Alien Research

CHAPTER 14

NOTHING LIKE A CALL FOR HELP that’s cut off mid-word to wake me right up. However, I didn’t want to share the news that Walter might be in trouble with half of the room’s occupants.

On the other hand, I wanted the other half activated. Then again, Jeff had to go back to Capitol Hill, and congressmen weren’t supposed to go into action. And then again, I had support elsewhere in the building.

“Would you all excuse me a minute?” I asked. “Minor household emergency.”

Jeff shot me a look that said he didn’t believe it. “Let me know before you go out, baby. Chuck, too.”

Dang, he’d done the old emotional and mind reading thing. Well, probably for the best. “Will do. Nice seeing everyone.” With that I headed for the infirmary.

I was distracted, so used human speed. I called Walter’s Embassy cell phone on the way. “This is Walter Ward of the American Centaurion Embassy. I’m unable to take your call at this time. Please leave a message and I’ll return your call as soon as possible.”

So much for that. Decided that I got bawled out a lot for not calling Alpha Team, so I called Reader. “You’ve reached James Reader. I’m unavailable.” Wow, Reader’s voicemail sure had changed from the good old days.

Tim was next, and after the last couple of calls, I expected what I got. “This is Tim Crawford. I’m busy fighting crime and saving the day, so can’t take your call at this time. Leave a message and I’ll call you back when I have some breathing room.”

Gave it a try with Kevin. “This is Kevin Lewis. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you.” Apparently he and Reader weren’t big on chatty voicemail recordings these days.

I reached the infirmary while listening to Lorraine and Claudia’s perky cell phone messages. Per Nurse Carter, Buchanan was still here, just finishing up. No worries, I had Serene to call. “This is Serene Dwyer. I’m so sorry I’ve missed your call. Please leave your name, number, a detailed message, and I’ll get back to you just as soon as possible.”

I was about to try the flyboys when Buchanan and Tito came out. “What’s up, Missus Chief? You look tense.”

“I am. Walter just called me from an anonymous number to tell me he was in trouble. Or rather, ‘we’ were in trouble. I’ve called everyone on Alpha Team, other than Paul, who’s here, and all their phones went to voicemail. I’m officially worried.”

Tito and Nurse Carter looked at each other. They both pulled out their phones. “I’ll call Dulce, you call Airborne?” Nurse Carter said.

“Yep.” Tito looked at me. “Call Home Base.”

It was nice to work with people who didn’t question when the weird or scary started, and instead began handling it immediately. Buchanan pulled out his phone while I tried calling Nellis Air Force Base, better known to the rest of the world as Area 51.

“No answer,” I said, at the same time Tito and Nurse Carter said the same. They both dialed again.

Buchanan grunted at his call. “You’re sure? Okay. Thank you.” He hung up. “I just checked with the Pentagon. They show no disturbances of any kind at or near either the Dulce Science Center or Home Base.”

“Well, no one’s answering their phones.” Sent a group text to everyone we were trying to reach, flyboys included. “Alpha and Airborne, maybe they’re busy. Perhaps Dulce’s in lockdown. But Nellis Air Force Base should be answering their phones or the Pentagon should know the reason why.”

Nurse Carter shook her head. “I’ve tried at least a dozen numbers at Dulce. The Medical Center isn’t answering, nor are any of the different research sections.”

“Interesting,” Tito said to whomever he’d actually reached. “Yes, please monitor and let us know if you find anything. Thanks.” He hung up. “I just called Alfred. NASA Base doesn’t show anything as being wrong in Dulce or Home Base. And, neither he nor I know if this is relevant, but Brian called out today, so he’s not at NASA Base, and Alfred thinks he was home, in the Science Center.”

“Where’s Michael Gower?” If one of the astronauts closely associated with Centaurion Division wasn’t where he should be, I wanted to check on the other one.

Tito grimaced. “He called out too, and he’s supposedly with Brian.”

“Fantastic. Naomi and Abigail went over there earlier, too.” Sent texts to both of them. No response came back.

