Alien vs. Alien

smart ones close by. Besides, I was Questions Girl. At least right now.
    “Related question. Why was Armstrong in Florida most of the time I was, especially if there was some big political event being planned?”
    “Cover, maybe?” Oliver suggested.
    “Or he wanted to enlist your aid,” White countered.
    “But I thought the pictures only showed up a couple of weeks ago, not four.”
    Oliver shook his head. “
I
only found out about them a couple of weeks ago. But I assure you, they were in existence before I discovered them.”
    “So maybe the senator had them for a lot longer than we know about.” He’d been trying to see me for a month, after all.
    “Limo approaching,” Kyle, who was close to the window that faced Sheridan Circle, said before I could ask what kind of aid anyone thought I’d be able to give Armstrong in regard to my new career as an unwitting porno model.
    Len looked out the window. “Looks like the same car that he wcar thatas in yesterday.”
    “You’re sure? Limos tend to look alike.”
    “I’m sure. We had to take a course.”
    “Len aced that one like he aced driving,” Kyle added. “I did pretty well with it, too. And I agree. It looks like the same car. And it’s got that ‘drove all night and haven’t hit the car wash yet’ look. Parking down the street.”
    I decided to trust them on this assumption. It took about sixteen hours to drive up from Florida to D.C., but Armstrong had had more than enough time to do so. “Yesterday he left a briefcase with a bug in it at my in-laws’ home.”
    “We’ll assume he’s recording us again, then,” White said.
    “Good call.”
    “We have detectors with us,” Len said.
    “We do as well,” Olga added.
    “Great, so if we don’t like Armstrong’s answers, he’ll be on Romanian soil, and you can accuse him of spying or treason, or whatever your biggest crime is.”
    Olga laughed. “I love how you think. We must ensure you are not disgraced. I will be heartbroken if we should lose you as a neighbor.”

    Yi

CHAPTER 33

    L EN AND KYLE WENT DOWNSTAIRS so they could scan the senator before he got past the foyer. Apparently he passed both the Romanian and C.I.A. Bug Tests because the boys brought him upstairs fairly quickly.
    “You,” Armstrong said by way of hello, pointing at Oliver. “Why are you here?”
    “I was invited by Ambassador Katt-Martini.”
    Armstrong glared at me. “You want this to be trumpeted to the world?” He sounded angry and shocked. This was the first time I’d ever heard him really out of control of his Happy Politician Voice.
    “No. I want whoever’s done this stopped. And Mister Joel Oliver is far more on my side than you’ve ever been.”
    Armstrong opened his mouth. But Olga spoke first. “Don’t say something you might regret, Senator. You’re not on American soil.”
    Armstrong’s mouth slammed shut. He glared at all of us. “This is ridiculous. Why do you want an audience for this?”
    “Oh, I figure it’s always wise to be sure they only print pictures of my good side. Like to have everyone vote on which shots we think are best.”
    “All your sides are good,” Len said loyally. Kyle nodded his agreement. I was glad Jeff wasn’t here—I was enjoying not having to have the jealousy chat with him.
    “You can’t be serious.” Armstrong sounded horrified and a little repulsed. Charming as always.
“Dude, did I
sound
serious? Look, you’re stressed. We all get it. Sit down, have some lemonade or iced tea, eat a couple of those little cakes, you’ll feel better. Mister Joel Oliver is the only reason my first set of poses for Playmate of the Year haven’t already hit the newsstands. Let’s stop with the posturing and protestations and get down to business.”
    Armstrong didn’t look as though he actually wanted to sit, but he did. He kept his briefcase in his lap. It was definitely not the same one he’d left at Martini Manor.
    I looked at Len. He shook his head. “Clean.”
    “Of course I didn’t bring any bugs with me,” Armstrong snapped.
    “And that would be the first time in our entire relationship when you haven’t.”
    He had the grace to look slightly ashamed. “I can’t be too careful.”
    “I know. You’d miss out on so many blackmail opportunities. Speaking of which, let’s see the latest shots.”
    Armstrong looked pointedly at Olga. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
    Olga smiled. “Senator, I can assure you that I am the soul of