“ACE told me she knew the truth before . . .”
“Great. Good to know.” He sounded bitter, and angry.
I went behind him and put my arms around him. “She wasn’t in her right mind. The clones were playing on all her fears. They did a whole high school number on her. She didn’t mean it to hurt you. She didn’t look deeply into their minds because she didn’t want to discover you weren’t the man she loved.”
“So she died for nothing, because our enemies are still out there, and they’re stronger, we’re weaker, and we’ve gained nothing.”
“ACE is back.”
“Yeah, he is. And he’s in Jamie. It’s a brilliant strategic move. And it makes our planet safer again, and protects Jamie and the other children even better than before. But right now, the good of the many isn’t outweighing the good of the few for me.”
I hugged him. “I know. And I can’t blame you for that. And no one does. You’re allowed all the stages of grief, you know.”
“Yeah? I’ll get one day. Today. Tomorrow, for Michael’s funeral, I need to be back, the Head of the C.I.A.’s Extra-Terrestrial Division, not a brand new widower.”
I hugged him tightly. Widower sounded so sad and so real, and like something that wasn’t supposed to happen for decades, not six months into someone’s marriage.
Looked out the window to see what he was looking at. The un-Christian Christians and their Club 51 pals were protesting on our street and into the Circle. “Oh. Great. They’re back.”
“ACE is back to protect people like that.”
“No. ACE is back to protect people like us. Or else he wouldn’t be in Jamie.”
Chuckie leaned his chin on my arm. “I couldn’t sleep. At all.”
“I’m sure.” I kissed the top of his head. “You can sleep today. We’ll get by without you. But only for today.”
He chuckled morosely. “The animals came in and stayed with me. I think they were worried I was going to jump.”
“Were you thinking about it?”
“No.” He turned around. “I’ve never been suicidal since the first day of high school.” He shook his head. “My wife believed I was the Mastermind, but you’ve never believed that for one minute. Why is that?”
I stroked his hair. “Because I’ve known you since the first day of high school. If you’d wanted to be a diabolical fiend, you’d have started way earlier.”
“I suppose so.” He closed his eyes, and I pulled him into me. “Why did she choose everything else over me?” His voice broke. “Why wasn’t I worth fighting for?”
Thought about how to answer this as he wrapped his arms around my waist and I stroked his hair. “I know she fell in love with you the moment she met you. Lorraine and Claudia told me that about a week after Jeff and I were married all the A-C women got an emotional ‘hands off’ signal in regard to you. Naomi staked her claim on you early. We both know what drugs do to a person. Mom felt Naomi was already addicted.”
“Angela was right again. I don’t know why we don’t just ask her to run the world. Or just have her tell us what to do every minute of every day.”
“Mom wants us to learn it for ourselves so that we can handle things when she’s not here.” Just like Olga. And Algar. “Free will exists for a reason.”
Algar had approved the raid, because if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t have outfitted us the way he had. So had he always known that Naomi would OD and bring ACE back? Maybe. But if she hadn’t, then five of us would have died. Maybe more of us, because the girls only escaped because of Naomi.
ACE had said that because of what Naomi had done she could never return. I doubted the Universal Meddling Elder Gods gave a crap about drugs and addiction any more than they cared about curing cancer or gay marriage. Those little things had to be far beneath them. So what would they care about? Someone getting god-like powers maybe, which Naomi had certainly gotten.
“I don’t know that Naomi picked everyone else over you. But ACE to her is like you to me—the person who was always there to help, to protect, to tell you you weren’t crazy. Maybe she thought she could save ACE and then come back to you.”
“Maybe. We’ll never know. I’ll never know.”
I hugged him and rocked him while the animals clustered even more tightly around us. Did wonder for a moment why none of the Peregrines had shown up during the raid, but presumably they were protecting the kids in the Embassy.
Which begged a question—what were they protecting them from? Or who? “Chuckie, do you think we can trust Mahin?”
