“Yes, this is Evan Winter.” He paused listening.
“I am aware of that. How soon can we return to the U.S.?”
Evan paused and worked his jaw angrily.
“I will be in touch.”
He jabbed the “end call” button and shoved the phone back into his pocket, grabbed his keys off the coffee table and started to storm out of the room.
“Evan, where are you going?” Margo called after him.
“I know you don’t care where I’m going, Mom, but in answer to the question you didn’t ask: I just got definitive permission for the family to cross back into the US. They will not detain us, or question us further. They want to wash their hands of us,” he yanked the back door open but stopped for a moment.
“Wanna know on whose orders? Senator Arkdone’s. Mull that little tidbit over for a while. I’m out of here.” Evan slammed the door closed behind him leaving his family staring drop-jawed at the still vibrating door where a charred spot was burned into the wood in the perfect shape of Evan’s left hand.
Chapter 84 A New Generation of Metahuman
Rhett Hayes watched with a keen eye the anxious excitement pouring through the Facility. Metahumans were called to arms. Everybody eighteen and older, except a few key figures, was mobilized immediately and the entire campus was tense with final preparations.
Rhett was on landscaping duty right outside the administration building, so he had the best view of the buses as they began loading with soldier after ripped soldier. Three buses were filled. Two were full of soldiers, and the other was stocked with weapons.
“They say it’s war,” Nate Townsend whispered from two feet beside him. His hands were skillfully pruning the hedges while Rhett worked on the plants near their base.
“Sure looks like it,” Rhett muttered under his breath. They weren’t supposed to be talking, but since the Director came over the intercom and ordered all squadron leaders and instructors to his administration building three hours ago, there was no one watching the younger metahumans go about their chores.
“Where do you think they’re going?” Nate asked.
“Joey from the commissary said he heard they were going to the Americas.”
“Oh, damn. I wish I could go.”
Rhett didn’t say it, but he wished he could go, too. They missed the cut off by one year.
“We’re all going to meet in the pit to compare notes,” Rhett nodded once to Nate.
“Twenty minutes after they pull out?” Nate whispered.
Rhett nodded once then motioned a subtle hand signal that meant both “watch out” and “spread the word.”
“Right,” Nate nodded curtly, having received the secret message.
Rhett moved first. He walked swiftly—as if he were going exactly where he was ordered and not for a walk around the east side of the buildings to put eyes on the others of 17th Company and give them the order to meet.
Moments after Rhett left, Nate slipped his shears behind the bushes and began his determined walk around the west side of the campus. Each time he came to another of his company, he discretely moved his hands indicating the message passed down by Rhett.
Most others in their group were on the east side of campus, so Rhett took the greatest risk of being found out and punished for being off task.
Each time he passed another of his teammates, he would have some excuse ready for why he was there, not that anyone was paying attention. They were all too worried about gathering their gear and getting to the buses.
“Valen,” he nodded toward the serious-looking girl pushing a laundry cart down the walkway headed toward the commissary. He moved his hands skillfully. They’d been talking like this for the past ten years and were all very good at hiding their messages in normal movements. Valen nodded once and signaled understanding while she stopped to tie her shoe. She stood abruptly and continued her laundry duties.
She knew without being told, she was supposed to pass the message on to the others who worked with her and were part of 17th Company.
Rhett found three more of his team as he passed the massive gym and relayed his message. He knew they would find the others inside the building and pass on the message.