EVO Shift: EVO Nation Series: Book Two

by Chapman, K. J

  I shrug. “Whatever.”

  Lizzie watches me for a moment, and then hands me a green paper file. “I think you’ll be interested in this.”

  I take it, skimming through pages of names. Name after name after name, and then I see it- Adam Lovick. I continue flicking through until I find all their names. “You’ve found them?” I ask Lizzie, incredulously.

  “Yes and no,” she says. “That list is from four days ago. There are four hundred and nine names. In the last four days another twenty-five detainees were signed into that centre. She hands me a second green file. “Yesterday, thirty-one low grade EVO were either transferred or registered and released. That should make the tally four hundred and three in that detention centre, but I have personally counted every name on that list and there are only four hundred and two. I’ll give you one guess of whose name is missing from the second list.”

  “Adam’s,” I say, deflated. “So, where is he?”

  “I generally don’t like to make assumptions, but given the evidence we have collected, he is still there, but in full security isolation. They will keep any inhumane treatment highly classified.”

  “Inhumane treatment?

  “Yes. There has been reports of torture; sensory deprivation, pharmacological interrogation, flogging, water boarding—”

  “Whoa, Miss Cheerful. We get the picture,” Jude interrupts. He turns to me. “Adam’s been through worse. You linked with him, so you know he’s holding up.”

  I frantically scour the pages for a location, but there is nothing. “Where is the centre?” I ask Grayson.

  “We will divulge the location once we have decided on a course of action,” Grayson adds.

  “Like hell you will. Tell me the location- now,” I snap.

  “This is only for your safety and maintaining the integrity of our objective.”

  Leoni rounds on Grayson, forcing him to retreat behind the desk. “You heard the girl.”

  “Leoni, do you seriously think you can singlehandedly break into a military detention centre, locate and release detainees, and escape with your life? You will endanger your son more so if you do not act wisely.”

  “She won’t be single handed,” I retort.

  “We advise against this. Syndicate—”

  “Screw Syndicate. How many times do I have to say it? When will you people learn that I don’t care about your little club? I only care about my boyfriend and my friends. I’m going to get them with or without your help.”

  Grayson sighs in frustration. “Just hear me out, Teddie.”

  “Only if you give me the location.”

  I dip into Grayson’s thoughts. The thoughts of everyone in the building, and god knows how far away, sound in my mind. I fight the urge to faint.

  Grayson shakes his head in discomfort, but I briefly glimpse the image of a map, with a red circle on it. He keeps that map in his desk.

  “Did you try to read me? Teddie, that’s a violation of my trust. You can’t—”

  “Oh, give me a break. There isn’t trust between us. I don’t know you any more than I knew Isaac.”

  “Okay, Lara Croft,” laughs Kesh. “Listen for five minutes before you go Rambo on us. Lizzie has been given a place on Towley’s team of sciency peeps.”

  “Deputy Researcher,” Lizzie interrupts.

  “Basically, she has an in that we need to exploit. We can get the proof we need that Towley is torturing EVO and testing on kids. We can show the world the truth- the real truth.”

  “Isaac already did that and look how that turned out,” I say.

  “True, but who was it that created Isaac?” Grayson interrupts. “Isaac gave Towley the excuse he needed. The public now believe that the mean, scary EVO that need controlling are being reasonably punished for the protection of the nation. But we cannot just muscle our way into detention centres without seemingly offering more truth to that ridiculous claim. Syndicate needs to keep our hands clean, so we can offer protection to both the EVO and Non-EVO caught up in this war, and potentially come out the other side with some kind of foothold in society. We must maintain trust.” I go to protest, but he holds a hand in my face. “However, there is another group who are older than both Syndicate and E.N.C; a group that you are bound to by blood.”

  “She is not bound,” Jude snaps. “And this group haven’t any connection to the original or to my father. They’re a bunch of kids running around with an old concept and new misconceptions.”

  “What group is this?” I ask.