“Yes, in part because she has a Poof.” He leaned back. “That was random.”
“I’m trying to figure out why the animals didn’t help. I mean, I know I’d told them to stay here, and the Poofs came when I called them, and I never called for the Peregrines, but before, when the Science Center was under attack, all the animals were here, too.”
He gave a half-hearted laugh. “Kitty, it’s pretty obvious that, in both instances, they were keeping Jamie and Patrick from going to try to save everyone. Both their mothers were in mortal peril, I’m sure the animals had to use all their powers to keep the kids in the Embassy again last night.”
Looked at the animals. They gave me a group “duh” look. “Oh. Okay. Makes sense.”
He sighed. “With ACE inside her, you shouldn’t have to worry about that any more. ACE can prevent Jamie and the other children from going into an unsafe environment to rescue their parents. And we never want that. If the Mastermind gets Jamie, the bad guys win, permanently.”
I blinked. “That’s it. That’s why Mimi chose ACE. She didn’t do it because she didn’t love you. She went because she did. You and her family and the kids and everyone else.”
“What do you mean?”
“The clones threatened the kids and that’s what pushed Mimi over the edge, that’s why she shot up—not because we were in danger but because it was likely that they were going to get their hands on the hybrid children. And she went to ACE instead of to you not because she didn’t love you, but because without ACE back, there would be no way to protect the children, not really.”
“I’m not following how that has anything to do with me. I’m not saying it’s not a noble reason, but I’m not seeing the ‘me’ in this scenario.”
“The Mastermind hates you. There’s something going on between him—and it is a him—and you. We determined that last night. So, Mimi went to ACE because if the Mastermind gets Jamie, then he can destroy you, and that is what his goal is.”
“But why?”
I was about to say that I had no freaking idea when the com activated. “Excuse me, Chief. I’m sorry to bother you, but Congressman Martini would like you to join him in the conference room, and Mister Reynolds as well, if he’s up to it.”
“Why, Walt?”
“Certain new . . . events are . . . requiring a discussion of strategy.”
Chuckie and I looked at each other. “We’ll both be there, Walter,” he said.
“I’ll let the Congressman know, Mister Reynolds. Chief, your father and Jamie are in the daycare center.”
“Thanks, Walt.” The com went off. “Think it’s about our ‘friends’ in the street?”
Chuckie shrugged. “Good guess but it could be about anything, really. I have to figure it’s important, though, because otherwise I know your husband wouldn’t have asked for me to come.”
“Yeah. Even so, you can sit this out if you need to, you know.”
“No.” Chuckie stood up and put his arm around me. “As with everything else in my life, as long as you’re still my friend, I can survive it.”
I put my arm around his waist and hugged him. “Always.”
“Good. Then once more unto the breach, dear friend, once more.”
CHAPTER 94
THE POOFS AND PEREGRINES accompanied us downstairs. Chose not to question. Clearly they were all still really worried about Chuckie. Couldn’t blame them.
Looking like the
Pied Pipers of Poofdom and Peregrineland, we entered the conference room. Alpha and Airborne were in attendance, along with Jeff, Mom, our Embassy staff other than medical, and Cliff Goodman and Evander Horn. Pierre had provided drinks and snacks. Clearly we were going to be here for a while.
“Glad you brought reinforcements,” Tim said as the animals settled themselves along the far wall.
“I never walk alone.” Realized we were also missing Buchanan, but decided not to ask why because for all I knew he’d just stepped out to use the bathroom. And if he wasn’t here then he likely had a really good reason.
Cliff and Horn both gave Chuckie the manly sympathy hugs, then we sat, Chuckie between me and Mom. “So, is this about the love connection between Club Fifty-One and the Church of Hate and Intolerance that’s happening outside, or is there more fun we’ve missed?”
