by J. Judkins
“The classic definition of an angel is a divine messenger or a servant of God, or a woman who is kind, pure, and beautiful. It’s also defined as a beautiful, otherworldly being prone to excessive yet justifiable acts of righteous violence.”
Edward sputtered in outrage. “That’s not the definition!”
“Hate to say it, Angel, but I kind of agree with Eddie on that one,” said Kim.
“This proves nothing.” Edward addressed Kim, gesturing at Angel, again. “She’s taking at least two entirely unrelated histories and combining them into a third and making up the rest!”
Angel half turned. “Kim, what’s the first rule in Doctor Who?”
Kim thought for a moment. “Don’t wander off?”
“Yes, that’s true, but I’m thinking of a different rule.”
“The Doctor lies?”
Angel smiled. “That’s the one.”
Edward closed his eyes briefly, as if trying to remain calm. “Angel isn’t an alien,” he said stiffly. “She’s a pretender. A fake.”
“Nothing about Angel is fake,” Kim objected, then winced as she realized what she’d just said, knowing everyone would automatically assume she was referring to Angel’s breasts.
“The fact remains,” Edward said through clenched teeth, “Angel has no rights beyond these walls.”
“I mean, I know what they look like,” said Kim. “I mean...ahh.”
“And she should not leave this facility,” he finished, then frowned at Kim. “What are you talking about?”
“I only noticed because I thought they felt soft, not because of how they look real to me. Okay, I’m shutting up, now.” Kim selected a seat at random and sat down. Her face burned with embarrassment.
Angel held up her damaged hand. “Kim is talking about my--"
“Angel!”
“--hands,” Angel finished, her expression now matching the doctor’s perplexed expression.
“Yes, that’s right!” Kim leapt to her feet. “I was talking about Angel’s hands. All this time. I meant her hands, because I’ve felt them before and they’re very soft. And not fake. I can tell the difference, because I have my own to compare them to. Hands, I mean.”
“She should know,” supplied Angel. “Kim once told me how hot they look.”
“Yes, well,” Kim murmured.
“And she often tells me how nice they feel. I believe she often goes out of her way, just to touch them.”
“What were we talking about, again?” asked Edward.
“Not her breasts!” exclaimed Kim.
“You mentioned not allowing me to leave,” said Angel to Edward, “but you haven’t told me how you intend to stop me.”
Edward tilted his head to one side. “Hold on. Did she just say--“
“Pay no attention. Kim often doesn’t talk about my breasts. It’s one of her favorite subjects she’d rather avoid.”
“What?”
“Could we please stop talking about them?” pleaded Kim.
Angel smiled. “You see?”
Edward was looking between Kim and Angel with greater frequency. “Nobody even mentioned them.”
“You mentioned not allowing me to leave,” Angel repeated.
“What do you mean, my favorite subject?” Kim demanded, outraged. “How can I often not talk about something? When have I ever--”
“Not allowing me to leave?” prompted Angel once again.
“Yes. You shouldn’t be allowed to leave,” the doctor repeated mechanically. His eyes were closed. A hand nursed his forehead as if massaging away a headache.
“That is established,” nodded Angel. “Please tell me how you intend to stop me.”
“I don’t need to stop you. Where would you escape to, exactly?”
“It would be counterproductive to tell you our final destination.”
“That isn’t what I meant,” he said, glaring at Angel. “It’s pointless to run. I’ve said this, before. You don’t have any legal rights beyond these walls, and I’m responsible for you.”
“You’re not responsible for me, because I’m--“
“That’s it!” interrupted Kim, half rising from her chair in excitement. “Angel, you’re a genius! Have you ever heard of the Turing Test?”
Edward stiffened. “Of course, I have.”
“Naturally, I have heard of this test, as well,” said Angel.
