Evan didn’t know what else to say that would convince Andrea to help him. If his theory was right, there wasn’t anything to defeat, because he was certain the Federation was puppeteering his father at gun point. But if Evan could get them to trust him, then their resources could be exactly what he needed to save the people he cared about.

  The rebel leader raised her eyebrows. Had she bought it? She waved her hands, snickering and shaking her head.

  “Well,” she said, “it’s a deal.” She stuck her hand back out to Evan.

  He took a deep breath and shook it.

  She turned to the curtained exit, waving Evan over. “Come on, I want you to meet the rest of your team.”

  “My team?” Evan asked, but Andrea continued through the curtain.

  Evan followed her and stumbled when he saw seven other people gathered in the meeting room. Evan recognized most of them from the ship. Vihn and Rowic were there – the first leaning against a cabinet with his arms crossed.

  To their left was a hunched man, wiping his hands with a dirty cloth, his hair retreated into a grey beard. His face was rough with scars and wrinkles, but his eyes relaxed. He had been one of the crew Evan ran past when they landed. The others next to him where the four crew members Evan had briefly encountered on Ad Astra. First was the younger man, slouched with his hands in his pockets. Then there was the girl with tattooed arms and colored hair. Last were the identical twins.

  “This is Phoenix One,” Andrea said. She nodded to each member as she said their names from right to left. “You’ve already met Vihn and Rowic. Next to them is Cranston, Daniel, Nyla, Twitch and Blink.”

  The girl twin, Blink, gave Evan a smile. Warmth filled his cheeks, and he gave into his urge to look away.

  “Heya!” She thrust out her hand to Evan.

  He nervously met her grip. His heart skipped. He couldn’t tell if it was because he was attracted to her, or if it was because he hadn’t had a girl (or rather anyone for that matter) give him such positive attention. How odd that was, to have someone smile and welcome him without judgement or a secret motive… Perhaps there was a motive behind that smile, he considered, and found himself building a barrier inside just in case.

  Cranston, the older man, stretched out an oil-grimed hand. “Welcome to our home, Evan,” he said with a southern drawl. The others echoed the greeting.

  Evan requited his handshake and nodded to the group. He sorted through his mixed feelings – having just agreed to work with the people who abducted him.

  With a meaty arm, Cranston nudged Evan over to the projection table.

  Not really knowing what to say or do, Evan went along with the push. Be confident, Evangelos, then others will think you are brave even when you are not. Heeding his father’s old advice, he straightened up and continued to the table on his own.

  “Let’s begin.” Andrea, The Ark, cracked her neck and panned her hand over the projection table. The blue light morphed into an image of Joseph Krow’s face; like looking at death. She said, “Despite what we’ve believed, Krow still lives, and he’s just as dangerous as before.”

  Daniel, hands remaining in pockets, groaned. “What the heck, Ny? I thought you blew him up?”

  “Shut up,” the tattooed woman said.

  Cranston scoffed. “Monolith made purifier armor from nano-steel. Almost two decades as a soldier, and I’ve never seen someone crack ‘em. They’re invincible.”

  “Not anymore,” Vihn said. The group faced him as he stepped away from the cabinet. He tilted his head to Evan. “Kid’s the first one I’ve seen make a purifier look scared.”

  Now the eyes were back on Evan, who was once again wordless.

  “The Gk?” Nyla asked.

  Vihn nodded. “He melted Krow’s helmet like ice. If anyone can kill a purifier, it’s him.”

  Evan let out an involuntary noise, somewhere between a horse neighing and a crow cawing. He wasn’t alone in the sentiment of disbelief.

  “Come on,” Nyla said, “only a handful of us survived last time we went up against Krow. We didn’t kill him; we couldn’t even do that right. He’s a devil, and you think the GK is gonna be the difference?”

  “Hey, lay off him,” Rowic said.

  A long-winded debate started over Evan, until finally Andrea asked, “What do you think, Evan?”

  The room quieted.

  Evan was taken aback as all the eyes were on him yet again. He exhaled his embarrassment and spoke up. “I’ll do whatever it takes to stop Krow.”

  Andrea smiled. “Good. The purifiers are the backbone of the Federation’s war on us. The Governors are the shoulders that our enemies head rests on. We have the means to break their back, and to decapitate President Nero Caine’s government, in Evan. We’ll work together to train him, and when the time is right, we’ll gut the Federation. Aye?”

  “Aye,” the group repeated.

  “But,” she continued, “the Feds took someone from Evan, somebody he cares about. Before we can take on Krow, we’ll help Evan save his friend. Aye?”

