The reporter grabs his arm, almost whipping him off of his feet. “Can you tell us more about—”
“I’m EVO. We’re all EVO. I need to get away from here,” the man shouts, trying to free himself. “This is a flush. The E.N.C have been protecting us here. The government bombed the building to flush us out. There are children inside. There are kids in there, and they still bombed us! Let me go!” He frees himself and races off between buildings.
The reporter just stares at the camera. “It appears this is a government orchestrated attack against EVO. We do not have facts, but… hell, I don’t know what this is.” He pushes the camera aside. “Come on, man. Let’s get out of here.”
My hands shake as I close the file, spotting others on the desktop. I click on the next one and almost drop the laptop as a loud, screaming face fills the screen.
“The E.N.C have bombed us,” cries a woman who is missing her right ear. “EVO bastards. My husband is dead! They killed my husband.”
“What are your opinions on reports that this attack was in retaliation to the government flush on an E.N.C safe house?” asks a young, female reporter.
“I say that they all should be wiped from the face of the earth. They are freaks! Animals! God did not create these people… the devil did!”
A paramedic guides the injured woman away and tells the reporter to clear the area. Another woman, not physically hurt, but clearly shaken, stumbles away from the rubble.
“Excuse me, Ma’am. Do you have anything to say in light of today’s events?”
The woman looks at the reporter in a daze. “When will this end? Somebody needs to make this end.”
I close the file and open more and more. Some mention more government raids or E.N.C attacks. Some are newspaper and broadcast reports. All relate to attacks, bombings, execution style deaths, and sheer horror. One in particular catches my attention, and Towley’s face stares up at me from the screen. My breath catches, but I push the stupid fear back down inside. The longer I lock it away, the more chance it has to turn into strength. Or so I like to hope.
I click on the file, and he suddenly animates. The rolling headline reads ‘No Mercy Approach to Unprecedented Threat.’ An ominous feeling settles like a lead weight in the pit of my stomach. Towley clasps his hands in front of him and rises on the balls of his feet. His voice makes my skin crawl.
“The current situation has called for drastic action. Theyda Woodman’s suicide that claimed thirty-two innocent lives has only escalated the negative response from the EVO kind. Her death has not only spurred on further attacks, but has rallied not only the E.N.C, but various EVO organisations throughout the country. The E.N.C has claimed eleven attacks against Non-EVO since Woodman’s death, and we can only respond in kind at this point. We, the government and protectors of Great Britain, will ensure that this war ends in favour of the innocent. We will do whatever it takes. We advise all citizens to follow curfew, and for all EVO to be registered and detained within the safety of our centres until further notice. Martial law remains instated for public safety. Information regarding unregistered EVO can be called into the hotline.”
I slam the laptop shut. There is so much hate and violence from both sides. My brain hurts just trying to comprehend how many have died, or are now imprisoned or in hiding. Great Britain has been reshaped, and the rest of the world will surely follow. I don’t even care that the ignorant believe me to be a terrorist, I just feel pity for the people caught in the middle of the fighting, the people who are just trying to survive either way.
CHAPTER THREE
Rafe sits in the lounge area, drumming his fingers on the coffee table and clearly lost in thought. He stands as soon as I enter, helping me into the armchair.
“So many people are dying,” I whisper.
“The situation has gotten worse, Kiddo. That’s why we need to tread lightly… wisely. The country has broken, and Towley has used it to his advantage. Everything has changed, starting with the government—”
“What do you mean- the government?”
He pinches the bridge of his nose in exhaustion. “EVO ministers were being targeted. Many fled, some were attacked, some have been imprisoned. The system fell apart. The Prime Minister was attacked and murdered by EVO, and Towley filled his boots.”
My blood runs cold. It’s one thing him being Chief of the General Staff, but Prime Minister… He can’t be in charge of the whole country. “How can he do that? There must be systems in place? The deputy Prime Minister…”
Rafe’s lips form a tight line. “He was EVO. The government was in tatters, but Towley reined it in. It was perfect actually. He got to swoop in, save the day, and rebuild his own government from the remaining Non-EVO ministers. I bet he’s rubbing his hands together as we speak.”
