“If you love him, you will remember that formula.”
Evelyn tried even harder, but she had no idea what she was looking for. She sank to her knees in despair. She couldn’t watch her father die.
“Let’s meet contestant number three.” Farez suggested. “Shall we?”
The guard revealed the identity of the third prisoner but Evelyn kept her eyes closed, thinking, striving, struggling with her memory. All she could see was Adam’s face. But then something began to come to her. Like a fog was slowly being lifted she saw a conversation between her and Adam. It was an urgent dialogue but she couldn’t understand what either of them was saying. She pulled an envelope from the inside pocket of her jacket and handed it to Adam. He nodded and opened it. Inside was a small piece of paper with something handwritten on it. She caught a glimpse, there were numbers and letters but she didn’t understand their meaning.
Farez interrupted her train of thought. “This one loves you.”
Evelyn opened her eyes. She cried out, “Rillian!”
He looked at her, but there was something different about him. A coldness in his eyes that she didn’t recognize.
Evelyn turned to Farez. “What have you done to him?”
“You did this to him.” Farez responded. “He tried to protect you and suffered for it. But you can save his life. Just remember.”
“I remember something. Numbers and letters. But it’s all jumbled together.”
Farez bent down close to her and held out the device that looked like a remote. “Repeat them to me.”
Evelyn repeated the numbers and letters as she saw them and Farez recorded everything. He stood up with a satisfied look. “Girl. You have done a great service to humanity.” He turned and gestured to the guard holding Rillian. “Kill him.”
Evelyn screamed as the bottom dropped out below Rillian. Farez reared his leg back and kicked Evelyn in the side of the head. “Shut up, girl!”
Her head smacked against the ground. She watched with a sideways view as her father and Rillian’s faces turned a grotesque shade of purple as the life was slowly being choked out of them.
One of the guards who had brought Evelyn to the courtyard approached Farez and whispered something into his ear. Farez responded with a wave of his hand.
“Check on it.”
The two guards exited the courtyard in a hurry. Her cheeks were wet but there were no more tears left to fall, all she had left was to do something. With no one watching her, she had an opportunity. She climbed to her knees and attempted to break free of the steel jacket. She gritted her teeth together and strained with all her strength. She saw the death of her mother and the shredded backs of her friends. She saw Everett’s family and Lana’s mother. And finally, she saw Adam walking away. She felt her body heating up from the inside out. She heard the sound of metal bending and the popping of rivets. She was gaining inches of movement in her arms. She closed her eyes and pushed harder.
“Ahhh!”
There was the scrape of metal being peeled apart. She managed to get one of her arms free. With her free hand she pulled at the rest of the casing. The metal bent under the strength of her fingers.
Farez turned to her, his mouth dropped open.
“Remarkable...But not enough.” He smirked and pressed a button on his remote, sending a charge of electricity surging through Evelyn’s body causing her to collapse to the ground and there she lay, exhausted and helpless.
Farez bent down beside her. She could smell his cologne.
“It’s been a real pleasure, girl.” He stroked her hair, softly. “I’m going to miss you.”
Suddenly a door opened behind him. Evelyn, unsure if she was hallucinating, watched as Adam entered the courtyard with Johanna Vue.
He pointed a gun at Farez. “Get the hell away from her.”
Farez stood up and turned around. “Ah the Senator’s son. Shouldn’t you be getting a massage or something?”
“We don’t have time for this.” Adam pulled the trigger and shot Farez. The commander fell to the ground holding his shoulder.
Gunfire erupted throughout the courtyard. Adam and Johanna took shelter behind a stone wall. Adam gestured to Johanna.
“You save those on the gallows. I’ll get Evelyn.”
He stood up and fired, hitting two of the guards firing at them from the gallows. With Adam’s cover fire, Johanna managed to flank the remaining guards and took them out with relative ease. She immediately went to work freeing Rillian and Evelyn’s father.
Adam sprinted to Evelyn, who was bleeding from the nose. “I’m sorry, Evelyn. This is all my fault.”
