Alien Diplomacy

Who the hell drives around with big dogs in their cars? I mean, while they’re trying to do dangerous or clandestine work? Other than K-9 cops, I mean.”
    Chuckie and I looked at each other, then back at Olga, who had the pleased look of a kindergarten teacher whose prize pupils had just managed to finger-paint an acceptable-looking flower. I had the feeling Olga was teaching the very slow kindergarteners today, but hey, at least we were catching up and catching on.
    “Oh, please no,” Chuckie said. “We’ve got undercover local LEOs involved, too? Can this get any worse?”
    She shrugged. “Things are going on in their city that they need to protect the citizens from, aren’t they?”
    “They’d be the only cops around who are doing anything, at least in my limited experience from the past couple of days.”
    Chuckie’s eyes narrowed. “But there are no undercover K-9 divisions here.”
    “Those dogs were impressive specimens, so I can believe they’re trained. Cop trained or not, though, I can’t say. We didn’t interact with them enough. Thank God.”
    Olga shrugged again. “I don’t believe they are your enemies.”
    “So why are they after me, then?” I asked, after I finished the cookie. I grabbed a little cake.
    “I presume they believe you to be in danger,” White said as he sipped his drink. “Or to have information they need or want. Delicious beverage, ladies.”
    “Or both,” Olga said. “And thank you, Mister White, Adriana makes wonderful refreshments, doesn’t she? Thank you, Adriana. I believe you’ll be needed downstairs.” As she said this, Jamie, who was still sitting in Olga’s lap, looked toward the Embassy and cooed expectantly.
    Adriana trotted off. I heard the doorbell ring.
    “Chuckie, why don’t you want local law enforcement involved?”
    “Because they get in our way, cause delays we probably can’t afford, and generally muck up the works.”
    “They occasionally stop crimes and catch criminals, too,” Ireminded him while I snagged another little cake and filled up my glass. “Though not actually in this city. At least so far as my experiences show.” I had my suspicions, so I filled up another glass, too.
    “Yes, but this is a huge international incident, meaning it’s not within their jurisdiction, though they’ll spend a lot of time trying to convince us otherwise.”
    “So far, they haven’t done anything like that.”
    “Yeah? Then why have they been around so much? If,” Chuckie added with a sideways glance at Olga, “we aren’t being fed a different line of misdirection.”
    There was a soft knock, and Adriana put her head into the room. “I’m sorry Ambassadress, but there are other visitors.”
    Chuckie moved so he was in front of me and Olga. I could tell by the way he was standing that he was ready to pull his gun. Adriana stepped aside, and someone walked in carrying a big basket wrapped in cellophane and tied with a huge ribbon. The basket was quite large, Adriana wasn’t all that tall, whoever was carrying it was, and he also clearly wanted to avoid hitting her with it, because he held it up high.
    This meant we couldn’t see his head. Chuckie’s hand was moving for his gun when the basket lowered, revealing Jeff’s face. Chuckie relaxed while Jamie made the Daddy’s Here! squeal.
    Jeff nodded to him. “Thanks. The jocks are downstairs. Guarding the stroller.” The way he said it, I assumed the boys were also checking the stroller for any potential bugs and such.
    “Good. Next time, lower the basket sooner, please.” Chuckie stepped aside. “Ambassadress Dalca, please allow me to introduce Ambassador Martini.”
    She smiled. “Call me Olga.”
    “I’m Jeff. Ambassadress, this is, ah, a little something we wanted to bring over to apologize for the party.”
    She laughed as Jamie bounced expectantly on her lap. “You mean, this is a good ruse to get you over here without suspicion, because you know your wife, your child, your uncle, and your friend are here with me, and you do not know why.”
    Jeff gaped at her for a moment. “Close enough, yeah. But we do mean it about the gift.” He put the basket down on the floor at her feet, picked Jamie up, and cuddled her. She made Happiest Baby in the World sounds, which earned her several Daddy Kisses.
    Jeff looked around again as I handed him his lemonade. “Thanks, baby. So, you’ve told her?”
    Chuckie shot Jeff the “shut up, shut up” look. “No,” he said