Alien Tango

snapped.
    “Well, he was probably going for his gun. But that doesn’t mean he was going to fire.”
    “No,” Martini looked right at me. “He was going to shoot you. I felt it. He panicked and thought you were going for a gun. He was going to shoot to kill and ask questions later.” Martini had kept his tone level, but his eyes were flashing.
    “It’s okay,” I said softly. “You were there.”
    I pulled out what I’d been going for in the first place and used it to slap the cop awake. Martini had both of the cop’s arms held behind his back. “Yo, Rambo, you want to maybe not think about killing a federal officer the next time?” I opened the thin wallet and held it in front of his face.
    “P.T.C.U.?” he asked, sounding fuzzy.
    “Presidential Terrorism Control Unit. You might want to learn these letters, son. Or I’ll make sure you spend the rest of your days in Nome, Alaska.”
    He nodded. “Sorry, ma’am. You just startled me.”
    “You’re lucky you’re young and I’m somewhat forgiving.” I looked up at Martini. “Let him go.”
    He did, reluctantly, and the cop rubbed his wrists. “Look, please don’t tell my superiors. I’ll get reprimanded.”
    Martini lost it. He grabbed the cop by the back of his neck and flung him against the wall. He was in the cop’s face within a moment, one hand holding the cop by the throat and off the floor. “You were going to kill her,” he growled. “You’d better pray that all you get is a reprimand when I’m through with you.”
    Christopher jumped over the seats and grabbed Martini’s arm. “Jeff, not now and not here.”
    Reader was on his cell, talking urgently. Tim was moving people away, telling them this was police business. And I had no idea what to do.
    The cop was panicked, and I saw his hand moving toward his gun again. “Kid, you really want to die, don’t you?” I asked softly.
    His eyes met mine. “He’s gonna kill me.”
    “No,” Gower’s voice came from behind me. At least Reader had had the brains to call for backup. “He’s not. However, I’m going to have your badge pulled. Jeff, take his gun and let him go.”
    Martini wasn’t moving. “Jeff . . . please,” I said softly.
    He stood there for another few seconds, then he nodded and let go, pulling the cop’s gun so fast I didn’t see him do it. He handed the gun to Gower, he didn’t look away from the cop to do it.
    The cop took a shaky breath. “Thanks,” he said to Gower.
    “No, don’t thank me,” Gower said, his voice like ice. “I’ll be the last person you want to thank when my report’s in.” He looked behind him, and I did, too. There were four A-Cs waiting. “Take him back to Home Base.” They nodded, grabbed the cop, took his gun from Gower, and went off, back into the bathroom.
    Martini hadn’t moved. I went to him. “Jeff, it’s okay.” I stroked his arm. Christopher and I exchanged worried glances. This really wasn’t like Martini, and Christopher looked as confused by it as I was.
    Martini shook his head. “No. It’s not.” He turned to Gower. “Thanks.”
    Gower nodded. “Since I’m here, let’s get the five of you onto your plane.”
    We moved on, but I kept my badge out. “Since when are you a federal agent?” Reader asked me quietly, while Martini and Gower strode on ahead of us, both radiating a lot of anger. Christopher stayed on my other side, and Tim was to our rear.
    “My mother thought it would be a good idea and a useful tool.”
    “Oh, you’re not a federal officer, just playing one on TV.” Reader chuckled.
    “Whatever works. Besides, Mom gave it to me.”
    “I suppose if the head of the P.T.C.U. gives you a badge, you’re allowed to use it. Even if it’s illegal,” Christopher said thoughtfully.
    “Um, what we did with that cop’s illegal.”
    Reader shrugged. “They’ll take him back and do a short-term memory wipe.”
    “How, by knocking him out?”
    “No, we have the technology to do that.”
    “Love your planning,” I said to Christopher.
    Reader coughed. “No, that’s American government technology, girlfriend. Our brothers from another planet hate using it, but it comes in handy when something goes down like it just did.” Christopher gave me a rather smug look.
    “Good point. Any idea of what’s wrong with Jeff?”
    “No more than what’s wrong with Paul.”
    “Christopher? You’re not nearly as pissed off as those two. What’s going on?”
    “No idea. I haven’t seen