"What if these aren't the same beings who built the tunnels and made the cubes?" Jeremy asked.

"They are. And if they're not, no one travels this far out of their way to blow things up from afar." I looked at the picture as "Apollo 9" came on. I'd hit my Adam Ant playlist. No worries, it was helping. "William and Jennifer tried reading the aliens inside the ships, but they were too far away. They're not far away now."

Christopher and Jeff went to the screen. Christopher put his hand on the ships, and Jeff put his on top of Christopher's. "Not human," Christopher said. "Not mammalian at all. It's a mind that seems vaguely familiar, but not like a mind I've read before."

Jeff pulled his hand away. "Bellie, come to Jeff." She squawked happily and flew to him. While she nuzzled him, Jeff put his hand onto her head. "Their minds are like Bellie's."

"Great, they'll love you and want to kill me. Well, we knew that last part already."

"Not what I mean. They're more . . . sentient than Bellie is, but they feel much more like she does."

"So, they're birds?"

"Birdlike. Like the Canus Majorians are doglike or the Feliniads are catlike." He went back, still holding Bellie, and put his hand over Christopher's again. "They're . . . worried?"

"Worried about what?"

Jeff shook his head. "I can't tell. But they don't feel angry or bloodthirsty or anything like that."

"Desperate but not serious?" Hey, it was playing, and again seemed helpful. I'd never have guessed that Adam Ant was going to be my go-to guy for a major space invasion, but I never argued with serendipity. And Jeff's kisses did drive me delirious, even if I didn't have time for them at this moment.

He managed a chuckle. "I suppose. Some are more excited, some are frightened. They're running the same gamut of emotions as we do or the different races from Alpha Centauri do. They're closer to the Reptilians than to us or any of the rest of the Alpha Centauri species, but they feel familiar enough. At least, I think so."

"Christopher, find the ship that has LaRue and Ronaldo in it." He nodded and started touching each ship. William and Jennifer went to assist, as did Jeremy. Didn't know if he and Jennifer routinely did the Go Team move or were just fast learners, but they were doing it now.

"Kings of the Wild Frontier" came on now. Maybe it was the asymmetrical drumbeats, but Adam Ant's music was really firing my brain up. The lyrics of this song were incredibly helpful, at least to me in this situation.

"Chuckie, give Naomi your cube. Mimi, Abby, you're up."

"What are we doing?"

"Moving galaxies, probably. But right now I'd like you to figure out how the cube works and get an ozone shield, or some kind of parasite shield up around the Earth, pronto."

They gaped at me. "How-" Naomi started.

"This is what Chuckie's been training you for," I snapped. "I realize the situation sucks, but we don't get to be heroic when things are quiet. Not that they ever are, mind you, but still. You two are the most powerful adult A-Cs we have. You can do more than Serene, Jeff, and Christopher, and that's without the Surcenthumain boost. Stop acting like you can abdicate responsibility now that the menfolk are home and unharmed. It doesn't work like that."

The Gower girls looked at each other, then back at me. "You're right," Naomi said.

"Yes, but we have no idea what an ozone shield would be like," Abigail added.

"I do," Chuckie replied.

"Time for the Wonder Twins to go to triplets."

"We need Jeff, too," Naomi said. "He understands the cube, possibly better than Chuck does."

"I doubt it, but it's worth a shot," Jeff said. He handed Bellie back to Oliver, then took Abigail's free hand. I left them to it.

Buchanan had been quiet, and I needed some input. "Malcolm, where do you think they're going to choose as their main arrival location? Or are you thinking they're just going to blow us to smithereens?"

"I'm with you, Missus Chief. They're going to land and see what's going on. As for where, it's going to depend on whether they want a show of force, to create panic and terror, or to create a diplomatic illusion."

"MJO?"

"New York is always popular for this kind of thing."

"Hacker International, Stryker's already voted for the Southwest. Any other ideas?"

"Major cities are always popular," Henry said.

"Tokyo," Ravi said immediately.

"Moscow," Yuri countered. "Going for an area with a lot of nukes."

"Middle East, maybe?" Big George suggested. "They're trying to start a war there, after all."

Turned to the Middle Eastern Contingent. "What do you guys think?"

To their credit, the four of them didn't waste time asking me why I was asking for their opinions. Instead, four brows furrowed in thought.

"May I ask a question?" Mona asked.

"Sure."

"Why would so much have gone on here, in Washington, D.C., if this was not the landing site?" The others nodded their agreement. So did Buchanan, Tito, and White.

"Wow, we need to swear you into the Kickbutt Gang fast."

I sent another group text out as the song changed again. Happily, the teams in Paraguay and Paris were in supersonic jets, and the supersoldiers were capable of supersonic flight as well. A day ago this would have been horrible news. Today it made me want to dig Antony Marling up from his grave and hug him.

"I know what we're going to do." Everyone looked at me expectantly, even the four doing the Wonder Twins Squared. "We're going to do exactly what you told us to, Chuckie. The Avengers are going to assemble. And then, as my man Adam Ant suggests, we're going to demand that our invaders stand and deliver."

CHAPTER 91.

"WHAT SHOULD I TELL THE TOP BRASS?" Franklin asked.

"Tell them Centaurion is going to give it their best shot, and we'd appreciate it if the rest of the world didn't fire until we said to. We'd also appreciate it if the worldwide Mexican Standoff could be defused. Senator, MJO, you're going to have to assist our good colonel with that."

"Why bring the reporter along?" Armstrong asked.

