Alien Diplomacy

would mean they, like the K-9 team, would be cut.
    “Terrorist attack is your best option,” he replied without missing a beat. “It focuses everyone on the larger threat to national security, while leaving you free to kill off anyone you don’t like. Of course, you’ll kill many other innocent people along the way, but that’s essentially the point.”
    “Yes, it is. And they’ll get at least a double out of it, too.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    I looked around again and spotted Doreen and Irving just coming off the dance floor. I waved them over and did the fast introductions. “I need you two to stay with the senator and pay attention. Sir, you need to look for anyone on your congressional teams, the one going down to South America for sure, but possibly others. Any of them who are in agreement with you on the private security issues and their related projects. Anyone who the two Titan employees you know would also know by sight.”
    I got one more long look, then he nodded. “Should I get Kelly out of here?”
    “I’d love to get everyone out of here. I’m just betting we won’t be able to.” I was sure I was giving off stress vibes. I wanted to really focus, in case Jeff was involved in a particularly deep and interesting conversation, but before I could, the music went to something really dull and undanceable, and the dance floor cleared. Caroline, Michael, and Kelly rejoined us, Amy, Christopher, and Tito in tow, which was great. But Leslie Manning followed them, which wasn’t.
    “Kitty, there you are.”
    “Hey, Leslie.” I did the required introductions.
    “Where’s your husband?” she asked when I was done.
    “Around. Somewhere. I’m sure.”
    “Well, then, can I steal you away for a minute so we can talk?”
    It was say yes or tell her she’d won the Worst Timing in the World Award. I voted for the former. “Sure. Where’s Bryce?”
    “Around.” Leslie looked worried. “I need to talk to you now, while he’s busy.”
    I needed to get the rest of the team focused on what I’d figured out, and I needed to do it without Leslie catching on. She might have information about what was going on, or this might be her way of suggesting I share the bed of love with her and Villanova.
    “Sure. Oh, Ames, your earring’s sort of screwed up. Let me fix it.” I got up close to her. “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog equals the Alphabet Agencies.”
    “Huh?” Amy said, as I fiddled with her earring then moved away. “Uh, thanks, Kitty.” She put her hand to her ear, a confused look on her face. Oh, well, I’d tried. Hopefully Leslie’s weirdness would be brief and I could get back and get everyone moving on getting the obvious targets protected.
    Leslie was watching me; I couldn’t pass any other information without her seeing it. “Be right back. I promise.”
    We walked off. “Thanks, Kitty,” Leslie said. “I appreciate you being willing to help me.”
    “I have no idea what you need help with, and I didn’t exactly promise to help. I said I’d talk to you at the ball. So talk, what’s going on?”
    We passed Bryce who was talking to Marling. They were behind a column and seemed to be arguing, albeit quietly. I turned and headed us closer to them. Leslie noted where I was looking. “You know about Jack?”
    “There’s a lot about Jack going around right now. Which ‘about’ are you referring to?” We were close to Marling and Bryce. Marling looked annoyed.
    “…don’t want to keep on doing this,” Bryce hissed. “We’re tired of pretending.”
    Marling saw us, and his expression shifted to pleasant. “Ah, how nice to see you ladies.”
    Bryce spun around, eyes narrowed. But he smiled when he saw us. “Hey.”
    “Hi,” Leslie said. She seemed uncomfortable. “We were just going to powder our noses.”
    Bryce smirked. “The ambassador does that a lot.” He shot Leslie a look I could only think of as annoyed. I was fairly sure he hadn’t wanted this conversation interrupted.
    I shrugged. “It happens.”
    “We were discussing animal rescue,” Marling said. “I believe that’s something you have an interest in?”
    I didn’t know what they’d been talking about before we joined them, but for sure, animal rescue wasn’t it. I wondered if Marling was making a veiled reference to the K-9 dogs. But I decided not to press the issue, since I still had no idea what Leslie wanted. “I’m all for saving helpless animals. I understand