"But what if they do kill him?" Naomi whispered.

"Then he dies so you live. I've known him more than half my life. He's been my best friend since we were thirteen. And I guarantee I still know him better than anyone else does, even you. And I promise you this-you doing the exact opposite of what he's trained you to do and, I know, told you to do will be the real thing that kills him, physically and emotionally."

She looked almost convinced, but not quite. Time for the big gun. "Unless, of course, this is all an act and you're really in league with the bad guys and want to go with Clarence so you can watch him hurt Jeff and Chuckie."

CHAPTER 57.

NAOMI'S EYES FLASHED. "You know that's not what I want."

"Yeah? Prove it."

"Sis," Abigail said quietly, "you need to calm down."

"This from the person who's affected by emotions, I might add."

"Yeah, and Sis? Kitty's ready to beat the crap out of you if you don't pull it together. And she can do it. Let's not fight with the person we're supposed to go to for guidance and leadership in this state of emergency." It was clear Abigail was reciting something Chuckie had drilled into them.

Naomi took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay."

"Don't let her go," I said to White and Jeremy. "Just in case she's faking us out and wants them dead."

Naomi glared at me again. Good. Anger was a better emotion for her than fear and panic right now. I turned my back on her. Let her stay pissed off. And focused on me instead of Clarence's threats.

Still couldn't make out anyone visually, though the trees and bushes were really taking a beating. This was a National Park-I was sure Clarence was amassing a host of major fines, but a park ranger arriving, or whatever division patrolled here, wouldn't help the situation.

"So, Abby, what actually happened?" If I squinted, I could just make out several Peregrines and some Poofs, large and in charge. They were definitely not fighting with each other.

"We were finally done with our version of patrolling the Festival when James told us we could start looking for Jeff and Chuck. Then we all got a big emotional message from you, the guys took off, and we searched." She was quiet for a moment. "We couldn't find them. So I think Clarence is lying."

"No, they have them. And I'm sure they're still alive." I was. They had no bargaining power if Jeff and Chuckie were dead. And, as Naomi was demonstrating, hostages were a strong incentive to be stupid.

I hoped ACE was going to keep Jamie safe and prevent her from time warping to Jeff in some way. That they were likely hurting Jeff and Chuckie both was, sadly, a given. I shoved the fear and heartache this knowledge gave me aside and added it to the rest of my anger. Anger I was stoking and saving for later.

"Okay, well, I hope you're right. Anyway, Sis and I were still searching when Clarence showed up out of nowhere. He said he'd come back to help us."

I snorted.

Abigail chuckled. "Yeah, neither one of us fell for that one. So he said he knew where Chuck and Jeff were. We followed him at a distance, he led us here. Then told us to come with him so Chuck and Jeff wouldn't be killed. Sis was ready to go, obviously. But then our Poofs went into attack mode, and they were joined by other Poofs, and then Peregrines. That's what Clarence is fighting."

"Thanks for the recap, Abby. So, can I not see any of them because they're invisible or because they're going so fast?"

"Speed, mostly. That and I put a protective layer around this area."

"Wow, even while holding Mimi back? I'm hella impressed."

"Despite how Sis is acting, we've been working with Chuck on a lot of things."

"Things I'm just betting we're going to have to put into action sooner as opposed to later."

"All well and good, Missus Martini," White said. "But how do we stop Clarence right now?"

"I'm wondering if the Poofs can eat him, or if that would end up being bad for us in some way. Or if it would give the Poofs heartburn."

"I think if they could eat him, they would have already," Abigail said. "They weren't happy, believe me."

Potentially the smart thing to do would be to take off and let the animals handle it. Only, they might get hurt, and if that happened, they'd need me.

Tried to look at this situation the way Chuckie would. There were pros and cons to capturing Clarence as well as to letting him go. If we caught him, great, we'd have him, and maybe we could break him. And we'd keep him off the streets, so to speak, and unable to lure someone else, like his wife or children, to the Dark Side or Hostage City, depending.

