Stephan's gaze didn't waver. "You came into contact with someone on the other side?"
"Yes." I kept my gaze level with his. I did nothing wrong. I did not break one of his so called laws. I had nothing to fear. He thought I was his daughter. Surely he would not kill me.
"Then why are you alive?" His tone chilled my heart.
I could not think of a lie this time, so I went with the truth. "One of them entered the tunnel and he pressed a gun into my mouth and I pressed a gun under his chin. It was a draw. We agreed that we would both walk."
Stephan was not pleased with my answer. He walked closer and looked down on my four foot eleven frame. "Who walked away first?"
"Ad- the rebel guy." I almost blurted his name.
Again I was playing chess with this dark man. I needed to learn the rules in this game because I was getting lost. Stephan's midnight black hair had strands that escaped from his low ponytail. The frown lines around his mouth seemed to have deepened. His face and body language gave away nothing, but I could feel the rage pulsing off of him in waves.
"You should have shot him in the back."
I pressed my lips together. I was starting to feel hate for this man. I was not a murderer. I did not kill. I would not kill. I especially would not shoot someone whose back was facing me. Adam trusted me not to shoot him and for some reason that made me feel good. Like maybe he could sense the good in me. I was nothing like Evelyn. I could not betray someone.
Stephan lifted my chin with his hand. "Evelyn, before the bombing you had no problem taking a life. What is going on in that head of yours?" His voice was softer now.
I squeezed my hands into fists. Was this even my body? Did I have the hands of a cold, blooded murderer? My skin began to crawl. Realistically speaking, this could not be my body could it? The changes were too much. I was not even in the same time zone as before. What if Dr. Lynn was right? What if I died and woke up in her body. I knew many emotions were crossing my face, but I was too tired to try and hide them. "Maybe I am just tired." I whispered, looking away.
"Then rest." He led me back to the car and we drove away leaving the abandoned town.
I did not rest. I sat there, spine straight. If I ran away, I would probably get caught by people who hated Stephan. That was a sure bet. If I stayed with Stephan, I had a better chance of survival. I looked over at him. He was leaning back in his seat steering the wheel with his knees. His persona was relaxed. He did not have a care in the world. He was almost too calm. The rebel's just blew up his house, murdered his soldiers, yet here he was going about his daily life.
I picked at a hangnail on my finger and watched signs fly by. Every sign seemed different. I was trying to get an estimate of what state we were in. Or would have been in if the world didn't basically end. I wanted to ask. I don't think Stephan would like it very much if I asked.
I blurted out a random question. "Where is my mom? I mean I do not remember her or anything, but I have not once heard someone mention her."
I watched him put his hands on the steering wheel and grip it tight. Veins stuck out in his hands. If I thought what he felt was rage before, it was nothing compared to his emotions now. I seem have asked the wrong question. I have never seen him physically lose his cool before. Blow up one of his towers? Oh, that's fine. Murder his soldiers? Oh, that's fine too. Take his home away? Who cares? Bring up Evelyn's mom? The incredible hulk came out.
He spoke between clenched teeth. "Where is Dr. Lynn?"
Touché. I asked him a question he would not answer and he asked me a question I would not answer. I looked back out the window.
A few minutes went by before I talked again. "Where are we going?"
"To see your brother." His tone was curt.
Brother? Nobody said anything about Evelyn having a brother. I felt like I just dived head first into a trap. I did not ask about my so called brother.
We drove for five hours. No more stops after that empty town. We passed many abandoned cities. I never traveled much, so I still couldn't get a grasp on where we were. I looked around in astonishment when we reached a city that had population. People quickly scattered off the roads as we entered the populated streets. Everyone was so thin and frail. People were wearing rags for clothing. Beggars were on their knees praying. The stores appeared empty. I saw a couple of overturned shelves in some of them. I wondered what Stephan's plan was for these people.
They were miserable. I knew some of them must have been freezing. It was barely even fifty degrees outside. I got cold just by looking at them. I looked at my cotton shorts and shirt. It was messy and ripped, but I was still in better shape than them. Sorrow filled me. I had to close my eyes. I wanted to give every person a meal and a warm place to stay for the night.
