Alien Proliferation

useless if everyone else dies.”
    Harlie mewled but didn’t seem upset.
    “I don’t care what Jeff or Chuckie told all of you. They lied. They’re in danger. So are Christopher and James and Michael. Where are they?”
    More mewling.
    I looked at White. “Your turn.”
    He shook his head. “I’d like to save everyone more than merely find them.” Six Poofs jumped onto the ground and scampered across the garage. White grabbed my hand, and we ran after them.
    “Dude, seriously, you might be able to single-handedly do all the field work yourself. I know it’s been a long run as Pontifex—retire to the active lifestyle.”
    He laughed. “If we survive and save everyone, feel free to forward the suggestion again, Missus Martini. If I can stop the subterfuge now.”
    “Well, stay looking Timothy Dalton-ish. And call me Kathy if anyone’s around. Otherwise, I’m with you, Mister White. Besides, this is sort of like being in our own version of The Avengers .”
    “All you need is the catsuit. Which would, I must say, look excellent on you.”
    “Wow, hope Jeff’s still alive. Otherwise, I may have to shock my parents with who I marry next.”

 
    CHAPTER 56
     
    T HE POOFS LED US ACROSS the garage to a different set of stairs. Went down, and the Poofs jumped back, Poofikins on my shoulder, Fluffy on White’s. The others went back into my purse.
    “Chuckie told Fluffy to protect you.”
    “I hope we’ll be in time to save his life by way of thanks.”
    “Yeah. Let’s just plan on it, okay?”
    We were moving at the slower hyperspeed again. I wondered when I was going to peter out. I’d been up to five miles without too much problem before I’d gotten pregnant. Jeff hadn’t allowed me to run since our honeymoon, however. Tried not to think about what they could have done to or be doing to him, just concentrated on moving as fast as I could. Wasn’t up to full hyperspeed, but it was faster than the best human sprinters could go.
    “We aren’t in the parking garage any more,” White said as we went lower. No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the stairs stopped and we hit a corridor. It turned left almost immediately, and we ran down it, though at a slightly slower pace.
    “How can you see?” The corridor wasn’t lit, which was why I assumed White had slowed us down a tad.
    “How can you? We have improved night vision over humans.”
    “Superpowers rock! I’m amazed you guys didn’t just take over and rule the pathetic humans the moment you arrived.”
    “My father wanted to.”
    I squeezed his hand. “I know. I know why they want to kill you, Richard.”
    “Why is that?”
    “You’re too good a man. You always have been. You’re what keeps all the A-Cs working with humanity instead of taking over. You’re what keeps your people safe, too.”
    The corridor turned, left again. “We’re heading back to the cathedral, I believe.”
    “Why does something like this exist? I mean, a dark, scary tunnel going not much of anywhere?”
    “It’s a tunnel leading, I’d guess, from the cathedral out.”
    Thought about history. “Oh, right. In times of trouble, you ran to the church. But maybe you needed to get out again and didn’t want to go through the front doors and be killed.”
    “Correct.”
    “Geez, you a history professor on the side?”
    “No, but I’ve spent a lot of time with one recently. Your father.”
    “That’s his cover. He’s a NASA cryptologist. You were there when I got to discover my parents weren’t who they said they were.”
    “He’s still a professor, and he’s also a history buff. Fascinating, your world history. I’ve enjoyed reading about it, much based on your father’s suggestions.”
    This corridor was longer than the other one. “When does this thing end?”
    “You studied French. How big is the cathedral?”
    “Big.” I thought about it. “We’re going into the center area, the big part of the cathedral, aren’t we?”
    “I’d assume so.” There was something darker up ahead of us. “Jump!”
    I did as he said, hurdled, really, but it wasn’t my best. Fortunately, White landed without issue on the other side of the huge hole and hauled me back next to him. We kept on running. “What was that?”
    “Cave in, trap, something. Nothing to worry about.”
    “You’re a natural. Thankfully, or I’d be dead already.”
    He laughed. “Perhaps. I hate to admit it—in an odd way, I’m enjoying this.”
    “Because you’re