"Well, that's kind of dicey to answer," he said after a moment's shocked pause.

"Why?"

"Because my predecessor, the man who built up Titan to become a global power, was the man who created them. So, it's a natural question for you to ask. Realistically, I should know where any existing androids are."

"Yes, you should. So, where are they?" Managed not to ask if he knew about the Kitty-Bot, but it took effort. I'd save it for later, when I needed to really get a reaction from the crowd.

He sighed. "I don't know. I have no idea how he hid the information-not only were all the Alphabet Agencies given full access to search his files, but once I took over, that was one of the main areas I focused on. We have literally zero information on how to make an android, let alone where the existing ones were or are."

Managed not to say that I didn't believe this, in part because Jeremy sent me a text which, being the Worst First Lady in the World, I looked at. Kendrick wasn't lying. Meaning that Cliff, under the auspices of his then-role at Homeland Security, had probably searched first, found whatever he needed, taken it, and wiped the rest clean. Always the way.

Of course, that didn't mean that Kendrick wasn't still a slimy evildoer working against us. But it lowered the slime level potential.

"So . . . what about emotional blockers or overlays?"

My having tossed out the Android Question already meant that Kendrick wasn't nearly as surprised by this. He nodded. "Titan created them. Under Marling's tenure."

"And yet you know about them."

"I do. However, as with the rest of what I'd call our anti-alien tech, the data is gone. However, I've been looking into it." He nodded toward Lillian. "It was suggested that determining how to effectively counter those devices would be something American Centaurion would appreciate."

That Culver had given him this idea wasn't a surprise. That Jeremy was again texting that Kendrick wasn't lying was the surprising part of all of this.

"I think we'd prefer that they all be found and neutralized at the source, but we'll take what we can get."

Kendrick sighed. "Kitty, I realize that Titan Security went out of its way to create horrific weapons of mass destruction. It also created genuinely useful weapons and tech that were used against most of the people here unlawfully. And I also realize you have no reason to trust me. But I'd like to do what I can to earn that trust."

"Works for me. When was the last time you saw Gustav Drax?"

"The day before your ill-fated rail trip to Florida."

"No time after that?"

"No. We were supposed to have a meeting a week ago, but his office called to cancel."

Managed not to react to this and, to everyone else's credit, those nearby didn't react either. "So, what's your take on Drax?"

"I think anyone who drops invisible commandos onto the President's train as a sales pitch is an idiot," Kendrick said dryly.

"Join the club on that one, but I'd really like to know what you thought of him before then. I know you were interested in getting some of his tech."

"I was interested in merging his company into Titan. He has some amazingly advanced tech-things we're trying to create but aren't close to yet. Maybe if Antony Marling were still alive, and not trying to bring down the government, what Drax Industrial has wouldn't be as interesting, but since I'm not the same kind of genius as Marling was, we could use a mind like Drax's. At least, that's what I'd thought."

"Why did the DOD put you in charge of Titan, then?"

Kendrick shrugged. "I'm former military, I understand what we need on the ground and so forth, and I'd spent time dealing with various suppliers. I had the right resume to take over a company like Titan. But what I don't have is the creative genius of someone like Marling."

"Think of it like comparing artists," Culver suggested. "Or musicians. You can try to imitate Mozart, but you won't be Mozart, and the listener will know the difference."

"Exactly," Kendrick agreed. "There's only one Leonardo da Vinci."

"Michelangelo didn't suck."

He chuckled. "No, he didn't. But I'm not at that level. I'm better than the people painting the dogs playing poker or putting Elvis onto velvet, but I'm not up to the grand master level. And without that spark of true genius, I'm not able to lead Titan like Marling did. And while I'm sure you're glad about this from one side, from the other, that means that the advances Marling would make naturally are lost to us."

"That's why you were interested in Drax?"

He nodded. "He has that spark, at least as far as I've seen. Clearly that spark comes with a side helping of madness, but I didn't realize that. Then. I'm clear on it now."

"What can you tell us about his invisibility stuff?"

"Not as much as I'd like." Kendrick shrugged again. "He's using an irradiation process. I'd prefer to have something that was more easily turned on and off."

