Alien Proliferation

emotions is a by-product, not the main intent. They’re happy with that result, of course, but I’m fairly sure they want to find a way to control it.”
    “Are they involved in the supersoldier project or projects?”
    Chuckie shook his head. “No idea. I don’t think Clarence knows everything, and he certainly doesn’t know how the drug was perfected. However, I do think he knows who else may have been used as a test subject, in addition to Serene, Martini, White, and, essentially, you, Kitty.”
    “More of our people are being drugged like this?” Christopher sounded pissed. Couldn’t blame him; the feeling was clearly mutual among our group.
    “Can’t tell yet. There’s more there, but I think we need Martini or Mimi and Abby to try to read him. Later,” Chuckie added, as we reached the elevator bay. “I think we need to get the Diplomatic Corps under lock and key first.”
    I pushed the button for the fifteenth floor. I wanted to go to the Lair as fast as I could get there. “Chuckie, is Fluffy with you?”
    “Yes.” He mumbled it.
    “Good.”
    Upon hearing its name, Fluffy stuck its head out of one of Chuckie’s suit pockets. Purred at me, then spotted the Gowers, mewled with what I took to be joy, and leaped out of the pocket onto Naomi’s shoulder. Purred, rubbed, jumped to Abigail, did the same, jumped back to Naomi’s shoulder and sat there purring.
    Naomi laughed. “Hi, Fluffy, missed you, too.”
    “What’s the plan?” Emily asked me. “I mean, are we assuming Jeff and the others are okay?”
    “I never assume that.” I didn’t. Our plans went awry at the drop of a shoe.
    Left the elevators to see several Security A-Cs guarding one of the interrogation cells. Tito was with them. He came over as soon as he saw us. “How’re you feeling?”
    Christopher shrugged. “Okay.”
    “Kitty?” Tito had his Doctor Face on.
    “Great. Worried but great.”
    “Yeah.” Tito looked more worried than I was.
    “What is it?”
    He sighed as we went into the Lair. “I can’t reach any of them.”
    I stopped walking and turned around. “By any of them, I assume you mean Jeff, Paul, James, and the others?”
    “Right.”
    “Com on!” Chuckie, Christopher, and I shouted that in unison. Too worried to let it freak me out.
    “Yes, Commander Martini, Commander White, and Sometime Supreme Commander Reynolds? You bellowed?”
    “Gladys, what’s the status at the Embassy?”
    “We’ve been monitoring since Commander Martini left. No change. We still have the Diplomatic Corps inside and no one else.”
    “Hang on. How many people is that?”
    “Twelve. We have six diplomatic couples.”
    “So there are no servants, no children, no adjuncts, no random A-Cs or humans who were there when it locked? Just the twelve of them?”
    “Yes.”
    I looked at Chuckie. “How easy would it be to fake?”
    “They’ve had plenty of time to plan for it. I’d figure easy.”
    “Christopher, can you see Jeff?” I did my best to sound calm and cool, not panicked and freaked. Failed.
    He closed his eyes. I considered taking Jamie from him, but they both seemed okay. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “He’s outdoors.”
    “How can you tell?”
    “He’s wet. I can see rain hitting him.”
    “Landmarks?”
    “Not . . . really. I can see a circular turn with cars in it. Paul’s with him, James is too. Who else could be with them?”
    “Michael, Amy, Kevin, Tim, and four of your A-C agents.”
    “I see Kevin. But not Michael, Amy, or Tim. At least, not with Jeff.” I could tell he was concentrating. “Jeff looks angry, but he’s not hurt. Same with the others with him.” He winced. “Amy looks terrified. Michael seems scared. They’re with Tim. He’s hurt, but not badly.” Christopher was quiet and then opened his eyes. “They’ve tortured and killed the other agents.”

 
    CHAPTER 42
     
    “H OW DO YOU KNOW?” Chuckie’s voice was low.
    “I just watched them kill the last one. They’re using them as lab rats.” Christopher handed Jamie to me very carefully. “We need to get to Jeff and then get to where they have the others.”
    “Where is that?” Chuckie had his patient voice on.
    I answered. “Jeff’s outside the Embassy. They think the others are inside. But no one’s inside, it’s a trap, rigged to get whoever goes inside it. They weren’t chasing Tim, they were herding him.”
    “That’s a pretty big leap, Kitty.” Chuckie didn’t sound unconvinced.
    “Dude,