Touched by an Alien

we’re adding in dry salt as well.”
    “Great. How fast can that happen? Because these things seem to move slowly, but they can’t move that slowly.”
    “They’re on their way, should be there within fifteen minutes. We’re calling in jets based out of San Diego and aircraft from Luke in support of those from Home Base.”
    Fifteen minutes might be too long. “Tell them that it’s Top Gun time, okay?”
    “Will do. Anything else?”
    “I’m sure there will be. Please stay tuned.” I dropped the walkie back into my purse. “Any giant mongoose around? ‘Cause I’d love to see a humongous Riki-Tiki-Tavi right about now.”
    “We’re fresh out.”
    “Do the cars protect from the Killer’s poison?”
    “They have shields, so they might.”
    I turned and trotted over to the others. “Jeff’s really pissed,” I mentioned to Christopher as I got to them.
    “No, really? I hadn’t noticed.”
    “James, you up for something scary?”
    “Uh, girlfriend? This hasn’t stopped being scary yet. Are you suggesting we’re moving up to total terror?”
    “Yes. Can you take one of the super-SUVs and use it to ram that stick bug thing? With shields on full.”
    He stared at me. “You want me to try to take out a superbeing with a car.”
    “It’s a big SUV. Very sturdy.”
    “Not sturdy enough.”
    “You sure or just chicken?”
    “Both.”
    I grabbed his walkie. “Mr. White?”
    “Yes, Miss Katt. It’s been so long.”
    “Truly. We need a really big, nasty Humvee, preferably military issue, and it needs all the A-C bells and whistles on it. Do we have such a beast?”
    He sighed. “We do. It’s on its way. May Tim drive it to you?”
    “Only if he’s keen on dying.”
    Silence.
    “You’re really good under pressure,” Lorraine said.
    “I’m really good at panicking with style.”
    White’s voice came back through the walkie. “Tim shares that he’s ecstatic about the opportunity to make it back to the majors. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I suspect you do.”
    “Baseball’s the national sport. Perhaps you should watch it sometime.”
    “I prefer football.”
    “Good to know. Tell Tim to put the pedal to the metal and get his butt out here.”
    “I await your next orders with great joy.”
    I looked over at Christopher. “I see where your snarkiness comes from.”
    “I’m flattered by the comparison.”
    I turned around to see how far away the really big fuglies were. “Not that I’m complaining, but why do they move so slowly?”
    “No idea,” Christopher replied. “No one’s ever complained about it. We have a hard enough time surviving them at this rate of speed.”
    “Girls? Any thoughts?”
    “The atmosphere’s too dense for them.”
    “Good one, Claudia. Lorraine?”
    “They’re in control, but they don’t manifest often, so they aren’t used to making these bodies function.”
    “I think we have two potential winners.” I looked back at Christopher. “Perhaps a few more female agents would be a good idea for the future.”
    “I’ll be happy to discuss integration if we survive. Though Jeff controls all active Field, including decisions like that one.”
    “Guess I’ll just charm him into it.”
    “I’ll watch from the next county.”
    “I see your dormant sense of humor comes out when facing death. Good to know.” I already had a good guess as to what was going to stop Mephistopheles. But the Serpent, the Pachyderm, and Earwig were presenting problems. Martini was still by the other car, and Earwig appeared to be in the lead for the monsters. I didn’t have to ask who his target was. After all, he’d missed killing Martini when he took out Lissa; I was sure he wanted to rectify that situation.
    “I’ll be back. I hope.” I trotted back to Martini. He didn’t take his eyes off Earwig. “Jeff, you need to get back with the rest of us.”
    “No, I’m planning to stay right here.”
    “She was going to choose Christopher.”
    “I know.” He looked at me now. “She didn’t have to tell me. Empath, remember?”
    “Then why did you take her out to ask her?”
    He shrugged. “Just in case she changed her mind.” He looked back at the lumbering monsters. “I thought it would be worth the risk.”
    “It wasn’t your fault.”
    “Maybe not. I couldn’t save her. Earwig ripped her in half in front of me. Like she was a paper doll. I was glad Christopher never saw that.”
    What a great way to ensure someone wouldn’t