Alien in the Family

of Animal Planet was still with us, which made sense since their ships were here.
    Kitty, ACE must go back to Paul. If ACE stays any longer with Kitty, ACE will destabilize.
    I understand. ACE? Thank you again. For everything.
    Our world to protect and love.
    Yes. I looked up at Martini. “Jeff, we need to get to Paul.”
    Gower wasn’t that far away from us. He looked crappy. Reader helped him over. “Hope he can handle the transfer back.”
    “I can,” Gower said. He put out his hand and I took it. The heavy-duty electric charge went through me and finally stopped. I leaned my head against Martini’s shoulder until the dizziness and nausea passed.
    Gower straightened up. I saw his body repair itself even faster than A-C normal. “ACE doesn’t like you hurt?”
    “Nope. Thankfully.” Gower looked around. “We need to get everybody healed.”
    “Let’s see if telecommunications is back or if we still have reason to curse Bitch Leader and her gang.” My purse was nearby, but Martini pulled his phone out so I didn’t have to get out of his arms. I was more than okay with this.
    “I have a dial tone.” Martini looked around. “We need to verify that all bases are still secured.” He was back to full Commander Mode. Other phones came out, and it was business as usual.
    Martini dialed. “Dad? Yes, we’re all still alive. Yes, all the nice people from the A-C solar system, too. Yes, they’re dead. Your father, too,” he added quietly. “Huh? Yeah, the Poofs, ah, ate him.” Martini’s eyebrow rose. “Okay, yeah, we all agreed with their choice. Yeah, no loss at all, believe me. Kitty installed Alexander as the new king. Yes, we were on the home world. No, we didn’t want to stay. Long story.”
    He sighed. “Yes, I brought it back with me,” he muttered. “I’ll give it to you when we see you. What? What do you mean it’s mine now? I don’t want it!” Martini was quiet, but the look on his face said he was losing whatever argument he was having with Alfred.
    “Yes, of course I’ll take care of it,” he said finally, in a tone of total resignation. “Kitty has one, too. So do some of the others. Look, can we talk about this later? What do you mean it’s important? I think the safety of our people and our bases is more important. Fine, fine, look, really, is everyone in Vegas okay? Uncle Richard? Kitty’s family? Good. How about the kids? Good. Okay, we’ll clean up here, be back there sometime in the next few hours. What do you mean you’ll all be up? It’s the middle of the night! In fact, it’s heading toward dawn. What? Are you kidding me? Okay, fine, fine. Go back to the craps table, so sorry to bother you with all that end of the world stuff. Yes, love you, too.”
    He closed his phone. “Well, that was . . . odd.”
    “Is your dad okay that his father got . . . eaten?”
    “Yep.” Martini shook his head. “Apparently Leonidas wasn’t making nice and covering up in regard to the Poofs. If the Poofs eat anyone in the royal family, it’s because they’ve made a determination a better ruler’s at hand, just like he said. So, if you’re eaten, you deserved it.”
    “Wow. That’s a lot of power given to fluffy bundles of fur.”
    “Tell me about it.” Martini eyed Poofikins, who’d crawled up onto my shoulder. “You sure you want to keep them?”
    “The Poofs rock. They ate Adolphus, not you, me, Alexander, or Renata.”
    “Good point.”
    “How’s everyone else?”
    “Oh, just fine . They’re all at the craps tables. Apparently your Nana Sadie is a craps queen and has been showing off her technique. The few who aren’t playing craps are either at the blackjack tables or, God help us, in the baccarat room.”
    “Who’s in the baccarat room?” Kevin and Chuckie both started to snort laughter. “Oh, no. You’re kidding me. My mom’s playing baccarat?”
    “Gotta figure,” Kevin said with a grin. “We call her Jane Bond at the office.” I learned new things about my mother every day. “By the way, Jeff, thanks again.”
    “For what?” Martini asked.
    “For getting my wife and kids stashed with the others in Florida. I just talked to her—the kids are all having a blast, but she was glad to be there to give Gladys a hand.”
    “You’re part of the team, you get the same security,” Martini said with a shrug.
    “Never stop appreciating it.”
    I could see the Animal Planet folks were getting ready to leave. “Jeff, need down for a minute.”