Species: The Survivor Chapter 12, a species fanfic

Chapter 12: Who is Evelyn?

By the time the truck was in sight, it was pitch black and a storm was on the horizon, it was freezing cold. It had been a long walk back down through the forest.

All three of them were still feeling raw about Hollander, but they had gained some valuable information and an insight into Arianna's ultimate plan.

As they walked, they tried to keep their conversation as upbeat as possible.

"So, if no guys were allowed in the lab, and nobody was even allowed to talk about guys in the Lab, how come you were allowed to watch TV and read newspapers?" Álvarez asked.

"That is a good question" Eve replied "On TV, a lot of it was filtered, not live, old movies, TV shows, Cartoons things like that, so it was like 'Guys are fictional' kind of thing".

"Like a fantasy?" Álvarez asked. "Sort of" Eve said "I knew guys existed, but they were this faraway, unattainable thing, you know?".

Press slowed slightly to walk next to them "I always did wonder what it must've been like for you when Burgess and I just barged in there that day? I had no idea what was on the other side of those doors until I saw you".

Eve half smiled "In a word, confusing. Laura and I had a long talk after that". Eve turned to Álvarez "You know, Press was the first guy I ever saw in my life?".

"Lucky you" Álvarez said and tucked her hands into her armpits as a cold gust of wind whipped through the trees. A few moments later, Álvarez asked "What was that even like?".

Eve laughed "He looked at me all wide eyes. Laura was really angry". "She was pissed at Burgess, he broke the protocol, I had no idea".

"I think he was looking for an excuse to enter that Lab" Eve said "I could always feel eyes on me from behind that mirrored glass at the top of the Lab".

"What a goddamn Creep!" Álvarez said… then added "With good taste". At this, Press began to laugh

Álvarez tucked her hands into her armpits and shivered as a gust of icy wind whipped through the trees. "You ok Consuela" Eve asked.

"I will be when we get back to the truck… How I long for Sinaloa!". Press pointed further down the hill "Come on, truck's this way" he said, then a few moments later, he added "I hope Laura and Dan had a better trip than ours turned out to be".

"So, who's going to be the one to tell Laura we lost Holander?" Álvarez asked. "Oh, I think we'll all make that call together".

"By the way?" Eve asked "What happened back there… does that happen a lot when you go out looking for this Network?".

Press slowed down so he could walk beside her "You mean getting shot at?... it…. Has been know to happen, yeah".

"Guess I'd better get some thrift store clothes" Eve said.

When they eventually made it back to the truck, the first wisps of snow were beginning to float downwards. Press and Álvarez climbed into the front.

Eve got in the back and leaned forward between the seats.

"Ok, time to call Laura with the bad news" Álvarez said and held up a fist. Press held up his fist.

Eve watched as they played Rock, Paper, Scissors for who had to be the one to break the news.

Three shakes, then Press threw Rock… Álvarez threw Paper... "Shit" Press said "Well, here goes".

Press dialled the phone on speaker and after several rings, Laura picked up. "Press, you guys ok?" Laura asked. "Yeah, Laura we're Ok…" Press said, then trailed off slightly "Listen, Laura, we've… well we've got good news and bad news".

There was a brief pause, Laura signed, clearly preparing herself "Ok, bad news first". "Well, we lost Hollander, Laura… he didn't make it".

"What? You mean he's…" Laura didn't want to say it, she trailed off". "I'm sorry Laura, yeah, he's dead" Press said, his voice was full of a regret Eve hadn't heard before.

"How, what happened up there?" Laura's voice was full of worry.

Press took a deep breath and Eve noticed his hand move up to a point on his chest "Laura it was him, I think it was the guy from New York".

"What!" Laura asked, now sounding very worried "Are all of you ok?".

Álvarez cut in now "We're all ok Laura, the guy came out of nowhere and shot Hollander… if it hadn't been for Eve, he would have shot us too, she chased the bastard away.

Eve suddenly felt a little self conscious, she didn't feel she'd done that much, and she certainly didn't get the sense that the man in black was afraid of her.

"Eve, are you ok?" Laura's voice came down the phone. "I'm fine Laura, I just couldn't save Hollander".

Álvarez reached over her shoulder and squeezed Eve's hand gently on the edge of the seat where she was leaning.

Laura took a moment then asked "You… you said there was good news?". "Hollander had a computer and a case full of files and notes from the original project, things that weren't part of Athena" Eve said.

"He also told us that it was Arianna herself who decoded parts of the original Alien Signal for her Father, then he had her locked away when she became obsessed with it" Álvarez said.

"He always was cold" Laura said "No wonder she turned out the way she did". "There's … something else Laura" Press said "I don't know if it's good or bad".

"What is it?" Laura asked. "It's some Science stuff I'm not sure I understand" Press said "But Hollander was saying it right before he got shot".

"Well, you're talking to the right person, what was it?" Laura asked. "Right before he was shot, he said that Arianna decoded a hidden layer of the signal, he said it was an Einstein-Rosen… something, he never finished the sentence".

There was a very long pause this time. "Did he really say that? Einstein-Rosen?". Eve leaned forward "I can't be sure but the next word he was about to say, I think it began with a B?... I'm not sure, there were bullets flying everywhere a second later".

There was another pause, prompting Álvarez to speak up "Laura, you ok?". "Y… Yeah…" Laura said finally. "Do you know what it is, what he was talking about?" Press asked.

"Sounds like he was talking about an Einstein-Rosen Bridge" Laura said, her voice was low, filled with concern "Shit, it makes perfect sense, they didn't destroy the ancient biosphere on Mars, they transported it". "What is this thing?" Press asked, sounding more concerned.

"Theoretical physics isn't really my field" Laura sounded actually scared "But an Einstein-Rosen Bridge is essentially a gateway, a wormhole through space-time".

Press, Álvarez and Eve all exchanged a look, Eve shrugged.

Álvarez shook her head "Wait, I'm not up on all this stuff. Are you saying Arianna unlocked the instructions to build a fucking time-machine?".

Laura's answer came faster this time "No, an Einstein-Rosen Bridge has nothing to do with that, it's a way of instantaneous travel between two fixed points in space… like a portal or faster-than-light connection".

"If this thing is a gateway, a portal?… a portal to what?" Press asked. It was Eve who answered "To the source, to the thing that's been connecting with me in my head… the one who sent the message".

Press turned in his seat, she could see the concern on his face, he turned to Álvarez and they exchanged a look. Eve continued "I've seen what that thing is, it consumes, it corrupts. If Arianna opens a way for that thing to get to Earth… it's all over, nothing will be able to stop it".

For a long minute, nobody said anything "My God" Laura said "This is so much worse than any of us thought, I'll tell Gamble, see if he can step things up on his end, in the meantime, you guys, get back safe, you hear me?". "Yeah, no problem, see you soon, Laura, stay safe".

Press was about to hang up when Eve put a hand out "Wait, Laura… Hastings, did he say anything?".

"Well…" Laura began "I've got a hell of a story from him, and Eve, I have news, not sure if it's good or bad". Eve leaned so far forward she was practically in the central console "Come on, Laura, I need it".

"Ok" Laura's voice measured "Hastings has seen your Daughter".

Eve let out a long exhalation and her eyes were instantly stung with tears, there was a big lump in her throat.

Álvarez squeezed her hand tighter. "Eve are you there?" Laura's voice came again. "Yes… yes Laura I'm here…".

Laura continued "He saw her about two years ago, she tracked him down looking for help, he gave her some money, supplies and a number to call in emergencies… He's agreed that if she does call him, he'll contact us". "Thank you… Thank you Laura" Eve's voice was trembling.

Álvarez climbed over into the back seat at this point and put her arms around Eve. "There's one hell of a story he told us, but for now, I thought you should know that".

"Eve…" Laura said "Your daughter's name is Sara". Eve broke down at that point and Álvarez hugged her tightly. "Get back safe everyone" Laura said "I'll see you soon".

"Thank you, Laura. You too" Eve said, wiping her eyes "I'll… I'll see you soon". Laura and Press disconnected the call and Press fired up the engine for a long drive back to northern Minnesota.

HODH ECH CHARGUI - EASTERN DESERT - OUALATA DEPARTMENT- MAURITANIA

Dean Whitlock took another drink from the Canteen he'd been given. "Easy on that" Jason said, leaning around in his seat as they bounced around on the dunes.

Jason was usually quiet and to the point, they had been paired up ever since Jason had come into Arianna's organisation. An organisation that had no name, but was referred to by a number of different monikers, The Network, The Brethren, Athena Resurgent.

Dean was under know illusions, however, Jason was his primary Handler, to keep him from trying to escape or get word out about what was happening.

Dean had slowly accepted his predicament and decided that the best way he could do any good, was to stay in this organisation and try to change the minds of the Half-Breeds around him, and also gather as much information as he could.

Dean had created Jason at Sara's request, but to prevent the obvious, they had agreed he would be a partner, and Dean had created him to be Sterile.

When he left with Sara, he knew this, and appeared to be accepting of it, however, when their paths crossed again, Jason's demeanour had changed significantly.

He had grown to feel inadequate, after having been pursued by the Half-Breeds everywhere, in the end he had made a stand and been captured while she had gotten away.

Arianna had her hooks into Jason now, and had promised him that if he helped her bring her plans to fruition, she would find a cure for his sterility, for this, he served her willingly.

As much as it pained Dean, he understood, he had taken something from Jason, something he did with no small amount of regret, but he knew it was for the right reasons.

If for any reason Jason and Sara had gotten separated, Jason could have done as much if not more damage as Patrick Ross… a lot of women had died during Patrick's mating spree, one was too many.

No… Dean had done the right thing, he had found the balance. Jason apparently no longer saw things that way.

For his sins, he had been injected with a tracking chip when he had been bought in, and there were always Half-Breeds around who all knew his scent.

If he ran, or tampered with the serum he had created to keep them stable, he knew he stood very little chance. Jason was unique in that he didn't need Serum to survive.

It was certainly a new experience, interacting with them as often as he did. At first, there were only about two dozen of them, Patrick Ross's surviving Brood, but their numbers had slowly grown over the last few years.

Now, he estimated their number to be over two hundred, give or take. He had also been made aware of others who had been lab-grown, but they were not up to the same level as the original two, Sil and Sara's Mother, Eve.

It had come as a shock when Jason had woken Dean in the middle of the night and before he knew it, he was being flown across the Atlantic on a private Jet, with Arianna herself, not knowing where he was going.

They arrived on an arid landing strip at midday local time in Néma in the eastern edge of Mauritania.

The heat and dry air hit Dean hard when he stepped off the plane.

He had visited a few of her labs and facilities outside of the United States, but this was a place unlike any he'd ever seen.

Dean knew it was something out of the ordinary, something potentially dangerous.

Before they began the descent, Arianna got up and moved into the back of the plane, throwing a curtain shut behind her.

She emerged a few minutes later with her hair tied back, having exchanged her sharp, sleeveless suit and expensive shoes for combat boots, tactical cargo trousers and an advanced nano-fibre vest shirt, over which she threw a tactical jacket and a desert pattern Shemagh Scarf.

This, coupled with her many tattoos, she looked like someone not to be trifled with.

As the plane landed, Dean watched her arm herself. She reached into an overhead compartment and came out with a rifle case containing a KS-1 AR, an RK Brno FK-FIELD75, as well as a Kukri Knife and several magazines for both guns which she holstered in a tactical belt before they disembarked the plane.