“You let him live. You could have killed him on the cliffs, but you said you had a use for him.”
Rafe steepled his fingers under his chin. “We need to allow him to continue with this propaganda, let him spin his web of lies and dig his own grave. Then, you return – the face of the rebellion - and crush every lie he has spat at the country. If I killed him that day, it would just have been another nail in the EVO coffin.”
I can’t catch my breath properly. “You were right,” I whisper. “There is no going back. We have to fight our way out of this. I need to go back to Adam, to Jude, to my friends.”
Rafe takes my face in his hands, inhaling deeply through his nose to calm me. “You can’t go back, yet. Not only is it dangerous for Syndicate, we can’t risk your exposure just now. Towley and his government have exploited your death to their own end. Your time will come, but we need to prepare you for it. If we had stuck to the original plan, it would have been only a matter of time before he would have located you. We would have had to have acted much sooner and with less preparation. This way, we stand a real chance at winning this thing. We are contained here, safe here.”
“I get that, and I get what you’re trying to achieve, but if you think that I’ll just turn my back on Adam, on Jude and my friends, then you’re deluded. Adam may be of no significance to you—”
Rafe holds up his hand. “I said he is no longer of significance to me as a Shift member. That’s not to say that I’m not tracking Adam and Leoni.”
“What do you mean tracking them? Are they not at Syndicate’s base?”
Rafe grins a little. “No, in fact, I think you’ll be impressed with what I have discovered.”
He takes a paper file from the table and hands me photographs of an aerial shot of a large base. Military vehicles and tents occupy an entire field. There are many people dotted around. Some appear to be in uniform.
“Is this military?”
“Yes and no. These folks are military, but they’re not Towley’s minions. They’re EVO, and not only that… they’re TORO. It appears they’re banding together and waging their own war.”
“Who is recruiting them? Someone must be in charge.”
Rafe hands me a second photo, a zoomed in, slightly unfocussed shot of a group of people. Some still wear their TORO uniform. The head of the group, clearly animated in discussion is Adam. Stood beside him is Leoni.
“It appears your boyfriend is a resourceful man. A little less than three weeks and he has quite a set up.”
I run my finger over the picture. “This is Adam’s doing?”
Rafe sits back, folding his hands behind his head. “He’s fighting back, Kiddo. He’s planning to fight Towley with his own weapons. It’s poetic really. I need him on board.”
“How close are you to finding him?”
Rafe shifts uneasily. “After my Techs found this picture, he managed to elude us. He has made good use of Technokins and Cloakers. However, I have a good feeling we’re catching up. We have some of the best Technokins in the country, and if anyone can track him, they can. I reckon we could make contact within as little as two weeks.”
I can’t help the smile that stretches the width of
my face, but this only seems to anger Rafe. His lips purse just like Jude’s when he is angry, and he shakes his head in exasperation.
“You can get hopes for a quick reunion out of your head. You will not be accompanying the team on the initial meeting. I am only risking the safety of the team because the union between Shift and Adam’s group is beneficial to the cause. You are in no condition to be travelling anywhere, let alone on a covert mission. A hindrance is not what we need.”
“Two weeks is plenty of time. I can be fighting fit. I will be an asset.”
“Physically perhaps, but emotionally? Your connection to Adam could jeopardise the whole mission and the lives of every one of mine and his people. No, you will stay here.”
“You can’t stop me—”
“Enough!” He slams his hand down on the table. “Hear me out before running your mouth. It may take a little while to sort the logistics, but I am inviting Adam to bring his group here. We have a combat field that will provide the perfect location for them to set up camp, and we can move the training equipment to the field adjacent. We will need Illusionists, Cloakers, and Technokins working around the clock to conceal them, but I believe it can be done. You will not be accompanying us to any meetings, because I shall not be divulging any details about your association with Shift. Adam must want to make an alliance with Shift based on his need to end this war, not his relationship with you. The foundations between him and I have to be stronger than that. Once he and his people are safely within our perimeters, then you will get your big reunion. Do you think you can deal with that?”