Letting him go had merit if there was a way for us to track him. If we could actually follow him, then we had a good chance of finding the Evil Genius Lair du Jour. If we could track him, in a way that would both work and not be something he could find and destroy.

"Any ideas, Missus Martini?"

"Breadcrumbs are out."

"Excuse me?" Jennifer said.

"We need to get a tracker into Clarence. I'd love to tag him like a wild boar, but I don't think we have the right equipment handy."

"Doesn't he already have one?" Jeremy asked.

I turned around to look at him. Everyone else was looking at Jeremy too. "Say that again, please."

"We all have tracking chips in us," Jeremy said. "If you have a job that puts you into any kind of danger, the chip is installed."

"The girls don't have trackers. Clarence was a diplomat's assistant. That hardly seems like a job that screams 'dangerous situations.' "

Jennifer raised her eyebrow. "You're a diplomat."

"Excellent point. Mister White?"

"Naomi, may I let go of you, or will you try to heroically yet stupidly do exactly what our enemies want if I release you so I can call Gladys?"

Naomi looked sheepish. "I'm sorry, Uncle Richard."

White kissed her forehead. "All is forgiven." He let go, though Jeremy held onto Naomi's arm. Abigail still had her hand, but Jennifer let go, though I could tell she was ready to lunge at either sister if needed.

White made the call. "Yes, Gladys, I do apologize, but this is actually of the highest need. Yes, superbeings attacking? Amazing, right where Ambassador Katt-Martini said they would. Yes, she is right here. No, not looking smug. She is, however, looking worried and impatient. I share those feelings. Why yes, I'd love to tell you why I called. I need you to verify the current whereabouts of Clarence Valentino. Yes, I am serious. Deadly, if you catch my meaning."

While White verbally wrangled with his half-sister, I tried to come up with another option if Clarence had no tracker or it was disabled. Really wasn't coming up with a lot. The other problem, of course, was what to do if Clarence was still tagged and traceable.

"Wonderful. Please continue to monitor, paying special attention to whenever and wherever you lose the signal. Should the signal be lost, continue to monitor, I believe it will come back, at least periodically. No, please don't advise Sylvia, but do put her and the rest of Alfred's family under a high and efficient level of protection. Oh? Interesting. Tell them we'll be there shortly."

White hung up. "Much is going on. The good news is that Clarence does indeed have a tracker. It's quite old, from when he first started working for Centaurion Division in an active role. When he transferred to the Diplomatic Corps, the tracker was kept on in case of international incidents, so to speak."

"Think he remembers he's got it?"

White shrugged. "I have no idea. However, it's not just you-most of us don't think about it on a regular basis. As with your wild boar analogy, once the initial shock of the tagging has passed, why think about it if it's not bothering you?"

"Okay, we'll vote for the side of things actually going our way for once. I'm sure we're due for one lucky break." It was kind of nice to know it wasn't just me and that others forgot about the trackers, too.

"So, are we going to run away like Chuck wants, then?" Abigail asked.

"Yes, but we have a problem."

"Only one?" Naomi asked dryly. She sounded more like her normal self. Good.

"If we just leave, won't he wonder what's going on?" Jeremy asked.

"And if he wonders, then he might remember the tracker," Jennifer added.

"I love you two! Mister White, another note-we not only are keeping the Barones, I want them on staff at the Embassy."

"Duly noted, Missus Martini. So, do you have a plan for how we extract the animals and make Clarence run away without alerting him to the fact that we actually want him to run off?"

I heaved a sigh. I'd come up with something no one was going to like, me least of all. "A plan? No, not really. I've only got the crazy right now, Mister White."

"Ah. So, routine."

CHAPTER 58.

I PULLED MY GLOCK OUT OF MY PURSE. "Okay, you'll know when to run away, I promise. Jeremy and Jennifer, once it's obvious that it's time to run like hell, get Naomi and Abigail . . . somewhere."

"Take them to Andrews Air Force Base," White said. "Per Gladys, we apparently have a situation there."

