“He didn’t recognise me?” the man says, shaking his head.
“Don’t take it personally, Wheeler. Give it a night and he’ll be back to normal. Perhaps, you could take Adam’s new buddies for a drink at the bar? They can fill you in. Isaac, I want your decision first thing tomorrow. Oh, and I shall find accommodation for you all within the complex, but my clientele is my priority. They pay a small fortune for their privacy,” says Gabe, and heads back to the office with Jude.
Wheeler is the name Adam remembered. His gaze skirts over all of us, resting on me.
“So, you’re Wheeler,” I say. “Adam remembered your name last night whilst he was doing the Dougie.” I grin at the memory. It feels a lifetime ago already.
Wheeler’s face lights up with a big smile- a genuine, infectious kind of smile. His dark curly hair is slick from rain and he shakes it like a dog. “That’s me,” he laughs. “You all look like you could use a drink.”
Isaac leads me away by the elbow. “Thanks, but we’re going to give it a miss. We’ve got family to bury."
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN
A black van pulls in through the gate. A guy jumps out and hands Isaac the keys.
“Norms cannot be buried on E.N.C. turf. Bring the van back when you’re done,” he says.
Golding groans. “I can’t get in the back with—”
“I can give some of you a lift,” wheeler offers. “There is a private bay about a mile from my bar. The cliffs are barely used and the soil should be easy to dig. That is unless you’ve got other plans?” He shrugs, not knowing what else to do in an awkward situation.
Isaac nods and climbs into the van with Maggie. The rest of us climb into Wheeler’s car.
The storm has passed making the air feel slightly cooler. Isaac follows behind Wheeler. It’s the most bizarre funeral possession I’ve ever encountered. In fact, it’s the only funeral I’ve ever encountered. Pushing away the image of my Dad’s sea decayed face, I pick at my nails.
“I’m sorry you guys lost someone,” Wheeler says, keeping his eyes on the road.
“Two people,” I say. “Mine and Golding’s grandmother, Norah, and our friend Boyd.”
He nods. “Well, I am sorry. I’m guessing they were Non-EVO.”
“You don’t call them Norms like the rest of them?” I ask.
“No, I don’t.” Is all the reply he gives.
We pull onto a sandy lane and drive about five minutes to a secluded grassy area. Isaac gets some shovels out of the back of the van and starts on a shallow grave. Wheeler helps, which I find odd. The rest of us stay sat in Wheeler’s car with Maggie until they’re done.
The pair of them are slick with sweat and sandy earth when Wheeler knocks on the window. He gets a fresh top out of his car boot and changes before climbing back into the driver’s seat.
Looking into the shallow holes makes my skin contract. This isn’t how it should be. Isaac and Haydn struggle with a bundle from the back of the van, and Maggie falls to the floor in grief. Boyd’s body is rolled in a blue sheet, one of his boots sticks out of the end. I lower myself to the ground beside Maggie to support her weight as she cries.
Boyd is lowered into the grave and Isaac and Haydn fill the earth back in on top of him. How can someone be so full of life one minute and be stuck in the ground the next?
“Goodbye, Buddy,” says Isaac.
There is no wordy speech- no eulogy- there is just grief and Maggie’s tears.
Isaac inhales deeply before returning to the van. Norah is considerably smaller, and the white rags in Isaac’s arms could be mistaken for a bundle of laundry. His eyes swim with tears as he delicately steps into the hole, placing her down gently.
“I’m sorry, Mum, for all the heartache I caused you,” he says.
Golding steps forward, taking a handful of dirt, and trickles it on top of Norah. He wipes his eyes on his sleeve, and then looks to me without saying a word.
I haven’t a clue what to say. I didn’t know Norah, not really. I let the dirt sift through my fingers onto the sheet.
“I’m glad we could do this,” says Maggie, through her sobs. “But we have got to discuss Gabe while we can. We need to get out of here whilst we have the opportunity.”
“I can’t do that, Maggie,” says Isaac, not meeting her eyes. “My sister—”
“No, Isaac,” she shouts at him. “Boyd died trying to get you all to safety, to keep you away from these people, and now you’re going to turn around and work with them. If you do this, I will never forgive you. I’ve lost the only person I have in the world and for what?”
