Joseph shook Hera awake, and she groggily rubbed her eyes. "What is it?"
He shoved a plate of food onto her lap, and she wolfed everything down. After her meal, she felt more awake, and her father still stood there staring at her. "Dad, what?"
He smiled sadly and swallowed. "I believe it is almost time."
Dread started pooling in his daughter's gut. She shook her head, confused, "What are you talking about?"
"Our towers are down, which means we probably have two hours before they get here."
Her heart was in her throat, and adrenaline began coursing through her limbs. A gentle touch rested on her shoulder, immediately calming her anxiety, and she let out a small smile to Theo, now sitting beside her. His amber eyes searched hers. Stay with me. Her response to Theo had to wait.
"Let's go to the garage now. Tell Zeke to get everyone to the tunnels. Tell them something to get them to go okay. If he has to lie, then fine, I don't want anyone dying because of me." Hera whispered her orders to the two men and went to the bathroom to get ready. After washing her face and changing into some tactical gear and light body armour, she felt prepared.
Leaving the bathroom, she was met by Jean, who pulled her into a tight hug. "Let's do this, princess."
Jean and Hera were met by Jackie, Theo, and her father, who quietly discussed the plan.
"We're here," Jean announced. "Stop talking about us now."
The three smiled, and they gathered into a circle. "Okay, we all know the plan?" Hera implored.
Everyone nodded and looked at each other nervously before embracing fiercely, almost taking her breath away. "I love you all," she whispered.
Slowly she closed her eyes and sent her energy outward. At first, she felt nothing. The space around the Community was empty. Her energy strained at one mile, but she could feel them; dozens of bodies. She gasped, causing her power to snap back into herself from fright. "Fuck." she muttered.
"How many?" Theo implored her. Everyone looked rather pale from her reaction.
She shook her head, drawing gently on her family's Evolution and sending her energy out again, stronger than before. "Over a hundred bodies, all modded." She spoke, still searching the crowd. A sudden wall of energy shoved her back. Jean and Jackie held her up as she jolted back into her body. "Holy shit."
Once Hera found her footing, she said, "They're coming. I can take those mods, but they have someone crazy powerful. They forced my energy away. Have you heard of anyone like that before?"
Everyone shook their heads. "Continue with the plan, and we will deal with them after," Jackie commented. However, Hera had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy.
"No more talking now. We don't want them to know we're here." Jean rasped, shifting on her feet.
Soon the group could hear the thundering footsteps approaching. The two-way glass windows by the door revealed nothing, and Hera's stomach sank. They're using Mr Anders' ability to cloak themselves. She felt the group shift as Theo shared her realization with them.
All sound ceased, and Hera could see the Community was surrounded. She grabbed Jackie's hand and squeezed it three times. I love you. Jackie placed a silent kiss on her forehead, and they both knelt on the cold concrete. Jackie searched Hera's eyes, and she nodded just before Jackie slammed her palm onto the floor and drew out energy from as many agents as she could.
Hera watched in awe as Jackie's light grew brighter and brighter and took a deep breath before siphoning it through her palms. Her energy crackled and jumped delightedly as she sent it out around them. She could see all the small mods, and as easy as blowing out a candle, she turned them to ash.
Suddenly, everyone could see the agents outside, and Hera grinned. Jackie drew more essence, and Hera went to disintegrate all their weapons when the drained agents turned on the unaffected. They immediately returned fire, causing a blood bath on the road and fields. Blood began seeping under the garage door, and Hera gagged.
Dozens fell, and Hera looked on in horror as the death toll grew, "No!" She cried out, now drowning in guilt. Silence fell upon the group again, and they heard a gravelly voice call out.
"What a mess you have caused, girl. Come out before I kill everyone in that little tunnel you've made."
Hera's eyes widened in fear, and she saw the expression matched in Jackie's eyes. Uncertainty marred the others' features, and they made no move.
"Very well." The voice declared, and the remaining agents opened fire on the earth.
Jean gasped, "They're going to collapse the tunnel."
Hera didn't even think before turning the garage door to ash and running out to face the monster about to kill her people. Her shocked family was close behind and formed a protective shield around her flank. The firing ceased immediately, yet no word was spoken. Hera looked for the owner of the gravelly voice but couldn't see past the wall of agents aiming their guns at her head.
An enormous figure stepped out suddenly, "we have been looking for you for quite some time, child." The man was grotesque. His body was unnaturally large, making his weapons look pathetic. It would have been comical if not for the threat of death.
He positioned himself in front of Hera and tilted his head to the side. "Come with us. We need someone like you. You are indeed a gift." His bloodshot, black eyes sent shivers down her spine. It felt as if he was looking through her.
Hera scowled and kept quiet, slowly drawing excess energy from Jackie, who held her hand tightly.
"These people you stay with have killed their own kind. Who says they won't kill you when they become frightened of your power? They are nothing but savages" He hissed on the last 's', and she saw his sharpened canines.
"What exactly are those Evolved doing here with you then. If not to kill us?" She questioned him.
He glanced at the four Evolved to his left before shrugging nonchalantly. "Protecting us, of course. They know people are no match for the monsters you surround yourself with." He spoke with such charisma she sensed he almost believed what he was saying.
"You brainwashed them. You kill our kind and use our abilities for your own gain. You are the monster!" Hera spoke with as much bravado she could muster, but under his gaze, she wanted to shrink.
He smirked and looked pointedly behind her. " Can't be that much of a monster if I raised such a fine young man. Come here, son."
YOU ARE READING
Evolved
Fantasy"Do you know what you're doing to me?" He leaned his head forward and buried it in her neck, inhaling deeply before peppering kisses along her sternum. She was on fire now. Her energy had a mind of its own, intertwining with his and causing them...
