

**Evil Empire: Eden**

By D W Firenze

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2017 D W Firenze

**Smashwords Edition, License Notes**

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com or your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 1

YEAR **2030 - EUROPA - LONDON**

Wake up, Jake. They're here.

Max's words rang like an alarm in Jake's head, waking him from slumber.

We need to move. Now.

The exhausted teenager prised open his caramel eyes momentarily to check he was not dreaming. Max his beautifully muscled, and compact American Staffordshire Terrier gazed back at him from the window, his fawn colourings illuminated by the searchlights and activity glimmering outside. This was no dream.

'What's going on?' Jake enquired wiping the crusty sleep from his eyes, pulling himself up from the makeshift bed in the corner of this building under refurbishment in which they had taken refuge.

I think they have found us. Drones are patrolling outside. Foot soldiers can't be far behind.

Jake and Max had been united when he was just a young boy, a gift from his father on his sixth birthday. That was twelve years ago and so much had happened since then. Max was meant to soften the devastating loss of his mother. It had worked to some extent, over time. Little had either of them known that Max would need to fill the void left by his father's mysterious passing a couple of years later. Their bond was unique, special. Somehow they had developed the ability to communicate telepathically over the years. Neither cared how this had come to be, but it had served them very well since the Empire had taken over.

For goodness sake boy! Get your butt in gear, we need to get out of here!

Max was not renowned for his diplomacy skills, but given the emergence of two armed drones at the window, Jake figured there would be a more pertinent time to address such trivial matters later.

Jake jumped to his feet, scrabbling to pull his well-worn shirt and hooded jumper over his athletic frame and brown locks.

The drones circled the windows of the derelict building whilst flashlights pierced through the old hypermarket near their position. Movements of the oncoming foot patrol began to echo down the road closing in on them. They had clearly been detected. Being captured was not a possibility that they could allow if they were to complete their mission.

'Looks like we better get running then boy' Jake said still trying to finish dressing and gather his scant belongings. 'I'll send a message to Frank and see if he can meet us at the rendezvous point'.

_And then?_ Max interrupted having jumped down from the window and headed for the door.

Jake smiled. 'Then it really starts my friend. Everything we set out to do gets under way'.

The flashlights from the patrolling drones swept through the room that they had taken refuge in. The two of them escaping through the door moments before being caught in its glare into the body of the disused dry cleaners and into the night sky.

Jake peered around the corner of the exit before sweeping the area outside for activity. The drones could be heard circling overhead to the rear of the property and any signs of foot patrols were as yet not on scene.

_Are we just going to stand here and wait for them to come and ask us out to play, or are we going to make a move?_ Max's voice snarled in Jake's head.

Jake pulled what appeared to be a mobile device from his pocket and began furiously pushing buttons. It was an antiquated device some twenty or so years out of date and no longer in general use.

'Just sending a message to Frank, we are likely to need his help to get out of here' he replied, putting the finishing touches on the message. 'You take a quick peek down the road to the left and then if it's clear we'll head that way'.

Max darted past him and bounded thirty yards down the dark road, the streets as was the norm were eerily quiet and empty. Since the Empire had taken over, streets in these heavily militarised cities and towns often operated a curfew. Citizens were protected from the ghettos outside but were often treated like prisoners within the confines of the Empire's authoritarian regime. Getting in was said to be impossible, even though Jake and Max had done so in many cities throughout Europa, a now unified state. Getting out was no less difficult and Jake knew that with their presence somehow having been detected they may need some help.

_RUN_!

Max's warning distracted Jake briefly from composing the message. As he lifted his head to identify the commotion, Max was sprinting past him with a clutch of foot soldiers gathered at the bottom of the road.

_RUN YOU BLOODY FOOL_!

Max hurtled past him heading in the opposite direction. Jake's reactions were a little slow at first, he put it down to not being fully awake, but the sight of the foot patrol charging towards him sparked his legs into action. The bolt of combined thunder and lightning that exploded against the bricks above his head from a recently discharged weapon of his pursuers was a secondary motivator.

Jake was soon sprinting at full speed behind his faithful companion who was just a few yards ahead of him. Jake snatched a quick glance over his shoulder every few steps. He made out that there were approximately five foot soldiers behind them. The blasts from their powerful weapons cannoned off of the buildings right and left of him throwing debris in his path and forcing him to deviate from his chosen path. The whirring engines of the drones could now be heard suffocating the silence of the night sky, having pinpointed his location and sweeping their scorching, bright lights to identify him.

_Trouble ahead_. Max's voice echoed.

Up in front of him, Jake could see that a swarm of foot soldiers had emerged forming a road block. Max was in danger of being captured. From a side road, another drone emerged in the night sky and its searchlight now crept along the floor closer towards Jake who now had spotlights trying to lock on his front and back. He kept running and darting and dodging the shots being fired at him. The weapons of choice of the Empire were run on nuclear energy, vaporising victims on contact. This made them an effective and efficient weapon, but Jake was more wary of the drones above. If they locked on his position then it would be game over, given their artillery was even more impressive than the ones used by the foot soldiers.

'Freeze you are surrounded' echoed the omniscient voice from above, clearly amplifying the voice of some drone operative back in the command centre.

Jake ignored the command and was now feverishly trying to look for an alternative route given the one ahead was blocked and the soldiers were readying their weapons to fire. With his pursuers closing in behind and the drones overhead casting their searchlights ever closer to his person, he knew it was a matter of time before the game was up. As if matters were not already well out of control, the screeching sound of two militarised vehicles swinging around the corner near to Max's position elevated the situation to a whole new level. Both vehicles were occupied by the Empire's foot soldiers, four in each, with one man in each vehicle in control of a robust laser cannon.

Max was still ahead but had slowed his pace when the vehicles emerged. There was a tiny side street to the left and little other option available in terms of escape. The soldiers ahead had their guns locked upon him, one vehicle had stopped just in front of them with the cannon fixed upon him some fifty yards away. Another drone had now stopped above them in the night sky and locked the spotlight upon him. Max had come to a stop, light fixed upon him, weapons locked and loaded and pointing at him. He began to walk in circles looking for any escape. The road to the left was the only option. He could see Jake running towards him with the second vehicle accelerating close behind, soldiers were crowding beyond and a number of drones loomed ominously overhead.

_We have got_ no _option here kid. There is a road up here on the left and nothing else._

_What's the plan_ then? Jake replied telepathically.

_You take the left road and I'll_ cause a _distraction_. Asserted Max in reply.

The second vehicle had now screeched and skidded sideways to a halt the cannon now fixed upon Jake who continued to run headlong towards it.

'We now have you totally surrounded. Give yourselves up or be neutralised' came the drone operator's voice overhead.

Neither option was worthy of consideration. If they gave themselves up, they knew they would be subject to torture, imprisonment in the Outlands and rumour had it, live experimentation. To be vaporised and go down fighting was easily the better option.

A _distraction sounds great my friend, but what about this mobile cannon ahead of me?_ Enquired Jake, now just thirty yards or so away from the second vehicle.

'Don't move mutt, we only really need the boy' echoed the voice from the drone.

Max had now turned his back on the first vehicle, and the wall of soldiers ahead of him and had bowed into attack stance, teeth gritted and snarling like a rabid wolverine.

Just keep running for that road and stay left.

Jake began to bank towards the left, still running. The cannon followed his path. The soldier operating it asking for permission to fire.

Upon Max's sturdy shoulders and back sat a tightly fitted black backpack. The front of it now opened, revealing four rocket heads firmly fixed on the vehicle.

_Just keep running and I'll meet you at the rendezvous point._ He assured.

He let out an almighty roar into the cacophony of the scene, a sound of an enraged beast untranslatable to human ears, the smile on Jake's face suggested that it may have been for the best. Two of the rockets launched and within seconds exploded into the vehicle, eviscerating the inhabitants and sending a huge explosion into the night sky, temporarily knocking the drones behind Jake off course.

'Shots fired. Neutralise them' screeched the voice of the drone operator.

Max had already spun on his heels and unleashed the other two rockets at the second vehicle. The fearful look on the cannon operator's face was a picture before the explosions rose up into the night sky knocking the final drone into a tailspin. The on looking soldiers could have sworn that the canine winked at them at that point, some may have even reported the glint of a smile. Just before they began to unload their nuclear-powered weapons on his position whilst the targeted boy blazed a trail to the only area where the troops had failed to secure, something more unexpected occurred. The canine was now charging straight for them, teeth bared and muscles tightening with every stride.

'The boy is getting away' one of them screamed amidst the firing.

Max leapt high into the air over the flaming vehicle. Drawing their fire to the right. They pursued him briefly until he leapt towards the wall of an empty building and catapulted himself from it into three of them. He recovered quickly and began bounding towards a clutch of others, darting away from their fire and sweeping ever closer like a tiger stalking a herd of discombobulated bison. The soldiers kept on firing, each shot missing by the tiniest amount, hitting the road, the buildings and on the odd occasion a fellow soldier.

The carnage in the once sleepy city was building with fires breaking out all around the scene and fallen foot soldiers frazzling and electrified, melting away revealing the circuits and metal of their robotic forms. The Empire's main soldiers had always been manufactured and imported in, the leadership not trusting humans to protect its interests. Humans had consciousness, robots, on the other hand, did as their masters told and programmed them to.

Jake had now passed the road block where Max had created the diversion. He trusted his old friend to manage that little situation, as he had proven himself capable in many other skirmishes they had encountered on their travels in the past. He continued down the tight and tiny road to the left, but he was not totally in the clear, the foot soldiers who had been chasing him all this time continued in pursuit and all five seemed to still be intact and full of running. The two drones that had been hit following the explosion of the first vehicle had now split up one had followed behind the troops into the alley, but Jake had not seen where the other had gone.

He continued to run down the dark street, which was now becoming darker and narrower as he headed towards the glint of light right at the base of what was becoming an increasingly evident blind alley. He cursed Max, under his breath, a knot now forming in his stomach and his instinct telling him that the end of the alley did not augur well.

Back in the main street, Max had managed to overpower and maim many of the soldiers with his quick movements which had resulted in them firing at each other. He had seen Jake disappear down the left alley as he had advised. He was going to abandon his plan to meet at the secret point and to follow him down there, given the pursuing forces, but his attention was now drawn to his own predicament.