“Don’t you dare make me feel guilty about this. I have no choice. This is my sister we’re talking about. I can’t leave her in Facility One any more than Boyd would have left the kids there. He was a man of principle and he’d understand why I have to do this. We are not going anywhere.”
“You keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel better,” snaps Maggie. She jumps to her feet, swings open the van door, and jumps inside.
Isaac picks up a shovel and launches it across the sand bank, letting out a frustrated cry. “Nobody is making you stay. It’s my damn sister!”
“She’s grieving,” I soothe.
Isaac’s head snaps in my direction. He clearly isn’t in the mood for seeing things from anyone else’s perspective, but his own. “While we’re being honest here, I want you to stay the hell away from Adam. He is E.N.C and I don’t want you to have anything more to do with him. Once he comes out of that room, who knows what kind of man he’ll be.”
“He’ll be the same man he was when he went in. He’s not like them. I know he’s not.”
“Oh don’t be so naive, Teddie,” he scoffs.
“I’m not. None of us would have gotten out of Facility One if it wasn’t for Adam. I won’t give up on him. He isn’t one of them.”
“I’m your Dad and I’m telling you that you’re going to stay the hell away from that boy. The sooner whatever this is fizzles out the better.” His face is the hardest I’ve seen it.
“You’re nineteen years too late with the parental advice, Dad,” I say, ripping the elephant necklace from my throat and launching it at him. I run towards Wheeler’s car, wrenching the door open. “Does the offer of a drink still stand?” I ask, flopping into the passenger’s seat.
Wheeler fumbles with his keys, glancing back towards Isaac. Isaac glares at him, daring him to start the ignition.
“Don’t mind him,” I say.
“Wait for us, we’re coming,” shouts Yana.
I’m raging. I’m so angry my hands are shaking and I’m on the verge of tears. I drum my fingers on the arm rest to vent some of my frustration. Who the hell does he think he is?
Wheeler pulls out of the lane and onto the main road. “You’re right, you know. Adam isn’t one of them. Neither am I,” he says.
“I know,” I say. Hearing him say that lightens my mood a little.
“Uncle Isaac shouldn’t have said that to you. We all agree with you. Adam’s done so much for us,” says Golding.
“We said family and we mean family,” Yana adds. “We’re five not four.”
Haydn doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t need to. He grips my shoulder and shakes it gently.
I love all three of them. If someone gave me a time machine, I’d go through all that torture at Facility One again just to make sure I’d meet them.
***
Wheeler’s club is on the beach front. It stands sandwiched between a takeaway and a bistro. Neon lights spell out ‘Wheeler’s’ and illuminate the front of the building.
Driving behind the building, he pulls into a garage with a missing door. We follow him in through the back entrance and into a room full of kegs and delivery boxes. The noise from the front is crazy loud, and as we enter from behind the bar all eyes are on us.
Some of Gabe’s men are already at the bar drinking. Ty comes out of the toilets. He sees us and blows me a kiss. I turn my back on him, clench
ing my fists against the anger he makes me feel.
A couple beside us whisper to each other and I can just catch the gist of it over the music. “That one there is Gabe’s son. The lot of them were locked up in a government research lab. I think the ginger one is the girl Adam’s been screwing. Wonder what Celeste will think of that?”
Wheeler comes back accompanied by a Japanese woman and a tray of drinks. Her hair is styled in a scruffy bob and her clothes stylish. I’m surprised she can serve in the heels she’s wearing.
“This is my fiancé, Emiko Minami,” he says. “This is Yana, Haydn, and Golding. They’re Adam’s friends. And this is Teddie, his girl.”
Emiko takes a seat beside Haydn and waves in way of a hello.
A girl hurries over and has to stop her momentum with the table. She is attractive with poker straight blonde hair, blue eyes, and a feline face. Her bare legs go on forever before disappearing into a mini dress.
“Did you see Adam? Did he look alright?” she asks. Her red lips part in a perfect ‘O’ shape.
Emiko takes a swig of her water and rolls her eyes in my direction.