“You’re not even going to tell him that I am alive.”
“Eventually, when it is of benefit to my organisation.”
I shake my head in disgust. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m you with forty-five more years of experience, so you’re going to do as I say. We don’t know each other, and I hope to rectify that, but first and foremost, my priority is your safety and the safety of my people. It’s my way or the highway for the time being, Kiddo.”
For a moment, we just stare at each other. Both of us wanting to break the other, but Rafe ultimately winning. I am cut from the same cloth, and it seems we might continue to be at logger heads because of it.
He leans forward on the desk, face softening a little. “This has got to be hard for you, and I wish to whoever is up there listening that you weren’t involved in all of this, but you are up to your neck, slap bang in the centre. I know that you have Lloyd blood running in your veins, and you can’t and won’t shy away from whatever it is that you need to do to end this thing. I know that, because you are my granddaughter. When I look in your eyes and hear tales from Crow, Bo and the others, I can see myself in you and I’m damn proud of that. You don’t have to like me to know that I am doing what is best for you in the long run. I will prepare you for what’s to come, Kiddo. I swear my life on it, but you’ve got to meet me in the middle.”
The weight of his words crashes on me like a tsunami, and I struggle to fight back sobs. “To say there is a middle, is to say there is an end. I’ve seen that footage and I don’t see an end.”
“There will be an end. You can be sure that either way, there will be an end. I know that you want to be a part of that end, an end where we can live freely, an end where your family and friends have not died in vain. Stop with the whinging and whining and become proactive in helping me to end this war.”
“Proactive how?”
“By becoming the best EVO you can be.”
“And you will keep searching for Adam?” Rafe offers a curt nod, and I take a deep inhale. “Okay.”
“I’ll take an okay,” he replies.
***
I dress in jeans, boots, and one of Rafe’s loose, white shirts. Two days have passed since my agreeing to my part in Shift’s ‘bigger picture’. Dr Untrustworthy wouldn’t give me the all clear to train with Rafe and the others, so Rafe had me remain in his quarters until Jonah gave the nod. Rafe actually meant for me to stay put until he tells me that I can wander. He’s still worried I will leave. He doesn’t say as much, but I can sense it. Well, it just so happens that before he left, Jonah begrudgingly said that I could do some light combat, so I darted out of my room before he could speak to my grandfather.
Rafe left the main door ajar, so Darcy could come and go as he pleased. He mostly hangs around me, and only heads out when he needs to relieve himself. I need to follow suit and relieve myself of this boredom. I limp down the corridor and peer around the doorway. The foyer area is fairly busy. Bite the bullet, Teddie. I step onto the stairs, closing the door behind me. The sound catches the attention of the people busying to and fro. I ignore them and descend the stairs with Darcy plastered against my leg.
I skirt around the expectant faces, offering a quick smile and nothing more. The office door is shut, but I’m not bothered. I want a chance to explore this place without an over enthusiastic guide, or to have Rafe order me back upstairs.
Coco appears, carrying a large pile of laundry. She spots me and raises an eyebrow. “Why do you look like you’re up to no good, Cub?”
“What is through those doors over there?” I ask, redirecting the conversation.
She readjusts her grip on the laundry, stares at me for a moment, and then smiles. “If you go through those doors and down the stairs, you’ll get to the training rooms.” She eyes me for a moment longer, resting the stack of laundry on her lifted knee. “How are you doing?”
“I’m going out of my mind with boredom.”
“Okay, once I’ve dropped these off, I’ll take you on the tour.”
“Thank you,” I say, taking half the stack from her. “Lead the way.”
She happily lets me help her, even though my body quietly protests against it.
The laundry room is simplistic and clean. Stainless steel machines are everywhere you look and gleam so I can see my face in them. I have been avoiding mirrors, and my reflection has just reminded me why. The scar that runs through my eyebrow and onto my cheek pales in comparison to the bruising and swelling sustained from Towley’s attack.