Dean had never seen Arianna fight, but he had heard that she was proficient in several forms of martial arts, as well as advanced weapons training.

While she had the resources of a small country at her disposal, she was certainly not afraid of getting her hands dirty.

A military style Humvee, fitted with extra supplies, had been waiting for them on the landing strip.

Arianna had driven herself, with Jason riding shotgun and Dean in the back.

She had given them both the situation on the drive. One of her research labs out in the desert had gone dark, and they were going to investigate.

The lab was located in an isolated region, near the border with Mali, beneath an old Foreign Legion Outpost roughly five hundred miles north of Néma in the desert.

It had been lost to the sands for over a hundred years, until Arianna had uncovered it and established an outpost of her own.

She repurposed the surface area into a Watchpost, and established the caverns beneath which had been accessible via a well in the centre of the fort, which they had hollowed out and installed an elevator.

They needed Dean's expertise because part of this lab was dedicated to Serum production and RD on Arianna's Project. They were also researching ways to further stabilise the Alien genome.

"What can we expect when we get to this place?" Dean asked. "There was a token security force under the command of one of the Brethren, by the name of Oliver. The facility stopped all communication almost twenty four hours ago, we are going to find out why". Dean had only met Oliver once, he was tall, skinny and seemed over eager to please those around him.

"Don't you normally just send someone? You own shares in several PMC's right? And you have the Brethren". Arianna half turned in her seat "You will find, Dean, that I'm very hands-on. I care about my people, I don't abandon them, if something's wrong out here, I'll deal with it".

"Does that include us?" Dean asked. That prompted Jason to turn in his seat and shoot him a hard look. "When we get there" Arianna began "Jason and I will ascertain the situation and secure the facility, then you can check the systems… relax, it'll be fine".

Dean began to run through all kinds of scenarios in his head, Arianna had never done this before, at best to his knowledge, taking them out alone. For all Dean knew she did this all the time and this was just his turn.

It all started when Dean accepted the offer from Agent John Wasach to come and work with him. He never made it to the meeting. After filling up at a Gas station on the way into Washington, he had noticed a woman on the edge of the Gas Station forecourt having Car trouble.

The woman was lean and muscular, like she worked out a lot, with long, dirty-blonde hair. She had, at first seemed normal, she had smiled and explained that her car had died. "I could take a look at it?" he had said. "You're so kind, I'm so afraid I might miss my appointment" she said and got into the car.

Dean had taken a look at the engine, identified the problem and used his jump leads to give the battery some extra charge. This had actually gotten it working.

"Thank you" she said as she shook his hand with a kind smile, then Dean noticed her grip tighten "What would I do without you, Dean" she abruptly said. "What? How do you know my name?" he asked, and tried to pull away.

"I'm Vesper", she said, then she pulled him into an Iron grip-lock and he felt something sharp in his neck. As everything went blurry, Dean distinctly heard her say "By the way..huge fan of your work".

Dean had been working for Arianna now for almost four years, he had no idea where Sara was and Jason had apparently fought hard to keep her out of their hands.

They had locked him away for weeks after they captured him, likely indoctrinating him.

As for Arianna, there was no doubting her resolve, she was a woman of focus, determination, sheer will, a force of nature. Now, however, Dean was seeing another side to her.

He didn't see her often, she moved from place to place. It was apparent, however, that she was very involved with the running of her organisation.

"I haven't seen a single person for miles" Dean said. "Is that right Dean?" Arianna said with a small chuckle "Because I see two single boys right here in this truck". Dean couldn't help himself but laugh.

Despite some of the things he'd seen, whenever one was around Arianna for long enough, it was easy to be taken in by some of the pearls of wisdom she would drop, or her wry sense of humour. "You, Jason, what about you and Vesper? I've seen the way she looks at you" Arianna continued.

"I'm not sure I'd survive that" Jason said, causing Arianna to laugh loudly. "And you, Dean, what about you? I've seen you spending time with Arya". Dean smirked, nothing got past Arianna. Arya was another one of The Brethren, the Half-Breeds.

Unlike some, she did seem to have a gentler nature than the others, and had become his assistant in the lab, she had been there when he developed the first batches of the Serum.

It was true, with no one else around, he had found some comfort with her over the past few years and they had gotten closer.

However, Dean was under no illusion that she could, and would kill him if he attempted to escape.

Arianna raised her voice over the noise of the truck to explain the region "We can't have nosey neighbours Dean. I pick our locations for their isolation, most of the population in this region is nomadic, some even have cross border autonomy. Very little in the way of sedentary agriculture out here, and despite the abundance of natural resources like Gold, Iron Ore, Petroleum, Uranium.. the majority of the population live below the poverty line. The majority of the wealth is in the hands of a few" Arianna said, and shook her head.

"Isn't it the same everywhere?" Dean asked. "Not for long" Arianna said "When we achieve our goals, we'll change everything, no more sickness, no more disparity… no more. No child will ever know hunger" Her tone of voice told Dean she felt what she was saying, she meant it. "They won't be children for long, they'll be…" Dean began. Dean was going to say something about all life on Earth being transformed, he knew Arianna's end goal, Jason beat him to it in his usual concise way "What? Like me?" Jason said, cutting Dean off.

Arianna picked up on this "We sent a message into deep space, and someone responded with a great gift. Someone out there believes in us, the only thing left is for us to believe in ourselves. To be less concerned with having and more concerned with being".

"But we are moving forward, progress doesn't happen overnight, and we did just put a man on Mars" Dean said "Despite how it turned out, it was an achievement". Arianna laughed "One hundred and forty million miles to wave a flag, give a boring speech and grab a few samples, hardly an achievement, Dean. We've been sending robots and drones to Mars for decades to do the same thing. Despite all of humanity's achievements, we aren't even on the Kardashev scale yet… but someone out there saw our potential, same as I did. Growth will never not be a painful process, and our species has a lot of growing up to do".

Dean thought about this, it was hard not to get drawn in by Arianna's charisma and intellect.

Before he had been brought in to develop the Half-Breed's stabilising Serum, it was that drive and charisma that had brought them to her cause. Arianna was potently Sighted, but she was still a human, and the children of Patrick Ross had chosen to follow her.

"Anything special about this place?" Jason asked. "We manufacture and stockpile some Serum here for the Brethren" Arianna said "The rest is RD on something very important to me".

"What's that?" Jason asked. "That's classified, Soldier" Arianna quipped back, slapping him on the leg playfully. Jason and Dean exchanged a look, which Arianna seemed to pick up on "Relax boys, it's an adventure, think of this as a bonding field trip" Arianna said. It was clear she was enjoying herself.

They drove hard into the untamed desert for another hour, by then it had started to get dark. Arianna drew to a stop between two high dunes, got out and made her way up a sand dune where she pulled out a pair of binoculars.

Jason and Dean joined her. Jason needed no Binoculars, Arianna handed them to Dean "Here, take a look" she said. Dean could see the compound. It was indeed an old, stone built fort from the 19th century, and it looked to have been retrofitted.

There were a lot of trucks parked around it and armed guards. Most of the men had their faces covered with cloth. Some looked Arabic, others belonged to different ethnic groups.

"Your token security force looks more like a small army" Dean said. "They do indeed" Arianna said, and flipped the bolt on her rifle "Except they're not mine". "They look like Mercs" Jason said, then added "What's our plan?".

Arianna took back the binoculars and continued to watch. She studied every detail for a few minutes and then sighed "Bakaaraha… should've known" Arianna said, she handed Dean back the Binoculars and slid herself back down the dune towards the Humvee.

Dean peered through the Binoculars and saw a man appear on the top tier of the old fort, unlike the others, he was dressed casually, a man in his 50's with a heavy tan and slicked back blonde hair. "Who is this guy? Dean asked.

"Shhhh" Arianna uttered as she made her way back up the dune with a metal briefcase which she handed to Jason.

Arianna threw herself flat between Dean and Jason and looked through the scope of her rifle "Teriq Bénichou, former Foreign Legion, runs a small mercenary outfit out of Algeria, smuggling weapons, drugs, conflict diamonds, you name it, up through the Sahara and onto the European markets". "So what does he want with this place?" Jason asked "How did he even find it?".

"That's what we're here to find out" Arianna said "Now, you boys, do what I do". Arianna began to walk down the other side of the dune towards the old fort.

Dean looked at Jason who gestured for him to move, then got to his feet and followed Arianna down the dune. Dean was the last to follow, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into a major Lion's den.

When Arianna got to within a hundred metres of the old fort, she raised her hands and called out in Arabic "Mrhban، 'ana huna liltahaduth 'iilaa Bakaraha" [Hello, I'm here to speak with Bakaaraha].

The reaction was almost immediate, within seconds, they were all surrounded by a dozen masked men with AK-47's, MP5's and a range of other weapons Dean couldn't begin to name, there was little uniformity in them, save for their face coverings.

They were all searched and Arianna's weapons were taken. They were then led up through the fort to the second tier, where there was a wide battlement and Bakaaraha sat behind a desk in the open air.

The area was lit by open flames from torches which had been placed around, giving it a very homely feel. This place, way out here in the middle of nowhere had been made not just livable, but comfortable. Dean found it hard to picture a Half-Breed actually being in charge out here.

"Ahhh, of all the people I thought might come, Arianna" Teriq Bénichou, the man known as Bakaaraha stood up, stretched out his arms and gave her a traditional greeting, a kiss on both cheeks. "Teriq, looks like you've made yourself very much at home here" Arianna said.

"Yes, it was very hard to find, I'll give you that, but you always did have a talent for finding the best spots" Bénichou leaned against the desk and lit a cigar, he was in charge here now, and made a show of it "I'm am guessing you would like to know why I'm here, Arianna?".

"Prey Tell" Arianna took a casual step forward, and was flanked by two of Bakaaraha's men. "A week ago, a man calling himself Yusuf was seen in a village fifty miles over the border, where he was seen to take three women" Bakaaraha said.

Dean and Jason exchanged a knowing look. "Two days later" Bakaaraha continued "All three were found dead, split open like cattle, and the man was tracked back to this place, where he was seen talking to the one in charge, a man by the name of Oliver, I believe".

Arianna turned and looked at Dean for a moment, her expression was hard to read "Is Oliver here? I would very much like to speak with him" Arianna said.

"I'm sorry, Arianna, but this man is no longer among us" Bakaaraha said casually.

Arianna took another step forward "This man of which you speak, Yusuf, was only briefly part of my organisation, but no longer. Though it seems, he managed to convince Oliver to help him. If this is the source of our current predicament, you have my word, this man will be found and dealt with" Arianna said.

"You refer to both Yusuf, and Oliver as Men… but I think we both know that is not true" Bakaaraha said, taking a drag on his cigar.

Dean noticed Arianna make a very subtle gesture with her right hand, it was a calm down gesture to Jason who bristled at Bakaaraha's words. Arianna was clearly in psychic tune with him.

"The one you call Yusuf got away. One of the women he killed was the daughter of my cousin, this is… blood for blood" Bakaaraha said "Oliver man helped him, and then refused to tell me where to find him, therefor he had a share in the consequences… and then I saw what you had down there, technology I've never seen, and then, of course, there's this…" Bénichou reached into his inside pocket and came out with a vial of pale green liquid, it was unmistakably a container of Dean's Serum meant for the Half-Breeds.

"For helping Yusuf, I would have taken … harsh measures with Oliver, it seems you beat me to it, in that regard I should thank you. You have my word, Yusuf will be found and dealt with, but for now, you and I must come to an arrangement, just like the old days" Arianna said.

