Zone Zero: Vengeance (Book 3 of 3)

Chapter 14

The evil grin that gleams from my dear Uncles lips causes bile to rise in my throat.

How is he still alive? I left him bleeding out in a cell.

I want to say that seeing my uncle before me is the most upsetting moment but seeing the person with him takes the cake.

Logan is standing beside my uncle clad in his old military uniform complete with a holstered gun. The only weapon between them.

The penny drops for both of us at the same time.

"Evie?" Logan asks with a sense of dread laced in his tone.

I can't even manage a response to my brother.

Without another word, Logan drops to the ground in front of me and brushes the hair from my face before pulling me into a tight embrace.

So many emotions run rampant through my mind that I'm not sure how to respond to his touch.

I want to cry and hold on tightly to my big brother but I also want to cower from him since I know he is here to end my life. I also want to scream at this fucked up situation and strangle my dear uncle's throat until I see the life leave his already dead eyes.

"Evie. You have no idea how much I have missed you." He pulls away as he speaks and I see the tears in his eyes.  He means every word he says.

I smile meekly letting out a string of tears myself but never forgetting the elephant in the room.

Logan notices me looking over his shoulder to said elephant and he stands, turning abruptly to face our uncle.

"Let her go." He demands with a fierce tenacity.

"I'm afraid I can't do that," James states while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Let her go this instant!" Logan begins to yell and I shudder at the sound.

Even as a full grown adult and now also a vampire, I still shudder at the sound of my eldest brother yelling.

"She is a vampire. She will never leave here with her life. Either you kill her now or she becomes an experiment. I'm not fussed either way."

James speaks so nonchalantly that it would seem he was speaking about what he wanted for dinner and not about the life of his only niece. How could I mean so little to this man?

"You cant expect me to kill my own sister?" Logan is clearly horrified at the thought.

James changes his stance and slides his hands into his pants pockets before calmly leaning against the wall behind him.

"You will if you want your daughter back."

Hope begins to fade away as I realise the full extent of what lies before Logan. He has to choose between his infant child and his vampire sister. Even if I wasn't a vampire I would still want him to choose the baby. She deserves a life much more than I do.

Logan hangs his head, closing his eyes in deep thought.

"Why? Why is it so important to you that she dies? That I kill her?"

I can almost hear the tears that are forming in his eyes and I feel just how heavy this task must be on his shoulders. His only sister versus his only child. That is not a decision that anyone should ever have to make.

"Why does it matter who she is? She is a vampire. Simple as that. There are no grey areas here. Not if you are going to take over from me." James remains stern as he speaks. He is trying to teach Logan a lesson in brutality and it is clearly a lesson that Logan does not want to learn.

"But she is my sister. Your niece. I can't throw that away because she is a vampire."

"Then you are weaker than I thought. She stopped being your sister a long time ago. The moment she let that bloodsucker sink his teeth into her. I wrote her off and so should you." James spits as he pretends I don't even exist.

Logan looks over to me with regret sprawled across his face. Something I have never seen before.

"Don't you want to see your little girl again? Hold her in your arms and watch her grow up? You need to keep her safe and this is how we do it. We need to eradicate all vampires from this world. Then we can restart and you will be the one to lead the new world."

James approaches Logan as he speaks but doesn't give me a second glance. I am still shuddering on the floor from the entire situation.

"Why me?" Logan's voice is low as he asks an important question. "Why is it so important that I be the one to take over? There are hundreds, thousands even, that would kill for the chance. Why me?"

"Because you are a Childs. The last Childs. And because you are my son."

Logan and I both gape at James as the words slowly sink in.

"What?"

"I slept with your mother before she met my brother, your father. I was still sleeping with her when they began dating. When she announced she was pregnant I knew that there was a chance you could be mine but as you've grown, I'm sure of it. Logan, you are my son. I am your real father."

Logan's jaw drops and he searches my face for something but I have nothing to give him. This is the first that I am hearing of any of it. But is it really true?

"How do I know you're not lying?" Logan asks, his voice thick with emotion.

"I would never lie about this. I always believed that you were mine but I never had proof. But I know it in my heart. You are my son."

I see the tears that trail down Logan's strong face and I have to force my own aside. I can't let him see me cry. It's already hard enough for him as it is.

"It is God's honest truth, Logan. You are my child and to save your own child you must finish this once and for all. She needs to grow up in a world that is safe. Not this vermin infested one."

Logan is still torn and staring at the ground unsure of where to rest his eyes. He needs guidance and I know that I am the only one that can truly help him right now.

"Logan," I whisper hoping he will hear me over the thick stone in my throat.

He looks to me and I see the same lost little boy that took care of me my entire life. His deep chocolate brown eyes are glistening with tears as he tries to hold them back.

"It's ok, Logan. Choose your daughter."

His eyes widen as I speak my final wishes. His shock is evident but does not halt his emotions.

James steps closer again, this time placing his hand on Logan's shoulder.

"Finally, I can say I agree with her. She is right. Choose your little girl. Choose the life I can give you. Choose the future of mankind. End her life and I will teach you everything I know and give you everything I have."

Logan slowly retrieves his gun from its holster and turns the safety off. This action makes my ears perk up as the finality of the situation dawns on me. 

I accept my death wholeheartedly if it means that a little girl will live.

Alex. I call to the only person who will ever own my heart.

Evie. What's going on?

I just wanted to say I love you. And goodbye.

I watch my brother as he cocks his gun and aims it towards me. James has retreated to the corner of the room, no doubt to ensure he doesn't get any blood splattered on him.

Evie. Just hold on. I'm coming. I'm on my way.

Logan's gun is now pointed directly at my head.

This is it.

Goodbye Alex.

I shut my eyes tight and wait for the bang. I don't have to wait long.