  “Aye!”

  Evan’s insides lifted with excitement. These rebels demonstrated so much conviction, that saving Ken became more and more tangible every moment he was exposed to them. He’d never been around so much passion and unity. It admittedly swept past his defenses, and he didn’t want to be let back down.

  He caught Andrea’s look again as she said, “Welcome to the Blood Red Army.”

  Welcome…

  Becoming an official member of the rebellion was not his desire, but he knew it was the only way to save Ken, and their conviction showed promise. As long as he found his brother, then it’d be worth it. He worked up a smile as the group clapped for him.

  Andrea turned to Vihn, “They’re all yours. God speed.”

  He gave a slight nod. When she had returned to her chamber, Vihn stepped up to the projection table.

  “Alright. Since it’s Evan’s first day with us, Daniel is going to show him around.

  “I am?” The casual man asked, his forearms diving deeper into the pockets of his sweatpants. How big could pockets get?

  Vihn glared at him.

  “Yes, sirrr,” he said.

  “Good, everyone else, do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

  “Yes, sir,” the rest of the group said, except Evan.

  A tour, after all of this? Evan would rather sleep, considering the kind of week he’d just been through. But he couldn’t muster the energy to argue. The others exited the room, each giving Evan a glance of varying warmth on their way out.

  A high pitch whistle startled him, followed by Daniel’s voice. “Man.” His torso folded face first onto the table, mumbling indistinct words.

  “Uh… Are you alright?” Evan asked.

  “Yeah, yeah. Just got a headache,” he said, face still pressed into the table. He peeled himself back. “Come on. Hope you dig living in a wet, cramped, and abandoned metro sewer system.”

  “Uh… sure.” Evan’s shrugged. He rubbed his eyes, brushed off his brown coat, and followed Daniel through several corridors into a large metro tunnel with rail tracks running infinitely in either direction. Small lights illuminated parts of its torn foundations and decaying rounded walls. Foliage clung to the floor like nature’s own railway.

  Daniel mumbled something.

  “What?” Evan asked.

  “Huh?” Daniel asked back.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Evan shook his head and ignored it. There was too much going on in his mind to ask questions. The sooner the tour was over, the sooner he’d hopefully find a place of rest.

  Daniel scraped his feet against the ground. Periodically his mutters would be audible. “Man. Alpha, Phoenix… Have these cats always been this extra?” He passed into another tight corridor a little way down the path. “All right, little tour lesson, bro. We call the whole metro Alpha Base, cuz this is the first base. There’re a dozen others, but like, this is the first. Dig?”

  Evan nodded but resisted continuing a conversation. He craved solitude, to be left alone with his thoughts. His head swam with everything Andrea had discussed with him.

  “He doesn’t talk much. Noted,” Daniel said to himself. “Let’s keep it going then.”

  They continued through the hallway until it opened into the grand vista of the city. They were on a lower terrace which was shadowed by the levels above. It was a marketplace of numerous huts and booths. There was little place to rest one’s eyes as swaths of people navigated the market stands, carted crates and barrels, or chattered about. Charcoal and gas fires wafted a smokey fragrance through Evan’s senses. A group of children ran through the course, ducking this way and that over and under and through the obstacles of people and goods.

  Daniel flared his arms. “This is our glorious city.” He kept his arms held out, and after a moment of silence, turned to Evan. “Glorious city?”

  Evan shrugged. “I, uh, kinda saw this already.”

  The casual man deflated, shoving his hands back into his pockets. “Well, the bunkroom is back down that way.” Daniel flicked his thumb at the hallway to the left. “You don’t have to go the long ‘A’ way we just came, but it’s a part of this gratuitous tour.”

  Evan took it in again. The floodlights cast great blankets of light over pockets of the undercity, while the other spaces slept in dark shadow. This time it smelled better with the sizzle of food coming from grills. Hundreds of people wandered the canals and makeshift huts.

  While the Federation News Broadcast continued to play on the main monitor at the top of the terraces, others were tuned to different channels. One screen displayed a wide green field where people in shorts and red or white shirts ran around kicking a black and white ball. At the bottom of the screen were two names, The United British Isles and Western European Foundation.

  “There’s no way that’s live…” Evan muttered.

  “Huh? Oh, I don’t know anything about Europe, but I know the guy who’s in charge of the TV’s. Those are just reruns he got before the ‘bargo,” Daniel said.

