The next morning, Alex felt strung out and tired. She had barely gotten any rest, and what sleep she did get, was filled with images of Ganymede and Bertrand fighting, scenes of her parents from her childhood, and old adventures with her brothers. It seemed that her mind was trying to flit through her memories, eager to settle on what Alex needed to see the most. Now, she just felt exhausted.
Alex finished packing a large suitcase and an overnight bag, trying to downsize from all that she had brought with her from New York. Luckily, two of her pieces of luggage had been filled with presents, so she had much less to go through now. She showered, taking longer than she needed to let the water cascade over her body to warm and restore some color to her skin. Alex dressed and applied a little makeup under her eyes, which she never normally did. After a final look around her bedroom, she headed out of the door for breakfast.
Throughout the meal, the Groabans enjoyed relaxed banter with one another, and even Jameason seemed relatively calm, despite Alex’s imminent departure. Dudley had positioned himself at the end of the table, hoping for scraps, or perhaps just to say good-bye. Alex eyed him speculatively and finally determined that he was begging for food. She quietly handed Dudley a piece of bacon under the table.
“I saw that,” said Jameason, though he did not sound angry.
They all chuckled at his non-effective reprimand.
Promptly at ten o’clock, John arrived with a younger man who was their driver to Oxford’s Kidlington Airport. He introduced the gentleman as Heath, but Alexandria had the same peculiar feeling she had experienced when she first met John indicating she knew this man. An image of him running, as if in battle, through an old wooded forest came unbidden to her mind, and she blinked to clear the vision. Heath was smiling down at her with his hands clasped behind his back, studying Alex in return. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, but his eyes looked quite ancient. Alex knew without hesitation that he was an immortal child.
Heath stepped away from her to take her bags from Wallace and Conner and broke the spell Alex felt she had been under. She hugged all of her family and promised that she would call often. John vowed to check in with her father once Alex was settled and put him in contact with the doctor who would head up her care at the retreat. With one last kiss and hug, Alexandria joined John, Heath, and Jackson in the large BMW sedan and set out.
Driving along, Alex realized just how little she knew about the people she was traveling with. She knew where Jackson was from, but almost nothing about John or Heath. She knew only what she had glimpsed in her brief connections with their memories. But Alex trusted her instincts and she trusted in Ganymede. She had agreed to this, so Alexandria steeled herself, hoping for the best.
Once they arrived at the airport, Alex wondered which helicopter was theirs and she had to stifle her surprise when Heath pulled up to a brand new burgundy and black Sikorsky S-92. Alex knew exactly what model it was because she had seen several at the U.N., and she had a good idea how much they cost.
“Whose is this?” she murmured to John. Heath and Jackson were loading luggage into the sleek machine, so she hoped they could not hear her.
John chuckled and looked down at her. “Oh, Alexandria, you have so much ahead of you. And it is going to be so much fun seeing you learn.” He shook his head, still laughing.
She pressed him again, “You didn’t answer me. Did you charter this or did my father?” Alex was actually worried about how much her father might be billed for the excursion.
“Don’t worry about your father’s accounts, Alex. We did not have to charter this; it’s owned.” There was an odd twinkle in his eyes.
“Whose is it?” whispered Alexandria again.
John angled his head to the side, then leaned in a little closer to her face. “Why, my dear, it’s yours.”
Alex abruptly closed her mouth and leaned back. John was still laughing as he turned and left her standing there, gaping at his last statement. How could a brand new helicopter be hers, she questioned? Maybe they had purchased it for her, perhaps that was what he meant. But no, Alex thought, she had no reason to need something like this that would carry so many people in style.
“You coming, dear?” called John from the S-92’s steps.
Alex shook her head slowly and dutifully followed.
They were underway now, headed due north, and Alex was still reeling from John’s statement. Heath was serving as their pilot for the trip, so she, John, and Jackson were in the spacious accommodations alone. The interior of the machine was simply amazing. Pale cream leather seats were scattered around the cabin giving passengers several different gathering and conversation areas. There was a sofa near the back and beyond that a restroom. Light colored wood was appointed both functionally and artistically throughout the space, and she had noticed three flat screen televisions thus far.
