by Gini Koch
Tito was in great shape and having a field day. He’d already been taking care of the flyboys and was trotting around explaining injuries and symptoms.
Animal Planet got gurneys, too. “What are we going to do about the ships?”
Chuckie sauntered over. “Already handled. If you folks would be so good as to cloak them again, the C.I.A. will ensure no one comes by to disturb them.”
“Just to put tracking devices on them?” Neeraj asked.
Chuckie smiled. “Of course not.”
Jareen nodded “Because they’re already on.”
Chuckie shrugged. “It’s a living.”
I heard some bellowing. Martini was being forced onto a gurney. “Excuse me.” I trotted over. “Jeff, stop it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with me!”
“Claudia had to harpoon you. I’m sure Kyrellis at least cracked some of your ribs. If what we’re expecting is coming, wouldn’t it be nice to go into isolation now, so that, you know, you’re awake, alive, and functioning?”
“But I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I’ll keep James with me, okay? Or the girls. I have to find a dress. Trust me, I’ll be busy.” The panic about the dress hit again.
He caught it, of course. Strangely enough, it calmed him down. “Okay. You’ll be okay?”
“Yes. Does Harlie go into the isolation tank with you?”
“No. Out of the pocket, take care of Kitty.”
Harlie crawled out, rubbed up against Martini’s neck and chin, purring like mad, then jumped to me and hopped into my purse.
Martini pulled me to him and kissed me. “You be good.”
“I’ll do my best, Jeff.”
He stroked my face. “I wanted to go back and take a bath.”
I laughed. “If we’re really getting married in about a day and a half, then you’ll have to wait anyway.”
He kissed me again. I was ready to let him take me here in front of everyone. Truly, the man was the god of kissing.
Martini pulled away slowly and looked quite pleased with himself. “I always want to make you feel like that.”
“I’ll make sure it’s in the wedding vows.”
CHAPTER 58
THE ALIEN SPACESHIPS WERE CLOAKED and being guarded by a lot of buff guys in dark camouflage fatigues. The rest of our equipment was back in Area 51, and the injured were at the Science Center, whose personnel had returned from wherever they’d gone for lockdown. Martini was in isolation with Security around him, just in case.
I wasn’t with him for a variety of reasons. Isolation meant isolated, of course, and I needed to rest and regroup and all that good stuff, too. But the real reason was that the isolation chambers creeped me out beyond belief. I’d rather fight Bitch Leader again than have to watch them put Martini into the scientific cross between Frankenstein’s lab and The Mummy’s Tomb, complete with extra special effects including tubes and wires running into his body and head. Supposedly this was harder to observe than experience, and I had no desire to put it to the test.
Kevin, Chuckie, and Gower assigned teams to search the Science Center from top to bottom, including the old water pipe. No bombs, bugs, or anything else strange were found.
“Still want to know how the prisoners got away,” Chuckie fretted.
I thought about it. “Oh, duh. Paul, ask ACE if Lilith did it.”
Gower twitched a bit. “Yes, ACE is pretty sure the other superconsciousness removed the prisoners. He apologized for not mentioning it before. Even a superconsciousness can get distracted, apparently.”
“No worries. Solves that problem.” I had a much bigger one. “I need to go shopping.”
“Kitty, when did you sleep last?” Chuckie looked concerned.
“I don’t remember.”
Reader put his arm around my shoulders. “I’ll take care of it.”
“But James—”
“I’m fine. I had a lot of rest. You get some sleep. Then we can take care of everything else. I’ll line up the dress options while you and your many bridesmaids take a breather, okay?”
“You conspired with the families to get us married this weekend.”
The cover-boy grin was in full force. “Of course. You two were heading for a disaster. Eloping to Vegas is a great plan.”
“Eloping with our entire families and almost all our friends?” A thought occurred. “What about my friends most of you don’t know about?” It was one thing not to ask my other sorority sisters to be bridesmaids. It was another to move my wedding up by six weeks and not share that news until after the fact.