“Mostly them,” Cliff said. “We know they’re going to protest at Michael’s funeral. The church members weren’t so bad, but their numbers have increased tenfold by adding in Club Fifty-One. We’re concerned about security.”
“To the point where the President isn’t sure if the funeral should go on as planned,” Horn said.
“Colonel Franklin’s offered to let us do the floater gate trick again,” Reader said. “But while I’m sure plenty of them are stupid enough to fall for it a second time, we can’t be sure we’ll get all of them. In part because I don’t think all of them are out on our street right now.”
“The suggestion to call in the National Guard has been offered by more than one Cabinet member, too,” Horn added. “Even the Secretary of Transportation agreed.”
“Wow, if Langston Whitmore’s concerned about our safety, what does that tell us?”
“Prepare for war,” Christopher said.
“No,” Gower said quietly. “We aren’t going to turn my brother’s funeral into a military action.”
“I agree,” Jeff said. “This isn’t something we wanted in the first place, but to allow these people to turn the funeral into a reason to create the wars we’ve just managed to avert isn’t the answer.”
“You’ve explained your feelings,” Mom said. “But you haven’t made a compelling enough case for us to shoot down the idea. The President doesn’t want this turned into a slaughter, an assassination, or a riot.”
Aha. Jeff had indeed asked us to come down for a good reason. Gower needed support, and he needed it from the only person able to give it in an official capacity. And he wanted Chuckie here to ensure that the three head dudes for the three most important Alphabet Agencies to us were all here to hear it.
“Here’s a compelling answer for the President and Cabinet, Mom. We’re not allowing the National Guard because our Supreme Pontifex doesn’t want it. And if that’s not quite good enough, we’ll just add a pleasant ‘because I said so’ and call it good. And yes, this is me speaking as the Head of the American Centaurion Diplomatic Corps.”
“I agree,” Reader said quickly. “As the Head of Field for Centaurion Division.”
“That’s our three heads of state making the decision. Is that good enough for the President, Mom?”
She sighed. “It’ll have to be. It’s not going to do anyone any good if a riot breaks out, and we know they plan to create a situation where a riot will be extremely likely. Having A-Cs do riot control is a bad choice in this situation.”
“What about Secret Service?” Horn asked.
Cliff nodded. “They’ll be on the scene anyway to protect the President.”
Looked to Kevin. “You’re our Defense Attaché. What do you think?”
“Speaking in my capacity for American Centaurion, I agree with you. Speaking as a member of the P.T.C.U., I agree with Angela. And I’m not saying that to curry favor with both my superiors. I’m saying it because we’re in a delicate position and I’m not convinced any course of action we choose will actually work out as we’d like it to.”
“What Kevin said,” Tim said. The flyboys all nodded. “Believe me, we understand the emotional reasons you all have for this, but Kitty I think you need to take back that official decree. We’re down by four in the bottom of the ninth—it’s hard to come back from that.”
“Just need to load the bases and hit a grand slam.”
“Hard to get four back is all I’m saying, especially when the game hasn’t gone your way.”
“Four?” Horn asked.
Harlie jumped onto the conference table and mewed. Angrily.
“Yes, four. We lost a Poof in the line of duty, too. Fuzzball’s going to be buried with Michael.”
“What did the Poof say?” Jeff asked in the resigned tone of a man who’s given up asking why he lives in the loony bin but still hopes to see the normal world again one day.
“That the Poofs want to be able to see Fuzzball’s service honored. I, ah, don’t get the impression they’re used to losing Poofs to early deaths. At all.” The idea that Harlie and Tenley were the original Poofs Algar had brought with him was strengthened. “They also feel that whatever Paul wants is what Paul should get.”
“I’m with Cliff and Vander,” Christopher said. “Regardless of the Poofs’ opinions. We have no idea if we destroyed all of that drug. Our enemies might already be armed up to our levels. I’d like the National Guard, the Marines, and all the Navy SEALS and Army Rangers, while we’re at it.”
