This felt like a clue. “Is it?”
But if it was a clue, Algar wasn’t giving me anything else. “Time is of the essence.”
“People like to say that to me. However, you just stopped time so we could chat. Ergo, time’s in a holding pattern. Which I appreciate.”
“I’m sure you do. There is a reason for these men to be seen, a reason that will resonate with them. I wonder if you can convince them of what that happens to be.” Then he snapped his fingers and time moved on.
CHAPTER 25
“I CAN’T SPEAK FOR THE GENTLEMEN,” Algar said, as if our entire conversation hadn’t happened which, for the others, it hadn’t. “But I feel that our being with the others might be beneficial.”
“Maybe,” Buchanan said. “But if we go out there, we lose any element of surprise we might have.”
The others chimed in. Clearly it was just going to be Mossy coming with me and Tim unless I figured out what to say to convince them otherwise. Algar felt he’d given me the clues I’d need. However, I had nothing.
“We’re stuck in the middle of space,” Tim pointed out. “I don’t know what you all think you’re hiding from anymore. Mother appears to be on our side, particularly since the ship is damaged. We’re in trouble and the closest thing to us is the Eagle Nebula, and even that we can’t reach if we can’t go to warp. At least, not until we’re all ancient.”
Wanted to tell Tim I loved him, but that would probably not go over well in this room. Didn’t make eye contact with Algar, mostly because I assumed he’d look smug, because I was sure he’d caught that I’d figured out what to say. “We don’t want to, really. We want to get away. Fast.”
“Why?” Wruck asked.
“Because, as we’d told you before and Tim just mentioned again, we’re in the Superconsciousness Central Neighborhood and ACE is inside my daughter. And I have no idea what said superconsciousnesses are going to do if they catch ACE being far away from Earth.”
“We won’t allow them to do anything,” Buchanan growled.
“Yeah? How are you going to stop them hiding in a maintenance closet?”
“How will we stop them at all?” Tim asked. “I’d love to hear your plans.”
“Exactly,” Maurer said. “Will it matter where we are? They’re powerful.”
“Tell that to your mother and children, who happen to be on board with my daughter.”
Maurer looked shocked. “How did my children get on the ship?”
“Dude, when I last recapped for all of you guys, I said all the kids were here.”
“You didn’t list them by name,” Maurer said.
“A thousand apologies for my oversight.” Yeah, I had a sarcasm knob, too, and mine always went to eleven. “So, yes, your kids and your mom are here. Do you, perhaps, want to make them feel more secure and show yourself? That really goes for the rest of you, too. I think that everyone, from the President on down, will feel better if they know you’re with us.”
They still looked ready to argue. Tim rolled his eyes. “As the other half of the Maverick Duo, I just want to say that both of us think you should let the others know you’re here. If only to distract Mother from the fact that the hackers snuck on board, too.”
“Stryker and his gang are here?” Buchanan asked. The others looked more alert and thoughtful, too.
“Yes. And, miraculously, we’ve managed to keep their traps shut so they don’t share with Mother that they’re the most likely people to alter her programming.”
“Only just,” Tim added. “Those guys don’t really get what the term ‘stealth’ means.”
“True enough and, by looking at all of your expressions, I think we’re all forming the same plan. While Mossy saves the day with Drax and Mother, and you guys distract the hell out of her by merely showing up, Tim and I can get Hacker International on the reverse engineering, computer override, and fix this situation case right away.”
The ship shuddered. “That doesn’t feel good,” Tim said.
“Yeah. I just hope it’s not heralding arrivals.”
“Arrivals by whom?” Mossy asked.
“I had to send out distress calls. One of them I sent specifically to Sandy, who’s the only superconsciousness likely to want to help us. Maybe.”
“Let’s go,” Tim said. “Mossy, at least, can be helpful.”
“You take him and get him working with Drax.”
“So I get to explain how I knew we had a Turleen stowaway all by myself? No thanks.”
“You won’t have to,” Butler said, speaking for the first time since we’d gotten here. “I believe we all truly need to go with you.”
“Why so, John?” Siler asked.
“Because the ship is in distress, and therefore life support could be affected. If the ship thinks there are close to ten less people on board than there actually are, that could cause issues. Or, to put it another way, there are only two of us on board who can survive without life support, and that’s myself and Cameron. We need to admit that we’re here so that the ship is aware of it, and makes adjustments accordingly.”
“And that, gentlemen, is the ultimate winner, winner, chicken dinner. Because if someone like one of the kids can’t breathe because Mother didn’t accommodate for you guys, trust me when I say that Jeff won’t be the only one going Old Testament on your asses.”
“Far be it for us to try to protect anyone,” Buchanan muttered.
“I’d feel all bad for you but I don’t because I’m not joking about the whole superconsciousnesses thing, and I also kind of dread everyone’s reaction when we go, ‘Ta-da! Look who’s here!’ the moment we reach the others.”
The ship shuddered again. “I think we need Mossy activated, regardless of reactions,” Tim said, as he opened the door. To see someone standing there that it was safe to say none of us expected.
Though we should have. I should have, in particular.
“Mind telling me what’s going on?” Jeff asked, sarcasm knob already at eleven. “And why we have a room full of people who appear to be in hiding? And why you, Tim and Kitty, also appear to be hiding them?”
“Ah . . .” Tim said.
“Um . . .” I said.
“Give it a rest, Mister Executive Chief,” Buchanan said. “My team is in place to protect your wife and children. That means we do things you might not know about.”
“All the time,” Siler added.
“The gentlemen were protecting me,” Algar said. “I was most concerned when strange things began happening.”
Jeff rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Kitty, Drax needs help. What, exactly, is your plan?”
Shoved Mossy forward. “I plan to let our Turleen on Team Tough Guys save the day.”
Jeff grunted. “Fine. I’ll yell at everyone later. Right now, we have bigger problems than why and how all of you were hiding in a place where Mother couldn’t see you.”
My brain nudged. If one group of people could stow away in this fashion, what about others?