  Leoni hands me a gold band ring. It has been engraved with an ‘S’ made to look like a strand of D.N.A. “This is a membership ring for Shift. Shift was a group of EVO who had similar ideologies to Syndicate. We were looking at ways to out EVO into mainstream society with minimal damage. We were anonymous; I didn’t even know the other member’s names- only the leader- your grandfather, Rafe Lloyd.”

  “My grandfather?”

  Jude tucks his hands into his pockets. “Shift did nothing except get its members killed. Don’t deny that, Leoni. Your husband died because of your connection to my father, didn’t he?”

  Leoni squares up to him. “What would you know about it? You didn’t stick around for long, did you? He told me everything, Jude. You broke his heart when you swanned off to join the E.N.C. What was it that enticed you… money… power?”

  “Why I joined is none of your business. Anyway, the point is that Teddie has no obligation to Shift, or to you,” he says, turning to Grayson.

  “What is it you want from me exactly?” I ask.

  “We want you to find Shift. You and Kesh in particular. Kesh can listen out for any talk of Shift activity. You have the ability to find them and bring them to us. We have a proposition for them; one that keeps everyone happy and ensures we’re all on the same team.”

  “I’m doing nothing for you until Adam and my friends are safe.”

  “Teddie, you will be captured and suffer the same fate as the friends you want to save. What good will that do? Shift are your best hope at getting into a detention centre of that security. At the very least, let Lizzie get started, she is Adam’s best chance at survival. Just give her one day, two tops.”

  I laugh a slightly hysterical laugh. “I won’t leave him suffering for another two days!”

  Leoni places a restraining hand on my chest, and then turns to Grayson. “If we agree to wait, Adam’s immediate extraction must be priority in the plan.”

  “No, Leoni. They’re hurting him. We can’t wait any longer.”

  Grayson ignores me and thanks Leoni.

  My stomach swoops at the thought of Adam being tortured for another two days. “How can you agree to this? Never mind, I’ll go alone.”

  I barge Grayson out of the way, but Jude steps between me and the door.

  “You’re not going anywhere.”

  “Get out of my way,” I tell him. He shakes his head, stepping toward me, but I hold my ground. “You can’t do anything to stop me going.” Grayson grabs my arm, and a cuff is clipped onto my wrist. “What is this? What are you doing? Get this thing off of me.”

  “This is for your own good, Princess.” says Jude, helping Grayson restrain me.

  “She remains locked in her room with someone outside at all times,” Grayson tells him.

  “Hey, this isn’t us, Grayson,” Kesh protests. “When did we start imprisoning people?”

  “She will jeopardise not only her life, but the lives of those in that centre. Not to mention our objective. When we make contact with Shift she can join them if she wishes, but until then she acts under my lead.”

  I struggle in his arms, screaming like a feral cat, and I kick my legs up, meeting Jude’s chest. He staggers backwards, but grips my ankles. My stitches smart from the effort and I’m sure I’ve popped a couple.

  “She’s going to injure herself further,” Ingrid says. “Take it easy on her.”

  I look to Grayson. “You’re a coward. Syndicate is full of cowards. Pas
sive aggression never works. You need to be aggressive for yourself,” I scream at him as I’m dragged from the room. “How can you expect other people to do your dirty work for you? Now is your chance to prove that Syndicate can be strong, that you can really make a difference and keep people safe. Help the people in that centre.”

  “Scaring people is the E.N.C’s game not ours,” Kesh replies.

  “You can have strength and mercy.”

  “Like you had when you killed Isaac?” Grayson asks.

  That was a low blow, but a true one, and probably why I feel physically punched in the guts.

  “We’ve got the wrong girl,” Grayson says, shaking his head. The disappointment in his eyes only serves to fuel my anger.

  “Finally, he sees the truth,” I shriek at him.

  “Stop acting like such a brat,” Jude hisses, helping him to manhandle me to my room.

  “Why are you doing this?” I bawl at him.

  “Your Dad would have done the same thing, and you know it. I won’t let you kill yourself. Let Grayson make his moves. You can’t see the big picture, Princess. You’re blinded.”

  They drop me on the bed and retreat to the door. I won’t let them lock me away. I squeeze in the crack of the door, wrenching it open and sending pain through my chest wound. Jude raises a hand, sliding me back into the wall with the invisible force of his telekinesis. The wind is knocked clean out of my lungs, and I roll on the floor gasping for breath.

