Alien Diplomacy

this in stride, though I could tell Chuckie was getting seriously impatient with the delays.
    I took a deep breath. “Okay, so, my purse. What have you found?”
    Chuckie went to the end table and examined its contents. He whistled. “You had all of this on you, Oliver?”
    “Mister Joel Oliver, I must remind you. And, yes. Most of it was in my camera equipment, but some were in my overcoat.”
    Jeff pulled out his phone. “Gladys, we need a full Security scan team over at the Embassy. Check the Pontifex’s residence and Reynolds’ place, too. We’ve identified a wide variety of surveillance equipment that isn’t ours. Thanks, yes. Yes, faster than that.”
    Jeff’s eyes narrowed. “No, I haven’t asked him. Are you seriously going to tell me to call James and ask his permission?” Jeff’s voice was starting to head to the “rabid dog” growl. “Time’s of the essence. No, I’m not going to call Tim or Serene either. Do it, or I’ll be happy to remind everyone that I’ve been sidelined into this crap job for only three months.”
    He rolled his eyes. “Yes, I realize it’s a vital role. Look, if I want a lecture, I can call my mother.” He heaved a sigh. “Fine. Thank you so much.” Jeff hung up and ran his hand through his hair. “I really hate my life sometimes.”
    Chuckie shrugged. “It’s a living. So, is a scan actually going to be run?”
    “Yeah. Teams should be here momentarily.” No sooner said than several sets of A-Cs arrived, carrying a variety of equipment I didn’t want to identify. “Go over the things in this room first,” Jeff told them. “Then do the rest of the Embassy. Top to bottom, every room, no matter how small or innocuous.”
    “Every person should be scanned, too, and all wardrobes,” Oliver added.
    “What the paparazzo said. Do it all at hyperspeed, make sure the others at the other locations are doing the same.” The agents nodded, some pulled out phones, the rest just went to work. Jeff looked at me. “Do we take care of this or the hospital?”
    “I think we need to get over there. Nurse Carter called a while ago now.”
    Chuckie nodded. “If the others were pulled away from my control, I figure there’s a good chance whatever your ‘relative’ left for you is gone now, but the faster we get there, the better chance we have of getting our hands on it, whatever it is.”
    One of the random A-Cs came over to us. “We’ve identified everything suspect in this room, sir,” he said to Jeff. He looked at me. “The rest of your things should be fine if you want to take them with you, ma’am.”
    “Super.” I trotted over to Pierre and Oliver.
    Pierre handed me my purse. “Efficient young men.”
    “And all drool-worthingly hot, too.”
    He smiled. “Yes, Jimmy said the perks of working for you would outweigh the dangers. So far, I have to say, it’s been a thrilling start to my new career.”
    “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”
    “I’d like to come with you,” Oliver said.
    “I don’t think Jeff or Chuckie will like that idea.”
    Oliver shrugged. “A press pass and a big camera can be advantages.”
    I’d seen the camera work for me already. And, under the circumstances, safety in numbers seemed like a good plan. Plus, that meant Oliver couldn’t wander through any more of the Embassy than he likely already had. “Works for me. Pierre, can you manage things here?”
    “Can, have, and will, darling. Carry on, and enjoy yourselves.”
    Oliver and I joined Jeff and Chuckie as Len and Kyle entered the room. “Why is he coming with us?” Jeff asked.
    “He wants to, and he might help.”
    Chuckie rubbed his forehead. “Unreal. Fine, yes, why not bring Mister Joel Oliver along?”
    “We can discuss his intelligence while we’re heading to the medical center.”
    “I’m refraining from comment,” Chuckie said dryly. He looked at Len and Kyle. “Have they been searched yet?”
    The boys looked shocked, as though they were being accused of treason. Jeff motioned to an A-C, who zipped over and did thewhole search and scan thing. “They’re clean, sir.” He did the same for Jeff, Chuckie, Oliver, and Pierre. “All good, sir.”
    “Why wouldn’t we be?” Len asked.
    “We’ve been infiltrated,” Jeff snapped. “Kitty’s purse was loaded with bugs, our investigative reporter here was loaded, too.”
    “You think we did that?” Kyle asked, looking both stricken and angry. Len was stone-faced, but his eyes