Waited. Neither Vance nor Walter pointed out that I’d given a warning to anyone, and Vance had heard all of my instructions. Looked at them out of the corners of my eyes. They didn’t look like they disagreed with the idea of all of my security being elsewhere. So Algar had affected them too, which, all things considered, was not a shocker.
However, I was getting “what’s your damage?” looks from both of them. So, time to continue this weird fiction. “I’m not used to anyone doing anything I tell them to, at least in regard to things like this.”
“Well, they’re there,” Walter said confidently. Something beeped on his Mini Bat Cave Command Center. “And everyone else is there, too.”
“Including the kids?” Who I’d told to go to the Embassy. Walter nodded. “And Jeff?” Who normally came to get me.
Walter nodded again. “That’s what the signal said.”
Decided to go for it and looked at Algar. Who was busily closing up the least weasel cage. He was up to something, in a major way, and I wanted to know what, before it rolled. I knew he knew it, too, because he kept his back to me.
Resisted heaving a huge sigh and forged on. “Great. Then Vance and I and Ard Ri Al will head that way, too. Carrying the Royal Hat Box here and just pretending it’s not full of live animals.”
The live animals shared that they knew they needed to remain quiet and they would. Was about to leave when I realized something was missing in this area. “Walter, where are George and Gracie and Teddy?” George and Gracie were Walter’s Peregrines and Teddy was his Poof. And they were always with him unless they were on some sort of Security Mission.
“They’re with Secretary Kramer.”
“Um, why?”
Walter shrugged. “She’s today’s Designated Survivor.”
Marcia Kramer had been in the Washington Wife class with me, back when she was Senator Zachary Kramer’s third wife and my sometime enemy. She was now my friend, the Secretary of Education, and no longer married to Kramer because he was dead from trying to kill me during Operation Fundraiser.
The Designated Survivor rule was in place to ensure that if something killed the country’s leadership in one fell swoop that there would be someone around to carry on and keep things calm. In most administrations, this role had fallen to someone far down the Cabinet Food Chain. Under the many circumstances that surrounded us, however, Jeff’s Presidential Cabinet had decided to do a rotation—each big event meant one of them would be assigned to be the DS. That way, someone Jeff—and therefore the country, world, and galaxy—could trust to do the right things was left potentially in charge.
“Why the Secretary of Education? For something this historic it would seem to make sense that she was with us, and I’m sure her kids don’t want to miss it, either. Besides, I thought it was Nathalie Gagnon-Brewer’s turn to take the short straw.”
“Secretary Kramer’s children are with the rest of our children and families in the Embassy Day Care or Sidwell Friends School,” Walter said. “But Secretary Kramer felt that it was more important for the Secretary of Transportation to attend.”
“Whatever works,” Vance said before I could reply. “Marcia’s still trying to show you and Jeff how grateful she is for your trust in her, Kitty. And she and Nathalie are back to being good friends, too, so this was probably as much a friend favor as anything else.”
The light beeped again. “Chief First Lady, they’re waiting for you.”
Heaved a sigh. “The show must go on. Walter, remain ever vigilant for danger. Ard Ri Al, Vance, and my new least weasels, come with me.” Not that the least weasels had a choice, since I was still carrying them.
Realized I was missing something vital. Handed the Royal Hatbox to Vance. “Forgot my purse. I’ll be right back.” Took off at hyperspeed and got into our suite in record time. Grabbed my purse from the coffee table—it was big, black, and made of cheap leather, and it had stood the test of time and my lifestyle like a pro. It rarely fit my look, though it was faking it well today, all things considered. But fitting in or not, I was not going anywhere without it—it had saved my life and the lives of others countless times before Algar had turned it into a portal, and I wasn’t going to leave without whatever I’d tossed in there with me, especially my phone.
Purse over my neck in the cross-body position that meant I was ready for anything, I took a detour into the closet and talked to the hamper—another place I was sure Algar had made a portal. “I have no idea what your game is, but I’d really like to know before all hell breaks loose.”
No Algar appeared. Not a surprise, of course, and not because he was with Vance. Algar could and routinely did freeze time or step out of it or whatever the Black Hole Universe called it. He could actually be two places at once, at least as far as I’d seen. But him not showing now wasn’t shocking—if he’d wanted to talk privately to me, he could have just snapped those fingers at any time. He hadn’t snapped, so he wanted to be stealth, so to speak.
“I’d have appreciated a heads-up. And I’d like to know why you’ve given everyone other than me and Vance these weird suggestions to do things and be places that aren’t normal and why you’ve let Vance and the others believe whatever weird lies you’ve put into their heads. In that sense. I’d also like to know why you want to come along with me for this particular event. You’re usually far more hands-off. Frankly, as far as I’ve ever seen or known, you prefer to be invisible.”
No Algar, but something appeared on the lid of the hamper. A large manila envelope.
Picked it up but before I could take a look, the intercom went off. “Chief First Lady, the President really needs you to get downstairs. First Lady’s Chief of Staff Beaumont has already taken Ard Ri Al to the Carpet.”
Shoved the envelope into my purse. “Got it, Walt. Be right there.” The com went off and I went back into the main part of the suite. “All Poofs who want to go to a boring speech should get into Kitty’s purse. All Peregrines on external White House duty should go to or stay chameleoned up and head out with Kitty. All animals coming along need to know we now possess a family of eight least weasels who are not to be attacked and who appear to be excited about joining our extended animal family.”
Checked my purse. Had only a few Poofs on Board. Well, I hadn’t exactly sold this as being an awesome excursion, it was cold, and the Poofs had probably voted for snoozing. Could not blame them.
Felt something feathered nudge against my leg. “Bruno, my bird, let’s get this bizarre show on the road.” Reached down and gave him a scritchy-scratch between his wings, which earned me a loving warble and the confirmation that Peregrines were on the case wherever Peregrines needed to be. Straightened up and took off.