by Gini Koch
“Promises, promises.”
CHAPTER 41
READER AND I HUNG UP, and I turned back to Martini. “Okay, so your dad’s admin is loco. Brian, you know anyone named Serene?”
“Sure. Like you said, she’s Alfred’s admin right now.”
“You get along with her?”
He shrugged. “I do my best to get along with everyone. Yeah, I like her, she’s funny and like all the A-C women, she’s brilliant.”
“She’s also completely unhinged. Because she’s our stalker.”
“I can’t believe that. She goes to church with me and some of the others here. She’s really religious, I can’t see her doing something like this. Besides, she’s not interested in me that way.”
“Wait, she goes to Catholic church with you? Every week?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “She’s taking catechism classes.”
I put my head in my hands. “A-Cs have their own religion, Brian. If she’s taking an interest in yours, what does that tell you?”
“That she’s open-minded.”
“That she’s in love with you,” Martini said flatly. “We aren’t really fascinated, as a whole, with Earth religions. Ours is similar enough that there seems to be no need.”
“Plus we were exiled because of our religion, so we’re all kind of attached to it,” Christopher added.
“Serene’s younger than us,” Michael added. “And she doesn’t want to marry an A-C. She’s almost militant about it.”
“You ever go out with her?”
Michael laughed. “No. She isn’t interested in male A-Cs. She wants a human. She prefers their minds.” Just like all the other A-C females of the generation born on Earth.
“So, she’s in love with Brian, because he’s smart enough to be an astronaut, as well as a nice, cute guy everybody likes. And he’s looking for a mate, a perfect mate, and she wants to be said perfect mate, to the point where she’s willing to turn her back on her own religion and, clearly, kill off the perceived competition.” I turned to him. “See, Bri? You are desired.”
“By someone who’s insane,” Christopher added.
“She’s never said anything,” Brian protested. “None of the other girls have hinted about it, either, and they usually do.”
“Bri, I haven’t seen you in a decade, but I could pick up that you weren’t comfortable with the idea of dating an alien. I’m sure the others know that. She was probably trying to bring you around gradually. Might have worked if I weren’t part of Alpha Team.” The pity was back. I couldn’t help it. It was too easy to understand why she’d lost it. It didn’t forgive the crimes, but I could think about forgiving the criminal. If we survived unscathed, of course, which wasn’t exactly a given.
“So, you’re still planning to go to the Lighthouse?” Gower asked. “Because I think it’s a really bad idea, compounded by the fact you’re not going to be dealing with a dangerous human but rather a dangerous A-C.”
“I’ve taken on crazy A-C psychos before, if anyone would care to recall.” One with a Louisville Slugger, but then, I was testy about evil people trying to hurt my men.
“I try not to think about it too often,” Martini said, as he pulled me next to him. He was tense, not a surprise. I leaned into him and felt him relax a bit.
“No ball and bat with us, either,” Christopher added. It was nice to see he was feeling nostalgic about Operation Fugly, too. “I’m with Jeff. You sure you can pull this off and stay alive?”
“Of course I’m sure.” I wasn’t, but there was no way I was going to admit it. “We should try to rejoin the others, and, along the way, maybe figure out how she’s seeing us while we’re inside the building and she’s not. I think it’s an easy bet that the older woman who got my cell number is the one who let Serene know I was here. She probably made the first call, also. The last two were from a different number.”
“Why didn’t you ask Kevin to trace her number earlier?” Christopher asked, sounding peeved. Michael headed off, and the rest of us followed. I gave up trying to determine where we were.
“Because we were sort of busy when call number two came in. Besides, I figured the stalker was moving around in the building. I don’t know the prefixes out here, so it’s not like I can recognize a Space Center number.” I saw Brian’s mouth open. “Nor do I care.” It snapped shut.
“So, now what?” Gower asked.