"I'm afraid that we are now past that point, Arianna, you see, in this place I have seen horrors, and wonders… things I never imagined. Your … thing, that you called a man, killed nine of my men before we were able to put him down… with fire. Now I see whatever you are doing out here, is something that is as groundbreaking as it is dangerous" Bakaaraha said, not just to Arianna, but to all present.

"You're a businessman Tereq" Arianna said "You've become privy to certain… secrets of mine, so if it's money that talks, let's talk" Arianna gestured to the metal case that had been placed across his desk along with the weapons the mercenaries had taken from her.

"I am indeed a businessman, Arianna, and this… is a business of relationships… you remember relationships?" Bakaaraha said, stepping closer to her. "As I remember, they came to an amicable conclusion" Arianna said "No need to make things difficult now".

"But you see, I've been doing some checking, Arianna, and it seems there are a few people in… highly placed positions in your country who would be very interested in what I have found here…" Bakaaraha said smugly.

"What you have found here, Teriq, is the future, a bright one, free from suffering" Arianna said.

Dean kept a close eye on the men around him. Jason was calm as ever, but Dean knew that these men here with them stood very little chance if Jason was to unleash his full power.

"I am sorry, Arianna, but I'm afraid, based on what I've seen, that I can get a much better offer, and as for you and your friends, you'll be our guests until I can secure the deal" Bakaaraha got really close to her and gently brushed back her hair.

"I'm sorry too" Arianna whispered "You could have had a place in the future". Bakaaraha laughed "Take them down and secure them for transport".

What happened next was so swift, so loud, and so violent, that it took Dean by absolute surprise. The masked man to Arianna's right moved in to take hold of her arm, in the next instant, she had him in a stress positioned choke hold, and went for his sidearm, shooting first at Bakaaraha, hitting him in the arm and leg, he managed to dive over the desk.

Arianna rolled herself over the man's back while keeping him restrained and re-directed her aim at the man who was standing at her left, firing twice, once to his chest and then straight between his eyes.

From there, she rotated, directing shots all around, using the man as a human bullet sponge, taking out the five men to the left, including the one right next to Dean, who took a hit in the nasal cavity and sprayed Dean with blood.

Arianna then rolled the man she was holding to the floor, disengaged her restraining hold, then shot him in the head.

Jason swiped out the throat of the man to his right, sending up a jet of blood and viscera.

The man stared wide-eyed at Jason as he dropped to his knees, clutching at his gushing throat.

Arianna came up into a combat ready stance and aimed her weapon over the Desk. Bakaaraha was gone. Having scrambled away along the battlement and down into the fort.

Arianna turned and fired the remainder of the clip in his direction, but he ducked and fell down the stone steps. A few seconds later, Dean heard his pained voice shout to all his men around the fort "La tadae lahum mughadaratan huna ealaa qayd alhayati!" [Don't let them leave here alive].

"Dean, stay close" Arianna said, as she retrieved her weapons from the desk and reloaded her pouches "We're moving".

Right at that moment, shots rang out, Jason took a hit and growled, Dean ducked his head, Arianna advanced along the old battlement returning fire. "Dean! MOVE! Jason shouted.

A second later, Dean felt an incredibly strong hand grab his collar and almost lifted him off his feet, Jason kept Dean's head down and moved them both from cover to cover as they moved down into the interior of the old fort "We have to get out of here!" Jason shouted, but not to Dean.

"No, take Dean and secure the lab, I'll handle this" Arianna shouted back, the next second, Dean saw her leap off the battlement and land on one of the masked mercenaries, landing on his back and wrapping her legs around his shoulders, she threw her weight back and took him to the ground, where she drew her sidearm and shot him three times in the face before rolling free and coming up firing, taking out two more.

These men fight for table scraps, she fought for the future of all life on earth, their resolve had limits, hers did not. Arianna moved from cover to cover.

A group of Bakaaraha's men appeared in the next stone archway, Arianna took a low stance and drove forward, moving left and right then sticking to the wall, firing all the way.

When her magazine ran dry she slung her KS-1 and switched to her sidearm, taking out the next three, they wore Kevlar, she brought an armour piercing loadout.

She went for centre mass and headshots, making her bullets count. Bakaaraha's men were well armed, and Arianna knew that if he escaped from here, he would alert others.

Shouts and gunfire echoes all around, A man appeared around the next column, he grabbed her, attempting to wrestle her to the floor, she was ready for him, she had sensed him coming, she broke his grip and kneed him in the groyne, then aimed directly between his eyes with her sidearm click.

The man attempted to capitalise on his momentary reprieve and lashed out, he was immediately stopped when she jabbed him in the throat with the barrel of her pistol, before he could recover, she had opened his neck with her Kukri blade.

Arianna took cover and reloaded both her weapons before forging on, she moved around cover, taking shots and staying low.

Two groups attacked from either side, she was ready, taking a low stance, she threw herself flat beside a desert jeep in the corner of the compound, taking shots at their legs, those that fell got headshots.

Arianna rolled into cover and mantled over a low stone wall, which a moment later was chipped away under a barrage of 7.62 rounds.

Arianna raised her rifle and fired over the wall until the magazine went dry.

She had bought herself a few seconds, she reloaded and moved around the interior of the compound sticking close to the low stone wall, she was not retreating, or even hiding, she was hunting.

Arianna saw them all, in aspect, using her extrasensory perception, she knew their positions, a group of three were coming towards her, she stopped and aimed.

As the first man rounded the stone wall, she aimed down, blowing off his toes.

When he screamed and leaned down, she didn't even have to adjust her aim, she just fired again, hitting him in the temple.

The second man was right behind him, he dove over the wall and came at her, predictable, she used her rifle to block him and tripped him with a sweep of her leg, once he was down, she put three shots centre mass, then dropped and rolled out of the way as the third man fired.

Arianna came up into a kneeling position and returned fire, hitting him in the sternum with a double tap, and between the eyes with a well placed headshot.

From there she knew there was no more cover, so Arianna broke cover, running across the courtyard, jumping over a pile of ammunition crates and kicking a man to the ground.

She held him there with her knee on his throat, while she took out two more men to her left and right. That was it, the rifle was dry, she used the buttstock to finish off the man on the floor then unclipped the strap and left the KS-1 by the wall.

From here she could see out through the Archway to where Bakaaraha had gathered more of his men.

Arianna ran straight at them, only ducking when they turned to her and began firing, she dropped low, slud beneath the truck that had been parked across the entrance to the courtyard and came up firing.

She wrapped her legs around one man, tripping him, then rolled him over as she fired at the five men coming at her.

Two survived the barrage and returned fire. Arianna executed the man she had pinned down and dove behind a truck, narrowly avoiding the wild spray of bullets. They were panicking… good.

A fearful enemy is one prone to make mistakes, ones that can be easily exploited...

Arianna flicked away her clip and reloaded, these two were easy pickings. She threw herself flat and fired five shots beneath the truck, taking out both men's legs and a tyre.

Arianna got up, walked around the truck and executed both men as she passed them.

Bakaaraha was in the process of escaping in a Desert Jeep. Arianna aimed, and almost thought she'd lost him when the Truck was suddenly thrown to one side by a massive impact.

Jason walked around the truck as Bakaaraha got to his feet. "No!" Arianna shouted "Leave him be".

Arianna looked around "Jason, make sure the compound is secure, finish off any stragglers". Dean appeared near the entrance, she turned and regarded the young man, he was brave, but he wasn't accustomed to this kind of thing.

Bakaaraha painfully got to his feet, looked around him and then began to limp away into the dark. Arianna followed him.

He turned and saw her coming, he attempted to pick up the pace, but with two gunshots and several broken bones, he wasn't going far.

Arianna fired a shot into his right thigh and he fell into the side of a small dune, sliding down the sand.

Dean and Jason came up behind her "It's all secure ma'am" Jason said.

Arianna nodded without taking her eyes off Bakaaraha, then her gaze drifted skyward.

With no light pollution out here, the entire milky way was visible, like a tapestry of light across the sky "Look at it Tariq" Arianna said "Isn't it beautiful?".

"I wish you could've seen what I have seen" Arianna said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Then she unceremoniously leaned down and put the barrel of her sidearm to his eye…. CRACK!

Arianna stood, took a deep breath and looked back up to the stars, taking in the vision.

Suddenly everything was quiet and peaceful again… she whispered to herself an old proverb of this region "'Iilaa aleaql aladhi ladayh alsukun… alkawn yastaslim" [To a mind that has stillness… the universe surrenders].

Arianna closed her eyes drew in a deep breath, finding her centre, finding her peace, quieting her mind, taking in the warm desert air, with it came the smell of blood and smoke.

Dean had fought Half-Breeds in Abbott's Lab, stopped their plans to use Sara to propagate themselves, almost been incinerated in a fusion generator, but nothing could have prepared him for the violence-of-action that he had just witnessed.

Arianna hadn't even needed Jason's help, she took out the majority of about Twenty Five armed men by herself.

Now she stood there, on the side of a dune, with her head tilted back and her eyes closed, after such a terrible display of lethality, she was giving herself to a peaceful moment of reflection, enjoying the night sky and the soft desert breeze, now tinged with the smell of death.

Dean thought heard her utter something in what he assumed was arabic.

Next to him stood Jason, who looked around him. Jason's expression never gave away much, but Dean swore he saw something like awe written on Jason's face for a moment.

The woman was clearly no slouch when it came to dealing out a lethal wrath.

"So Yusuf is still out there and he came here for Serum… which Oliver, in his weakness, gave to him… and brought this down on us…" Arianna said. "Looks that way" Jason replied.

Arianna didn't say anything for almost a full minute, then she half turned "Dean, download everything from the lab's mainframe, Jason, there's a Monolith component I need salvaged". Jason gave Dean a slap on the shoulder and started making his way back into the fort.

Dean approached Arianna, as he drew nearer, she turned to face him, lit by the embers of the fading torches, those eyes were more piercing than ever "What is it, Dean?". "Yusuf" Dean said "He's the one who attacked Sara in Abbot's Lab, he caused all this?".

Arianna took a drink from the canteen on her hip "It would appear so. He's chosen to do things much in the same way his father did, only he's creating a feral brood, they don't last long but they can do a lot of damage as you can see. When we get back I'll make sure he's found". "But how is he even still alive?" Dean asked.

"The Brethren are a resourceful bunch Dean, he survives sometimes from a concoction of drugs, and when he can he steals from our Serum distribution". "You said he was part of your network" Dean said. "Very briefly, he proved…a bad fit" Arianna said.

Unexpectedly then, she slipped her arm under Dean's and linked arms with him, ushering him back towards the old fort.

"A bad fit is right. He killed Abbot, he tried to kill me, and with Sara, he…". Dean couldn't bring himself to say it.

Arianna stopped then, and turned to face him, he felt like those eyes were piercing into his soul "You still have feelings for her don't you?" Arianna asked.

When Dean didn't answer, Arianna lifted a finger to her temple "I see… I know… It's an open book to me, Dean… Come on, you're up now".

Arianna led Dean down into the Lab, through the elevator in the well and he saw it's scale for the first time. It was much bigger than he thought.

The well opened out into a vast underground cavern at the bottom of which was a lake "This place is amazing".

"There are cave drawings at the far end of the cavern from the early holocene, they pre-date the accepted habitation of this region by roughly fifty thousand years… we have come so far, and yet have so far to go" Arianna said.

