Kiss My Assimilation

Chapter 18 - Anxiety Crisis

Jack asked Annie questions about her ordeal in a very thorough way. Nothing was left out. He helped Annie remember stuff she had almost forgotten by careful questioning. He was very polite about it. This wasn't his first interrogation. Friendly or otherwise. Annie answered as best as she could and tried to remember all the details, even the painful ones.

When all was over, Jack thanked Annie and took his leave. He spoke briefly with the first lady and went inside the chief's office. Probably to make a phone call. He would use the chief's desk phone. Why? Then it dawned on Annie. Landlines were more secure than cell phones. Made sense in a very paranoid way. Annie secretly hoped that she'll never have to think in a suspicious way like that ever again. That way of life was alien to her in every way. She spotted a big couch in the waiting room and sat down, exhausted.

She had almost dozed off when she felt the sofa shift under the weight of someone else's body. She opened one eye to see Michelle Obama sitting next to her.

"We'll be going now. Soon. Everything is in motion and we're as ready as we'll ever be here. Your friend Bugsy volunteered to be on one of the spraying mission. She's very brave and I think she wants to fly over Los Angeles with her plane. She'll probably never get the chance to do it again. Besides, she won't let anybody fly her crop duster." The first lady laughed.

"Will it be dangerous?" Annie asked her.

"Well, if the creatures took over an airbase, it might. Crop duster planes against fighter jets... Well, you know what I mean." She observed Annie's anxious expression on her face. "You seem fond of your friend. It might be a good idea to wish her good luck before she leaves and... Well, tell her what you need to tell her. She's flying a mission against an invading alien species after all and you want to keep in mind that she might not come back."

Annie jerked as if suddenly slapped. "Why send her then?"

"I tried to put my own pilots in those planes and convince the crop duster pilots to stay on the ground for this one. But they proved to be a stubborn and courageous lot. None of them wanted anyone else to fly their plane, including your friend. I'm sorry." Michelle Obama put a hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. She stood up and left. The two monstrous guards followed her. She stopped at the door. "When this is finished, if we win this war, you're officially invited at the White House. We'll cook you a traditional English meal. I hope you don't mind ceremonies and medal pinning. Take care darling."

"But..." She didn't have time to finish her sentence. The first lady had left. A turmoil of conflicting ideas swam around her head. Bugsy might be killed... She stood up and walked towards the exit.

"Hey, where are you going?" Peter asked her.

"To the airfield." Annie said.

"It's twelve miles. Need a lift?"

Annie smiled. "Thanks. Yes, please."

"Ah, politeness. The grease that lubricates the wheels of society."

Annie laughed. "Where are the other guys?"

"Nacimiento. They wanted to watch the crop duster attack and the news about home on television. Nacimiento also means Wi-Fi."

"They had a game to catch." Annie said in a monotone voice.

"They had a game to catch." Peter repeated with a smile. "If we could hurry, I might catch some of it."

Annie slapped his shoulder playfully. "End of the world and you guys want to watch football. Honestly. More incredible is the fact that there is a game being played at all."

"It an exhibition game to help people cope with the situation. Everybody around the world knows about the invasion. The first lady told us that they're shipping that green food colorant as fast as they can all over the world. Most places have the stuff already, it's fairly common. But as always, there are a few exceptions. Third world countries mostly."

They made their way outside. Annie saw people running with shopping carts, cars drive by at dangerous speeds. Even more scary was the fact that they saw a few of them sporting rifles. It wasn't panic, but it was close.

"Not a good time to buy bottled water." Peter said.

"They're smart, they're preparing for the worse. This war might take a while. We don't even know who the enemy is or in whom they're hiding inside. Unnerving to say the least. I guess the breath fresheners are out of stock too."

"And you would have guessed right."

Annie plunged her hand in her handbag and came up with four bottles. She gave them to Peter. "For you and the guys. Spray anyone. Trust no one."

"Thanks. Will do." He proceeded to spray Annie directly.

"Hey! Aw, now I'll smell like a car freshener. You're an asshat."

"Name calling will get you nowhere young lady." Peter said laughing.

"Thanks Peter." Annie said.

"For what?" Peter asked her bewildered.

"For making me laugh." She looked around at the people hastily running back home. "After all this craziness, I needed that. Now, let's go to the airfield before she takes off."

It was late and the stars had come out in their glorious beauty. Peter made for a police squad car. He saw Annie hesitate. "The chief made me a deputy."

"What!?"

"Just joking. You're so gullible. Michelle Obama asked the chief to procure a car for me since the others went to the lodge after their debriefing. Yours took forever by the way. Bugsy went to the airfield to prepare her plane. So I volunteered to stay back to give you a lift back to Nacimiento. The chief tried the rental company but no one answered, so he gave me the keys to this car." Peter's eyes were shining. "I always wanted to drive a police car."

They left the parking lot and to Annie's amusement, Peter put on the car's sirens and lights all the way to the airfield.