Alex caught John watching her intently, and so she got up and moved to a seat closer to his. She was still extremely wary of Jack learning too much, so Alex addressed John with her mind in an effort to keep their conversation a private one.
“John,” she began, but he mentally interrupted her in answer.
“Yes, Alexandria?” he asked silently, still smiling a bit too much.
“Okay, you know you have to explain what you said to me before we lifted off,” Alex insisted.
“I believe I was quite clear. This is your helicopter. We frequently use it for business to and fro, but it is yours.”
“But how could I own something like this? It must cost millions!”
“Oh, yes, it did.” He sounded downright jolly about the expenditure.
Maybe because John was not spending his own money on its purchase, she thought.
“I will explain more over the next few days, Alex, but as the first immortal child, you were here for a very, very long time. You learned quickly that humans placed importance on material goods. They wanted to barter, trade, or purchase things and the more one possessed, the more power or position one had.”
“Although we have a myriad of abilities that set us apart, we needed shelter, food, and transportation just as ordinary humans did. And as the world evolved and technological advancements progressed, the investments we made enabled us to do a lot for our fellow man,” he explained.
“We’ve followed your lead and continued your financial plan, Alexandria, and amassed a fortune that the world could never fathom. We can provide for those in need when help is needed most. To get from point A to point B, we also need transportation, so we invest in vehicles that help us get around. You will see soon enough, but know that we view our things as just that: things. They don’t make us better than anyone else, they just provide comfort for us and those we are charged to help and protect.”
Alexandria was humbled by John’s words, and the respect she heard in his voice when he spoke of Arianna. She still thought of Arianna as someone else, a separate person. Alex was not ready to start owning Arianna’s story as her own just yet.
Alexandria looked out of the window closest to her and let her mind wander, thinking about all that the immediate future might hold. So many possibilities, and so much promise. If she were honest with herself, she did feel a little bit excited, and Alex vowed that she would not harden her heart to what was to come. She would stay open to the possibilities that these immortal children, these Nephilim, offered her.
Alex looked back over at John and continued to speak with her mind.
“John, why is Jackson here? How can he possibly be around us while we’re discussing angels and immortals? I feel like we’re taking an innocent human into dangerous territory.” Alex slowly shook her head with regret at her last thought.
“I understand your reservations, Alexandria; I felt them initially as well. I was planning to use a bit of suggestive power with your parents and brothers, but Ganymede halted me in my tracks. He feels it is better
for you to have a human with you, someone a little more removed than your parents or brothers, but someone who can help you look at your choices objectively.”
“Wait. So Jack is going to have full knowledge of the Nephilim and the fact that I might be one? John, I don’t really know this man at all. I’ve only just met him. How do we know that he won’t run straight to the press or, worse yet, try to call my parents and have me committed to a real facility for mentally damaged or ill people? I don’t understand how this can work?” Alex was worried that this was a recipe for disaster and had no idea how to handle Jackson in the midst of all that she was poised to encounter. He did not seem to be a man who would allow anyone to manipulate or control him.
“Watch and learn, Alexandria. I’ll handle Jackson before we land and help him adjust to what he’s seeing. And, quite frankly, so can you. You’ll both be experiencing this world of the Nephilim for the first time, and you can both be of help to each other. You always were a nurturer, and I suspect you’ll look out for him. Besides, there are humans who know about our existence.”
“What? You allow humans to know who you really are?” she asked incredulously.
“Well, of course,” John mentally scoffed at her. “We work and live among humans. Sometimes we trust one enough to tell them who we really are and what we’re capable of. Sometimes we fall in love, and then we certainly share the secret. Close your mouth, Alex,” he teased silently. “Of course we love. Do you really think we could go through the ages without a companion, without someone to share our lives with?” John’s eyebrows rose up into his hairline with his last question.
“I… well, I haven’t really thought any of this through yet. Of course, you all love during the span of your lifetime. Do you sometimes marry humans or other Nephilim?” Alex asked, really out of her depth now.