"So, let's move off of Drax for a moment. If Titan doesn't have the data to be able to recreate androids or to create emotional overlays and blockers and such, then who has it-Gaultier or YatesCorp?"

Kendrick looked uncomfortable. "Ah . . ."

"Answer the question, Thomas," Culver said gently.

He nodded. "I think it's with Gaultier, honestly."

This jibed with all that we'd discovered. However, there was no guarantee Kendrick was telling the truth, Jeremy or no Jeremy.

Jeff wandered over. "Excuse me, folks, need to steal my wife away for a moment."

I stood. "Back in a bit. At least, I assume." Gave Vance a look I hoped he'd interpret to mean that he should keep grilling Kendrick. Then Jeff put his arm around me and led me out of the room.

"Nice work, baby," he said when we were out of earshot. "Jeremy let me know you were interrogating Kendrick, so I paid attention."

"Was that safe for you to do with this many people around? I don't want to have to give you adrenaline-I think witnessing that might give Antoinette a heart attack."

Jeff grinned. "I appreciate the concern, baby, but I'm fine. Since you handled that robotic version of yourself, no one's panicking or getting ready to do anything overly emotional. All things considered, other than excitement from various new appointees along with anxiety about their being able to do a good job, it's pretty relaxed in there."

"I'd call you a liar, but it does kind of seem calmer than what we're used to."

"I don't expect it to last."

"Sorry about the Kitty-Bot Incident."

Jeff hugged me. "I know you, baby. That you ran headlong into danger without me there is something I'm used to. I don't like it, mind you, but I am used to it. From what Chuck told me, I'm glad I had Tito go with the others to help you."

"Oh, you're why he was there? Yeah, good call, he figured out how to talk to the Kitty-Bot faster than anyone else."

"That's not why I sent him."

Looked up and tried not to look or feel guilty. Failed. "I wasn't hurt. A little banged up, but I'm fine now."

Jeff sighed. "I know, baby. And I'm not angry with you. For that."

"I needed to help." Didn't say where and with what, just in case.

Jeff grinned. "I know." He nuzzled my head. "I'm not really mad at you for anything. As I said, I know you. But back to the matter at hand. Kendrick's not against us. Not sure how for us he is, but when you forced him to talk about Gaultier and YatesCorp, what I picked up was frustration, anger-directed at the people running those companies-and feelings of betrayal and fear. If he was in bed with them, I don't think he is anymore."

"Or else he's wearing the next-level emotional overlay and is laughing at us right now."

"Maybe. But his reactions when you had him talking about Drax were more interesting."

"Yeah? How so?"

"His overriding emotions were embarrassment and disappointment. I think he liked Drax and was excited to be looking to merge the companies. Drax has let Kendrick down and put him in an awkward situation, and Kendrick doesn't like that."

"Interesting. You may not have gotten this, but Kendrick says that he hasn't seen Drax since before we got onto Rail Force One."

"Huh. Well, let's go see what Buchanan, Siler, and Wruck have gotten out of Drax. And Stephanie."

"You going to be okay seeing her?"

He shrugged. "She's made her choices. She came through for us when we needed her to."

"After trying to kill several of our friends. And me. Just in case you didn't remember."

Jeff hugged me. "Of course I remember, baby. Believe me, I'm aware of all that Stephanie's done. But you and Chuck both think she wasn't really trying to kill anyone."

"She was really trying to kill Cliff, but I can't argue with that particular sentiment. And considering when, where, and how she attacked me, Lillian, Len, and Kyle, killing us might have indeed been her hoped-for outcome. One way or the other, I can promise you that I'm willing to kick her ass if I have to."

"I know. I'm just hoping you won't have to. I assume a lot will depend on what Drax does. I pulled you away so that we could interrogate him before it seemed like you were done with Kendrick because I know we'll need to compare stories sooner than later. And," he pulled me into a nearby alcove, "because I've wanted to do this for at least two hours."

With that, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. Jeff was the God of Kissing and there was something arousingly illicit about kissing in the White House when we had a million high-level people waiting on us all over the place.

