Alien in the House

useful excuse.”
    “Yeah, it only lasts so long, however. Why are all of you on the roof? I haven’t been able to give you my full attention because I’ve been too busy being told what my new job entails. It entails things I don’t want to do, by the way.”
    “I’m sure. We’re figuring out who was where when.”
    “Somehow, I think you think that was supposed to make sense. It doesn’t, but I believe that you believe, baby.”
    “I don’t see much that would tell us more than that there were people up here and they aren’t here any more,” Oliver said.
    “Speaking of people who disappeared, Christopher’s back,” Jeff told me. “He found Buchanan.” There was an edge to Jeff’s tone I didn’t like.
    “Is Malcolm okay?”
    “Well, he’s alive, and appears to be in one piece, so that’s good. He’s in the infirmary—Tito, Magdalena, Melanie, and Emily are working on him.”
    “Oh my God, how badly is he hurt?”
    “As far as any of us, Christopher included, can tell? Not at all. But he’s unconscious and can’t be roused.” Jeff hugged me. “We’ll figure it out, baby.”
    “Where was he?”
    “In the tunnels. Alone. Miles, and I do mean miles, away from where he should have been. Christopher’s pretty sure there was a motorized vehicle of some kind down there. No sign of your other ‘friend’. But where exactly is really interesting.”
    “Can’t wait? Where, exactly, was Malcolm?”
    “Right under Gaultier Enterprises’ research facility, positioned just out of sight of the cameras we have there.”
    “Wow, you’re not kidding about being far away. I wonder if that’s supposed to be a clue?”
    “Maybe. Who knocks a guy out and leaves him as a clue?”
    “Everyone we interact with.”
    “Good point. But what kind of clue?”
    “Well, my ‘uncle’ said the special package I received had a bioweapon in it. What if someone’s tested that on Malcolm?” Hated this idea the moment it came out of my mouth, because it seemed oh-so-likely to be right on.
    Jeff hugged me tighter. “If that’s what it is, baby, I promise we’ll figure it out. Tito’s created a cure for humans so they can move at hyperspeed and not get sick. He can figure this out, too.”
    “I hope so.” Chose not to mention that Tito had had plenty of time to work on and perfect his Hyperspeed Dramamine, and no one was going to die if he hadn’t created it just right.
    It was late and I was cold and tired and needed to stop thinking about failure in any and all ways. We needed to find Amy and Caroline so I could check and make sure Malcolm was okay, and then go to bed.
    Considered our options. They seemed slim. Well, I had one option left. Dug out the burner phone the Dingo had given me and dialed the one number on it. The phone rang, and didn’t go to voicemail. But it didn’t pick up, either.
    Jeff stopped his Bellie snuggling with a jerk. “I hear a phone ringing.”
    “It’s on the other end of my call.”
    “No.” Jeff handed Bellie back to Oliver and took my hand. “No, it’s coming from that way.” He pointed to the Embassy’s roof.
    Contemplated our options. They seemed about as slim as our earlier options had been. “I guess we need to go back down and inside. And back out again.”
    Jeff looked over the side. “I closed the drapes on the third and fourth floors before I came up here. And the squatters keep their shades closed because they don’t like to see moonlight, let alone sunlight.”
    “Why do we want to go back down via the fire escape?”
    “Because there’s a straighter line.” Jeff pointed to the walkway.
    White shrugged. “I know the walkway can handle our weight, Jeffrey. And the fire escape is near enough that I believe we can safely handle the leap.”
    “Leap?” Vance asked.
    “We’re not jumping down three floors, are we?”
    Jeff snorted. “No. Just about half of one.”
    “Um, excuse me? Half of one?”
    “Maybe all of one. C’mon, baby.” Jeff started down the fire escape. He was about at the third floor level when he jumped off and over and landed on the top of the walkway.
    I could stand up here, go inside, or support my husband’s plan. Chose to go with the latter, in the hopes that he was right, we wouldn’t all die, and I’d earn some Good Wife Points.
    Hung up the burner phone, put it back into my purse, and started back down the stupid fire escape we’d just climbed up. Slipped a few times, but managed not to scream, only because