After ten minutes of driving, there started to be less and less people on the road. The houses got nicer and some of the stores seemed to actually be up and running. The atmosphere quickly changed. People were even driving cars. The ones walking the street appeared to be in nice clothing. We drove by a park and I saw children playing, laughing, and crying. Mom's stood off to the side gossiping and watching their children with love.
My heart only warmed slightly at the sight. At least some people in this world still felt joy. I did not remember the last time I saw someone truly, genuinely laugh. I missed the sound. We pulled up to iron gates.
Stephan rolled down his window. A little red camera blinked at him. The black, iron gates slowly opened and we drove inside. This place looked like a mansion. I could tell it was not a home though. We were in a parking lot. Stephan parked outside the steps leading to the glass front doors and left the vehicle. I went to open my door and follow, but it was already being opened before I had time to get my seat belt off. A soldier stood there. His name tag read Kyle. I gave him a faint smile and pulled myself out of the car.
I watched Kyle attempt to focus on my face and not look at the blood covering my body. It made my lips twitch. The strength of a soldier. I thanked him and followed Stephan up the steps. Before we reached the doors, they were already being opened for us. More soldiers. Maybe we were in a military base. My feet slapped against the marble floors. A young lady was at a desk writing furiously on a piece of paper. Stephan quietly watched her.
She gasped, blue eyes wide once she noticed Stephan. Her cheeks turned bright pink and she immediately stood up. "I am so sorry, sir! I did not see you there!" She smoothed her hair back, making her tight, yellow bun look neat. Her name tag read Danielle. Danielle pushed her glasses further up her nose, not once acknowledging me.
Stephan gave her a warm smile. "It is quite all right. I need you to lead Evelyn to her suite for the evening. After she is done showering and getting dressed, bring her to the basement."
Danielle looked at me. Her blue eyes showed the dislike she felt for me. Evelyn had way more enemies than she did friends, huh?
"Of course." She smiled at Stephan's retreating back as he walked away. At top, this girl was twenty. What was she doing crushing on a man in his forties? I gave her a knowing look when she looked back at me.
"Hi." My tone was friendly. I wanted to be friendly. I wanted to make a friend. It gets tiring feeling alone.
She gave me a curt nod and started heading towards stairs. The atmosphere was tense when we got in the elevator. She hated me. Everything about her jerky movements told me so. I wonder what Evelyn did to her. How many people has she done wrong? How many things am I going to have to fix with people?
After Danielle led me to my bedroom of the night, like Stephan said, I quickly sought out the bathroom. I took a very long shower. I cleared my thoughts letting my sore muscles unwind. Vigorously, I scrubbed at my feet. I was more of a mess than I thought. I had dirt running down my face from tear streaks. Everyone would know that I have been crying now.
The shampoo and body wash was rosemary scented. It reminded me of Evelyn's bedroom at her house. She must have liked that scent. After I dried off, I stepped out into my
bedroom to see clothes laid across the bed. A black pencil skirt and a white button up silk blouse. Red pumps were on the floor.
I scoffed at it. Did someone really just pick out my clothing? I walked to the closet and opened in. Everything was business attire. What did Stephan bring me here for? To lock me in a cuticle and have me do paperwork? I slid the clothes on and made a loud whining noise when I put the shoes on. My feet had already had enough abuse.
I looked at myself in the mirror. My outfit was neat and put together giving me a professional look, but my unruly brown curly hair hung around my face like a lion. I ran my fingers through it a few times and shrugged. My face was a sickly pale color. I missed my tattoos and piercings. It gave me an edgy look for my short frame.
"Follow me," Danielle instructed, leading me back down the stairs.
She was wearing simple black flats, a long white pencil skirt and a black blouse. We were in opposite colors. I followed her down another set of stairs and paused mid-step. At the bottom, Seth stood there talking to Stephan. I had completely forgotten about him. He looked up at me while Stephan said something to him. He quirked an eyebrow when he saw my hair.