Three soldiers had now picked themselves up, having only been knocked down by debris in the ensuing skirmish and began to fire at him again. It would have been child's play for him to finish them off as he had their fellow squadron members, but as he was about to leap into action a train of motorised armoured vehicles and a new squadron of foot soldiers were emerging from the right-hand street. Max looked left to where Jake had gone and then ahead along the long street he had been able to clear of the soldier blockade.

_You really are on your own this time, kid._ He warned Jake.

Reluctantly, he headed straight down the road past the strewn and fallen robot soldiers to draw attention away from his master and friend. Despite Jake being the apparent target, the newly emerged forces followed him.

No sooner had Jake received Max's message than he found himself nearing the end of the blind alley. The drone's searchlight lit up the path he had just passed. The alley was no wider than the distance between a couple holding hands and the high rise buildings all along made it nearly impossible to see a thing. There were no back doors or windows down the back of this alley, just a long high rising wall of solid brick. The only way out was ahead given that the bright lights from the drone above highlighted the chasing troop behind rendering the thought of turning back a suicide mission.

Jake continued ahead towards the tiny glimmer at the exit of the alley hopeful for a friendly beacon to be waiting for him. No such luck. As the exit was upon him and the wide road emerged with normal street level light both left and right, Jake realised that he had stumbled into a trap.

The second drone had now drifted down into his path hovering just a few feet above him. Rockets locked upon him. He had now emerged from the mouth of the alley onto a street very familiar to him with apparent escape left or right. The time of planning his great escape and next move disappeared within an instant. A squadron of soldiers, around twenty or so parted and surrounded him from both sides, guns raised and pointing at him less than a step or two away. There was nowhere to go. A fleeting thought passed quickly through his mind to turn and run back down the alley, but the chasing soldiers had now emerged, guns raised and directed at him, the pursuing drone coming overhead. He was going nowhere.

'Hello Jake' came a familiar voice from the drone in front of him. 'It seems you have been looking for me. I have been looking for you too'.

The voice sent a chill down his spine. This was not how this was supposed to go down. The soldiers in the alley now shoved Jake out into the middle of the road, the soldiers keeping a safe distance away from him guns locked and loaded. The two drones facing each other, either side of him, lights blaring brightly almost blinding him.

'You are entirely surrounded, young man' chimed the hauntingly familiar voice from the drone. 'Now I suggest that you come quietly, we wouldn't want you falling to the same fate as your father now would we?'

Maniacal laughter trailed off into the background. Jake's hands tightened into fists, his brown eyes sharpening and darkening with rage, and his jaw clenched with the realisation that he could sense that Max was not close by. This time he was really on his own.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 2

YEAR **2030 - EUROPA - LONDON COMPOUND**

The lights from the drones above were burning through Jake's eyes making it barely possible for him to see the cluster of green and black suited foot soldiers who had him entirely surrounded. It was well known that the Empire's forces largely comprised of these robotic man-sized clones. They were easy to control and entirely dispensable and somewhat ironically were made in China. Perfectly formed and proportioned, such an army would have made Hitler proud. To look at them it was very difficult to believe that they were not human, but sadly for Jake, this reality was going to make escaping this situation somewhat impossible.

'Secure the prisoner' declared the voice of the drone operative who had resumed control of his station from the omniscient voice of Jake's past.

'Wait!' Jake shouted desperately clawing for time. 'Look, guys, I'll give you a chance to walk away unscathed if you just let me go'.

The irony that Jake was currently trying to negotiate his way out of this mess with in excess of twenty robot foot soldiers was not lost on him at this point, but his command had slowed them briefly.

'Secure the prisoner, now' commanded the voice from the drone above.

Drones had been used to great effect by the Empire to control these enclosed compounds. Such implements of war and control had been used to great effect by the United States Administration a couple of decades earlier in eliminating regimes who stood between them and their interests overseas. These modern day drones, however, were far more sophisticated, smaller and agiler. They had the ability to patrol the skies obtaining surveillance intelligence without the limitation of being fixed to specific sites and being easy targets for vandalism should anyone fall out of line. The fact that they were heavily armed also meant that the Empire could eliminate threats within or outside the compounds with relative ease. The only limitation it seemed they had was that they required human operatives to function. That was the weakness that Jake knew he could exploit.

Five foot soldiers in front of Jake now stepped forward guns aimed at his chest.

'On your knees' the one in the centre said, waving his gun towards the ground to reinforce to Jake what was expected of him.

'Gladly' Jake said with a wry smile, following the orders of the gunmen.

As he slowly lowered himself to the cold, dark ground, Jake closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.

The lights from the drone behind him rocked awkwardly from his position and jerked up and into the air and the drone began to spin wildly out of control preventing any further action from the foot soldiers.

'SECURE HIM NOW' screeched the second operative's voice from the drone opposite before it too began to judder and lose control.

Now both drones were spinning wildly in the night sky, clearly beyond the control of the operatives back at base. Jake maintained his crouched posture and took in another deep breath.

It was clear that the situation was getting out of control and now without any further instructions, all of the foot soldiers made a move on Jake. The drone behind him now corrected its path and locked its bright beams on the advancing foot soldiers. They raised their guns to neutralise the threat, but within an instant, an intense laser beam cut through the darkness cutting through six of them, the second wiping out the remaining seven or so before the drone hurtled headfirst into the ground and erupted into flames.

Jake now rose to his feet and turned on the twelve remaining soldiers who now began to fire at him. His instincts were to run, but for some reason, his feet were rooted to the ground facing down his attackers. The soldiers advanced on his position firing at will, but he stayed still. The ground beneath them began to shake violently as if a herd of wild buffalo was charging towards them. Jake's eyes now opened a bright blue glow now replacing his hazel eyes, emanating a light more bright than the searchlights of the second drone which had now corrected itself and swooped down behind him, armed and pointing at the soldiers.

The shots fired were making no impact, an ultra blue force shield had engulfed Jake's body deflecting them back towards the shooters. The drone now unleashed its arsenal upon the remaining foot soldiers tearing through them like a scorching knife through butter. Jake remained in a trance, a wild wind of energy channelling through him to maintain the spherical makeshift protective field all around him, his eyes and hands illuminated with a power never seen. His lank locks fluttered and stood on end as if hit by a bolt of lightning.

The foot soldiers had all been completely destroyed, the first drone lay in a heap completely beyond repair and ablaze and now Jake turned to the second drone, the ground beneath him shaking with aftershocks of the devastating disaster that had just occurred.

'Tell Numen, I'm coming for him' Jake said with a deep and echoing tone directly to the drone above.

He then took a deep breath and as he exhaled the bright blue and white energy that had flowed in and around him surged with the speed of an advancing cheetah into the sky. The strips of energy fused and moulded together like old friends reuniting as they hurtled collectively towards the drone gaining pace. A loud explosion like a clap of thunder erupted as the energy ball collided violently with the drone. A bright white light soared across the skies of the city compound providing a glimmer of daylight for a second or two until the energy ball and the destroyed drone were swallowed by the darkness.

Jake was now left alone in the side street with a path of destroyed machines all around him. He had a meeting to make with Frank and Max and would need to find a hideout until then. His plan to come to London under the radar had gone probably as terribly as he could have imagined and no doubt Frank would not be happy with him, but he had sent a message to Numen and the Empire, revenge was coming and the miscarriages of justice of the past would be rectified. Jake's father would be honoured and avenged, of that, he was certain.

As he moved, he felt a wet sensation dripping onto his hooded top. He wiped his hand across his nose to see a steady stream of red was now flowing freely from his nostrils. His head was pounding like a drum and his energy was fading fast, he needed to find a safe, secure location quickly before he passed out. Jake had experienced this before. Whenever he used his powers previously he had experienced a nose bleed and felt nauseous and weak.

Sirens began to ring out in the aftermath of what had just taken place. Jake now headed into the darkness looking for somewhere to stay the rest of the night and preferably, find a change of clothes.

_Hey kid, this way._ Max's voice echoed faintly in Jake's aching head.

'Max? That you?' Jake murmured weakly now beginning to become disorientated and dizzy.

The American Staffordshire Terrier emerged from out of the darkness of a poorly lit alley having clearly evaded his pursuers. The relief etched upon Jake's face to see his faithful companion was palpable. His chubby face and panting tongue reminded Jake of happier times when they were young and Max was just a puppy. Max had since become his most trusted and loyal friend, someone upon whom he could depend upon unequivocally and he was very glad to see him now. Max would know how to take care of him.

'You didn't trust me to get out alive then?' joked Jake, far from the godlike image he had cut not long ago.

_Well to look at you, I'm not convinced you succeeded!_ Max mocked.

Max pulled up alongside him and licked the blood from his nose, much like the way a mother would pull out an old handkerchief to wipe the dirt from her child's face.

'I need a change of clothes before morning' muttered Jake entirely fatigued and exhausted.

_Way ahead of_ you, my _friend, now let's get you some rest before tomorrow._

Max then led him down the alley to the back of a closed food market that he had found for them to stay the night.

LONDON COMPOUND - UNITED CRIME CONTROL AUTHORITY HQ

This was no ordinary day at the office for Frank McQuaid. The director of Security and Intelligence for the United Crime Control Authority (UCCA) had been accustomed to his morning bagel and coffee at one of his favourite outlets, a quick review with his night team of what tended to be better described as an NTR (nothing to report) briefing and then setting a plan for security patrols of food and resource shipments for the day to minimise losses to rebels within the ghettos. Today, however, he had been called in on alert following an unprecedented event the previous evening.

Frank was a mild-mannered, middle-aged man who had dedicated his life to the much-changed security services over the years. He had served as a Metropolitan police officer back in the days when London had its own force. He had also served many years in senior positions in both Mi5 and Mi6. To say he had seen pretty much everything in terms of security and terrorism was an understatement. He was a well-regarded and straight talking professional who took his work very seriously. He had risen through the ranks to his current position because of his excellence and whilst he suspected that the current ruling elite was far from clean cut, he knew that the stark reality was that they were not that much different to previous politicians and men of power.

