Jim didn’t necessarily want to be around to find out. Bill—with those amazing wings of his—could easily use the influence of being an angel to hoodwink a lot of people. By virtue of that alone, he was a dangerous man. Even more worrisome were the skills and knowledge Bill had as a former Alvian Prime warrior. He knew how to lead. It came as naturally as breathing to him. He knew how to fight and he knew the Alvian system and forces better than almost anyone. Would he want revenge on the people that had thrown him out? Would he feel any loyalty at all to the humans who had taken him in?
Jim really wanted to know the answer to those questions before he got his own people more involved, but there was little likelihood he would have those answers in time. He’d have to make a judgment call, but he couldn’t do it alone. Jim had to maneuver a way for Bill to meet his people so they could judge for themselves. At the very least, Jim wanted his inner circle to meet Bill. All were sound judges of men who probably wouldn’t be swayed by those angelic wings.
When Bill started talking about his hydroponics experiments, Jim finally joined the conversation, offering for the experts in his facility to consult with Bill on the best way to proceed. That would be the easiest way to get his people to meet Bill. The Alvian was cagey, neither accepting nor declining the offer. Jim could handle that. He understood that the folks in this installation had to be just as careful as he was. He respected that and was also impressed that Bill appeared to be as concerned about the safety of the people in this facility as Jim was about his own people. It was a mark in Bill’s favor.
From there, the talk flowed into other areas. Mike and Dave eventually brought up the subject of Gina’s celebrity and her skills as a martial artist. Jim watched Grady carefully, unsurprised to see that Gina’s reputation among humans was news to the Alvian warrior. Gina was a modest woman. She didn’t go around boasting about her skills or her former glory.
“I remember seeing your gold medal bout on television,” Mike said to Gina. “You had a slammin’ roundhouse kick back in the day.”
“She still does.” Jim joined in the conversation when Gina said nothing. “She nearly knocked my block off the night we met.”
“How did you two meet again after all those years?” Jaci asked innocently.
“She snuck into the cave entryway, but we had seen her long before on the sensors and from scout reports. We were there to meet her, but I had no idea it was Gina under the ninja suit. We doused the lights, and I confronted her.”
“You attacked, you mean,” Gina put in with a laugh.
“Hey, give me a break, I didn’t know it was you. I didn’t even realize you were a girl in that get up.”
“And you don’t attack women?” Jaci asked, interested. “I’ve read about something called chivalry in the human texts. Is that why? Women don’t fight?”
“Oh, women fight,” Gina was quick to answer. “Though I’ll admit, in our culture’s past, women were expected to stay home, sew, clean, cook, et cetera. Only a few ever were warriors back during the times when it took real muscle to fight. We are much smaller, on average, than human males.”
“But you were a fighter?” Jaci leaned forward, apparently intrigued by the concept. “You train with the Zxerah if Bill is to be believed.”
“In the days just before the cataclysm, our people had advanced to the point where wars—if we had them—were conducted by machines. Jet fighters, tanks and guns could be operated by almost anyone. While it’s true that the majority of our military forces were male, there was an increasing number of females ready, willing and able to defend our countries. As far as martial arts go, the ancient fighting forms were studied for many reasons—physical fitness, mental discipline, competition—but not necessarily for large-scale warfare.”
“I was sent to study at the Hanson dojo with Gina’s father because I was an intelligence agent,” Jim put in. “I was a member of the U.S. military, where I learned basic hand-to-hand fighting. When I finished my tour of duty, I was recruited by the Central Intelligence Agency and given advanced training in several different areas.”
“Like what?” Jaci asked.
“Languages, computers, covert operations, acting, special munitions, explosives. All kinds of things that would come in handy on top secret undercover missions.” Jim leaned back in his chair, pushing his tray slightly away, finished eating. “Training with Gina’s dad was actually one of the more enjoyable training details I was ever sent on. After I finished the two-month class the Company had paid for, I asked Sensei Hanson if I could stay on as a student, paying my own way. I really liked the man and respected him. Gina’s brothers became good friends of mine. I miss them all, dearly.”
“Then it must have been some comfort to discover Gina was alive.” Jaci’s voice held sympathy, which still struck him as odd, seeing as how it came from an undeniably Alvian face.
“I admit, I was suspicious at first. Don’t get me wrong, I was glad to see that any of the Hansons had survived, but Gina was wearing Alvian clothes and she arrived on my doorstep out of the blue. Her gear was Alvian, and she claimed to be on a mission from some secret sect I’d never heard of. It all still seems a little impossible.”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned,” Dave said, taking Jaci’s hand with a fond smile, “nothing’s impossible.”
Jim looked from Dave to Jaci to Mike. They were a threesome, odd as it seemed.
“Gina, I would like for you to spar with me tomorrow in the gym. Will you?” Bill spoke in his low, commanding voice, jarring Jim from his speculation.
“I would be honored,” Gina answered with a small smile for the alien. “I’ve missed our training bouts.”
“I want to show some of our newcomers that even someone of your size can have an impact with proper training. We have more women and children coming in every day, and I would feel better if they knew at least the rudiments of self-defense.” Bill hesitated before going on. “I teach fighting techniques to a few of the men, but I think some of them are afraid of me.” Incredibly, the alien man’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“And no doubt others are in awe of your wings,” Gina agreed readily, glossing over the moment. She seemed on friendly terms with the big winged warrior.
“I still don’t understand it,” Bill agreed, “but it seems to be the case. No matter how many times I explain to them that I am nobody’s angel, the wings somehow make them think otherwise.”
Gina laughed, and the pretty sound distracted Jim for a minute. “Don’t worry,” she said through her chuckles, “I know better. I’ll be happy to show anyone who cares to watch how even the mighty angel can fall, given the right counter move.”
A big smile spread over Bill’s face. “That would be most welcome, Gina. Thank you.”
“I think you may have more of an audience than you expect, Gina,” Mike put in from across the table. “A lot of people remember you. It’s not every day a person gets to watch an Olympic Gold Medalist in action.”
“And not every day we’re confronted with someone who can remind us so strongly of the world we once knew.” Dave’s sobering words struck all the humans at the table.
“Bill,” Gina ventured into the silence. “I wanted to tell you how glad I am to see you this way. I’d hoped, when I heard what happened to you, that you would be able to handle true feelings. You always struck me as one of the more sensitive Alvians. I hoped that would help you after your DNA changed, and I’m glad to see you healthy and whole.”