She didn’t respond, she just lifted her hand weakly and pointed. Adam turned to see Farez making an escape through an open door, still holding his bleeding shoulder.
“We’ll worry about him later.” Adam said as he pried the remaining piece of the vest off of her. “We only have a few minutes. We need to free your friends.”
He held out his hand and Evelyn took it. He pulled her to his feet.
“Adam!” Johanna yelled. “Evelyn’s father is too weak. He can barely stand up.”
Adam nodded and called back, “Stay with him and flag down the drop-ships when they arrive.” He turned to Evelyn. “Can you fight?”
She wasn’t sure but she nodded anyway. “Yes.”
Adam yelled back to Johanna. “Evelyn and I will free the others. We’ll be back.”
“Wait!” Adam and Evelyn both paused.
It was Rillian. “I’m going with you,” he said as he rubbed the red line across his neck.
“Are you sure?” Evelyn asked.
Rillian bent down and grabbed a gun from a dead guard. “Yes.”
Evelyn reached out and gave Rillian a hug, but he didn’t embrace her back.
Adam’s eyes narrowed on them with flit of jealousy. “Come on then. We don’t have much time.”
Rillian glared at Adam with mistrust, but Evelyn urged him to follow.
“Come on, Rillian.”
The two of them followed Adam as he led them through long corridors. The lights were dim and Adam explained that the prison was running on backup power since he deactivated the security system. They had to be careful since patches of the corridors were in near complete darkness. They crept from corridor to corridor until they reached the wing where Lana and the others were being kept. Strangely the doors were still shut.
“Damn.” Adam said. “They’re probably waiting for us on the other side and we’re so close.”
“We can take them out.” Rillian said.
“The problem is the door. Neither of us are strong enough to open it by hand.”
“I am.” Evelyn said, stepping forward. “I’ll get the door open, if you take out the guards.”
Adam and Rillian nodded in unison. Adam lifted his gun. “Alright Evelyn.”
Evelyn approached the door. She gripped the handle with both hands and braced her legs against the opposite wall. She strained with all her might and the door began to budge.
“A little more.” Adam said.
She strained some more and a gap formed large enough for a person to slide through. Before anyone else could act, Rillian raised his gun and slipped through the gap. The corridor on the other side of the door lit up with gunfire almost immediately. Adam followed Rillian and Evelyn followed him.
There were three guards down already but the rest had Rillian pinned around the corner of an adjoining hallway. The guards knew they would be coming and had taken positions in the empty cells lining the long corridor.
Adam fired at the guards and he and Evelyn rushed for cover behind the corner opposite of Rillian. Adam motioned to the hallway.
“There is a panel about halfway down this corridor. Inside is a manual override that will unlock all the cells. I need to get to it.”
“I’ll clear a path for you.” Rillian said from across the hall.
“Give me your gun, Adam.” Evelyn said. “I’m going to help.”
Adam handed her the gun. “You’re better with it than I am.”
The familiar fearlessness returned to Rillians eyes. “Stay behind me, Evelyn,” he said.
“I appreciate the gesture, Rillian,” She stepped out and took aim. “But I got this.”
She fired away as if she was back in the simulator at Arthur’s ranch. Rillian followed suit but he couldn’t get a shot off, Evelyn moved so fast. The corridor fell silent as they reached the panel.
RIllian stared at Evelyn with amazement. “Wow.”
Evelyn smirked. “I guess I am good at something.”
Adam broke up the momentary reprieve. He opened the panel and pressed his palm against a scanner. “When I pull this lever. All hell is going to break loose. Get to your friends and get out. Do you understand?”
They nodded and Adam pulled the lever. A bell rang and all the doors to the cells rattled open. “Go!” Adam commanded.
The three of them rushed to the cells. Evelyn found Lana’s. She was pail and weak. Evelyn helped her to her feet. “Come on Lana, your mother is waiting.”
