Alien Proliferation

Paul’s alive and well. Tim? You’re smarter than me, dude, good job. Love all of you, all my boys, very much. Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
    I took off after my partner.

 
    CHAPTER 60
     
    I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE I was or where White had gone, but it didn’t matter. The Poofs were with me, and they clearly knew. We didn’t go the way the others had, we went the way we’d come in. Down through the trapdoor, which I didn’t bother to close, down the stairs, along the dark corridor.
    I still had my iron staff, the Poofs were still large and in charge. I didn’t worry about altering memories when we arrived—I was too worried about children being altered for life.
    Used the staff to semi-pole vault over the problems in the floor. I was so fast I probably didn’t need to, but better safe than sorry. Hit the intersection, went to the left. Came to stairs, old stairs like I’d seen in that brochure. We ran up them like they were nothing.
    Reached a trapdoor and the Poofs stopped and went small. They jumped into the pockets of White’s jacket. I’d forgotten I was still wearing it. Opened the trapdoor carefully.
    Unlike the Conciergerie, this room wasn’t empty. On the plus side, the trapdoor was in a corner where no one was. Managed to get the door opened quietly, pulled myself up. Pulled the staff out but laid it on the ground right away. I couldn’t imagine the reaction if I sauntered out with an iron staff in hand, but pandemonium leaped to mind.
    Needed to slow down again. Changed my music to the first slow song I hit, Trik Turner’s “Friends and Family.” Fitting, really.
    The place was packed to the gills. I noted the doors were closed. I would have bet money they were locked tight, too.
    Moved slowly through the throngs—it was packed with an unreal number of people. Headed toward the nave, where it looked like at least one of my targets was. I was pretty sure the fake Al Dejahl was there.
    I stayed near the side so I’d hopefully not be spotted. I was close enough to see Al Dejahl clearly but not close enough to do anything when someone grabbed me, put his hand over my mouth and pulled a headphone out of my ear.
    “Kathy, how good to see you.”
    I relaxed and he let go. “Rick, you continue to impress and amaze.” Turned off my iPod and put it in one of the pockets. Patted the Poofs in there, too.
    White moved us back against the wall. He put his arm around my shoulders, leaned down, and spoke softly in my ear. “I believe we’re back to your original theory. When I was fighting with Ronaldo there, I noted he had two heartbeats.”
    “Huh. He’s not great looking.”
    “Assume his mother wasn’t attractive. Presumably she had other positives.”
    “Suppose so.” Interesting to be right, then wrong, then right again. My head hurt thinking about it. “Where’re Gaultier and Cooper?”
    “No idea.”
    “I hope Camilla’s gone back to Dulce.”
    “As long as she’s a double agent, not a triple agent.”
    “Good point. You know, you totally rocked in that fight.”
    “Not as much as you. I’m terrified to ask how.”
    “I’ll give you my guess later. Is Al Dejahl going to allow himself to be enhanced, too, do you think?”
    “Doubtful. If they’re still doing experiments, then they don’t know long-term ramifications. By the way, I assume the plan is to kill everyone other than Jamie, so Alfred only has one living family member left. He would be willing to do anything to protect her, I’d assume, including give up patents.”
    “Well, that may be their plan. We’re not letting that plan go any further.”
    “I agree. Just wanted to share my thinking.”
    “I’m so not kidding. You’re the freaking best agent we have.”
    “Flattery will get you everywhere. What baby gift would you like?”
    “I want us to kick these people back to the Stone Age.”
    “Happy to do my best.”
    We both scanned the room. No sign of obvious bad guys, no sign of Cooper or Gaultier. “Who put Camilla in place?”
    “No idea. I would have suggested Mister Reynolds, but clearly not.”
    Wanted to ponder that a bit more, but now probably wasn’t the time, at least not out loud, so, for me, definitely not the time. Spent some time looking around; people were milling about, shifting, clearly waiting with a good degree of anticipation, meaning no one was likely to wander off and out of range of the bad guys. Pity.
    Just when I was about to suggest hyperspeeding it and grabbing Al