by Gini Koch
“Oh, fine, got the hint. Thanks so much. If someone announces that he or she is the Royal Family Spy or something, you will manage to let me know?”
“With all haste, yes.”
“Super. So, any other issues we should know about that I’m sure will make my eyes cross?”
“Not that I know of, but, again, I’ll contact you if something occurs to me. Besides, if you’re feeling stressed or confused by something I tell you, just pull your top up, and I’m sure we’ll be even.” He did have a sense of humor. He hid it, but it was there.
“Point taken. Talk to you soon, Mister White.”
“I’m breathless with anticipation of the next call, Miss Katt.”
We hung up, and I tossed the phone back to Christopher. “Okay, so there’s someone here who’s spying on Jeff and probably Christopher, too. Possibly all of the Martini family. The Pontifex has no guess as to who, and we have no guess as to how many. Could be Earth A-Cs who are still loyal to the home world, could be that the home world opened the door on their side and sent one or more spies here.”
“I don’t think it’s anyone who calls Earth home,” Gower said, in his own voice. “Beverly backing Yates, that was understandable. He was our religious leader before he’d been exiled. But we have no loyalties to the Alpha Centaurion throne.”
“You know, the person I’d like to talk to about this is your mother.”
Gower looked startled. “Why? She’s an Earth woman.”
“She warned Michael, so she’s smarter than the rest of your family.” And I had to figure she’d gone through what I was going to, at least in some way. I wanted to talk to her for more than this threat—I wanted to talk to her to find out if she regretted falling in love with an A-C.
“Call your mother and ask her if she’d prefer to come here or have us to go to her.” Martini’s voice made it clear this was an order.
“She’ll want to come here.” Gower grinned. “She loves Vegas, too.”
I knew I’d be able to relate to her. “Great, let’s ensure she gets here safely.”
“I’ll have my father come with her.”
“Have them under guard.” I looked to Chuckie and Martini. “Seriously. Human and A-C. I think Chuckie’s right, and we should be considering this as an invasion of some kind. Which means I want to bring Kevin in, full-time, on this.”
Everyone in the room but Chuckie nodded agreement. We’d all like Kevin around to give Chuckie someone to focus on other than Martini or Christopher.
Chuckie, however, gave me a slow smile. “Nice try. But no. I have Mister Lewis otherwise occupied.”
“But he doesn’t report to you.”
“Oh, actually, he does. Since he’s the assigned P.T.C.U. representative to Centaurion Division, and Centaurion currently reports in to me, so does Mister Lewis.”
I tried not to grimace. “Okay.”
Chuckie grinned. “I know you’re all disappointed. However, I’ve stared down your mother, Kitty. Mister Lewis presents no challenges.”
“Jerk.”
He laughed. “It’s my job. And I’m good at it.” He looked around. “Okay, any ideas about who delivered the bug? And are there any more in the room?”
“I have a question first.”
Chuckie rolled his eyes. “What a shock.”
“Does the necklace transmit information like the bug did or does?”
Martini shrugged. “No idea. Didn’t know they were sentient, bugging us, or tracking us until this hour.”
“Let’s assume it does, in some way. That means whoever’s watching you has been watching for at least six months.”
“Okay,” Martini said, patience clearly being forced. “I can buy that. So what?”
“So, why now? I mean, why right now? It’s six weeks before we’re supposed to get married. I can understand that maybe they wanted to come out and give me whatever test it is that I’m undoubtedly going to fail, but why wait until now? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to do it, say, before you officially proposed? Or right after I said yes?”
“No idea. I don’t know these people, their archaic rituals, or why they’re coming. I just know I hate them.” Martini’s teeth were clenched.
“She’s got a point,” Chuckie said, and I realized he was speaking in a soothing tone. “Look, I’m not accusing you, hell, anyone in this room, of some sort of subterfuge. It’s pretty clear this is a surprise to all involved. Let’s get Gower’s mother and your father out here, and maybe we’ll get some answers.”
