by Gini Koch
“If I report her as missing, then Cliff will be the first person the police suspect,” Cleary said.
“Now, Gideon, here we were, getting along, telling each other the truth, and you have to toss in a great big lie.”
“What do you mean?” He was trying to sound innocent. Not his best go-to voice.
“Dude, you are the first person the police will suspect, for all the reasons we all just talked about, and because Cliff isn’t considered Stephanie’s boyfriend by anyone but you, your wife, and your close staffers, in other words, people more than likely to lie to protect you. You’re calling us because you’re scared, and we are your Obi-Wan Kenobis.”
“You’re not my only hope,” he muttered.
“Yes. We are. Or you wouldn’t be chatting with us. But I have to say, your getting my reference just made me actually kind of like you. Choose your next words carefully—you don’t want to waste my like.”
“Oh, fine, yes, you’re right.”
Buchanan whispered to me again, and I passed along his question. “What else are you worried about or afraid of? We need all the facts before we can actually help you. And that is why you’re calling, isn’t it, Gideon? To ask us to help you?”
He was quiet for a few long seconds. We waited. I’d learned the sales maxim that—once the offer or big question is made—he who speaks first loses, and I’d taught it to Jeff. Buchanan had probably learned this in the womb. The three of us were utterly silent. I examined my nails to pass the time. I needed a manicure in a bad way. Apparently this trans-dimensional stuff was hard on the paws.
But finally Cleary spoke. “Yes, you’re right. I am calling to ask for your help. I have no one else I can actually trust in this situation, and yes, I trust you because your reputations are very strong as both reformers and defenders.”
“We’re flattered,” Jeff said in a tone that indicated we really weren’t. “But we need the rest of the answer to Kitty’s question. What are you afraid of?”
“I’m worried that this could be a setup, to trap me in some way. To force me to do things I don’t want to do—change my vote on certain bills, use my influence with lobbyists or my constituents in a way I don’t want, commit crimes I find abhorrent or reprehensible.”
Managed not to ask for the list of what Cleary—Mr. I Have An Unwilling Android As My Running Mate—would find unsavory. It was too early in the morning to have my stomach that upset.
“That makes sense,” Jeff said. “And it might be a trap. We aren’t going to alibi you about Stephanie’s romantic liaisons, you know.”
“I wouldn’t ask because I’m aware that your only proof is hearsay from me. I don’t want your help in court—I’m praying we don’t end up in court over this. I’m hoping Stephanie is alive and unharmed. I just don’t believe that it’s safe to assume that’s the case. Something’s happened. Either Cliff has her or, as you just suggested, he did or said something to her that caused her to run away. But no matter what, I know in my bones that she’s in danger.”
Buchanan whispered to me again and again I passed it right along. “I think we need to see where Stephanie was living. In case there are any clues about where she’s gone.”
“We’ve searched her rooms. We didn’t find anything.”
“Gideon, don’t take this the wrong way, but there’s no way you’ve searched like an A-C can search, and there’s also no way that you’ve figured out A-C thought processes in the short time you’ve had Stephanie with you. Trust me. I’ve been immersed for years and they still baffle me at times.” Ignored the hurt look Jeff shot at me. “So, what’s going to be our reason for dropping by your residence? It needs to be believable, especially since said residence is in Florida and we are, currently, in Australia and due back in D.C. pronto.”
“Can’t you, ah, just take a gate here?”
“No,” Jeff said flatly. “We aren’t going to be sneaking around to help you out. If we’re helping you, it’s going to be aboveboard and seen.”
Something clicked. “Wait a second. You’re in Florida at the Governor’s Mansion. Stephanie was in Florida. What the hell was Cliff doing taking her out in Florida? He lives in the D.C. area.”
“He keeps an apartment in Florida,” Cleary said. “He’s from here originally, I believe. He flies down at least once a month, usually more often. Sometimes I’m sure he takes a gate, but most of the time he flies.”
