The First: EVO Uprising

by Kipjo Ewers

  “No it wasn’t,” Shareef sternly returned. “I don’t regret what I did, but it was not justified, and I am guilty. And the ones who paid the biggest price for my actions were my own children. I murdered their father in front of them and left them without a mother. Don’t ever tell me what I did was justified, ever.”

  Another uneasy silence came over the two as Sophia apologetically lowered her head in regret.

  “I’ve been a real buzz kill this last visit,” a sheepish Sophia admitted.

  “Hell yeah,” Shareef snapped back, “but it’s still great to see you.”

  Shareef pulled her in for a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead.

  “You are not alone,” Sister Shareef whispered to her, “you are never alone. How much worse would those girls be if you did not save them? And, yes, there maybe people out there doing bad things with the abilities they were given, but what about those who are out there doing good?”

  “It just doesn’t feel like the scale is balanced in our favor.” She lowered her head again. “And I didn’t sign up for the neverending battle against good and evil.”

  “Then you should ask yourself why you became a surgeon in the first place.” Sister Shareef placed her hands on her hips. “Dr. Dennison.”

  “To help people…” Sophia muttered.

  “You may think your yoke is a heavy one.” She moved some strands of dreads from Sophia’s face. “But you were given the strength to carry it. And you got to believe there was a reason you did not die on that table that day. No matter how bad things get, you got to believe you are here to make a difference. No amount of pep talk from me is going to open your eyes to that. You have to see and believe it for yourself.”

  She appreciated the pep talk even though it did very little to help how she felt.

  “Our next visit will be more pleasant,” Sophia smiled.

  “I hope so,” she huffed, “now go on. Get.”

  “You might want to stand back…” Sophia began to warn.

  Sister Shareef stopped her with the “You forget who you’re talking to” look.

  “Right,” Sophia smiled. “Next week then.”

  With a powerful leap, she exploded into the air kicking up dirt and small rocks leaving another sizable carter underneath her. After clearing a good thirty feet, Sophia ignited the near invisible propulsion at the soles of her feet rocketing off into the skies.

  CHAPTER 7

  The next morning, Rogers was up early at five in the morning. Erica, not a morning person, slept in until 9 A.M going for ten until Rogers pounded on her door repeatedly until she got up. He could hear the slew of profanity she muttered under her breath behind the closed steel sliding door of her room; some of it was in Spanish. It went on until the door slid open and she shot him a dirty look.

  “Good Morning,” he smirked.

  She rolled her eyes walking past him heading to the mess hall to get some much needed breakfast and distance from the Sergeant.

  She found one, but not the other, as Rogers sat across from her sipping his extra black Columbia brewed coffee as she dined on a helping of pancakes, eggs, with turkey bacon, and a side of orange juice.

  “I hope you enjoyed your long beauty rest,” he said between sips, “because that’s the last one you will be taking as of today.”

  “Excuse you?” she asked leaning back while munching on a piece of bacon.

  “The second the new recruits land.” Rogers took another sip. “Everyone will get up by five and down by nine for the next six months, no exceptions.”

  “But I’m a growing child,” Erica shot back. “I need my beauty sleep.”

  “That’s why I’m allowing you to get up at seven,” said Rogers. “You want to be a part of my outfit, those are the rules.”

  “Miss, Sergeant Rogers,” interrupted Maxine, “the new recruits will be landing in ten minutes.”

  “Thank you, Maxine,” Erica said before giving Rogers a sardonic smile. “Guess we better get ready to meet the new fresh meat.”

  Rogers sat there deflecting her smile with a dull look as he calmly sipped on his coffee.

  ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜ ˜

  Six minutes later, they road to the surface in silence, this time with Maxine’s cybernetic form next to them; Erica glanced at the old soldier’s stone demeanor and could see the wheels turning. Although she would never attempt it, she wanted to know what he was thinking. For her own personal moral reason, and his warning about staying out of his head she decided to remain in the dark. As the doors to the hanger opened once more, they stepped out into the light as a similar CH-46 Sea Knight descended from the sky landing on one of the designated helicopter pads. As it touched down the door opened, allowing the new recruits to step out one by one. As they lined up next to one another taking casual stances, Erica’s expression revealed she was none too impressed with what she saw, even though she and Dr. Alexander personally handpicked them.

  “Oh joy,” her sarcastic smile returned as she whispered, “our new team members are Will Smith pre Fresh Prince, Pauly D, and JWoww.”

  “I seem to remember you being a part of the selection process,” Rogers reminded her.

  “Based on abilities, physical health, mental state,” she said, “and stable personalities meaning the ability to work and play well with others. Not attitudes.”

  “Attitudes are easily broken,” Rogers answered while walking toward the new recruits. “That’s why I’m here.”

  Erica muttered a curse under her breath as she picked up the pace to catch up with him while Maxine kept in step with her. They both stopped a couple of feet from the new recruits as Rogers wasted no time getting face to face with the lightning charged EVO known as Blitz who had a good four inch height advantage on him. With a smirk on his face, he showed zero signs of intimidation as he locked eyes with the battled hardened Sergeant.

