The First: EVO Uprising (67 page)

 “
No need for the disturbed looks.” He rolled his eyes. “This is how we’ve done business since the founding of this nation. And in my opinion it’s far more honorable than using religion to brainwash simpletons into suicide bombings.”
 

If there was humor in Graves’ last statement, neither
Abe nor Lady Tech found it, and Graves did not care as he picked up his own tablet.
 

“
Now that we’ve established that we’re still on the same team,” he started to scroll through his email, “you will excuse me as I have more pressing business to attend to. Consider you saving the world a free pass on intending to assassinate me in my own office.”
 

Rogers sat there for a minute more as Erica looked at him wondering what else he had planned. He slowly rose from his chair taking his pistol from table holstering it. He then about-faced without a word leaving Graves’ office. Erica cut the Secretary of Defense one final dirty look before following him out.
 

“
Why did we just walk out?” She got to the point.
 

“
Was he lying about anything?” Rogers flatly asked.
 

“
Don’t answer a question with a question,” she shot back, “and no, shockingly he was telling the truth.”
 

“
He was telling the truth about some things,” he answered. “He’s still a lying son of a bitch and hiding something.”
 

“
Language,” she reminded him.
 

“
Sorry,” he said flatly. “We still don’t have any grounds to blow his brains out.”
 

“
So what’s the plan?” she pressed.
 

“
The plan is to keep doing what we’re going,” he answered, “while working to find the answers while on the inside.”
 

“
Which means remaining dogs of the military,” she sighed.
 

“
Say what?” he glanced at her.
 

“
An anime thing,” she dismissed, “explain to me why
we didn’t bring up the Holy Grail?”
 

“
Because he would both deny it and know that we know about this Holy Grail,” Abe responded, “as long as he doesn’t know, we’re free to search and find out what the hell it is.”
 

“
I like that plan,” she nodded.
 

“
Me too,” he grunted.
 

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Back in the Secretary of Defense’s office Graves continued to nonchalantly sit and read his tablet as Mendes walked in.
 

“
Are we clear?” Graves asked.
 

“
Yes sir,” Mendes nodded, “we’ve also swept the office, there are no traces of a bug of any kind.”
 

“
Well that was interesting.” He cleared his throat.
 

“
I don’t understand how you were able to hide the truth from her sir,” a baffled Mendes said.
 

“
Ms. Champion should have taken the time to focus on her natural abilities,” Graves smirked, “then maybe she would have been able to pick up what her devices could not detect.”
 

Mendes still wore a face that said he did not have a clue what Graves was talking about, until a woman with light brown hair, and gray eyes in a black two piece power suit walked into the Secretary’s office standing at attention before him.
 

“
This is agent Lockwood.” He gave a gestured introduction. “One of our top C.I.A field agents and also a Promethean Class Ten EVO. She’s been monitoring the Regulator team and informed me that the good Sergeant was enroute to this office, which is why I ordered you to tell security to stand down when he arrived. She was a
couple of offices down monitoring the conversation. She’s capable of cloaking herself from Ms. Champion’s scanners while feeding me ‘mental whispers.’”
 

“
Subliminal suggestions that helped him believe whatever he spoke at the time was the truth,” she clarified. “I was also able to hide confidential information about Project Evolution within his mind from Ms. Champion. She was doing quite a bit of browsing.”
 

“
While she was snooping in my skull did you find anything in Rogers?” he asked.
 

“
Unable to sir,” she answered. “She had a mental tether on him, sort of like a security system. If I attempted to enter the Sergeant’s mind she would have known I was there. Even at her level. She also employed some form of field to shield their conversation as they left the building.”
 

“
The little minx does cover her bases,” Graves smirked.
 

“
By the way sir,” Agent Lockwood smiled, “Dr. Alexander wanted me to relay to you that the crops have been fertilized, and that we shall have a very good harvest.”
 

 “
Thank you, Agent Lockwood.” He smiled while flipping through another screen.
 

With a nod Lockwood exited the office leaving Mendes and Graves.

 “
Sir, what should we really do about Sergeant Rogers?” Mendes asked.
 

“
He and his team saved the world, which includes our current Commander in Chief,” he smirked, “there’s not much we can really ‘do’ about him for now.”
 

“
With what we now know of Dennison?” Mendes hesitated, “is it wise for us to continue?”
 

“
Now more so then ever,” Graves sighed, “if this incident has taught us anything, we must bolster our efforts to create a response to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. I have just been informed that after my term of office is over, I will be directly appointed the official new head of Project Evolution, and I will need a second in command.”
 

Mendes swallowed deep as he positioned himself to stand as straight as an arrow.

“
I would be honored if you consider me for your possible second, sir.” He threw his bid in without hesitation.
 

Graves gave a dry smile without answering him.

“
Oh look,” he sighed, still reading his tablet, “it appears we may have a possible chocolate shortage… and I love chocolate.”
 

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The Grand Canyon National Park, 2,245 miles away from the nation’s capitol, at an undisclosed location at the bottom of the ancient riverbed, housed a government research facility located one mile down underneath the canyon itself. Doctor Alexander strolled around the facility with tablet in hand, viewing readings on it from four very large metallic vats.
 

On a table, his assistants handled DNA samples labeled with the name Doctor Senji Kumamoto, FBI Houston Forensics office September 3, 2008. The name S. Dennison was printed at the very bottom. Positioned next to them were refrigerated samples labeled male reproductive cells. One batch of samples was labeled “R. Matheson – April 2002,” the other sample was labeled “B. Matheson – October 2012.”      
 

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.