The UCCA's role was to monitor and maintain surveillance throughout the compounds across the globe. All security and intelligence ran through the headquarters here in London and was one of the main employers in Europa. Not only was it their job to maintain order, to contain the rebellion and to ensure complete control was maintained, a key function was ensuring that the key messages of the Empire were broadcast through the state media to ensure that workers knew who was in control. Frank once joked that his team were like drug pushers such was the lorry load of nonsense that they kept their ill-informed citizens dosed up on. The number one priority was to ensure control and order and to keep people to their tasks.

The UCCA had enough dirt on absolutely everyone that even those who worked within the surveillance services were fearful of past concepts of whistleblowing and leaking information to the press. The truth was the Empire owned all media across the world and no one had access to alternative media within the confines of these fortified compounds. It made censorship of the past seem trivial by comparison.

The rules were simple: do your job, live in relative luxury within the compound. The alternative of stepping out of line was met with 'mysterious disappearances' like something out of the Politburo playbook back in Stalin's day; being sent to the Outlands and subject to torture and reprehensible treatment that in a more liberal past would have been seen as war crimes; alternatively, publicly broadcast executions of state terrorists had been known to occur even when no evidence existed. Owning and controlling everything, the Empire create evidence to justify its activities and actions with relative ease and everyone knew it best to just go along with it like Lemmings.

The challenge facing Frank today was that the NTR briefing would instead be replaced by a detailed investigation into what had occurred the previous evening on the UCCA's doorstep. In excess of thirty foot soldiers, four drones and a couple of armoured vehicles had come to be destroyed by a teenage boy and his dog. The same boy whom he had received an encrypted message from that night on an old and disused channel. In fact, he was due to meet him within the next couple of hours at his favoured coffee shop. The agreement with Jake had been 'quiet and orderly', he remembered that because that is what he had told his old friend Jack's son just a day or so ago when he agreed to meet with him. The kid had royally fucked up his day and to say he was more than a little pissed was a massive understatement. All of this was going to be difficult to clean up, especially given the meeting tomorrow between Europa President Van Duyn and the other leaders of the Four Territories of the world. Not a good start to the day.

There was a knock at the door.

'Come in' Frank barked, flipping through the images captured the previous night on his touch screen monitor.

He had expected one of his incompetent operatives to be standing before him, tail between his legs apologising profusely for their monumental screw up the previous evening. Instead, he was met by a towering dark figure, dressed from head to foot in black leather attire, ebony skin pulled tightly across chiselled, sharp features. The man's glowing white grin was not welcoming or one that filled you with a feeling of warmth, quite the contrary. His bald head was dressed with silver braids that clung all around the base of his skull like reef knots on the side of a fishing boat.

As soon as Frank realised to whom his less than welcoming invitation was addressed he rose to his feet and cast a more apologetic figure. 'I'm sorry General Numen, I had expected someone else' he said somewhat embarrassed.

'Clearly' replied Numen, removing his sunglasses to reveal is impressive and piercing blue eyes. 'It seems we encountered a bit of a problem last night Director'.

'Yes sir, I've been reviewing some of the footage and images before you arrived' Frank said trying to avoid eye contact. He and Numen had never really gotten along, both suspicious of the other's motives. 'I intend to conduct a full investigation as soon as this brief conversation ends' asserted Frank returning to his seat and flicking through the images again.

Numen stroked his bright silver goatee beard sans stache. 'Well don't worry yourself too much about it. I was here last night and have taken care of the damage limitation activities'.

Frank's brown eyes sharpened into an angry stare and interrogated Numen's face. 'That really is not your concern General' he growled. 'In fact, we had not anticipated your intrusion until later on this evening. Your meeting, after all, is not until tomorrow'.

Numen chuckled, clearly enjoying the power play that he had initiated. 'Well, needless to say, this monumental fuck up happened on my watch Director' he said, his face cooling into a stonier facade. 'I'll ensure that President Van Duyn is fully aware that this was my mistake, Frank, I'm very used to cleaning up my own messes'.

'See to it that you just focus on your job, whatever that is' sniped Frank in response, 'and I'll stick to doing mine'.

Numen sneaked a smile before replacing his glasses. 'Strangest thing, though' he said as he turned to leave. 'Not one image of the alleged perpetrator in the system'.

Frank looked quizzical. 'What do you mean?'

'It was as if a ghost broke into the compound, overpowered a number of our units and then disappeared again without a trace. Curious' replied Numen.

'You mean to tell me we have absolutely no files from any of the surveillance drones or fixed security cameras that tell us who or what did this?' enquired Frank angrily.

'Not even the slightest indication that it ever happened. I checked the tapes personally' smiled Numen.

Frank twigged to what the general was telling him. He had taken the files himself, for what purpose Frank did not know, but what he did know was that it was not good news for him or Jake.

'I'll be sure to check the footage myself and launch an internal enquiry into what happened' said Frank trying to regain his authority. He would speak with his operatives from the night shift before he met with Jake.

'Again Director, no need. Like I said, I took it upon myself to clean up my mess' smirked Numen. 'See the report yourself' he said pointing at the monitor as he left.

Frank simmered in his chair briefly. This day was not getting any better and with Numen in town, he felt a little uneasy about meeting with Jake, but he needed to warn him. He had promised to protect him and that was what he had to do no matter the consequences. Frank snatched at the control and put the latest state broadcast on to see how the incident had been reported.

The female news reporter was stood at the scene where Jake and Max had evaded capture. It was a bright weekday morning within the compound and the devastation from the previous night looked somewhat less dramatic in the cold light of day than what many of the remaining surveillance pictures on Frank's touch screen monitor showed. The clean-up crews had clearly done a great job in taking care of the wreckage.

'I'm April Spring reporting for Europa Broadcast News here in sunny London, where last night an unfortunate accident took place. The intelligence services have released a statement which states that shortly after midnight a courier was struck by lightning and crashed into nearby buildings. The shipment caught fire burning up the truck and its cargo. Sadly the driver of the vehicle also died in the incident in which authorities are calling a tragic incident' she said entirely convincingly.

A picture of the man alleged to be driving the truck emerged on screen. It was the face of one of Frank's drone operators, not that anyone else outside of the UCCA would know, particularly as the man being referred to as Thomas Collins had no family ties within the compound.

'The director of UCCA has said that whilst no witnesses had come forward the authorities were not treating the matter as suspicious and no further investigations would take place. The family of Thomas Collins has been notified and our condolences are with his family at this sad time' she concluded.

Frank sat at his desk sick to his stomach. He knew that this kind of bullshit news story would be lapped up by the masses. Even apparently big news stories like this one were very easily swept under the carpet, in the rare event that someone suspected that the story was nonsense, who were they going to tell? Social media had been outlawed over a decade ago and using such things had been made a punishable crime. This had not stopped rogue elements from trying and whilst the internet could not be shut down entirely, no one in the compounds could access it. The media was state broadcast only, and for a quiet life, people went along with whatever they were told.

'In other news, President Van Duyn will be hosting a special meeting with leaders across the world tomorrow evening to explore a military response to the scourge of the terrorist rebellion which continues to try to undermine our citizen's freedom. Rebels have been plotting attacks against our compounds and this has forced the UCCA to maintain curfews on the streets to protect us from terrorist attacks. General Numen was kind enough this morning to give a brief interview. Take a look at what he had to say'.

The report then showed Numen speaking to the young reporter forcing Frank to cover his face in frustration.

'Citizens of London' Numen said, 'we are entering a very difficult phase in the ongoing war against the rebellion. They seek to attack your freedoms through perpetrating the very acts that had them removed from the sanctity of this utopia we have sought to create here in these peaceful times. We request that you comply with our directives for the safety of yourselves and your families. Your ongoing co-operation will enable us to vanquish the threat these terrorists pose to our peaceful way of life' he said with utmost sincerity. 'World leaders will come together to find a solution for us citizens who seek to live in a world free from tyranny and fear. Together we will continue to rebuild our nations and cast the ills of our collective past into oblivion. Thank you'.

Frank allowed himself a wry smile. This kind of speech was textbook. We are all in this together, against them, the evil ones who seek to ruin our amazing way of life. What was more surprising to him was that anyone really believed any of this horseshit anymore. The 'post-truth' era in full effect. No one cared about the inconvenient truths that were constantly glazed over, survival depended on fitting in and complying with whatever the Empire demanded.

The reporter was now back at the scene of the alleged truck crash, smiling sweetly and innocently with the belief of a true follower of the regime. April Spring like most citizens was drugged to the eyeballs of the perpetual lies that were fed to her as she made her way through her inconsequential life.

'Following the conclusion of that interview, General Numen gave me an exclusive private interview' said the reporter, enthusiastically and seeming to ignore the fact that no other reporters were in existence. 'He announced that a mole within our very own United Crime Control Authority was detected this morning and detained. The mole, Michael Adams, was said to have been working for Isaac Koresh, the lynchpin of the terrorist rebellion, and had stolen a number of surveillance files which he had been passing to them to support their horrific activities. The disgraced Adams was caught by the general himself and will be summarily executed live on this channel, later on, today. Make sure you are watching' she chirped.

Little did she know that 'Michael Adams' was, in fact, the second drone operator for the previous night shift and more importantly that he was entirely innocent of the charges against him. A convenient 'file' of charges would be created to complete the narrative. The standard was to develop a fake evidence trail: dodgy searches, communications with rebels, alleged affiliations, and motives against the Empire. None of it was based on truth, but the narrative was necessary to complete the picture. The execution would see the case closed and everyone would move on. No one would fight for him, but no doubt many would turn on the news later to watch him vaporised, though.

Frank switched off the news report entirely downtrodden. Both 'Michael' and 'Thomas' had always been loyal and reliable operatives who had worked with Frank for many years. If he had not known better, Frank would have cancelled his meeting with Jake and sought to spare 'Michael' a painful and undeserved death, the truth was, nothing that was reported was 'live' anymore. The man was already dead and for whatever reason Numen had confiscated the footage of Jake.

There had been enough propaganda for the day, so Frank decided it was time for a well-deserved bagel and coffee and headed out into dreamland in search of some real answers.