  It was surreal seeing people cheering in stadiums as if the sport event was happening right then. It was weirder seeing footage from a nation from the last era, probably just before the WEF put a trade embargo and media ban on the Americas. From Evan’s limited knowledge of the old world, they were afraid the Federation would try and annex more than their side of the world, so they blacked out any transcontinental transmissions. Though, it was also rumored that Europe didn’t exist anymore, that it’d been decimated by a fourth World War. Who knew what really happened now that the internet was… well, that was a-whole-other story.

  “Come on, dude, let’s get to know everyone.”

  Evan rubbed his neck. “I’d rather get some rest, you know?”

  “I feel you my man, but…” Daniel spoke very coolly. “If I don't finish this tour, then I'm not gonna do it later, and then Vihn will beat me. Sooooo...” He slung an arm over Evan’s shoulder and guided him forward.

  Evan sighed, no energy to rebuttal. He doubted Vihn would beat Daniel, though. Well, on second thought, he couldn’t be certain how the rebels handled insubordination. In fact, how did such a great population of Afflicted survive together like this? He decided to ask Daniel.

  Daniel pondered it for a moment, then shrugged. “I dunno. I mean, almost everyone here is here because they’d literally be hunted and killed anywhere else. It’s like, a communal agreement not to be a jerk?”

  It was hard to take that at face value. Evan asked, “Well, what if someone does use their power to try and hurt other people? Rob them or something?”

  “We do have a jail – and for what it’s worth, no one would last very long here breaking the rules – you know, because of the whole super-powered thing.”

  “Don’t you have accidents though? Affliction is dangerous, people die all the time just for existing.”

  Daniel scrunched up his face at this comment. “Bro, maybe once-in-a-while, but only when someone first gets their powers, and even then, they keep tabs on when someone is getting to that age anyway. After that, people just keep training until their power works, and they are good to go. I mean, there’s still drawbacks, but it gets manageable. Like depression! Ah. Ok, maybe that’s not a good comparison. Do you have depression? Alright I don’t know why I said that. Weird right? I mean-”

  As Daniel continued to mumble, while Evan found himself stuck on how so many people could live seemingly safe lives. “They just… train? Then their powers aren’t dangerous anymore?”

  Daniel shrugged. “Sure man. More or less. I mean, we’re mostly still alive, aren’t we?”

  Evan pondered this, and the embarrassment in him put an end to anymore questions on the matter. Was it so simple? If people learned how to use their powers responsibly, Affliction was manageable? Could he have prevented all the pain he caused by simply… practicing more? It guilted him, and he quickly decided it was time to move on or else he might get trapped in his thoughts.

  “Can we keep going?” Evan asked.

  Daniel nodded, took a big breath, and led Evan away from the marketplace into the tunnels again. “Most people share facilities, except for Phoenix One. We’re an independent infiltration team, so we get our own special training rooms and stuff. Covert ops junk.”

  Daniel led him to a large warehouse that was filled with wooden targets with red circles painted on them. At the other end of the space were a handful of stuffed dummies dressed like Federation enforcers propped on spikes.

  “Nyla’s always in here, man. She has to use her powers daily or else she-” Daniel ducked as one of the target dummies blew up into fire and smoke. Splinters scattered around the room. “-explodes. Some people call her Shrapnel, you can see why.”

  The shorthaired woman stood opposite of the targets. Her legs formed a wide base, slick in black jeans and boots. She jabbed the air with her fist. A pop ruptured, followed by another explosion. The room flashed with heat each time she did that, and Evan contemplated taking off his jacket… as well as questioned if he was safe around such intense power.

  Daniel flicked out a peace sign. “Hey there, Ny.”

  She let out another explosion. Then she wiped some sticking bangs from her forehead with the back of her hand, keeping her focus on the targets.

  “Daniel,” she said.

  “Yeah.” Daniel leaned into Evan and muttered, “She’s always brooding over me; you know what I mean?”

  Nyla screamed and thrust out another explosion.

  “Alright, talk later.” Daniel ushered Evan out of the room.

  Shortly down the hallway, they passed an open door. Daniel pulled Evan back.

  Cranston sat inside, hunched over a disassembled shotgun. Dozens of weapons hung on the walls around him. A dark blue Federation security uniform dangled from a hook behind his head. Glasses rattled against his temples as he worked. The veins on his hands became more pronounced while they tightened around squat tools.

  “Hey, Cran-man.” Daniel leaned against the doorframe.

  The older man looked up through his glasses. “Howdy.” He noted Evan. “How’s the tour?”

  Evan nodded, whatever that meant.

  “Well, I’m glad Daniel’s showing you around.”

  “Yeah.”

  They all stood in silence again.

  Daniel snapped his fingers. “Ooh. Why don’t yah tell Evan what your power is, Cran-man.”

