"I am. Seriously, you were over here spying on me?"

"No. I was over there to ensure that, when you went off-script, I'd be able to get the information to Jeff immediately, so he'd be prepared. Which I did. Nice bombshell, by the way. The expressions onstage were priceless."

"I, and probably the others here, hate you."

"You'll get over it. By the way, you avoided this for the moment, but I heard the press talking amongst themselves while waiting for you, and once Missus Maurer showed up on the dais they got really curious. Expect to get questions about her. What's your answer going to be, by the way, for why she's with us?"

"She'd learned of the ricin attack and came to us for help."

"Really? You'd better brief her on that before you use it. And everyone else over there, too. Your mom in particular."

"Already got bawled out. Somewhat. So, yes, I'll run that by Mom, and Nancy herself, before I use it. By the way, are you still here or are you there?"

"I'm here, which for you is there. You're distracting me from lurking in the shadows and watching for snipers, bomb throwers, or tanks, so that I can grab Jeff and the others and get them to safety, you know."

"Then I'll blame you if anything happens to any of them."

"You'd blame me anyway."

"Speaking of bitter. Hey, Christopher?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for covering us on this one. It mattered. A lot."

His voice softened. "You're welcome. Kitty, I realize everyone's going to jump on you for what you did and how you did it, but honestly, I thought it was great. I'm really proud of you, and Jeff, too, for how you're handling all of this."

"Thanks. And, careful or I'm going to get all mushy and emotional."

"Can't have that, that's James' territory with you."

"And Amy's territory with you."

"True enough. And before you ask, she's with Caroline, Doreen, and Abigail, inside the Capitol Building, just in case."

"Doesn't anyone stay home and watch these things on TV anymore?" Glanced at the TV. "Looks like things are breaking up."

"Yeah. Hang in there, Kitty. We're at the start of a really strange road."

"It'll be a bumpy ride, but I'm sure we'll get there."

"I think the question is-do we want to get there? Reynolds just gave me the signal to help with crowd control. I'll talk to you later."

"Be careful."

"You, too."

"Always."

"Never that any of us have ever seen."

"I know you are but what am I?"

Christopher laughed. "You're the wife of the likely vice presidential nominee."

"Oh good. Totally not routine."

CHAPTER 61.

HUNG UP AND REJOINED the others by the TV. "That went remarkably well."

Mom nodded slowly. "I'm amazed, frankly. Maybe the obvious show of force helped. However, there will be ample opportunities for mayhem beyond this morning, and just because Bruce Jenkins was shut up once doesn't mean he won't ask a question you don't have a good answer for next time."

"Speaking of which, Christopher mentioned that we dodged the Nancy Maurer bullet this morning, but he doesn't expect that to last long."

"Do you want me to fetch her?" Raj asked politely.

The President nodded. "She's been through an ordeal, I'd like to see her."

"Yes, sir." Raj zipped off.

"I heard your plan for what to say," Mom said. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea, involving her in the bombing plot."

"Mom, she was attacked by thugs her own son sent to 'protect' her, but we didn't catch the guys so it's her and our word against theirs. She has to have a reason to be with us that doesn't cause even more suspicion. The ricin story is out, it seems the easiest answer to me."

"I agree," Mrs. Maurer said as Raj ushered her in. "So nice to see you, Mister President, albeit under unfortunate circumstances."

The President stood up, hugged Mrs. Maurer, and gave her his seat. "Angela tells me you're breaking ties with your son. I'm sorry you've been put into a situation where you feel the need to do so to protect yourself."

Mrs. Maurer nodded. "As I've been saying, he's not my son anymore. I don't recognize the man he's become."

The President looked at me. I mouthed the word "android." Then I did a little of The Robot dance move to be sure he got it.

His lips quirked, but he just nodded and looked back to Mrs. Maurer. "I feel confident that our friends at American Centaurion will protect you. However, are you sure you're willing to become what will surely be a focal point of the presidential campaign? I feel confident Senator Armstrong and Representative Martini will get the party's nomination, and you switching sides to join them will make the media's day, even more than the Ambassador's announcement did."

"I'm sure. I worry about the safety of my grandchildren, but I can't protect them if I'm dead or a hostage."

A staffer came in. "I'm sorry, Mister President, but you're due for a meeting in the Oval Office."

"I'll be right there. Fair enough, Nancy. Angela, I'll leave this to you and the Ambassador and her team." He nodded to us. "Ladies, gentlemen, please continue the good work you do and let's hope that the good guys win." With that he strode off with the staffer chattering to him about his meeting.

"I like him."

"I do, too," Mom said. "I've enjoyed this job."

"He's not the only president you've supported."

"No, he's not. But he'll be the last if Vincent and Jeff don't win the election."

This hit me like a bolt out of the blue. Why I hadn't considered that my mother's job would be in jeopardy if an anti-alien team was in the White House was beyond me, but I hadn't. The ramifications of Cleary-Maurer were larger than I'd paid attention to. The likelihood that we'd lose every ranking individual who supported American Centaurion was high. Chuckie, Horn, and Cliff would likely be out of their jobs before they could blink. Same with Kevin, Buchanan, and the rest of the P.T.C.U. Len and Kyle would be out of the C.I.A. along with Chuckie, and Colonel Franklin and Captain Morgan would probably be sent to an outpost in Alaska.

