The First: EVO Uprising

by Kipjo Ewers

  CHAPTER 26

  Three months after the epic battle that took place around the world, a sense of normalcy had returned to the planet. Despite the carnage and destruction, the human race moved forward as it always did.

  Because the Ranch sustained severe damage mainly in the prison area known as Purgatory, the only option left to deal with the remaining members of the Zombie Nation, which were Jiang-Shi and Nachzehrer was giving them the same fate delivered to Revenant. Exile. With the assistance of the Eye of Ra, he banished the two remaining adult members to two of the two hundred and fifty uninhabited planets with Earth like atmosphere not under territory by races of the Dominion Council. No one bothered to inquire what the Dominion Council was.

  The unspoken truth was Erica could have easily repaired Purgatory, and placed them back in confinement. Given the opportunity, no one felt they deserved to be anywhere on the planet Earth, and the Regulators weren’t executioners.

  The Eye of Ra departed through one of his portals without a clear cut explanation of who he actually was or where he came from. He did make a promise that if the Regulators or Sophia needed him in the near future, he would not be far, or hard to reach.

  As for those not exiled, it was agreed that despite her horrendous crimes, Wendigo was dubbed mentally incompetent to understand the atrocities she caused. Her current catatonic state also made her a threat to no one. Erica mercifully found a low level frequency to ease her suffering while preventing her from using her abilities.

  She also contacted her parents informing them that their daughter was alive. However, when she explained to them who she was, and what she had done, they declined to see her. She did not need to read their minds to know it was out of fear and embarrassment.

  Everyone also reluctantly agreed to show some leniency to Anchimayen, due to him still being a minor. Identified as six-year-old Michael Westgate, from Caron City Nevada, they confirmed that Peace’s grizzly tale was indeed true. With the help of Sophia, Erica was able to create neural dampeners to prevent him from using his mental abilities even at his heightened level.

  Both Wendigo and Anchimayen were placed by Erica in a special undisclosed facility until the repair of Purgatory, where they would receive special psychiatric treatment in hopes of reversing the perverted psychological damage done by the Zombie Nation.

  Justice was not the only thing dispensed. The world had to bury their dead and mourn, especially those that paid the ultimate price to keep it free from Peace’s clutches. A special memorial for superheroes dubbed “The Garden of Heroes” was created in Washington DC remembering the bravery of the fallen Defenders of Justice, Heat Seeker, Lady Electrify, and Captain Omega.

  Captain Omega’s statue depicting him in his costume stood in the very front of the Memorial next to Power Hour’s statue also depicted in his costume.

  Upon his direct and iron clad orders, Abe sent Oliver and the twins home to be with family. Before Oliver could go home, he had to pay a visit to Rosann’s family. It was as she told him; her mother took to him immediately while her father wore the wall of no one being good enough for his daughter. It lasted a duration of fifteen minutes, as Oliver endured and survived a hard grilling of his intentions toward Mr. Esposito’s youngest daughter. Adrian playfully chiming in from the sidelines did not help matters. Three days later she would journey with him to his hometown of Milwaukee to endure the same treatment from his mother and three older sisters. She, too, would barely survive due to the antics of her twin.

  Erica following suit took some much needed advice and went home. Just as Sophia predicted, there was family waiting for her.

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  Sophia as well took her own advice traveling with her daughter to a residential part of Queens, New York. As expected their landing stirred up attention, especially in a particular white and brown painted row house with a green chain link fence. Spilling out of the front door with joyous shocked looks on their faces was her three nieces and nephew.

  “Auntie Sophee! It’s auntie Sophee!” they all screamed, ecstatic to see her.

  They all became quiet, standing at the gate as they noticed Kimberly standing right next to her. Sophia looked up to see her nervous little sister close to tears standing at the doorway of her house. The children all backed up as they entered the gate.

  “Children, this is your cousin Kimberly.” She smiled. “My daughter. She’s ten years old.”

  Kimberly shyly waved at everyone. They all waved back with the same shyness. Gemma’s eldest, being around her age, was the first to walk up and greet her.

  “Hey, I’m Natasha,” she smiled.

  “Hi,” she smiled back.

  “You like Dance Revolution?” she asked.

  Kimberly nodded then turned to her mother for approval.

  “Go introduce yourself to your aunt first,” she smirked, “and remember… light steps.”

  “Yes, Mom,” she grinned.

  She walked up the steps standing before her aunt. Gemma did not hesitate to hold her hands and give her a look over.

  “Nice to meet you, Auntie Gemma,” she nervously smiled.

  “It’s so great to meet you, Kimberly.” Gemma’s smiling lips trembled as her eyes ran with tears. “You are so beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” she blushed.

  “Please go on inside,” she gestured. “I hope you like cookies and bun and cheese.”

