Alien Diplomacy

that there were any law enforcement officers around to suggest it to.
    We reached the bus stop as the bus pulled up. Oliver ushered me and Jamie on first. The bus driver stared at us. “You folks in a hurry?”
    “Just didn’t want to miss you,” I gasped out as I rummaged around for some money.
    Oliver shoved a twenty at the driver. “For all of us.” He and I found seats in the back where there were no other passengers, while the boys got the stroller collapsed and it and themselves inside in record time.
    I took Jamie out of the Fleeing Position. She cooed at me. “That’s my good little babycat,” I said as I kissed her nose. “You’re my little ready-for-action girl, aren’t you?”
    I looked out the window as the bus doors closed and we started off. The taxi driver was still across the street. He tipped his cap to me and drove off.
    The bus drove past the street where the other taxis had collided. They were still in the street, but the drivers were nowhere around.
    Len cleared his throat. “Are you and Jamie okay?”
    “Yeah. How about you guys?”
    “Nice workout,” Oliver said with a laugh.
    The boys, however, looked sheepish, worried, and upset, and they didn’t answer my question. I sighed. “Guys, really. You’re still learning. It happens.”
    Len shook his head. “We’re supposedly fully trained. If you’d let us, we would have gotten into one of those taxis.”
    “But I didn’t let you.” I patted his hand. “You did great.”
    “How so?” Kyle asked, clearly as upset as Len. “If it wasn’t for Mister Joel Oliver here, we’d all be dead.”
    I patted his hand, too. “But we’re not. We call this learning on the job.”
    “Our job is to protect you,” Len reminded me.
    “Yeah, it is. My job is also to protect myself, my baby, and anyone with me. I’m better at that job because I’ve been doing this longer.” Happily, no one was with us who could contradict me. “MJO, were our, ah, friends the same ones you’d spotted earlier?”
    “Sadly, no. At least, not that I could tell.”
    We all looked out the windows again. “I don’t see anyone or anything suspicious.” The men chimed in with the lack of suspicious. “So I guess we can sort of relax. For the moment anyway. So how long are we on the bus for?”
    “Several miles,” Oliver replied.
    “I’m willing for that to take a while.”
    No sooner were the words out of my mouth than the bus pulled over. Doors opened, no one got on or off. We looked at each other. The bus started up again. And stopped at the next block. Same thing.
    We lurched along, stopping at every block, listening to the other passengers mutter to themselves and each other about this ridiculous situation until my brain kicked. “Oh. Um. We can relax and let the bus driver drive the way he knows how to do. Best. And all that.”
    The men all gave me the “you so crazy” look. However, I hadn’t been talking to them. Jamie sighed, and I could have sworn she gave me a “make up your mind” look. But the bus continued on, this time not stopping except for traffic lights and legitimate bus stops.
    As we made our way, more passengers got on. We were no longer alone in the back. We all scrutinized said passengers, but none of them seemed either interested in us or a threat. Well, none of them were interested in us, but a couple of them made smiley goo-goo faces at Jamie. They appeared to be people who liked to smile at cute little babies, so we all smiled back.
    “Do you want to call the ambassador?” Len asked quietly.
    “No. Why stress him out any more than he undoubtedly is?” I didn’t want to admit that I was actually trying to avoid a lecture or a fight. Jeff had wanted to come get us, which now seemed like it might have been the smart plan. But, oh, well. Improvisation was my middle name, right?
    I focused on feeling calm and relaxed, so that if Jeff was monitoring he’d know we were all okay. My phone rang. “Do I want to know?” Jeff asked.
    “Probably not. Not in a good place to fill you in, either.”
    “Everyone’s safe?”
    “Yes. Still heading to the shopping area.”
    He sighed. “Fine. Try to not burn down the shops.”
    “Oh, ye of little faith.”
    Jeff snorted. “Never forget, baby, I know you.”



CHAPTER 12
    W E JOSTLED ALONG. To be polite I put my iPod back into my purse. I didn’t think discussing the limo’s explosion, the potential assassination attempt, our chase through the streets of D.C., or