Alien Tango

twenty-four. We just saved your asses at least three times over, we’ve had multiple attempts on our lives, I had to outrun the fastest alligator on the planet, we’re hurt, tired, cranky, and starving .”
    I stopped and looked right at him. “If we were going to my parent’s house, they wouldn’t argue the sleeping arrangements. They’re clear that every person sleeping romantically with every other person is in a committed relationship and that we’re all adults. Now, if you can’t manage to grasp or accept that, that’s fine. No arguments or complaints on our side. We’ll just go to a hotel and eat and sleep there.” I leaned up so my voice would be clear in the phone as well. “We don’t want to be a problem, but we’re also not going to be treated like children. We happen to be grown up and in charge , whether you like it or not.”
    I backed away and started walking again. I found myself wishing my parents were here, because while they liked to pretend to Martini that they didn’t think he was quite good enough, in truth they’d be angrier about this than I was.
    “I wish they were here, too,” Martini said quietly to me.
    “How do you do that?”
    “You broadcast your emotions.”
    “So you say. I still don’t understand it.”
    He sighed. “You started longing for your parents. It’s a clear emotion for an empath. It’s almost impossible to explain to a nonempath. But I could tell you wanted them here. We could call them in,” he added, sounding as though he wanted to but didn’t think we should.
    “Mom’s with the President. I doubt Kevin wants to call her in to help clean up.”
    “I’m sure he doesn’t.” Martini looked over his shoulder and stopped walking. “My father’s arguing with my mother.” He sounded beyond depressed.
    “Jeff, no matter what, you’re the baby of the family. They probably still think of you and Christopher as little boys. It took Operation Fugly for my parents to realize I was a full grown-up. It’s probably something similar.”
    “Maybe.”
    We were in sight of Mission Control. “Let’s get assembled and figure out what we’re doing, as a group.”
    “Yes, Commander Katt.” He grinned at me. “I love it when you give orders.”
    “Mmmm, same here.” I wasn’t disappointed to go to a hotel. I wanted to have Martini give me a lot of orders, for hours on end.
    He chuckled. “I love how you think. Lust,” he added with another grin. “Yours is clear and has a lot of different levels. I like all of them.”
    Alfred caught up to us. “Okay, I’ve made arrangements. There’s a secured hotel between Kennedy and our house. You’re all booked there. However, dinner will be with us.”
    “Why?” Martini asked. “So Mom can harangue me?”
    “That’s fine,” I said quickly. “How soon can we eat?”
    Alfred looked relieved. “Soon. Everything’s ready, just waiting for all of us to arrive.”
    Claudia and Lorraine had spotted us and came over. “What’s the plan?” Lorraine asked. “We’re all exhausted and hungry.”
    “Our house for dinner,” Alfred replied. “Lucinda’s made meat loaf.”
    Both girls squealed. “Oh, that’s so great!” Claudia said. “I’ll get everyone rounded up!” She ran off.
    “It’s that good?” I asked Lorraine.
    “Better than that good.” Lorraine sighed. “One day, she might pass on the recipe, too.”
    “Not too likely,” Alfred chuckled.
    “No loss,” Martini muttered.
    “I want to have Daniel and his wife under protection,” I told Lorraine, to avoid getting into the meat loaf argument I was sure we were going to end up having no matter what.
    She nodded. “James said you would. They have kids, so Kevin assigned a couple of P.T.C.U. operatives to go with them, and Christopher called in a team of A-Cs from East Base. They’re all headed home already.”
    “Great. Are we ready to go, then?”
    “Yes, we are,” Kevin came up behind Lorraine. “All under control. I want to get Alpha Team out of here,” he added. “We searched all personnel for Club 51 cards. Only a couple of non-Security humans had the cards. They’ve been detained.”
    “What about my stalker’s assistant?”
    “Also detained. Held pending full investigation.”
    “Can any of these people get out on bail?”
    Kevin gave me a smile that looked remarkably like my mother’s most intimidating one. She must have trained her whole team to do it. It was still massively impressive, made more so by