“He won’t come without my mother,” Martini said, sounding utterly depressed. “She gets upset if he comes out West without her.”
“Why?” This sounded odd, since all their family, other than Martini himself, Christopher, and White, were back East.
He sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Like every other woman in my life, apparently, she loves Vegas.”
“Great, road trip.” I looked back to Chuckie. “Whoever’s watching Jeff must be watching you.”
“Why so?”
“You got the pineapple. You know, in the Mob, that means you’re marked for death.”
“It’s not a pineapple. And we’re not dealing with the Mob. Besides, that’s F.B.I. territory.”
“I just think they’re after you, too.”
“What are you suggesting? We all go underground into one of the Bases?”
I thought about it. “Actually, no. I think we all want to be really easy to find.”
“What?” This was chorused by Martini, Chuckie, Christopher, and a few of the others.
Reader shrugged and leaned against the table next to me. “Girlfriend’s right. Why make it hard for them? Hard means we have less maneuverability. Easy means they have more of a chance of making a mistake.”
“How so?” Chuckie didn’t sound convinced.
I sighed. “Look, someone’s on Earth, someone I think it’s safe to say we can all consider at least somewhat unfriendly. We haven’t known about it, but they’ve been here at least six months. Maybe they didn’t show up when Jeff made the decision he wanted to marry me, but I feel pretty sure they showed up as soon as I put on that Unity Necklace. So call it six months. We’ve been under observation, close observation, since then. And no one, including ACE, has spotted it.”
Gower twitched. “ACE was not looking for this kind of threat.”
“Can you look now? I mean, if it’s not going to be a conscience issue.”
Gower’s head nodded. “ACE will look. ACE will tell if it will not go against how ACE must interact.”
“That’s great, ACE, and thanks.”
Gower twitched again. “I don’t mind ACE, but I hate the palsy that comes with him.” He sighed. “You’re right, though. I can tell when ACE knows something he desperately wants to tell me but feels he can’t. He’s as worried as the rest of us, but he has no idea of what’s going on any more than we do.” Gower looked directly at me. “No one in his consciousness is clear on what’s going on, either.”
Ah, I’d always known putting ACE into Gower was the right choice. So Terry had no idea of what was up, either. Then there was more going on than just the standard Royal Wedding crap. I considered that my thinking the word crap, let alone the rest of the way I spoke, thought, and acted, was probably going to guarantee that whoever was administering whatever test were going to flunk me. I wondered if Martini was going to have to listen to them and tried not to let the worry that he might get out of control.
A hand was on the back of my neck, massaging gently. He’d picked the worry up, of course. “It’ll be fine, baby,” Martini said softly.
“Let’s hope so,” Chuckie said, his voice crisp. “Because I think Kitty has a point.” He tossed the alien-detector to Tim. “Check out every single thing in this suite.” He looked at my pilots. “There are a few more of them in the small black bag on my bed. Get them, and help him.”
None of them moved. “Guys? We’re answering to Chuckie right now, remember?”
I got a couple of betrayed looks, but they all got up and did as requested. “Chuckie, you might want to remember that they haven’t adjusted to the change in chain of command yet.”
“And you might want to remember that they’re all military or A-C trained, which means they adjusted to it the moment Martini said yes. As long as you, White, and Martini are fighting it, however, they’re going to do their best to support insubordination.” He wasn’t smiling
“Don’t talk to her in that tone of voice.” Martini’s voice was low and threatening.
Chuckie faced us, and I saw, clearly, how he’d risen in the C.I.A. so fast. He wasn’t out of control, but his expression was icy, and the authority radiated off of him. “You all, all, report to me now. I’m being nice because I realize it’s a shock and you’re being attacked personally. But if you don’t get it under control within the next five minutes, I’m putting C.I.A. into every Centaurion stronghold, and that includes your family’s estate. We are in a state of international and interstellar emergency, and if you’re not part of the solution, then you are automatically part of the problem. And, better than any human alive, I know how to solve alien problems.”