“Now we try to take care of whoever actually tried to kill Jeff and Alfred, not to mention the rest of you. Serene’s not in Club 51, at least I truly hope not.”
“Club 51?” Brian asked. “I’ve heard of that. But why?” He was quiet while we walked along. Michael seemed to be taking us through maintenance alleyways. and I found myself again feeling as if I were going to get a big piece of cheddar when we finally reached our destination. I wanted the cheddar by now, with a side of steak and potatoes. I was starving.
“I shouldn’t have passed on the sandwiches your dad brought in.”
Martini hugged me. “I’ll find some food for you.”
“When and where?”
“I have my ways.”
“Good, put them into action fast. I’m ready to faint.”
“I can tell. Don’t worry, I’ll catch you.”
“It is your specialty.”
“Oh,” Brian said quietly.
“What?”
“Specialty, that’s what it was. I was invited to a Club 51 Specialty a few months ago.”
“By whom? And did you go?”
“I didn’t go. They didn’t seem like my kind of people”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “They were saying some nasty things about some of the A-Cs. I just don’t want to associate with people who aren’t tolerant. I mean, marriage is a little different from friendship,” he added quickly.
“True enough. And no worries, Bri, everyone here’s aware that you’re not a bigot.” He looked relieved.
“You didn’t answer Kitty’s question about who invited you,” Christopher said.
“Oh, right. It was someone I don’t know really well, one of the guys in Security.”
I stopped walking. So did everyone else. “Come again?”
“Security. One of the guys in Security invited me to their thing. It sounded like a lecture, though he said it was more like a convention. He tried to make it sound fun, but it just seemed like a rally, and I wasn’t interested.”
“What was his name?”
“Frank Taft. He’s still here, works closely with Mr. Turco.”
All the security breaches suddenly seemed explained. I looked at Martini. “They’re near your dad, and everyone else in our group . . . and the only one being covered is Turco.”
Martini grabbed my hand, Michael grabbed Brian, and then we were all going at the fastest hyperspeed I’d experienced yet.
If humans go too fast, they black out. My tolerance had improved over the past five months, but it was being tested now. I saw Brian collapse; Michael tossed him over his shoulder and kept going.
I was heading for a blackout. “Jeff, don’t barge in. . . . ” I couldn’t talk any more, and my vision went to a pinpoint of light. I felt Martini lift me into his arms, but I couldn’t hold on, and it all went black.
CHAPTER 42
I WOKE UP WITH SOMEONE’S hand covering my mouth while another hand massaged my neck. I was able to figure out the hands belonged to the same person in a few seconds. I could tell the person was Martini in a few more.
Gower was doing the same for Brian, while Michael and Christopher seemed to be watching something. We were all on the ground, the conscious men crouched low.
“We didn’t barge in, thanks for the warning,” Martini said softly. “Let me know when you can sit up without gagging—we can’t afford the noise.”
I nodded—slowly. Head felt reasonably okay. I nodded again, and Martini helped me get to a sitting position. My lower back hurt, and I reached around—amazingly, the Glock I’d shoved into the back o
f my pants was still there. I’d forgotten about it. I wondered if this meant my butt was too big.
“No, it’s perfect, we’ve just been busy.” Martini grinned at my expression. “Some of your emotions are like reading a bulletin.” I raised an eyebrow. “You reached behind you and felt surprised, then insecure,” he explained, grin still on full.
“Nice. So, what’s our situation?”
“We’re going to wish you had more guns in your purse,” Christopher said, his voice low and tense. “Take a look, but be careful.”
I realized we were under a set of windows. I moved up onto my knees, Martini supporting me, to see an interesting sight. The room was big, and it looked just like in the movies, so I knew we were at Mission Control. There were two groups of people, one on each side of the room. Well, three groups—but I didn’t count the guys in the middle who were holding a lot of guns trained on the other groups.
I spotted our team with the smaller group of people. A good many of these were female, and all of them were really great looking. The other group had what were clearly humans in it.