  “I’m sorry, Princess” he says, closing the door. The sound of the key turning in the lock, and the clunk of the padlock echoes through the bare room.

  I charge the door again, hammering my fists against the wood. “What are you getting out of this, huh? Jude Lloyd doesn’t strike me as a good Samaritan. What next? Do you seriously think this peace thing is realistic? You may as well hold hands around a tree and sing Kumbaya for all the good it will do. Make a stand now, and show them that Syndicate aren’t just talk. They’re your friends too, Jude. I won’t let them die! You know what it feels like to lose the person you love, and if I lose Adam I will never forgive you- NEVER!”

  I’m not sure if he is still there or not. I hope he is. I hope he can hear my crying and screams, and the thuds as I pummel my knuckles bloody. I hope he can hear it all and that it turns his guts. I won’t stop. I won’t give up on Adam and the others.

  ***

  The tantrum was fruitless. It did nothing other than tire me and leave my knuckles swollen and split. I pace. It’s all I can do to stop me from going insane. I’ve run over every possible escape scenario, but I can’t pull anything off with the cuff on my wrist. I scream in frustration as I move from the window to the door from the window to the door.

  My wrists are already raw from the restraints and my obvious struggle during manipulation. The cuffed wrist bleeds now. It’s kind of loose and I’ve tried to remove it, but I’m scared to force it in case it sets off the sedation needle. If I tilt the cuff to the light, I can make out the dark hole where the tiny needle sits ready and poised to inject me at the slightest provocation. But what if I can hold it in place? Adrenaline shoots through me. What if I use my telekinesis, but use it to hold the needle in place and counteract the cuffs sole purpose? Could it actually work? The worst case scenario is sedation and Jude’s smug expression.

  I pull the cuff away from my skin as far as possible. I feel better if I can see the hole. I need to be fast, so I take a deep breath, visualise the needle, and direct my telekinesis. It’s holding. I must maintain the hold and work my hand free. I pull the cuff as hard as I can. My thumb twinges as the metal forces it. There is only one thing for it. I can’t blast the cuff for fear of crushing my wrist in the process, so dislocation it is.

  Biting on my lip, I force the cuff further over the joint. I feel the thumb slip, and then a raging pain as it pops out of joint. I gasp, fighting down a cry, but through sheer will I maintain my telekinesis until the cuff bangs off the floor boards.

  I fall to my knees, cradling my hand. I lean forward and bile surges into my throat. ‘Come on, Teddie. You’ve been shot and stabbed. Perspective... perspective,’ I tell myself. I pull the thumb out hard and push against the palm with my other thumb. The joint moves back into place, and this time I do cry out. The pain only lasts a second, and I gingerly circle my thumb as an instant relief floods my body.

  I can’t use my telepathy to see who is guarding the door. I will only alert them, and no doubt, everyone else in the building that I have removed the cuff. I curse my lack of control where my telepathy is concerned. First Tess, and now Leoni, has seen fit to give me a strength of power that downright scares me.

  I rush back to the window. The glass is easy enough to deal with, but the bars on the outside require telekinetic force; force is something I have to my advantage. Using my good arm, I hoist myself up onto the ledge and lift the window pane. The bars have seen better days, but will still require a little effort. I have to be fast after the initial blast. I must lower myself to the ground and get away from the warehouse without being seen or caught.

  The door swings open and Grayson and Jude eye me with bemusement and a little admiration. There’s nothing to do but jump down from the sill and admit defeat

  “Quite the Houdini,” Grayson says, smiling. “How’d you get the cuff off?”

  I don’t bother to reply. I just hold up my cut and swollen hand.

  “That’s just gross, and not to mention unnecessary,” Kesh says, stepping into the room. Leoni and Cooper appear behind him, dressed in black, and armed with big ass guns. “Get yourself ready.”

  Jude hands me a thick, oversized jumper, kind of like the ones fishermen wear. It’s scratchy, but warm. I can feel the chill in the air seeping through the door. “Do you still want to check out the centre?” he asks.

