Evo

Chapter Three: The Safe House

Mika woke up with a headache.

His mouth was dry.

His body felt heavy, like he had been sleeping for a week.

He opened his eyes.

Same white ceiling.

Same room.

But this time, he was not alone.

Mara sat beside the bed.

She was holding a cup of coffee.

"You sleep like the dead," she said.

Mika stared at her.

"That's a strange thing to tell someone who almost died."

"You didn't almost die."

"I was attacked."

"Yes."

"By Cain."

"Yes."

Mika pushed himself up.

"Where is he?"

"Gone."

"Where did he go?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be sitting here."

Mika rubbed his face.

He remembered the hallway.

The floating weapons.

Cain's black eyes.

His own hands glowing white.

He looked at Mara.

"Did I hurt anybody?"

"No."

Mika relaxed.

"Good."

Mara studied him.

"You could have."

"I know."

"You could have killed everyone in that hallway."

Mika looked down.

"I know."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Mara placed the coffee on the table.

"How much do you remember?"

"Everything."

"Even when your power came out?"

"Yes."

"What did you feel?"

Mika thought about it.

"Everything."

"Explain."

"I could feel the walls."

Mara's expression changed.

"The walls?"

"The pipes. The electricity. The metal in the doors. The guns."

He swallowed.

"I could even hear people's hearts."

Mara leaned forward.

"Could you control any of it?"

"Not really."

"But you stopped."

"I got scared."

"That's what stopped you?"

Mika nodded.

Mara looked at him for a long moment.

Then she stood.

"Get dressed."

"Why?"

"We're leaving."

"Where?"

"A place Cain can't find."

Mika looked toward the door.

"And my mother?"

Mara didn't answer immediately.

That was enough.

Mika's face hardened.

"Where is she?"

"She's being moved."

"Moved where?"

"For her protection."

"That's what you said before."

"And it is still true."

"I want to see her."

"You will."

"When?"

"When we know you're safe."

Mika laughed bitterly.

"Nobody here knows anything."

Mara didn't argue.

She opened the door.

"Five minutes."

Mika looked at her.

"Why are you helping me?"

She stopped.

"Because I knew your father."

Mika's eyes narrowed.

"You knew him?"

"Yes."

"What was he like?"

Mara looked back.

"Complicated."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting right now."

She left.

Mika sat on the bed.

His father.

Everyone seemed to know something about him.

Everyone except him.

He got dressed quickly.

A black shirt.

Jeans.

Old sneakers.

His mother had packed those clothes before the attack.

That thought hurt.

He walked out.

The facility looked different in daylight.

People were repairing the damaged walls.

Armed guards stood everywhere.

Mika noticed some of them watching him.

Not like a prisoner.

Not exactly.

More like they were standing close to something dangerous.

Mara waited near an elevator.

Daniel stood beside her.

"You coming?" Daniel asked.

Mika nodded.

The elevator doors closed.

Nobody spoke.

Mika looked at Daniel.

"You fought Cain."

Daniel touched his shoulder.

"Cain threw me into a wall."

"So you didn't fight him."

"Not successfully."

Mika almost smiled.

The elevator opened underground.

A black vehicle waited inside a large garage.

Mara opened the back door.

"Get in."

Mika looked at the car.

"That's it?"

"What were you expecting?"

"Something more secure."

Daniel laughed.

"Trust me. You don't want to see our secure vehicles."

They drove for almost two hours.

Mika watched the city disappear behind them.

Buildings became houses.

Houses became farms.

Then nothing.

Just trees.

He finally asked the question that had been sitting inside him.

"Where are we going?"

"North."

"That's not a place."

"Good."

Daniel looked at him through the mirror.

Mika stared out the window.

After another hour, the vehicle turned onto a dirt road.

A large metal gate opened.

Beyond it was an old house surrounded by trees.

It looked abandoned.

Mara stopped the car.

"Welcome to the safe house."

Mika stepped out.