LONDON COMPOUND - MACK'S COFFEE SHACK

Many changes had occurred in the world over the past few decades, but man's desire for a hot cup of coffee and savoury snack had not abated over the years. Thankfully the global economic collapse which began in late 2013 had led to the decline of corporatism and the death of multinational chains whose overpriced beverages and avoided tax responsibilities had seen the emergence of more local, enterprising outlets such as Mack's. Frank had been coming here for a few years now, a quiet retro place that served coffee and snacks and reminded him of a much different time. Music played quietly in the background enabling the business of an impromptu and private conversation to take place with zero interference and absolute confidence that no one would be listening. Hiding in plain sight was the best way to evade the prying eyes and ears of the oppressive monitors and Frank as the king of that particular castle knew this all too well.

He was now finishing off his bagel and last sip of coffee in the far booth away from the counter and entrance. He had already been here much longer than he had originally intended. _Where_ the hell was _Jake?_

A waiter carrying a fresh mug of coffee and several plates of side orders placed them down at his table. Before Frank had the chance to ask the dumb kid what the hell he thought he was playing at and relating to him in no uncertain terms as to why would he have ever considered ordering such a large meal at this time of day, it was clear from the kid's tousled brown locks hidden beneath his cap and the shabby excuse for a uniform he was wearing that he was not the kind of clean cut type that Mack would have given employment to.

'Well well, Jake, incognito I see' mocked Frank. 'Where's the mutt?'

Jake sat down and removed the baseball cap and nonchalantly motioned to the window where Max stood attentively outside the shop watching and keeping an eye on things.

'Not sure he'd take very kindly to that kind of thing' he replied, ensuring that no one was in earshot. 'You sure this place is ok?'

'It's fine' Frank snapped. 'Now, what the hell is the deal with all this food?'

'Been a while since I had anything to eat, was feeling a little queasy' he replied before wolfing down one of the savouries.

'That blood on your shirt there?' said Frank motioning towards the red stain on his waiter's outfit.

Jake continued to hungrily devour another savoury whilst snatching a glance at his shirt. 'No, ironically that's the ketchup from the bacon sandwich I had before I came over here. Sorry'.

'You eat well, for someone who has no credit record or credits to his name' said Frank sarcastically.

Since the fallout from the crash, transactions had all become digital. Money had been done away with many years before when it had lost all value. With the credit system, no one could default on payments, they were simply deducted from your balance. Credits were all biometrically linked and given that Jake had never been registered on the system, it was a legitimate challenge from Frank.

'About that' Jake said with a hint of shame in his voice.

Frank waved the feeble protestation away. 'Uncle Frank to the rescue again then I see'.

'I billed it to your account, Mack knows you know me' he said.

Frank shook his head. He had never had kids and had no real family to speak of. He knew Jake was a cheeky little cretin and to be honest, someone should be dining out on his credit account, seeing as he was not making the best use of it.

'Left quite a mess behind last night, what happened to quiet and orderly?' he enquired.

'I was in that dry cleaning place you recommended and from nowhere they were on to us. It's like they knew we were there' he said defensively. 'What else was I supposed to do?'

Frank pondered his explanation for a moment. Who could have possibly known that Jake was in the compound, he had gone to great lengths to ensure they got in during a shift changeover and the building had been under refurbishment just a few days? As he pondered the potential suspects, Jake began placing some of the food into a napkin and folding it up.

'Lost your appetite?'

'Nah, Max will get his knickers in a twist if I don't save him some. The whining just isn't worth it'.

Frank had a quick look over his shoulder to see the coast was clear. From the booth in the corner, he could see a queue of people in line waiting for their daily caffeine fix, a middle-aged man in the corner catching a re-run of this morning's news bulletin on the monitor and Mack with his big moustache and greasy brow attending to his customers. A final check on the outside saw only Max stood attentively with his back to them and no one else in sight.

He pulled a small package from the inside pocket of his overcoat and slid it across the table to Jake. It was no bigger than a deck of cards.

'Inside is a new mobile that you can reach me on. It's fully encrypted and off the network. We don't tap these devices anymore, the rebels are using the same stuff we dish out to the mindless minions in here. There's also the details of where you can find Isaac and a token in there that he'll want to know he can trust you' he said, urging Jake to remove it quickly. 'Now give back the old phone, I'll dispose of it'.

'Token? What kind of token?' said Jake and he slipped the package into his pocket and slid the old mobile across to Frank.

'It's something that shows him that you know me, I don't want to say any more than that. Give it to him and he'll know' Frank replied mysteriously.

'Thanks, Uncle Frank'.

'You sure I can't talk you out of this? You are going up against the people who may have framed your father and who established the New World Order' Frank said. 'I promised your dad I'd look out for you and keep you safe. I'm going against my word here'.

'Like I told you before until my father's name is cleared and the truth is heard I will not rest. I'm not a kid anymore' Jake growled angrily. 'You can't tell me that you are okay with all of this ... this corruption, deception, it's all a goddamn lie'.

Frank shushed him and checked to see that no one could hear what he was saying. 'Fine. Do what you have to do. I hope Isaac can help you, he's got his own agenda too, though, remember that'.

_We've got_ company _out here._ Max's voice sounded in Jake's head. _Meet me round the back._

Jake turned briefly to the window to see Max moving away and making a move for the rear exit. A group of uniformed officers from the UCCA were heading for Mack's diner.

'I gotta get out of here' he said, grabbing his things. 'Thanks again for everything'.

Frank made the guys from his department. His day was not going according to his usually meticulous plans.

'Get going' he said getting to his feet to shield Jake's exit out back 'and try to keep out of trouble'.

After a few steps, he turned back realising that he hadn't warned him about Numen. It was too late he was already staring at shadows.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 3

**YEAR 2030 - LONDON COMPOUND - 'DESIRE'**

Max was cruising the perimeter of a refurbished Hotel in the centre of the compound named 'Desire', an appropriately named Adult Entertainment Establishment (AEE). He was on the lookout for the black market shipment of opiates that was due here for the clientele and would provide the means by which he and Jake would escape the compound. The ambiguously named AEEs were at the heart of all compounds across the globe and were regularly patronised by high ranking officials and the wealthier workers with high credit accounts. This was the only place in town where people could get a release for their carnal desires, access to outlawed drugs and an opportunity to escape the all-consuming oppression of life in the modern world.

Since the emergence of the Empire as a global power following the lost decade between 2010 and 2020, all forms of drugs had been outlawed in these oppressive modern day concentration camps. Laws a few years earlier had made child rearing a criminal offence, intimate relationships were not allowed to exist within the compounds justified by the limited resources and healthcare facilities available and the need to maintain a smaller population following years of famine and war. Family structures were entirely decimated during the dissemination process to the compounds with family members being allocated on the basis of their skills and work tasks for the 'greater good' of rebuilding the Empire and sustaining a way of life in the peace years.

Those children born before the Sustainability and Social Protection laws were passed in 2019 had been gathered and sent off to compounds with the specific task of indoctrinating them in the mentality and belief system of the Empire. As with everything, anyone who stood up against the regime was removed. All work and no play was the mantra and ideologies of freedom and liberty were no longer freely available. The world had changed.

Within these compounds, people lived to work, and free time between the end of work and curfew was the only time when leisure pursuits if you could call them that, were available. This was where the credit system came into effect. Old movies and television shows could be purchased for the evening, games were available or even music. These were obviously a very selective brand of conformist offerings. Diversity and 'alternative' were not concepts that existed since the rise of the Empire. For those with higher positions access to these modern day legal brothels were much preferred.

Some workers were known to save their entire month of credits for just one wild night. Sex was no longer free, no longer took place between two consenting adult humans and played no role in sustaining the future of mankind.

Frank was fully aware of the reduced restrictions on certain couriers into the compounds, particularly those carrying the cyber sex dolls and opiates that made places like Desire so popular and sought after. This was how he had helped Jake and Max into the compound in the first place, and this was the way he was going to get them out tonight.

Jake was inside waiting for the green light that their ride was here from Max. Right now he was putting on a very convincing display as a young adult male synthetic human dressed only in leopard skin briefs, leather waistcoat, and a mask. He was one of the Welcome Models who ensured that clients were fully enticed and entertained before their night of debauchery. Jake like the other synthetic human welcoming party was tasked with teasing the clients into spending more of their credits on the available opiates to make their night even more spectacular. The welcoming party carried large opium pipes which were offered freely to the clients in the 'selection zone' like caviar and champagne tasters from the past. The male clients outnumbered the females two to one, they grabbed at the pipe as Jake passed, and inhaling deep lungful's of the gassy blue smoke as he tried his best not to stay too long in one place.

It was a busy night and the place was bustling with excitement. The bright neon lights gave the otherwise bland place a splash of glamour. The patrons who entered then rushed hurriedly to have their names checked off on the daily register by the synthetic human hostess who seemed to run the show here. She was dressed from head to toe in a tight PVC outfit that clung to her inhuman figure revealing large oversized breasts and a waist you could literally put your hands around. It was her job to ensure that patrons had been authorised access beyond the curfew and to guide them to the selection zone where they could choose their sex object for the night. Choice of gender, hair style and colour, skin colour and age. Whatever your sexual perversions and proclivities, nothing was unavailable provided you had the credits to pay for it. Two of the best sellers were small boys and hardcore sadomasochism.

Jake's task was nearing its end, he continued to wear his fake, fixed smile like the other welcome party operators offering the remaining clients who were still selecting their sexual partner's vital statistics and preferences. He was brought to a halt by a rotund middle-aged gentleman who had arrived late, with two armed security operatives in tow. The fiery haired official was sat making his selections on the touch screen monitor. He had chosen three boys all aged under 10. Jake's blood was curdling, he wanted to move on, but the man now had his hand on his backside.

'I bet a few years ago you saw many a man like me' said the man taking hold of the hose from the pipe and taking a deep drag of the opium.

He continued to caress Jake's bottom and his hand now swept around to his thigh. A feeling of deep-rooted sickness and bile stirred in Jake's belly and was now climbing with burning acidic disgust to his throat. He wanted to punch the old man, but a synthetic human would not react this way to a seemingly innocent grope, he continued to smile as the man took another long drag from the pipe.

