Alien vs. Alien

Olga briefed so they’d have an idea of what was going on. However, it was somewhat embarrassing, and I really didn’t know where to start. Back to the inconsequential small talk. “So, does anyone else think the foot traffic is a little light for a Sunday?”
    Oliver shook his head. “It would be, but there’s the huge event at the Mall. I’m sure most people from this part of town are there.” Olga nodded.
    “What kind of event?” White asked. “We haven’t heard anything about it.”
    Oliver looked surprised. “I’d have thought you’d have been briefed immediately.”
    So whatever was going on at the Mall likely related to whatever I was now no longer qualified to hear. No worries. Oliver didn’t know that. “We’ve been a little distracted. By the dirty pictures.” Well, we’d been distracted by them yesterday, at least until Sandra the Android attacked, and they were the focus of my team’s investigation, so it wasn’t a total lie.
    “You haven’t heard about the International One World Festival?” Oliver sounded as shocked as he looked. “It’s going on all week, but the President’s kicking it off today.” He checked his watch. “In about an hour.”
    “DoLT Std">n’t tell me, let me guess. American Centaurion is helping the P.T.C.U. and whoever else with security.”
    “Yes. Well, Centaurion Division is. Not Embassy personnel, at least not officially. However, after the Titan Security disaster, the Office of the President requested that Centaurion Division assist the Secret Service and P.T.C.U. on this one. No one wants anything to go wrong, and in addition to the usual concerns, the current tensions between Israel and Bahrain have upped the threat levels.”
    “Meaning my mom’s on duty, right?” And probably stuck in some awkward middle position politically, being former Mossad.
    Oliver nodded.
    It dawned on me that my parents hadn’t called me at all this weekend. They’d called every day I was in Florida. I’d been too busy to register it before this moment, but they had to know I was back. And yet they hadn’t come by to see me or Jamie. I’d have been hurt, but the reason was clear—Mom didn’t want to lie to me and Dad couldn’t.
    Oh, sure, they’d lied to me for most of my life, but once I’d discovered aliens truly lived on Earth, they’d come across with a lot more information. Mom didn’t have a problem telling me that something was above my security clearance normally, but since my HSAC test had ended up as a disaster, would anyone believe she wasn’t telling me things? I hated Sandra and her creators and handlers just a little bit more.
    “So, are we supposed to be there in an, ah, ambassadorial capacity?” Because if we were, I was going to be glaringly absent.
    “Not so much, no. Though every diplomatic mission in the city is expected to provide some form of support and attendance. Most of the Embassies have had personnel over all this past week, setting up.”
    Olga nodded again. “That’s where all of our mission was yesterday. And where they aretoday, as well. I confess to being surprised that no one has told you about it.”
    Wow. Our lack of intel had surprised two of the best-informed people around. Wonderful. “We’ve been a little distracted.”
    Oliver had stressed that it was Centaurion Division assisting. This meant Alpha, Airborne, Field, and Imageering would be involved, with Field teams out and about, doing their protect the world thing. American Centaurion was the political way of referring to us, and always indicated Embassy personnel and the Pontifex, when he was giving face time versus kicking butt. So Oliver’s explanation made sense, but left something lacking. “MJO, what’s American Centaurion’s role?”
    Oliver gave me a long look. “So, the story was true.”

    Yi

CHAPTER 32

    “W HAT STORY?” WHITE ASKED PLEASANTLY.
    “The story about the Ambassador no longer having a high-level security clearance.”
    Olga looked concerned. “I so wish this were not so. You being kept, as you say, out of the loop, is not a good thing.”
    “I’m not thrilled with it, either, but it lets us look into the dirty pictures business and hopefully get that put to bed. Bad pun totally intended.”
    “Ah, yes,” Olga said. “Your plan.”
    “You sound as underwhelmed by the idea today as you did yesterday.”
    She jiggled Jamie, who giggled. “There is nothing wrong with your plan.”
    “Only you think more is going on.