Alien in the House

Magdalena, right now we probably need to do whatever it is NASA would do for an astronaut in suspended animation.”
    Nurse Carter was at one of the computers. “I have it here. We’re already doing much of it, but we can add certain fluids to the mix of what he’s getting. And if you’re wrong, they shouldn’t harm him.”
    “Tito, while you’re at it, do we have the autopsy results back on Santiago yet?”
    “It hasn’t happened yet. We left a team from Dulce at the hospital with his body and Melanie and Emily are going to be there when the autopsy is performed. I was going to go over today, too, and help, but I don’t want to leave my patient now. Why?”
    “Have them run toxicology on what killed him. I know we all think it was arsenic, and I’m betting it was mostly arsenic. But I’d like to know if there was something more in that mix. Have them run it at the Science Center, because we need fast results. If we need to throw around our political weight to make that happen, feel free to share that, husband in the House or no, the American Centaurion Ambassador is ready to knock some heads.”
    Medical assignments handed out, Jeff and I headed for our underground garage. He put his coat and hat on as we started downstairs. I laughed.
    “What’s so funny?”
    “I think it’s cute that you’re worried I might think Malcolm was better than you.”
    “Who says I think that?”
    I settled the fedora on his head just so. “Oh, nothing.” Leaned up and kissed him. “To quote today’s go-to music, I’m forever your girl.”
    Jeff put his arm around me. “Good. And let’s have different go-to music, if that’s okay with you.”
    “If you insist.”
    “I do.”
    “Boy bands or divas?”
    “With that as my choice,” Jeff said as we reached the garage, “I pick Aerosmith.”
    “I knew I married well.”



CHAPTER 50
    L EN AND READER WERE already inside one of our standard-issue gray limos. Kyle was waiting to open the door for us, chatting with Vance, who was dressed like every other man associated with Centaurion Division.
    “Have to say that you have the best valet service in the world,” Vance shared as we reached them. “I was told my clothes would be ready by the time we got back.”
    Didn’t share that this meant that the Elves, for whatever reason, wanted Vance to look like he was one of us, because I knew they could have gotten his clothes back to him two seconds after he’d taken them off.
    “Yeah, it’s a great perk. You ready, Kyle?”
    He nodded. “Raj said we needed to be on high alert.”
    “We always need to be on high alert.”
    Kyle grinned. “That’s what Len said.”
    “Glad to see our paranoia levels are at DEFCON High. So, you know, routine.”
    He laughed, opened the door, and helped me into the car.
    I took the seat that had my back to the driver and Jeff sat next to me. Vance sat in the back seat, next to Reader.
    Len turned around. “You realize we’re getting to the Capitol hours before the swearing-in ceremony.”
    “We’re on a mission. From God.”
    “Whatever you say, Kitty. Music?”
    “Does a duck swim? Does a bear poop in the woods? Is the Pope presumed Catholic?”
    “Gotcha,” Kyle said. “Random or selected? Or do you want
The Blues Brothers
soundtrack?”
    “While I’d be all for Jake and Elwood, the newest representative for the great state of New Mexico has requested Aerosmith.”
    “Over boy bands or divas,” Jeff added.
    “Nothing wrong with either,” Vance said.
    “Yes there is,” Len and Kyle said in unison.
    The music started and the intro to “The Other Side” hit my ears. I relaxed as Steven, Joe, and the rest of my boys rocked on.
    My phone rang. Dug it out of my purse. It was Nathalie Brewer. “Hey, what’s up?”
    “Kitty, we were wondering if you wanted to go over with us for today’s ceremony. It can be a little overwhelming, even with others there. When it’s just you alone, it can be daunting.”
    Jeff had faced down more scary things in his lifetime than the Brewers could imagine. Standing in a hall getting sworn in wasn’t going to daunt him. However, it was easy to guess that the Brewers wanted to cement their relationship with the Presidential Appointee.
    “Going over as a group today?” Looked at Reader. He shook his head. “I don’t know if we can. We have some things we need to take care of prior to the ceremony.”
    “I just meant with me and Edmund. We live so close to you, it seemed like