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sighed. “Sadly, baby, that’s it.”
    “So you saved it all for me?” Things suddenly seemed more like they used to be.
    He grinned. “Yeah. See? I said you were getting yourself upset for nothing.”
    “Humph. So, what are the chances that this is aimed at Centaurion Division as opposed to the President or another high-ranking human official?”
    “No guess. Reynolds and I have already communicated with Alpha Four, just to be safe.”
    That we were able to casually talk to people in the Alpha Centaurion solar system had much to do with ACE, the superconsciousness I’d managed to filter into Gower during Operation Drug Addict. The rest had to do with the fact they were a lot farther along the advancement scale in that solar system and occasionally shared with us.
    “What did Alexander and/or Victoria have to say?” I’d put Alexander on the throne of Alpha Four, and Victoria was, therefore, the Queen Mother. They were Jeff’s cousins, though they were closer in the bloodline to Christopher. I liked them a lot, especially since they hadn’t resented me or Tito for killing their other family members. Hey, some royal successions are bloodier than others. “Could this be our fave escaped megalomaniacs coming back to try to snatch our baby again?”
    “As far as Alexander knows, all’s quiet. All of the A-C systemmonitors for them regularly, and we do as well; happily, there’s been no sign of either Ronaldo Al Dejahl or LaRue Demorte Gaultier, let alone my loser of a brother-in-law.” Amy’s stepmother had been the brains behind Operation Confusion and had hijacked an interstellar ship with the illegitimate son of the devil himself or, as we knew him, the Ronald Yates/Mephistopheles superbeing, in tow. As far as we knew, they’d also taken A-C Traitor at Large Clarence Valentino with them. Good riddance to all.
    “Okay. So, more importantly, what did Councilor Leonidas have to say?”
    “Per what he told Reynolds, if there’s a threat, it’s not coming from any agent outside Earth.”
    “Does Chuckie believe him?”
    “Yes, as far as he’s told me.” I let go of the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and Jeff grimaced. “It’s so nice to know you still think he walks on water.” Jeff’s sarcasm knob went to eleven, though I put this response only around five. Personal growth, it was a good thing.
    “Oldest friend. Brilliant. Massively successful in three separate careers. Risks his life to protect us. I’m not seeing the downside to valuing his opinion. You were doing so well with the jealousy. Let’s go back to that.”
    Jeff sighed. “I don’t think it’s jealousy if it’s based on fact, but I’ll give you that this situation is more important.”
    I decided to merely enjoy the personal growth as opposed to comment on it. Jeff was massively jealous and possessive, but since he made up for that in any number of amazing ways, at least half of them sexual, I lived with it. Besides, it was still flattering that he was worried that someone other than himself was going to sweep me off my feet.
    “So it’s someone new. Or someone old. Or someone borrowed, and we probably can’t rule out someone blue.”
    “Nice to see you’re focusing on Christopher and Amy’s wedding as opposed to our current situation.” Jeff’s sarcasm knob was heading toward eleven after all.
    “Just adding some undoubtedly much needed levity to lessen the strain of a tense situation.” Jamie was done, and Jeff took her from me, put her gently on his shoulder, and patted her back. “You’re such a good daddy.”
    He smiled, and for the first time since we’d gotten back, he looked relaxed. “Glad you think so.” Jamie burped rather hugely, then cooed. “And glad to see our Jamie-Kat thinks so, too.”
    We finished up, and I put Jamie into a cute Minnie Mouse sleeper, one of the many gifts from her A-C induction ceremony. Then we joined the others in what Jeff called the Great Room and what I called the