How stupid, she admonished herself, of course they were not celibate monks or priests. Gosh, Alex thought, her own angelic father had married a human, so surely the Nephilim could too. Then her cheeks reddened when she remembered John was listening to all of her thoughts, not just those she pointedly directed towards him.
“It’s alright, Alex. You can think or ask anything of me or the others, for that matter, when you meet them. Nothing is taboo to talk about, so don’t feel embarrassed. Yes, we can marry whom we like, whether they be human or Nephilim. You know what they say, ‘Love makes the world go ‘round.’” His eyes danced at his own joke, and Alex could not help but smile at him.
“And we’ll teach you how to stop other immortal children from eavesdropping on your thoughts,” John added. “None of us are too keen on having our minds laid bare for all the others to peruse.”
John spoke aloud now so that both Jackson and Alex could hear him. “If you’ll both excuse me, I’ll head to the facilities. There are refreshments in the refrigerator right over there if either of you gets hungry.” He smiled politely at Jackson as he passed by and left the two of them alone.
Alexandria turned and found Jackson’s eyes on hers. She gave him a tight smile and got up, heading in the direction of the fridge.
“Would you like something, Jackson?” she offered. Alex’s manners were deeply ingrained, and they were often a comfortable fallback when she felt nervous or uneasy. “Water, juice, or hmmm, looks like spirits are available, too.” She looked back at him, hoping that she had not sounded as silly as she felt.
“Water would be just fine, thanks,” Jack quietly answered her.
Alex snagged three water bottles, and placed one on the table closest to John’s seat, then walked back to hand Jackson his. He gestured for her to take the seat opposite him, so she did, not wanting to seem rude.
“Alexandria, please call me Jack. You don’t have to stand on formalities with me. We’re going to be together for a little while, so you don’t have to address me so properly. Okay?” he asked as he leaned his head to the side and smiled at her.
Alex’s eyes were trained on Jack’s cheek. Gracious, he had dimples when he smiled, she silently mused. Alex admonished herself because she definitely should not be noticing his dimples. She turned her eyes back to his and agreed.
“Alright, I’ll call you Jack sometimes,” she qualified, “if you’ll call me Alex sometimes. My brothers started that nickname when I was a baby. They thought my name was too long, so Alex worked for them.” She started kicking herself again. Why was she telling him this? Jack really did not need to know. Or maybe she was being polite by making small talk – who knew?
“Okay, Alex it is. Can you answer a question for me, Alex?” Jack put the emphasis on her name and tapped his index finger to his lips as he stared at her attentively.
“Yes,” she agreed.
“What were you and John talking about over there?”
Alex sat back hard in her seat. They had not uttered one word aloud, so what had made Jack think that they had been talking to one another?
“I don’t know what you mean?” she stammered out.
“Well, if you’re making plans for after our arrival, I need to know so that I can plan appropriately for your safety. It would help a great deal if you would speak aloud, but I understand that you might want to uphold your privacy. Still, I think it’s just a tad bit rude to do that in front of me and not expect me to be curious about the topic of conversation.” Jack let the words hang between them, waiting for Alex to be the first to speak.
“How did you know?” Alex was so flabbergasted, she could not think of an appropriate denial. Jack had clearly been aware they were conversing, and she had not paid him the least bit of attention throughout the whole exchange.
Jack chuckled and shook his head. “So you were talking telepathically? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Alexandria was shocked. “Wait. You didn’t know for certain until I said something just now?” Now she really was mad at herself. Give her one human being, and she already could not hide what was within her.
“No, though I had been warned to look out for such things. Seeing is definitely believing.” He was really smiling at her now.
“Who have you been talking to? Who warned you about me?” Alex could feel herself getting angry and scared at the same time. Her fight or flight response began to kick in, and she felt a surge of energy pass through her body that made her feel energized and hyper-aware all at once.
Jackson seemed to sense the change in her as well. He held his hands up, palms facing Alexandria, to indicate he meant no harm.
“Alex, calm down, please. I am not a danger to you, I swear. I’m still Jackson Campbell from Georgia, and I’m still here as a bodyguard. Wallace and Conner had a long, frank discussion with me last night. They were not trying to betray your confidence, but they wanted me to have some inkling of where you’re coming from and what to watch out for.”