"Who lives here?"

"Nobody."

"Then why does it look like somebody died here?"

Daniel laughed.

Mara ignored him.

Inside, the house was surprisingly clean.

There was a kitchen.

A living room.

Three bedrooms.

A small basement.

Mika walked around.

He found books on shelves.

Some were old.

Others looked scientific.

One title caught his attention.

EVO GENETICS: THE FIRST TWENTY YEARS

He reached for it.

Mara grabbed it first.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you're not ready."

Mika stared at her.

"I'm tired of hearing that."

"You don't know what you're dealing with."

"Then tell me."

Mara put the book back.

"You want answers?"

"Yes."

"Then survive long enough to get them."

She walked away.

Mika followed.

"How many Evos are there?"

"Nobody knows."

"How many are dangerous?"

"Most."

"That's not what I asked."

Mara stopped.

"Enough."

Mika shook his head.

"You people are hiding something."

"We are."

"Why?"

"Because the truth gets people killed."

Mika stared at her.

"People are already dying."

Before Mara could answer, a loud crash came from upstairs.

Everyone froze.

Daniel pulled his weapon.

Mara reached for hers.

Mika's heart started beating faster.

"Stay here," Mara said.

"No."

"Mika."

"I'm coming."

Daniel looked at Mara.

"Let him."

Mara frowned.

"Why?"

"Because if there's an Evo inside this house, hiding him won't help."

Mika followed them upstairs.

The hallway was empty.

A window was broken.

Glass covered the floor.

Mara raised her gun.

"Check the rooms."

Daniel moved left.

Mara moved right.

Mika stayed in the middle.

Then he heard something.

A heartbeat.

Not Mara.

Not Daniel.

Someone else.

Behind the wall.

"Mara."

She turned.

"What?"

"Someone's there."

She stared at the wall.

"Where?"

Mika pointed.

"There."

Daniel stepped closer.

He touched the wall.

Nothing.

Mika closed his eyes.

The strange feeling returned.

The wall became clear in his mind.

He could feel the metal pipes.

The wood.

The wiring.

And a person hiding behind it.

"He's here."

Mara stepped back.

"Everyone move."

The wall exploded.

A young man came through.

He was about Mika's age.

Maybe nineteen.

Blood covered his shirt.

He fell to the floor.

Mara aimed her gun.

"Don't move."

The stranger raised both hands.

"I'm not here to fight."

Daniel kept his weapon trained on him.

"Who are you?"

The stranger looked at Mika.

His eyes widened.

"Oh."

Mika stared back.

"What?"

The stranger whispered,

"You're him."

Mika felt cold.

"Who am I?"

The stranger looked terrified.

"The First Evo."

Mara's face changed.

Daniel lowered his weapon slightly.

Mika looked at both of them.

Neither spoke.

"What does that mean?"

The stranger pushed himself up.

"Your father never told you?"

"My father is dead."

The stranger shook his head.

"No."

He looked directly at Mika.

"Your father wasn't the first."

Mika waited.

The stranger swallowed.

"You are."

Silence filled the room.

Then every light in the house went out.

A voice came from outside.

"Mika."

Cain.

Mika turned toward the window.

The stranger backed away.

"They found us."

Mara raised her gun.

Daniel moved beside Mika.

Outside, footsteps surrounded the house.

Dozens of them.

Mika looked at Mara.

"How many people?"

She listened.

Her face went pale.

"Too many."

The window shattered.

A black object flew through the room.

Mara shouted.

"DOWN!"

Mika dropped.

The explosion shook the house.

And when he looked up, the front door was gone.

Men in black were standing outside.

Behind them stood Cain.

His black eyes were fixed on Mika.

"You finally found out," Cain said.

Mika slowly stood.

"Found out what?"

Cain smiled.

"What your father spent his whole life running from."

Mika's hands began to glow.

Cain looked pleased.

"Good."

He stepped forward.

"Now show me what the First Evo can do."