Alien vs. Alien

mean.”
    “I do. So what I’m going to ask you to do has more to do with you confusing whoever’s watching us more than anything else.”
    “You’re sure we’re being watched?” Michael asked. The entire room snorted at him. “Whoa, just asking.”
    Oliver nodded. “I believe it’s the safest best we have right now.”
    “Me too. Okay, MJO, I want you heading over to Andrews Air Force Base. Demand to see the head man. Use whatever means necessary, but be sure that it’s obvious you’re trying to get into a military facility to warn them of an impending threat.”
    “That’s a nice idea, but what makes you think I’ll get past the gate?”
    This question had occurred to me, too. Luckily, I’d come up with an answer. The Club 51 folks had been good for something. “Tell them you have proof an alien invasion is imminent.”
    He shook his head. “No one’s going to believe me. I have a reputation, and it’s not a good one.”
    “On the contrary,” Olga said. “Your reputation is quite good among a select few.” She nodded toward the desk and said something in Romanian. Adriana went to the desk, opened a drawer, rummaged through, and pulled out what looked like an old-fashioned writing kit, complete with a candle and small wooden handle with metal at the end.
    “I have to ask—first,somethi is that a sealing wax set?”
    “Yes,” Olga replied. “I do like to have some touches from the past at hand.”
    “Uh-huh, I’m sure. Here’s my next question—what are you two doing?”
    Adriana was writing industriously; she handed whatever she’d written and the pen to Olga, who nodded again and signed what I was pretty sure was her name at the bottom. Adriana folded up the letter, lit the sealing wax, let it carefully drip onto the envelope, pressed the seal into, and handed it to Oliver with a little flourish.
    “Presto, old fashioned correspondence. Why?” Olga gave me her Disappointed Teacher look. I sighed and gave my best guess. “Sending something this way up to Andrews is some Diplomats of the Old Republic thing, right?”
    “In a sense,” she said with a smile. “It will help our friend to gain entry, which should assist in causing our enemies to watch the Air Force base more closely than . . . other places.”
    “What do I say when I actually gain entry?” Oliver asked.
    “Demand to speak to the man in charge, only. That should take some time. Also insinuate that others will be joining you at Andrews. Hopefully it’ll distract whoever the heck is watching us, at least long enough.”
    “I hear and obey,” Oliver said with a smile. “Should I call for a cab?”
    “Hail one, let it go by, hail another, you know the drill. Make it clear you think you’re being followed and are trying to hide your tracks.”
    “I’ll do my best.” He nodded to all of us, then left. Adriana walked him down. I watched him from the window. He went to the Circle and started looking for transportation.
    “So, what interesting thing do you have planned for me, Kitty?” Michael asked while we waited for Adriana to return and Oliver to score transportation.
    Oliver had waved three cabs by before Adriana returned. “I locked the entire downstairs, drew all curtains, and generally made it look like we are hiding here.”
    Oliver finally got into a cab. “Great. Let’s close the curtains in this room, too.”
    “Kitty, what’s really going on, and what am I supposed to be doing?” Michael asked again as Adriana did as I’d asked.
    I saw a shimmering in the air. “Tell you about it when we get there. Boys, please assist Olga through.”
    Jamie’s diaper bag was still hooked onto her stroller. Amy grabbed the stroller, Adriana and the boys had their duffels, I had Jamie and my purse. All set.
    I looked at Bruno. “You first or us?” He fluffed his feathers, then all the Peregrines flew into the stroller and settled down with the remainder of the Poofs with us. “Fine, you’re going in style.” Thankfully no one asked me what or who I was talking to.
    The gate looked big enough to take at least three at a time. “Michael, you take Adriana through first. Boys, you and Olga next. Ames, then you and the stroller. Jamie and I will bring up the rear.”
    Michael grinned at me, took Adriana’s hand, and they stepped through the gate. Here one second, gone the next. I ignored the slow fade everything did going through a gate because nausea wasn’t on my list of things to experience