CHAPTER 39
TRIED TO FOCUS on the orca’s mind, but got nothing. It dove down and I watched it chase the great white away. Then it resurfaced right by me again. And turned into Wruck.
“Oh. And I’ll just give myself the ‘duh’ on this one.”
He smiled. “Wanting to protect the innocent and helpless isn’t a bad trait. And I appreciate you leaping in front of a great white shark to protect me.” He turned back into the orca, swam under me, and gave me a fast ride back to the boat. Which was totally cool. Wondered if I could ask him to do this again, and if I could bring Lizzie, Jamie, and Charlie along for them to enjoy it, too. Decided I didn’t feel like hearing everyone else’s reaction to this idea, so kept it to myself.
Jeff helped me up and off the orca’s back. “You really like to see how strong my hearts are, don’t you?” He clutched me to him, hearts pounding.
“Wasn’t intentional, Jeff, I’m sorry. But the shark is pregnant and—”
“We got it,” he said, as he reached down to help Wruck, who’d shifted back into human form, up onto the deck. “And I’d like to mention that I’m not punching Chuck because your mother said I can’t.”
“Chuckie did the Vulcan Nerve Pinch to keep you immobile?”
“Yeah. Per your mother’s orders.”
“I feel the love.”
“I knew that a shapeshifter was in the water with you,” Mom pointed out. “Why you leaped back in was beyond me, but Benjamin and I did determine that John was likely waiting for everyone else to get to safety before he transformed into something that would scare the shark.”
“Sorry, just didn’t think about it.”
“I know.” Mom took me from Jeff and hugged me, her breath-stopping bear hug. “You’re a protector, kitten. And despite there being no real need for it, I’m proud of you for risking your life to protect things weaker than yourself.”
“Thanks, Mom. Air . . . need air . . .”
She chuckled and let go of me. “I’m relieved the Secret Service weren’t here. I can guarantee that this incident would have put them over the edge.”
“We all rejoice, then.”
Chuckie grabbed and hugged me next. “I only stopped Jeff because I realized that Wruck was probably going to shift into a Cleophese or similar.”
“Yeah, a giant Cthulhu monster would definitely make a great white run.”
White’s turn to hug me. “I’m relieved that Jeffrey and I didn’t have to do anything overly heroic.”
Laughed. “As if that’s not something you do naturally?”
Buchanan shook his head at me. “You definitely keep life interesting, Missus Chief.”
“It’s a gift and a skill. Nightcrawler, how are you holding up?”
“Resolving to never, ever put a toe in an ocean again, but otherwise, okay.” He smiled at me. “Thanks for stopping me from killing the mother-to-be, though.”
Wruck nodded. “Yes, I think we’re all glad. Not only that the shark’s life was spared, but she was a tagged fish, and that means if we’d killed her we’d have to answer a lot of questions we’d all prefer to avoid.”
“Go team.” Heaved a sigh. “So, now what?”
“Now,” White said, “you prepare yourself and your team for your world tour.”
“I wonder, can the shark come back?”
Mom shook her head. “Trust me, there’s no time for you to play around.”
Chose not to whine about this, because I figured there was more going on and, besides, my mother never put up with it.
Turned out that Mom had been the one to pilot the ship. Chose not to ask how she knew how to handle a boat like this, though there was undoubtedly a great story that went along with it. Also turned out that she’d taken a gate down to Miami and had piloted the boat from there, pretty much confirming my view that it had originally belonged to a drug dealer.
Seeing as how the President and First Lady were considered to already be in D.C., instead of getting to take the boat back, Jeff called for a floater gate while the rest of us gathered our things. Chose not to be bitter—there was no way this boat was soundproofed enough for us to have sex in it unless we were the only two on board.
Kevin Lewis and a small team of P.T.C.U. agents exited the shimmering that was the most obvious indication of a floater gate. Kevin reassured Jeff that all was well in Dulce and other areas, then we walked through the floater and exited into the closet of our family suite in the White House Complex.
Chuckie, White, Buchanan, and even Wruck all had clothes hanging up for them in the closet, so the hint was clear. They each showered and changed in our bathroom, while Mom and Siler filled us and those waiting for showers in on what we’d missed elsewhere and Prince demanded petting from everyone within reach. Muddy, Dew, and Mossy didn’t need to change. Realized they didn’t wear clothes so much as their shells adapted to whatever they needed.
“There’s still a hullabaloo about the American Centaurion flag,” Mom said as she scratched behind Prince’s ears. “Only the terrorist attack in Pueblo Caliente has overshadowed it. There’s enough footage of the Turleens as to make it pretty impossible for us to deny that something went on beyond an attack.”
“I miss the good old days.”
Mom nodded. “Christopher and Serene did their best, but honestly, the entire world is going to know what’s going on sooner as opposed to later.”
