Alien Proliferation

you, too, James.”
    Got the cover-boy grin. “Yeah, don’t tell Jeff why you named the baby after me.”
    Jeff rolled his eyes. “Hilarious. Amy, you up for this?”
    She nodded. “Am I dressed okay?” She was in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater.
    “Yeah, take a jacket, but otherwise, why not?”
    “Think you look great,” Michael said. He hypersped next to her. “I’ll just make sure nothing happens to you.”
    “We’re going to an Embassy, right?” Amy seemed flustered by Michael, but I couldn’t tell if she was interested or annoyed or both. “That’s where your diplomats are locked down.”
    “Yeah,” Kevin said, eyes narrowed. “How did you know that?”
    Amy rolled her eyes. “Those people were fighting for hours. I think I know everything about Jeff’s family now. Poor Christopher—his mother’s dead, no wonder he turned to drugs.” Amy’s mother had died during sophomore year of college. Her father had remarried, and supposedly she liked her stepmother. But she never came back to the States for holidays.
    Jeff and I exchanged a look. “You explain it to her.”
    He sighed. “I’m hoping to be too busy.”
    “I’ll handle it.” Reader kissed my cheek. “Be good.”
    Michael took Amy’s hand, and I felt myself relax. It was stupid, but I didn’t want Jeff holding another woman’s hand if he could help it.
    Jeff grinned at me. “I like it when you actually worry about something that’s so out of the realm of possibility.” He stroked Jamie’s head and gave her a kiss, managing to nuzzle the torpedoes at the same time. Then he kissed me again. “Stay safe, baby. I almost lost you this week. I can’t face that again.” He grabbed Kevin, Gower grabbed Reader, and the six of them disappeared.
    I reached into my purse and pulled out the Poofs. Interestingly, I had four, not two. I recognized my additional Poofs as Toby and Gatita, Christopher’s and Reader’s, respectively. Figured Toby had been sent to me when Christopher went into isolation, and Reader had told Gatita to take care of me. Extra Poofs were not a problem.
    “Harlie?” The head Poof purred at me. “I want you to follow Jeff and protect him, and James, Paul, Kevin, and Michael. Amy, too, if she’s being good. Help them get Tim back safely, okay?” Harlie mewled. “Is Fuzzball with Michael?” Got another mewl. “Great. You make sure you two work together, okay?” Mewl, purr, rub, Harlie was gone.
    Took a deep breath. Turned around and looked at Melanie and Emily. “Now that the menfolk are gone, while we go down to check in with Christopher, tell me what’s really going on with me and Jamie.”

 
    CHAPTER 36
     
    M ELANIE NODDED. “NOT HERE.” We all headed off for the elevators. Got inside, Melanie hit the button for the medical level that held the isolation chambers. “I’m worried about the strain on your heart.”
    “Yeah, I figured there would be a downside.”
    Emily shook her head. “But, so far, there’s not. I watched you the entire time. If you had a problem with the physical exertion you just did, it doesn’t show.” She took my wrist and checked my pulse. “Normal.”
    I ran a private body check. “Yep. I feel fine. Better than fine, honestly.” Thought about it. “Does Jamie have two hearts?” I thought I felt a tiny version of Jeff’s heartbeat next to me, but I’d never held an A-C baby before I got one of my own.
    “Yes, she’s perfectly normal internally for an A-C and externally for a human.” Melanie sounded like she wasn’t telling me everything.
    “But?” They looked at each other, but not at me. I hit the Stop Elevator button. “Really, there’s so obviously a ‘but’ that’s hanging on the air here.”
    “Her brain activity is extremely advanced.” Emily sighed. “Several years advanced, not just months.”
    Considered this. “Well, first off, she’s a hybrid, and from what we can tell, that means expanded A-C talents. And whatever the Surcenthumain did to Jeff affected both her and me. Plus, Chuckie feels both Jeff and Christopher were already pretty much mutations. So it’s not a surprise. My concern, though—is it dangerous for her?”
    “I don’t think so.” Melanie didn’t look or sound like she was lying. “We’re monitoring her development closely, though. But, you may have to deal with her in solitary.”
    “I’m sort of surprised Jeff hasn’t had to take her in there already,” Emily added. “Alfred and Lucinda had to put