Alien vs. Alien

in Paraguay and Paris were in supersonic jets, and the supersoldiers were capable of supersonic flight as well. A day ago this would have been horrible news. Today it made me want to dig Antony Marling up from his grave and hug him.
    “I know what we’re going to do.” Everyone looked at me expectantly, even the four doing the Wonder Twins Squared. “We’re going to do exactly what you told us to, Chuckie. The Avengers are going to assemble. And then, as my man Adam Ant suggests, we’re going to demand that our invaders stand and deliver.”

    Yi

CHAPTER 91

    “W HAT SHOULD I TELL THE TOP BRASS?” Franklin asked.
    “Tell them Centaurion is going to give it their best shot, and we’d appreciate it if the rest of the world didn’t fire until we said to. We’d also appreciate it if the worldwide Mexican Standoff could be defused. Senator, MJO, you’re going to have to assist our good colonel with that.”
    “Why bring the reporter along?” Armstrong asked.
    “Because certain people know that he’s the best investigative journalist in the world and they’ll listen to him.”
    “What about our lovely Miss Bellie?” Oliver asked.
    “Much as I’d love to send her with you, I think that would be pushing it for the Top Brass. She’ll stay with Jeff.” I looked over. Jeff was still busy. Heaved a sigh. “With me.” Bellie and I eyed each other. “With Bruno.” Oliver nodded and put Bellie gently next to Bruno. Bruno didn’t react, but Bellie stayed put, so that was good enough for me.
    “What are the rest of you going to be doing?” Franklin asked.
    “Choosing our spot. I think it’s already been selected, which is nice. Oh, and you have a few more on your team, Colonel. Mister White, you, Tito, William, and Malcolm are going to wherever the Colonel’s going, along with our Middle Eastern Contingent.”
    White looked surprised. “Why so, Missus Martini?”
    “I say this all the time, and no one listens. You’re actually the best diplomat we have, and we need a diplomat to smooth things over more than I need my partner with me right now. You’re also an A-C and can get our people out fast if things turn ugly. Same with William, and he’s our best imageer after Christopher and Serene, so he can read things you may need read. Tito kicks butt better than anyone else around, Malcolm’s Mister Skills, and we need to prove that Mona’s alive and well and willingly with Mossad. Show up en masse, make the statement, dress for success, sort of thing.”
    William looked at Christopher, who nodded. There was a lot of that going around.
    Buchanan looked ready to argue. “Malcolm, this is you protecting me. Someone Colonel Franklin goes to see isn’t going to be on our side. Someone there wants this invasion to succeed. More than one, probably. Do whatever you need to, but accept that you’re the one most likely to spot them, whoever they are.”
    “You sounded just like your mother,” he said with a small smile.
    “Thanks. I imagine you’ll be seeing her soon. Tell her . . .” I was going to have him tell her I loved her, but Mom knew that, and besides, that sounded like good-bye, and I didn’t want any of us focusing on the end. “Tell her I want my security clearance back.”
    “Shall we?” Franklin asked as the others chuckled.
    “If you know where we’re going, we can go viaf the nearest gate,” White said.
    Franklin nodded and shook my hand. Armstrong did as well. “Missus Martini, I’ll see you on the other side.”
    “Hopefully with the negatives from my wild nights of passion in your hand.”
    He laughed. “One never knows.”
    The others going with Franklin all hugged me, even Buchanan. “Be careful,” he said in a low voice. “Clarence is still at large, and Cantu and the other captain won’t be where I’m going. And they’ll all be gunning for you.”
    With that the Colonel’s team headed for the Server Box Floater Gate. That thing was getting a lot of work today. Made a mental note to have someone service it when this was all over.
    “Now what?” Stryker asked.
    “Found it!” Christopher’s hand was on a ship at the rear of the armada. “They’re here. They’re the only Earthlings on the ship. All the rest are, like Jeff said, birdlike. This ship is at the back, but I think it’s the command ship.”
    I paused Adam Ant in the middle of “Whip in My Valise” and pulled out my earbuds. “Isn’t that opposite the way our birds work?”
    Jennifer