  “Yes, thank you,” she nodded.

  As all five children entered the house, Gemma cautiously walked down the steps to meet her sister in the middle of her yard. As she neared her, Sophia’s demeanor became similar to their last encounter stopping her in her tracks.

  “You hurt me,” Sophia glared at her, “you really hurt me, Gemma, and I don’t know if I can forget about what you said and did to me.”

  Gemma bowed her head preparing for the axe her sister had grinding for her.

  “But I have to find some way to forgive you,” Sophia’s face softened, “almost losing Mom and Dad put a lot of things into prospective, that and watching Frozen a couple of times.”

  Gemma was unsure if she should lift her head until she felt the warm touch of her sister’s hand on her face igniting her to burst into tears again.

  “You’re a spoiled miserable little brat… but you’re my baby sister,” she reaffirmed, “and I still love you.”

  Gemma rushed into her sister’s arms bawling as she buried her face in her chest. She clung onto her for dear life as if she feared falling.

  “Sophee, I’m sorry!” she cried. “I’m so sorry!”

  “You tell me ‘I’m sorry’ one more time; I’m going to crack your neck like a chicken.” Sophia fought back her own tears. “I’m tired of sorry. Let’s just be good to each other, like we’re supposed to be.”

  “I’d like that.” Gemma slowly raised her head.

  With her arm around her little sister, she walked into a home she had not acknowledged in over seven years. Each step she took extinguished the anger and hatred that had been burning throughout her. Dropping the heaviest weight she ever had to carry she not only could breathe easier again; she learned that she could still mend and heal even the deepest of wounds.

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  Back that the Ranch still under construction, Doozers big and small performed repairs and rebuilds to return the Regulators’ base to the operational status it once was before Peace’s attack. Rogers stood alone in the central command with a smile on his face. The cause was his infant grandson on the large screen flailing his arms, making baby sounds, and blowing spit bubbles at him. Holding him in his arms was his second eldest son with his wife standing next to him.

  “He’s definitely a Rogers,” Abe grinned. “You two did a wonderful job.”

  “Well, she did all of the work,” his son laughed. “I just started screaming
when the head came out.”

  His wife playfully nudged him.

  “Thank you, Dad,” she smiled.

  “Your mom would be proud of you both,” Rogers nodded.

  “So… Thanksgiving?” His son changed the subject.

  The wounds were still raw; she was still missed.

  “And Christmas,” he confirmed. “I’ll be there. I can’t wait to hold him and see all of you.”

  “Sergeant Rogers, sorry to interrupt,” Maxine came on the audio system, “The Miss is on the other line, shall I have her call back.”

  “No, I’ll take it, just give me another minute.” Rogers turned his attention back to his family. “I got a run.”

  “It’s okay.” His son nodded. “Dad… Mom would be proud too.”

  “You know I love you guys, right Mike?” Rogers lowered his head. “You, Oscar, and Sarah… I love all three of you.”

  “We love you too, Dad,” he grinned. “Talk to you soon.”

  The screen switched to a beaming Erica sitting in her bedroom with an anime t-shirt on.

  “Sergeant,” she snapped a playful salute.

  “Lady Tech,” he returned with a causal two finger salute. “How’s the family?”

  “First day was your typical crying and glad you’re home stuff.” She shrugged. “The next two days were kind of awkward, but I’m learning to keep my mouth shut and listen. It’s not perfect, but it’s getting better.”

  “Good to hear,” he nodded with approval.

  “Maxine informed me our recruitment headcount has reached one hundred and fifty.” She smiled.

  “Something we can deal with when you get back,” he sternly reminded her.

  “On an off topic,” she hesitantly asked, “I spoke to Oliver and the twins.”

  “Me too, I spoke to Oliver last night, and Adrian reported in today.” Rogers nodded. “They all wanted to come back this coming Friday, but I ordered them to take the additional week, I think it’s too soon for anyone to be here.”

  “Then why are you there?” she asked with a motherly tone. “Maxine and the girls are there, the base is self-automated and practically runs itself. You don’t need to be there to oversee the repairs.”

  “I’m a… superhero now,” he bowed his head grunting. “Someone has to be here.”

  “See you soon, Sarge.” She drew a deep smile.

  “See you soon, Lady Tech.” He tilted his beanie to her.

  He signed out on the screen, alone once again.

  “Maxine, let’s start from the last candidate we left off from,” Rogers requested.

  “That would be candidate fifty-eight,” Maxine answered, “shall I read off the file to you like before?”

  “Sure, why not,” he nodded.

  The screen lit up once more revealing a file of an EVO candidate for the Regulator program. Maxine began with her name and age.

