two Turleens with Wruck, then one Turleen with us was probably the way to go.
Muddy put Lily in charge of the rest of the Turleens, and I put Viola, Carmine, and Romeo in charge of ensuring that the Turleens stayed inside Caliente Base. Thusly set up, Muddy, Siler, Buchanan, Chuckie, and I headed off to get Jeff out of isolation, my Secret Service detail and the K-9 squad coming along as a matter of course.
Isolation chambers were a combination of an iron maiden and the Mummy’s Tomb, with a lot of scientific-like extras tossed in to make them really hit eleven on the creepy scale. And every Centaurion Base had a full section devoted to them, because Jeff wasn’t the only empath who needed the regenerative fluids and the total emotional calm the isolation chambers provided.
So far, Jamie hadn’t needed to use one. Neither had Charlie. Continued to hope that my children would be spared the need. However, the isolation chamber in our rooms in the White House was rather cozy, with comfy beds that made it look more like you were staying at an austere Sheraton than going to bed with a zillion needles stuck in you.
Jeff’s Secret Service detail were guarding the door, Joseph on one side, Rob on the other, with the rest spread out a bit to watch all potential avenues of entry. Since the isolation area was basically rows of chambers, this made sense. Resisted the urge to shudder—this place and all those like it kept Jeff alive. My being creeped out by them, therefore, wasn’t important.
The beds in standard isolation chambers weren’t cushy nor comfy. They were more like large metal trays that were movable into whatever position the patient needed. Normally it was at an angle, with the head higher than the feet, and that’s what I expected to see.
Instead, we found Jeff sitting in a chair, looking reasonably relaxed. This was a new one. White was in there with him, also in a chair.
Knocked on the window. White got up and opened the door. “Are we ready to go?”
“Wow, I’m not used to seeing anyone so casual in one of these, Jeff in particular.”
Jeff stood up and shrugged. “I wasn’t at a point of collapse, baby. I was heading that way, but I could have lasted for quite a while more. It just made more sense for me to get into a chamber and relax.”
“Jeffrey saw the light of reason when Charles pointedly asked who had adrenaline with them.” White’s eyes twinkled. “I chose to come along to keep him company.”
“Uncle Richard is rarely an emotional issue for me,” Jeff added, as he gave me a hug. “And before you say it, yes, baby, you are an emotional issue for me, but for all the right reasons.”
Hugged him back. “Good. I sincerely hope you’re really all rested up and such, because we have some news we need to share with you and my mother at the same time. And Mom would like that time to be pronto.”
We headed for the main gate, which, as per usual for most Bases, was on the ground-level floor, which was currently packed with Caliente Base residents returning home. “Where are we heading?” Jeff asked Buchanan.
“Dulce. Then Bermuda.”
We all stared at him. “We’re going on an impromptu vacation?” I asked. “I’m not against it, but I kind of thought we had issues going on and all that.”
Buchanan sighed. “Trust me, we won’t be there long. At either location.”
Jeff grunted as we went to one of the larger gates that would allow several of us to go through at the same time. He shared our destination with the gate agent, said agent calibrated the gate, Jeff swung me up into his arms, I buried my face in his neck, and we all stepped through.
As always it was nauseating and, also as always, it was a hell of a lot less nauseating because Jeff was holding me. It wasn’t a long trip from Caliente Base to the Dulce Science Center, so that was good. It was going to be a lot longer to Bermuda. Made a mental note to reapply my sunscreen before we left.
As per usual when arriving at Dulce via the gates, we exited onto the Command Center Level, aka the Bat Cave, where a lot of The Future: NOW! looking science-y stuff was being used and everyone, human and A-C, was bustling about like the busiest of bees. It was a lot more crowded here than normal, because of Caliente Base being evacuated.
The majority of Earth’s A-Cs worked in the Science Center. NASA Base had the second highest A-C population, with the rest of the A-C population spread out to the other Bases worldwide. Meaning that many of the people living in the Science Center had children who’d moved to Caliente Base. So there were a lot of family groups hanging out talking, working, hugging, and so on.
