Alien Tango

identify the nature of the drugs given to her and what effect they’ve had, I want to keep her under observation. However, I don’t think she can emotionally handle being separated from your group.”
    “No, I’m sure she can’t. I don’t want to just dump her off somewhere. She’s been treated badly enough.”
    Alfred gave me a long look. “She tried to kill you. More than once.”
    I shrugged. “It wasn’t her fault. I’m sure she would have resented me under normal circumstances, but her becoming poster girl for the unhinged was due to what Taft’s people did to her.”
    He nodded. “Yes, I agree.” Alfred walked off to have the A-C attendants get the guys over to the guesthouse.
    “Which one of the other two houses is the guesthouse?”
    “The one nearest our house. The other one’s the servants’ quarters.” He said it so casually, as though it was nothing. I managed to keep my mouth shut. Of course, Martini picked up what I was feeling. “Why does it bother you?”
    “I had no idea your family was loaded. No one acts like it.”
    “We don’t care about it all that much. Money’s a useful thing, the more of it you have, the more you can take care of your people.”
    Well, I knew my father would be pleased with that sentiment. “How is it your family lives like this?” Most of the A-Cs I knew lived in the Dulce Science Center, with a few at Area 51 and Caliente Base. As I’d understood it, the entire A-C population lived in or around each of the bases worldwide. But while this was close to Canaveral Base, it resembled standard A-C housing like a Ferrari resembled a Yugo.
    “My father holds some patents—he’s one of the few male A-Cs with scientific aptitude. Not a birth-talent, just skill and ability. Several of our female scientists do as well. It helped that they came here with more advanced scientific knowledge than Earth had.”
    “So, why the huge estate?”
    Martini shrugged. “Humans are impressed by wealth and the show of wealth. So we make sure we have a few showcases, just in case.” He looked at me. “Most of our human operatives get over it quickly. Why aren’t you?”
    “I’ve known for less than a day.” Another thought occurred. “The allowance you give me—where does that come from?”
    “We call those wages, and it comes from the fund that pays people.” He grinned. “You worried you’re stealing from my trust fund?”
    “Actually, yeah.”
    He laughed. “You’re not. You’re being paid for services rendered to the United States Government, Centaurion Division, and the World Safety Organization.”
    That last one was a new one to me. “World Safety Organization?”
    “The name we use when we have to work outside the U.S. You’ve heard me use it, in Paris for sure.”
    Paris. The main things I remembered from that trip were great sex in the women’s bathroom in the Metro and Martini catching me when a superbeing knocked me off the side of the Eiffel Tower. It had been a short, excitement-filled trip. “Uh, right.”
    “You need to pay attention more.”
    “It’s Kitty, why expect her to pay attention to what we think is important?” Christopher was next to us. “I’m heading over to the guesthouse. Make sure you get some rest—this isn’t over yet, just paused.” He gave me a sidelong look. “That’s probably up to you. The isolation chamber is in the basement, should you need it.”
    “Like I could find it.”
    Christopher shrugged. “We lived in the Embassy when we were little. It’s bigger than this.”
    “There really is an A-C Embassy?”
    “In D.C., yeah.” He sighed. “I miss it there, sometimes.”
    “Me, too.” Martini sighed as well. “Okay, well, get some rest yourself. See you somewhere in the daylight hours.”
    I’d never seen them do this kind of farewell just because they were going to bed. They seemed uncomfortable being separated here. I grabbed Christopher’s arm as he turned away. “You know, you don’t have to go to the guesthouse if you don’t want to.”
    “Uh, what?” He looked slightly freaked.
    Martini chuckled. “She’s picked up we don’t like to be apart when we’re here.” He hugged me. “But we’re big boys now and can handle it.”
    “You sure?”
    Christopher nodded. “Yeah. We’re in charge, now.” He leaned down and gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks for the offer, though.” He clapped Martini on the shoulder, then wandered off.
    That left the eight of us who were