'It's amazing how lifelike these things are' the fiery haired man said to one of his guards who simply nodded in passive acknowledgement of the comment. 'What's wrong? Not your kind of thing?' he reacted to the guard.

'No Sir, Mister President' the guard said maintaining his gaze elsewhere.

A sudden chill ran up Jake's spine. He was now in the presence of the president of Europa, Raymond Van Duyn. He maintained his fake smile hoping that the president would soon take his hand away from his thigh and release him to complete his duties.

Van Duyn took a final drag from the pipe, blowing the smoky fumes into Jake's eyes. 'Ensure there is one of these pipes waiting for me in the penthouse suite, now go on' he said playful slapping his hand on Jake's behind.

Jake did not say a word, he smiled and nodded acknowledgement of the president's order and filtered away to ensure that it was placed.

'Wait!' Van Duyn exclaimed.

Jake stopped in his tracks and guessed he had probably been discovered.

'Hey boy' called the president. Jake slowly spun on his heal reminding himself to maintain his cover and smile sweetly. Maintaining the sycophantic fakery he did as any synthetic would do and maintained the amiable attitude and painted on look of joviality.

'Yes sir, how may I be of assistance?' Jake chirped fully in character.

Van Duyn had now risen to his feet, his ice cold eyes, softening under the influence of the opiates now filtering into his system. He stroked his greying ginger beard playfully and then winked at Jake.

'Make it two pipes' he said to Jake's relief. 'I look forward to seeing you again whilst I'm on my travels' said the president now waving his security detail behind him as he made his way to the penthouse, where his young male synthetic human sex slaves would be ready and waiting for him.

Jake privately agreed that they would indeed meet again but the circumstances would be very different.

Max had been keeping watch outside Desire for a while now. He had seen Van Duyn and all the other revellers arrive, but there was still no sign of the courier. The plan was a simple one and they had conducted it successfully many times. The truck would arrive, dock itself to the electro charger in the alley, as all vehicles ran on electric power now, the driver would unload the shipment of opium and sex aids and replace them with damaged synthetic humans and would then leave. During this time Max and Jake would slip into the back and hide among the cargo and they would get out at the nearest stopping point. Simple. The problem was, that today, the shipment was running behind schedule and Max knew that with senior officials in town that if they did not get out tonight then with the level of security likely to be increased, they may not escape at all.

He paced uneasily in the back alley wondering whether he should contact Jake and warn him that things were not going as planned. A fleeting anxiety crossed his mind. Perhaps they had been discovered and this was an elaborate sting operation? He decided that sitting here panicking about it was not going to help matters, so, he decided to check the main street one last time and would then sound the alarm.

The main streets were now quiet and empty, curfew had fallen and the brainwashed masses would now be holed up in their tiny high-rise prisons. Residents of these compounds lived in the equivalent of a rabbit hutch, single bed, toilet facilities and a media point for access to the heavily censored intranet where they could access the state media reports, spend credits on entertainment packages or place orders for food or future activities. There was no social networking, email or any other communication opportunities with the wider world or family members who were based elsewhere. This was an existence, not a life. The choice between the security from the rebellion or the punishment for challenging the system was enough to keep them in line.

Max looked down the street for the imminent arrival of the courier. There were no signs of activity just the high rise buildings to left and right of Desire where inhabitants of the commune were stacked and packed high into the midnight sky. Max's fears began to grow, he decided to go back into the alley and hide behind the skip and to let Jake know that the driver was a no show. The skip was full off dismembered, half naked body parts from the sex surrogates who had outlived their prime or had been destroyed by over-zealous patrons who had lived out violent fantasies on them. For all of its faults, whilst the regime under the Empire was oppressive, crimes by citizens had all but ceased. The occasional rambunctious destruction of a sex surrogate at Desire just came with the territory and maintained the strict order of things.

Just as Max was about to update Jake on things outside, the alley was illuminated by the bright beams of the courier's headlights. The driver conducted a three-point turn in the main street and then eased the truck backwards into the alleyway. Max took his place behind the skip, he didn't really want to get in given the contents and how they had been used, and he waited patiently for the driver to go through his routine. Everything it seemed was back on schedule.

The welcome party had now finished up and all of the clients had moved up to their dedicated rooms to act out their respective fantasies with their varied selections. Jake had managed to break away from the long line of synthetic humans who were now being filtered back into the charge room where they would be powered down and recharged for the following evening. He made his way to the rear stairwell where he had hidden his backpack and change of clothes.

Everything had gone according to plan at this point. All Jake need to do now was to get into one of the laundry baskets, get changed and he would be put in the back of the waiting courier and well on his way out of the compound. He had noticed that the emptying of the ground floor skips containing disused pipes from the previous night had yet to be taken. This could only mean that the courier had been delayed, this somewhat fortuitous revelation gave Jake an idea. He picked up his backpack and made his way up the stairs, but instead of going to the first floor, taking himself to the laundry chute and dropping into the waiting basket where he could change out of his costume and into his usual attire ready for pick up, he just kept going. He had never expected that President Van Duyn would have been here on this night and given the man had played such a significant role in framing his father when he ascended to the most powerful position in Europa, this was an opportunity that he just couldn't pass up.

The driver _is here, finally_. Max's voice echoed in Jake's head from outside. _He should be coming in for you very soon._

_Keep me posted._ Jake replied telepathically before continuing his way up towards the penthouse suite. What Max did not know would not hurt him, he reasoned.

Jake had arrived on the top floor. One of the guards had begun a patrol across the floor, paying far too much attention to the few rooms and the occupants on this floor. His attention was drawn from his duties, living vicariously through the deviant acts he could see through the dimly lit rooms that had failed to be properly secured. The second guard was outside of Van Duyn's room keeping watch. Jake needed some form of distraction to get the guard away from the door which would allow him to get into the laundry chute opposite the room and give him a chance to try and get some intelligence from the president.

Van Duyn's angry face then emerged from the room. 'That goddamn cyber boy didn't place my order' he bellowed, as his sweaty naked body emerged into sight, a towel at his waist maintaining his modesty. 'Go get me what I asked for, I'm starting to lose my buzz'.

The guard did not challenge the order even though he knew that this would leave the president exposed. He just headed towards the lift and signalled down the corridor to the right that he was going down stairs.

Initially Jake cursed himself for having failed to place the order, but this had worked fortuitously for him, leaving Van Duyn's room unguarded. It was an unplanned stroke of luck.

Van Duyn returned into his room, the cyber boys were bound and gagged inside ready to complete their task. The president dropped his towel revealing his chubby derriere and he made his way to act out his darkest fantasies leaving the door slightly ajar.

Jake seized upon the moment darting in from the stairwell and quickly clambering into the laundry chute and closing the cover before the returning guard saw him. He had not really considered what his next step was going to be but he had a little time to figure that out before he had to go.

The party in Van Duyn's room was now in full swing. Both guards had resumed their posts outside and Jake remained undetected in the small, enclosed space in the adjacent wall where the laundry disposal took place. Jake could sense what was happening behind the closed door, it was as if he had stepped outside of his own body and snuck past the two henchmen, into the room entirely undetected. He could feel himself creeping into Van Duyn's mind, seeing what he could see through the intoxicated state of his host. The scene before him was violent, debauched and laced with sin. Jake tried to close this out whilst Van Duyn went about buggering the cyber sex toy. Jake did not want to see this, but in this vulnerable state, the president's guard would be down, making accessing his memories much easier and better still Van Duyn would have no idea.

After a few moments the images in Jake's mind drifted away from the disgusting and debased scenes from the penthouse suite, he was now retracting deep into Van Duyn's mind reversing into a dark void. He had managed to penetrate his host's mind.

Images flashed at sharp intervals in an incoherent and disorganised pattern. The words and the images did not piece together correctly and made no real sense, perhaps a result of Van Duyn's drug-infused state or Jake's relative novice status as a mind reader. He had rarely tried to read other people's minds, he had been taught how to by his mentor Shengani who had given him refuge after the disappearance of his father. It was as if he was downloading Van Duyn's deepest darkest memories into his own mind desperately searching for any evidence linked to his father.

Jake and Max had been shipped to Shengani when Jake was just seven years old just as the Empire was emerging from the shadows to take up its role as lord overseer. Frank had delivered him to Shengani and kept details of his new host a secret from Jack, Jake's father, to ensure his safety. They lived in a desolate village far beyond the activities of the Empire and the emerging territories in relative anonymity from the changing world. Jake spent the next 10 years or so being trained by Shengani to develop his latent talents so that one day when the time arrived he would be ready to protect himself from the weapons of the Empire. Shengani was an old fisherman who had taken refuge in the Vanuatu islands during the war in 2019. He was a very wise man, but also a deceptively strong man who had protected Jake and Max from capture on many occasions. The final such occasion had cost him his life but had allowed Jake and Max a chance to flee. Avenging him was one of many motivating factors for trying to bring the tyranny of the regime to an end.

Jake could now hear his master's voice in his head urging him to maintain focus. He could feel himself delving deeper into Van Duyn's memories like a deep sea diver who had discovered a hidden treasure trove marooned at the bottom of the sea.

Max was getting very riled up outside in the alley behind Desire. The new shipment of opiates had been delivered, the vehicle was close to being fully charged, and now the courier just had to remove the laundry carts and bins. Max had been trying to connect with Jake for nearly ten minutes now but was getting nowhere. This was supposed to be a quick and easy out but was quickly headed south.

The courier now emerged from the base of the stairwell with the first of two laundry baskets and pushed it up easily into the back of the truck. He then took the second and followed it into the back. It was clear that Jake was not in either and the fact that Max had heard nothing from his master was starting to mean he would need to improvise. Now the courier was moving the skip which Max was hiding behind towards the truck, Max figured he'd jump out and surprise the hapless driver and try and buy some time. As the skip started to move the street out the front of Desire's entrance was filled with light. Max resisted the urge to pounce on the man, who still had not detected his presence and followed the path of the mobile skip as it was pushed towards the truck. Max stayed out of sight moving alongside it and then moved to the front of the truck whilst the courier secured it in the back.

A jeep had pulled up outside and a tall dark figure had begun to make his way into the building. It seemed a little late to Max, for a client to be entering the building. The neon lights from the signs out front briefly illuminated the man's ebony face and piercing blue eyes. It was a face that Max had seen before and one he knew meant trouble. The white braids that trailed down the back of his head and neck meant it could only be one person. Numen had unexpectedly arrived.

