The Last Saint

12: Grow

Adam stood out in the backyard as the sun was setting. He sighed. Ryan walked out to join him. They were silent as the sky went dark, but then Ryan spoke.

"There's something not right about this Adam."

He didn't answer. He thought back to how, after the Fifth and Seventh were killed, they were all taken in for questioning by the police. Garamond negotiated for Adam and the others to be released home. Still, Garamond gave Adam a stern warning; if more bodies showed up, he might not be able to keep the kids out of police hands.

"Adam, there's something Eve's not telling you," Ryan said. "Are you listening?"

"Yeah. But I trust Eve." Adam replied.

"You just met her!"

"The Saints killed my parents, kidnapped and tried to kill me, and attacked all of you guys. Eve SAVED my life a dozen times, and continues to fight to protect all of us. It doesn't get any more clear-cut than that," Adam said.

Ryan sighed. "I just can't figure her out. Be careful, Adam."

Still, life continued as usual. Until Eve called a meeting for the group. As always, everyone met up at the hill where they trained their swordplay. Garamond supervised while the others had a seat on the grass in front of Eve.

"I'm done living in fear of the Saints. we've been training for two months, and I think we're strong enough to stand a chance. I think we should go on the offensive. I think it's time we attack the Saints on their own territory."

Ryan, Liz and Beth were all skeptical.

"That's crazy, attacking them directly could be a disaster!" Ryan said.

Adam stood up. "If we don't attack them, the world will end. We need to make a move. I'm with Eve, I'm sick and tired of waiting around. These people killed my family and it's time I return the favor."

"How do we even find them?" Ryan asked.

"I've known where the Fourth has been hiding for some time. We should take him down while we can," Eve replied.

"How?" Ryan pressed.

She lifted up her sleeve to reveal a scar on her upper arm. She lifted her left pant leg up, revealing more. "Because I fought him once before."

Adam confidently declared he would participate, so the others pledged their support. Garamond agreed to drive them. Still, after the decision, when the group decided to train, Adam couldn't help but notice something; he was growing distant from his friends. 

He wasn't lonely; not with Eve by his side. But he couldn't help but feel a little sad. still he counted himself lucky that they were still fighting with him. After training, Beth approached Adam, asking to talk alone. He excused himself from Eve, and went away with Beth to the park where they fought the Fifth and Seventh. She sat down on the bench, and Adam sat beside her.

"School is starting again soon," she said suddenly.

"Yeah, in two weeks." Adam replied.

School used to be the most important thing in the world for Adam. It was the place he went to every day to see friends and learn things that were important for his future. Now, school seemed like a bad joke; a distraction from what really mattered.

"When it starts, I'll have to go you know. I need to focus on school. I'll still try to help as much as I can, but you know..."

"Yeah, I get it. But I won't be going back. I want to focus on finishing things with the Saints," Adam said.

Beth nodded, then she looked at him. "Please Adam, just be careful. I don't want you to die."

"I promise I won't." He replied.

She hugged him tightly, and he hugged back in response. But somehow he felt extremely uncomfortable. He moved away from Beth, and noticed Eve standing close by, glaring fiercely. She told them it was time to go.

Adam nodded and began walking, but after a while he noticed the girls weren't following him. He turned around. Eve was holding Beth's arm, whispering something into her ear. For a second, it looked to Adam as if Beth was tremendously scared, but he wrote it off as just a strange feeling. 

The next day, the group met up at the same hill, this time to discuss their plan of attack. According to Eve, the Fourth lived in a cottage deep inside the forest. It was isolated, and protected by his Constructs, which took the form of large wolves. Since the wolves would recognize Eve's scent, her plan was to rush in and draw them off with Beth and Garamond, letting Liz, Ryan and Adam make a run for the Fourth's house and attack him directly. Still, something seemed off about Beth. She didn't seem herself. She was oddly quiet the entire day.

The following day, Garamond picked everyone up in a van. Eve and Adam got in the back, with Ryan riding shotgun. They drove for an hour deep into the woods, where everyone got out on the side of the road, and began walking into the forest, hiking for half the day until they reached a shoddy wooden fence.

"This is it," Eve said.