CHAPTER 12
“BY KILLING US?” Martini’s voice was calm, but I could tell he was ready to attack. “No, Jeff. By outing you.”
Chuckie nodded. “I’ll do it, in a New York Minute. You’ll be so busy dealing with the world governments and worldwide human reactions that you’ll all be dead or leaving within a week.”
“You’re a piece of work.” Martini didn’t sound any more relaxed.
“No. He’s a human. And he’s C.I.A.” I turned around and looked up at Martini. “Jeff, he doesn’t want to. Don’t you understand? He spent his whole life trying to prove you all were really here. Other than my mother and her team, he’s the best friend we have in any government agency. I know you two butt heads, but that’s because you’re alpha males—you, Chuckie, and Christopher—and it’s a natural thing. You and Christopher get along only because you’re so close and closely related. But you conceding authority to Chuckie doesn’t diminish yours.”
Martini didn’t look convinced. “Why do you trust him?”
“Because I’ve known him since I was thirteen.”
“People change.”
“Sure they do. And he has. He’s become more like you. But what he hasn’t become is someone I can’t trust.” I focused all my energy on trying to show Martini what I meant emotionally. I wasn’t sure it was working—my emotions were getting jumbled for a variety of reasons.
Martini took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Fine.” He looked back at Chuckie. “We’ll get it together and keep it together. Sir.” There was no sarcasm in his tone, particularly on the last word.
“I don’t need that. I don’t want that. Kitty’s right—I’m the best friend you have right now. I’m not trying to ‘rule’ Centaurion Division. I’m trying to keep out the people who want to take over and turn you into something none of you want to be.”
Oh, I knew what that was. “The War Division.”
“Right. How’d you know?” Chuckie didn’t seem worried, just curious.
“Leventhal Reid couldn’t have been the only politician out there who could see the advantages of turning the A-Cs into weapons. The parasites are slowing down, and the only thing stopping them from pushing for a change in A-C status is the fact that ACE is in Paul, and that means Centaurion can pull out the biggest gun this planet’s ever seen.” Of course, ACE wouldn’t do it, and Paul wouldn’t okay it, but that was, at least currently, our little secret.
Chuckie’s expression told me he was in on the secret, however. I did know him well, and I could tell when he knew I wasn’t telling him everything. I could also tell when he knew what it was I wasn’t telling him. But he didn’t argue, just nodded. “Right.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Martini asked. “And what do you want us to call you?”
“What you always have, but leave off the dirty words. However, when your distant relatives appear, figure you’d all better call me something that would indicate to them that you’re not the one ultimately in charge.”
“So I’m back to what we were trying to decide before you two got into your latest fight for dominance. I think we need to be really out in the open and easy to find.”
“Why?” Martini didn’t sound convinced, but he did sound as though he was calming down, which I felt was the more desirable outcome.
“Because—and I’ll say this again since I know no one but James was listening to me—whoever’s watching Jeff and presumably Christopher is also obviously watching Chuckie. I think it’s safe to assume they know we saw the light show. They could be aware Chuckie’s in charge of Alpha Team now, or just think he’s working closely with us, but it’s his room that was bugged.”
“To me, that would indicate we should go into lockdown.” Christopher didn’t sound his usual snarky. I guessed he was still recovering from the twins’ surprise appearance. I wondered how he’d handle a typical Vegas show.
“Not if we want to find them before whoever’s coming arrives. Especially since it doesn’t seem like they’ll be coming via a gate.” I looked around. Apparently I was the only one who’d had this thought.
“Why would you say that?” Lorraine asked slowly. “It’s fast and safe.”
“It’s not grandiose and impressive. The peasants love a good show.”
Chuckie and Reader laughed. “Yeah, girlfriend, they do that.” Reader shoved off from the table. “I know where this is going. Or, rather, where we are.”
“Where’s that, James?” Martini didn’t sound as though he had any idea.