  Cranston shook his head and then presented the disabled parts of the shotgun. “This is it right here.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Cranston’s a normie.” Daniel smirked.

  “Hmph. Speak for yourself, Ace.”

  Daniel became bashful. “Alright, let’s move on.”

  “Happy flying!” Cranston wheezed as they left.

  Once they were out into the hallway, Daniel began mumbling again.

  They entered a small kitchen, where Blink and her twin brother sat at a table. The boy’s mouth yawed, but no words came out, while his hands twisted to form symbols. The girl responded in the sign language as well, but her attention quickly shifted to Evan and Daniel.

  Daniel pointed at them. “This is Blink and Twitch. Uhm... They’re twins?” he stated as if questioning its significance. “Blink can–”

  “Teleport,” Evan said.

  “Right, the whole kidnapping thing.” Daniel inhaled, “OK… Uh, and Twitch there-”

  “Is mute and…” Blink’s words melted as Daniel’s eyes grew wide. “Sorry.”

  Twitch flicked up a thumb in acknowledgment of Evan.

  Brief silence.

  Daniel exhaled, “Let’s get to the next part.”

  “Catch you later.” Blink waved.

  Evan thought of a dozen ways to say bye, which all came out in the form of, “catch you around!” He turned away as quickly as he could and contemplated his existence.

  Daniel led him into a larger terminal room with consoles and wiring strangled throughout – at a much larger scale than the hiding room from Hazard Station. At the center was a lower level with a walkway and rails circling it. Steps led down to a large console system of machines where Rowic clacked away at a keyboard.

  Daniel called out, “Yo, hacker man, where’s the boss?”

  “Andrea is with Vihn in the meeting room.” He responded, not looking up from the computer.

  “Cool, cool.” Daniel stretched his arms out wide. “Guess that concludes our tour.” He rubbed his stomach. “Man, I should eat something.”

  Daniel might have been awkward, but somehow Evan felt some levity returning to his body. At least now the strangers had faces and names.

  “Wonder who’s cooking tonight.” The casual man cradled his belly like a child.

  “I heard it was Cranston,” Rowic said.

  “Ah.” Daniel waved to Evan. “Let’s get to the kitchen before we have to eat any southern soul food,” he said with air quotes and a mocking accent.

  Evan asked, “I saw people making food in the markets. You don’t eat that?”

  Daniel screwed up his face, “Rats and cats, and God knows what else. Come on.”

  They strolled back to the kitchen. Blink and Twitch shifted over for them to sit.

  “Here we go.” Daniel reached into a faux-wooden cabinet and pulled out two small chrome bags. “Water and heat, bone-ape-heck yeah, man.”

  The food was a strange, freeze-dried substance, hinting of beef stew and plastic.

  “Tell me,” Daniel poured the stuff into a bowl with hot water and slurped it as the food expanded. He then passed one of the meals to Evan. “What's your power?”

  Evan contemplated telling him and stirred the stew with a steel spork. “Uhm. It's called Molecular Dispersion, like… I can control things on the molecular level, reshaping it and all. But pretty much I just accidently turn stuff into dust… and sometimes I pass out."

  “Yikes. Sounds like you don’t use it much, man,” Daniel said.

  “I don’t practice.” Evan was annoyed by his assumption, even though it was true.

  Daniel tossed aside his empty container. “Well, let’s change that. I’m sure Nyla’s done by now, let’s go to the training room.”

  “No, I’m fine.”

  “Let’s do it, it’ll be fun!” Blink’s grand smile winning over Evan again.

  “Ah. Sure, I guess.”

  *****

  Evan shifted uncomfortably, forgetting how to stand like a person, with so many people watching him. Daniel, Blink, and Twitch sat on the edge of a table behind him. He focused on one of the target dummies.

  Nyla walked into the room and clapped. “Great! I’ve been waiting to see the new kid’s powers all day.”

  The sudden addition broke Evan’s concentration. He took a breath and shrugged it off. You’ve done some freaky stuff, even Vihn thought so… No big deal.

  “Sweet, a demonstration?” Came Cranston’s voice, adding to the audience.

  Overwhelmingly nervous, Evan turned to them and made a desperate face in hopes they’d let him go.

  “Don’t mind me, just do your thing.” Cranston propped himself next to Daniel.

  Evan wiped his brow. His instincts said to walk away, escape embarrassing himself or risk accidentally hurting someone. But he ignored the thoughts and focused on the dummy again, imagining its seams tearing. He flushed with heat. The concrete beneath him vibrated. His head ached, and stars narrowed his vision. I’m going to lose control.

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