While Dean set about downloading all the drives in the lab, Arianna and Jason burned hard copies and moved what Serum that could be salvaged back up to their Humvee.

After Jason finished loading the truck with all the other components and salvaged drives, he returned down the elevator. "Ready Ma'am" he said. Arianna was leaning one of the crates, casually throwing and catching her Kukri "Good, extract the Monolith Core and we'll meet you topside".

Dean looked up just in time to see Jason pull a lever on the lab's containment apparatus, causing a hiss, followed by a release of compressed gases.

A dark cylindrical, metal object roughly the size of a regular tyreless car wheel rose out the containment bay.

At its centre was another spherical object with several in-laid grooves, a faint green/yellow glow emanating from within.

When Jason lifted the entire thing out of its coupling and Dean got a good look at it for the first time, he couldn't believe it. Something he had only ever seen in theoretical science journals, and even then, only speculation.

Had he not been in charge of the Tokamak Fusion Generator, he likely wouldn't have understood what he was looking at.

"My God!" Dean exclaimed "Is that what I think it is?". "Depends what you think it is, Dean". Jason walked the object past Dean and made his way to the elevator, Dean's mouth was agape "Is that…. a Zero Point Energy Generator?".

"Very good, Dean, one of several prototypes" Arianna said "The alien message contained a number of clean energy sources". "I know, I saw in Abbot's files from the original Project" Dean said "An advanced fuel catalyst for methane…?".

"The Methane Catalyst was just one of the clean energy progressive stages outlined in the message" Arianna said, pushing herself up to sit casually on top of one of the wooden crates "When SETI Arecibo sent out the first interstellar transmission, it contained 1679 bits arranged into 73 lines, 23 characters per line, it contained only basic information. Our Benefactor" Arianna pointed her kukri upwards and continued "Couldnt precisely gauge our level of technological advancement from that data at the time of our initial contact. However, they foresaw a progression of technological stages and sent instructions for each stage: Fossil fuel to clean burning fuel, Nuclear, Bio, Solar Arrays, Fusion, Fission, and finally… Zero Point Quantum" Arianna tapped the Kukri along the edge of the wooden crate once for each stage she mentioned.

"You could power most of the continental US off of that thing indefinitely" Dean said as he watched Jason hit the elevator switch and begin his ascent. "If you've discovered, and successfully implemented a higher form of power generation, why not come out with it?".

"Oh, Dean you were doing so well" Arianna feigned sadness "Once this technology is out there, it's open to abuse, what do you think big-energy would do with a source of free clean energy apart from bury it, or try to find a way to monetise it?".

"If they wanted us to advance so fast, why send us the DNA?" Dean asked "All it's brought so far is suffering, for them and for us".

At this, Arianna looked genuinely upset "My Father... was as uncaring with my… Sister as he was with me, what I told you when you were first brought to me was the truth. He created Sil from me, his own daughter, and just like me, she was something to be used and thrown away… burned away with her child beneath the streets of Los Angeles… the only family I ever really had…".

Dean checked the progress bar on the download. Arianna moved around the lab to the cave wall and admired the neolithic cave paintings.

"Then there was Eve" she continued, another Sister, tortured, used, and would have been thrown away if not for her escape". "That's why you're after her?" Dean asked. Arianna turned and her eyes were red and swollen "I'm not after Eve, or Sara, Dean… they are family, vincula sanguinis" Arianna said, and finally sheathed the Kukri "I know what it is to be left alone, I don't want that for them".

Arianna looked up the elevator, checking that Jason was the top was sealed and Jason was out of earshot "You understand, you care about Sara too".

The computer sounded off a tone and Dean saw the last of the drives was downloaded, he uncoupled the cable and placed it in it's container, when he turned back around, Arianna was almost nose to nose with him "I'll take that" she said in a low voice.

Arianna took the container and then added "I hope you've learned something here tonight, Dean, we're all in this together".

Dean didn't know what to say to that "I… I understand" was all he could muster, whose eyes of hers felt like they could peer down to the deepest level of his being and pick out any doubt, any fear, any inner turmoil.

Arianna finally gave a subtle nod, then reached past Dean and typed a code into the keyboard on the lab's computer.

An electronic voice announced SELF DESTRUCT INITIATED 5 MINUTES

"Well, we'd better move, unless you'd like to be barbecued" Arianna quipped and made her way to the elevator.

Dean followed and stood on the platform with her as she keyed the switch… nothing happened. Arianna pressed the button again… nothing. "Shit" she finally said..

Dean had experienced a lot of fear this evening, Mercenaries, bullets flying over his head, and now he was trapped in a retrofitted cave about to be incinerated, abject panic set in "W… What! What do you mean Shit? Are you telling me the elevator's not working!… Is there another way…." Dean trailed off as Arianna started laughing hysterically and slapped him on the chest.

"You should see your face" she giggled and hit a switch on the side of the control panel, the Elevator began to rise as the announcer went off again SELF DESTRUCT - 4 MINUTES

Jason was waiting with their Humvee in the Courtyard. Arianna stepped off the platform and retrieved her KS-1 Rifle from where she had placed it nearby before climbing in.

She put her foot down hard on the gas this time and they sped out of the old fort kicking up a cloud of sand in their wake, then they were off across the dunes again.

Dean looked at his watch, it was almost time, but everything looked quiet behind him. "You know what boys, you did well tonight, and as luck would have it, it's Friday… when we get back to the jet, I'm taking you both for a weekend in Venice".

As if right on cue, a gargantuan fireball erupted into the sky behind them, illuminating the dunes for miles around in a gentle lustre. Moments later, they heard the blast and felt the shockwave.

Dean was astonished at the destructive power of the explosion, his fourth big shock of the evening. As he sat back in his seat, he noticed Arianna's eyes reflected once again in the rear-view mirror, studying him before returning to the view ahead.

Dean had been part of this for a long time now, but as they drove into the night, he began to feel the full magnitude of what he was a part of.

NORTH DAKOTA - I94 HIGHWAY

"Seriously" Eve rolled her eyes "What's this?". Press couldn't help but chuckle. Apart from the fact that things had ended horrifically at Hollander's Cabin, Press had to admit to himself, taking Eve was a good call.

He had reservations about what she could contribute in the field and now he had his answer, he'd be dead right now had she not been there, and before that, the way she had stopped Hollander when he initially tried to run was efficient, and she had achieved it with no violence whatsoever, even when Hollander took a shot at her. Press had finally accepted it, having her around was a good thing.

Moreover, she was really coming out of her shell. She had spent the past few minutes quipping and shouting at the radio after two late night radio show hosts had begun a lengthy discussion about the Viral sensation that was Evelyn Greene and her fight in the park up north was entering into the annals of internet legend.

The radio show was a discussion forum which dipped into all kinds of subjects, it was run by Andy Vane and Declan Lewellyn. They were discussing how the Wanted campaign came out so abruptly and were starting the discuss the two videos that had surface online, the Gas station and the fight. It had come on as they were driving through North Dakota after they stopped to eat at a rather homely rest stop.

Eve huffed "Ohh Press, turn that off". Álvarez reached over and put her hand on Eve's arm, she was genuinely intrigued "No, Eve, wait let's just see what they say, they'll go to open lines later".

Lewellyn began with "So let's go through what we know about her", to which Vane replied "Very little actually, a few people have managed to dig up is she was in Terminal Bay maximum security women's correctional when she escaped".

Lewellyn came back "So let's recap what was her original crime?, What's her rap sheet" Vane replied again "Just what it says in the police report which we have on the screen there, murder and armed robbery in the Virginia area".

Lewellyn continued, pushing for more details "But what about the woman itself? Have we been able to find anything about her life before that?"

Vane appeared to be working on a computer or something as he spoke, he was actively researching "Actually no, only the very vague bio from her prison file Born in Berkeley County West Virginia, raised in foster care... not much else?"

Lewellyn sighed for a moment, considering his next question "So she lived a pretty quiet life up until she robbed and killed someone?"

"Come on Consuela, this is all bullshit?" Eve sighed. "I'm just really curious what people are saying. They had to create a full identity for you otherwise the media campaign would fail, but now the majority of people who've seen it are on your side. Aren't you curious?". Eve shrugged and seemed to accept it.

Press had experience with this kind of thing long before Arianna, Patrick, or even Sil, he decided to throw his two cents into the discussion "I've tracked escaped convicts, some with classified or sensitive backgrounds, what they've gone for here the most generic biography for you. Troubled upbringing, petty crimes, drugs, things like that, means nothing really".

Eve then fired out a question he hadn't expected "The staff from Laura's lab, the women who used to guard me, the soldiers who shot at me... They can't all still be in the military, or the project, and some of them must recognise me from the picture they used… why don't they say anything?". Press thought about it and there was only one obvious answer "Well, what do you want them to say Eve? This woman isn't an escaped convict... She's an alien who escaped from a high security lab. That wouldn't exactly help your situation, or theirs if they spoke out".

"Yeah" Eve said with a deflated breath "You're right". "I imagine they're all still under NDA" Álvarez chipped in. "Plus they'll just look crazy if they say anything like that" Press replied.

Lewellyn continued "when you look at it though it's hard to get away from just how amazing she looks" To which Vane started laughing "I know right, you could sign her up for the cat walk tomorrow".

Eve's reaction was both humorous and telling, she turned in her seat and raised an eyebrow at Álvarez, who's only reaction was to giggle. Press shook his head at how surreal this was.

Lewellyn carried on "A lot of people are saying just because of that, if they saw her, they wouldn't turn her in…" That got a small laugh out of Eve.

Vane paused for a moment, it was clear they were looking at a screen and he was scrolling through comments online "Yeah I got a comment here saying "My door is open if she ever needs to place to stay".

Lewellyn then spoke directly to the audience "Yeah but, you've got to remember, don't mess with her... we've all seen her when she's angry". Eve shook her head "Actually, I wasn't angry, I was moderately irritated, but mainly just scared".

Vane continued to joke about it "Yeah I can't imagine too many prison guards are going to want to see her coming through their door". Lewellyn laughed "Exactly did she really escape from Prison or did they just kick her out?".

The hosts parsed for a moment.

Lewellyn eased himself into the next part of the discussion "I have to admit when I saw that fight I was absolutely blown away". Vane quipped back "I want to know her workout routine, she threw those guys like rag dolls".

Álvarez tapped Eve on the shoulder again "They had it coming". Seeing Eve's mixed response, Press doubled down on what Álvarez said "Yeah... Those guys might make their life decisions because of that beating you gave them, look at it this way, you probably did them a favour, they'll think twice before they mess with anyone again, especially a woman alone".

Eve leaned forward "It still didn't feel good, it was scary... I didn't know what was going on. To go from almost two and a half years completely alone, living by myself in the woods to getting into a fight like that… it wasn't fun"

Lawellyn was apparently watching the fight on the screen and flipping back and forth through it as he was speaking "The authorities are saying how violent she can be, and while that video shows she's really capable... When I watch this, I saw her give those guys EVERY goddamn chance to back off, more than I think most people would have".

Vane was quick to chip in "The authorities are saying one thing, the internet and anyone with eyes is saying another. Those guys ganged up, surrounded her, they stole her backpack, they kept pushing her around, picking at her, if you listen at several points, you can hear her say she doesn't want trouble, then she says she's giving them a last chance, so she's not crazy and violent, she's in control.