Self-consciously, I ran a hand through it. I didn't think it looked that bad. Where was Seth when everything fell apart? If he was Evelyn's fiancé, why did he not come to rescue her? Not that I am a damsel in distress or anything. Clearly I could take care of myself.
"Good evening, Seth." Danielle's voice was even warmer in Seth's presence.
Seth gave her a short nod, then looked at me with pure adoration. My step faltered. What was going on? He reached his arm out, tugged me to him, and rested his arm over my shoulder. He smelt like aftershave, mint, and masculinity. My spine went rigid. I wanted his arm off of me. Now. Stephan shot me a warning look.
Danielle said her goodbyes and walked up the steps. Her hips swayed back and forth. She was trying to catch both of their attention. For a girl who was not allowed to have sex until she is married, she sure was sexual. When Danielle disappeared out of sight, Seth let me out of his arms.
"What the hell was that?" I was angry. I did not give him permission to touch me, yet he touched me like he owned me.
Stephan unlocked the door we were standing outside of. "Did you forget that you are engaged?"
I never put much thought into how Seth was Evelyn's fiancé... Which made him my fiance. I looked at him. His eyes were unreadable. He was a closed book. I knew he would never let me flip any of his pages.
"Why are we engaged?" I inquired before Stephan could get the door open.
Stephan paused his movements. "It is a political move. When you are out in public you guys are to act like a happy couple excited for your wedding."
A political move? Stephan would give his daughters life away to a man like Seth for politics? What kind of father does that? The again, what kind of father expects his daughter to be a cold blooded murderer?
We went down stone stairs. It didn't take me long to realize where we were at. It was not a basement. This building was on a hill, so half of where we were was underground than the other half led outside at the bottom of the hill.
It was a jail cell. Soldiers stood post between every few cells. Some of the soldiers continuously walked back and forth. Why did Stephen bring me here? Seth's posture was relaxed as we followed Stephan down the lines of cells. I kept my eyes forward, not daring to look into any of them.
It smelt like sweat and fear in here. Tangy and dirty. Every soldier stood to attention when Stephan and Seth walked by. For some reason, that put me on edge.
Stephan stopped by a soldier with a short buzz cut. He was a huge burly man. His face said no-nonsense, but his brown eyes made me think of a sad puppy.
"At ease, Marcus." Marcus dropped his hand and didn't stand as straight, but you could tell his spine was a little rigid. Stephan looked back at me and nodded his head to the left. "Follow Seth. He knows where to take you." He watched me, the way a cat would watch a mouse.
I was being tested. I never passed a test that I didn't study for. I followed Seth without a backwards glance.
Chapter Six
When we were out of Stephan's eyesight, I felt something change within Seth. His movements were robotic. His face was a steel mask. He was forcing himself to have a blank expression. I could see the tension in his shoulders. I wanted to tell him it was going to be okay.
We stopped at a cell. Seth walked up to the iron bars and did not say anything. He just looked inside. I stood right by him and looked inside too. A young man with curly brown hair sat on the cement floor. Jail attire was odd here. They made them wear neon yellow long sleeves and pants. The fabric was thin. He had no shoes on. Bags were underneath his eyes. He looked exhausted. I wondered what he did to get in here.
The young man looked up at me. He had startling blue eyes. His pale skin made his eye color stand out. The void look in his eyes left the moment he noticed me. Hate took over. His face twisted into disgust. Shoving himself up from the floor, he walked over to the iron bars. He didn't even spare Seth a second glance.
"Why are you here, Evelyn?" He spat my name.
I bit my lower lip. Another enemy of Evelyn's. "I am not sure," I whispered, looking down.
He gave a quick, short laugh. "Did you come to rub it in my face? That I am locked in here, imprisoned, while you are out roaming free?” His tone was bitter. If I didn't know any better, I would say he was hurt, but masking it with anger.
I stared at the prisoner, absorbing all his hate. Why would Stephan bring me here? What was his game plan? Tugging on the ends of my hair, I looked down. I didn’t want to talk to this sad man. I looked back up at him with remorse filling my eyes.