Look, _kid, I don't know what you are playing at in there but we're in deep shit._ He said, hoping that Jake could hear him. _Numen's here._

He watched their arch nemesis stroll through the entrance of Desire. There was no response from Jake. Max knew that he would have to go in there himself, but given that the shipment was soon to depart he could not go and warn Jake until business out here was taken care of.

Jake's connection to Van Duyn had been abruptly terminated by the activity in the corridor outside of the room. From his position in the laundry hatchet, he could not see a thing, but he could just about hear voices talking but was unable to make out exactly what was being said. Next, the door to Van Duyn's room opened and the agitated President could be heard angrily complaining about being disturbed. Jake had been so absorbed in searching Van Duyn's subconscious, he had been oblivious to the unanticipated interruption of proceedings.

The guard's footsteps towards the lift could be heard and Jake now pushed his ear up close to the hatch hoping to hear the murmured conversation between Van Duyn and whoever he was talking to.

He tried to get in contact with Max. _What's going on?_

_Get the hell out of there. Numen's coming for you._ Replied Max clearly rattled and on the move.

This was not the time for questions, it was time to escape. Jake now kicked off the cover to the laundry chute and made himself into a sausage shape to drop down to where the laundry baskets would be. He motioned to drop but was fixed in place. He tried again but his body continued to hover motionlessly above the chute. He was paralysed to the spot completely unable to escape. The door to the hatch now exploded in towards him and a dark hand gripped him tightly around the throat.

'Hello Jakey boy, I've been looking forward to meeting you' said Numen pulling him through and throwing him to the ground. 'You are not an easy person to find'.

Jake tried to run for the stairwell door but as he grabbed it he was sent sprawling headfirst into the adjacent wall, tearing the hinges off the door as he fell. Numen was picking him up and smashing him first into the wall, and then Van Duyn's door. He did so effortlessly and without even laying a finger on Jake's battered body. Blood now began to stream from Jake's nose and a cut above his eye.

'So you are a weak little human after all' said Numen now stood before him motioning for him to get up.

Jake tried to resist but he was now lifted unexpectedly by an invisible force a couple of feet off of the ground. He looked at his dangling feet and then at Numen. The sound of the elevator opening down the corridor unseen behind him.

'You are weak' goaded Numen, now swinging Jake's flailing body through the entrance of stairwell and against the wall with kinetic skill.

Jake hit the wall hard and collapsed in a heap. Numen was unrelenting, drawing Jake's flaccid body to him. He grasped his hand tightly around his throat again.

'I can see you truly are your father's son' he mocked.

The anger fired through Jake like a bolt of lightning which now rendered his right arm free. He thrust his thumb and index finger into Numen's electric blue eyes and for a moment it was as if they were both being electrocuted, intense images bursting at lightning quick speed through them both.

Numen dropped Jake to the ground briefly dazed by the unexpected resistance of the boy. He quickly gathered his senses and went for Jake again. He took a step towards his fallen enemy but was drawn to Jake's gaze which had fixed behind his shoulder. Numen turned just soon enough to see a muscular fawn coloured beast, teeth-bared, hurtling towards him. Max flicked his thick skull at the moment of impact and catapulted himself into Numen's face. The general's tiny white and silver braids on the back of his head flicked into the air as he fell backward over the railing and heavily to the floor a few floors below.

_This way_. Max urged guiding Jake towards the corridor and back to the lift from where it had emerged. As Max stepped into the corridor the lift doors were opening with heavily armed guards, including the two who had been guarding the president's suite, spilling into the commotion. Max turned back towards the stairs.

_Second thoughts, just keep behind me._ He said before stepping onto the railing and launching himself down the stairs. Jake gathered his senses and trailed behind, the yelling of the guards echoing behind them.

Numen got to his feet for just a brief moment before the full weight of the American Staffordshire Terrier slammed like a forty kilo avalanche upon his balding skull and flattened him.

Soon Jake and Max had arrived back in the alleyway, the truck motionless but with the engine running was waiting for them.

_Time for a driving lesson_. Max said as he darted into the driver's cabin ahead of Jake.

Jake jumped in behind him, quickly assessing the situation. In the rear view mirror, he could see a couple of the guards emerging, taking aim, whilst the courier lay motionless in the well of the cabin and the road ahead was clear. Improvising, Jake slammed his foot down and the truck thrust into life.

A handful of robotic foot soldiers had stepped from the entrance to Desire into the alleyway, but the truck had picked up some speed. Jake smashed through them easily and now spun the truck towards the only route into and out of London's compound on Tower Bridge. They would need to be quick as word of their escape would surely filter through to the main gates. Another plan that had been poorly executed.

After a momentary loss of his bearings and consciousness, Numen had managed to recover from his head-on collision with the boy's troublesome companion. News of their escape had filtered through the calamity of what had just occurred. Numen knew that the fugitives would be heading for the exit a mile or so away. It was the only way out of the fortified city after all. He intended to stop them and finish what he had started upstairs with Jake. Back in control of his faculties, Numen pushed past his useless troops and roared the engine of the jeep into life, giving chase to the boy and meddlesome canine.

He knew there was something going down and was annoyed with himself for not having interrogated the black market courier further upon entering the compound, but he had searched his mind and seen very little evidence to suggest he knew the boy or intended to help him escape. Thankfully, Numen had followed his instincts and bar the mutt would have been able to erase the young pretender from interfering in the Empire's affairs anymore.

Tower Bridge was a half mile ahead and he could now make out the truck which was easily going to get there ahead of him. He would have sent a message on the radio, but the teeth marks on the dashboard suggested that the dog had taken care of that outlet. Numen began scanning the skies above for signs of movement from the drones.

_Where_ the hell were _they?_

He slammed the wheel of the jeep in frustration and increased his speed. He could not let them escape the compound. Twelve years they had been looking for him and if he joined up with the rebels, as Numen expected him to, that could cause some difficulties down the line.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind, he was jolted back into reality as the sound of a huge explosion roared ahead of him, lighting up the skies ahead with an orange glow. They had broken through the first security fence and were now getting on to the bridge. Numen was running out of time.

Jake had smashed through the first checkpoint destroying the gate that was guarded by two footsoldiers. They had not seen them coming. The only problem was that they had no doubt alerted the remaining two posts, one on the bridge and the other on the south side, to their presence. Worse still the truck did not sound healthy and it was only a matter of time before it would be rendered extinct.

_Second checkpoint up ahead_. Max said.

'Really! Like I couldn't bloody see it' Jake snarled sarcastically. 'How about you figure a way of getting us out of this mess rather than stating the bleeding obvious!'

The handful of guards up ahead right in the centre of Tower Bridge had begun to close the heavily reinforced gate. Had they been given more time they would have raised the bridge and made it impossible for the runaway truck to escape, but as it was they knew that it was unlikely that they'd even get the gate shut in time. The foot soldiers formed a line in the gap to slow the route. The gate, however, came to a halt before being fully able to close.

_Punch through the gap_. Max urged seeing that there was enough room for them to push their way through.

Jake slammed the pedal of the accelerator to the floor, squeezing the last vestiges of life from the dying truck. One of the foot soldiers managed to unleash a shot which ripped through the heart of the vehicle, but it was too late, the momentum of the vehicle with the stowaways aboard smashed through the gap knocking two of the soldiers down, another was catapulted over the side of the bridge into the river Thames below. The final foot soldier just about managed to dive out of the way to safety.

The truck was on its last legs and after a few hundred feet came to grief after the final team of foot soldiers from the main gate unleashed hell upon it. The truck spun wildly out of control and then began to roll towards them. The foot soldiers continued firing upon it, debris and body parts from the discarded surrogates began to fly out across the road littering it with dismembered effigies of the sordid sex establishment which was normally so discreet in its activities.

Numen continued to give chase behind. He had seen Jake and the dog jump out of the moving truck just before the robot foot soldiers had fired upon it. He now went through the second checkpoint just as the foot soldier who had evaded the impact of the truck stepped into his path. The collision of metal on metal ripped through the night sky. The foot soldier smashed into three pieces and lay maimed on the road whilst Numen's jeep crashed into the wall just after he had thrown himself out of it. The wreckage exploded and went over the side of the bridge. Undeterred from his mission, Numen was now running to the third gate up ahead. With the gate closed, the armed soldiers on the scene and him bringing up the rear, there was no way the two fugitives could evade capture this time.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 4

**YEAR 2030 - LONDON COMPOUND - TOWER BRIDGE**

The truck that Jake and Max had been in just moments ago had been completely obliterated by the guards at the final gate on Tower Bridge. They were now just about thirty yards away from the sole entry point to the London compound. Things had not gone according to plan at all. The question was how were they going to get past the black and green armoured guards and more importantly through the thirty foot reinforced steel gate?

In the commotion, they had managed to jump out of the driver's cabin scaling the left-hand side of the bridge towards the gate. They had briefly considered jumping over the side and into the river below, but it was unclear how safe an option that would have been given the amount of debris that had accumulated in the Thames over the years. The river no longer flowed freely and was strewn with remnants of many of the other bridges that had been destroyed to ensure that this was the only access point from the south. It was also believed that many bodies had accumulated in the water following horrific events from the past.

Jake had heard the collision behind them just a few moments ago but had not looked over his shoulder since. He was unaware that Numen was just a short distance behind them.

_I'll draw their fire, you try to scale the gate._ Max's voice rattled in Jake's head as the American Staffordshire Terrier bounded into action.

Max stuck to the left of the bridge running along the railing, the black water below just a slip away. The four remaining guards now unleashed bolts of fiery lightning at him. He was too quick for them with their shots flying off into the night sky or hitting and destroying the railing. Like a parkour pro, Max flew effortlessly from the railing to the road, bounding and jumping away from the stream of fire from his attackers. He was a supreme athlete, with ballerina grace and razor sharp precision.

Jake had taken the path right, using the fallen truck to block the guard's view of him as he loomed near to the gate. He had not yet figured out exactly how he was going to get over it, but that would be of little consequence if he was struck by one of the guard's nuclear-powered shots. Max had done an excellent job of drawing their attention and now Jake was out in the open, just a short sprint from the reinforced steel gate.