Serene nodded. “I’m with Tim and Christopher. I think we need to ensure they can’t hurt us any more.”
“I’m on the side of bringing in the military,” Abigail said. “I only have one brother left and I don’t want to lose him, and we all know Paul will be the next target.”
“Or you will be,” Jerry said, voice tight. “Or Kitty.” Len and Kyle were clearly backing Jerry’s concerns.
“Frankly, everyone around the casket will be a target,” Irving said. “I don’t know that the National Guard can protect us from all the possibilities.”
“It’s politically bad to look like the only reason you’re not being stoned to death is because the government brought in the military,” Doreen countered. “The images from the 1960s of the Flower Children against the National Guard are still used today to show the brutality of stopping peaceful protest with armed force.”
“These people aren’t peaceful protestors,” Amy said. “But Doreen has a point. The media will have a field day with it.”
“So, we’re a house divided. And you all have good points. Richard, what do you think?”
He sighed. “I think our enemies expected and wanted this—for us to be fearful, for us to be divided about the correct course of action, for the government to feel the need to bring out military to protect us, which sends a bad message. But people being murdered at the ceremony will send a worse message.”
“So, fight or flight? Those are our only options?”
Raj cleared his throat. “There may be another way.”
CHAPTER 95
I’D NEVER BEEN IN A FUNERAL PROCESSION, let alone one like we were putting on. Our limo was in the lead, for a variety of reasons. Reader was driving the hearse and it was in the middle of our procession, for safety. Tim’s limo brought up the rear. In between we had an entire fleet of gray limousines doing about five miles an hour down the streets of D.C.
The police had provided what looked like every motorcycle cop in a fifty-mile radius as our escorts. We had four in front, two on either side of every limo, four behind our last limo, and four extras around the hearse.
Because of where we were located in relation to the Arlington Cemetery, we had to take 23rd Street NW down to the National Mall, and then take the Arlington Bridge across the river to the cemetery itself.
There weren’t any protestors along most of this section of our route. However, as we reached the circle that took us off of 23rd and onto the Arlington Bridge, there were a lot of people with signs on the grass in the center, behind the Lincoln Memorial. They weren’t praising the monument.
“Do we start her
e?” Jeff asked.
“No,” Raj replied. “This is far enough away that the police will handle anything. We’re only concerned with those close to the cemetery itself.”
“What about everyone lining the bridge?” Kyle asked as we drove onto it and could see it was lined on both sides with protestors screaming at us.
“The police will handle them,” Len replied.
“We will, too, shortly,” Raj said.
“We could knock them all into the river,” Francine suggested.
“Wow, she’s really got you down, Kitty,” Chuckie said. “But no. We can’t harm any of these people, much as we’d all like to.”
“It will be fine,” Mister Joel Oliver said. “You all need to relax.”
Jeff looked around. “Makes you wonder why we bother, doesn’t it?” He sounded dejected and defeated.
Held onto my emotions. My being upset hearing Jeff’s disappointment and hurt wasn’t going to help him in any way. I took his hand and squeezed it. “Are you okay?”
He sighed. “I don’t have strong enough blocks for this.”
Felt my worry spike despite my desire to remain emotionally calm and cool. “I have the harpoon with me.”
“I shouldn’t need it, baby, don’t worry. At least, as long as I don’t have to knock heads, which, per Chuck, we can’t do anyway. I can just feel everyone in our processional—they’re all hurt, sad, and scared, even the ones who are ready to fight if we have to. And that combined with the concentrated hatred of everyone on the streets is hard to take, that’s all.”
“Got it,” Kyle said. “Tim’s car just got onto the bridge and has dropped off our first packages.”
“I hope they’ll be careful and run like hell if this doesn’t work,” I said to Raj.
He nodded. “They will.”
“I realize troubadours are persuasive,” Jeff said, “but I don’t like the idea of any of our people out in this mob, let alone an entire team of them, all without guns.”
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