“Amazing how he can do that on a government salary,” I said quietly to Jeff and Buchanan. “Gideon,” I said in a louder voice, “come up with a reason for us to visit. Make it good, and make it something that won’t reflect badly on us. If it reflects badly, or you make it sound like you are helping us, well, we’re going feel obligated to mention that the just-out-of-her-teens A-C you snatched away from us has gone missing. And we all know you don’t want that.”
He sighed. “No, I don’t. I’ll come up with something.”
“Make it fast,” Jeff said. “The President expects us to be heading for home in the next few hours.”
“Call back on a regular line, too. We’ll roll with whatever your reason is, as long as it fits the parameters we just outlined.”
“I will do. And . . . thank you. I honestly appreciate this more than you probably will believe.”
With that we hung up and the three of us looked at each other. “So, do we think Stephanie’s freaked out about murdering people or is there more going on?”
“There’s always more going on, Missus Chief,” Buchanan said. “I think it’s time to call in the one person who has experience with Stephanie as a traitor who is also your friend.”
“Really?” Jeff asked. “You want to bring Siler in on this? Now?”
Buchanan nodded. “He’s interacted with her and I think she may still believe he’s on the Mastermind’s side. But even if she knows he’s working with us now, he’s seen a side of her that none of the rest of us have, and he may be able to predict where she’s gone.”
“And you just happen to have him on speed dial.”
Jeff groaned. “A call to Siler means a call to Kitty’s ‘uncles.’ Do we really want to involve those people in whatever’s going on?”
During Operation Defection Election we’d met Benjamin Siler, the child of the Ronald Yates-Mephistopheles in-control superbeing and Madeline Cartwright. They’d done things to Siler and, among other weirdnesses, he didn’t age like normal people. His uncle had rescued him from life as his parents’ lab rat, and trained Siler in his profession—assassination.
Siler worked frequently with my “uncles,” the top assassins in the world. Peter “The Dingo” Kasperoff and his cousin, Victor. Somehow they’d adopted me as their niece and helped me out when they could.
“Frankly, I trust the Dingo Dog and Surly Vic a lot more than I trust most of the politicians in Washington, including the one who just called us on the secret telephone. So if Nightcrawler brings them along, so much the better.”
“I’ll leave that to his discretion,” Buchanan said.
“Is he here already?” Among Siler’s abilities was the fact that he could “blend,” which made him invisible to humans or A-Cs. It was more of a chameleon effect than real invisibility, but it was effective, even though he couldn’t hold his blend for too long. So, the possibility existed that Buchanan had already called in his version of the cavalry and Siler was just hanging out in here, unseen.
Buchanan chuckled. “No, but he’s nearby.”
“Why?” Jeff asked.
“Because I wanted backup in case Missus Chief didn’t come back right away.”
Thought about this. “Oh. The Mastermind has upped his game and you were willing to do the stopgap fix and hire a hit on Cliff.”
Jeff looked shocked. “We can’t condone assassination.”
“I’d condone anything that would get Cliff, LaRue, Reid, all their
clones, and all their evil dead gone and buried forever.”
Buchanan nodded. “I assume the LaRue and Reid clones backed up Goodman’s memory and have clones of him on the way. But killing him would give us a little time, and it’s time we might need. My gut tells me that he’s going to make a big move soon, and if we’re not ready, we’ll all be destroyed.”
CHAPTER 4
“I CAN AGREE WITH THAT. In the other universe, he was definitely making his big move. There were enough parallels that it’s really possible he’s ready in this universe as well.”
“Murdering eight of our Secret Service detail, and they were eight men who reported to him, sounds like moving up a timetable to me,” Jeff agreed. “Especially since he was trying to frame Buchanan here.”
Who nodded. “I think the Mastermind trying to get me out of the way indicates he’s ready to roll out his plan. Whatever it is.”
