Chapter 39



𝕀𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕥𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕣𝕦𝕥𝕙

Eve's POV (ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕕𝕒𝕪)

I flung the gun in my hands and it landed on the couch, joining the pile of weapons already occupying the space. Lucas was practically pacing a hole into the rug behind me, probably thinking of the most painful way to kill Laura. Rita's head remained buried in her laptop, trying to track the address that was written on the placard. And Jay, well Jay was quiet. Too quiet if you asked me.

I picked up a few rounds of platinum bullets and tucked them beneath the armour ring on my waist. I decided not to think about how Laura knew my team was going to be on the island. Everything was too perfectly timed to be passed off as a coincidence. I was beginning to think someone was feeding her info, and that someone had to be close to my heart, close to my operations to get the kind of Intel he delivers.

"I think we should take a moment and think this through." Detective Rowan grunted. I had almost forgotten the man was around, too blinded with the urgency of my rage. I turned to look at him, contemplating whether to bite back or listen. Moreover, he was yet to get the full picture of what was going on.

"There is nothing to think about," I answered, my gaze flicking to Jay for assistance. Jay just stared back at me, lips in a thin line.

"This could be a trap, you know. You need to weigh all your options, create an action plan, a way out, in case unforeseen circumstances arise." Rowan reasoned and I signed. How hard could it be to get him to shut up?

"Laura will be expecting us to do just that and will likely make plans to thwart whatever action we take. The best course of action is to shock the socks off her legs by doing what she'll not be expecting." As Lucas spoke, l raised my eyebrows in apprehension. When did he start calling the shots?

My eyes settled on him and realisation dawned on me. He knew exactly what he was doing, having somehow read my mind he knew exactly what I had in mind.

Rowan snickered, his nose flaring in disagreement. "And what could this shocker be?"

"Nothing," I muttered and Rowan's eyes widened. "We do nothing," I said more firmly, making sure the finality in my voice was clear.

Puzzled, Detective Rowan shook his head from side to side, trying to process what I just said. "I don't understand. If we are doing nothing, why are you gearing up for battle? Someone would walk in here and feel we are preparing for war."

"That's because we are." Jay finally spoke. I turned to look at him, my lips turning up in a smile. They were finally getting it. Except for detective Rowan, who was still as confused as a chicken caught in headlights.

"Could you guys be any vaguer? How am I expected to understand a word you all are saying when all you guys do is speak in riddles?"

Rita chuckled, her head still buried in that laptop of hers. "It's not the riddle, it's the language. What Eve is trying to say is that we do exactly what she told us to do. Not what the expected."

"Oh, so you saying we surrender ourselves to Laura like good old lambs with no plans set in place to overpower her?"

"Exactly. That's exactly what we will do, except there'll be a little complication she wouldn't see coming."

Rowan brows lifted. "And what will that be?"

"Your death."

The guy practically stopped breathing, his eyes wide as saucers. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I mean you'll be dead, Rowan. Or at least perceived to be." Rowan visibly shivered and Lucas chuckled. I would have done the same, but the heavy headache I was nursing wouldn't let me.

"Relax man, she hasn't killed you yet. That's a great sign." As Lucas said this, I couldn't help but grin.

"Oh, I should be glad then." Rowan snickered sarcastically, his breathing visibly relaxing. The guy had been scared shitless. If I wanted him dead, he would have been halfway through to decaying already. Right now he was too valuable an asset to waste.

"We need her to believe she is winning. The moment we can achieve that, the real plan will commence."

"What exactly is this plan? If I am to play dead, I think it's only reasonable I know what I'm risking my life for."

"The truth. Isn't that what you swore an oath to find?"

Detective Rowan sighed. "Just say you won't tell me. You don't have to emotionally blackmail me to do it." I rolled my eyes and he continued, "So, how am I supposed to-"

"Just shut up and pick a weapon." Rita groaned and we all sighed in agreement, my lips turning up in a smile.