He took a breath to continue, but Alex bolted straight up from her seat. “What to watch out for?” she whispered incredulously as she stared down at him. “You make me sound like some kind of science experiment!”
Jack stood then and reached out for her, but Alex pulled away and glared up into his face.
“Don’t patronize me, Jack. I don’t like it when people look at me like that. Like I’m some kind of freak, like I don’t belong. I’m fine, thank you very much.” Tears were welling up in her eyes, and Alex was furious with herself for allowing that kind of angry reaction to Jack’s words.
His eyes were filled with concern, not disgust, and Alex did at least admit that to herself.
“Alex, no, that’s not what I meant, and you know it. I don’t think there’s something wrong with you; I think there’s something very special going on with you. Your brothers seem to think so too, and they made me promise on my life that I would see you safely through this trip. They aren’t fooled for one minute that you’re just going to a treatment facili
ty to deal with the attack that happened a few days ago. They think it all ties back to what was going on throughout your childhood, and they want me to make sure you come back to them in one piece, both physically and emotionally.”
He reached for her again, and this time Alex did not pull away. Jack held her arms in his and looked imploringly into her eyes. “Trust me, Alex; I’m not the bad guy. I just want to bring you back home to your family again, safely. I promise not to make fun of or judge whatever I see. I can’t and won’t ever tell anyone anything that you don’t want to be repeated. I swear it.”
His impassioned speech was her undoing. Tears started to run down Alex’s cheeks, and all she could do was nod at him.
Her dear, crazy, sweet brothers. They were not mad at her or angry that she had not told them the full truth about all that had happened since Christmas Eve. They were still looking out for her well-being and trusting this stranger to bring her back home. Wallace and Conner were always such good judges of character. They always saw through people’s facades, and when they made a friend, it was someone they could count on for life. If they had decided to trust Jackson, then perhaps she should do the same.
“I see you two have worked through some sticky issues,” laughed John as he passed by them.
He startled Alex, and she jumped back from Jack’s arms to put some distance between the two of them. She could not bring herself to look him in the eye, so she glared at John instead. John walked down the aisle and picked up the water bottle Alex had left out for him, and returned to where they were standing.
“Let’s have a seat, shall we?” he said, gesturing to the cluster of leather seats beside them.
John took his time getting settled in his seat and opening his bottle. He took a long, slow drink, then finally looked at Alex and then over to Jack.
“Now, Mr. Campbell,” John began, looking over his glasses at Jack, “I have been unsure how to proceed with you, but it seems Alexandria’s brothers have broken through the proverbial ice for us. Alex is indeed a very unique young lady, and I am glad to see that you already are looking at her non-judgmentally. We are going to a place that is both steeped in history and generally closed to the outside world.”
“You have already signed a confidentiality agreement with her parents, but you must now pledge the same to us as well. Alex will not be harmed, but she will hopefully grow and learn while she’s with us. To do that, she needs to absolutely put her trust in all of us, and that includes you now, sir. She and I need to trust you implicitly, both in your words and your deeds. So, do I have that promise from you now that you’ll not betray her in any way as we proceed?” John’s tone brokered no argument, and Jackson nodded his agreement.
“You have my word, Dr. Holbrook.” Jack extended his hand to John for a firm shake. He looked at Alex next. “Alex, where I come from a man’s word is his bond. As a Marine, I would never dishonor myself by going back on my word or betraying someone I’m charged with protecting. I’ve got your back.” He smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled again.
“Besides,” he added, “if I didn’t take care of you, I don’t think I’d have to worry about John or Heath here. I think that your brothers would tear me limb from limb once we returned.”
“Oh, don’t worry about my brothers, Jack. Worry about me,” said Alex, and she meant it. She was through letting her brothers fight her battles for her. She knew that Jackson meant what he said, but Alex could take him on if she had to. That thought made her smile.
“Remember, I grew up in a house with both of them. I think I can handle just one of you,” she said smugly as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Of that, I have no doubt, Miss Groaban,” Jack countered, and they all three had a good chuckle.
Chapter 10
Immortal Reborn - Arianna's Choice Page 14