Lewellyn spoke to the audience again to explain what they were doing "Yeah, listeners, we're looking at the video here on the screen now. . . you see her hands are up, she's relaxed . . . she's definitely not the aggressor".

Vane was watching too, and made it clear which part of the video they were reaching "and look here, it's not until the big guy tries to grab her… and… BOOM!"

Lewellyn apparently stopped the tape, freeze framing it "Now this is the part I don't understand, HOW... That guy must've weighed about 200 easy, she sent him at least 20ft through the air backwards… just launched him".

Vane, who was mostly the excitable one, seemed to take a more relaxed tone "That was just her opening move and that's what everyone's so curious about. There's a lot of discussion that this whole thing is fake some sort of elaborate prank.

Eve took a long breath "Yeah... because what happened later that night was hilarious".

Lewellyn must've hit play again "See, after she throws the first guy, they all attack her, she ducks, swipes, counters OOOOHHH, perfect form".

Eve leaned around to Álvarez in the back seat "I learned all that in the lab, watching old Kung-Fu movies". Álvarez laughed "If you can learn moves from movies, then you and I are bingeing all of the Wick movies when we get back".

Lewellyn paused, muttering something under his breath as he worked the video to a certain point "Ok, now, apart from her launching the guy through the air, this is the next most curious part… the cop". Eve shifted in her seat "here it comes".

Vane, in his upbeat, and slightly nasally voice actually made a valid point "She may be wanted but her back was turned to him when he ran upon her, when the video starts, I think you can actually see him hanging out way at the other end of the park. Maybe he didn't even know who she was to begin with but he still pointed that taser at her before she even turned to face him".

Álvarez sat forward and seemed genuinely irritated "This guy might be slightly annoying, but he's right, that cop saw one woman defending herself, he got a good look at the fight, and just drew on you because you were the last one standing… Speaking as a former cop, I've known good cops, bad cops, but the worst kind of cops are dumb bad cops… and that guy ticked all the boxes. I've broken up plenty of fights, that was just plain stupid". Eve turned in her seat and smiled warmly.

Lewellyn had wound the tape several times while Álvarez was speaking "Now watch again, when he fires... BOOM! Absolutely no reaction"

Vane responded quickly, evidently checking through articles on another screen "I think they're saying that there was something wrong with the taser or something.. I'm not sure but it still looks cool".

Eve let out a laugh, it was clear to Press that she was beginning to enjoy this now. "Nope, that taser worked just fine" she said, and turned in her seat to grin at Álvarez.

Press then remembered something about the day he'd seen it, Laura and Press had looked at the video a number of times on the day it happened, and then, while he drove from Portland to Minnesota to meet them, Laura had been watching it in the car "I gotta tell you Eve, that part with the cop, I mean at first, it scared Laura and I, but once you were at the safe house with Consuela and Dan, I did see Laura laugh a little at that part… it was the look on the cop's face when nothing happened, and the unimpressed look on your face, I gotta admit, that was pretty funny, it's probably why the video has become so popular, at first it makes you angry to watch, then it has that satisfying conclusion, people eat that up"

Álvarez seemed to be thinking more about the obviously fake story surrounding the taser "One of Burgess's boys must have had a discussion with the cop in the hospital and gotten him to alter his story". "Wonder how that's gonna work out now they've been ordered to scale back the Evelyn Greene thing?" Eve asked.

Any Answer was cut off by Lewellyn's next outburst "Now watch .. BOOM! It looks like the Cop was going to go for his actual side gun and she just stepped up and jacked him in the jaw". Vane meandered through the rest of the video "Ok, then she gets her backpack off of that idiot, picks up the phone… this is interesting, it looks like she's only just finding out there's a wanted poster online for her, that the first time she looks actually angry… and then she takes off". Vane cut in "and take a look at her speed when she runs off into the woods, she'd beat Usain Bolt for sure with those legs".

The two hosts both made sighs, like they were relaxing back in their chairs Vane went first this time "So what do we think is going on here?". Lewellyn appeared to be scrolling now "Well, we've got people saying everything from she's an escaped super soldier to a test of some new combat drug all kinds of tinfoil hat stuff… I think it's time to take this case to the people…"

A background beat came on and Vane made the announcement "Ok then well we're gonna go to the open lines after this and for the next hour, you will have 1 minute to record your very own message to Evelyn Greene wherever she may be... Lines are open and now here's a song".

(Lola Colette - Nowhere to Run)

Álvarez began to laugh "Eve you should do it!" to which Eve and Press in unison shouted "NO!". Álvarez doubled down "Look we have encrypted phones worked up by one of Press's shady buddies, they're not gonna trace it, have some fun". "What would I even Say, Consuela? Tell everyone the truth of who I am?".

"Hay, no, both of you, come on, I know the phones can't be tracked but…". "But what Press" Álvarez said in a very upbeat tone "Let's let Eve thank all her new found fans for their support… hay, you could name Burgess, that might tip his career over the edge and send him to the scrapheap". Eve looked at Press, then back at Álvarez, who had her phone out in her hand and smiled.

Eve took the phone, opened the encryption and dialled the number to make her short recording. This whole thing had gone to a whole new level of surreal for Press as he listened to Eve clear her throat and prepare to make the recording "Hay, Consuela, don't laugh or say anything, you don't want your voice on the tape" Press said. "You too" Consuela retorted and slapped him on the shoulder.

The line finally opened and it seemed Eve had thought of what to say, as the line beeped, she bucked up the courage and spoke "This is Evelyn Greene… First, I hope those Boys, and that Cop are ok. To everyone else, I've seen your kind words. I'm not used to this, but I want to say thanks to you all. All I want is a normal life.. To my daughter, my baby girl, they took you from me, but now I know your name, I promise I'll find you, I love you, always… and to the people chasing me, Colonel Carter Burgess… if you wanna catch me, Colonel, you need to keep both eyes open!".

It was quite something to watch Eve find a new level of confidence as she lowered the phone and hung up the line. Press hadn't expected that last part and was hoping she would hang up the phone before he lost the battle with his laughter.

Press was finally able to let it out when she hit the [End Call] key and Álvarez laughed right along with him. "AY DIOS MÍO, I wasn't expecting that last part, the Mic Drop! You're a badass, Eve!" Álvarez laughed. "I wish I could see the Colonel's face when he hears that!".

"I hope my daughter hears it too" Eve said.

Both Press and Álvarez stopped laughing at that, they both seemed to pick up on what Eve's inner thought process was in making the decision to record that thing.

Several hours ago, Eve had learned for the first time the name of her daughter… Sara and while she had stopped at actually saying the name out loud over the phone, Press could tell she really meant it.

They knew that Sara was alive now, although the last confirmed sighting was two years ago… Press realised at that moment Eve is putting herself out there for her daughter to see. It was hard not to feel hopeful for Eve, so much had befallen her over the years, she deserved a new life and to find the daughter she lost.

"We know she's out there now, Eve, sooner or later she'll see that video or that wanted poster, or hear what you just said, she'll know her Mother is out there and looking for her" Álvarez said, reaching over the seat to rub Eve's shoulder. Eve reached around and held her hand.

Press smiled, it really was good to see Eve and Álvarez were so close.

MONROE AFB - VIRGINIA - OPERATION: MEDUSA HQ

In his office overlooking the Operations floor that was once the Biohazard Lvl 4 Laboratory, Burgess stood listening to the broadcast out of the midwest, he was one of the few people that knew Eve's voice, even though she'd never personally spoken to him, she addressed him through a late night radio show, the call had been unstable, but it was definitely her.

As she finished her little speech and hung up, he felt a near uncontrollable rage build up inside him, he had been enjoying his usual coffee, and was only fleetingly aware of the heat spreading up his arm.

He had crushed the mug in his hand and burning hot coffee had been splashed across his arm, his hand was cut too… So, that alien bitch was getting wise. Burgess grimaced, knowing that everyone down in the command centre had just heard her message.

Burgess resolved that when he got his hands on her, he would make her pay dearly for that little stunt.

TERMINUS - BENEATH MIDTOWN EAST - NEW YORK

The Pirated electricity was up and running again, but as usual, the dim lights did not reach the farthest walls of Terminus, one had to walk around with a lit torch… if, of course, you were human. The Woman, known to the world as Nicole "Nikki" Toombs, known on the streets as The Angel of Vermin needed no such light, she saw perfectly in the dark.

She had been listening to a plethora of radio shows, interviews and video breakdowns of the Evelyn Greene incident since it began.

Of course, since it began, she had been forced to take measures, fortunately, two things worked to her advantage… She was second-to-none at staying hidden in the shadows, and this was a time when cloth face-masks were acceptable everyday attire, this kept facial recognition, or any up close recognition at bay.

She knew every inch of this city… her territory. She had returned here after the summer to find a chaotic mess, and her sister's face… HER face, all over the internet.

As she listened to this latest broadcast out of the midwest, a radio show that had promised a lengthy discussion on Evelyn Greene, the last thing she had actually expected was to hear her sister's voice… She spoke about wanting a normal life, she threw serious shade at someone named Burgess and then spoke about wanting to find her daughter.

She looked up from the table of weapons she was field stripping and stared at the radio "Un-Fucking-Believable" Nikki uttered.

Her partner, Connar, was sitting nearby, behind a plastic screen he had set-up to protect her while he used the assembled equipment to carefully synthesise the Toxin formula that Dr. Laura Baker had developed for Patrick Ross. They had found the formula on a flash drive belonging to Victoria Foster several months before when Nikki had found her dying of a gunshot wound in an alley and taken care of her assailants.

Neither of them had any idea whether it would work, but it was worth a shot, and gave them a fighting chance for what's coming.

"You hear that back there, Shanty?" Nikki called over to him. "Yeah, I heard it, she even sounds like you. I hope she used a burner or an encrypted net to do that".

"We spent all those weeks looking for her in the summer, then she goes and pulls this shit!" Nikki said, then shook her head and added "You're a brave one, little sis, I'll give you that".

"What about the Daughter she mentioned?" Connar asked. "Who knows, it's a tangled web" Nikki replied. Connar knew that Nikki had lost her child beneath the streets of Los Angeles, looking at Nikki now, he didn't need to be Sighted to know she had taken that to heart.

"You ok Nikki?" he asked "I'm always Ok'' Nikki said with a long exhalation, her expression was serious, but she managed the tiniest half smile.

A few seconds later she finished what she was doing and came over to the front of the plastic screen "This stuff smells like diabetic piss, you almost done?" Nikki asked. Connar looked up from the small centrifuge he was working "Almost done" and began putting the noxious white fluid into several modified Gyro-Jet rounds.

"Just make sure you keep that shit away from me" Nikki said, tapping a her modified Glock20 on the plastic screen between them. "Don't you worry, besides, no way this shit could hurt you…you should be used to it with all the white sticky stuff you swallow in this city".

"Ohhh" Nikki began to slow-clap "That was good" She threw a double thumbs up and fake smile and added "In fact it was so goog that you're lucky you're holding that shit in your hand otherwise you'd be choking on warm red gushy stuff… come on, get out here and get that shit washed off your hands… I'm beat". Nikki grinned.

He finished and took off the protective sheet he was wearing to make the weapon.

"Little Sis sounds fun" Connar said as he pushed his way out through the plastic sheeting and started washing himself in a bowl of disinfectant.

Nikki wandered over to the middle of the space and sat on an old sofa that she had dragged down into Terminus, in front of the sofa was a propped up table filled with books. "All this shit that's coming down on us… feels like L.A. all over again" Nikki said, shaking her head.