“Excuse me, Ambassador,” William’s voice came on the com. “Representative Martini is asking for the four of you to join him in the kitchen and to tell you that the outsiders are gone.”

“On our way, William. Keep the com on us and patch us in to the kitchen. And try to reach Walter, please.” The four of us went to the elevator, because the three full humans didn’t want to have to deal with my hyperspeed prowess unless they had to, and I knew it.

“What’s going on?” Jeff asked via the com as we waited for the elevator.

“William’s here because Walter’s supposedly at Dulce for some Security training thing. But they aren’t at Home Base because of a dust storm. Walter called me to share there was big trouble, and he was cut off mid-word.”

“No response from Walter, Ambassador,” William said, voice tense. He’d already lost one brother—I knew he didn’t want to lose another. I didn’t want him to, either.

Elevator arrived, we got in. “We’ve tried calling everyone, Jeff,” Tito said as we headed down. “Only your father at NASA Base and the Pentagon answered their phones.”

“That includes Gladys,” I added.

Heard a variety of impressive cursing from the kitchen. Decided Amy’s was the winner, though Caroline’s came in a close second.

“Let me make it that much better. Per Jeff’s dad, Brian and Michael both called out today—which you’d think would be odd for astronauts to be able to do just like a normal person, but whatever. We can’t reach them, either, and Alfred thought they were both at Dulce.”

“Michael didn’t tell me he’d be there,” Caroline said. Since they were engaged, she’d be the most likely person Michael would give his itinerary to. “He didn’t spend the night last night, though, so maybe he was doing something with Brian.”

“Kitty, what’s your guess for what’s happening?” Chuckie asked.

“I love that you’re asking her for a guess before she has any information,” Christopher snarked as the elevator doors opened.

The four of us ran to the kitchen. “Oh, you’re just jealous because I usually guess right. Megalomaniac Girl reporting for duty. And I think the dust storm that prevented everyone being at Home Base is related to whatever’s going on. And I think we’re going to hate what’s going on.”

“But that’s all the information we have,” Buchanan said. “Unless Missus Chief is holding out on us.”

“Sadly, no. I’ve texted everyone—no one’s replied. Including Kevin, Brian, and Michael.” I cleared my throat. “And also including Mimi and Abby. They went over to help Gladys.”

“You told us before,” Chuckie said. “I’ve tried texting Mimi, but I thought maybe she wasn’t replying because I hadn’t answered her texts from this morning.”

“Where’s Patrick?” Jeff asked, worry plain.

“With Jamie and the other Embassy, Alpha, and Airborne children,” William replied. “On site, in the daycare center. I’ve advised Denise that she shouldn’t release the children to anyone at this point in time. Doreen and Irving are there as well. I’ve also requested that Len and Kyle go to and stay with them and the children. They’re there, as are all the Embassy animals.”

“All?” We had four dogs, three cats, twelve mated pairs of Alpha Four Peregrines, and more Poofs than anyone other than Rain Man had a hope of counting. All was a big number.

“All,” William confirmed. “Doreen said to tell you that their Peregrines sort of herded her and Irving to the daycare center. Denise said to tell you the animals look stressed and ready.”

“Shields up, William!”

“Already done, Ambassador. I activated the shields as soon as you told me to try to contact Walter.”

“Good man.” Effective thinking ran in the Ward family. “So, all we know for sure is that whatever’s going on, the only person who tried or was able to tell us anything was Walter.”

White looked thoughtful. “Missus Martini, correct me if my memory’s inaccurate, but wasn’t Walter one of the few who held out against my ‘younger brother’s’ mind control?”

“Yes, he was.” White and I looked at each other. “You don’t think that’s it, do you, Mister White?” I really hoped he was going to say no.

“Sadly, yes, I do, Missus Martini.”

“Think what’s it?” Caroline asked.

“I hate what you two just jumped to,” Chuckie said. “But with what we know, it’s a good hypothesis.”

“Which is?” Christopher asked.

I answered. “We think Ronaldo Al Dejahl is back in business.”