  “Name,” Rogers asked flatly.

  “Blitz,” he smirked, “I wanted to go with Black Lightning, but it was already taken.”

  Snickering came from the direction of the twins, which Rogers pretended to ignore. He mentally marked it down as ammunition to make their lives a living hell later. He leaned in closer to ask him again.

  “Guess I wasn’t speaking English,” his voice boomed full of bass, “real name… now.”

  “Oliver Brandon.” Blitz coughed as he quickly fell into line.

  “Oliver Brandon.” Rogers looked him up and down. “The next time I ask you something, I expect a straight answer. The next time you give me anything other than that, I will pull your jawbone out by the root, is that clear?”

  “Yes sir.” Brandon straightened up more.

  “Sir, yes sir” when you address me!” His voice sounded like thunder. “I work for a damn living!”

  “Sir, yes sir!” Brandon yelled back snapping to attention.

  He attempted to make his body as straight as a steel pipe.

  Rogers nodded with satisfaction, sensing he had broken the will of the lightning wielder; he now towered over Ms. Esposito. Her smirk and gum chewing vanished the first time Roger’s voice boomed. She shuddered as she looked into the eyes of Abe burning a hole into her very soul.

  “Name,” Rogers asked again with the same flat tone he addressed Brandon.

  “Ro… Rosann… Esposito…” she stuttered.

  “Why are you stuttering?” Rogers pressed her.

  “Sir?” Rosann began to clam up.

  “At least you know to call me that.” Rogers began the verbal pounding. “You and dumbass over here are snickering like a bunch of pubescent school girls when your mouths should have been zipped shut with eyes forward.”

  “Hey, how about easing up, ‘Cap,’” her brother Adrian returned fire on his sister’s behalf.

  Abe made note her brother’s comment, marking it down as strike two. He leaned closer to Rosann as if he was about to kiss her.

  “That’s g
um in your mouth, right?” he questioned her.

  “Sir… yes sir,” she stuttered.

  “Swallow it,” he ordered.

  “Screw dat Rosey… hey, yo pops,” Adrian scowled, “raise up out of my sister’s face! We ain’t sign up for dis shit!”

  Rogers continued to ignore Mr. Esposito mentally marking his final offense as strike three. He waited for Rosann as she slowly swallowed the gum she had been chewing. The dark-haired hazel-eyed Staten Island resident had stood up to some tough customers in the past, including her own brother and father, but staring back at the battle scars which ravaged the side of his face down to his neck told her this was not the type of man she wanted to mouth off to. In her skull, she cursed her twin, praying for him to shut up. His back talking did nothing but make the situation worse for her.

  “Why are you here?” was Rogers’ next question.

  “Sir, to become a hero, sir,” Rosann stammered.

  “You think this is one of them reality shows?” Abe tilted his head.

  “Sir… no sir,” Rosann answered, fighting the trembling of her body.

  “You see any cameras or film crew around here?” Rogers looked around.

  “Sir, no sir.”

  “No!” he barked in her face, “and last I checked I didn’t come out here wearing my underwear outside my pants sporting a cape and asking you for the secret friggin handshake. I am a United States Marine, trained to kill in the service of my country, which means I train killers. Are you a killer Rosann Esposito?”

  “Sir no sir…” Her stuttering returned, “but I can…”

  “You had me at ‘No sir.’” His roar rattled her spine. “It’s obvious by your answers that you’re in the wrong place. You’re not a killer, you want to be a superhero. So why don’t you take your French manicure gum chewing disrespectful little ass back to that bird over there, go home, and go find one of them leagues. Go avenge something.”

  “Sir,” she fought through her fear of him, “I wanna be here…”

  “Why?” He kept the pressure on her.

  “I got these powers for a reason.” Her eyes became glassy. “To help people, and I want to be taken seriously… not another joke from Staten Island.”

  “My asshole bleeds for you, girlie,” Rogers sneered, “it really does.”

  Rosann lowered her head, wiping her eyes as Rogers looked up to the heavens contemplating her fate.

  “Seeing as how you refuse to leave, guess I’ll take you in. See if there is a killer inside of you,” Rogers sighed, easing up for a split second.

  “But the second I hear a whimper, an ‘I can’t do it,’ he growled, “I will personally drag you by the roots back to Staten Island and dump you where that chopper picked you up from… are we crystal clear?”

  “Sir, yes sir!” she answered with conviction.

  “You’re on my shitlist, little girl.” He made sure she smelled the coffee on his breath. “Don’t expect to get clean anytime soon.”

