Infected

Chapter 21

"Ethan." A voice calls towards him, making Ethan groan a bit as he tries to open his eyes. "Ethan, please."

Finally forcing his eyes open, Ethan gasps as he sees Jack Baker standing in front of him, and after everything that happened, Ethan raises his arms up in defense. However, Jack raises his own gently, hushing him as he gives him a look of understanding.

"I know. I know." Jack says as he slowly moves to sit down on the couch next to Zoe, making the man lower his hands. "I'm not going to hurt you. Hell, I never would have if I coulda helped it."

"What do you mean?" Ethan asks in utter confusion, looking around to find himself back in the Baker house, only it looks ten times better than it had.

"I'm no killer, son. Neither is Marguerite, or my boy, Lucas." Jack explains before looking at his daughter, placing a hand on her knee. "Not even Zoe here."

Zoe looks at her father before shrugging his hand off, standing up to move over to the fireplace, and Jack sighs before looking back at Ethan, leaning forward a bit.

"It's that girl, Eveline. She did this to us." Jack tells him, Ethan nodding his head because he already knew that from when Ivy figured it all out in the recreational room.

"What the hell is she?" Ethan asks before shaking his head, realizing that what she is doesn't matter. "No, what did she do to you?"

Jack sighs as he looks down at the floor, remembering the day that he'd found her and Mia in the bayou next to that ship. He's regretted ever helping them because of what happened, and because of what will continue to happen should Eveline remain unchecked.

"She infected us with her gift. That's what she calls it." Jack explains before shaking his head, sighing again. "I found her out near that old tanker in the bayou. Everything changed after I brought her back with me."

"So, she infects you, and then she takes control?" Ethan asks, trying to understand what Eveline does to people, especially since his sister still has that same infection in her.

"No, not exactly, son." Jack shakes his head, squeezing his eyes closed as he forces Eveline's voice to the far back part of his mind. "She just...she forces her way into your mind and soul and...you can't fight against her. You are connected to her, and you can't resist the urge to...you're a different person after that."

"Just like Mia." Ethan says as he nods his head, remembering how his wife kept changing personalities. "But what about Ivy? She doesn't act like you all did."

"Your sister...she's different. I don't know what it is, but somethin about her makes her stronger than Eveline. The girl can't get into her mind, though she has tried, but...I don't know, son. I just know that you and your sister are the only ones that can fight against Eveline."

"So, Mia sent us that message because of Eveline, because she knew that my sister could resist her, and that I could help her." Ethan says as he leans back, stunned at how his sister's so powerful, yet the woman has absolutely no idea.

"Listen," Jack says as he points to Ethan, bringing him back to the conversation at hand, "that girl just wants a family of her own. She's the key to it all, and you both have to be the one to take her down. You find Ivy, find that girl, and make sure you stop her."

Ethan nods his head, knowing what he has to do, but he's not sure on how to go about convincing his sister to kill a child that she's got a small soft spot for. Jack leans forward, staring him dead in the eyes as tears start to fall down his face in desperation.

"Ethan, I'm begging you." Jack says, his voice trembling a bit. "Find Ivy and free my family. Please."

"I will. I promise." Ethan says before the room suddenly flashes in a blinding white light, making Ethan groan as he shuts his eyes against it.