The Angriest Angel

Chapter 23

Avery felt both relief and fear at what she had done.  It concerned her that she let slip her true field of study.  It was almost as if her instincts had taken complete control, with her rational side being dragged along for the ride.  She wondered if being near her home—her earthly home—artificially heightened her confidence.  Perhaps proximity to the familiar had emboldened her in some way.

Chase seemed to be piecing things together, and his demeanor was so unusual that it was impossible to tell how much he knew.  Regardless, things seemed to work out splendidly.  She knew that it would be days before she had time to finish her transplanting, so she used the opportunity to ask for his help.  He grudgingly agreed, and together they moved four of her California Lilacs to the west side of the yard.

But as the two of them worked side by side, the friendly banter and joking became addictive, and he was happy to do more.  So Avery and he moved on to the next task, and the next.  Before she knew it, they had spent the entire morning doing yard work—all the while having pleasant conversation and getting to know each other. 

Eventually, however, Avery needed a break.

Chase agreed to finish off the last tasks before joining her.  So as she stepped into the house, he kept going.  The digging which Avery had put off for weeks was now done, and he moved on to planting her heavy bushes.  He didn't seem to wear down.  He was incredibly strong—highlighting yet another significant difference between her people and the indigena. 

There was no need for exercise on Caelus.  Everyone was born with the proper protein coded sequence, controlling both metabolism and body weight.  Thus, everyone was fit and capable.  But here on Earth, those challenges remained—at least for some, since DNA sequencing was left to chance.

She watched Chase work from inside the house, taking the opportunity to check in with Nathan and explain the disturbing events of the morning, including nearly losing Chase, twice.

"What kind of an idiot would risk going back to jail?" Nathan asked.  "You have to keep him in line, Avery.  Don't let him leave your sight; and if he escapes again, call me, don't call Isaac.  Lafaye's going to lose his mind if this plan of ours doesn't work."

She held the phone to her ear, listening to Nathan while watching Chase through the kitchen window.

"I have this feeling that he knows, Nathan.  He's figured out a lot, like our false identities.  He knows that we have no legal standing.  It's almost as if he's continuing the ruse as a favor."

"Avery, the man is an oaf," he said. "I'm sure that your smile is more than enough to keep him around, wagging his tail."

"Nathan, uhhh," she groaned, tiring of his insinuations.  "I get no such reaction from him.  Need I remind you that he abandoned me this morning, and then later he tried to walk away, in plain sight?"

Nathan didn't reply, so she changed the subject, "Were you aware that Isaac has been monitoring his internet usage?"

"Doesn't surprise me.  Why?"

"Isaac was quite disturbed by the internet records from last night."

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently Chase logged several obscene website addresses when he was on his computer."

"I should say that I'm surprised," Nathan said.  "But I would expect nothing less than internet pornography from a man like him."

"No, that's not what I meant," she explained.  "The website addresses were obscene themselves.  As if he knew he was being monitored and wanted to send a message that it wasn't working."