"You, Nikki…." Connar came over to her "Are smart, determined, tenacious… and gorgeous" he leaned over the back of the sofa and rubbed her shoulders and continued "In L.A. you had nobody watching your back, and you were set against a hostile world you were still figuring out… but that does not describe you anymore. You're prepared…". Nikki breathed deeply and smiled "We finish this, and then we put this city in our rear-view forever".

Connar slid down onto the sofa next to her and they rested against one another. They stayed there for a while, lost in thought, listening to the radio broadcast on a small wind up radio.

Nikki had been in New York for over ten years, but soon, it would be time to move on. When she arrived here, she was a broken thing, but life in New York had been eventful.

The Urban myth that first formed around her in Detroit had followed her here, and over the years, it had grown into every shadow in the city.

She had met Connar, and under difficult circumstances, the two of them had fallen for each other entirely. With Connar being potently Sighted and her own Telepathic senses, their affection for one another ran deep.

Over the past year, however, they had become embroiled in a violent struggle on the streets, a group of Half-Breeds, the detritus offspring of Patrick Ross had come to the city seeking an artefact of great value to them.

Nikki had briefly tried leaving the city, but circumstances brought her back, and now she was going to fight.

Soon she would show them the true identity of Nicole Toombs.

Soon she would show them the full wrath of the Angel of Vermin.

Soon she would show them who she really was…. She was … once… known by a different name… Sil.

PROCTOR - MINNASOTA - HIGHWAY US-2

It had been a long drive down to Rochester and they were both tired. They had taken turns driving, switching at rest stops. They had been listening to the broadcast on the way.

PROCTOR - MINNASOTA - HIGHWAY US-2

A few minutes into the open lines messages, neither Laura or Dan had actually expected to hear a message from Eve herself. She had kept it brief, concise, spoken from the heart and ended it with a retaliatory comment aimed at burgess.

Laura was drinking from a paper cup of coffee to keep herself alert and when she heard Eve's Both Eyes jab at Burgess, she had to put her arm in front of her face to stop herself laughing and spraying a mouthful of coffee across the dashboard.

Dan couldn't help but laugh, he'd met burgess briefly, he was a detestable man, and indeed was blind in one eye, the result of a combat injury.

"Wow, Eve… Wow" Laura said… "Unbelievable". "You raised a bold one, Laura" Dan replied. "That I did" Laura said and smiled "I'm glad we got the encrypted phones though" Laura said.

The phones they all used to communicate were worked up by one of Press's buddies who handled the tech side of the whole mercenary thing that Dan didn't really understand, save for the fact that they were all dangerous people with dangerous occupations.

"What do you think she's gonna do when we tell her that Dean Whitlock actually created a mate for her daughter?" Dan asked. "I'll tell her, it should be me" Laura said "And I don't know". After a few moments, Laura spoke again "Dean Whitlock and I are going to have a conversation that he won't enjoy I'll tell you that, he played with things beyond his control".

"We all did, Laura" Dan said "Humans I mean… when we sent out the original SETI message, to when we followed those instructions that came back… it's just our nature".

"Maybe you're right" Laura breathed "Still doesn't make it right, all the suffering that's come of it on both sides". "I never told this to Press, Laura" Dan began "But I…. I struggle".

Laura didn't say anything, she listened, allowing him to continue. "Sil's baby… he was innocent" Dan said. "He attacked you Dan" Laura said. "He was just scared, I felt it, he had no idea what was happening, he was only a few minutes old, I never meant to hurt him". "Dan" Laura said "I was with you when you climbed up those rocks, I heard you call to him, I heard you tell him you wouldn't hurt him, but what would you have done, taken him out of that cave and tried to raise him?".

"I don't know, Laura, that's the truth" Dan said "I've thought about it alot. I didn't have a plan beyond getting him to safety… I wouldn't have let the government kill a kid". "I often wonder if Fitch had bothered to actually raise Sil instead of just study her, she would have turned out much the same as Eve has".

"We all have regrets" Dan said "But it's what we do now that makes a difference".

WEST FARGO - I94 HIGHWAY - NORTH DAKOTA

Over the next hour, as they drove, they made another stop for a rest, something to eat, and continued, when they were back on the road, it seemed the two Radio hosts they had been listening to had gone through several comments, and they kept mentioning Eve's in particular.

They played them one after the other.

Eve's clip was played after several others, followed by a lengthy discussion over it's authenticity, also the "Colonel" she mentioned, Vane was actually trying to search Burgess's name online and his military record. "Oh Yeah" Press said "Burgess is done now, they'll replace him, but nice job Eve". "After what happened at Hollander's, I had to salvage the day somehow".

Lewellyn announced "We got an international caller, all the way from Russia we have Marcus" and played the message.

NEXT MESSAGE: "Evelyn, I wrote on your video, you promised to send a diet list for training, we are still waiting. We love you in Russia! You are the best, come to Russia! Marry me! I need such a woman in my life! I own a large business, all across Russia, and I'll pay you anything you want to be my bodyguard! Ty moy pervyy, moy posledniy, moye vse! do svidaniya!".

"Well, that beats trying to walk and swim to Siberia. Press, drop me off at the nearest airport, please" Eve said, smiling. "Hay" Álvarez leaned through the seats "Don't even think about going without me!". "Sorry Consuela, I didn't hear the Russian Oligarch invite you" Eve said, grinning. Álvarez laughed and feigned outrage "Technically, he didn't invite you, he invited Evelyn Greene… and she doesn't exist".

Eve laughed and turned around in the seat "Well, if he's willing to pay her to exist I could get used to it". "Or you could go with option A and marry the guy, you heard what he said?" Press quipped. Eve shrugged "Even better, I get citizenship right? No extradition… Evelyn Greene: Professional Russian".

"So, what? Are you gonna be his bodyguard or marry him?" Press asked "And what diet plan are you gonna give him? Protein shake with a sprinkle of Martian dust should do the trick". Both Eve and Consuela laughed.

NEXT MESSAGE: "HAYY, Evelyn, I'm Luke, I'm an online content creator from New York, things are a little … rough in the city right now as you probably know if you watch the news. You are amazing, you need to come down here. The Big Apple has its own collection of Mysterious Bad-Asses like yourself, we've got the Angel, who nobody ever sees, but her presence is felt everywhere. They paint murals and leave offerings in alley's and tunnels for her. We've got the guy from the sewers, The Fifth Turtle, I met him, and like yourself, he likes to beat up guys twice his size, and we've got Dark Bohemia Fixers, who smashed their way through a bunch of heavily armed guys who attacked a club a couple of months back. You could team up with all of them and kick some serious ass!... Peace Out!"

"That was interesting, what does that guy think this is? A goddamn comic book?" Press said. "Might as well be" Eve quipped back. Álvarez got on her phone and began searching for the terms the caller had used. She handed Eve the phone and it showed Luke's actual Channel. The video entitled "The Fifth Turtle" was pinned.

The radio hosts took a music and news interlude, so Eve was able to view the video without missing any messages. Álvarez leaned forward and Eve held the phone out in such a way to they could all see it.

"I saw a few people mention this 5th Turtle thing a few days ago on your video" Álvarez said. "Don't you ever get tired of looking at that thing, Consuela?" Press asked as he took small glances at the video, keeping his eyes on the road.

The video began with Luke himself talking to a homeless man named Jesse. Jesse sported several cuts and bruises and apparently, before the video began, he had been violently "Moved on" from an ally behind a club across the street, the bouncers had stolen his prosthetic hand.

"So this guy's a Veteran and those doormen across the street rousted him out of an alley and stole his hand?" Press said, feeling serious anger boil up inside. Eve seemed to pick up on this, and asked "Want me to stop it?". "No, it's fine, it's just I know guys who ended up like that, they deserve respect" Press said with a long sigh, shaking his head. He had to remember, Eve could pick up emotional, physical and chemical changes, as well as a telepathic sense. "Sick Pendejos!" Álvarez swore.

Luke then turns and points his camera down a different alley just behind where he's standing and a Manhole is being moved open. A hooded guy with a guy fawkes pattern face mask comes up out of the sewer and talks to Jesse, putting his hand on his shoulder, the two exchange a brief conversation and it's apparent that the manhole guy has a slightly regional English accent.

Press could see Consuela's confused expression in the rear view mirror, she tilted her head and grimaced "Ok? So apparently, in New York you can cast a spell and conjure an English guy from the sewers?". Eve also looked confused "one minute in and this is already weirder than my video".

Jesse points at the bouncers across the street and the man tells him and his girlfriend everything's going to be "Sorted". Then the English hooded guy makes his way casually across the street and speaks to one of the bouncers while holding up a phone. The Conversation appears to go sour quite quickly and the bouncer is seen uttering a threat to the English guy.Consuela leaned further forward "Oh this isn't good, that guy's like twice his size, he's gonna get beat down". Press was momentarily distracted from the road when suddenly, both Eve and Consuela shouted "WHOOOAAAA!"

All of a sudden, the English guy drops the phone and proceeds to deliver an earth shattering beating to all three bouncers at the front of the club. The third guy is most unlucky, getting his hand badly torn.

"I get it, a hand for a hand" Eve murmured, concentrating on the video. "Shit, yeah, when you put it that way" Press said, the camera zoomed, the third bouncer's hand was split down the centre.

Luke adjusts the camera focus just in time to see another HUGE bouncer come out of the club and charge at the English guy. The large man instantly regrets his decision as the English guy grapples him at the last second, using his weight and size against him and slams him down on the pavement, at which point, a passing pizza delivery guy is knocked off of his Bicycle.

It can barely be heard over the crowd at the door, now all shouting, but it is just discernible that the English guy quipped "Woopsie… collateral van-damage" at the stricken Pizza guy. Luke must have been using a decent directed microphone.

All three of them laughed at that "That Luke guy is right, Press, maybe you should find this guy and hire him" Álvarez laughed. Press quipped back "Yeah, because I have a real good history with masked English guys in New York".

Then the Video took a dramatic turn when the smartly dressed man with slicked back hair at the door pulled an expensive gun, he made a show of it too, but that appeared to be the wrong tactic as the English guy rushed him and disarmed him, knocking him to the floor. The English guy then went inside the club and fired shots. A few seconds later, the crowd spilled out onto the streets.

The English guy emerges from the club, the only one walking while everyone else panics and runs. He kneels by the club owner and Luke directs a Mic so he can pick up what is being said over the noise.

He picks up the tail end of the what the English guy said to the Club Owner "If I have to come back here, I'll stretch your dick over that fire hydrant and break you in half, you understand me?".

"That was quite a threat" Eve said. "You know I like that" Press said "Usually, people who make threats, don't have anything to back it up with… this guy makes a threat after he's done the damage… not bad".

The English guy then replaced his mask and hood before turning around and making his way back across the street. At this point Eve rewound the video back and fourth a few times. His face mask came off during the fight, but Luke never managed to get a clear shot of his face.

"Hmm Jeez" Press Murmured "That gun he stole was a 9mm Laugo Alien, those things are worth like Seven Grand, easy". The cop in Álvarez gave her take on the situation "I get he did that for a good reason, if those bouncers did what that guy said… but if they catch him, he's looking at five counts of assault, assault with a deadly weapon, affray, grand larceny for the gun and I don't even know for firing shots in a crowded nightclub".

