Alien vs. Alien

bad, or indifferent, I had no guess. “I’d hoped to meet you at the President’s Ball, but that did get a little out of hand.”
    “You win the Understatement of the Year Award.” I decided we should stop faking it. “I’m sorry, I know we met at the Ball, but most of it’s a blur. I appreciate you pretending I wasn’t just incredibly rude.”
    Cliff laughed. “I know how many people Ambassadors tend to meet in any given month. Considering what had gone on, and what you helped avert, I’m amazed you can remember that the President was there, let alone anyone else. This is a much better introduction, for both of us.”
    So, Cliff was in a high level of “know.” Not a surprise, based on his position. But I’d been trained to not give away everything, even though I might think the person I was talking to knew everything already. Mom and Chuckie both had been big on that mindset, and Dad had supported it, too.
    Buchanan returned with Chuckie in tow. “Cliff, thanks for coming.” They shook hands without the usual male posturing coming from Cliff that I normally saw around Chuckie, which was refreshing. At least there was one guy in power out there who viewed Chuckie as a person to be valued as opposed to killed or discredited.
    Buchanan stayed back and didn’t seem eager to be introduced. I was going to do the introductions anyway, but Cliff spoke before I could. “So, Chuck, can I get a debrief on what really happened at NASA Base?”
    Chuckie looked a little uncomfortable. I took the logic leap. “Can you do that in front of me?”
    Cliff chuckled. “You were a part of it, so yes. I understand there was a problem with your HSAC test, though.”
    “Yeah.” I looked at Chuckie and shot him the “what do I say” look.
    He nodded. “You can give Cliff the full details, Kitty. Including all the details about your attacker.”
    “Oh, what fun. Shall we get out of the hallway to do this? I mean, we’re not exactly lacking in available rooms.”
    “Oh?” Cliff asked. “I’d heard your Embassy was pretty much filled to capacity.”
    “Not really. We try to avoid having the fire marshals called in.”
    Cliff laughed. “Good point. I don’t want to take up a lot of your time—I was just nearby and figured this was a good way to get the unofficial answers before I’m asked for the official ones.”
    “True enough,” Chuckie said. “Kitchen?”
    “Sure, I never say no to the comfortable room.” Cliff looked around. “Though I’d bet every room here would be comfortable.”
    “It is.” I didn’t add that it was plush and a showcase—Cliff looked smart enough to figure that out on his own. Chuckie led him into the kitchen, with White trailing them. Buchanan stayed in the hall. He looked like he was pondering something. “Coming?”
    Buchanan shook his head. “No. But remember, we have things we want to do. Things that aren’t necessarily going to make some people happy.”
    I figured he didn’t want me to share with Cliff that we were planning to head out to grab an influential senator and the top paparazzo to see if they could help us solve the mystery of dirty pictures featuring me and Chuckie. I was certain Chuckie wouldn’t want me to mention said pictures, either. I nodded. “Gotcha.”
    Buchanan gave me a half-smile. “Don’t be long.”
    I joined the others in the kitchen. Pierre, with Jamie on his hip, already had everyone settled at the small table for four with a beverage each and a plate of fresh veggies and dip, and Chuckie was giving Cliff the high-level debrief, with White adding in as needed.
    Jamie gave her “Mommy’s Here!” squeal, and I took her from Pierre, got a Coke, and sat in the open chair, opposite Cliff. A part of me wondered why Jeff, Christopher, or any of the others weren’t joining us, but I figured Chuckie had wanted to keep this meeting as small, and as fast, as possible.
    Chuckie summed things up, and I had nothing to add—he’d actually given my statement about Sandra the Android and what had happened pretty much verbatim but without my, as Christopher called them, Kittyisms added in.
    Cliff sighed. “Another mystery mess. I’d like to find the Evil Geniuses Headquarters and catch them all at their next monthly meeting.”
    I burst into laughter. “I thought I was the only one who called them that.”
    Cliff grinned. “Nope. I wouldn’t say that to too many people, of course, but Chuck’s special, just like the rest of you