by Kipjo Ewers
THE FIRST
EVO: UPRISING
Kipjo K. Ewers
Copyright © 2015 Kipjo K. Ewers
All rights reserved.
ISBN-10: 1511776862
ISBN-13: 978-1511776868
For Jackie…
Foreword
I would personally like to thank the fans of my work and new readers for purchasing book number two of “THE FIRST…EVO: UPRISING” the next Chapter of the EVO Universe. We finally made it!
The reason why I plowed into book two was because of people like you who loved what you read and asked for more. For that, I thank you sincerely. I write dialogue as if I am watching a movie; I do this because I want to draw you, the reader, into the story blowing up your imagination and making you feel as if you were actually there. Let’s face it, in real life people do not always speak properly. Some talk with slang and broken English, and sometimes we pause and hesitate in the middle of a conversation, which is the reason why I use “...”. Also in some conversations, as I stated, you will find some broken English, street slang, Patwah (Jamaican slang), and Creole slang. This is to keep the realism of this fantastical novel.
Now that you have a brief glimpse into the thought process used to write this next chapter in the EVO mythology, cozy up in a chair, sit comfy in your seat on the train, airplane, boat, or car. I hope and pray that you enjoy “THE FIRST… EVO: UPRISING.”
Contents
Foreword
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
Chapter 1
Friday, 10:45 PM East Flatbush, New York:
Eddie Brown knew what he was doing that night.
Two weeks ago, he bought a Beretta 92 from Sammy Fisher, the neighborhood crackhead, for fifty bucks. Sammy had lifted the gun from a house he had broken into two days prior and was anxious to unload it to pay for his habit. Eddie, an elementary school dropout, with very few prospects, was looking to increase his investment. Five days ago, he surveyed Chang’s grocery and liquor store for three days to confirm the location of the surveillance cameras, the type of traffic that came in and out, and the best time to rob it when there would be the most cash flow. He figured 10:45 p.m. on Friday was perfect because the majority of people getting off of work would head straight home to hear the lottery numbers announced on the news. There would be a gap between when the store would be empty.
Dressed in plain black jeans, hoodie, combat boots, leather gloves, ski mask, and shades to cover his eyes, Eddie drew a deep breath. He remembered he had to be in and out in less than two minutes tops while making sure his head was down with his back facing the cameras. He could not get greedy, taking only what was in the register. If all went well he would walk out with eight hundred to a thousand dollars easily.
He marched right up to sixty-eight year old Annie Chang in the middle of watching “Real Time with Bill Maher.”
“Put all of your shit from the register in a brown paper bag now, bitch!” Eddie screamed. “Do it, or I’ll blow your fucking brains all over the Newports! Now!”
Annie Chang was born to Mr. and Mrs. Chang in Brooklyn during World War II; her father named her after the comic strip Annie that he loved so much. At twenty-one she married her childhood love with the approval of her parents. At thirty, she and her husband took over her father’s family grocery business running it from then till now while raising and sending three children to college. All three graduated and obtained professions outside of the family business while nurturing families of their own. After forty-four years of marriage, her husband went home to join their parents. Despite the behest of her children, she continued to run her father’s store waiting for her time to go home and join her husband and family.
“I know you understand English, bitch!” roared a now desperate Eddie. “Money in a brown paper bag, now! Don’t make me kill your old, wrinkled ass!”
Eddie cocked the hammer to the Beretta to show that he was serious; he clutched the gun tighter so she would not see him shaking. This was now big time for him. He did not want to go to jail, especially after spending a weekend in county lockup for a nickel bag of weed. He was still on probation for the misdemeanor. Working as a stock boy at the local dollar store was not getting him anywhere but bargain basement gear, fourth rate women, and no respect. He couldn’t even afford to keep his prepaid phone on. He just wanted the money to get a couple of nice things. He was well over his two minutes as Annie Chang leaned forward turning up the volume so that she could hear “New Rules.”
“Goddammit, you fucking slant-eyed bitch!” Eddie yelled.
Finally losing his patience, he went to pistol whip Annie into taking him seriously when his heart stopped to see her turn to him with eyes ablaze. She lowered her glasses firing two intense beams of light from her eyes, first burning a hole through his wrist, severing all his ligaments. His useless hand dropped his gun as he emitted a blood curdling scream. Annie was not finished with him as she used the same eyebeams to blow a hole through his left kneecap. Smoke spewed from both Eddie’s wounds as he fell forward with a sickening thud on the tile floor. Very little blood spilled from the cauterized wound as he bawled and screamed on the floor. As the stench of chard flesh filled the air, Annie picked up her iPhone and proceeded to dial 9-1-1.
“Hello? Dis Chang’s Grocery and Liquor store at 875 East Flatbush,” Annie sighed. “Ya betta get down hea. One a dees little beatches try ta roll up on me, an I had ta smoke dat ass again. Come get dis piece a sheet off my floor…”
Annie hung up her phone, placing it back down on the counter. She turned the volume up higher on her television.