He makes his way back across the street, scooping up the Pizza box from the ground. The masked man comes back across the street to Jesse and gives him back his prosthetic hand. The masked man then put on a very posh English voice, the King's English "Your gauntlet, brave Knight… and don't let it happen again, young man, otherwise I shall use it most inappropriately before I return it" Jesse and Rebecca both laughed. "Thanks my Bro" Jesse smiled and stood up as the English guy took a large pizza from the bag and handed it to him."All in a knight's night's work" the masked man quipped, using his exaggerated posh voice. "How's you-know-who?" Rebecca asked. She glanced at Luke, there was clearly someone they didn't wish to openly discuss in front of the camera "Oh she's her usual cheerful self, couldn't be here tonight, she had an errand, but there's a hot tandoori in there, she'll love that" the masked man said."Thanks Shanty" Jesse said and fist pumped the masked man before they both went their separate ways. The English guy returned to the manhole, lowered the Pizza bag down and climbed in, pulling the manhole closed as the first sirens could be heard.

Luke spoke up behind the camera "Hay man". The masked guy half turned as he was getting ready to go back down the manhole "What's up?" he asked. Luke continued "That was amazing, who are you, man?".

Even though the English Guy's face couldn't be seen, it was apparent he had heterochromia, one eye was blue and the other was a striking green.

"Nice eyes" Eve said.

It was also apparent that he was smiling beneath the mask "Ohh I'm the 5th Turtle, mate, but they never write about me because I keep forgetting my shell" to which Juno, Luke's girlfriend began laughing hysterically.

"Gotta run now, otherwise Master Splinter will be mad" the guy quipped and disappeared down the manhole pulling its shut behind him".

The camera turns back to Luke and Juno who are standing there both laughing and mouths agape in shock at what they just witnessed "Well guys I think we just met the Fifth Turtle, I've seen some crazy shit in my time but god damn!". The video ends.

"Well" Eve said "That was … interesting". Press could tell she was as confused as he was, the Masked guy was certainly as entertaining as he was dangerous. "Dan's sister is a Detective there right? Your friend Vikki died there, something is going on in that city, I can feel it" Álvarez said.

Press had been following the news out of New York for a few months, since Vikki's death. There was definitely a Hybrid in that alley, one who waited until Vikki and the journalists were dead, then sprang on the hitters to clean up any potential loose ends. That was the work of Arianna for sure. The only thing he couldn't figure out was how so much violence had been fermented as a result.

Although all the current violence in the city appeared to be the work of gangs and contractors of some kind, Press agreed with Álvarez, he had that gut feeling that there was something big happening there "After we check out this next place, we might have to look at linking up with Olivia, Dan's Sister and she can walk us through what's going on. "Sounds good" Eve said "I always wanted to visit New York".

"If we go there you'll have to be very careful, Eve, hat and sunglasses at all times" Press said. "How about a fake moustache?" Eve shot back. Press laughed "Yeah, that'll work too".

Lewellyn and Vane came back on with a few more messages. Announcing that this one was from a lady who wished to remain anonymous.

NEXT MESSAGE: I'm very nervous, sorry. I can't give my name, and I can't say when or where this happened. I once made the mistake of going on a date with the wrong guy. We had dinner and a movie, then he drove to this awful part of town and wanted to take things further in the back of his car, when I refused he attacked me... I never…. I never… knew your name at the time, but since I saw your face online, and that video, now I know it was you, Evelyn. You showed up out of nowhere and saved me. Then you got me away from that place. I've never spoken about it, and I won't mention anything here, but on the off-chance that you hear this…. Evelyn, I had to tell you that I will never forget you, if the time comes when you ever need help, anything… I will always be there".

Press found himself staring at Eve for a second and not watching the road. Eve was staring right back, so was Álvarez in the back seat. Eve's gaze went from Press, to the radio, to Consuela, then back to the radio before she finally spoke "I…. I… I don't. I mean, I have no idea what that was" Eve said.

"You sure, Eve?" Álvarez asked. Eve nodded. Press studied Eve's expression for a moment "She seemed pretty sure she was talking about you… someone saves you in a situation like that, you tend to keep that locked in memory". "Really, I have no idea what that was, I never stopped a woman getting attacked in a car… I mean, I would if I saw that happening, but I never did" Eve said. After a few moments, she added "I stopped a guy getting beaten up once, that's it".

NEXT MESSAGE: I used to live on the streets in Cleveland, I remember Evelyn Greene, but I never knew her name until now. I can't claim to know her, but one time I was sheltering in this abandoned factory in a toxic waste part of town and these gang bangers came in there and started beating on me... Evelyn showed up and absolutely beat their asses, just like in that video, then she took all their money and gave it to me. Evelyn... You were an Angel to all of us on those streets, I'm better now and I'm with you all the way. You stay safe, peace out…

"And was that the guy?" Álvarez asked. "Err… No…" Eve said. Press was starting to get confused now, Eve was not exactly a forgettable person "No?" he asked. Eve looked equally confused "He said Cleveland, I've never been there, when I stopped someone getting hurt, it happened in Tuscon, I was on my way to Mexico, and I didn't beat anyone up, I just pushed them, grabbed the guy and got him out of the situation… I never took money from anyone".

"This is getting weird" Álvarez said.

Lewellyn came over the radio to announce the next message "Not to take away from the lady earlier, we spoke to her, and she wished to remain anonymous and wasn't willing to give specifics on where that encounter happened. We both spoke with our next caller before he recorded his message and we decided to give this last story more airtime because his story was just … well you can listen, here it is, this is from Jacob in St-Louis".

NEXT MESSAGE: Uh, hello everyone... I'm Jacob, I'm 23 and I just started my own I.T. business. I met Evelyn Greene, the woman I now know was Evelyn Greene back when I was 12, she never told me her name at the time, but I'll never forget her. I was living in Chicago with my Mom at the time. I didn't have money for the bus so I was returning home in the evening after football practice and this creepy man started following me... He kept asking me to come home and play with him, then he just grabbed me and started dragging me down the street. I was screaming so much, I was so scared… the guy started beating on me and yelling at me to shut up. I kept screaming but nobody came, the guy kept getting more angry, till he eventually dragged me behind this old library building and threw me on the floor… he kicked me in the stomach and started unbuttoning his pants… and that's when… she appeared… and we were talking about this before I came on air, it's one thing to see a picture online, or watch a video, but it was unmistakably her, she's not someone you forget. She was wearing this long green coat that was kinda tattered with the hood up. She appeared from nowhere… and she saved me… She pulled the guy off me, threw him hard against the wall and then chased him away… then she came back, picked me up, took my hand and walked me all the way home. It was apparent that Jacob was becoming very emotional on the line, his voice was catching and he was sniffling, he was reliving something very traumatic. Evelyn… I know your name now… and I can never thank you enough. I remember how pretty you were, but I remember you had such sad eyes. That's why I gave you such a hug on the driveway to say thanks, and I remember that you trembled when I did... stay strong Evelyn, I will never forget you and I will always be there if you need me. My door is always open, and you can look me up in St-Louis! Thank you always… Jacob.

Press noticed Eve's hand move to her mouth, in the rear view, he could see Consuela's eyes visibly red and teary.

"I've… been to chicago… but that"... Eve began… "That wasn't me". Eve said, she was clearly very moved, there were tears in her eyes.

Press looked at her sternly "I know, Eve, and seriously, I'm starting to get a little concerned right now, that's three messages in a row, that you say weren't you, and that last guy, if he's 23 now and that happened when he was 12 then…". Eve finished his thought "I know that was before I even escaped… I know".

There was a long silence between them all. It was Consuela who broke it "If that wasn't you… then…what? Arianna?... The only other possibility is if the first Sil…". "Whoa, Consuela" Press said, putting a hand up, cutting her off "No… seriously don't even go there" Press exhaled "Sil can't be alive, I saw her die".

TERMINUS - BENEATH MIDTOWN EAST - NEW YORK

Over the past thirty minutes, Nikki had been on an emotional rollercoaster. The online wanted poster was bad enough, but since Eve had gotten into that stupid fight, things had just escalated.

Now she felt numb, she didn't know what Eve's journey through the world had been like or where the road had taken her, what she did know was that several of these messages for Evelyn Greene were not meant for Eve, they were meant for her.

"Why couldn't you have just barged past those guys and started running? You are more than capable of doing that. It's what I would've done". "Really?" Connar said, giving her a small nudge. "What?" Nikki asked. "I've never known you to run away from a fight", Connar smirked. Nikki thought about it, she had studied every frame of that video, she it was plainly obvious from the look on Eve's face when the men first confronted her that she had no idea what was going on.

She'd probably been living miles off the grid with no communication, no wonder she was impossible to find "Hmm… If I'm honest, I don't know how I would have handled that" Nikki sighed.

The challenges of discovering that someone else was walking around with your face.

The woman in the car. That had happened in L.A. not long after she regenerated in another cocoon. After that night, she had left the city, putting it behind her forever.

She sat there now, on the worn out sofa with her head in her hands and floods of tears, she couldn't remember the last time she felt this way. Nikki felt Connar slip his arm around her and pull her close.

The man in Cleveland. She remembered that too. She hadn't stayed in the city that long before moving on. The interaction he described had occurred on several occasions while she was there.

Then there was Jacob, she could never forget Jacob, she had indeed stopped him from being dragged away by that man… she had later returned to the back of the old library building and hunted that man down by following his scent. She had made sure he would never go near another child, or anyone else again.

Jacob was upset and crying when she first got him away from the man, but had bounced back after walking a while. It was a five mile walk to his house. Once he knew he was safe with her, he talked all the way back to his home, and then gave her a big, waist-high hug that she wasn't expecting. It felt strange to her.

He had mentioned his age and Nikki knew that had the potential to expose her, but with "Her" face all over the internet right now, it hardly mattered anymore, all that mattered was their plan. They were going to find where the Half-Breeds were based in the city and they were going to annihilate them.

This city was HERS. Nikki was pragmatic enough to know that her time in this city was coming to an end, but she wasn't going to allow these Half-Breeds to chase her out.

She still found it daunting that these people remembered her and that she affected their lives in such a way.

"That's enough, come on" Nikki breathed deeply and switched off the wind-up radio she had been using before making her way up to the next level of Terminus and climbing onto her mattress.

Soon it would be time for a reckoning in this city, and after that, she would move on to pastures new. A new place, a new name, a new life … but there was no way she was going to leave this city to the Half-Breeds and organisation behind them.

TIBETAN HIMALAYAS

After their big Game and Hunt Sara and Maya had opted for a more relaxed few days focussing on meditation techniques and blade training on the Ice. Maya had even set up a target and given Sara some long range sniper training.

It wasn't until Maya had connected a portable signal booster to her tablet to check messages that Everything had changed.

Maya, had of course mentioned other Whispers, but never by name, as part of her ethic, Sara would have to wait until she was a fully blooded Whisper to find out about the others.

Maya had not opened up her tablet to the internet for several of months, coming out here was the point for her, to decompress from the world. So, when she did attach the portable signal booster, she discovered half a dozen messages from someone called Connar and an internet alert for someone named Evelyn Greene.

There had been a very serious conversation between the two of them, Maya had called Sara back to the hut and told her to prepare herself.

"Sara, there's something you have to see" she said, and showed her the tablet. What Sara saw on that tablet, she couldn't believe.

It was her, it was Eve, it was her mother. "What is this?" Sara asked, her voice caught in her throat. "They're calling her Evelyn Greene, they're trying to get eyes out there looking for her". "This is …. This is my Mother… she's alive Maya!".

