by Gini Koch
Which might mean that whoever made this Fem-Bot wasn’t who made the original model. And perhaps they weren’t as talented as the original design team.
“Where are the others?” the Gardiner Fem-Bot asked.
“Downstairs.” Whatever was going to happen, us being on the ground floor was probably the best choice.
The Gardiner Fem-Bot nodded and headed off, us trailing her. Noted that Bruno hadn’t bothered to go chameleon, meaning that either the Fem-Bot was trustworthy, which I highly doubted, or else he didn’t feel the need to waste the effort to pretend he wasn’t here.
We reached the ground floor and the Fem-Bot headed to the kitchen. Thought she was going to head outside but instead she grabbed a butcher knife from the block on the counter and swung around. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
“True enough!”
She swung at me. I ducked, and tried to kick her legs out. But I was in FLOTUS clothes and they just weren’t really made for action. Landed on my butt.
Kyle bent his shoulder and slammed into Gardiner as if she was the opposing team’s wide receiver. She hit the counter and bounced off, still waving the butcher knife around.
Len managed the sweep I hadn’t been able to pull off, and she went down. He helped me up, fast, and we started to back out of the kitchen as the Fem-Bot leaped to her feet. In pumps, no less. I was impressed. Doing the moves in pumps was, as the last ten seconds had proved, still beyond me.
We were blocked from the back door, but the front one was available. “Boys, let’s get out of here.”
Kyle shoved me and Len behind him. Grabbed Kyle and pulled him back, just in time, as the Fem-Bot swung at him again. “I’m supposed to protect you,” he said as I used my enhanced strength and threw him behind me.
“Not if it means you’re going to die.”
“You’re not clear on this whole ‘you have a security team in place to protect you’ thing, are you?” Len asked as he grabbed me and tossed me to Kyle, who was by the front door.
This just meant that the Fem-Bot went for Len, which was no better than her swinging at Kyle. But Len had something Kyle hadn’t—Bruno.
CHAPTER 28
BRUNO SAID SOMETHING very nasty in Peregrine and flew, claws first, into the Fem-Bot’s face. Len, meanwhile, karate chopped the arm holding the butcher knife. She didn’t let go and her arm didn’t break, but the knife was now a lot farther away from Len’s body. She kicked at him, though, and sent Len flying back into me and Kyle.
We slammed into furniture but the Fem-Bot was focused on Bruno, who was now on her head and managing to avoid the butcher knife.
Len grabbed a nearby end table and threw it at her. He still had his quarterback moves, because he hit her square in the chest. Kyle, meanwhile, helped me to my feet as the Fem-Bot chopped at and through the end table. Clearly her butcher knife was packing quite the punch.
Once I was upright, the boys grabbed the couch and threw it at her. This knocked her back into the kitchen and blocked her a little, too.
“Dudes feathered and otherwise, it’s time to go.”
Kyle flung the door open and I grabbed both boys as Bruno disengaged and flew after us and the Fem-Bot leaped the couch like a gazelle. A gazelle with a butcher knife, but whatever. Noted that the Fem-Bot’s face was repairing itself right before we ran outside. The Fem-Bot followed us, still waving the butcher knife around. Made sure Len had Bruno, then hit the hyperspeed button.
I’d been on the track team in both high school and college as a sprinter and hurdler. Sprinters who looked behind them lost their races, so I rarely if ever did so, in part because whenever I did look behind me, it proved that the adage was true.
However, I couldn’t help it, I had to see what the Fem-Bot was doing.
I looked back just in time to see the front door to Gardiner’s house close, and there was no sign of the Fem-Bot in the street. Meaning she was probably going back upstairs to wait for whatever her trigger was. Or she was cleaning up the mess. Could go either way. But this might mean that Gardiner herself was still alive.
We could search for her, but who knew if someone had spotted us coming out of her house before I’d managed to take us to hyperspeed.
“We need to get back to the White House,” Len said.
“It’s as if you read my mind. Kyle, steer us home.”