Lana, still dazed, held onto Evelyn’s hand and followed her. Around another corner, they found Clive. He met them at the door of his cell. Evelyn waved her arm. “Come on Clive. We need to hurry.”
“What about Everett?”
Evelyn saw the still rope. She didn’t have the courage to tell him the truth. “He’s already outside.”
Clive nodded and followed after them. They met Rillian, who had an arm around Selena, helping her stand. Carlson and a group of SPC soldiers joined them followed by Adam, who was holding his nose.
“What happened?” Evelyn asked.
Adam nodded in the direction of Carlson. “He happened.”
Evelyn looked at Carlson.
“What?” Carlson asked. “He deserved it.”
“Is this everyone?” Rillian asked.
“I think so.” Clive answered.
“Come on then.” Adam said.
They followed Adam though the prison and his prediction had proved accurate. The place was in a riot. Despite the fighting between prisoners and guards and prisoners fighting other prisoners, Adam managed to lead them to the courtyard unscathed. There they found Johanna waiting with two drop-ships.
Johanna ran to Lana and squeezed her tightly, tears of joy and relief streamed down both their faces. The others rejoiced briefly as they quickly boarded the drop-ships. Adam grabbed Evelyn and led her to one of them. She scanned the ship.
“Where’s Rillian?” She asked. She called for him.
“I’m right here, Evelyn.”
She turned. Rillian was standing in the grass of the courtyard, downcast.
Evelyn gestured for him to get on board. “Come on, Rillian.”
“I can’t go with you, Evelyn.” He said coldly. “I learned something about myself while I was here. Do you remember that connection we felt when we were together?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that’s because we are from the same batch so to speak.”
Evelyn was perplexed. “What are you talking about?”
“The Moirai initiative.” He answered. “You aren’t the only clone, Evelyn.” He pointed to Adam. “He is and so am I. We were all just science projects, each given a purpose.”
“Jones.” Adam said. “He’s right, Evelyn. His name is Rillian Jones.”
Evelyn glanced back and forth between them, trying to wrap her mind around all of it.
“Do you want to know what happened to my parents?” Rillian asked. “He killed them. He tracked them down a few weeks ago and they were executed on live TV.”
Evelyn turned to Adam. “Is that true?”
Adam dropped his head. “Yes. But that was different. I didn’t know any of this.”
“It doesn’t matter. Your fate is sealed, as is mine. I’m just a soldier. I’m just supposed to fight and kill.” He raised his gun and pointed it at Adam. “And you gave me a reason.”
Adam held up a palm slowly. “I’m sorry.”
His words were too late. Rillian took the shot. The world seemed to slow down for Evelyn. She saw Rillian’s finger clamp down on the trigger. She heard the powder exploding like a crack of thunder and saw the bullet rifling out of the barrel. And in that instant, she knew her purpose. To protect the man she was born to love.
The bullet struck her in the center of the chest and burrowed through her ribcage and into her heart. She buckled over and crumpled to the ground. All went dark and all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat slowing to a stop. Th’dum…Th’dum…Th’dum… Then there was nothing but silence.
Chapter Forty-One
“Sara, there is something I want to ask you.”
Her dreamscape visitor had returned. They were sitting together, a soft breeze blew gently across the pristine water.
“What is it, Nicolai?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. She felt her body begin to warm, a surge of gladness. He opened it up, revealing a tiny white-gold ring with a sparkling diamond nestled inside. He dropped to his knee.
Her heart began to pound.
“Sara Renee Johnson,” he said with an adorable quiver, “Will you wake up?”
Evelyn awoke with a jolt to see Adam, hands bloody looking down at her as if he’d seen a miracle. Her entire body was tingling. She slowly looked down at her chest and watched as the last bit of her wound was covered in fresh skin. She climbed to her feet. No one was speaking.
She turned to Adam. “Are you alright?”
He placed a hand on his chest. “Me?”
A burst of anger bloomed inside her. “Where is he?”
Rillian’s voice came from behind her. “I’m right here, Evelyn.”