“He looked fine,” says Wheeler. “He didn’t remember me, but he’ll be back to himself by tomorrow.”
The girl sags dramatically with relief. She places a hand on Wheeler’s shoulder, and flashes a look at Emiko. It’s a bitchy, pointed, furtive look rolled into one.
Emiko’s eyes narrow. “Have you guys met Celeste?” She asks us. Her accent is Japanese with a slight English twang. “These are Adam’s friends and this is Teddie, his girlfriend.” She lets the emphasis on the word ‘girlfriend’ hang in the air.
Celeste’s face clouds over like a thunderstorm. Her blue eyes lose the sweet and innocent sparkle, and she gives me a barbed glare of sheer hatred. Looking me up and down, she takes in everything from my dirty boots to the old bruises on my hands and face. Her face relaxes and she half smiles to herself. Clearly, she doesn’t see me as a threat, and without as much as a ‘nice to meet you’, she swivels in her wedges and breezes towards the bar.
“Who the hell was that?” asks Golding, helping himself to a drink.
“Don’t you mean what?” says Emiko, laughing. “That is the she-devil herself, Celeste. She’s Adam’s ex. She is a rep at the complex.”
My tummy lurches as I watch Celeste greet everyone she passes.
Golding’s eyes follow my own. “What is her ability, luring unsuspecting sailors to their deaths?”
Emiko nearly chokes on her drink. “That’s hilarious, but no. She can see in the dark.”
Golding and I share a smile. She might be prettier than me, but my ability is more impressive than hers. I shouldn’t be thinking this way, but I need to clutch at something to put me in the same league as her.
“Did you see how she looked at Teds? What a horrible person,” says Yana, her own accent growing stronger with her anger.
“Don’t worry about Celeste,” says Wheeler, clearly sensing my dip in mood. “Adam and Celeste were over before Gabe made him join the TORO project. Celeste never quite got over the fact that she was dumped. She probably wants to get back with him just so she can dump him right back.”
“She definitely doesn’t look like the type of girl who takes well to being ditched,” Haydn says, grinning. Wheeler raises an eyebrow in agreement.
“So, that’s what Jude meant when he said that he hadn’t pegged me as Adam’s type,” I say.
“Jude Lloyd is a twat,” says Emiko. “Don’t pay him any attention. He’s a Telekin and all the Telekins I have met have an ego about them.”
“Which one of you is the Telekin?” Wheeler asks, seeing our amused glances.
“Me,” I say, smiling.
Emiko looks as if she wants to spontaneously combust from shame. “Now, I have to eat my words,” she says, looking sorry. “Anyway... moving on... I’m a Chlorokin.” She waves a hand at a plant sat behind the bar and its vines stretch out towards us. “Wheeler is a Thermokin, he can change temperatures.”
Wheeler raises his glass, but doesn’t demonstrate his ability, although I could do with cooling down.
Golding moves his finger from himself, to Yana, to Haydn, “Influencer, Hydrokin and Technokin,” he says.
I could laugh at how strange the introductions sound. What is wrong with just knowing someone’s name?
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
The lights in the club come on and everyone squints against the starkness. The thought of going back to the complex and facing Isaac tonight, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Taking the empties back to the bar, I mentally prepare myself for either the cold shoulder or a slanging match from Isaac when we arrive back.
Celeste makes her way over to me, slouching against the bar before speaking. “You may have been told that Adam and I were over when he joined the project, but we were far from it. I’m just warning you because tomorrow he will remember that.” She flicks her hair over her shoulder.
Ty sidles up to me. “Hey, Red, do you fancy a romantic walk back to the complex? I know some private places where we can stop off on the way, if you know what I mean?”
Celeste scoffs and takes her leave. I’d like to see what Ty would do if I’d actually say yes, but even the thought of it makes my skin crawl.
“We’re giving them a lift back,” says Emiko, not looking up from the cash register.
Ty waves a hand dismissively and grabs one of Celeste’s friends around the waist, ushering her out of the door. She’s either too drunk or too stupid to resist. I’m going with the latter.
