Alien Diplomacy

clandestine meeting are we interrupting? Homeland Security? C.I.A.? Keystone Kops?” Reader’s text reply was, charitably, snippy. I snipped back. “Huh?” I realized Ishmael had said something I’d missed.
    “I said that this is a safe location. We meet here all the time.”
    “Huh. I wonder who else does. And who else knows you do.”
    “We’re secure,” he snapped as two limos, followed by five taxis, arrived and parked. We all got out. I desperately wanted to make a Spy vs. Spy joke, but even in this company, perhaps especially in this company, I figured it would go over badly.
    Jeff pointedly walked over and moved me and White away from Ishmael. “We’re fine,” I said quietly.
    “I prefer you closer to me, for a variety of reasons.”
    “No complaints from me. Where’s Jamie?”
    “With Denise, at our new day care center.” He sounded resigned. “I can’t argue with the need, and Jamie adores her, so I think it’ll be fine. Your parents are at the Embassy in case of problems. Christopher’s there, too…just in case.” He didn’t have to say just in case for what—at the rate we were going, the likelihood that someone would try to take over the Embassy this afternoon seemed at least probable.
    “Good, though I think the people responsible for all the crap with the Embassy are here in the parking garage with us. Why did you choose this location yesterday?”
    “It’s big, empty, and no one comes in this area. Isn’t that why you had the taxi guy come here?”
    “No, I didn’t direct him. He came here on his own. He says they come here all the time.”
    “Huh.” Jeff didn’t seem to think this was too big a deal. “I wasn’t trying to be exclusive with the location, baby. It was just close and convenient.”
    Kevin was along for this ride, and he flashed the P.T.C.U. badge. “Let’s remember, gentlemen, that you’re meeting with a Federal agent and act accordingly.” Ishmael and his gang all nodded.
    “Richard,” Reader said, “I’d like you in the limo with Paul.” He didn’t make it sound like a request.
    White sighed. “Fun while it lasted, Missus Martini. I’m complying, James, no need to look so distressed.” White got into the limo with Gower, though he left the door open so they could both see and hear what was going on.
    Chuckie took a long look at Ishmael. “I want all the disguises off, and I want them off now.” His tone clearly indicated arguing would be a bad idea. Reader and Tim were flanking him, and the looks on their faces shared that they agreed with Chuckie and would be happy to help him kick some serious K-9 butt if said order was ignored.
    Ishmael nodded, and he and the others removed their rather lame disguises. Once off, they all looked like regular guys in their twenties and thirties. I could see the cop in all of them, though. There was something about the way they stood, the aura of authority they radiated, not to mention the cop haircuts.
    I noted all the dogs were sniffing intently. I looked where they were focused—it was the area where I’d spotted the bullet casings.
    Chuckie looked long and hard at Ishmael and a few of the others. “Do you know why they were avoiding you?” I asked.
    He nodded, as he pointed to Ishmael and the ones I identified asCurly and Larry. “They were part of the police team that came to my apartment a few months ago when it was…ransacked.” I presumed he meant when it was trashed during Operation Confusion, but I kept that to myself.
    “We were sent there,” Ishmael said.
    “Why were K-9 units at an attempted robbery?” Jeff asked quickly, presumably because he didn’t think I was smart enough to not give things away.
    Ishmael shrugged. “We’d gotten a tip that it was a drug deal gone bad.”
    Chuckie nodded. “Typical frame setup.” He gave me a pointed look. “It didn’t work.” I got the hint. I was to shut up and not share why I thought it hadn’t worked. It was an easy guess—Chuckie, likely with assistance from the Gower girls, had found and removed anything planted before any local law enforcement had shown up.
    “Yeah, well, the hell you caused us for that made it pretty clear we were close to blowing your cover.” Ishmael didn’t sound too sorry about that. Prince was straining at his lead, but Ishmael held him pretty firmly.
    “Illegal search and seizure isn’t good for anyone’s record,” Chuckie replied. “You might want to remember that.”
    “We’ll take a