'Here goes nothing' he sighed, taking a deep breath and hoping that his own parkour skills were at least half as good as Max's. He lurched back and tried to propel himself forwards to get maximum speed. In spite of his efforts, Jake was rooted to the spot sinking deeper into the Deja vu vacuum that had now emerged in the pit of his stomach.

'Not so fast boy' came Numen's voice from behind him.

Jake spun involuntarily to face the general who stood near the corpse of the truck, palm raised towards him looking worse for wear.

'Consider yourself caught, the game is up'.

Jake used his peripheral vision to see where Max was, but it was clear he was running out of options himself, with the foot soldiers getting ever closer with their pot-shots.

_Max, get out of here_. He said telepathically. _I'm trapped._

_I'll try and get him caught in the crossfire._ Max replied, having clearly assessed the new circumstances that they found themselves in, all the while still dodging and clambering away from the soldiers' fire.

_No, get away now, try and find Isaac and get him to come here._ Jake responded lips not moving so as to not alert his captor.

Numen watched on with a smirk as Max obediently followed his master's order, running through the legs of one of the footsoldiers who then was struck in the crossfire. The muscular dog then used the guard post to spring up onto the supporting wall and to the top of the gate. He peered back at Numen and growled before jumping from the top of the gate to the freedom and darkness of the ghetto.

'Quite the little trick you two have' he said moving in on Jake who was locked in a state of total paralysis. _It explains a lot._ Numen's voice said, but his lips were no longer moving. His voice had penetrated Jake's mind to the boy's total surprise.

The remaining three-foot soldiers moved in on Numen and Jake's position awaiting orders.

'Secure the area and clear this mess up' he said indicating to the burned out truck and the array of scattered limbs from the surrogates.

'What about the other one?' enquired one of the foot soldiers.

'Leave him he is of no consequence, I've got the jackpot right here' he replied smiling smugly.

His moment of victory was interrupted by the sound of an engine on the other side of the gate.

'Are you expecting anyone?' he called to the foot soldiers who were now alert to the engine and sound of brakes behind the gate.

'There's nothing on the manifest' replied the foot soldier.

Numen maintained his invisible grip on Jake and waved the soldiers towards the gate to identify the unexpected visitors. The engine beyond the gate then roared back into action and then seemed to reverse slowly away from the gate. Numen gazed suspiciously towards the sound, even if the vehicle on the other side was backing up just to accelerate and smash it's way in, there was no way they would be able to breach the heavily fortified gate which was considerably more secure than the two checkpoints down the road. The foot soldiers were now at the final fortification and the truck beyond it was still reversing.

'Looks like it was a false alarm sir' said the lead guard.

KABOOM! The three foot soldiers were sent sprawling under the impact of the explosion and Jake and Numen had been knocked to the ground ears ringing. The gate remained largely intact in spite of the blast but was now sliding open. The fallen foot soldiers were taking fire from an old army truck. Numen could barely make out a figure in the back, but he was firing an Empire issue cannon and it was making mincemeat of one of the foot soldiers. In his slightly dazed state, he could make out two adult male figures storming towards the now opened gate, firing upon the other two foot soldiers with the nuclear-powered rifles that were standard issue for state guards. He tried to get to his feet to repel them but could make out the American Staffordshire Terrier whose angry stare was locked upon him and bounding at pace towards him.

Numen clambered quickly to his feet, Max was passing by Jake who was crawling towards the mouth of the exit to the ghetto. Numen tried to keep his invisible grip on the boy but his power over him was waning. Max had now launched himself head first at Numen, but the general was quick to evade his attack, ducking and spinning out of the way.

Max landed and spun on his heals preparing for another lunge. He crouched low snarling furiously with murder in his eyes.

'I saw you coming you stupid mutt' snapped Numen, pulling a fallen gun from beneath his feet.

'Hey!' came a shout from over his shoulder.

The voice was not familiar to Numen, it was female and young. He had not seen a girl beyond the gate. He turned his head instinctively to respond to the voice, keeping the gun locked on Max. In the split-second that he turned, he saw the dainty young woman, her bright emerald eyes meeting his briefly. Her cropped and crimson red hair accentuated her pale porcelain skin and pixy features and it was at this point that Numen recognised her. The moment of realisation was brief as the girl's foot cracked hard and swiftly across his jaw, knocking him to the ground. Numen rolled dazed onto his back and she was on him in a flash reigning a series of blows to his face.

She got to her feet dusting herself down and then waved for Max to get back to the truck. The red-haired warrior then crouched beside Numen's fallen body. 'Bet you didn't see that coming though did you asshole?'

She pulled a device from her pocket and placed it over her knuckles like a knuckle duster and then punched him full force in the face drawing blood. Numen lay motionless on the ground and the girl quickly scanned the wreckage of the battle and explosion. Her male colleagues had taken care of the remaining foot soldiers and the coast was clear. She then placed her finger in her ear, looking back towards the truck and devastated gate. The boy and dog were clambering into the back with her gang of emancipators.

'Phoe we got a green light' she said readying herself to run. The apparent confirmation came over the earpiece and she now was running through the gates towards the truck.

Numen sat up watching the red-haired girl nearing the truck, he raised his palm in an effort to stop her like he had done to Jake, but he was unable to get a hold of her. He searched for a gun, but it was out of reach, he grabbed at the only thing in the vicinity which was the decapitated head of one of the foot soldiers. He ripped it open and fingered around for the communicator furiously as the truck roared away from the scene.

'Fugitives are getting away' he yelled. 'Where are my fucking drones?'

'Sorry General' came Frank's voice over the headset, 'we've just had a shift changeover and all the drones are charging. I've sent two squads to support'.

Numen slammed the foot soldier's decapitated head to the ground and watched as the truck trailed off into the night. He noted that it was headed west, but without the drones patrolling the sky there was no way of knowing where they were going. Either the rebels had just gotten very lucky, or more likely they had some help. He wiped the blood from the wound on his cheek and headed back along Tower Bridge into the heart of the compound whilst the oncoming sirens of the security teams wailed into the night sky. It was too late, they would never catch up with the rebels especially now they were in the ghetto.

The escape truck, a disused army carrier, cut through the depressing blackness of the night away from Tower Bridge. They had been headed west for approximately ten minutes now. The red-haired girl appeared to be in charge of this particular band of unlikely rescuers. Jake had been unable to get a good look at the driver whom she had referred to as 'Ed', but it was surprising to him that this young woman, who could not have been much older than him, maybe in her late teens or early twenties, was in charge. The two other gunmen on the ground had not made eye contact yet, they whispered conspiratorially together with the other man who was in charge of the rear gunning cannon. All of them Jake guessed must have been in their late-thirties and were all dressed in well-worn combat attire, he assumed that they had once served in the military given the precise and well-managed extraction from the compound.

The emerald eyed girl who had taken on Numen, was peering out of the back of the truck, no doubt to check that they were not being followed either by mobilised troops on the ground or from drones in the sky. The coast appeared to clear.

'Right Ed, pull over' she called to the driver as she took a rifle from one of the older men and pointed it directly at Jake's head. 'Sorry, but we can't go any further without conducting some checks first'.

As the truck pulled to the side of the road, Max was up and snarling ready to rip her arms off and do whatever was necessary to protect his master.

The red head seemed unfazed by Max's threatening behaviour. 'Sam, Mike, Tank,' she said to the three men who now pointed their rifles at Max whose threatening demeanour was far from abating. 'Call off the dog, or we take you both out right now' she warned to Jake.

Jake raised his hands in submission and gave Max a signal to back off. The American Staffordshire Terrier gave out a brief whine of disagreement and then reluctantly resumed a more relaxed seated position in the corner of the truck behind the driver. He showed his lack of appreciation for their welcome by turning his head away from the gunmen and out of the front windscreen.

'Don't mind him. Just not used to this kind of welcoming committee' said Jake trying to break the tension that had engulfed the back of the truck.

'Well, sorry about that' she replied without a hint of sincerity in her voice, 'we aren't used to uninvited visitors, especially one who has a tracking device' she said, taking a step back and turning to the cluster of men behind her. 'Come on Mike, do your thing and then we can get going' she said.

Mike put down his rifle and came alongside Jake with a strange looking device in his hand. He was a square-jawed, tanned, athletic type with salt and pepper hair and deep brown eyes.

'Now hold still' he said in a much softer tone than Jake had expected for such a big, strong man, 'this might feel a little weird'. He took the device that looked like a steering wheel with a cylinder at the base and began to scan it across Jake's body.

Max gave a quick glance at what Mike was doing and then a cursory one at the red-haired girl whom he had decided he did not like very much.

What the hell are they talking about with tracking devices?

_I have no idea_. Responded Jake telepathically, checking briefly that none of them had picked up on the internal dialogue they were having. None of the group reacted. _Just keep cool and do as they say and we'll be fine._

'Anything yet?' enquired the smaller of the two other men called Sam.

Mike shook his head. 'I'm getting nothing'.

The gargantuan third man, who could only be Tank stepped closer puzzled by the apparent lack of tracking device. 'That can't be. Everybody has a tracker put in them. You know that'.

The tension was building in the back of the truck and the group of rescuers was now questioning one another with accusatory glances. Mike continued to check every inch of Jake's body which was uncomfortable for many reasons, not least that he was still dressed like some perverted cowboy having had no time to change since Desire.

'I'm telling you guys, he hasn't got a tracker' protested Mike looking up at the red-head for guidance. 'What you want to do Alexis?'

'Well if he hasn't got one then the mutt must have' she snapped. 'Check him' she motioned to Mike, 'and for the umpteenth time please stop with Alexis crap, call me Lexi. Please'.

Mike moved away from Jake and now swept the device towards Max, whose temper was starting to fray and he was now baring his teeth and growling in a guttural, agitated fashion.

Put that thing near me and I'll bite your goddamn balls off.

Jake smirked, as Mike recoiled, having heard Max's threat. It was clear the translation had not been made by Lexi or the others. They clearly did not speak dog.

