Alien in the House

Chapter 41



“BYE,” I said to no one. Hung up and dropped the new burner phone into my purse along with the other burner and my actual phone. I looked like a cell phone hoarder. Or a drug dealer.

“What’s going on?” Jeff asked.

“I honestly have no freaking idea, but my ‘uncle’ says Amy and Caro Syrup have intel and that we should get off the roof before we receive it. So let’s do what he says and get inside.”

He’d also said it was going to rain. Sniffed. Didn’t smell like rain. Looked around. Didn’t look like rain, either. Maybe he’d been being obscure. Or maybe he meant bullets were going to rain down on us. Or something.

“Oh, I know why I couldn’t feel them,” Jeff said, as he held out his hand. There was a disc in it. “Caroline had this taped to her. She said she was told to ensure that it was given to you.”

“Emotional blocker or emotional overlay device. Don’t try to open it; they’re rigged to explode. Len, Kyle, who’s where? We need to get this to Serene, pronto, but I want Ravi to stay in the loop. And someone needs to verify if Malcolm has a disc like this on him somewhere.”

“Everyone but the hackers are with the Pontifex,” Kyle shared. “And to say they’re all kind of pissed at you guys for disappearing is like saying the Atlantic’s a little wet.”

“Fabulous. How’d you guys know we were here?”

“Mister White called me,” Len said. “We didn’t tell Alpha Team where we were going.”

“Not that this meant anything,” Reader said as he and Michael joined us on the roof. Reader looked pissed. Michael looked worried. “Because I’m really aware when people leave a room I’ve told them not to leave.”

Michael didn’t bother to bawl us out—he headed straight for Caroline.

Len shrugged. “We work for the ambassador.” Kyle nodded. So did Jeremy.

Reader let this pass without comment. Probably because he had other comments. “I’d love to know why American Centaurion’s Prom King and Queen are playing around on the roof of their Embassy. Just asking.” Reader didn’t sound like he was just asking. He sounded angrier than he looked.

“Thanks for the lovely new title, James.”

“That’s not an answer, Ambassador.” Wow. Ambassador, not my name or anything. Yeah, Reader was officially pissed off at me and apparently planning to stay that way. Joy.

“Scavenger hunt,” Vance said. Happily, none of the A-Cs were actually facing Reader when this was announced. They were facing me. My ability to control my Inner Hyena was, therefore, being tested severely.

Reader stared at Vance. “A scavenger hunt.”

“Yeah. It’s something fun to do, breaks the ice. Everyone was feeling tense and down, Kitty and I thought, why not a scavenger hunt?”

Reader looked at me. “You suggested—after having one man poisoned at dinner, and then another shot in front of you, along with the announcement of Jeff’s new assignment, and yours—that what everyone needed was to have a scavenger hunt?”

“Not everyone. Just a few of us.” This was true. Sure, I hated lying to Reader, but by now I couldn’t remember who we’d told what to any more.

“Ambassador, is there a good reason for why you’re lying to me? I’m just asking, because it’s been a hell of a long night and all, but in all the time I’ve known you, the words ‘scavenger hunt’ have never left your mouth.”

“Ah . . .” Damn, lying to Reader didn’t work. Had Mom been giving him tips? And he was still calling me ambassador. Wasn’t sure if he was doing it to remind me that I was supposed to be more mature and in charge or because he was too angry to use my name. Decided now wasn’t the time to find out.

Saved by the bell. Well, really saved by Michael who rejoined us, his arm around Caroline in a very protective manner. “James, I want to take Caroline home. She’s been attacked, is freezing, and I don’t want her getting sick or being in any more danger than she’s been in already.”

“M’okay,” Caroline croaked out. “Jus’ cld.”

“Yeah, get her home. We can get all the information from Amy, right?” Reader asked her.

“R-r-r-ight. But ’m fine.”

“Caro Syrup, you sound like a frog. You need some hot tea with honey or something.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Michael said. “Everyone else might want to get inside, too.” With that he bundled Caroline down the stairs.

Reader sighed. “Where were we? Or should I say, what were you lying to me about before we were interrupted?”

“Is this guy trustworthy?” Vance asked.

“Yes.”

“The rest of them?” Vance waved his arm to indicate everyone on the roof.

“As far as I know, yes.” I hoped, anyway. With Hamlin gone and Malcolm felled by some mystery ailment, Hamlin’s intel became more suspect.

“Great. Then I’m going to tell everyone my theory, Kitty. Mostly because in the time I’ve been trying to tell it to you we’ve done everything other than discuss what I think is a lot more important than why we’re on this roof, no offense to you or your friend intended,” he said to Amy.

“None taken,” Amy said in a tone indicating she was lying like a wet rug.

“Good.” Vance heaved a sigh. “I think we have a high-level government conspiracy going on.”

Everyone snorted, even Jeremy. “When don’t we?” Reader asked. “Per Reynolds, we have at least a dozen active at any time.”

“Well, there’s one more, and I don’t know that anyone else—other than Mister Joel Oliver for whom this may be old news—has put events together like I have.”

“We’re listening, Vance.” Well, I was. Couldn’t speak for the others.

“Great. I think someone is murdering members of the House of Representatives indiscriminately.”

“Eugene’s accidental murder of the wrong guy was indiscriminate but—”

“No.” Vance sounded upset. Reminded myself that he’d already told me that Gadoire thought he was an idiot for this idea of his. Also reminded myself that most of the time when I forwarded a theory I was told I was an idiot right up until the moment my theory proved to be correct. “It started earlier this year, and it’s picking up speed.”

Oliver shook his head. “This isn’t something on my radar. Sorry to disappoint.”

“It’s real,” Vance said, voice clipped. “And the longer it’s ignored, the more people are going to die.”

“Then why isn’t this on anyone’s radar?” Reader asked.

“Because every death looks natural or accidental. But they’re starting to increase in number. It began with the representative who Santiago ended up replacing.”

“Representative Bowers died in office,” Oliver said. “Literally. Had a heart attack at his desk.”

“Sure he did,” Vance replied. “An assisted heart attack. The killer waited about a month, then there were more. A couple here, one there, a few more. This month alone we’ve already lost four. All seem natural or accidental. But they aren’t.”

Reader shook his head. “If the best investigative reporter out there isn’t in on this, why should we listen to you? This just sounds like another crackpot theory.”

“My theories tend to sound like this,” I reminded him. “When I first put them out there.”

“What, you’ve jumped on board this crazy train?” Reader sounded like he was warring between surprise and frustration.

“Maybe. I mean, Vance has done research. I think we should look at it.”

“Yes, you should,” Vance said. “If this goes on, every member of the House is going to die.”

“Everyone dies,” White pointed out.

“I mean prematurely,” Vance snapped. “And you know it. You need to run the numbers like I have—once you do, you’ll see a pattern, and that pattern is intentional.”

Reader still didn’t look convinced. Not a problem. “Look, Commander, you don’t have to do the light reading.” Hey, two could play the Title Game. “We’ll have Hacker International take a look. It should be an easy project for them. Then we can decide.”

“Make them do it fast,” Vance said. “Right now, every rep is in mortal danger.” He looked at Jeff. “And that includes you.”