Alien in the House

that?” I kissed his cheek as well, then let Raj lead me off to the front door. “What does Malcolm need?”
    Our foyer was remarkably empty, considering how many people we had in the Embassy right now. I heard Pierre call everyone to dinner, meaning that the elevators and stairways were going to be busy while everyone headed for the second floor and the walkway to the Zoo.
    “I have no idea, it’s not Mister Buchanan at the door.”
    Stopped walking. “Raj, just who is at the door? In fact, why did you get the door instead of Pierre?”
    “I took over for you and Ambassador Martini at the initial greeting stop so you two could spend time with Representative Reyes. I took over the door for Pierre so he could keep the party moving along.” He cocked his head at me. “Am I frightening you for some reason?”
    “Depends on who’s at the door.”
    Raj sighed. “Someone who said it was vitally important that he speak with you immediately. Just as I told the ambassador.”
    Looked around. “Where are Len and Kyle?”
    “Outside, with your visitor.”
    Wasn’t sure that this was an improvement on things. Wasn’t sure if I was overreacting to the entire situation, either. Only one way to find out.
    I opened the door.
    Len and Kyle were nowhere to be seen. Neither was anyone else.



CHAPTER 15
    “R AJ, what in the hell is going on?”
    “They were right here!” He sounded shocked, but troubadour talent meant he was one of the best actors out there. Raj could have been faking it, or he could be as shocked as he sounded. I didn’t know him well enough to be sure.
    “Come inside, close the door, and be quiet.” Buchanan’s voice was behind us, meaning he’d been inside the Embassy. Knowing Buchanan, he’d been inside from the moment he brought me back this afternoon and none of us had noticed him. My Dr. Strange theory seemed amazingly sound.
    Since it
was
Buchanan talking, I did what he said. Turned around to see that he was not only inside but in an Armani tux. Buchanan wasn’t quite good-looking enough to pass for an A-C, but he came close.
    He also looked to be quite alone. “Where are the boys?”
    Buchanan rolled his eyes. “I moved them and your visitor inside before we had a horrific incident on our hands.” He gave Raj a derisive look. “You know, what the Junior Ambassador here should have done.”
    “Ambassador Martini doesn’t want just anyone allowed inside,” Raj said, voice clipped. “I saw no reason to go against his wishes.”
    Buchanan shook his head, spun on his heel, and started for the stairway to the basement. Raj and I followed him.
    Went down the stairs to find the boys with guns trained on a third man. He was older, with short gray hair, gray eyes, and a stocky but muscular build. He stood ramrod straight, as if he were standing at attention, but he was in a regular suit, not a uniform. I didn’t recognize him at all. “Who’s Public Enemy Number One here?”
    The man looked straight at me. “I’m Colonel Marvin Hamlin.”
    “You’re the infamous Hammy?” He didn’t look like a man who would appreciate a nickname of any kind. He looked like a man who wanted to be called “sir,” not Hammy.
    “To my friends.” He cleared his throat. “I know we aren’t friends, but . . . I need your help.”
    Colonel Hamlin had been in charge of Andrews Air Force Base right up until a couple days before Operation Destruction. He’d left Andrews for lunch and never been seen since. He was Cliff’s former boss, and he was also, per Cliff and everyone else, very anti-alien. This was one of the reasons Colonel Arthur Franklin had been moved over to take charge of Andrews. Hamlin’s disappearance had sped up the process, but that was probably good, because Franklin was a friend and had worked with us to save the day.
    Pulled out my phone. “Let me get Cliff, Chuckie, and Jeff down here.”
    “No!” Hamlin jumped toward me, earning a nice body slam from Kyle that sent him into the wall.
    “Why don’t you want them called?”
    Hamlin regained his balance. “Because I don’t know who I can trust. I’ve been on the run for months.”
    “From who?” Buchanan asked. “And why?”
    Hamlin shook his head. “I’m not sure who. People have been trying to kill me is why. But I believe I know why they’re trying to eliminate me.”
    “And that reason is?” Really wanted to get one of the guys down here. But under the circumstances, with four of my guys here already, I