“Remember dear Maureen from Saguaro International, and her big scene?”
“Yes,” Martini said. Christopher and Gower nodded.
“Well, this is exactly what she was claiming. They’ve separated the A-Cs and overt A-C supporters away from the regular humans.”
“That’s beyond bad,” Brian said. He was looking at the scene like the rest of us. “Some of your guys look the worse for wear.”
Kevin, Reader, Tim, and my five pilots were all bound, and the Security team had done some soccer practice on them. Chee was also bound, as were a couple of other human males I didn’t know but had to assume were A-C friendlies.
“Well, at least most of our weapons are in your dad’s office.”
“Think we have time to get them?” Christopher asked.
“I don’t think we can use them,” Martini said, and he sounded as he always did in these kinds of situations—pissed off and totally in charge. “Too many civilians, too much risk.”
“I could try creating a diversion.” It was interesting to hear the word ‘No!’ hissed by five different men. I felt as though I were in a room full of big, angry cats. A weird idea hit me. “Um, Jeff? Are you strong enough to wrestle an alligator and win?”
Dead silence filled our little area. Christopher broke it. “Did I actually hear that right?”
“Yes. Can any of you wrestle an alligator and have a hope of winning?”
“Probably,” Martini allowed. “But why?”
Brian chuckled. “Same old Kitty. There are alligators here; we’re kind of proud of them. And we have some big ones, too.”
“How nice. A zoo trip. Perhaps after we save everyone.” Martini had the sarcasm knob up to full again.
“No, a distraction. I don’t care how safe a gun makes you feel, it doesn’t compare to a big-ass alligator heading for you with intent to snack.”
Gower was twitching. “Paul, are you okay?” Michael asked.
Gower sort of nodded. “ACE is having trouble understanding what’s going on.” He looked at me. “Can you give it a go?”
“Sure. ACE, there are people who aren’t as nice as others. People who would have been happy if you’d killed Michael instead of getting him home safely.”
“Why?” Gower asked in the voice that I was recognizing as signifying ACE was in control of their brain.
“Lots of reasons. But the main one is that he’s an A-C. The men in there with the guns, they don’t care that they’re threatening helpless people. They want to get rid of the A-Cs, and they don’t care how they do it.”
“But A-Cs here have nowhere else to go. Exiled. Must live with Earth. They help Earth, every day.”
“I know. But those people with the guns don’t care.”
“ACE is from A-C, too. Would they hate ACE, even though here to protect?”
“Yes, they would. They would fear you, like they fear the A-Cs.”
“But why?”
Brian answered. “Because, in so many ways, they’re better than we are.”
“Explain. Please.”
Brian shrugged. “They’re stronger, faster, more resilient. Smarter. Much better looking. More honest and normally more decent. Other than Michael here,” he added with a grin. Michael cuffed Brian’s head gently.
“But Brian likes them, Brian and Kitty both.”
“Sure. I’ve never had an A-C treat me with anything but respect and affection. They’re professionals and fun to be with. I spend more time with the A-C women, but I don’t have anything against the men—they don’t normally make me feel inadequate, at least not intentionally.” He shot a look at Martini but then looked back at Gower. “But even if I didn’t like them, they don’t deserve to be herded into a group and slaughtered.”
Gower looked at me. “Slaughter? They will kill them?”
“Yes. They tried to kill us already, twice before we . . . met you.”
“How can ACE help?” Gower’s body was shaking.
“I need to speak to Paul, ACE, okay? Let him filter to you now.”
Gower nodded and then he twitched again. “So much for losing the palsy.”
“Paul, I don’t think ACE can kill someone, right?”
“Oh, it can. But I think you mean is it willing to? And the answer is no. At least, I’m not willing to have ACE go insane on me. I think requiring it to kill anyone would cause a major malfunction.”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant. But can ACE put some kind of shield around the hostages?”