  Rogers turned donning a ‘pleasant’ smile on his face as he took one full step and turned again to face Rosann’s twin brother Adrian. He was an inch taller than Abe wearing a blue and white Nike jumpsuit with a white wifebeater underneath two sizes smaller that his tan muscular physique that it hid. With his spiked gelled black hair, all he was missing was a Z-IROC or a tuner vehicle to finish his look. Mr. Esposito took the first offensive leaning forward. Grasping the crucifix around his neck, he transformed into the metal element of Platinum locking eyes with Rogers. Rosann lowered her head wishing at that moment she was not a twin.

  “Oh shit,” Rosann whispered with a huff, “here we go…”

  “Adrian Esposito, but you can call me ‘Hard-On’ soldier boy.” He cracked a smile. “Am I close enough for you to try to kiss me?”

  “Thank you.” A huge grin formed on Roger’s face.

  It was the first one Erica had seen on the old man’s face since meeting him. She could sense without reading his mind that it was an omen to something bad coming in a couple of seconds.

  “Thank me for…” Adrian knitted his eyebrows wondering the Sergeant’s game.

  Rogers disrupted Adrian’s question by the sound of human skull smashing into his Platinum metal nose. Esposito’s neck snapped back as he grabbed his nose, shocked that he was registering pain in his metallic form. It shocked him so much that he did not see the haymaker punch Rogers caved his chest in with lifting him off his feet sending him a good forty feet away.

  “Adrian!” Rosann screamed.

  “Oh shit.” Blitz turned watching his new teammate go sailing.

  Rosann watched in horror as her brother landed back first into the ground creating a crash drag; he used the momentum to backward roll to his feet, while digging his fingers into the dirt in order to brake. He shook off the cobwebs as newfound rage filled his eyes. As Adrian prepared to take on an advancing Rogers, Rosann went to reach for a tiger tooth necklace around her neck.

  “I wouldn’t do that,” Erica projected her voice into Rosann’s mind, stopping her.

  Rosann whipped around turning to the culprit inside her skull.

  “Get out of my head you little…” She bared her teeth at Erica.

  “Rogers is a professional, and your brother needs some schooling,” Lady Tech returned echoing again in her skull. “So stay out of it.”

  “That’s my brother you, little bitch!” Rosann fired back.

  “Tell me something I don’t know,” Erica scoffed. “Transform or move from that spot, and I’ll make you think that you’re going blind with an itchy asshole that needs a good scratching.”

  A frustrated Rosann reluctantly watched as her enraged brother proceeded to pick up speed charging at Abe.

  “You cock sucker!” he howled. “You wanna go? You wanna piece of me? Let’s go!”

  Rogers did not bother answer him as he continued to advance in his direction, Esposito went to shoot on Rogers for a takedown, but a more experienced soldier stuffed his shoot attempt with his powerful legs digging deep into the dirt. With no hesitation, he used one hand to keep him bent over while raining brutal forearm blows down onto his back.

  “You old bastard,” Adrian growled, “can’t… hurt me…”

  Hard-On roared as he powered out of Abe’s grip and swung for the hills with a powerful right. A skilled Rogers stepped in, catching his arm. He hit a well-executed judo flip slamming him into the dirt creating a small crater.

  “My arm now…” Abe growled back.

  Rogers sunk in a powerful armbar forcing Adrian to his feet. Adrian was baffled that he registered pain in his metallic form. He proceeded to whip Adrian around into a giant swing taking him off his feet before leaping into the air a good thirty feet. While in midair, Rogers delivered another judo throw hurling Hard-On back to the Earth creating a human size crater with his body; before he could recover Rogers returned to Earth delivering a boot to his chest causing a mini dirt explosion adding insult to injury. Rogers removed his boot from his chest and placed it on his throat forcing him to gasp for air as he squirmed trying to get free from underneath Abe’s boot.

  “Now that we’ve established that I’m not only stronger than you,” he dug his boot in deeper, “but can kick your miserable ass hide three ways to Sunday and then some. Why are you here?”

  “Thought… it was cool,” Adrian Esposito gasped, “to be a part of a real… superhero… team… sir…”

  “Same damn answer as your sister.” Rogers drove his boot even deeper into his throat. “But at least you’re honest and to answer your question why you lost, it’s because you’re an ignorant dumbass. I know all about your power, just because you can transform into the properties like metal or stone doesn’t mean you’re not human. Blood still courses through your veins, and you’re nervous system still lights up, which is why if I hit you hard enough, you can still feel pain. Now you got five seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t send you home with a permanent limp?

  “I… can… be…
better,” Adrian gurgled, “sir… give… me… chance…”

  “Chance? Before you were a bad ass.” Rogers twisted his boot. “Big dick wily swinging with your bra shirt, all “blinged” out looking to show me something, now you want a chance? Well let me think about that.”

  Rogers once again looked to the heavens scratching his chin as he contemplated the male Esposito’s fate.

  “Okay Limp, I suppose if I can throw your sister over there a bone, I can throw you one too. Aside from being a total waste of human excrement… you got guts,” Rogers scowled, driving his boot deeper into Adrian forcing him further into the dirt, “but you so much as look at me sideways I’ll pop you like a Pepsi can, you hearing me, boy?”