Chuckie shrugged. “I know all your friends from college. Already did the list comparison with your mother. Those who received invitations in the mail were advised that things had been moved up. Most of them will make it.”
“How?” I looked at Chuckie and Reader suspiciously. They both contrived to look innocent. “Who’s paying to get them out here?”
Chuckie grinned. “It’s amazing how we need a really good cover story for what’s gone on here, something to distract attention away from interplanetary and terrorist issues. A huge wedding is just the thing.”
“How did the C.I.A. get involved in my wedding day?”
Reader grinned. “You invited Reynolds and your mother.”
“Good point. I’m almost afraid to ask what else is coming.”
Reader shrugged. “It did spiral a bit out of what I’d originally planned, yeah.”
“I don’t want to know, do I?”
Reader kissed my forehead. “Probably not. Let’s get you into bed.” He nodded to Chuckie and took me to the elevators.
“I thought Jeff was going to stay on Alpha Four.”
“I don’t know why.” We got into the elevator. “Man lives for you.”
“He’d make a good king.”
“Probably. Doesn’t matter. He declined.”
“Because of me.”
Reader hugged me. “Yeah. He made the first selfish choice I’ve ever seen. About time, too.”
“But he’s the leader.”
“Even leaders deserve to be with the person they love.” We got out on the 15th floor and went to the Lair. “You think you’ll be okay down here?”
“Well, you could stay with me, but I think that would cause Jeff and Paul some major issues.”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
I remembered something I’d wanted to ask. “What did you name your Poof?”
He looked embarrassed. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Oh, come on. I’ll find out Christopher’s, too, you know.”
“I’m sure. Gatita.”
I thought about it and did a translation. “That means Kitty in Spanish.”
“Yeah, it does.” He kissed my forehead. “Go to sleep now. I’ll come and get you by midafternoon. If you wake up sooner, just call me.”
“Okay.”
Reader grinned. “Trust me. I’ll have everything taken care of, and anything you don’t like we’ll be able to change. Okay?”
“I’ll trust you.”
He grinned again, kissed my cheek, then left, closing the door quietly, but firmly, behind him. I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and the exhaustion hit. Staggered to the bedroom, stepped out of my shoes, lay down, purse, jacket, dress and all still on, and went to sleep.
I woke up and could tell I wasn’t alone. It was light in the room, but I had no idea what time of day it was. Tried to figure out if I was in trouble and where the other entity was. There was pressure on my chest. I managed to move my head a bit and look down. To see Harlie and Poofikins asleep between my breasts, curled around each other. Harlie looked at me, purred, curled back up, and went back to sleep. I decided to follow suit.
Woke up again and knew I wasn’t alone, and this time I knew it was someone other than the Poofs. I opened my eyes and looked around. No one I could see. Sat up, got to hear much Poof grumbling as they tumbled from my chest to my lap. Still no one in the room.
But the bedroom door was closed, and I’d left it open.
I moved the Poofs back into the jacket pocket that didn’t have my iPod in it, got my Glock out of my purse, and got out of bed as quietly as I could. Checked the closet and under the bed—nothing. Crept to the door. Opened it like I’d seen Chuckie do, from the side so the wall would block me, pointed the Glock out.
“Whoa there, Superagent Girl. Gun down. It’s a big crime to shoot your superior.”
I pulled the gun back. “Chuckie, what are you doing here?” I dumped the Glock back in my purse and walked out to the living area.
He was sitting on the couch, arms stretched out on the back, watching TV with the sound very low. “Got some sleep, then woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Reader brought me down here with, of course, the message that if I put moves on you, he and many others would conveniently forget I was their superior and rip me a new one, literally, and so on.”
“Why are you watching TV?” I yawned and went to the fridge. “Coke or Cherry Coke? Or whatever?”
“Coke. And I’m watching it to relax and maybe fall back asleep. Duh.”