Gower had the expression I was coming to know as him having a chat with ACE in his head. “Yes,” he said finally. “But ACE isn’t sure how well it will work, since this will be the first time we’re trying this together.”
“We’ll have to chance it.” I looked at Martini. “Really, I mean it. Can you, Michael, and Christopher go wrangle up some alligators?”
“Why not a couple of grizzlies while we’re at it?” he snapped.
“If there were any here, I’d ask for them by name, but we have to work with what we’ve got.”
“You’re insane,” Christopher said. “I know I say that a lot, but it’s true.”
“Boys, the longer you wait to get my requested prehistoric attack dogs, the more chance we have of people we care about getting hurt, more hurt, or killed. Oh, and don’t hurt the alligators—they’re a protected species.”
“Unlike the three of us,” Martini grumbled. He shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m actually going to put this latest plan of yours into action.” He heaved a sigh. “But I am. Michael, you’ll have to lead us out, and we’re going to have to get through the lockdown somehow.”
“Piece of cake, we’ll just break out a wall.” Michael seemed serious. I decided not to question.
“Be careful.”
“Now she suggests that, after we’re committed to ’gator capture. Unreal.” Christopher glared at me and then at Gower. “You get to stay. Why?”
“I’ve got ACE. That’s a big responsibility.” He was grinning. “Besides, someone needs to ride herd on Kitty while you’re off having fun.”
“Fun. Right.” Martini gave me a long-suffering look.
I grabbed his shirt, pulled him to me, and kissed him. “I really do mean it, Jeff . . . be careful.”
He nuzzled my ear. “Always. I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to make you pay for this later for anything.” He pulled away from me, stroked my cheek, and then the three of them headed off. One second there, the next, gone.
Gower sighed. “What are we going to do while we wait for them to round up some alligators?”
“Figure out what we’re going to do if our Club 51 friends start up with the mayhem before the others get back.”
“Oh, good. Back to routine.”
CHAPTER 43
“SO, WHILE WE’RE WAITING AND PRAYING, what is Club 51, exactly?” Brian asked.
“Remember Chuckie?”
“Oh, yeah, Conspiracy Chuck. Vividly. I never understood why you got along so well with him.”
“Because he was smart and funny, and we both liked comics.”
“Right, my girlfriend, the comics geek. I remember.”
“Funny. Anyway, Chuckie was really into all the UFO stuff, and that didn’t wane when we got to college. He knew every theory, rumor, or supposition, basically.” And, as my life proved every day, he’d been right, too. “He told me about these guys, and he didn’t like them. They’re anti-alien, militant about it, too.”
“Like skinheads?”
“Worse.”
“Wonderful.” Brian looked away from the window and at me. “You have a spare gun?”
“Yeah.” I dug the extra Glock out of my purse and handed it to him. “How well do you shoot?”
“Better than you.”
“Hardly.” I’d been practicing a lot.
“Well, we’re probably going to find out.” He looked at Gower. “Do you have a weapon, Paul?”
Gower opened his jacket—he had on a shoulder holster.
“Since when do you pack heat like that, Paul?”
He laughed. “Since your mother insisted on it.”
“She didn’t make Jeff or Christopher wear a holster.”
“No, they told her they were wearing them and then didn’t.”
Figured. “So, is James carrying concealed?”
“Yes, so’s Tim, but I’m sure they were searched already.”
I took another look. Couldn’t tell if the guns the creeps were holding were ours or theirs. But there weren’t any extra guns lying about. “I wish we could hear what’s going on.”
Gower twitched. “ACE says we can.” He reached out and touched the backs of my and Brian’s necks.
It was like watching a movie. “You’re going to learn why working with these . . . things . . . was a bad idea.” This was Turco.
“My father knows what to do with things like you,” another man said to the A-C side of the room. He was big and looked like a stupid thug.
“Frank Taft,” Brian said.
“Not a surprise. Bri, are the guys with guns the entire Security force here?”