Chapter 11

Michael woke with a start. He was being summoned. Gabriel was summoning him. Michael felt it throughout his skin, Gabriel's summons to Colorado. What could his brother possibly want? Gabriel had won. His goal of alienating Michael from the people of Vega was accomplished. Alex had lost faith in him. Gabriel had the Chosen One and could study their Father's last message at his own leisure.

Michael looked over at his new human companions. Lex slept, curled around Aaron, while the boy's body sprawled in every which direction. It amazed him how one small child could take up so much room while sleeping. Michael gingerly placed another blanket over them both, careful as not to wake them.

No, Michael would not be going to Colorado. He had a new responsibility to follow this prophet his Father had put in his path and her son. Part of his decision had to do with the growing obsession Michael had with Lex. He had known her only one full day and Michael realized that Lex knew everything there was to know about him and his past. There was nothing to tell her that needed sugar-coating or omitting. She already knew it all and that knowledge was liberating.

It still amazed him that, at her young age, Lex had watched his whole life. Lex had actually gone in search of him and had not run screaming from him. Well, she had run from him, but because of her own demons, not because of his. Michael was not deterred by her rejection. He had patience. He would bide his time until she was ready. Unlike Lex, Michael knew she could heal from whatever trauma that befell her when she was young. Michael had faith.

Michael decided to go outside and let his two humans sleep. Last night, Michael had bathed and washed his uniform at the lake. He had left his clothes out to dry. Participating in such routine chores felt good to Michael. His outlook this morning seemed to more positive than it had been in weeks.

While wearing nothing but his uniform pants, Michael stepped quietly outside the cabin. Once outside with a sword, Michael crouched down and balanced on the balls of his feet. He slowly and precisely moved though every calculated position of a routine of his own creation. The purpose was not to practice fighting moves. Over the eons, the sword movements were second nature to him. The purpose of his dance was strengthening his core and centering himself. Slow tension building movements followed by quick releases. As he moved, a small smile appeared as Michael pictured Lex's own intoxicating dance. He could only hope he would be able to catch sight of that again.

The cabin door opened quietly, then closed again. There Aaron stood, a morning mess, hair sticking up everywhere. He rubbed his eyes and yawned big enough to crack a jaw. When he was done, he smacked his lips together comically. "Whatcha doing?"

"Enjoying the morning light." Michael responded, moving though another set of crouched positions with the sword.

"Whoa, is that a sword? Cool!" Aaron ran to Michael with an enthusiastic look on his face. "Can you teach me how to fight like you, with a sword?" Aaron started stabbing around with an imaginary sword making swooshing sounds with his mouth.

"I can, but only if you complete whatever your mother normally has you do in the morning." Michael said as he stopped. He knew there must be something. Aaron immediately ran off to the car and pulled a toothbrush and toothpaste out of the trunk. The boy started brushing vigorously, spit and brushed again, obviously in a hurry. When he was done, he took a swig of water from a jug, swished it then spit again. He took a moment to take a couple of swallows of the water then put everything away.

While Aaron was busy, Michael found two appropriately long sticks. The boy came running back. The energy the small boy had just after waking, amazed Michael. Michael handed a stick to Aaron. "You ready, Sir?"

"Yeah!" Aaron immediate crouched with the stick pointing at Michael his arm behind him high in the air, attempting to mimic Michael. A peculiar look came over Aaron's face. "No, wait."

Aaron handed the stick back to Michael and ran off toward the woods. "I'll be back, I gotta pee!" Aaron shouted as he ran.

Michael could do nothing but shake his head while he waited.