“Seriously, I think he’s got a death ray. He had one in the other world, and that was with far fewer scientific resources available to him. Oh, and this is a biggie that you and all the others need to know—LaRue isn’t a human. She’s an Ancient turncoat working for the Z’porrah.”
Both men stared at me. “Why did you wait to tell us this?” Buchanan asked finally.
“Dude, I’ve been home less than twenty-four hours. It’s early morning. So this is me telling you quickly. Besides, Chuckie was there when I came back and I think we all agreed that we didn’t want to tell him what’s going on until we’re sure he can handle it and we can handle him and his reaction.”
Jeff nodded. “Let’s get dressed and get ready as if it’s a normal day. We’ll figure out how to break the news to Chuck.”
“Figure out how to brief everyone other than Reynolds,” Buchanan said. “And figure it out fast. Because it sounds like we need your intel and you absolutely need ours, and there’s no way the many A-Cs who figured out who the Mastermind is are going to be able to keep that from Reynolds. I’m not even convinced you can keep it from him, Missus Chief. He knows you better than anyone else, and I’m pretty damn sure he knows when you’re lying to him.”
“Maybe we can focus him on the Stephanie situation?” Jeff asked.
“That would tell him that his supposed best friend is dating your niece on the sly, and I can guarantee that Chuckie will put two and two together immediately because of that.”
“We’ll think of something,” Jeff said, rather desperately. “We only need to keep it from him for a little while anyway, right?”
Buchanan stood up to leave. “Depends on when you want Reynolds on a murderous rampage. Because the minute he knows, I can guarantee that’s going to be his reaction.”
“He’s normally a very calm, controlled person. And I’m saying this based on years of experience with him.”
“Yes, and I’m saying this based on an understanding of human motivations and reactions learned over time. And from your mother. He’s not going to be the man you’re used to.”
Jeff nodded. “He’s been dealing too long and too poorly with losing Naomi. This is a betrayal of the highest order, baby. We’re all prepped to have to lock him into isolation for his own safety.”
“Wow. I go away for a couple of weeks and everyone’s got delusions of doom going. Fantastic.”
Buchanan grinned. “I’m sure you can handle it, Missus Chief.” With that he left.
Jeff and I showered and got dressed. Okay, we showered, had a lot of mind-blowing sex, and then dressed. Hey, I’d been gone for ages.
Would have said it was nice to be back in my own clothes, but technically I’d never not been in my own clothes. Still, I enjoyed my own selection of concert T-shirts. Based on all that was going on, I chose an Aerosmith T-shirt, because it was always wise to go forth with my boys on my chest. Jeans, my Converse, and a No Doubt hoodie completed my ensemble. Ready for anything. I hoped.
As Jamie woke up there was a knock at our door. I opened the door while Jeff got Jamie to find Chuckie standing there. “Hey, Kitty. How are you?”
“Um, fine? Why are you asking me that at this time of the morning?”
Jeff came out with Jamie. “Hey, Chuck.” He looked and sounded guilty. Not good. “What’s up?” I trotted over to give Jamie a kiss and hug and hopefully distract Chuckie from Jeff’s expression.
“I . . . wanted to talk to Kitty. Alone. For a few minutes.”
Jeff and I looked at each other. “Fine by me.” I figured I had the best shot of lying and besides, Jeff was about to give away that something was up.
Jeff nodded. “Don’t be too long. We need to do a big, fast debrief. And bring you up to speed on our latest early-morning phone call.”
Chuckie nodded and spun on his heel, seemingly uninterested in our phone call. I quickly followed him out of the room. “Where to?”
“My room here is fine.” He led me a few doors down and we went into a room that looked just like the one we’d just left, only a bit smaller. The A-Cs were all about conformity.
We sat on the couch. “So, what’s up?” Figured it was going to be a lot safer for him to lead the conversation.
“A couple of things.” Chuckie looked at his hands, which were clasped together, his forearms leaning on his thighs. “What was he like?”
“Who?”
“The me in the world you were in.”