  “Can I go? Seriously?” I ask, adrenaline spurring me into action.

  “Check it out only,” Grayson adds. “Check it out and report back to Syndicate. You will not take action, Teddie. Do not put others in danger.”

  “Checking it out is better than sitting in here wondering,” I say, heading for the door. If I need to take action, then so be it.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  We approach a narrow track cut into a hedge and Kesh pulls over.

  Leoni leans between the chairs. “I know you have a hard time with it, but you need to read the area.”

  “I can’t. I don’t know how to work this stupid telepathy any longer. Your un-manipulation has screwed me up.”

  She puts her hand on my shoulder. “No excuses. Reach out.”

  I take a composing breath and let my telepathy loose. It feels like I’m setting a caged animal free. It leaves my mind with such uninhibited ferocity. I instantly hear Kesh’s, Cooper’s, and Leoni’s thoughts, but three is manageable. I can kind of discern who is who- kind of. There is nothing else for as far as I can read.

  I pull my telepathy back, gasping and gagging from the effort. “Just you three.”

  “Nothing else?” asks Leoni. “We should be within a mile if Lizzie’s coordinates were right. Twenty miles north of HQ she told me, the first road after the dairy farm. You don’t reckon she...”

  I shake my head. “I tried to read her as soon as I met her. After all, she is a Roscoe by blood. She’s legit.”

  “Maybe we need to be closer?” Kesh adds.

  “No, Teddie can read at this distance. Something isn’t right.”

  Kesh turns off the engine and gets out, moving his chair forward to let Leoni and Cooper exit. I begrudgingly step into the freezing temperatures and damp mist that is seeping in around us.

  “We should walk from here. We’ll stick to the trees and we only observe for the moment, okay Rambo?” Kesh says, giving me a pointed look. He pulls two rucksacks from the boot and hands one to Leoni.

  We trudge across the frozen mulch under cover of the trees. I hold my bad arm across my torso in an attempt to quench the gnawing ache that eats at my wound. The cold m
akes it ten times worse.

  “I know why Leoni is here, but how come you two agreed to this?” I ask Kesh and Cooper.

  “We volunteered,” says Kesh, scanning the area.

  “He knew what you said was right,” Leoni interrupts. “Syndicate need to prove themselves, but all they want to do is cower behind a ghost organisation. What happens if you don’t find Shift, hey? Will Syndicate step up?”

  Kesh purses his lips. “We know Shift exists. We know that they’re raiding fight houses and have been successful so far. But we also know that the EVO they’re rescuing have nowhere to turn. Many are ending up on the streets, some are recaptured within days. Syndicate needs support and Grayson will openly admit that. We have our flaws and Shift have theirs, but together we could really make a difference. I volunteered to keep you two in check.”

  I try not to laugh at his last comment. “And you?” I ask Cooper.

  He shrugs. “Syndicate haven’t proven themselves to me. I’m not saying that you have, but Jude has gone cuckoo. First and foremost, we save our own. Nothing else comes in to it. Jude has got you to worry about. He’s so hell bent on keeping you safe that he’s acting like a twat. Well, more of a twat than usual.”

  “I’m surprised Jude isn’t here smothering me,” I say.

  Leoni smiles to herself. “Grayson forbade it. Jude is your reason to return to headquarters.”

  Kesh raises an arm to silence us, pointing toward a metal port cabin at the edge of the road. The door is open and the inside is bare except for a metal chair and a no smoking sign. We look to each other, but don’t voice our thoughts.

  A little further down the lane, metal barricades lie abandoned in a ditch. The signs read- ‘Military Training Site. Authorised Personnel Only.’ Why are the barricades not in place? They’ve been strewn at the side of the lane like rubbish.

  Before I realise what I am doing, I’m sprinting up the lane. Leoni and Cooper run behind me, Cooper coaxing me to stop. More barricades and another port cabin sit forgotten up ahead. I don’t stop because I know they’re empty. The road widens and the woods rise up an embankment. I use my hands to scramble up the loose earth, until I breach the top and look down over the detention centre below.