Alien in the House

full year.”
    “Co-head ambassador. Yeah, baby, I don’t know what to do. Becoming a full-fledged politician is about the last thing on Earth I want.”
    “The President and the governor asked you to do this personally?”
    “Yes, we were on the phone. The governor said he’d come out here, tonight, if he has to, in order to convince me.”
    “Let’s avoid that.”
    “So you want me to say yes?”
    Contemplated all our options. They seemed amazingly limited. “Well, it’s just for now, right? Until they have time to do another election?”
    We looked at each other. “Supposedly,” Jeff said finally.
    Contemplated some more. There was no way Jeff wasn’t going to do an excellent job doing whatever it was representatives did. Civics and Social Studies had been a long time ago so I wasn’t going to be a lot of assistance. However, we had a wealth of people who could teach him.
    The light dawned. “That’s why the Cabal of Evil is hanging around, isn’t it? They want first dibs at influencing you.”
    “Yeah, I think so. Your mother called the President right after Eugene was arrested, after we took the dog downstairs. I think they knew about this plan before I did.”
    “Senator McMillan said to do it?”
    “He said, and I’m quoting, that it was my civic duty to help guide and govern my country, protect all the citizens entrusted to my care, and answer when the call came.”
    “Yeah, he’s a war hero all right. What did Armstrong say?”
    “He’s really happy about this. I’d be willing to describe him as giddy.”
    “Wow. Well, he’s one of the few politicians we’re legitimately close to. It has to be some sort of political coup to be able to say a presidential appointee is your dinner buddy.”
    “I suppose. I wouldn’t call him my buddy.”
    “Five bucks says he does.”
    “I don’t take sucker bets, baby.” Jeff heaved a sigh. “I have to do this, don’t I?”
    I hugged him, tightly. He hugged me back even tighter. “It’s not fair. It’s never been fair for you, Jeff. But that’s the problem when you learn how to be a good leader so young—you’re stuck leading for the rest of your life.”
    “There’s leading and then there’s . . . this.”
    “Santiago would be proud to have you follow him.”
    Jeff was quiet for a few moments. “I suppose. We’ll never know.”
    “He wanted you to run for office.” I nuzzled against him. Who knew when I’d get to nuzzle again tonight? “So, who’s going to be the Chief of Mission then?”
    Jeff stopped hugging me and moved me away from him a little. “What do you mean?”
    “You’re taking a new job. I know for a fact there’s no way you can be the Chief of Mission here and also be a congressman. Even if we wanted to go for it, it’s against governmental law, rules, and regulations. So, who are we moving into the position?”
    Jeff cleared his throat. “You, ah, don’t know?”
    “No. Do you want me to guess? We’re in the middle of a huge lot of something going on that I think we’ll need to get back to shortly. Besides, Vance is going to come to find me at any given moment. Do me a big favor and just spell it out for me as if I were Jamie. Or younger.”
    Jeff shook his head. “I’m just surprised you’re even asking me, baby. It seems pretty obvious to me, and to everyone else, too.”
    “Does it? It’s not seeming obvious to me, but I’ll admit that I’ve been missing some obvious things tonight. So, again, throw a girl a bone and just tell me who’s going to be our new Chief of Mission?”
    “The same person who’s Chief right now, baby. You.”



CHAPTER 37
    “Y OU’RE ALL HIGH.”
    Jeff chuckled. “Hardly. You’re already fully versed in the job.”
    Put my hand onto his forehead. “No fever. I expected a fever because you’re talking crazy talk and you know it. I’m not even through the Briefing Books of Boredom I got when I first started with Centaurion Division, and I’m having a worse time with the Diplomat’s NYC Phonebook. You can’t seriously think I can just waltz in and take over what you do. Can you?”
    Jeff kissed my forehead. “I can and I do.”
    “We’re doomed.” A happy thought occurred. “There’s probably some law or regulation that prevents me from being the ambassador while you’re a representative.”
    “No, actually, and if there is, it’s being waived under the circumstances, just like so many other things.”
    “What if people protest?” I asked