Alien vs. Alien

exciting bit of news.
    “Apparently. And Bruno here is coming with us. Look at it this way—we’ll certainly be able to surprise Mister Joel Oliver. For once.”
    Len shook his head as we reached the front door. “I’m not worried about him. Or even the senator. I’m wondering what the K-9 dogs are going to do.”
    We all exchanged a look. “Wow. We are so screwed.” I sighed. “Or, as we like to call it, routine. So, let’s get going and see how bizarre today’s going to end up.”

    Yi

CHAPTER 30

    I WANTED TO WALK, because it was a nice day and we could use the exercise. However, Len felt we had too many places to go, and Kyle was concerned about using public transportation with Bruno along. Before this debate could turn ugly, White overruled us all, backed Len, and insisted we take a limo.
    It wasn’t always the best choice for us. The first time we’d tried it here, our limo had exploded. We had fun like that a lot.
    I managed to refrain from asking why I’d bothered to get Jamie’s stroller all set up nicely if we were going to drive, but before I could, my phone rang. I dug it out of my purse and checked the number.
    “Senator Armstrong. It’s been so long.” Well, it had been in terms of experience. As I thought about it, though, I’d talked to and seen him roughly twenty-four hours ago.
    “Ambassador, I heard there was trouble at NASA Base when you went there. Are you alright?”
    “I’m fine. I’m rather touched that you’re calling to check on my health and welfare.” And suspicious. Very suspicious.
    The senator was quiet for a few long moments. I remained quiet, too. Hey, I hadn’t initiated the phone call. “I believe I need your help.”
    This was a new one. “I thought you were the one wanting to help me.”
    “I was and still am.” He cleared his throat. “I . . . received new pictures today.”
    “Great. Who am I supposedly doing the nasty with this time?”
    “Ah . . . me.”
    Well. Apparently I really got around. In someone’s imagination, anyway. “You know what’s funny?”
    “Funny ha-ha or funny strange?”
    “Both, I guess. We were planning to visit you today, anyway. To discuss the first set of dirty pictures. So, under the circumstances, do you want us to come to your offices or do you want to meet somewhere else?”
    “Who is ‘us’?”
    “Me, my driver, my bodyguard, and my uncle by marriage.” I decided not to mention Jamie, just in case.
    “Your husband is still not taking this seriously?”
    “Oh, I think he is. But he’s a busy man. Busy, busy.”
    “Aha. You weren’t able to take or pass the HSAC test, I presume?”
    “I’ll ignore the insinuation that I flunked it for now. It relates to the trouble at NASA Base. So, you haven’t answered my question.”
    “I think it would be better to meet in an, ah, neutral location.”
    “Great. Sheridan Circle Park it is.”
    “That’s hardly neutral.”
    “We don’t own it. And it’s nice and close. To me. I don’t really care if you’re inconvenienced right now. We
were
going to come to you. The mountain to Mohammed and all that sort of thing.”
    Armstrong sighed. “It’s out in the open, where anyone could see us. Under the circumstances, neutral and out of the way of prying eyes would be best.”
    He had a point. I considered it. “Hang on just a sec.” I muted my phone. “Richard, Senator Armstrong wants a meet, and he’s asking for neutral ground that’s private. I want somewhere we’ve got more backup than he does. Thoughts?”
    “I believe our neighbors across the street should be amenable. Wait a moment.” He zipped off at hyperspeed. I saw the Romanian Embassy’s door open and shut.
    Took my phone off mute. “We’re lining up a safe location. Who’s coming besides you?”
    “No one.”
    “Not dragging Guy and Vance along for this particular visit?”
    “No. Look, I brought them yesterday because I thought you’d want help in determining what to do and how to keep the pictures quiet. Guy and Vance had to hide their relationship for years, and they were willing to help.”
    Considered this. I was having to consider a lot on this call. Didn’t care for it. “So, you’re saying you thought the pictures were real?”
    “I know your relationship with Mister Reynolds. The pictures look very real. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if you two were having an affair.”
    “Wow, you rock the way with words.”
    He made the exasperation sound. “I’m not saying