Alien Tango

locally. What’s going on?”
    “I think something big, but I’m not positive. But someone who has real authority to wave a P.T.C.U. badge around needs to get here fast. I’m about to start what’ll be a huge incident.”
    “Hang on.” I heard her call to my dad, get his cell, and make a call. “Where are you at?”
    “Terminal Three, departures, Gate Twenty-Nine.”
    She spoke some more on the other line. “Okay, he’ll be there pronto. You want to tell me what’s going on?”
    “Alpha Team was called to a situation in Florida.”
    “So?”
    “So, note that we’re at Saguaro International, not Miami? We’re being told we have to take a regular jet, not a gate or one of the A-C planes.”
    She was quiet for a few moments. “So, maybe there’s a political reason.”
    “Yeah, that’s what we were told. However, the flight we’re booked on, booked in coach, I might add, has been held up two hours waiting for us. The plane’s full other than the five of us going, and they let another plane going to the same destination, which was not full, go. The gal working the gate wasn’t allowed to pull anyone off our plane and let them go on the other jet.”
    “What do you think it is?”
    This was a test question. I knew Mom knew already. “I think there’s a bomb on it that’s supposed to ensure that Alpha Team is wiped out.” I didn’t add that this would mean all the innocents on board would be wiped out, too. I’d had firsthand experience with how evil people could be five months ago.
    “Yes, there is. You have a plan?”
    “Yeah, actually, I do.”
    “Okay, call me if you need me. Roll your plan now. Kevin will be there fast to back you.”
    “Will do. Love you, Mom, and love to Dad.” I hung up and looked at Gower. “Glad you’re here. Trust me when I say that if you don’t back me, right here and right now, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
    I didn’t wait for his response, just went back over to Alicia. “Okay, we have a situation. I need this terminal cleared. I want nothing off that plane yet, particularly the luggage, and I don’t want the passengers or crew off, either. I want no one on the plane notified of what’s going on yet. I will also want to see every single person who’s worked on that plane since it got here today.”
    She nodded and looked freaked out. I reached across the counter and put my hand on her arm. “I’ll be taking the full responsibility for this. Whatever we need to tell your superiors, we’ll tell them, okay? You’ll either be a hero or you’ll be blameless, I promise.”
    Relief washed over her face. “Thanks, Miz Katt.”
    “Kitty.” She tried to keep from smiling. “No problem, it’s funny.”
    She chuckled. “But cute.”
    “Just what my parents thought. Now, let’s get this fun-filled panic attack over, shall we? I’ll take care of clearing the terminal, you get all the maintenance personnel in here, and we’ll deal with the passengers and luggage once that’s taken care of.”
    She got onto her phone and I went to my team. “I want every passenger cleared out of here. I’d like them moving calmly and happily, and I’d like them in baggage claim or somewhere else really safe.”
    Gower opened his mouth, to argue I figured. I put my hand up. “Paul, I haven’t read the file. But I promise you, this is a setup. I don’t want to die, particularly not right now. So, again, you either help me, or I make your life a living hell.”
    He heaved a sigh. “Fine. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll back you.”
    “It’s hallucination time, boys. Let’s hurry it up, too.”
    Martini nodded and he looked at Christopher. “All planes delayed, free food and drink in baggage claim, non-essential Security told it’s an approved publicity stunt?”
    Christopher grinned. “Sure, why not?”
    They both looked as though they were concentrating. Among the many new things I’d learned was that there were gases natural to Earth that the A-Cs used to cause mass hallucinations. Those A-Cs who worked in the field had something implanted into their brains that helped them manipulate the gases to create whatever hallucination they wanted to.
    The human operatives were given monthly injections to keep us immune to any hallucinations. These were administered to our necks via an alien injection device. It looked like a hand can opener without any blades, but it did the trick and happily didn’t hurt. It didn’t work for everything,