We got back more quickly than we’d gotten to Gardiner’s thanks to the total adrenaline rush being attacked by a Fem-Bot with a butcher knife had given me. Got us back to where we’d been before we’d left—just outside the meeting room. It was still devoid of anyone, so that was one for the win column.
“What do we tell who?” Len asked shakily.
“No one and nothing, yet.” Took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No, that’s stupid. But I don’t want to tell Malcolm because I don’t want to get yelled at. Same again for Jeff and the other guys.” Plus, I didn’t want any of us going up against the Bots without some kind of plan and a whole lot of protective gear.
“Whatever’s going on, it’s bad,” Kyle said. “We should tell someone.”
Decided to go for what would definitely be the lesser of all the evils and called Stryker. “I need Chernobog to hear this,” I said by way of hello.
“Long time no talk and hi to you, too. You want speaker or just her hooked in?”
“Hooked in. Just her and the five of you. No A-Cs or other visiting guests.”
Heard speaking and other noises in the background. “Got it. Go ahead, just the six of us are on with you, and I asked the others to leave the room for the time being.”
“Great. The boys and I just found the Janelle Gardiner Fem-Bot. She’s currently at the address you gave us for Gardiner herself. Unlike the Kitty-Bot, she doesn’t act all that human, and she’s also self-repairing.”
“That would be a Level Four, then,” Chernobog said. “The Kitty-Bot is Level One. There are five levels indicated.”
“Wow, how lucky can we get? Look, I want someone checking this out, but, honestly, I don’t want to get yelled at for going to Gardiner’s apartment in the first place. What can you guys do or suggest?”
“Since we know where a robot is,” Henry Wu said, “I believe we can do a trace.” Henry had doctorates in various sciences and was the best software guy out there. “Starting now to see what we can find.”
“That’s the spirit, Doctor Wu! What else do you guys have for me? Deactivation codes?”
“No, Kitty, that’s the bad news.” This was Ravi Gaekwad, the current King of Hacker Hill because he’d married a Dazzler in the form of Jennifer Barone. He was also our best reverse engineer, among other things. “The codes that have worked on all the androids so far are not working on the Kitty-Bot, we already tried that in a joint experiment with Dulce. As far as we can tell, whatever codes activate or deactivate the robots, it’s different from those that work on the androids.”
“And we haven’t been able to identify any codes that will work,” Yuri Stanislav said regretfully. Yuri was Russian, blind, and the only one of the hackers who worked out. I’d never asked him if he realized that the others all looked like various forms of Unhealthy Body Type or if he was keeping himself fit because he thought the others were all hardbodies, too. “Chernobog has created amazing algorithms to test an almost infinite variety of potential codes, so if she can’t find it, it’s possible that their codes can’t be found.”
“Oh, he’s so sweet, isn’t he?” Chernobog said fondly. “Assume that it will take longer than we would like. And also assume that these may be far more low tech than we’re expecting as well.”
“Low tech can sometimes be far more effective than high,” Big George Lecroix agreed. Big George was from France and had a voice for radio. He wasn’t TV material, but he could have made a fortune doing voiceover work. “For all we know, the only real deactivati
on is the switches in their backs, if all the robots are created in the same way as the Kitty-Bot is. Are you sure you don’t want to get Centaurion Division involved?”
“Kind of yes, kind of no.” I really and truly didn’t want to get yelled at and I also didn’t want anyone tackling the Fem-Bot alone. “Something’s going on, and I’d rather have the Fem-Bot watched than intercepted so we have a chance of following her. Plus, she was tougher than the Kitty-Bot, and I don’t want anyone getting hurt.”
“We can observe and track,” Chernobog said. “Easily. Henry has definitely found the robot where you felt she would be. Does her being on the third floor of the building indicate anything?”
“That she’s back exactly where we found her.”
“Excellent. We’ll keep her monitored, and we’ll get eyes and ears into the house and, before you fret, we’ll do it from a distance. Drones are wonderful things.”
