Chapter 17 #3
“Know what? That the great king is planning on sweeping the country with his Freedom Hunters, utilizing an army that he’s been building by capturing and reprogramming first-generation Savages?
Yes, I am very well aware the king is worried about the Resistance, especially after being attacked.
I’m also aware there is very little that can stop him.
He has the secure facilities and the equipment, the weaponry and all the necessities to act on his great plan.
All of which the Resistance doesn’t have. ”
He appeared amused, which in turn pissed me off.
“Who is Star? Can you at least tell me about her heritage?”
“She was raised by her mother, the father nonexistent. From what I know, and in truth we weren’t provided with the details, something tragic occurred with her mother. There is purpose in the story unfolding as it needs to.”
More cryptic phrasing as likely told in the prophecy.
While words from Star’s dream lingered in my mind, a child’s memory couldn’t necessarily be trusted. However, it was apparent Star had witnessed the tragedy. “She has no clue but is starting to remember.”
Tom didn’t seem startled by my announcement. In fact, the corners of his upper lip upturned.
“I had no idea you’d both been kept in complete darkness; however, perhaps that was best. Keeping you both underground was necessary. Peter didn’t mention how deep the hole went, but with Peter, there’s always a reason. We trust him implicitly. You should as well.”
“Peter, the apostle.” I took a deep breath, holding it in hopes of calming my anger.
“In a way, he is. He’s part of the Angels of Destiny. Our guide. Our holy man for lack of a better term.”
“All well and good except that doesn’t help the Resistance in any way.”
“I think there is assistance in everything we learn. While it isn’t my place to provide you with but so many details, I’ll talk to Peter. I think it’s time both you and Star understand more of why both of you are of such importance to the cause.”
The cause. If they honestly believed there would be a successful uprising, they were sorely mistaken. While the group here had mostly been protected from the barren, dangerous world, I knew what to expect and the horrors awaiting anyone who dared cross the king or his men.
“While I appreciate the offer of the vehicles, I plan on undertaking this mission and moving on.” Maybe fighting the machine was an attempt to produce additional information. I was tired of being in the dark.
There was something unnerving as hell about his smile, the way his upper lip curled while studying me.
Maybe looking through me to see the reason for my fury.
“I understand. Have a little faith, Phoenix. Your father was a brilliant, generous, and very kind individual. Trust in your past as well as the course set for the future. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to spend some time with my wife and daughter. ”
“Of course.”
I lingered across from the doorway just as Wrath walked toward me, a perplexed look on his face. “What was that about?”
With a nod, I forced him away from potential ears. “Clues to this mystery mission we’re on.”
“The father?”
“Yeah. It would seem we’ve been kept in the dark our entire lives. Everyone believes Eden does exist.”
He studied me much the same way as Tom had just done. When he leaned in, he had his signature grin as if he knew something I didn’t. “I believe. You didn’t honestly think the Resistance would allow Theodore Jeffers’ son to be labeled a Verndari and nothing else. Do you?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
The roll of his eyes was just another irritating moment. “Why do you think the Verndari were created? Do you even know the meaning of the word?”
“Yeah, I know the fucking meaning. We were second generation since the great scientists fucked up the first. Now they’re being used against the Resistance.”
“The Verndari were created as the ultimate weapon. Did you ever think that maybe the scientists and the people in control of the government were afraid of espionage or maybe treason and had a kill switch installed in the Savages?”
“What?”
“Yeah, they’re dropping like flies. The king is doing a sweep to see if any can be found alive. To reprogram them or something. I’m not a damn scientist, but if you’d spent more time around John instead of acting as if he was the enemy, then maybe you would have picked up a few things.”
He backed away, laughing as he did. I planted my hands on my hips. “What are you trying to say?”
“It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why you were the first person asked to become a Verndari by your own damn father.
Come on, man. Wake up. We were created as a tool to overthrow the kingdom.
” He was pointing to himself then turning his index finger in my direction.
“But you were created in the likeness of a god to lead the people back from the darkness.”
“What?”
“Yep. You have true royal blood in you except you’re stubborn as fuck. Wake up, Rage. You are the Phoenix rising whether you want to believe it or not.”
“Then why the hell were we sent here to claim Star?”
“For the love of all things holy. Because every king needs a queen. Or maybe I should say every president needs a first lady, only after seeing her in action, I might think of it the other way around. She needs a first man.” His laughter filled the corridor as he continued backing away.
“Where the hell are you going?”
“We’re going to get rid of the bodies. Those bastards weren’t random, oh ye leader of all. We need to send a message. Care to help or would you prefer your plebes handle the grunt work?”
“Such an asshole.” I stood where I was, although I was happy to handle some physical labor instead of fume over what I’d heard. I had no idea what to make of what had been said, but it was painfully obvious I’d been blind for far too long based on my need to exact revenge.
That hadn’t changed, but the methodology in doing so would.
I felt a presence behind me and turned to see Star standing in the doorway. By her expression, I knew she’d overheard some if not all of both conversations. She left the door, moving closer.
“How much did you overhear?” I asked.
“Enough to know we’ve both been kept in the dark.” She was as uncertain about the news as I was, her face as pensive if not more than before. When she lifted her gaze to lock eyes with mine, she allowed me to catch a brief glimpse of her fear.
That meant she was very human and created an even more intense need to protect her. “Yeah, that much is true.”
“So there is no other choice but to head to Eden, whether it exists or is simply a story of high hope.” Her statement was matter of fact.
“Yes. But we must place our trust in each other.”
“You sound like Peter,” she said, chuckling. “Trust is very difficult for me, but I will try.”
There was such awkwardness between us. We’d been deemed destined to be together, yet the circumstance while being out of our control carried a heavy burden.
“Wait. There was a storm.” Her eyes lit up.
“Last night. Yes. Why?”
She cocked her head. “In the dream I had, my birth mother mentioned there would be a sign.” I had no way of knowing what she was thinking, but she took off running toward the hatch.
“What are you doing?”
“Come with me. You’ll see.” She was entirely different, laughing as she was running toward the location of the hatch.
I had no idea what to make of the change but knew whatever was going on was vitally important to her. I followed, curious as to what the hell was going on.
With Wrath already heading outside, the hatch was opened. She scrambled up the ladder, backing away and waiting until I appeared.
“What now?” Vicious noticed we’d headed outside, tossing one of the men who’d attacked us into a pile. I shrugged when he questioned what was happening with his eyes.
She ran from one direction to another, finally finding a clearing. As soon as she looked up toward the sky, she clasped her hands across her face and then pointed.
I shielded my eyes from the hazy morning sun, trying to make out what she was seeing.
“A rainbow. That’s a rainbow. Isn’t it? I’ve seen them in pictures.”
“Yes,” I said, inching closer. “That is a rainbow.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen one myself. Watching the way she reacted to something I’d taken for granted was both thrilling and appalling. Where had we gone so wrong? “What do you think this signifies?”
“Hope. For the future. But I’m hoping there is more.”
I moved by her side, completely confused, but I sensed whatever she was hoping to discover as important to her.
“Oh, my God. What is that?” She stretched her arm, pointing further into the sky.
“A bird.” That in of itself was a miracle.
“But not just any bird. Right? That’s an eagle.”
“They’re extinct.”
“No,” she whispered. “They aren’t. That’s a Garuda, a divine eagle sent by the gods. It’s a sign, Rage. It’s a sign.”
As the bird swooped closer, his majestic wings of white against the rainbow as a backdrop, Star covered her mouth with her hands. This time, it was as if she was seeing the world for the first time, or at least a small part of what had once been and could be again.
A sign.
Maybe she was right, but for what would continue troubling me.