"Because certain people know that he's the best investigative journalist in the world and they'll listen to him."

"What about our lovely Miss Bellie?" Oliver asked.

"Much as I'd love to send her with you, I think that would be pushing it for the Top Brass. She'll stay with Jeff." I looked over. Jeff was still busy. Heaved a sigh. "With me." Bellie and I eyed each other. "With Bruno." Oliver nodded and put Bellie gently next to Bruno. Bruno didn't react, but Bellie stayed put, so that was good enough for me.

"What are the rest of you going to be doing?" Franklin asked.

"Choosing our spot. I think it's already been selected, which is nice. Oh, and you have a few more on your team, Colonel. Mister White, you, Tito, William, and Malcolm are going to wherever the Colonel's going, along with our Middle Eastern Contingent."

White looked surprised. "Why so, Missus Martini?"

"I say this all the time, and no one listens. You're actually the best diplomat we have, and we need a diplomat to smooth things over more than I need my partner with me right now. You're also an A-C and can get our people out fast if things turn ugly. Same with William, and he's our best imageer after Christopher and Serene, so he can read things you may need read. Tito kicks butt better than anyone else around, Malcolm's Mister Skills, and we need to prove that Mona's alive and well and willingly with Mossad. Show up en masse, make the statement, dress for success, sort of thing."

William looked at Christopher, who nodded. There was a lot of that going around.

Buchanan looked ready to argue. "Malcolm, this is you protecting me. Someone Colonel Franklin goes to see isn't going to be on our side. Someone there wants this invasion to succeed. More than one, probably. Do whatever you need to, but accept that you're the one most likely to spot them, whoever they are."

"You sounded just like your mother," he said with a small smile.

"Thanks. I imagine you'll be seeing her soon. Tell her . . ." I was going to have him tell her I loved her, but Mom knew that, and besides, that sounded like good-bye, and I didn't want any of us focusing on the end. "Tell her I want my security clearance back."

"Shall we?" Franklin asked as the others chuckled.

"If you know where we're going, we can go via the nearest gate," White said.

Franklin nodded and shook my hand. Armstrong did as well. "Missus Martini, I'll see you on the other side."

"Hopefully with the negatives from my wild nights of passion in your hand."

He laughed. "One never knows."

The others going with Franklin all hugged me, even Buchanan. "Be careful," he said in a low voice. "Clarence is still at large, and Cantu and the other captain won't be where I'm going. And they'll all be gunning for you."

With that the Colonel's team headed for the Server Box Floater Gate. That thing was getting a lot of work today. Made a mental note to have someone service it when this was all over.

"Now what?" Stryker asked.

"Found it!" Christopher's hand was on a ship at the rear of the armada. "They're here. They're the only Earthlings on the ship. All the rest are, like Jeff said, birdlike. This ship is at the back, but I think it's the command ship."

I paused Adam Ant in the middle of "Whip in My Valise" and pulled out my earbuds. "Isn't that opposite the way our birds work?"

Jennifer touched the ship. "This one was at the head before. The beings in it feel familiar."

"They're kind of flying in a triangle shape, aren't they?"

"Yes, not that I know if this will mean anything for us," Christopher said.

"We'll find out shortly. Migratory birds shift around the bird in the lead all the time, maybe it's the same for them. Now that we have confirmation, see if you can help Jeff and the others make the cube work right."

Christopher trotted over to enlarge and enhance Team Wonder.

Amazingly enough, Bruno was still snoozing, though Bellie looked alert. I went to the avians. "Bruno, my bird, it's almost show time. Bigger birds are coming. You and your flock are awesome, but I'm not sure you're up to taking on an entire avian armada."

He pulled his head out of his wing and warbled nicely at me.

"Wow. No idea of what you're saying. Hope this isn't me losing our connection at the worst time possible."

Bruno stretched his neck out and rubbed against my cheek.

"Aww, thanks. Okay, I'll stop stressing. Bellie, my girl, what's the good word?"

Bellie looked right at me. "Evolution."

"Time to move it, gang! We need to get prepped and get to the Mall."

"We're not done," Jeff said.

"We're not close to done," Abigail added.

"Then screw it. Time is of the essence." Bruno hopped down and stared at me. "Okay, we have a little time. Bruno says we can use the cube."

"I don't want us using it too much," Chuckie said. "I'm worried about what it's doing to our minds and bodies."

"Seems to have done Jeff a world of good."

"Hilarious. We need weapons before we run off anywhere."

"I'll get them ready," Christopher said. "What do you want, Kitty, a rocket launcher?"

"Just extra clips for my Glock."

"You're optimistic."

"Oh, you'll have the rocket launcher, I'm not worried."

Bruno warbled at me, then disappeared. "Where's your bird going?" Jeff asked.

"He's getting his own reinforcements. He'll meet us at the Mall."

"You're sure that's where they're coming?"

"Is the International One World Festival there? Has it already been the scene of at least one 'kidnapping,' if not more? Does that not mean there are more reporters than you can shake a stick at around or nearby? Is it not our nation's capital? And, to Mona's point, isn't this right where Clarence, Cantu, and whoever the other captain Bellie's talking about are?"

"She's right," Chuckie said. "Let's get prepped for this. As much as we can."

"Bruno said we probably have a couple minutes. Which is good, because I want to change my clothes." The ones I was in had already seen a lot of action.

"I'll go with you," Jeff said. "Because, I need to change, too."

"I'll stick with looking beat up and disheveled," Chuckie said.