Chapter 25

Michael looked to the rising sun in the east. Riesen had left him shortly after their conversation, stating they would meet later. Michael had remained in his chair watching the night sky for the last couple of hours. He pondered Riesen's last statement. Was he becoming more human? Learning to continue even when he thought he could not?

He was surprised at the general's reaction. Riesen had been close with Becca. Michael suspected that Riesen did not so much forgive him but was just a practical man. Michael knew Riesen was a man of constant planning, always thinking of the future, always moving the pieces across the chessboard. The archangel knew the general would have a place for him in his game.

The sun continued to make its way up, lighting up the camp. Activity slowly started around Michael and the angel found comfort in watching the people around him start their routines. There was a certain amount of relief to be found in anonymity.

"Good morning, sunshine. Don't you look comfortable." Rochelle said as she led Aaron between tents.

"Good morning." Michael turned to the boy as he rose from the lawn chair. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yep, but I'm ready to check how Mom's doing. We'd thought we stop by and grab you on the way. How is she?"

"Your mother finally woke last night." Michael said as they made their way through the crowds and camps. "The doctor said she is doing extremely well and intended to remove her stitches when I left a short time ago."

Aaron grabbed the archangel's hand as they walked together. The simple gesture surprised the angel. Michael realized the closeness felt natural, as if Aaron's tiny hand was meant to fit in his large one. As the boy looked up to him and smiled, Michael couldn't help but smile warmly back. In such a short time, this human boy owned a piece of his heart.

An older woman, in a worn red coat, stepped in their path and kneeled in front of Aaron. Michael instinctively pulled the boy behind him and he put himself in between them.

"I'm sorry, Aaron. You may not remember me but I know your mom." The woman said as she held a small foil wrapped package in her hands. Michael watched the woman with his intimidating stare. She looked up at Michael, nervously, while speaking to the boy. "Your mom helped me once."

"I remember you." Aaron said as he stepped in front of Michael. "Your name is Patty, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's right." The woman in the red coat eagerly nodded her head as she smiled. "I just wanted to make sure you're being taken care while she's hurt."

"Mike here is taking care of me." Aaron said as he indicating the angel towering over them both. Rochelle made a coughing noise behind them. "Oh and Roach, too."

"I made this for you." The woman pushed her small package at the boy. Michael intervened and grabbed the package from her to inspect it. The bundle was warm and he realized by the smell that it held fresh biscuits with honey. Michael then handed them to Aaron and the boy immediately stuffed a biscuit in his mouth.

"Thank you." The boy muffled out with a mouth full of food.

"This is very kind of you." Michael said quietly as he inclined his head.

"Oh, it was no trouble." Patty responded. "Aaron, if you could, can you mention me to your mom? Tell her I brought you the biscuits?"

Aaron nodded his head and the woman patted the boy's shoulder in obvious gratitude. She then climbed to her feet and left them. Michael watched her as she hastened away.

"Would you like me to enlighten you on what just happened here?" Rochelle said as she walked next to Michael.

"Please do." He said as he watched Aaron shove another biscuit in his mouth.

"That woman was laying the groundwork for asking Lex for a trade. She probably wants her to fight for her for some reason or another. She intends to feed them in trade and wants Aaron here to brag about how good her cooking is."

"It's really good!" Aaron said with another mouthful. He held up the foil to them. Rochelle shook her head as Michael held up his own hand warding off the biscuits.

"You should eat all that you can while they are warm, son." Michael said, intending to only try them after the boy got his fill. As the medical tent came into view, he then turned to Rochelle. "Lexus cannot fight for that woman when she is barely just recovering from her injuries."

"You'd be surprised at what good old Lex will do, pretty boy. And I bet my favorite rifle that she won't give a crap what you think." Rochelle said and then suddenly turned serious. "Has Lex prepared you for what might happen when she walks out of that tent?"

"She mentioned she might get challenged."

"There's no 'might' about it. Whispers across the camp say it will happen as soon as she walks out. Joe isn't the only one eager to see her again. If she looks weak at all, the challenges will keep coming."

"Your custom does allow for a replacement for the challenged, does it not?"

"I know what you're thinking, Romeo, but you've got to get Lex's permission to step in for her. I don't think you'll get it. Lex knows if she wins the first one or two, the challenges will stop. Everyone will remember why she was the top dog for so long."

"What are the repercussions if another individual jumps into a fight?" Michael asked. He wanted to clarify all of the rules to see if there was a way around them. He would prefer to work with in the laws of The Camp.

"Clever, but breaking the one-on-one rule can really backfire on you. You're a good fighter, without a doubt, but jumping in on her fight would open the doors for others to jump in. You can count on at least a half-dozen people who would love to gang up on her because that'd be the only way they could beat her."

"I think Mike could handle them." Aaron piped up.

"Even I have limits." Michael said as he patted the boy's shoulder. He meant limits in how many humans he could fight at once before they figured out his angelic nature.

They entered the tent and Lex was not laying on a cot, but sitting in a chair, sipping coffee. Michael watched her eyes warm as she began to smile at the sight of their group. She set her coffee down and held her arms open. Aaron immediately took off in a dead run into her arms. Her arms enveloped the boy and they both seem to relax as they embraced tightly.

"What can I do to help her?" Michael asked Rochelle quietly as they still stood in the doorway. His eyes never left the sight of Lex holding her son. He had to find a way to protect her.

"Well, Mikey boy, I'll tell you what you can do." Rochelle said quietly back and then began to grin as she twisted her fingers through her ponytail. "I can point them out to you. You can challenge them for pretty much anything. They'll be less inclined to want to fight her if they've already been beaten to a bloody pulp."

"We begin immediately." Michael whispered as Lex smiled at him from across the tent.