Jeff's lips and tongue owned mine as always, and also as always, I was ready to go for doing the deed right here, right now, meetings and intrigue be damned.

He ended our kiss slowly, eyes smoldering. "I'd love to do exactly what you want, baby. But duty calls."

"I'm so sick of duty."

Jeff laughed and hugged me. "Me too. But we have to do it anyway."

"Yeah, I'm clear that missing getting to have sex every hour on the hour is our lot in life. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it."

He grinned. "Always nice to know that your laser focus on the priorities remains intact."

"Every minute of every day, Jeff."

He nuzzled my head. "Right back atcha, baby. Now, let's get to the next vital meeting and interrogation."

CHAPTER 19.

JEFF AND I STARTED OFF AGAIN. I wasn't good with mazes, and while the White House wasn't the most confusing setup in the world, it was huge, and without the tasteful placards on the walls I'd have had no idea where I was at any given time. Even with the tasteful placards I was having trouble. As before, decided I didn't need to focus on the rat maze right now. There were other things to focus on.

"If you can be sure Drax is or isn't lying, and if he's still convinced Kendrick took the helicarrier and all our people, then we have an android on the loose." And a robot in custody. Lucky us.

"Maybe more than one. And that means we're going to have to have security details we can trust on Kendrick. Probably on others, too."

"You seem calm about all of this."

"I am. We've dealt with the androids before; I feel confident that we can handle them again. The Planetary Council have heard of Vatusus, but it's not somewhere they've gone. Other than their own solar system and ours, no one from Alpha Centauri has gone elsewhere."

"That seems odd, considering how so many of them are space-worthy."

"As you like to point out, baby, we're out in the boondocks of the galaxy, and they're not much better off. It's a long way to the next inhabited star system, at least as far as they know, and as of yet, no one's been interested in trying."

Looked up at Jeff's expression. "Oh. So that's it. They want us to join them on interstellar exploration. That's what they mean by us joining the galactic community, isn't it?"

"NASA's going to be happy," Jeff said with a chuckle. "Because Alexander's ready to give us schematics to build the ships we'll need for that endeavor. But we need to deal with our own situations first."

"I agree. We can worry about the final frontier later. Right now, I really want to meet Gustav Drax, late of Vatusus and the Galactic Core."

We found Buchanan waiting for us just outside what I realized was Jeff's old office, as in, the office for the Vice President. Jeff's things were still in here, and it was weird to realize that, very shortly-possibly this afternoon-we'd be moving his stuff into the Oval Office and Hochberg's things in here.

"You sure it's okay that you're not in there?" I asked Buchanan.

He nodded. "Drax and Stephanie are secured. Stephanie isn't here, by the way. She was too violent for us to bring into the White House complex. We have her secured under the Pentagon."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. She's an A-C, a confirmed terrorist, and, frankly, needs to be in solitary for a while to consider her sins and options."

"Oh, Mom told you to take her there, didn't she?"

"She did. And she's right. You're going to get far more truth out of Drax without Stephanie around." Buchanan sighed. "Honestly, if it turns out that she's the one behind the idea of dropping invisible commandos onto Rail Force One, it won't surprise me."

"She's a female A-C, and they're all hella smart. Though that move was hella stupid."

"Which may have been her intent. Don't for one moment assume that she's helping Drax for anything but her own ends. She also hates all of you with a passion." He looked at Jeff. "When you do go to see her, I think you'll need to go in there with the understanding that your niece is a lost cause. Frankly, I think the only reason she didn't run off with Kendrick when he took the helicarrier was that she was with us at the center of the action, versus with Drax."

"I think she wouldn't have, because I sincerely think the Kendrick that took the helicarrier was an android. Meaning our people are in a lot more danger, because I'd assume that android took the helicarrier right back to Cliff."

Jeff nodded. "What Kitty said." He heaved a sigh. "And I'm as prepared for what Stephanie's going to be like as I can be." He cocked his head. "There are only three people in there?"

Buchanan nodded. "Wruck knows how to handle Drax, and Siler's in there to help him. By contrast, I needed eight Field teams to keep Stephanie under control. Hence her current location."