“Are you alright?” Emiko asks. “Don’t let Celeste or Ty get to you.”
“Oh, I won’t. I’m just shattered and I’ve got to go and face Isaac now after our bust up,” I say.
She makes her way around the bar and puts an arm around my shoulder. “You can stay here tonight and deal with all the crap tomorrow. How does that sound?”
“That sounds fantastic. Are you sure that’s okay?” I ask. I don’t know these people, but something tells me they’re good people. If they were Adam’s friends they’re sure to be good people. Call it intuition.
“I wouldn’t have offered otherwise. Adam would do the same for one of our friends. I’ll drop the others back as Wheeler has been drinking. He can get you settled in.” She heads back behind the bar to get her car keys.
“I’m too tired to be facing Isaac when I get back, so Emiko’s offered for me to stay here. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I tell the others. “And if you see Adam before me can you tell him where I am? That’s if... if he wants to see me.”
Golding attempts to high five me, but totally misses.
“We’ll see you tomorrow, Teddie. Adam will be the same Adam, you’ll see,” Yana says, kissing my cheek.
Haydn hugs me, and then grabs Golding by the scruff to lead him out the bar.
***
The upper levels of the club are the living quarters. It’s airy and open plan with a warehouse feel. The exposed brick and bare wood floors have a masculine look. If I had to imagine Adam living anywhere it would be somewhere like this.
Wheeler puts the kettle on, and I sit at the breakfast bar.
“So, Wheeler is your surname? What’s your first name?” I ask.
“Nigel and never repeat that,” he laughs.
I lock my lips with an imaginary key and toss it over my shoulder.
“What did they do to Adam?” he asks.
“They conditioned him and Yvette manipulated his memory. He was pretty much a walking, talking robot. He didn’t even know he was EVO. I still don’t know what his ability is,” I say.
“He has Electrokinesis. Adam can manipulate electricity,” says Wheeler.
I nod, but the revelation shocks me.
“Gabe told us he thought Adam was dead. I knew he wasn’t. He’s like my brother, I would have felt it, you know? Emiko mentioned doing a memorial for him, but I refused. I wouldn’t admit he had gone. Life just kind of carried on with a
huge chunk of it missing.” He wipes at his eyes with the back of his hand. “Oh man, sorry. I’m just stoked that he’s back.”
“Don’t apologise. I can’t imagine what you have been going through,” I say.
Wheeler clears his throat. “So, what happened? How did he come back to himself?”
“It was only when Yvette unlocked his memories that I started seeing Adam and not TORO 61. That woman has a lot to answer for.”
Wheeler hands me a mug of tea and sits opposite me.
“How did you and Adam meet?” I ask.
“We were in the same care home back in London. He lost his parents in a car crash, and my mum was an addict and handed me over to the social. We were twelve when we first met. The social worker bunked us up together. I was pretty pissed about having to share my room with the new kid. That was until I saw he had brought his game consoles with him. After that, we stuck together, looked out for each other. We both enlisted together at eighteen and thought it’d be a good way to see the world. It was about two years after we joined that they started testing all the marines, and we knew that it was time to get out. In my guts I knew they were testing for EVO.”
“Your guts were right,” I say, remembering those poor souls back at Facility One still doing Roscoe’s bidding; the EVO who didn’t cut it in Roscoe’s sick plan.
“Just days after we were discharged, we had a chance encounter with Jude at a club in London. He told us about the E.N.C and how there was a safe community for EVO in Italy. We jumped at the chance. We were younger and stupider. We had no idea what we were signing up for.”
“And then Adam met Celeste?” I ask.
“And then there were a string of girlfriends for the both of us,” he says, grinning at the memory. “We worked the bar and lived here. It’s actually only been six months since Emiko and I scraped together the deposit to buy this place. Emiko came out to rep at the complex for the rich EVO Gabe had staying there. She came to the club one night, and I never looked back. That was the same night Adam met Celeste.”
“So, why did he end it with her? I know I am asking loads of questions, but I’m curious. She certainly had a lot to say to me tonight.”
EVO Nation: EVO Nation Series: Book One (science fiction/ urban fantasy) Page 17