"Works for me. And do that regardless of what I say once I roll my offensive plan here, such as it is."

"What about you and Uncle Richard?" Abigail asked.

"Oh, Mister White and I will catch up. We're good at that."

I took the safety off. No need for caution at the moment. Then I trotted toward the fight while I focused as much as I could. Got myself to Laser Beams From My Eyes level again and was able to make out where the Poofs and Peregrines were. They were slowing Clarence a bit, which was helpful.

"Yo! Clarence! Get away from my pets!" I aimed and fired, high, toward one of the trees near him, but above where any of the Peregrines were. "Poofies, Peregrines, get away from him so Kitty can shoot him!"

Interestingly enough the Poofs instantly went small and bounded over to leap into my purse. The Peregrines all went to the ground; they were between me and Clarence in a semicircle, blocking him from me. However, he did have an escape route, heading toward the Potomac. I aimed for another tree closest to where I thought Clarence was and fired again.

I turned my head so I could still see where Clarence was, so to speak, but project my voice to those behind me. "Get out of here and get them back to the Embassy!" I shouted. "Send some Field teams. I'll take care of him until they get here."

Clarence gave it a shot to run toward me. I could tell because two Peregrines flew up and slammed themselves into his legs, beaks and claws first. He stopped running, because he was shouting in pain as the birds disengaged.

I aimed for his head. Happily, there were a lot of trees behind him, so if he dodged the bullet as I expected, it would again hit a tree. "Where's my husband?"

He gave me a dirty look. "You'll never see him again." And if Clarence didn't dodge the bullet, I was reminded that this would still be a big one in the win column.

"Then you're going to die." I pulled the trigger.

Happily or un-, depending on which viewpoint you took, he dodged as anticipated. I fired again, lower. He had to leap out of the way. I moved closer and fired again. He dodged and backed up.

"I want my men back, alive and unscathed."

"Too bad."

I did a rapid-fire technique Mom had taught me, and this time I hit him. It wasn't a fatal shot in any way, but his side was bleeding. He shouted in pain. I tried not to let that give me a feeling of satisfaction. Failed.

"I want them back, or I'm going to kill you, Clarence. This is a fifteen-shot clip, and I have a ton of extra clips in my purse. The Peregrines will keep you within range. So, tell me where Jeff and Chuckie are or prepare to bleed to death."

I did another rapid-fire technique and winged his arm and thigh. Mom was an awesome teacher, and apparently I was an apt pupil.

Clarence looked shocked that he was hit again. "How are you hitting me?" The pain was clearly shocking him into moving at human speeds, which was helpful.

"I'm good that way. And you're going to be dead. Soon." I fired at his head again.

This time he dodged, turned, and ran. He was limping, so running at human speed.

I ran after him. "Come back here, you coward!" I fired again at a nearby tree. I felt bad for the foliage, but hopefully Mother Nature would forgive me.

Apparently the sound of my Glock going off again spooked him sufficiently, because Clarence flipped it up to hyperspeed and disappeared. I stopped at the edge of the trees and put my gun back into my purse, being careful to not let it touch the Poofs. Didn't bother with the safety because, hey, why mess with my normal theme? Something nudged against my leg. "Bruno, my bird, is he still running?"

Bruno cooed and warbled.

"Oh? Good. Over the bridge already and not looking back. Excellent. A big well done goes to you and your flock, by the way."

I heard a lot of bird cooing and turned around to see about half the flock there, looking proud. "My Peregrines and Poofs rock." Han and Leia were among the group. "Can you two find Chuckie?" I asked as White joined us.

Much distressed warbling from them and the others.

"What's the status, Missus Martini?"

"Clarence has done a real runner and is long gone. Hopefully Gladys can track him."

"I'm sure she can, at least for a while. Nice shooting, by the way."

"Thanks, I do my best. Han and Leia can't find Chuckie, and they're freaked. I think we need the Peregrines to go back to the Embassy, though."

"I agree. I believe that will be the likely next point of attack."