“Punk beatch made me miss “New Rules,” Annie muttered.
˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
Fox Five Saturday Evening News…
“Rounding up our number five spot,” began news anchor Christina Park, “another robbery thwarted at Chang’s Grocery and Liquor store located in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. Suspect identified as Edward Brown was wounded when he attempted to rob Mrs. Annie Chang, the owner of the store, at gunpoint. Mrs. Chang, a registered superhuman, wounded Brown with her abilities, which was caught on tape. This would mark the third time Mrs. Chang singlehandedly prevented a robbery in her store. Mrs. Chang was not charged with physically injuring Edward Brown. In related news, an intense downtown battle erupted between known New York superhero Captain Omega and the super-powered Brooklyn gang known as the Notorious Bastards. Captain Omega reportedly stormed one of their drug facilities causing an all-out battle that raged from Bedford-Stuyvesant all the way down to Central Park. Several people were injured in the incident. Six killed, including one of the Notorious Bastards at the hands of Captain Omega. The remaining members are currently on the run, while property damage is estimated in the hundred thousand. Captain Omega was not charged with the murder of the gang member and has issued a statement vowing to both bring the remaining members to justice and continue his “true” war on drugs… now Audrey Puente for the weather.”
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˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜
2014, 12:45 AM United States Pentagon, Washington DC:
United States Secretary of Defense Robert Graves walked the halls heading to his meeting while followed closely by his Executive Assistant Michael Mendes. He adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses amplifying his hazel eyes as he walked with purpose.
“Everyone is there, I presume,” Graves addressed Mendes without looking his way.
“Yes sir,” Mendes confirmed, “Dr. Alexander is all set to present his findings.”
“Good,” Graves nodded, “I want to get this show on the road the second I get inside.”
The two arrived to the fortified checkpoint protected by armed security personnel. They scanned their IDs and subjected themselves to a retinal scan before passing through the checkpoint heading to the conference room housing the Private US Armed Forces session.
Entering the conference room, Graves, followed by Mendes, took the time to greet and acknowledge each member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He finished by acknowledging and briefly talking to the presenter of the meeting before taking his place at the head of the long, deep-brown oval wooden table. Mendes took his place in a seat to his right.
“Call to order this US Armed Forces Session,” Graves began. “Dr. Jason Alexander, our current lead geneticists and expert on the EVO virus and EVOs, will begin with the current findings.”
Dr. Alexander, a slender man in his mid-thirties with a Drew Carey appearance, rose to begin his presentation.
“Gentlemen, based on findings as we already expected, the EVO population is indeed increasing,” Dr. Alexander said. “No longer through the spread of infection but through natural procreation. The virus has mutated and ingrained itself within the human DNA coding… becoming an actual gene.”
Rumbles and mutters came from those present as Dr. Alexander referred to his onscreen presentation of a normal human DNA strand on one side an extremely abnormal DNA strand on the other.
“As you can see, the normal DNA strand on the left possesses a double helix. The set of chromosomes in a cell makes up its genome; the human genome has approximately three billion base pairs of DNA arranged into forty-six chromosomes,” Dr. Jason Alexander pointed out. “The EVO DNA possesses a quadruple-helix. Its genome ranges in the trillion base pairs of DNA arranged into one-hundred-eighty-four chromosomes… the majority of which we are still currently unable to identify.”
After allowing this to sink in around the room, he clicked to the next section of his presentation.
“Spread of virus infection, which was caused by the Source colliding with a nuclear warhead in the upper stratosphere of the plant, now dubbed the “Big Bang 2 Incident” resulted in the virus being spread to the four corners of the planet,” Dr. Alexander continued.
He clicked again moving to the next slide.
“It contaminated not only our water and food supply worldwide but also became an airborne pathogen,” Dr. Alexander explained. “Extreme cases of infection resulted in either death or superhuman abilities. This has now decreased from one to zero percent, in fact, the last official death recorded by the virus was two years ago. The current population of EVOs can be estimated at point three percent worldwide; however, this only has to do with the infected. Currently an estimated point one percent of four-hundred-ninety thousand children born annually over the past six years possess the EVO gene. Our studies over these EVO pregnancies revealed that EVO children are being born to two parents possessing abilities, one parent possessing abilities in both male and female, and neither parents possessing abilities, which confirms another hypothesis. It is safe to say that every man, woman, and child currently living on this planet is infected with the virus.”
Unsettled rumbling came from the room again as Dr. Alexander moved to the next part of his presentation.
“Children born with the EVO gene are no longer defined as infected.” The doctor clicked to the next slide in his presentation. “They are True EVOs and with good reason. With the exception of certain types, all True EVO’s muscle and bone densities are three times greater than that of normal human beings; they also heal faster.