Reader grinned. “We’re gonna stay in Sin City. I’m going to order up clothing and necessities for the entire team for, how long do you think, girlfriend?”
“Week, week and a half. No A-C Elves here.”
“Right. Sounds good. We can buy that top for you later.” Reader pulled out his phone and wandered over to a far corner of the room.
“We’re staying here?” Martini sounded mildly freaked.
“Yeah, I think that might be a good idea,” Chuckie conceded. “They found me here without issue, might as well not make them work any harder.”
“Why are we doing this, exactly?” Christopher asked. “I’m not wild about being out in the open where anyone can attack us.”
“If they’re Earth A-Cs, seeing them here will be sort of an alert, wouldn’t you think?”
There was silence. I could hear Reader telling someone what to pack up for us.
“It’s a big town, with a lot of people coming through,” Gower said finally.
“It’s a big town with a lot of security all through it. This is probably the most secure town in all of the United States. Security we can tap into since we have the C.I.A. intimately involved.”
“Fine. Then you’re all moving into this hotel.” Chuckie went to the room phone and dialed.
“While you’re talking, see if they can tell you who cleaned your room and brought up the spread, particularly the pseudo-pineapple.”
“Oh, yes, Miss I’ll Take Charge.” He grinned at me, though, so I knew he wasn’t angry with me.
So did Martini. “I want to be on record that you and I are not staying on the same floor as him and you’re not, under any circumstances, sleeping in here with him.”
I looked up and over my shoulder at him. “Jeff, of course I’m not going to sleep in here with him. I’m with you, and I’ll be sleeping wherever you’re sleeping.
“Okay, Martini and Kitty, you’re in the suite on the other half of this floor,” Chuckie called, right on cue. “That keeps the floor secure. I have everyone one else on the floor directly under us. Includes room for Gower’s parents and yours, too, Martini. I took all the others that were open, too; we’ll probably need them for a variety of reasons. That fills up the floor, so we’ve got the top two. Means we have roof access without an issue as well.”
Martini started to growl. I turned around again. “Jeff, it’s a huge suite. He won’t hear us.”
“Right. I hate taking orders from him, you know.”
“I know.” I took his hand. “Tell you what. Later on? Why don’t you give me some orders? And,” I moved closer and dropped my voice, “I’ll argue about taking them.”
His eyes started to smolder. “God, I love how you think.”
“Consider this, too—we won’t be on the same floor as your parents.”
“Hmmm, maybe Reynolds is my friend after all.”
Chuckie hung up the phone. “They couldn’t reach Catering. Someone’s supposed to call me back. Housekeeping is the standard staff. But, realistically, I don’t think it was them. The pineapple thing came with the food.”
“Works for me. Jeff, you going to call your dad? And, Paul, you need to call your mom, too.”
Gower nodded, pulled out his phone, and dialed. Martini grumbled. I decided to give him incentive and wandered over to Chuckie. “We need human as well as A-C guards on the Gowers and the Martinis. What do you suggest?” I heard more grumbling, but also heard Martini dial his phone. Good, he had picked up my annoyance.
Chuckie sighed. “I’ll have Agent Lewis handle it.”
“Where is Kevin, anyway?”
“Checking out some leads it makes more sense for a human Federal officer to check out.” Chuckie grinned. “I’m not telling you, so don’t try to get it out of me.”
“I’m sure I could if I worked at it.”
His grin got wider. “Not with Martini around.”
The room phone rang before I could come up with a suitable retort, and he went to answer it. I was relieved and wistful both, which probably wasn’t good.
It was shocking to me to realize I was finding it harder to be here with Chuckie than I’d expected. This part of the Mandalay Bay hadn’t existed when we’d been here, but we’d stayed in the complex. The part of me that was thrilled to be staying here for a week or so was doing its best to ignore the other part that felt it wasn’t a good idea to put myself into any kind of compromising position with a legitimate romantic option. Martini was too easily able to pick up when I was thinking things I shouldn’t be.