Alien in the Family

“Oh, I’m sure the people will be very happy with Chief Councillor Leonidas staying on,” Chuckie said. “From what you’ve said, he has the people’s well-being foremost in his mind.”

Leonidas gave Chuckie one of their formal little head bows. “From what we’ve seen, Mister Reynolds, you function in a similar capacity.” Even knowing they’d been spying on us for a long time, it was still a shock to hear him use Chuckie’s name as if they’d been introduced.

I tried to figure out how what someone in the C.I.A., even Chuckie, did could be compared to what Leonidas did, but before I could, Alexander’s face lit up. “Maybe you could stay here and become my adviser?”

Chuckie looked interested. I could guess that some others with us were, too. And, surprisingly, Leonidas didn’t seem against the idea. “That could prove helpful. I’m sure we could learn a great deal from each other.”

Chuckie opened his mouth. I beat him to the reply. “No.”

“No?” Chuckie and Alexander chorused. The unison thing was getting to me. Too many alpha males in small spaces equaled bad for Kitty’s sense of propriety.

“No. Because you have to learn to do it on your own. Could Chuckie stay and help you guys out? Sure, he’d be awesome. Some of the others would, as well. But you need to rebuild Alpha Four, not rebuild it into Earth: The Alpha Four Experience. Maybe once you’re stabilized. Let’s see how you do on your own before we send one of the guys we need to you, okay?”

Alexander nodded. “That makes sense.”

“It does?” Chuckie asked.

“Yes. Besides, I think Alexander has a Chief Councillor here already who knows what’s going on in this solar system a lot better than any of us, even you, would.” Leonidas gave me a pleasant smile. “And I don’t want said Chief Councillor learning even more about us than he already knows.”

His eyes narrowed, though his expression remained pleasant. “I don’t follow you.”

I snorted. “You’d learn as much from Chuckie as he’d learn from you. That’s great, but now’s not the time. You all need to prove that we can trust you before you get to pick this particular brilliant brain.”

Leonidas gave me a long look. “Understood.” He cleared his throat, straightened up, and bowed to Alexander. “Your Majesty, if you are willing, I would be happy to stay on as Chief Councillor.” It was clear from what he did and how he said it that this was an official moment of protocol, and that the response wasn’t in question.

Alexander gave the little head bow. “It would be an honor for us if you would remain in this position of responsibility, respect, and confidence.”

I could feel the crowd around us relax. “You sure this is the right way?” Chuckie asked me quietly.”

“Yes. You can spend your summer vacation here another time. Now shut up, and let’s go home.”

Is Kitty ready? ACE asked politely.

I looked around. Almost. “Victoria, what happens with the Poofs?”

There was much Poof mewling and whining at this question. One of the Poofs, the one Leonidas has identified as Alexander’s, jumped onto his shoulder. The others scattered—back to Martini, Christopher, Reader, and Michael. Poofikins stayed with me. The last one whined and jumped onto Chuckie’s shoulder.

Victoria chuckled. “They are attached.”

“I’m not from Alpha Four, and I’m also not marrying in,” Chuckie said.

She shrugged. “Attached Poofs pine without the one they are attached to with them. Harlie was listless for close to fifty years. If it is attached to you, it’s yours. Take it as our gift of thanks.”

“Thanks, I think.” Chuckie seemed confused.

“You named it, didn’t you?”

He shrugged. “Calling it ‘it’ or ‘you’ seemed stupid.”

“What’s its name?”

He coughed and mumbled something.

“What? Missed that.”

He glared at me. I stared him down. “Fluffy.”

I ran through all the things I could say. “Fitting.”

“Yeah.” Fluffy purred at Chuckie. “Fine, yeah, back in the pocket.” Fluffy disappeared.

Victoria smiled. “They attach to the one who names them.”

I hadn’t considered Poofikins a name, but, apparently, it was. Worked for me. “You sure you can spare them, though? Tenley’s been around a while, right?”

“Yes, but they can live for hundreds of years.” I heard Martini groan. “We will be fine with the two we have. And, if not, we can always ask one of you to visit.”

“Wow, Poof breeding. A new career option. Has to be better than this saving the world stuff.”

“Is there money in it?” Chuckie asked.

“Doubtful, but who knows?” Victoria laughed. “You think strangely.”

“Welcome to hanging with humans.”

Tito bowed to everyone. I hugged Alexander and Victoria and shook hands with Leonidas. Chuckie tried to shake hands with Victoria and Alexander, but they both hugged him. I thought about it. “I’m sure everyone else would like to say good-bye. Would you mind walking down to them? Under the circumstances, I mean.”

“Of course.” Alexander headed down with Tito’s help, Victoria went after him. Leonidas, on the other hand, stayed put.

“Mister Reynolds, before you go . . .” Leonidas gave Chuckie a hug, in a manly way, but it lasted a lot longer than normal. I was positive he was whispering something in Chuckie’s ear. Of course, the fact that Chuckie nodded when they were done, then winked at me, was a clue, too.

“Do I want to know?”

“Tell you later, boss girl.”

“Yes, you will.” We went down to the others. Leonidas still stayed put. As we walked, he started talking. Sounded like the typical “bad things have happened but we’ve overcome, and we have a great new king and he rocks” speech. There were no hints that Alpha Four might want to retaliate or argue about our taking down their ozone shield. I hoped that would remain the case, but I wasn’t prepared to place a bet on it.

Michael was done with his part in the farewell hugging, and his Poof was sitting on his shoulder. I thought about it. “So Paul didn’t name the Poof who was with him during the fighting?”

Michael looked embarrassed. “I named it for him.”

“Can’t wait. Spill it.”

“Fuzzball.”

“Again, fits.” I figured I’d ask Christopher and Reader what names they’d given theirs later. Reader was too far away, and Christopher was in the midst of getting the “you look just like your mother except” song all relatives seem to love doing. Victoria seemed to think he wasn’t getting enough to eat, which, considering we normally ate at the Dulce Commissary of a Million and One Food Options was sort of fu

Martini got a different kind of farewell, from both Victoria and Alexander. Fond, but very formal. Even their hugs were more formal than for anyone else. I decided to worry about this later.

Though Martini, of course, caught the worry. At least if his wink at me was any indication. He nodded, and I knew what that meant.

“Victoria, Alex, Leonidas, it’s been real. We need to roll, however.”

Kitty is ready now? ACE asked.

Yep. Let’s rock and roll, big guy. I looked around at my team. We all looked as though we needed a really long vacation. “Guys, let’s get our bedraggled flock out of Dodge.”

I felt ACE gather us up where we were standing. He tossed me, though, straight at Martini. Who caught me easily, flipped my legs around his waist, and kissed me. We did a reverse time warp, I guess. I wasn’t paying attention to anything other than Martini’s kiss. And this time, since it wasn’t going to be the last kiss of his I’d ever have, it wasn’t bittersweet—it was the best ever.

CHAPTER 57

I FELT A GENTLE JOLT. Martini ended our kiss. “You actually thought I’d choose them over you?”