White joined us, dressed and pressed, so to speak, because hyperspeed rocked. Chuckie went in next, while White settled on the sofa.
Was hungry and had to figure everyone else was as well. Jeff and I were still in bathing suits, and I didn’t bother to change. Just made sure I used hyperspeed and zipped across the hall to the family dining room. The Elves had this contract for sure.
“Snacks and such that I can carry over to the other side without being seen so that all of us can get some sustenance into our systems, Turleens included, please and thank you.”
Opened the fridge to see two good-sized packed bags. Didn’t question, just took them. “You’re the best.” Closed the fridge and zipped back to the others. Passed sandwiches and sodas around, which were accepted gratefully by one and all. There were some bizarre-looking kinds of big food bars that the Turleens greeted with great joy as well. Set aside food and a Coke for Chuckie, gave Prince the ten dog biscuits provided, then settled onto Jeff’s lap.
“In other words, there may be no reason to lie,” White said, in between munching.
Siler nodded. “Exactly. Some of the spin is that the helicopters were trying to stop the dangerous aliens. All that’s coming from YatesCorp-owned stations.”
“Fantastic. What have we done with Amos Tobin, by the way?”
“He’s where you requested, with Janelle Gardiner.” Mom heaved a sigh. “Based on what I’m hearing from the agents watching them, I don’t think you’ve flipped him, or her, so much as it’s clear to them that they’re both better off aligned with you than with Ansom Somerall.”
“Yeah, I’m not counting on making either one of them our best friends forever.”
“I’ll read them when we have time, but I’m sure you’re right, Angela,” Jeff said. “I’m just glad Kitty’s flipped those she has.”
“Speaking of someone you’re never bringing back to the good side of the Force,” Siler said, “Kitty, I think your hunch about what the Casey Thing was telling us is going to pay off. We sent some Field agents from Euro Base over to investigate, with strict orders not to get too close. There’s definitely something untoward going on in the area of France you were told Cliff’s hideout is.”
“Only, based on what you just said, you don’t think it’s Cliff. You think Cliff sent the Casey Thing to us to give me information on where Stephanie’s hiding, right?”
Siler nodded. “Exactly. That she had Gutermuth ask for her to be ‘arrested’ just means they were playing the Club Fifty-One True Believers card.”
“Which also makes sense,” Chuckie said, as he came out and Buchanan, who’d just finished wolfing down two sandwiches, went in. Chuckie sat and I brought him his food. “Gosh, and Jeff’s not even jealous. How things change.”
Jeff grunted. “Don’t push it. Or yourself. Eat, Chuck. You need the food.”
Chose to actively not worry about whether or not Chuckie was taking care of himself and instead focused back on Stephanie. “Did the agents think we have a chance of catching her?” I asked Siler.
“No idea. We kept them far back. But we don’t want anyone just randomly going after her anyway. Frankly, it’s going to need to be me, Malcolm, and John, and no one else.”
“Why so?” Jeff asked.
“No one else is capable of capturing her at this time,” Wruck said. “She has no compunction about hurting any of you, but you’re all reluctant to hurt her.”
“And we aren’t,” Siler added, presumably for Jeff’s benefit, because I knew that everyone in the room already knew this to be true, Jeff included.
Jeff heaved a sigh. “I know, I know, saving or rehabilitating her is a stretch. But I can’t help hoping that we’ll manage it.”
“Which is why we want you kept far, far away from wherever she is,” Siler said briskly.
Mom nodded. “And that’s a direct order, Mister President.”
Jeff didn’t argue, and neither did White. Instead the conversation turned to whether or not Jeff should go with me on the FLOTUS World Tour. Buchanan finished and Wruck went in for his shower and change of clothes. He was done before we’d finished arguing about this one point. Muddy’s thoughts about world royalty were shared, but Mom didn’t seem convinced. At all.
“Why are you resistant?” Muddy asked her.
“Because the President needs to be here, taking care of his country. No one is going to like your King of the World idea, least of all if Jeff is in their country. Plus, that leaves him far too open to assassination.”
“This job is so great,” Jeff muttered.
Mom ignored him and went on. “Plus we have alien ships arriving. We have no idea where they’re going to land, but if they’re coming to the United States anywhere, just as happened today, the President needs to be around, not presumed to be off on holiday.”
“Where do you think the others will land?” I asked Muddy. “Near where all of you did?”
“It’s possible. Your desert areas are very uncrowded normally, and they make fine landing sites.”
“Marvelous,” Chuckie said under his breath.
“The area we were just in is also popular,” Muddy continued. “Though I believe landings are preferred farther from land.”
Chuckie sat up straight. “You mean in the Bermuda Triangle?”
“If that’s what you call it.”
“We do.” Chuckie was almost vibrating with excitement. “Why there?”
Muddy looked surprised. “Many ships prefer a water landing, and that area is clearly marked for such.”