“Kitty shouldn’t hear any more,” Len said quickly. “Run this through me and Kyle.”
“Only,” Kyle added.
“As you wish, the CIA will have the lead,” Chernobog said cheerfully. “Go back to your exciting meetings and bring us back some White House souvenirs.”
“Um, you’ll probably get to come over once things are settled.”
“I don’t leave the complex because I’m ‘dead,’ remember? I’d like a set of towels.”
“I’ll get someone right on that, Boggy.” We hung up before the rest of Hacker International could make requests of things they wanted me to filch for them. Heaved a sigh. “Let’s join the others. Play it cool. Jeff may know that we’ve been up to something, but let’s make sure no one else does. Try thinking about flowers. It usually doesn’t work, but hope springs eternal.”
Considered going to the East Wing using the slow hyperspeed, which always sounded like an oxymoron but wasn’t, but decided the boys and I needed time to gather ourselves, so we walked. Slowly. Because it was me, Len had to lead so that we’d get to where we were going.
Happily, when we reached the theater we found it packed with everyone who’d been in the other meetings. They weren’t watching a movie, however, at least not one released by Hollywood. They were watching what appeared to be a how-to video for building a Faster Than Light spaceship. Which explained their rapt interest and why none of them were really missing the three of us.
Jeff was standing near the back, and we managed to grab him and pull him out without disturbing too many people.
Figured the best defense was a good offense. “Why didn’t you tell us where you were going? The boys and I nearly had heart attacks thinking you’d all been snatched up by the invisible helicarrier or something.”
“Sorry, baby. Alexander suggested we take a look at what they’re offering us because Chuck said that I might need to create a new Cabinet post for Interstellar Relations, and I honestly didn’t think you’d be done with Drax already.”
“Oh. Um. Good point. He’s probably right.” The offensive seemed to be working. Or my thinking about gladiolas was, for once, doing the job I wanted it to.
“Yeah, that was the general consensus.”
Filled Jeff in on what we’d learned from Drax, leaving out what the boys and I had just learned about the Fem-Bots. “So, while I could sit and gaze, it doesn’t really seem like you need me here.”
Jeff ran his hand through his hair. “You want to go to the Embassy, don’t you?”
“Yeah, even though I’m sure this video is truly exciting. Did we get the Elves over here, by the way? It’s hella neat and tidy in the last two rooms you guys were in.”
“Not that I know of, but I haven’t actually talked to William about it.” William Ward was Walter’s older brother and in charge of all Security for all of Centaurion Division worldwide, meaning he was the one who assigned the Operations Team. His predecessor, Gladys Gower, had known about Algar. But I hadn’t been able to ask William if he knew about our King of the Elves or not.
“Well, I’ll check with him when I’m home. I mean, at the Embassy.”
“Yeah, I’m not comfortable here, either.”
“You will be,” Antoinette said, as she joined us. “To answer the First Lady’s question, no, we haven’t had American Centaurion personnel here cleaning up. The staff is just quite efficient.”
“No insult intended. Frankly, it’s a compliment. They were almost as fast as the A-Cs, which is impressive.”
Antoinette smiled. Managed not to faint. “I’ll pass along your compliment. However, we have had a request to allow your personnel to help you move in fully, under the idea that the President will feel more comfortable. Which we’ve agreed to. Your things have been moved into the Master Bedroom, both from the room you were in here and from your Embassy. The new Secretary of State’s things have been relocated to her new apartment as well. Rooms have been selected for your children, as well. We left that to your people—the person I spoke to was quite adamant that they needed to make certain . . . arrangements.”
“Yes, thank you, they do.” Things like creating an empathic isolation chamber where Jeff and Jamie could go if they needed to regenerate. And God alone knew what Charlie might need, other than a room with everything weighted down. Figured Algar had fixed things up properly and if he hadn’t, well, I was going to the Embassy anyway.
Antoinette seemed expectant. Did my best to come up with what she might be expecting me to do right about now, because it was clear that I was the one who she was being expectant with.
