Alien Proliferation

Walt?”
    He looked confused. “I go where I’m assigned, Commander.”
    “Yes, yes, good man. I’m asking if you want to be in Dulce, or Caliente Base, or if you would prefer to be elsewhere. If given the choice.”
    “Oh. Well.” Walter looked hesitant.
    “Go on, I’m sure she has a reason.” Jeff looked down at me. “No idea what it is.”
    I gave Walter the expectant look. He cleared his throat. “I grew up at East Base.”
    “Miss it?”
    He nodded. “Sort of. I . . . miss the snow and the seasons.”
    “What about William?”
    “His wife works at the Space Center. It’s kind of hard for them being in Caliente Base.”
    “Was Wayne married?”
    “No, Commander. He didn’t have anyone steady, either.”
    “William’s an imageer, and Wayne is . . . was, an empath, right?” I felt Jeff stiffen as Walter nodded. “Do you have a talent?” I knew he didn’t, but I felt it was polite to ask. He liked that we were polite, after all.
    “No, ma’am.” He managed a weak grin. “Other than being annoying. At least, that’s what . . .” He looked down quickly. I chose to refrain from commenting on the tears I saw roll down his cheeks.
    “Big brothers are like that,” I said softly. “He loved you very much.”
    “How would you know that, Commander?” Walter didn’t sound accusatory; he sounded sad.
    “Wayne was ready to one-up you at the next family dinner.” Everyone else looked at me with varying expressions of confusion.
    Walter didn’t. He smiled. “Yeah, I sent them both to Saguaro International. They told me they’d gotten to hang out with you.” He seemed to realize what he’d said, because he blushed bright red.
    “Hanging out was more what I was doing. They were working. Well and hard, I must add. I really . . .” I’d really liked them, both of them. Wayne had been a smart, fun, funny guy. And he was dead now. And I wasn’t really sure why he’d been killed, why his death had been deemed necessary or expedient by our bad guy cadre. The only things I was sure of were that I’d let him down, somehow, and that it had to be rectified.
    My throat was trying to close up again, and mommy hormones meant I’d have no control if I let the tears start. I cleared my throat and shoved on. “Walter, I’d like to ask you to consider going to work at the Embassy. I’ll talk to you about it in more detail later.”
    He looked dazed. “Embassy duty is usually considered a top assignment, Commander. I haven’t been active long enough.” Walter looked about twenty-two to me, give or take.
    “Yeah, well, we’re kind of on new rules now. So think about it.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    We went to the elevators. No one spoke until we were inside. “What happened to the bodies?” Jeff asked as soon as the doors closed.
    “No idea. Didn’t you ever see them?”
    “No,” Christopher said, his voice tight. “I saw them when I was in isolation, but when we arrived in Paris, they weren’t there. Or we were never where the bodies were.”
    Amy looked ill. “It was horrible, what they did to them. They . . . they waited and killed them in front of Tim, Michael, and me. They tortured them first. And then dissected them. I couldn’t figure out why. I still can’t.”
    “Who did it?” Jeff asked.
    “My so-called father,” Amy snarled. She shook her head. “After what I saw him do, what he said his plans were, and what he did to me, I’m glad he’s dead. I wish I’d killed him myself.”
    “No, you don’t,” Jeff said quietly. “You think you do, but be glad you didn’t have to make that choice.”
    “I made it for you,” Christopher said, even more quietly than Jeff.
    “I know. Thank you.” Amy flung her arms around Christopher and buried her face in his neck.
    Christopher looked incredibly relieved. I figured Amy was going to have some issues later, but that’s what my mom and dad were for. Mom seemed to be good at covering the Replacement Mother role, and I was happy to share her with the people she, Dad, and I loved. Dad, of course, would not only follow Mom’s lead, but he’d be there if Amy wanted someone who actually loved her to walk her down the aisle and so forth. Besides, as Ericka Gower had told me, once you were in with the A-Cs, you were family forever. Amy would, ultimately, be okay.
    While Christopher consoled Amy, my mind went back to what Gaultier and the rest had done. It was bad enough hearing what had happened to any of our