I opened the fridge and grabbed a Coke for him and a Cherry Coke for me. Took the straw that was in the door for me, didn’t bother for him. Tossed him his can.
“Hey, Dudette, you have to stop doing that. I hate it when it sprays.”
I snorted. “Payback’s a bitch, and so am I.” I plopped down on the couch next to him. “So, what’re we watching?”
“Reruns. Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous right now.”
“What, are you and Jeff on some scary wavelength? I thought he was only separated at birth from Jerry.”
He shrugged. “I like it. I’ve been to a lot of the places they show. It’s interesting to me to see what they were like a few years ago.”
“Yeah, you are the one with the big money.”
“So’s Martini. You’d better get used to it.”
“He lives a lot more simply than his parents do.” I thought about it. “Like you.”
“Do you want to?”
I thought about this. I knew Chuckie well enough to know this wasn’t casual talk. “I don’t know. Comfy middle class has always been fine. I like the Lair. I like Dulce and Caliente Bases. Of course, I really like the maid service, but it’s fine here. Like the dorms, only for grownups.”
“I miss the coed floor sometimes.”
“I miss having you right there sometimes. But, why are you asking about living arrangements?”
He sighed. “Martini is going to want to give you the best of everything, shower you with gifts, buy you an expensive house, the works. And I know you. That will sound great to you for a little while. Then your father’s training will kick in, and you’ll realize you don’t need ten thousand square feet even if you have a bunch of kids. You’ll feel guilty for wearing designer clothes when other people can barely afford shoes. And he won’t understand, because you liked it before.”
“What makes you so sure of all this?”
“I know him. Not like you do, but as a professional, a peer, if you will. I’ve seen how he is with you—which is nothing like he is with anyone else. He’s been to C.I.A. headquarters a lot. Every time, he’s charming to the women, nice to the men who aren’t his peers, and pissed off with me and anyone who technically has a higher rank than he does.”
“So?”
“So, he could have landed any woman there. He’s got a lot more charm than me, and every woman I work with and around thinks he’s great-looking and would give their right arm for a shot at going out with him.”
“Are you telling me I should be worried?”
He laughed. “Not about his eye wandering, no. He really is a very focused individual. I’ve seen his ‘everything’s great, no worries’ act. It’s just that, an act. But because he’s focused and you’re the one he’s focused on, he’s going to be putting that energy into making you happy.”
“Is that bad?” I was wondering where Chuckie was going with this.
“No.” He sounded exasperated. “But he’s only known you a year. I have half our lives’ experience. I can say without a doubt that it would take you quite a while to adjust to my lifestyle. Could you? Sure, because I know the things to do to make you feel right about it—we come from very similar backgrounds—and I’m fairly unostentatious. Martini is too. However, he grew up with a father who showered his wife with everything and lived on a huge estate. He comes from royalty, for God’s sake, and even though he didn’t know it, clearly Alfred’s imitated that lifestyle as much as he could within Earth-American standards.”
“I guess.”
Chuckie made another sound of exasperation. “The clothes you’ve been in, as an example—how comfortable are you in them?”
I thought about it. “Well, I like that Jeff thinks they’re really sexy.”
“And I saw your expression when you looked at the price tags. You were ready to cut a vein open. You look sexy in a concert T-shirt, Kitty. You just woke up and were sleeping in your dress and a man’s jacket, you have total bed hair, and you’re still sexy.”
“Gee, um, thanks.” I started to get up to brush my hair, but he pulled me back down.
“I’ve seen it. For years. We lived next door in the dorms, remember? Hell, even when you joined the sorority and moved in there, you looked like this half the time when I came by.”
“Yeah, I always liked to look my best. Fine, point made. And, yeah, I love these clothes, but I wouldn’t want an entire wardrobe of them.”