She turned to him. He was being restrained by Carlson and another SPC soldier. As soon as she laid eyes on him, another part of her took over. She grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up off the ground. He tried to speak but his words were choked by her fingers. He managed two words.
“Kill… me…”
She wanted to grant his request. She wanted to kill him for what he’d attempted to do to Adam. She squeezed harder, his face reddened.
“Evelyn don’t.” It was Adam. He placed a hand on her shoulder. “There’s been enough killing for one day.”
She peered into Rillian’s eyes. There was desperation but no fear. He was ready to die. He was prepared. But she couldn’t do it. She held him for a few seconds more, then slowly lowered him to the ground. He dropped to a knee gasping for breath as she turned and headed to the drop-ship.
Rillian reached for her. “Evelyn wait!”
Evelyn paused. She turned. A tear streaked down her cheek. One last tear for him. “Goodbye, Rillian.” And with those words, she joined the others on the drop-ship.
The engines roared and the air began to swirl around them. Evelyn grabbed onto a handgrip and steadied herself. Seconds later, the drop-ship was elevating off the courtyard grass.
Rillian stood motionless, the wind created from the drop-ship’s engines whipping his hair across his dark eyes. As the drop-ship ascended above the prison and pulled away, he finally yelled for them. “We’re connected, Evelyn! Connected!”
Evelyn didn’t respond back but her eyes lingered on him until he faded into the scenery. Even then, after all that had transpired, a part of her still loved him and that part grieved.
Adam walked up next to her, gazing pensively at the darkening landscape. “We’ve upset the balance, everything will be different now.”
Evelyn nodded slowly, still thinking of Rillian.
Adam added, “But I guess I ought to say thanks for saving my life again.”
Evelyn half smiled. “It’s what I do.” She took a deep breath and sighed, “Fate is cruel, isn’t it?”
“Yes it is,” Adam answered. “Yes it is.”
Adam’s curled his fingers into Evelyn’s. She leaned her head against his shoulder and they wat
ched as the world disappeared below.
THE END
Author Interview with S.C. McMurray
Question: First off, tell us a little about yourself.
S.C. McMurray: I’m a teacher by day and a superhero crime fighter by night. Oh! And I also write books.
Q: Like Batman?
S.C. McMurray: Yep! Aside from the money, fame, rugged good looks and actual crime fighting, we’re pretty much the same.
Q: What made you want to be an author?
S.C. McMurray: I want to be a famous.
Q: So you publish on Kindle?
S.C. McMurray: Gotta start somewhere, not everyone can be a dead gorilla or a loud mouthed politician.
Q: Okay? What else have you----
S.C. McMurray: -----Can I go back to the last question?
Q: Sure.
S.C. McMurray: I didn’t become an author so I can become famous. I did it because some drunk guy at a bar one night dared me to. I was like, “Hold my strawberry Daiquiri!” Speaking of, that was like two years ago. I wonder if he still has my drink.
Q: Is that the real reason?
S.C. McMurray: Not entirely. If you can’t tell already, I have an active imagination and I love storytelling. That’s something my three children inherited from me. Only their stories are WAY BETTER than mine. They have pirate unicorns and robot teachers. How do I compete with that?
Q: There is no competing with that. Moving on. What else have you written?
S.C. McMurray: Umm…I once wrote a love letter to my high school crush using my own blood-----
Q: ---No! Not that kind of stuff. What I meant is what other books have you written?
S.C. McMurray: Ohhh! Gotcha! Well, I have a zombie apocalypse novel called The Lonely Living. It’s like The Walking Dead with a young adult twist. It’s also available on Kindle.
Q: Is that it?
S.C. McMurray: Nope. The sequel to Ill-Fated will be available soon. There is a preview following this interview and I will probably publish more in the near future. I’ve written a few poems about young people gaining superpowers that I might turn into a small book called Super Hero Poetry as well.
Ill-Fated (Ill-Fated Series Book 1) Page 31