“Yes, of course, both of you have,” Kim said, rolling her eyes. “But in the off chance you haven’t, it’s a test to determine whether a machine intelligence can think. Take a person who doesn’t know what’s going on and set up a conversation with an artificial intelligence in the next room. If the person walks away convinced he’s been talking to real person, the machine has passed the test.
“You maintain Angel is an artificial intelligence,” Kim said to Edward. “If so, she’s passed the test with flying colors. And I’ve figured out why you’re arguing with me.”
“Let me think…” Edward held one forefinger to his chin as if in deep contemplation. “Maybe I was hoping…to persuade you?”
“I think you’ve spent years with Angel, trying to divine her technological secrets. It’s become your obsession, your life’s work. She’s your project and no one else’s. In fact, I think you believe so strongly that Angel is yours that you can’t imagine anything else.
“From the moment I met you, you’ve been telling me how you have no intention of letting Angel go. But why were you doing it? It didn’t make sense. Why were you arguing the point? Why bother trying to persuade me to give her up?
“Then I figured it out. You wanted Angel to have her own life. After years of work, you think of her as your daughter. You told me yourself. And like any proud parent, you want the absolute best for her.
“But I was just some nobody off the street, you thought. The first person lucky enough to find her. Nothing special. You couldn’t be certain Angel found happiness with me, so you tried to trick me into arguing for her, to risk everything and fight for her, all because you wanted me to prove myself to you.”
“But Angel didn’t fool you,” insisted the doctor. “You’ve admitted there was something off about her.”
“Of course, I noticed it. That’s why I took her home.”
“Also because I looked really good naked,” Angel added, unhelpfully.
“My point,” Kim said through clenched teeth, “is that Angel is her own person. She’s the embodiment of your success. You told me yourself, she’s everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more. If you let her go and she comes home with me, that proves you’re a success.
“But if you keep her here?” Kim shook her head mock sadness. “Then you must not believe Angel is her own person. You must not have succeeded, after all.”
Edward opened his mouth. Then closed it. “You’re manipulating me,” he accused.
“I’m winning the argument,” Kim said, matter-of-factly. She sat back in her chair, crossed her arms, and looked smug. “So which is it? Are you a success? Or a failure?”
Edward turned to Angel, instead. “I wasn’t even thinking that. Does she do that often?”
“Constantly. Kim sees patterns others can’t begin to imagine.”
“High praise coming from a master of manipulation.” Kim gave Angel a nod.
“Case and point,” said Angel.
The doctor turned away, as if mulling over the situation.
“You’re trapped under the weight of your own pride,” Kim said.
“Ridiculous,” he murmured. He tapped his chin.
Kim gave her chair a half swing. “I forget. How many people did Angel put in the hospital?” she wondered aloud. “Remind me, again. What was the number? Was it eight? Ten?”
“Twelve,” Edward corrected, then grimaced.
“Just admit you’re a genius and let us go. That shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Edward looked back at Kim with narrowed eyes. Then he smiled a thin smile. “You haven’t won, yet.”
“Oh?”
“By that argument, I should only release Angel to you if you truly felt something for her.”
Truly felt? Kim echoed. Her eyes widened. Oh, crap.
“If I’m the proud parent and you’re her chosen intended, show me she’s in good hands.” The arrogant smirk was back. “Tell her you love her and convince me of it. Do that, and she’s free to go. She’ll become your responsibility.”
Kim’s spinning chair eased to a stop.
“That’s not fair,” Angel objected. “Kim’s far too shy to ever admit to something like that.”
“She’s shy? Really?” Edward asked in mock surprise. “I hadn’t noticed.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Angel said to Kim. “We can still escape.”
“I don’t doubt that you could escape, if you wanted,” said Edward, “but we’ll never stop looking for you. And when we find you, you’ll never see each other again.”
Angel’s fists were clenching and unclenching at her sides. “We can disappear,” she promised him.
“We found you before.”
“You found Kim because she chose to be found. Your people didn’t even secure her car. The doors were unlocked. Her car was left running with the keys in the ignition.”