It got worse. Attached in the comments beneath the main post with the Wanted Poster were two videos, one showed "Evelyn Green" buying sundries in a Gas Station.

The next was far more dramatic, showing a violent altercation in a park. Her Mother had taken on several assailants, all larger than her, and then a random Cop.

It was at that point, something dawned on Sara, something profound. Sara had, of course told Maya the whole story that she knew, including what she knew about her mother, her father… and her mother's predecessor, the one they called Sil…. BUT Maya had never seen Abbots files for herself, she had no idea what Eve looked like…

"You knew?" Sara asked…. Tears welled up in her eyes "Maya… did you know my Mother was out there?". Maya stood up and took a few paces to stare out across the frozen lake. "Maya…." Sara pleaded. "No" Maya finally said "No I didn't know until now that your Mother… Eve, was still alive".

"But you've never seen any of the project files I was shown, you've never seen what she looks like, how could you know?" Sara asked. "Because…." Maya looked down for a moment, then immediately straightened and looked Sara in the eye "Because you are not the first of your kind that I've met…nor were those Half-Breeds that came after you, but I cannot discuss others during the training, as you know".

"I was with you a long time before I started training, Maya". "And I was trying to decide the whole time what to say, and what not to say…the one I met.. The one I know… she likes her privacy, her anonymity. The government over there believes she's dead and she likes to keep it that way". "She.. Who?" Sara asked "A Half Breed? It makes perfect sense now, you followed me up into that building and you attacked those Half-Breeds like you'd done it before". "No, those were the first Half-Breeds I'd seen" Maya countered.

"Well, I can't sugar-coat it" Maya continued "We did not get along initially, she's very much an acquired taste, but over time I grew to respect her… even call her friend… and she's with another Whisper I know, someone I love like a Brother" Maya said in a low voice. Sara read her rhythms, she felt guilty. "You would have discovered all this in time, when you were ready" Maya added.

"When I was Ready?... Maya, who is she?" Sara asked. Hot tears were now streaming down her face, she wiped her eyes. Maya took a deep breath and kicked some snow "Her name is Nicole Toombs…". Sara stared at Maya, that name meant absolutely nothing.

Maya looked pained to say it "She helped me put an end to a very dangerous situation six years ago… she's… She told me this in confidence Sara". "Maya, I need to know" Sara said.

"At the time when I met her, Sara, she had no idea what she was, whether that's changed, I don't know . . . before she gave herself a new name, she was called Sil" Maya finally said… after a few moments, she added "Nikki is very secretive, and I keep her confidence. Once you said you wanted to be a Whisper, I thought I could teach you everything, then introduce the two of you".

Sara felt overwhelmed, such a flood of revelations all at once "Nikki?… Wait… are you telling me she's a Whisper too?". Maya stared at her "For what she did for us, stopping a resurgent Project Morrigan, for that, she's one of us, yes". Sara turned away and crouched down, holding her head in her hands… overwhelmed.

Maya came over and sat next to her "I'd have done the same for you, Sara… I know you feel like I've broken your trust, but, in fact I was trying to find a balance".

"You kept her confidence…" Sara eventually said. Maya's mental and rhythmic patterns had remained steady throughout the entire argument, she wasn't lying, if she had kept this truth from Sara for this long, and said she had a pure reason for doing so, then she did".

"You were waiting until I was ready… ready to be a Whisper" Sara finally said. "Yes" Maya replied. "Am I?" Sara asked, locking Eyes with Maya.

Maya stood up and walked out onto the ice, she took in a deep breath then turned and gave Sara a hard look. "The things you have learned over the past few months, Sara, took me years to master… Years. You mastered it all in a fraction of the time".

Sara stood up and made her way out onto the ice to join Maya...

"Ours is a code" Maya said harshly.

Sara took a step towards her "A promise written in silence".

"Fear is a powerful impetus, a prison for some, a fortress of comfort for others, but there is no future in it" Maya said.

Sara stepped further out onto the ice and spoke the next tenet "Steel and Fire are not but tools. They may win us the day, but our true strength is in our unity".

Maya unsheathed her combat blade and let it hang at her side "Have courage in the face of ignorance and your light will outshine their darkness".

Sara stepped closer, her eyes began to glow, a deep blue bioluminescence "By our blood and with our steel, we protect our own, whatever the cost". In this tenet, Sara was harshly reminded that Maya had neglected to mention Sil because she was protecting her confidence.

Maya stepped closer to Sara now "Within us, body, soul and mind are one. We are the Sighted. Use your gifts, and your heart… and you will prevail" Maya finished the tenet, then added "Kneel".

Sara took a knee on the ice and Maya raised the blade. Sara felt the sharp tip against her chest and repeated the next tenet "By our Deeds, we honour those who came before, and all souls yet to awaken".

Maya nodded and they repeated the last tenet together . . . . "We are the Shield. We are the Sword. We are Truth in Shadow… We are ….. The Whispers".

It was Sara that uttered the final line "...and we do not fear the flames".

Maya took the blade away and Sara looked down, Maya's blade had made a small cut, from which flowed a trickle of blood, the wound healed in seconds, and a single drop of blood remained on the edge of Maya's blade.

Sara rose to her feet and in so doing, she felt it, she felt the new weight of responsibility and duty she had just accepted, and the new world that had just opened up to her. She rose as a Whisper. A member of a fellowship that had existed on this planet for over a thousand years.

"We have to find my Mother" Sara said "We have to make sure they never get to her". "Sara, she's in the wind, after that video, all there are are roomers she could be anywhere" Maya said.

Sara turned and faced their hut, knowing that very soon they would leave it behind and venture back out into the world beyond the mountains. "They used my Mother's abilities to track down my Father… through a telepathic link… she's Sighted Maya, like you… like me".

Maya seemed to know instantly what Sara was thinking without having to read her. Sara watched a small smirk grow into a smile on Maya's lips. "By Stone Canon" Sara said "We have to find her… We protect our own, whatever the cost".

Maya nodded and sheathed her tactical sword "Very good, Sara, you've just found your first undertaking" Maya said.

"Will you help me, Maya?" Sara asked. Maya stepped up close to her now and put her hands on Sara's shoulders. Maya looked hard into Sara's eyes and then slipped her arms around her in a warm hug, something Maya had never done before.

Sara knew why, she was a Whisper now, and that made her family "Of course I will, Sara" Maya whispered in her ear.

Maya pulled back with a big smile and said "I wouldn't miss this for the world!". Then started making her way back to the hut.

Maya took three paces before she began to humm, and then sing to herself "Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile… while you've a lucifer to light your fag, smile boys, that's the style… what's the use in worrying, it never was worthwhile, so pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile…."

DENNIS GAMBLE's LODGE - NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Now they were back at Gamble's place, they had time to rest and think. The radio show had played the last few messages over an hour ago. They had laughed, cried, and been completely confused by some of the messages.

After the initial messages, there had been a flurry of messages full of sexual innuendo which had made them all laugh. Such messages weren't altogether unexpected, but the vast majority of them had the good grace to be witty and mischievous.

The last one was an encounter that Eve remembered. The caller was a young man whose car had broken down during a severe storm on Highway 622 in North-Western Ontario and became trapped there for an entire night. He had told how the woman known to the internet as Evelyn Greene had appeared walking up the desolate road. Walking through the blizzard like it was a mild breeze. She had gotten him out of his car where he would have certainly frozen to death and guided him to safety. In return, he had invited her to stay with him, which she had done for a week and five days.

He ended the message by saying "I know you couldn't have done what they're saying, I've seen the good person that you are. I don't know why you left so suddenly, I woke up and you were gone… wherever you are, stay strong, stay safe, and you know where I am, my door's open".

"Wasn't long after I crossed the border, I was just living on the road. His name is Mike Deckard, I remember him" Eve said. "Sounds like you two got close?" Álvarez said. Press couldn't read Eve's expression when she turned in her seat to face Consuela, he stole a glance in the rear-view and just caught Álvarez gave Eve a small Smile and a nod as if to say It's Ok.

Lewellyn and Vane ended the show and promised to do a follow up show in the coming week because the turnout of messages had been so much more than expected. Lewellyn took the mic to make the announcement "Well, this show turned into more of an adventure, and a rollercoaster than either of us anticipated. From the messages we've heard here tonight, including one pertaining to be Evelyn herself, it's clear to both of us, as I'm sure to many listeners that this lady has been around, she's touched a lot of lives in a positive way, while still managing to be a total badass, so… to Evelyn Greene, wherever you are, be strong, be safe, and keep being the badass you are… these next three songs are for you…"

[Where did you sleep last night -Sleigh Bells]

[Wreak Havoc - Skylar Grey]

[You Don't Own Me - Grace, G-Eazy]

They drove up the long private road to Gamble's lodge, the last of the three songs came to an end. They were all tired as Press pulled up on the yard and got out of the car. There would be difficult conversations the following day, but for now, they all needed rest.

It was a long flight, Arianna nursed a Vodka while listening to the radio though her earphones. She was impressed with Eve's comment, it was unmistakably her. She had watched Lab footage of her countless times and knew her voice well.

Arianna glanced over her shoulder, both Jason and Dean were sleeping in their seats on either side of the table.

What Eve had just done, apart from the attempt to reach out to her daughter, may have very well just happened a nail into the coffin of Colonel Carter Burgess's military career. He may limp on for a while, but given his recent failure to capture her, and now a he had been publicly named and admonished by her, his prospects weren't looking good.

For herself, there had been a few minor setbacks over the course of the past year. The mystery interlopers in New York and the activities of Lennox and his merry band. Things were about to change.

Everything was falling into place. There were low priority facilities that could serve as sacrificial lambs to the activities of these groups while the main focus would be elsewhere.

But Arianna was beginning to suspect that she had been chasing the wrong Hybrid. Evelyn Greene had generated many responses and she knew Eve was not someone who was in any way forgettable… neither was she.

But the timelines of some of these events didn't match. Eve would have still been in captivity for the kid in Chicago, and Arianna made a mental note to find out who the woman was that called about being attacked in the car.

Arianna had already hacked in and poked around in the systems of the radio show and the phone lines they used, Eve had indeed used an encrypted VPN service of very good quality, making her impossible to track that way.

Perhaps they had been looking at this all wrong. Quinn had encountered who he believed was Eve in New York. Then, after an initial skirmish, she had seemingly retreated. There had been other incidents, and then Eve had been exposed in the Northwest Territories using the online campaign… but some of those stories made Arianna grow suspicious.

She was almost certain that a Whisper was involved. A Whisper with a particular reputation for outside-the-box tactics and a powerful will. Perhaps Quinn had not encountered Eve at all, perhaps he had encountered someone else, someone long thought dead, someone known for her lethal cunning and tenacity… Could Sil have persisted? If Sil Lives, and had joined forces with a Whisper, that warranted special attention as such a combination had potential to become seriously problematic.

Arianna relaxed into her seat and enjoyed the music as the broadcast ended. Soon things would fall into place and everything would change.

Took me a while to get here. First I'd like to thank members of FanfictionNet for providing some of the comments and stories from the Radio Show. This chapter also marks the first appearance of Nikki (Sil) Toombs and Connar Braden in Species: The Survivor. If you wish to see more of their action packed adventures, witty dialogue and deadly situations, check out my other episodic fiction Species: Angel of Vermin. Available here on FanfictionNet, Ao3 and Wattpad. Both stories are linked and will eventually overlap.