Maybe we'd still have people at NASA Base, but Alfred would undoubtedly be removed from his position, and that Base had been infiltrated easily before. That it would flip to completely anti-alien seemed possible.

There were more people who supported us, all of whom would be removed from their positions or marginalized. Our enemies would be moved up into positions of power. And control. Control over Centaurion Division. Which was, still and all, what everyone wanted-the War Division, wrapped up in a nice, tight bow.

The good of the country didn't figure into this, I knew that without asking. The Cleary-Maurer ticket was pretty much anti everything we stood for and I cared about. It was time to stop complaining about Jeff being on the ticket and start campaigning.

Looked at Raj. "What do we need to do to ensure the nomination and the win?"

He smiled at me. "Glad to have you fully in, Ambassador."

"Yeah, yeah, some of us catch on a little slower than others."

"I've given it some thought already," Raj said. "But I believe this isn't the best place to discuss our strategy."

Mom nodded. "We need to vacate so the room can be straightened. And around here, someone's always listening."

"Is the Embassy safe and cleaned up for us to return?"

Raj nodded. "I believe we'll need to be seen leaving. This will give the press more chances to talk to you and Missus Maurer. We'll need the team to provide coverage."

"Make it so, PR Attache Number One."

Raj grinned. "I'm glad I spent so many years watching TV. It's really paid off for this job."

We left the dining room and stood in the vestibule while Raj gathered the rest of Team Press Conference. The press corps was still in the East Room, and White House security was blocking them from leaving, for which I was extremely grateful.

"There will be press outside, waiting for us," Raj said as he herded the last of our flock over. "I want the Ambassador and Missus Maurer next to each other. Ambassador, you'll be holding Missus Maurer's hand."

"It would look better if I had my arm through hers," Mrs. Maurer said. "That way, it's clear I'm holding onto her, not the other way around."

"Squeaky, you amaze and impress me."

"The rest of us need to flank them," Raj went on. "We don't have the usual bodyguards here, so we're going to have to make do with those we do have. Lillian and Guy, if you two wouldn't mind going before the Ambassador, I believe you'll both be the best at warding off the press."

Culver grinned the Joker's Passing Out Killer Candy to the Kiddies smile. "Oh, trust me, we're both pros at that."

Gadoire nodded. "I suggest Vance be on the Ambassador's side. He also has experience with this."

In my experience with Vance, he was most experienced at running away screaming, but Raj was right-the guys who'd normally handle this were all MIA, so we had to roll with the punches.

"Raj should take Nancy's free side," Vance said. "Same reasons and he's stronger than me, if shoving is necessary. And, trust me, it'll be necessary."

"Actually," White said, "I think it would be better if I was with Missus Maurer, Raj was with the Ambassador, and you were with our Head of Imageering, Vance. She'll be asked questions as well and will need the protection, so to speak."

Vance nodded eagerly. He and Gadoire were married but both bi, and Vance's fondest fantasies now involved adding an A-C woman, or man, into their mix. Couldn't blame him, really. "That makes sense."

"Mom, what about you?"

She shook her head. "I need to stay here. I'm due in that meeting the President's having in about ten minutes."

Mom took me aside and hugged me, the usual breath-stopping bear hug. "You'll do fine, kitten. Just remember, silence is your friend in these instances. If you look like the press is attacking you, that can, many times, sway popular opinion toward you."

Hugged her back. "Gotcha. Air . . . air . . ."

She let go and kissed my cheek. "Remember that you're doing this for more than just yourself and your immediate family. The course of our country is going to be determined by this election."

"But no pressure! I'll do my best, Mom."

She gave me a rather proud smile. "That's all anyone can ask of you, kitten. And your best has been proven to be what we need. So, go get 'em, my little tiger."

CHAPTER 62.

WE WERE IN OUR FORMATION, three lines of four people, the extra troubadours with Culver and Gadoire in front and Vance and Serene in the rear.

The troubadours weren't going to be doing a lot of talking. Raj felt that they didn't want to try to influence this particular crowd for a variety of reasons, most of them having to do with our wanting to look as beleaguered by the press as possible. Wasn't sure this was our wisest strategy, but since my idea would be to take a gate and avoid all of this, I kept my thoughts to myself.

We were about to go out the door when a thought occurred that I felt obligated to share. "Um, guys? Where, exactly, are we going? We didn't drive here."

"You wound me," Raj said. "And Pierre . . . when I tell him about your lack of faith . . ." he shook his head. "You'll probably have to console him for hours."

"Wow, your sarcasm knob goes from zero to eleven really fast."

"It does. Let's move, everybody. Stay with your line, and be sure it's one line to each car."

The East Room wasn't in the East Wing. Shockingly for D.C., it wasn't in the West Wing, either. No, we were in the official White House Residence section. This meant that we just needed to go out the North doors, down a few steps, and get into the gray limos that, now that I looked, were idling outside.

In theory, anyway.

In reality, there were a ton of reporters with microphones and cameras camped on the steps. Wanted to ask why they were allowed to be right at the President's front door, but figured it was standard procedure. Or else they'd been snuck in by people who didn't like us. Possibly both. Had no time to question or argue, so just rolled with it.

Pulled my phone out of my purse, which I had over my neck now, because this was just like going into battle. In case Jeff or someone tried to reach me, I'd never have a chance of hearing the ring, but I could feel the vibration.

"Just a moment," a man's voice called. Turned to see a variety of big, serious-looking men in suits descending upon us.

"Yes?" Raj asked.