Alien Proliferation

injected with Surcenthumain. Even if they believed Martini or White was trying to track the hybrids and so using horror as the draw, what was the damn point? Torturing one of you physically would draw any empath faster than performing a vivisection.”
    “We know they were dead, right?”
    Everyone looked at me. “They dropped down on the floor and stopped breathing and moving,” Tim said.
    Christopher nodded. “I saw them die.”
    I hated where I was going with this, particularly since Walter was right here. I realized I couldn’t say what I needed to in front of him. Then I looked around and realized I couldn’t say it in front of anyone. Well, almost anyone. I got off the bed. “I want most everyone to stay up here. Chuckie and I are going to go look for something.” Jeff started to protest. “Stop. Really, stop.” I said. “I want you to stay with Jamie. I want everyone else to stay here for a wide variety of reasons.”
    “Put some clothes on,” Jeff growled.
    I shook my head. “No. It won’t matter, okay? We need to go now.”
    Chuckie stood up. “Yeah. But, Kitty? Take your purse.” I could tell by his expression he was making the same assumptions I was.
    I managed a chuckle. “Good idea.” I kissed Jeff. “Stay here, I mean it. You’ll know if I need you. And I need you to keep the others away from us.” I kissed Jamie. “I want you blocking her, Jeff, you and Christopher both. I don’t know what you’ll have to do, but I don’t want her seeing anything Chuckie and I are doing, seeing, or experiencing.”
    Jeff nodded, his face pale. “Why only Reynolds?”
    “Because I’m too chicken to go alone.”

 
    CHAPTER 77
     
    I CHECKED THE CLOSET. The Elves had provided slippers. They thought of everything. Put them on, went out, even though I didn’t want to. Chuckie closed the bedroom door behind us, took my hand, and we went into the hallway.
    “You know your husband’s wondering if this is just an elaborate ruse for us to have sex under his nose.”
    I managed a laugh. “Yeah, but I think he’s more freaked out than anything else.”
    “You want to tell me why you don’t want the others, any of them, to know? I’m clear on why you don’t want your newest recruit involved.” He sighed. “Wayne was the empathic brother from the other day, right?”
    “Yes. William’s still alive—he’s married with a baby on the way, and Tim sent him to Florida.”
    “Thank God. Wish he’d sent Wayne, too.” Chuckie cleared his throat. Yeah, there was a lot of that going around. “Why don’t you want the others clued in?”
    “The agents are trying to reach me. Honestly, I think Wayne, specifically, is trying to reach me. And while I knew him, I didn’t know him too long. And I didn’t know the others—they won’t be my brother, my second cousin twice removed, someone I christened or married, someone I counseled, someone I may have done medical on or trained with, someone I’ve known my whole life, or someone I led into their horrific not-quite-death.”
    “Why, do you think? I mean, I know you think they’re still alive.”
    “When Paul was in that airless chamber, he wasn’t moving and his hearts were barely beating. And Al Dejahl told me he could make me brain dead but still impregnate me, and I could have plenty of babies that way because of the medical advances Gaultier had made. I’m betting they did the vivisection right then because they needed to, due to the process or whatever it is the new Doctor Mengele created.”
    We were in the elevator. “What floor?”
    “Basement.”
    “Why there? Everyone goes in and out of there. And there’s no elevator stop for the basement.”
    “So we go to the first floor and walk down.” I sighed. “A-Cs are weird, Chuckie. Martini Manor has the gate entry in the basement, too. I assume it’s somewhat for camouflage. But the few other gate areas I’ve landed at were all empty, just the gate and the room. No idea why, but potentially to make room if a lot of folks had to fling themselves through quickly.”
    “The basement here looks like a human basement. It’s packed with junk.”
    “Yeah, I’ll bet it is.” The doors opened, and I took Chuckie’s hand again as we stepped out. “I know I’m going to be sick. I just want you prepared.” We walked down the hall and toward the stairs.
    “I’ve seen it.”
    “Yeah, and I don’t need the drinking to excess rant. I don’t drink anything now.” Flipped on the