Evolution

Evolution: Chapter 41

"You are so screwed."

Hayden stared at us with a smile on her face. It wasn't the kind of smile that came from joy, or happiness. No, it was more like the enraged, mocking kind that someone wore before throwing a knife at you.

Instead, Hayden threw her blade, then smiled.

Ripper released a patient breath, ripping it out from the wall behind him, by the handle. He peered at the foldable metal curiously, admiring the smooth curve of the steel, before tucking it into one of the inside pockets of his coat.

"There were too many bodies for our little tour." He explained, expression supposed to be apologetic. However, I don't think he would ever make it look genuine, "Besides, you were out cold when it was pick up time."

My Handler didn't look amused in slightest by Ripper's banter, "I just got a call from one of your people," Hayden broke Ripper's playful façade by saying, and she crossed her arms, "Veronica is cracking down hard on the hunt for anyone associated with you now, or in the past."

This wasn't news anymore. We knew how dire the situation concerning Veronica's man hunt was, but for Hayden to mention it, meant it'd gotten worse. Ripper stood in silence, eyes cast on the floor as he submerged himself deep in thought.

Hayden had the phone loosely held in her hand, before she started taking it apart. Crushing the sim, and tossing the rest in the trash. It didn't matter, she had several other disposable phones in their packaging arranged on the cruddy coffee table.

"Send out the twins to help anyone nearby relocate. They'll be passing through the city, so we'll find them safe passage." Ripper was speaking aloud to himself, but Hayden ripped out one of the black cell phones, "Send Apollo to reach out to his people; see if they'll lend a hand in finding a place for those with nowhere else to go."

Anger rippled off the normally perfectly composed man. He loosened the top buttons of his shirt, staring into the distance with a fire burning in his eyes. Venom's jaw was clenched hard, and I could tell she wanted to be back home.

Being one of the people aiding with the help.

When one of the phones pinged, Hayden snatched it up. Her eyes darting across the screen, and I heard the lurch in her heartbeat, making her lips part wordlessly. She was staring at the screen too long, and I wasn't the only one who noticed.

"What?" Venom demanded, dropping her arms from in front of her. She stared down Hayden, her own heart picking up space, "Spit it out! What's wrong?"

Ripper suddenly closed his eyes, his jaw trembling from anger. When he opened them, Hayden was at the brunt of his glare, "Who?" He asked a single word, but it punched us all in the gut.

Hayden's soldier like composure never broke as she delivered the news, "Veronica sent an armed team directly to Champion." Venom inhaled sharply at Hayden's words, "No one survived the attack. From what Sloane knows, there were Chimera's and humans there."

Champion was one of the secure locations Ripper built for humans. Mainly to heal after the transitioning process. Not all them handled being in the busy selection environment in Genesis, so they were relocated.

Venom was visibly affected by emotional news. It was obvious from the way she dragged her fingers through her hair, heart racing, "No one!?" She demanded, starting to pace across the floor, "That's where Brienne was."

Brienne. I remember Apollo mentioning her name from when Wayland almost butchered my hair. She was the woman who normally done haircuts, but at the time, she was recovering from her treatment.