Knew he wasn’t asking lightly, so I considered my reply before I gave it. “Basically you. With a slightly different life. But you.”
“Was he . . . happy?”
“Mostly, yeah. He’d been lying to Other Me for years about what he really did, and that was taking its toll. And he blamed himself for their Jamie’s presumed autism. I, ah, fixed both of those, I’m pretty sure. And you guys over here probably did, too.”
He nodded but didn’t say anything, and he still wasn’t looking at me.
“Um, why?”
Chuckie sighed. “Because everyone’s hiding something from me, and it started shortly after the other you arrived. I think . . . I’m worried that there’s something awful about the man I am in that other universe.” He looked up at me. “And if he’s got a bad streak, then I do, too.”
And here was the problem with everyone lying to the smartest guy in any room—it was too easy for him to come up with believable scenarios that were both wrong and detrimental to his mental and emotional health. And he was just as likely to freak out if he thought he was some kind of monster in another world as he was if he knew what Cliff was really up to.
“There was nothing wrong with the you in that universe, Chuckie. Nothing at all. If I’d had to stay there forever, I’d have found a way to stay happily. As your wife. Because, just like here, you’re still one of the greatest guys I’ve ever known.”
Pondered my next statements carefully. Everyone was walking around Chuckie as if they were stepping on eggshells. And I’d been worried about Chuckie’s reactions to the truth, too, in part because everyone else was worried. But, despite what Buchanan and Jeff said, I knew Chuckie better than anyone else alive. And while everyone wanted to tell me Chuckie would go all Mr. Hyde on me if he knew what was really going on, I was the one with the life experience with him, and I didn’t buy it. Charles in the other universe hadn’t flipped out and, as I’d just said, they were basically the same guy. Time to treat my best friend like my best friend.
I took his hands in mine. “But I do know why everyone’s acting weird around you.”
“So, tell me.”
“See, here’s the thing. Remember when Joey Tucci had asked me to the Senior Prom and you knew he planned to rape me if I didn’t say yes to having sex with him somewhere during the night?”
“Yeah,” he growled. “I was scared as hell to tell you, because I wasn’t sure if you’d believe me, or hate me for ruining your expected good time, but I had to.”
“Right.
You told me because you loved me and trusted me to listen to you. You told me I couldn’t react the way I’d want to. And I did listen to you and I didn’t go kick him in the balls or run him over with my dad’s car.”
“Yeah. You told him you’d gotten asked by someone you liked more and were being kind and not leading him on. Then you asked me instead.” He smiled at me. “That’s probably my favorite high school memory.”
“I’m fond of it, too.”
“So, what’s the thing you need to tell me that you don’t want me overreacting to?”
Sent a small prayer up to ACE, Algar, Naomi, and any other superconciousnesses or superpowered beings who might be listening. “We’ve figured out who the Mastermind is.”
Chuckie was quiet for a few long moments. “No one’s told me. And everyone started acting strangely once the other Kitty was here. So, that means there was a Mastermind in the world she was from, doesn’t it?”
“Got it in one. It was very Age of Apocalypse there. People who were good here were bad there and vice versa. People dead here were alive there and vice versa again. But some people were exactly the same, both good and bad.”
“Yes, we got a lot of that from the other you.” I could see the wheels turning in Chuckie’s brain. “So, the Mastermind there is someone I know here, and probably trust, because otherwise, why keep this information from me?” He looked stricken. “I’m not the Mastermind there, am I? Him, I mean.”
“Dude, seriously, why are you so down on yourself? No, of course you’re not the Mastermind there, any more than you are here. But to be sure of the overriding theory . . . did you participate in a mail-in chess competition before I met you?”
He nodded. “In grade school. I won. The people who ran the contest were thrilled. They made a huge deal about it, and I told my teacher, who told the class.” His face clouded. “And that was when I learned, definitively, that being known as the smartest person around was the fastest way to being the butt of every joke, the focus of every bully, and more, all of it bad.”
