Cloud Rebel (R-D #3)(52)

It's not exactly his forte to take responsibility like that, I sent to Kaldill.

"How, exactly, could I help him? I have little knowledge of this world," Norian said.

"I can show you an empty facility in Nevada, where rogue Lyristolyi wrote f*ck Earth on the ceiling while they were clearing it out three months ago," I said.

Norian went still. "Yes," he nodded after a moment. "Lendill and I should definitely stay."

*

"You said the magic words," Kaldill beamed at me before kissing me on both cheeks. "The Lyristolyi have been on Norian's list for a while. He knows they're up to something, he just hasn't found sufficient evidence, yet. He will do anything to prove their guilt."

"They hide behind Sirenali," Valegar said. "But we have learned that a mundane investigation may work much better than one fueled by power."

"Then perhaps they need assistance from more mundane sources here," Kaldill suggested. "I must go—many things require my attention. I hope to see both of you in the future."

"I hope so, too," I nodded. "I'm glad we met."

"If all goes well, we will do so again," Kaldill raised a hand. "Peace and joy to you," he said and disappeared.

"Sun and sleep," Val said. "Immediately."

"I'm all over that," I yawned.

*

I discovered later that Val bent time once again, to ensure that I had enough sleep before going back to work at the White House the following day.

I had coffee and a doughnut with James and Auggie before James drove me in. Auggie intended to bring Norian and Lendill up to date on what we knew about the Lyristolyi, but most of it revolved around the attack more than a year earlier and their suspected presence at the Nevada facility.

I didn't have time to worry about them—I had more work to do and was worried enough about Graye Sanders' situation with a fake former president. At least Graye and Amelia Sanders were childless—I'd be more worried if kids were involved.

"You're being reassigned to the President," Kyle Lakin announced when I arrived in his office. He announced it so the other employees would know what was going on.

I heard more than one person grumble and one say outright that it was because I was young and pretty. I forced myself not to give him indigestion. The applause at my apparent elevation was sparse and begrudged.

I had a feeling the Chief of Staff was going to hear complaints from his remaining staff all day long.

When I gathered my things and hauled them in a small box to the Presidential staff office, I found the Falchani twins guarding the door to the Oval Office.

Good morning, Drew grinned. I saw through the disguises he and his brother wore; to me, they wore leathers and had their long hair braided tightly down their backs. Everyone else saw two men dressed in dark suits who certainly didn't look like twins.

Good morning to you, too, I said. I realized that the real Laura Quimby would likely have to retrieve the things I placed in drawers and atop the desk I'd been assigned, but that would happen later, when this mess was resolved.

At least I hoped she would. Even with Norian Keef and Lendill Schaff now focused on tracking errant Lyristolyi I felt uncomfortable, bordering on fear. Something was in the works; I just couldn't determine what it was.

*

Notes—Colonel Hunter

"When Norian meets me again in the future, he won't recognize me," Mack Walters said. He'd already told me he was born a werewolf and was originally from Earth. I was beginning to feel a small amount of jealousy—that some were chosen for a higher purpose. He and I stood in a corner of the emptied facility in Nevada while Norian Keef and Lendill Schaff used advanced equipment to search for clues.

"They left fingerprints and DNA behind," Lendill said as he shut off the small tablet he carried and walked toward us. "Definitely Lyristolyi, and the fingerprint belongs to one that the Prime Potentate of Lyristolys claims is dead."

"No doubt he didn't bother to clean up after himself, thinking that Earth wouldn't have a clue about him," I said.

"And he's mostly right," Lendill agreed. "You're fortunate that you have two Larentii willing to help."

"More than you know," I ducked my head. "My question is this—how did they get away so cleanly with everything inside this facility? A lot of equipment and furniture was left behind."

"Moved it out initially by truck, I think," Mack said. "I smelled diesel outside. I don't know how far they drove it, though, since the presence of at least one Sirenali is blocking the information."

"What do you smell in here?" Lendill asked.

"At least six scents that are fresher than any others," Mack shrugged. "One of them definitely Sirenali, in humanoid phase."

"What?" I turned to him swiftly. "Cori and Val say the ones from here likely don't know how to turn humanoid. We've only seen their scaly counterparts."

"You have the one you captured in Okya-hama," Norian snorted. "He was humanoid at the time."

"He wasn't even here three months ago, from what Val says," I replied. "Gerrett would have said something, I think, if he'd been involved in this mess. And it's Oklahoma." I didn't add you nitwit at the end of my statement, although I wanted to.