“Right. You love them because they’re a special indulgence. He may be an empath, but unless you set the stage right away for how you want to live, long-term, he’s going to err on the side of extravagance, and that’s going to cause major marital issues for the two of you down the road.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
He shook his head. “Because I love you, idiot. You chose him over me, fine, I’m a big boy, have to learn to deal, but, hey, I’m still around should he screw up. Of course, he chose you over ruling an entire solar system. Let’s be real—first the guy saves you at the last moment from a raving sociopath by running over a hundred miles and turning himself into the Hulk, and next he passes up total galaxy domination for you. There is no way I can ever up his ante, and he’s not even doing it in competition with me—he’s doing it because he loves you so much.”
“Sometimes I think he thinks he’s competing with you.”
“He’s jealous as hell, yeah. Can’t blame him, really. Even the gay guys drool over you.”
“James doesn’t drool.”
“Right. Put it this way: I can understand why Martini and Gower wonder about the two of you.”
“Humph.”
“Play coy; it’s cute, and doesn’t fool me.” He hugged me. “I love you, okay? Yeah, romantically, but also as a friend. And that’s all I’m getting, the friend part. So, as your friend, instead of letting you make a mistake that could cause that ‘mating for life’ idea to seem passé, I’m giving you the talk your parents can’t, because they have no experience like this, and the one your other friends won’t because they aren’t aware it’s an issue.”
I hugged him back. “Okay, fine. And thanks. I’ll make sure to get the ground rules on extravagance set early, okay?”
Chuckie kissed my forehead. “Good.” He let me go. “Now go get changed, and please, God, brush your hair. I promised Reader I’d get you over to him once you were up and functioning.”
“I thought you said I looked sexy like this.”
“Only if we’re going to fall into bed together and you’re going to realize you don’t love Martini and run away to Australia with me.”
“Love you, but no.”
“That’s what I figured. So, go make yourself presentable even to those who don’t want to jump your bones.”
“You are so smooth.” I got up to go into the bedroom.
“That’s why I’m one of Australia’s most e
ligible bachelors.”
“Really?” This was news.
He shrugged. “Yeah. Just means all the bimbos and gold diggers come calling.”
“We’ll find you a nice girl.”
“No. I found a nice girl. She just chose a nice alien instead.” I opened my mouth, but he put his hand up. “You don’t apologize for falling in love with a good man who’ll take care of you and die for you if he has to, Kitty. Real men know how to take it.”
I leaned down and hugged him tightly. He held me, but not too long. I straightened up and went to the bedroom. “You are a real man, Chuckie. You always have been, since we were thirteen years old.”
CHAPTER 59
I GOT INTO THE BEDROOM and was rather proud of myself for not feeling overwhelmingly weepy. I was glad I’d had this talk with Reader already, because there was a part of me still afraid of getting married. I wasn’t afraid to marry Chuckie—the comfort level was so high with him that it wouldn’t seem awkward.
On the other hand, the uncertainty and potential risks that would come with Martini were both appealing and a little scary. On the other hand, the sex more than made up for a little apprehension.
I went to the closet. The sexy outfit I now owned two of was there and clean, and there were shoes to match. The A-C Elves really were top-notch. Decided to go for it and hoped Martini would get out of isolation soon and be happy about my outfit choice.
“Chuckie, do I have time to take a shower?”
“Yes, please,” he called. “The others might lie to you, but, trust me, you need one, unless your new fragrance is Eau de Rank.”
“Thanks ever, Mister Smooth Operator.”
“If I were smooth, I’d have told you I’d shower with you. Close the door—I’m human, and there’s only so much temptation I can take.”
I shut the bedroom door and the bathroom door. Took one of the faster showers of recent times. Of course, the rare showers without Martini were, by their very nature, faster than what I’d become accustomed to. Dried off, combed the hair into a severe ponytail, found lingerie in the drawers that matched the naked with fabric outfit. It made me look only slightly less naked, but I decided to call it a win. Shoes fit, all was well. Poofs and iPod transferred from Martini’s bedraggled jacket to my purse, ready for action.