"It's going to be okay." I don’t know why I told him that, but I did. Pity filled my voice. He looked like such a good person. For all I knew, he was in here for breaking one of Stephan's strict laws. Like owning a history documentation.
The young man bared his teeth at me in anger. "It is not going to be okay. It will never be okay. Our father is keeping me in here until the day I die. Don't pull that sweet, innocent bull with me. It's your fault I am in here! You were the one that turned me in! You were the one that ratted me out for siding with the rebels! I should have known you would betray me after I trusted you!" His voice was so loud it bounced off of all the walls and made me cringe.
Something clicked in my brain in that moment. This was Evelyn's brother. He looked like an older more tired version of us. Did she turn him in? How could a girl turn her own brother in to be imprisoned? He is in here for joining a different side than his father. I really needed to study the laws here. Guilt clawed at my heart. He thought he was peering into his sister’s eyes, but he was looking into my eyes. Me. Brianna.
I did not say another word. I tugged on Seth's sleeve. Seth and Evelyn's brother shared a look. It was a quick fleeting look. Seth and I turned and started to head back the way we came. Something else was going on here. Were they friends before? If I wasn't so used to watching people's facial expressions, I would have missed the look.
Seth led me back up the stairs. I looked around for Stephan, but he was nowhere in sight. When we walked past a couple of soldiers all standing around and talking, Seth put my hand around his arm. Instinct was to pull away. Seth must have known that because he kept his hand over mine, preventing me from pulling away. Seth gave a curt nod to the soldiers who all stopped talking and watched us walk by.
“I need to tell you something,” I whispered.
Seth looked down at me, dark eyes sad. I’m not sure why, but I just wanted to make him smile. I knew he would be beautiful if he would just smile.
“I am officially five foot with these heels on. Don’t mess with me. I can smoosh you like a bug now.”
His lips quirked, but a smile did not break out across his face. Seth was a sad man.
Later that evening, when I was lying in bed, I could not sleep. Everybody that Evelyn did wrong kept flashing through my mind. How
many people has she murdered? How many families did she ruin and tear apart? I was stuck here, in this life and in this body. I wanted to right all her wrongs. I wanted to heal the people she wounded.
I sat up in bed. Whenever I set my mind to something, I had to go through with it. And right now I wanted to right her wrongs. Starting with her brother. He was in there because he joined the rebels. He wasn’t in there for breaking a huge law... Well, he wasn’t in there for breaking a law that I thought was huge. Freedom was a good thing, not a bad thing. Stephan didn’t live in a time where there was peace and freedom.
I gnawed on my lower lip, knowing what I had to do. Once I started on this path, there would be no turning around. I rubbed my temples, contemplating all of my risks. I had so many things to lose, yet nothing to lose at the same time.
The decision was made before I even thought it was made. In a moment’s notice, I was out of bed and changing my clothes. I decided on a black, simple business dress and black flats. I did not want anyone to hear me coming. Right now was one of those moments where I wished she owned jeans. This life would be easier if I was wearing jeans.
Quietly, I slid out of my room. I needed to take on Evelyn's demeanor. I was going to get questioned, but if I acted as harsh as her, I bet the questions would stop me. I headed straight for the jail cells. A soldier was standing outside of the door. I stopped in front of him, but he did not move.
"Out of my way," I commanded, looking straight forward.
"You have no business down there." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down on me.
I mimicked his movements and cocked my hip. "My brother is down there."
The soldier lifted both of his eyebrows. "Yes, I know."
"I am going to see him." Duh rang in my tone.
"You do not have the authorization." He was not budging.
I gave a quick, short laugh. "Authorization, oh my, you sure are a funny one. Okay, let me just go upstairs and wake my father up to get the authorization. Matter of fact, why don’t I make him come downstairs to explain to you that I do not need authorization to walk through a wooden door. Daddy will be so pleased with you." I shook my head and began to walk away.
Revolutionary Love (The Revolution Series Book 1) Page 5