Free Bright Angel by Isabelle Merlin

seemed. A few months ago, I’d watched on DVD with Jess some episodes of that old TV show, The X-Files. It was pretty good even if sometimes the special effects were a bit, well, ’90s. Those investigators – Mulder and Scully, was that it? –they were kind of doing what Mick was doing. Except that he was doing it for real. The truth was really out there for him.
    I wasn’t sure that I believed in aliens at all but still, it was interesting stuff. Mysterious. And how awesome that there was even a government department in France doing that sort of thing. I’d have to look them up. And then I thought I could do a clip on them and on hunting UFOs. That could be cool. Or I could combine it with my ‘wearing different faces’ idea somehow, like an ‘alien among us’ idea – an alien pretending to be human, wearing a human sort of mask, cruising in on an ordinary street, an ordinary town, and wreaking havoc.
    I walked up the hill into the town. Passing the house where the men had been working on the roof yesterday (they were gone today), I saw a familiar face at a first-floor window. The big dark eyes and halo of hair were unmistakeable. Gabriel. He saw me too, and his face broke into the biggest, sweetest smile. He waved. I waved back, feeling a smile break out over my own face.
    But somebody came up behind him then. A tall darkhaired woman with a Spanish sort of look to her. She looked suspiciously down at me, then took Gabriel away. I shrugged. Poor kid. Not only did he have a dragon of a brother but it appeared he had a dragon of a nanny too. What was the matter with them? Was Gabriel in some sort of danger? Or were they paranoid because they were rich and thought someone was out to get them? Or just paranoid full stop, seeing stranger danger in every innocent encounter? Oh well, it was none of my business. But it was a pity for that poor little kid.
    When I got back to our house, I found Freddy in the kitchen having a cup of tea. She looked surprised to see me. ‘I thought you’d be out there all day.’
    â€˜It wasn’t quite what I’d thought. I got bored with it,’ I said, going to the fridge and taking out the jug of cold water. I poured myself a big glass. ‘I walked back. It wasn’t that far. Just a bit hot.’
    â€˜Oh, okay. You hungry? I was just going to fix myself a bit of lunch. Omelette, actually. Bought some provisions at the store earlier. Want some?’
    I drank down the whole glass of water. ‘Sure, I’d love it.’
    So she whisked up the eggs and cooked up the best cheese and herb omelette I’ve ever eaten, with good fresh bread and a nice salad, followed by fruit and chocolate. I ate like a horse, cos I was so hungry after that long walk. I love food, I have to tell you. All the different flavours. Textures. Colours. Patterns. I’m lucky I don’t put on weight easily, unlike Jess who’s always going on different diets and breaking them. I’d hate to have to go on a diet. I wouldn’t last two minutes. Just get bored to death.
    We talked a fair bit over lunch, Freddy and me. About the film shoot, mostly, and Marc Fleury, and a bit about Daniel and Gabriel (though only in relation to the film, I didn’t particularly want to talk about the rest). But I also told her about Mick, and what he did. She was really intrigued, said she’d read an article once about the work GEIPAN did.
    â€˜They’re totally kosher too,’ she said. ‘You can be sure your new friend’s not a fruitcake if he’s working for them. In fact he must be pretty smart. They don’t employ dumb-asses. Well, it sounds like you and your sister have sure met some great folks these last couple of days. Two days in the place and you’re already in the loop. I’m glad. I was worried you might get a bit bored here.’
    â€˜Oh, no, it’s not boring at all.’
    â€˜Good.’ She got up