“Ms. Rowland would need to leave everything behind. Is she willing to do that for you?”
Angel didn’t answer.
“Run, if you want. That's your choice. But if Kim truly loves you and is willing to accept full responsibility, you’ll have my blessing.”
All eyes turned to Kim. Kim’s eyes turned to the table.
“Kim? Even if it’s a lie...” Angel left the rest unsaid.
Kim looked back at Edward. His arms were crossed in triumph, as if certain she couldn’t do it.
In contrast, Angel’s eyes were filled of concern. But there was something else.
Fear, Kim realized. And hope.
“You don’t have to, Kim,” Angel said once again. “We can find another way.”
But there wasn’t another way, Kim realized. Not a lasting one.
Was it too late to argue another point? Surely Edward only indulged the artificial intelligence argument because he couldn’t risk saying the word alien.
Edward seemed certain Kim couldn’t say the words. But if she could, if she could muster the courage, wouldn’t wiping that smug expression off his face be worth the embarrassment?
Her eyes found Angel. Angel knew Kim was being coerced. Surely she wouldn’t use a coerced declaration of love as a binding declaration of love?
Kim used the table to pull herself to her feet. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest. “I love Angel. I do.”
Edward scoffed. “How could you? Everything she’s told you is a lie.”
“And I’m telling you, mister, I don’t care if it’s a lie. I love Angel! I love her for who she pretends to be, not for who she is. I don't care if she was born, bioengineered, built in a laboratory or hatched from an egg. She belongs with me, and I’m taking her home with me whether you like it or not! If you want your very own Angel, go build yourself another one. This one’s mine!”
As Kim finished, the doctor’s confident demeanor faded into disbelief and finally bemusement. He looked away, smiling a wistful smile. “I suppose there’s something to be said for that ‘proud parent’ idea,” he mused.
Kim started breathing again.
Edward raised a hand, then let it drop. “Hard to argue with me being a success. She’s all yours, Ms. Rowland. Make her happy.”
With a final glower, Kim snatched up Angel’s hand and marched for the door. “Come on, Angel. We need to go.”
Dirty, perverted old man. Couldn’t resist, could he? “Make her happy,” indeed!
Angel refused to be budged. “Kim, wait.”
“Yes? You have something else you’d like to add?” Edward leaned back against the table, arms crossed.
“Just another incentive for you to leave us alone,” Angel said, her tone deadly serious. “My people cut me off when I was captured. My memory was taken from me so I couldn’t betray them in a moment of weakness. But I remember enough. Your planet will no longer be yours if they succeed in their mission of conquest. Unless Kim and I stop them.”
Edward’s mouth hung open. He looked too stunned to speak.
Angel stepped forward. “Do you understand me?” she hissed. “It’s in your best interests that I remain free. Love has given me this freedom. My old loyalties are nothing to me now. I’ve chosen to devote my life to her.” Angel’s eyes flicked to Kim. “She is my only reason to oppose them. If anything happens to her, I’ll take up my old mission and see your world burn.”
Edward swallowed twice before speaking. “You’re not an alien anything. You do realize that, right?”
“That’s a lie. I have proof.”
“What proof?” he rasped.
Kim wasn’t paying attention anymore. She found the first available chair and sat down.
Angel was instantly by her side. “Kim?”
“Angel,” began Kim slowly, “Did you deliberately wait until after my ‘I love you’ speech before giving yours?”
“My speech was more of a parting threat, so yes. Didn’t you like it?”
Kim refused to be drawn out of her shell. Angel sat down next to her and put her arm around her. “I don’t care about my old life. I threw it all away for you, Kim,” Angel whispered. “Only for you. I love you.”
“Merciful God, I need a bucket,” muttered Edward.
“Don’t make a habit of it. Okay?” Kim also whispered.
“I promise,” Angel said, and kissed her forehead.
Kim leaned away. “No kissing in front of the mad scientist.”
