Enigma: Part 3

Chapter 7

"I can't believe this!" Evander shouted in frustration to Flint. The two friends were outside behind the back of the base.

"Well what did you expect?" Flint countered. "She's the most dangerous living thing in the Galaxy. Of course they want her to join their cause."

"No, they want to use her! Just like the Jedi did and we all saw how that went down." Anger was seeping through his ears and he had his fists clenched as he paced back and forth. Flint calmly leaned against the solid wall of the base and watched, trying to let Evander ride this one out.

"Listen, just talk to Synyc. You don't know that they're forcing her to do anything," Flint said. "But if they are, you have me on you side and we are getting her out of here."

Evander finally stopped walking and huffed a breathe out, then in again, and finally let out a long, slow breathe and his shoulders eased. "Synyc isn't gonna tell me anything," he shook his head. "I don't know what happened. He's completely different now."

"Evander, he grew up. Plain and simple. He knows how the world works now and he doesn't need all of your help. In fact, people need his help now. He's also probably under a ton of stress and we all know he has an anxiety issue." Flint walked over and stood in front of Evander and patted him on the shoulder.
"Talk to him."

Evander looked up and saw that Flint was looking into the distance behind him. The life almost left Evander's face as he turned and saw Synyc standing there. He looked surprisingly powerful and assertive. His arms were crossed and he had a strong stance. "Yeah, please talk."

"I know you're keeping things from me. Things about Jolie and the Rebellion and your job and-"

"Evander, it's literally my job to keep things from people! I can't let too much information slip otherwise I'll be in trouble, you'll get yourself in trouble and I'll be blamed, or the plan won't work out!" Synyc took a few steps forward as his voice raised. Evander had never seen this attitude from him. He'd only dealt with the scared teenager crippled by his own anxiety. Not this angsty, powerful young adult.

"Just explain to me why you're planning on weaponizing her." Evander stood tall and glared down at the young man before him.

"First off, keep your goddamn voice down," he said fiercely as he rushed towards him, looking around for other people or droids. "We're not! I'd never let that happen. She's gonna fight with us when this whole ordeal ends."

"Did she-"

"Nope. I'm talking." Evander was visibly taken aback and he stumbled with his words. He fell silent very fast. "She first mentioned it to Corr during testing the other day and then he told me. I spoke to her and it needs to be kept absolutely silent because her status is still in question. I'm fighting like hell to get her charges wiped, at least in our eyes, but we're a criminal organization anyways so in the end it may not matter. All she needs to do is prove she's with us for good and I can work out the details."

"Oh," Evander said awkwardly. "I guess I owe you an apology." He rubbed the back of his neck and slouched over.

"Yeah, you do. Now let me do my job so I can save our friend." Synyc flashed one final glare and then marched off, getting on his comm.

After a lingering moment of flabbergasted silence, Evander finally spoke. "Ho-ly shit."

"That was the last thing I was expecting," Flint said in agreement as the two turned to face one another.

"I wonder if he's okay."

"What do you mean?" Flint asked. "He seemed more than okay to me."

"I know him. He shuts down under pressure and stress. But in this case, if he shuts down then he fails Jolie, you, me, General Fall, and the entire Galaxy — In his eyes at least."