Globe Tracers 6: Chaos Storm

Chapter 29: Needing Shelter

Xao:

Kyle sighed and turned, looking ready to shout at Micheal- only to see the angel had disappeared. The boy gave an exasperated growl and threw up his hands. "Great! So we lost our paladin and got left with Mr. Shrug-and-Leave," he waved his hands at Thor. "Our guardian angel- Jess, does this all checkout? This really sounds like your Jesus and his- his- his guys?"

Jessica looked to try to talk several times but seemed to eventually have to shrug. "I guess? I mean... Xao made some good points just now."

"Yeah um... well that wasn't so much me as someone speaking through me..." I admitted. "Not sure if it was God or Michael..." I bit my lip. "I will say, it wasn't like mind control- well, not like I would know. It just felt like I was being helped more than controlled."

"That sounds creepy," Tyrell put in... I almost forgot he was there. "Still- I have heard folks talk about God or angels or whatever talking through them so- I guess it's a thing right?"

"It is a thing..." Jess squeaked out in confirmation. "Creepy thing if you don't ask for it..."

"I kinda did, I think," I further noted. I guess that was a little assuring.

"Makes it better I guess," Kyle grumbled. He thumbed over at Thor. "Still not sure about staying with just this guy as protection."

"I suppose at some point you'll say "no offense"." Thor said, folding his arms.

"You haven't demonstrated yourself to be a basically good person yet, at least Michael has the decency to be mysterious- you were ready to abandon us outright."

"I did protect you from Maelstrom."

"In the end." Kyle looked down and blinked a few times. He breathed a few times, then sighed. "Still... thanks for that." Kyle squeezed both his eyelids and fists. "Look- I got a lot to process right now okay? I've got angels here acting more like just people than I would have predicted and even predicting that something exists that fits the definition of an angel so well... I think we all need time. The comlink with Triad is still miles off and that'll take hours to get to, especially without a car. I don't feel like we're getting there today. We need somewhere to rest." He spun and looked over at Jeda. "So- Jessica's mother," he started.

"Yes- not who I be, but I'll take the reference fer now." she replied.

"You wanted to take in Jessica- can she come as a packaged deal?"

"We be grabbin' 'er alone- especially after all that there." the woman replied.

"You think you can just walk in and take her then you have another thing-" Kyle began but I put up a hand.

"Hey, hey," I said quickly. Kyle stood, breathing angrily, but not continuing. "We all need a break okay? That's where you were going right Kyle?" He gritted his teeth but nodded. "Can we all just agree that Jess is the one who gets to decide who she wants to stay with?"

"I make no promises," Jeda replied.

"I can see you're a helpful soul," I noted sarcastically. "But you're not a freaky gargoyle with an ugly sword or an apparently fallen evil angel. So then, congrats, you're preferable... can we ask for sanctuary?"

"This be not our concern, only the little lass be."

"Packaged deal," I replied.

"You think ye can make that there claim? Will ye fight me lad?"