“How much faster?” Admiral James A. Murdock, Sr. USN, who is also Chief of NORAD, asked.
“Minor wounds heal almost instantly,” Dr. Alexander replied. “Greater wounds we speculate may take a couple of minutes to an hour, maybe less, depending on the severity. Due to the age of the subjects we are unable to test the maximum limits of their healing capability. The blood samples we took determined them to be exceptionally greater than regular humans.”
“Can you please review the types again?” General James N. Steiner of the USMC asked.
“Through studies, we are able to categorize EVOs by types based on their abilities,” Dr. Alexander answered. “Prometheans are EVOs with superhuman intelligence and mental abilities such as telekinesis, mind reading, and telepathy. Mercurians are EVOs possessing great superhuman speed and reflexes, along with strength, durability, and regenerative healing. Moleculars or Elementals are EVOs capable of alternating their genetic properties. We identify these types as mutations because they do not fall within the power set of the Source. Next, are Apollos, EVOs capable of harnessing, manipulating, and unleashing certain types of energy such as solar, electrical, nuclear, hydro, and even sound. Finally, we have Titans, EVOs possessing tremendous amounts of superhuman strength, endurance, and durability along with regenerative healing. These are the basic classes of EVOs thus far; we expect, however, to find new classes as True EVOs begin to mature.”
“Aside from physical traits, what other differences are there between True EVOs and the infected?” asked General Thomas Welsh, Chairman of the Joint of Staff.
“Our comparison tests have revealed that currently True EVOs at the age of three and four years old are fifty percent equivalent ability-wise to most adult infected EVOs. Unlike the infected whose powers and abilities increase by honing or training,” the doctor pointed out, “True EVOs powers grow and develop with age. It is estimated that there is no limit to a True EVO’s power levels. We won’t know until one reaches full maturity, but it is speculated that some of them could very well rival or surpass the Source.”
A great degree of uneasy rumbling and muttering came about the room as Dr. Alexander adjusted his glasses concluding his presentation.
“We estimate that at the current rate of birth, over the next twenty years the purebred population will grow to 14,700… maybe even more,” the doctor finalized.
The mutters and rumblings became words. “Over fourteen thousand EVOs… with powers equal to the Source.” A great uneasiness filled the room as images of a possible dark and bleak future were imagined. A future where regular humans were knocked several notches down on the evolutionary ladder.
“Isn’t there a way to detect a child with abilities before birth?” General Norton B. Matthews of the USAF asked.
“Currently no,” Dr. Alexander answered, “other than the obvious physical traits that can be seen within eight to nine months, such as increased muscle and bone density, some powers and abilities do not manifest until the child reaches one to two years.”
“What about treatment… a cure?” General James N. Steiner of the USMC asked.
“To put it bluntly, there is no cure,” Dr. Alexander returned. “At its current evolutionary state the gene is immune to any form of treatment administered to it. It is, for all intents and purposes, incurable.”
One could cut the uneasiness throughout the room with a knife as Secretary of Defense Robert Graves took control of the meeting once again following the end of the doctor’s presentation.
“Gentlemen, due to the actions of one of our own,” the Secretary of Defense sighed, “Pandora’s box has been opened and unleashed onto the world, and there’s no way we can close the lid. The latest in biological weapons are superhuman. Both our allies and our enemies are paying
a fortune to enlist EVOs as super soldiers. It is like the NFL draft out there. In the past, the White House has refrained on allowing the recruitment of EVOs into the United States Military. Under the current Administration that order has rescinded. We can no longer afford to fall behind as a superpower, especially on this level.”
“What about the current superhero activity going on in the country?” General Norton B. Matthews (USAF) asked. “It’s still reported that majority of EVOs reside in the United States.”
“Reside yes,” Graves answered. “Acting under, and on behalf of this government, no, and that is what needs to change. The White House is not happy at all with what’s going on in the streets of this country. Many of these costume-wearing individuals have caused more harm than good both on the human and property damage level costing this country billions of dollars. A bill is currently being drafted to regulate superhuman activity. Vigilantism will no longer be tolerated in any state by powered or non-powered individuals.”
There was a clear divide in the room as some agreed with his statement, while others were not too thrilled with superhumans becoming a part of the staple of the United States Military. Graves’ face read that he didn’t care what either side thought.
“Before that bill is introduced, it is imperative that an EVO division under the United States military is in place. Ready to aide in enforcing the laws of this land and defending both its borders and abroad if necessary,” Graves ordered. “To make this perfectly clear this new division will provide service and have authorization within all five branches of the United States military. This is not open for debate. Our Commander-in-Chief expects results within six months time; my office and staff will be heading the review and recruiting process for this new division.”
“Well, if you’re taking the reins on this Graves,” General Thomas Welsh scoffed, “what’s there for us to do?”
“Prepare your branches to happily receive and give them aide by any means necessary.” Graves smiled. “Let’s get it done, gentlemen.”