“Ah . . . am I okay to go up and, um, check the new rooms out?”
Another smile! Score one for my FLOTUS skills. “Yes, if you’d like I can take you there.” This offer seemed perfunctory rather than hopeful.
“Oh, I’m sure Jeff needs you here more than I do. The boys and I will be fine.”
Antoinette nodded. “As you wish. Mister President, I believe your being out of the room has been noticed.”
As she said this, King Benny came out. “There you are. Emperor Alexander wanted to know if all was well.”
King Benny was a giant walking otter from Beta Eight. His real name was Musgraff but because he looked like Benedict Cumberbatch to me, I’d called him King Benny, and because of who I was presumed to be on Beta Eight, the name stuck.
He hadn’t brought his ceremonial wooden antlers that he wore as a sign of office, but otherwise, he was dressed as I was used to—leather boots, a codpiece, and fur.
“We’ll be right back.” Jeff straightened up. “Musgraff could I ask a favor?” He sounded extremely formal and rather regal, too.
King Benny bowed deeply. “You have but to ask Leo—ah, Jeff.” Almost all of us who’d gone on an unplanned visit to the Alpha Centauri system had God names. Jeff’s was Leoalla, mine was Shealla. But we’d asked King Benny not to use those names here, and he was doing his best to comply.
“Can you accompany Kitty while she takes a look at our new living quarters? I’d appreciate someone helping back up Len and Kyle.”
“Absolutely, it will be my honor.”
Jeff grinned. “Thanks.” He leaned down and kissed me. “Be good, baby.”
“Ha ha, I consider this a challenge, you know.”
He laughed. “I’m sure you do,” he said quietly, so only I could hear. “However, with King Benny along, you’re not going to be able to go onto the streets. Again. For a third time. I’ll expect a full report when we’re able to be alone with just our core team.” With that Jeff and Antoinette went back into the theater.
“Why does Jeff think we need King Benny’s help?” Len asked quietly.
“He thinks that I won’t do anything he’d consider stupid or foolhardy with King Benny along.” Clearly Jeff knew I’d already done something stupid and foolhardy and was, therefore, taking steps to ensure that didn’t happen again. Took King Benny’s arm and hooked mine through it. �
��But Leoalla isn’t clear on just how sneaky Shealla can be.”
King Benny nodded. “I presume Leoalla expects you to try to leave the complex in order to protect your world?”
“Indeed he does. And you’re supposedly along to stop me.”
“I would not go against what a God believes to be the best course. And I will, of course, offer my services as guard or warrior, as Shealla needs.”
“And that, my beloved King Benny, is why Jeff’s chosen wisely. At least as far as I’m concerned.”
CHAPTER 29
WE WALKED UPSTAIRS to check out where we now lived. A couple of thoughts occurred and I pulled my phone out.
“Yes, Madam First Lady?” Walter said as he answered.
“Oh my God, Walt, we’re losing that immediately. It’s Kitty. All the time. Period. I’ll give you that when we need to impress someone the full title is all that it should be. But otherwise? You call me Kitty or I replace you with an android.”
“But titles matter.” This was true, at least for Walter. Titles mattered a lot to Walter. And I liked Walter a lot. And he’d almost whined that statement, and Walter wasn’t a whiner. And I’d let him use titles for me when I was the Ambassador.
“Fine. But can we choose something that doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable?”
“I doubt it, because you are the First Lady, and I know you’re uncomfortable with the job and the title.”
Heaved a sigh. “Good point. I really don’t like the ‘madam.’”
“How about Chief First Lady?”
Considered my options. They seemed remarkably few. “It’ll do.”
“Thank you. So, Chief First Lady, what can I do for you?”
“Can you tell me where Len and Kyle and other key personnel are sleeping now?”
“All Embassy personnel who are now White House personnel will have rooms on the third floor of the White House residence. Those rooms haven’t been used for staff for many years, but not to worry—the rooms have been refurbished and refitted and their things have been moved in, just as yours have.”