Chapter 274
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It was December 20th, possibly December 21st, if it was after midnight. Eve was asleep, when the apartment's phone rang. Who could be calling at this hour? When this phone didn't stop Eve got up and answered. She could hear other voices, but they weren't talking to her, only to each other. It seemed like they didn't even know that Eve was on the other end. It took her a minute to realize that one of the voices was councilman Wilkins. Wilkins was denying accussations about harboring refugees. Then Eve realized, he was warning her. He must've muted her side to prevent these guys from hearing. They mentioned a raid, Eve knew she had to get Teri out quickly. But before she even got to the couch, they broke through the door. And that was the last thing Eve would remember.
By the time Eve woke up on the floor, the sun was up. She estimated it was 11am, but it was hard to tell with this headache. Eve first feared that she was late for work, then she remembered what had happenned. Eve called out for Teri, no answer. Then she went to the church, praying that Teri had escaped. By the time Eve got there reverand Jenkins was alone. He was just sitting in a pew, looking more in despair than she'd even seen him. His head had blood on it, it was possibly still bleeding, but Jenkins didn't seem to care or even notice.
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Eve: They took Teri. What exactly happenned?
Jenkins: Amanda, and some of the sector guards that are in her pocket. They kidnapped refugees, and are selling them into slavery.
Eve: Can we do anything? Save any of them?
Jenkins: We tried. They're out of the sector by now. Chief Bowen says he'll look into it. Even if he's sincere, we'll never see them again. They took Anne. Your friend Jamal is in a coma. God knows if he'll ever wake up again. Rumor is they even murdered Wilkins. I'm still waiting on word from a few safehouses, but as far as I can tell, they left noone behind.
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Eve had no reason to doubt what reverand Jenkins said, but she had to see for herself. She still didn't know where other safehouses were, but she could check on councilman Wilkins. Those who'd dissapeared thus far were refugees, orphans, recent immigrants, those who wouldn't be missed. It was usually no more than one or two at a time, evidently someone was getting greedy and reckless. Would Amanda be so arrogant as to murder a councilman. Eve went into this house. Things were thrown around, there had clearly been a struggle of some kind. Wilkins was in his favorite chair, dead, his throat had apparently been slit. They murdered this kindly old man for refusing to help with their slave trade. And if they were willing to do this to a man with some power in the sector, what hope would Eve or her baby have. Wilkins' eyes were still wide open, this seemed disrespectful. Eve tried to close his eyes. When she touched his face, his head fell to the ground. These bastards hadn't just murdered Wilkins, they chopped his head off while he was still alive.