“This from the woman who pointedly circumvents everyone all the time?”
“Blah, blah, blah, I just know their hearts are in the right place and I don’t want to just dump them from their life’s work because we’re faster than they are.”
“I don’t want to fire anyone. It may not matter soon, anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“The world is about to change, baby. Speaking of which, how do we get your newest friends to regroup over here?”
“Sadly, I have no idea. Put me down, would you?”
“If I must.”
“You must.” Jeff complied and I waved my arms. “Muddy! Lily! Other Turleens. Come to Kitty!”
“You talk to them like you talk to the Poofs and Peregrines?”
“Um, no, only just now.” Had a thought. “Poofs Assemble!”
Several Poofs including Harlie, the Head Poof, Poofikins, which was my official Poof, and Murphy, which was Jeff’s Poof, who he pretended wasn’t his special favorite with absolutely no success. They all purred at me.
“Kitty appreciates your support. Are you able to help me get the nice Space Turtles to disengage from the enemy? As fast as possible?”
Harlie mewed, then the Poofs disappeared. Sent a text to Lorraine telling her roughly where we were.
“What are they doing?” Jeff asked.
“I have no idea. I just hope whatever it is works.” Whatever it was did. The Turleens broke off and zoomed to where Jeff and I were standing. We were surrounded by little dirigibles in moments. Noted that several of the dirigibles had a Poof riding on them.
Lorraine, Claudia, Evalyne, Phoebe, and the first and second in command of Jeff’s Secret Service detail, Joseph and Rob, arrived at the same time.
“Poofs rock. Muddy, are you there?”
A dirigible near to us changed into Muddy and the Poofs bounded over and into my purse. Muddy bowed to Jeff. “It is an honor to meet the King of the World.”
Jeff groaned. “Please don’t call me that in front of anyone else.”
“We’ll work on that later.” Did fast introductions for Joseph and Rob. “Muddy, I want to get the Turleens to safety.”
“We are safe here, and will not desert the King and Queen of the World, or their retainers.”
“Why is he insisting on calling us that?” Jeff asked me.
“Haven’t had time to ponder that, Jeff. We’ve been busy.” Though I was certain that Muddy had a reason for it, because I was also certain that Muddy did not, for one moment, actually believe that Jeff and I were the king and queen of anything.
“Yes. Why were you up on that helicopter?”
“Which one are you referring to?”
“You were on more than one?” Jeff sounded ready to pop a vessel. Evalyne and Phoebe merely exchanged long-suffering looks.
“Not my fault you weren’t paying attention. And I’d like to point out that this entire situation is also not my fault.”
“It’s never your fault. Look, we need to get everyone out of here. Airborne will handle the cleanup.”
“Okay, but I think my team handled things well. The Turleens and I held off the opposing force until Airborne could show up.”
“True. And none of the crashed aircraft landed on top of Caliente Base, either, or in or near any other civilian areas. By a miracle I’m willing to ascribe to any deity who’d like to take the credit.” Jeff ran his hand through his hair. “But I want to get you out of here, baby.”
“Blah, blah, blah. This is now a disaster scene. Us being here shows how seriously we take any attacks on American soil.”
“Love the spin,” Jeff muttered.
“Kitty’s right, Jeff,” Lorraine said. “And you know it.”
“It’s a gift and a skill.” Took a look around. Sure enough, the fight was over, all choppers on the ground or blown up. Watched the team land the jets. “I don’t want to leave, and not just because I think we need to do the Frowny-Faced Photo Op to show that we’re taking anti-alien attacks seriously. We need to interrogate whoever’s still alive, and I don’t want them taken back to any of our bases. To anywhere, really. The DUI Dudes had trackers on them, which is how they found Caliente Base in the first place.”
“I understand what you’re saying only because Buchanan briefed me during Caliente Base’s evacuation. And before you ask, everyone is at Dulce, including the police dogs, except for the two Club Fifty-One True Believers. They’re with Buchanan, Siler, and Manfred, regretting the days they were born.”
“Where are they at?”
“Guantanamo, via a gate in Caliente Base. I can guarantee that they’re not going to get attacked there, but if they are, the Navy is primed and ready to shoot whoever down with extreme prejudice.”
“Go team. Where is John? And the two Turleens who were with him?” I asked Jeff and Muddy both.
“I have no idea,” Jeff said. “Wruck is confirmed to not be in Caliente Base or at Dulce. And there are no, ah, Turleens there, either.”
“I don’t know where they might be, either,” Muddy admitted. “The rest of our people are here, with you.”
Jeff looked around. “You aren’t a populous race, or are you the only ones seeking asylum?”
“We are quite populous, but we are the force chosen to ask Earth for asylum. The rest of our people are still on Tur.”
“Waiting for the other sentient races to take the Z’porrah’s offer? That seems kind of foolhardy.”
Muddy shook his head. “No, it is a precaution. The Aicirtap are heading for Earth.”
CHAPTER 29
LET THAT ONE SIT on the air for a moment. “Um, Muddy, are the Aicirtap coming to Earth because they’re following the ships that are fleeing, or were they coming here all along?”
“We assume both, but are not certain. The Z’porrah want Earth destroyed.”
“Oh, good. Well, at least we’re once again back to using the right boogeyman for the job.”
“I don’t understand you,” Muddy said politely.
“So few ever do. Jeff, we need to get me on that world tour sooner as opposed to later.”
“Suddenly you’re excited to be doing the diplomatic job?” Jeff sounded as if he not only didn’t believe it but never would.
“I’m excited to do our version of The Russians Are Coming The Russians Are Coming—which is an old movie versus an old TV show, which is why you won’t know it, Jeff, but my dad loves it—and get the planet fired up for the aliens coming to help us defend our world against the Z’porrah’s shock troops.”
Jeff and Muddy both stared at me. Everyone else looked impressed. Felt very kindly toward everyone else. “Wow,” Jeff said finally. “I’ll take your word on it for the movie reference. But, you came up with that spin already? When did you have time? While you were falling from great height?”
“I’ll be insulted later. I came up with that spin just now, thank you very much. Again, marketing hires and creates spin doctors. I realize I haven’t been active in that career since we met, but, trust me, I was a natural at it.”
“You are only somewhat correct,” Muddy said. “Some of those fleeing are unable to help in the fight.”
“Everyone can help the war effort in some way.”