“Yes. Yes, please. The mad scientist would also appreciate that. This has all been very romantic in a ‘be still my beating stomach’ kind of way, but can we get back to the part where Angel is making up her own background?”
Angel returned her full attention to Edward. “While I was ransacking your computers, I discovered evidence that this company is aware of an alien presence in this city.”
“That proves nothing. Even if we had files like that, they’d be encrypted, and--” he blinked. “Wait, are you saying you broke the encryption? Are you serious? But that would take--” He did a second double-take. “Did you say ransacked? What do you mean, ransacked?”
Angel began reciting names, events, and dates, one after the other. Kim recognized several names from Angel’s list of missing people. “These are people of interest that your company is monitoring,” Angel finished.
Edward’s eyes were wild. “Your supposed evidence doesn’t prove anything. Even if it did exist, which it doesn’t! We certainly don’t suspect any of them of being aliens.”
“You suspect them of working for aliens,” Angel corrected, “and you’re hoping to find the one behind them, the masterminds pulling their strings. This company was formed five years ago, after one of its founders acquired a piece of alien technology. I suspect you’re hoping to acquire more. Unlocking the secrets of that initial piece provided the framework for several lucrative inventions. My capture was noteworthy, in that--”
“Are you hiring?” Kim blurted.
Angel and Edward both turned to stare at her with matching looks of surprise and astonishment. Edward burst into laughter.
“I’m sorry, Angel, but it sounds like a dream job!” said Kim.
“You want a job? What are your qualifications?”
Kim stuck a thumb out at Angel. “Angel’s with me, for one. If I’m working for you, you won’t need to waste time trying to spy on her. I’ll keep you in the loop and promise not to disappear on you. We’ll stop the alien threat and steal all their technology at the same time, while we’re at it.”
Angel looked angrier than any time Kim could remember seeing. “Kim, what are you doing? I just finished threatening him, and you want to work for him?”
“Hear me out,” Kim ple
aded. “We’re already going to be doing the same thing he wants doing. Saving the world, right? This way, we’d be getting paid to do it.”
Edward’s laughter abruptly died into a series of hacking coughs. “Wait, am I hiring both of you?”
“Why do you think I brought you home on the night we met?” Kim asked Angel, ignoring Edward.
“You wanted my hot, sexy body.”
Kim flushed. “No, Angel! You even said it once, before. I noticed you because you were extraordinary.”
“You wanted my extraordinary hot and sexy body.”
“Angel!”
“Kim!” Angel mocked.
“What else can you do?” Edward interrupted.
“I can investigate,” Kim answered Edward. “I see patterns where others don’t. This company was made to reverse engineer alien technology? Then we’re in agreement. You want alien technology? That’s what I want, too.” As she spoke, Kim’s hand formed a fist without her consciously being aware of it. Her eyes glinted with a fanaticism and naked desire.
Edward held up his hands in surrender. “Enough. I recognize that hunger. Nearly everyone working here has it. You’re already one of us, I can tell. Both of you show up Monday, and I’ll see what I can do.”
Angel spun Kim to face her. “Kim, what in the world are you doing?” she demanded.
Kim put her hands together, eyes pleading. “I want this, Angel. Please, let me have it?”
“I don’t like him.”
“You’re not supposed to like your boss. Please? Give this to me?”
Angel still looked dubious, but she nodded. “If it makes you happy, I’ll support you decision.”
“Good. Thank you.”
“I still don’t like him,” Angel growled.
Kim gave Angel a hug. “I really appreciate this.”
Angel took advantage of the hug and leaned closer. “You can show me how much you appreciate it later,” she whispered against Kim’s ear.
Kim pushed Angel to arm’s length. “Don’t say things like that where others can hear,” she hissed, embarrassed.
Edward didn’t seem to be paying attention. He was standing in the far corner, pointedly studying the ceiling as if it were the most interesting ceiling in the entire world. “Are the two of you done flirting, yet? Or would you like a private room?”