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  Sophia stood on the sands of her island with Sister Shareef looking out into the blue waters of the ocean. With her and Kimberly’s help, she and the residents of Sanctuary completed all repairs to the island under a month’s time. Thankfully, not a single soul was lost during the battle with the Draugr and Jiang-Shi.

  Sister Shareef stood in her white tank top and jeans shorts gripping the soft white sand with her toes while drinking in the beauty of the island and the beach. It had been almost two decades since she had seen the sun shine over anything other than prison walls. Sophia in her black and yellow bikini top and blue jeans shorts glanced at her friend, who was now free, and felt full.

  “Damn beautiful place you got here, girl.” Sister Shareef nodded. “Damn beautiful.”

  “You know there’s a home ready for you, if you want to stay,” Sophia motioned.

  “Island life ain’t for me,” she smiled. “I’m a Texas girl. I was born there, and I will die there. Not to mention I got family I got to get back to and fences to mend.”

  “Well you know, if you need anything,” Sophia nudged her. “You got family here.”

  “Well, I got to come back,” Sister Shareef smirked. “Seeing as Mr. Earl has been talking me up something fierce these past few weeks. He got a thing for big girls like me.”

  “Shareef, you’ve been locked away a long time.” Sophia tried her best not to laugh.” Please, do not kill that man.”

  “The man’s a former soldier,” she scoffed. “He’s been in dangerous places before.”

  “Shareef,” Sophia put a little more bass in her voice fighting to be serious.

  “I ain’t gonna hurt him,” her voice went up a couple of octaves to reassure her friend, “too bad.”

  The two women no longer able to fight it anymore broke down laughing. Sophia was close to tears as she placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder.

  “So now that you’ve saved the world again,” Shareef became semi-serious, “what are you going to do? All eyes are on you now.”

  “I can’t turn my back this time,” she shrugged with a smile, “even if I wanted to. Funny thing is, I feel ready, kind of welcoming it.”

  “Okay now.” Shareef stepped back a bit. “What brought this on?”

  “You remember the last white slavery brothel I shut down in the Ukraine?” Sophia asked.

  Sister Shareef nodded, remembering the uncomfortable story.

  “Well, I went back to shut down my counter operation,” she explained. “My handler, Olia, wasn’t too pleased, but after I explained to her the new direction I had to take, she understood. I released the criminals I brought down taking off their collars which was for the best. Their reputations made it impossible for them out carry out the tasks I set upon them to do. I then gave them a stern warning to find a more legitimate profession because I would be back to shut them down for good if they started up again. One of them said I need not worry, because between myself and someone named “Brother Paul,” the skin trading business was no longer worth it. Curious about whom this Brother Paul was I asked around and went looking for him.”

  A deep smile grew on her face as she continued her tale.

  “I arrived at this once abandoned monastery,” she went on. “It looked like it had some serious renovation work done to it. Before you even walk through the gate, you can hear the laughter of children. They were of all ages, along with a lot of women both young and old. Some of the older women were helping tend to the children, you can faintly see that they all came from someplace not so nice, but the smiles they wore told otherwise. As I walked around and talked so some of the women, they began to tell me their stories of slavery, and the day this “Brother Paul” liberated them, brought them here, took care of them, and began helping them build back their life. A lot of the women actually stayed on to help him take care of the younger children. After a couple more minutes I finally saw him, and almost fainted.”

  “You knew him?” Shareef asked.

  “I sure did,” she nodded. “It was the superhuman from the last brothel I took down. His name is Kostyantyn Yurchenko. He walked up to me a bit nervous at first, and the first thing he asked is if he could give me a hug.”

  Sister Shareef instantly swatted away mist as she continued to listen to the beautiful tale of redemption.

  “We walked for awhile,” she continued, “and he began to tell me a bit about his life before and the day after we met. How he grew up poor with his mother and no father and how he watched the men his mother brought home walk all over her and abuse him. It taught him to be hard in order to survive. He said he never personally abused women and children, but that he also had no respect for them either. When he got his powers, to him it was an added bonus to make more money, especially as a hired bodyguard, until the day he ran into me. He said it was the scolding I gave him that stuck more than anything else. No one had ever talked to him like that, like a mother to a son.”

  Sophia shook her head with a bit of a smile and some disbelief
that this was her life.

  “At first he didn’t know what to do,” she shrugged. “He wandered around picking up odd jobs here and there. Then he came upon the monastery. He didn’t know what overtook him, but something told him to start fixing it up. Next thing he knew, he was taking orphaned children and runaways off the streets and giving them a place to eat and sleep. He kept doing odd jobs to pay for food and clothing, and encouraged them to go to school. Next, women started to come who were either homeless or in abusive situations seeking protection, and he just took them in as well. Then one day he overheard some men talking about going to have some fun at a brothel similar to the ones I brought down. He followed them there, busted the place up, took the women with him, and he just takes care of them. All of them.”