Coco thanks the people working in the laundry and leads me back into the corridor.
“Do all members have jobs?” I ask.
“No, the members with the strongest, attack abilities train all day, and some go out on missions, scavenging for food supplies, weapons. The rest have jobs. Sometimes, it’s manual labour like laundry or housekeeping, but it keeps the place ticking over. Sometimes, it’s surveillance and the such.” Coco steers me clear of a group of people milling around the foyer. “You won’t have to take a job. Rafe will have you training non-stop.”
The people in the foyer eye us as we chat and walk. They all seem wary of approaching me. I don’t know why, but I’m grateful all the same. Coco props the double doors open, allowing me to pass. The metal staircase is steep and I groan in my throat.
“Urgh, stairs,” I say, feigning a laugh. “Going down is alright, it’s the coming up that does me in.”
Coco eyes me warily and links her arm through mine. “Has Rafe said you’re ready to be up and about on your own?”
I shrug off her suspicion. “I’m not on my own. I’m with you.”
She laughs. “He said you’d be a pebble in his shoe, but he is proud of you, Cub. Anyone can see it and hear it in the way he talks about you.”
“He doesn’t know me.”
“I haven’t long met the man, but I trust Rafe. He is intelligent and passionate for what’s right, just like Crow.”
Darcy takes the descent at a quick speed, his back legs rising from the steps as if his own ass is overtaking him. He waits at the bottom, tongue out and tail wagging. Leaning on Coco a little more than I’d like, I make the descent down the ladder-esque stair case. Straight away, an uneasy feeling grips at my chest. Underground training rooms bring back memories of Facility One. Why do they always have to be underground?
A long, narrow corridor st
retches out in front of us with the same dim lighting as in Rafe’s quarters. There are shouts and voices from the far end. An unimpressive, metal door stands ajar, and Rafe’s voice bellows from within as he berates someone for not pre-empting an obvious blow. The smell coming from the room is a mix of sweat, musk, and a leathery, earthy scent.
“It always smells like that,” Coco whispers, scrunching her own nose.
“I guess there is nowhere for it to go,” I whisper back. “Why are we whispering?”
“Yes, why are we whispering?” asks a quiet voice behind us. I jump feet into the air, instant pain consuming my body. “Sorry,” Vin says, smoothing my shoulder. For a tall man, he doesn’t half creep around like a ninja.
“Shit, Vin! Stop doing that!” Coco hisses.
“Sorry, my Coco Belle,” he says, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. Coco rolls her eyes. Then, he turns to me. “I’ve not thought of your pet name, yet. I’m working on it, though. It has to be something special for my Warrior Queen. Oh, Warrior Queen… I like it.”
“Teddie or Cub is fine,” I say, catching Coco’s unamused face. Vin gives her a flirty wink. This guy is a definite charmer. “Okay, Romeo, lead on.”
He holds the door open for us and blows me a cheeky kiss as we pass. Rafe looks away from the group of people gathered in the corner. Anders, Bo, Rio, and Kid drink from water bottles and wipe away sweat with towels.
“Teddie, is everything alright?” Rafe asks, rushing to my side.
“I’m fine. I’m going out of my mind with boredom.” He scolds me with his eyes, but doesn’t look to burn me vocally in front of the others. “So, this is where you train?”
Rafe’s face relaxes and he offers me his arm. “This is the Manual Combat Room or as it’s more commonly known, The Dungeon. This is where we train in weaponry and hand to hand combat.”
I take in the vast room. The floor is black and feels rubbery underfoot. There is a slight spring to my step as I walk over it. I would ask what the scratches and slices are from, but the wall to my right answers that question. All types of weapons hang from designated pegs and brackets. There are even a couple of scary looking katanas, and… jeez! “Is that a mace?” I ask, eyeing the spiked ball hanging from a chain with a leather handle.
EVO Nation Series Trilogy Box Set Page 58