Apparently we were stopping at Dulce to leave the K-9 unit with their remaining prisoners. Though it didn’t seem likely that any of them—sorta prisoners or K-9 squad—was going to be leaving any time soon.
Bud and Cujo were being shown around by Len and Kyle, who had apparently forgiven the younger guys for going to a school that wasn’t USC, playing on a rival football team from the Trojans, and being in a frat other than whatever frat Len and Kyle had been in as undergrads. Realized I didn’t know. Realized I currently didn’t care, either, but added it to the Worst Boss Ever List that I was keeping for myself.
Bud and Cujo also had expressions I was familiar with—the “I can’t believe there are this many hot chicks in the world!” looks. They were getting eyed by several of the younger Dazzlers who hadn’t gone back to Caliente Base yet. Had a feeling we’d just scored two new recruits, because if the Dazzlers were interested, it meant Bud and Cujo were smart.
Mickey and Garfield were in medical, getting treatment, and Tito refused to allow them to be taken back into custody. Melville didn’t argue much, probably because the Dazzlers on Duty were a great distraction, and also because Jeff made the “what Tito wants, Tito gets” statement and no one felt like arguing with the Top Man.
The working girls were a different situation, however. Because they were insisting they needed to come with me.
“I want to help Code Name: First Lady,” Jane said emphatically. She’d been told my name but refused to use it. Decided that there were more important battles to be fought. “We helped already. We want to help more.”
Rhonda nodded. “I think we added our share. And we’d be dead if the First Lady hadn’t saved us. We heard it was part of the plan, that the weirdo robot thing knew she’d rescue everyone, but I gotta tell you, we aren’t taking that for granted. Plus, we’re ready to kick some ass if anyone tries anything.”
“I just do not want to go back to jail,” Meriel said quietly. “Or back to our pimp. And I would like to be helpful to the people who have helped us.”
“I knew this was going to happen,” Jeff muttered. “The new jocks aren’t leaving either, and the old men aren’t going to be allowed to leave until they’re already so integrated in they won’t want to go.”
“How is this my fault? How? Just because they’re jazzed about helping out? That’s a good thing. Citizens need to be involved. Look at it as a great way of getting the recruiting process started.” Which gave me an idea. “Girls, I’d like to ask you to help work on a really important project.”
The three girls gave me their utmost attention. “Whatever you need,” Rhonda said. Jane nodded enthusiastically. Meriel looked suspicious.
“We need to create a recruitment campaign that encourages
people to sign up to become a part of Centaurion Division to protect Earth and her allies, whether they’re here on the planet or far away.”
Meriel brightened up. “Oh, a propaganda campaign! I know about those, my grandfather told me all about them.”
Decided now wasn’t the time to get all the pertinent details, especially when I took a look at Jeff and Chuckie’s expressions. “Super! So, um, you guys get started on that. You’ll have to integrate your ideas in with the larger team’s but well begun is half done and all that other Mary Poppins stuff.”
Waved Len and Kyle over, explained the new assignment, and added them, Bud, and Cujo to the mix, meaning that the prisoners would be under Len and Kyle’s guidance and watchful eyes. Gently suggested that if Officers Melville, Larry, and Curly had input they should share it as well, but made it clear that the team leader was Len with Kyle as second in command.
Working girls now put to work on something other than sexual favors, potential new jock recruits also put to good use, Len and Kyle not feeling totally left out, K-9 unit officially watching their prisoners, so to speak, and my sunscreen reapplied, we headed to the elevator bank in order to get to the main gate level, which was where Buchanan wanted us leaving from.
While waiting, a nose nudged at my knee. Sure enough, Prince was there and shoved in between me and Jeff.
Who heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Someone let Melville know that his dog wants a trip to Bermuda.”
Gave Prince some major loving while Buchanan sent a text. “He just wants to protect us.”
“I just want to know what’s going on,” Chuckie said. “Why are we going to Bermuda when Angela wants to meet with us?”
“Because she’s there,” Buchanan said as the elevator arrived and we all loaded in. It was a tight fit, and Buchanan forced our Secret Service details to take other elevators.
Evalyne shook her head. “You’re planning to go to Bermuda without us, aren’t you?”
“I’m not,” I said loyally.
