Free Alien in Chief by Gini Koch

she wouldn’t get hurt.” Christopher shrugged. “It wasn’t a vital thing before, so Chuck stopped pushing, since he’d tested Naomi and Michael, too. None of the Gowers have the ability to handle human machinery.”
    â€œBut none of them are a direct Ronald Yates/Mephistopheles progeny, either. I think we need to test Serene, pronto.”
    Christopher nodded. “She agrees. She’s going to do it in a controlled environment, without telling Brian. She wants to know if we want Chuck there.”
    â€œWe do,” Jeff said. “Stay here and make sure Tito checks every one of you, and that includes you, Christopher.” With that, he zipped off, presumably to wake Chuckie up and share what had transpired while he’d been sleeping.
    Culver came out and gave us a weak smile. “Doctor Hernandez recommends rest and some food.”
    â€œOnce I get checked we’ll get you something here.”
    She shook her head. “I feel fine, I’ve told you what I wanted you to know, and the need for secrecy is clearly gone. If it’s alright with you, I’d really like to go home.”
    â€œWe’ll get your protection unit to take you back,” Buchanan said. “I’ll escort her to them,” he said to me.
    I nodded and they left. Sent Len then Kyle in to Tito before me. They didn’t have faster regeneration. Both boys were declared the same as Culver—a little banged up, but otherwise okay.
    My turn with Tito. He shook his head at me. “We can’t leave you alone for a minute, can we?”
    â€œThis wasn’t my fault.”
    He grinned. “It never is, Kitty, when you think about it.” He did a fast check. “You seem fine. Any pain anywhere? Be truthful.”
    Did a body check. “No, honestly, I feel fine. Still a little pissed, but nothing hurts.”
    â€œLet me know immediately if that changes. And next time you go out, maybe you should have Rahmi and Rhee with you.” They were sisters and princesses from Beta Twelve who’d come for Jamie’s first birthday party and stayed. Beta Twelve had the best warriors in the entire Alpha Centauri system, and Tito, who’d been a UFC cage fighter in his spare time when we’d met, had been training them and Abigail on fighting techniques for several years now, so this suggestion was a good one.
    â€œI’ll keep it in mind.”
    He grinned again. “You know they won’t cramp your style.”
    â€œOh, true enough. But the question right now is going to be if Jeff will let me leave the building at all or not.”
    â€œMy money’s on not. But when you disobey him, like you always do, take one of the other gals with you. Abigail and Mahin are trained, too. And all the women fight nastier than all the men, other than Christopher.”
    â€œTrue dat. But what I think you’re telling me is that all the girls are bored.”
    Tito laughed. “But you didn’t hear it straight out from me.”
    Headed out of medical and went downstairs to Jeff’s office. He was there with Chuckie, and they were both watching something on a video screen. Serene handling a car in the middle of Groom Lake, to be exact.
    â€œHey,” Chuckie said, looking and sounding normal. “We’re on a feed with Serene.”
    â€œHey, Kitty,” she said through gritted teeth. “This is hard but not impossible.”
    â€œThen you can stop now.”
    â€œNo, I really think I need to learn how to drive.”
    â€œNo you don’t,” Jeff and Chuckie said in unison. Decided not to worry about the unison thing—great minds were just thinking alike was all.
    â€œAs long as it’s safe and you don’t overdo it, Serene, go for it.”
    â€œThanks! Jeff, Charles, I’m going to disconnect from you, then. I’m still on with Dulce and Area Fifty-One.”
    â€œFine,” Chuckie said with a sigh. “Please