Rowan joined Lucas and began gearing up while I walked over plans with Rita and Jay.

It was high time we ended this. Once and for all.

*********************

The address that Laura provided for us was an abandoned warehouse building in downtown Toronto. It used to be a factory before it caught fire, then it was later bought by a pharmaceutical company who used it to store expired drugs, but that also folded, and now, it's been rescinded for over a decade.

The streets were littered with dirt, trashcans filled up at every corner. The air smelt bad, like the rotting carcass of a dead animal bad. Rats ran across the streets at the sound of our approaching van, obviously not used to the disturbance.

The warehouse itself was located at the very end of the dreadful street. We parked beside it and began to file out. Lucas and I leading the group, Rita stayed back to make sure everything went smoothly while Jay and Rowan went round the back.

We moved information into the darkened warehouse, my mind in full alert. Knowing Laura, this place should be full of booby traps. We got to the middle of the large hall and studied our surroundings. It was almost empty except for some tyres, plastic rubbers and two balconies above and around us.

"There's no one in here," Lucas whispered, his voice echoing throughout the hall.

"Don't be too sure," I whispered back.

"Indeed." A loud voice boomed above us and Lucas cringed. I lifted my head and gun to see an immaculately dressed Laura resting on the balcony bannister. "Took you long enough. To be honest, I wasn't expecting you to come at all."

"I am sure you weren't expecting a lot of things." I sneered, sending her my most menacing glare.

"Like the fact you stupidly brought Detective Rowan with you, who is dead by the way. Our sniper got him in the chest before he could even say, Jack Robinson. We said bring your minions, not allies." As Laura said this, she began walking around the balcony, fingers tapping the bannister as she did.

"You just killed a federal agent. Way to go Laura."

Laura smirked. "I just did you a favour. He was going to arrest you when all this was over. You should be grateful." Her brows narrowed. "Seems you are getting quite soft Ms Red, or should I say, Evelyn?"

My heart froze. No way, no fucking way she knew. I had made sure no one knew I was Evelyn. The plastic surgery I did was proof enough, my eye colour was secondary. The only way she'd know I was Evelyn was if she got my blood tested, and I had made sure that never happened.

Lucas scoffed. "It seems we'd have to add delusional to the list of things wrong with you. Are you so obsessed with Evelyn that you'd turn blind? Because you obviously can't see."

Laura busted out in mock laughter, her eyes shining with triumph. "You oblivious fool, why do you think we drove you to her in the first place? She was supposed to kill you. We thought her hatred for you was motivation enough, only to discover she had banded with you to fight us instead. I guess love actually beats all."

Lucas settled his eyes on me, his eyes pleading with me to deny, to defend, to say something. But I lowered my eyes to the ground. There was no way I could look at him right now. I needed to think.

"Evelyn?" The way he called my name with caution, hope, and love, broke my heart.

I lifted my eyes to him. "Lucas."

He broke down, his gun dropping to the cemented floor with a clang. "Oh my God." He whispered, tears dripping down his eyes. "Oh my god, h-how? How is this even- oh my god."

I hadn't anticipated this, hadn't thought through this angle at all. I thought I had it all planned out, not knowing Laura had a higher plan - which was to break us, expose my little secret and pitch Lucas against me. I just hoped my identity was all she knew about.

"Is this what you brought us here for?" I sneered, my eyes flashing with fire, anger and pure hatred.

"Oh I didn't bring you guys here," Laura said, flashing a mischievous smile. "She did." She clarified with her hands pointing towards the door behind her which opened on cue to reveal black heels, followed by a black pencil skirt, an immaculately ironed blue suit and a face that shocked me to my very core.

"Hello baby girl, have you missed me?"

If I wasn't dead before, I was surely dead now for the woman I was staring at was surely a ghost. A ghost of time passed. A ghost I've been longing to see for five years, a ghost that I had watched die, in my very own arms.

The gun I was carrying dropped to the floor as I brokenly whispered, "Mother?"