'Now then Maxi, be a good doggie' mocked Jake having stepped up and taken control of the situation. 'Nobody here is going to hurt you' he continued playfully, seeking reassurance from the others.

'We just need to check he hasn't got a tracking device' said Mike. 'We can't take you back to our base until we're sure you're clear otherwise they'll come for us'.

'Now Max, be a good boy and daddy will give you a biscuit. Let Mike do the check and then we're done' Jake continued in a forced babyish tone.

The rest of them heard a reluctant whisper, Jake, on the other hand, was quite sure he heard something rather abusive and unflattering.

Max swept the tracker detection device over Max and within an instant the device gave a flickering red light and beeped in alarm.

'He's bugged?' enquired Jake utterly dumbfounded.

'Probably a microchip' said Sam now stepping forward with a knife and a handheld electromagnetic device, 'they were popular back in the day'.

_And what exactly do they propose to do with those?_ Max's voice angrily enquired in Jake's head.

Mike looked at Jake, taking the knife and electromagnet from Sam. 'It's got to come out, and it might hurt' he said a hint of fear in his voice.

Jake shared a brief apologetic look with Max and kissed him on the head. He then grabbed him tightly knowing that he was not going to just take one for the team. 'Help me hold him down' he called to the others as Max began to fight back, reeling off expletives into Jake's subconscious.

Tank and Sam piled on top and Lexi exposed the back of Max's neck so that Mike could extract the troublesome chip.

'Sorry buddy, I'll be as gentle as possible' said Mike going in for the extraction whilst Max continued to scuffle and fight.

After a few minutes of struggling, a slight wail and whimper from Max and a successful extraction later, the bloody microchip was cast out into the desolate road. The truck then lurched back into action, swinging back the way it came before turning off at the next exit and heading in an entirely different direction from the westerly route they had set out upon on leaving the compound. Jack hoped that he had just acquired some new allies to help him in his vendetta against the Empire, even if it meant his best friend was more than a little pissed with him right now. Max would come around, eventually.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 5

YEAR **2030 - ENROUTE TO REBEL BASE**

They had been travelling down a stream of dark roads since the debugging some miles back. Max lay glum and thoroughly depressed in the corner behind Ed the driver, Lexi was in the passenger seat checking over her shoulder very occasionally and Jake was getting to know his fellow males in the back.

Jake learned that Mike was actually in his early forties and had been with Isaac's rebels for over ten years. He had spent time in one of the educational facilities but had been sent to be imprisoned after it was discovered that he had tried to strike up a relationship with a fellow teacher. She had reported him to the authorities fearing that she may end up imprisoned herself. Isaac had raided the convoy and broke him free.

Sam was a little younger and had served under Isaac in the Middle Eastern war that had broken out in 2015. He had been a teenager back then and was a cousin of Mike's. Their families had been very close but became separated during the war. He and Isaac had formed the rebel group during the mass immunisation campaign conducted by the Empire in 2022. They had grown suspicious of the chain of command and the orders to imprison large populations of people in public sites such as schools, community centres, army barracks and airports. It was said to be in response to the mysterious virus that had broken out during the war which wiped out the majority of what had once been called Africa and also the states that had formed the Russian federation many years before. It was clear that this was the key step in a series that the Empire had undertaken to gain control over the world and was the start of the indoctrination phase within the secure compounds.

Tank was aptly named given his enormous size. He was not the most talkative, though. His story was less complex than his two compatriots, whilst he was a huge mammoth of a man he was very young, just twenty or so and was Isaac's nephew, born into the old world. He had lived in the ghettos his entire life, trained with the sole purpose of fighting against the tyranny of the Empire.

Jake was learning a lot about how the Empire had come to power, infiltrating government offices across the globe and securing senior positions in big corporations. They had been responsible for much government policy, economic and military decisions and the manipulation of the public through entertainment and media outlets. He listened intently as the cousins filled him in on the conspiracies of the Empire's past. It appeared that every major war since the 1970s had been orchestrated to secure oil and to raise the threat of non-existent terrorist threats that would see the civil liberties of the population handed over freely in the name of protection. Economic collapses like the dot.com bubble in the 1990s, the debt crisis in 2007 from which there was no recovery and eventually ended in disaster after the stock market bottomed out in 2013, were the work of the Empire. This had enabled them to claim the wealth of all nations and to impose their new regime on the rest of the world.

It all was beyond comprehension and sounded like a fantasy tale recited by madmen. Mike then went on to say that there had been warnings by a minority of people but that these people had been discredited by an all-powerful media and celebrity puppets who without knowing it were walking-talking propaganda machines for the Empire. There were riots and demonstrations, but these had been anticipated and were used to justify more aggressive policies, with many countries resorting to police state mentality and the implementation of martial law.

'It seemed that the final piece of the puzzle was in Syria' said Mike matter-of-factly. 'Whatever was so important was there. Despite the constant refusal of the western public to intervene, the propaganda and so called evidence wouldn't wash'.

'That's why they had to kill the economy' interrupted Sam, 'with everyone shitting themselves about whether they would have jobs or be able to pay the bills, that's when they swept in created a false flag attack and then it was curtains'.

Jake felt entirely bombarded with details and alleged facts that he had no idea whether this was what had really happened or whether they were just pulling his leg as some elaborate initiation. 'What is a false flag attack?' he interrupted.

'In its simplest terms' explained Sam, 'it's when a powerful organisation conducts an attack and then places blame on its enemy. Nothing changes public opinion more than when the bogeyman you have heard so much about actually does something that harms the people you care about, even if he didn't actually do it' he sneered.

'Been doing it to us for years' interjected Tank before falling silent again.

'The dream walkers in those concentration camps, think we are the enemy and that they have to be kept safe from us' sneered Sam. 'Truth is they are just like work horses on the farm, doing their duties for fear that they'll be sent to the slaughterhouse'.

It fell sombre and silent for a moment, the three men all appearing pensive and lost is their thoughts. Jake could feel the gloom and pain of their experiences hanging in the air and his eyes were now drawn to the front of the truck where Lexi's emerald eyes were locked on him. Neither said anything, but she just nodded with a sombre expression before looking away again confirming that what they were saying was true.

'Wow guys, that's a lot of heavy stuff you're hitting me with there,' said Jack, trying to inject some energy into the ailing conversation, 'if you're not careful I'm going to want to kill myself'.

If he had hoped that this pronouncement might lighten the tone, he was wrong. Mike and Sam now looked at him with expressions as serious as cancer. 'If you think this some goddamn game, then hit the road' snapped Sam pointing to the dark, vacuous road trailing behind them one of misery and despair. 'This is how we have been living for the past decade or more, probably long before you were even born. This is no laughing matter, this is a war, a battle to reclaim our freedom and the freedom of those people who need to wake the hell up already'.

Clearly very upset, Sam rose to his feet and moved towards the front of the truck.

'Sam, I'm sorry, I was out of line' said Jake glowing with embarrassment and apologetic. He tried to go after him but was blocked from doing so by Mike. He knew his cousin could be a bit of a sensitive hot-head and ushered Jake to take a seat.

'Don't worry about it' replied Sam not looking back. 'You'll see soon enough when you're living it out here in the real world'.

Jake took his own time out for reflection. Were these stories so inconceivable given the people he had lost along the way? His mother was taken from him when he was just a child, being sent away to Shengani away from the love of his family, his father's murder just a couple of years later and then old Shengani's killed whilst protecting him. He would not have seen any of these changes in the world, he was just an orphaned child, a freak of nature whom many people had suffered terribly just to protect him. After a brief moment, he decided he wanted to learn more.

'So this false flag attack you were telling me about, what was that?' he enquired finally.

Sam turned back to him having taken some time to calm down. 'They blew loads people up at the World Cup' he said with a hint of disbelief in his voice. 'You really didn't know that?'

Jake was a picture of total bemusement. 'What's the World Cup?'

'The one in Russia in 2018, the last ever' interjected Mike incredulously.

It was clear that Jake still had no clue as to what they were talking about.

'You know, football,' said Tank offering him a hint. It still was not registering.

'Soccer?' came Ed's voice from the front of the truck.

'I have no idea what any of you are talking about' admitted Jake to their utter bemusement. 'What the hell is football?'

The guys were now all gawping at one another trying to work out what planet the kid was from. Everybody knew what football was.

'It's an utterly shit game, that boys like to play, it's totally boring and to be honest, you haven't been missing much' interjected Lexi from the front of the car sparked some raucous banter from her male compatriots.

'You'll learn all about football in time my friend don't you worry about that' said Sam amidst the high-spirited exchange. 'But that can wait until later, welcome to our home'.

Jake had been so enthralled by the discussion that he had barely realised that they had been travelling for some time. The truck had pulled off of the main road and was now headed along a dirt track surrounded by trees and woodland animals. It was an image far removed from anything seen in the concrete compounds and worthy of a description far more flattering than 'the ghetto'.

REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE

The rural hideout was far from what Jake had been expecting and whilst the night sky concealed much of the land with its cloak of darkness, it was evident that the set up here was both homely and well-organised. Armed men and women were on guard at the gates to the grounds and whilst these were by no means in the same league as the heavy fortifications of the Empire's compounds, they would certainly make getting in a far from simple task.

The truck was now waved through the gates into the grounds of what was a disused mansion from many moons ago. It was clear from the way the inhabitants were dressed that none of them had ever been in the position to live in such a place when society was stratified according to wealth and privilege. They looked more like a well-drilled battalion of soldiers.

Jake took in the surroundings as the truck made its way towards the enormous square facade of the stately home that the rebels had claimed as their own. The contrast to the compounds he had been breaking in and out of the past couple of years was stark. There were very young children chasing each other, amid playful laughter, while adult couples embraced one another watching on and the joyous scene. Such freedoms that would have led to harsh punishment in the compounds was clearly embraced and celebrated here. Jake looked on in amazement at such simple and normal activities taking place all around the site, this was definitely worth fighting for.

As the truck pulled into the rear of the enormous house, the rear gardens were full of men and women tending to crops, allotments, and makeshift greenhouses. On the other side of the vast space, animals and livestock were grazing in the fields. As the truck came to halt alongside a few other vehicles that the rebels had clearly acquired, a young boy no older than ten or eleven, clearly born since the laws were passed, pulled a long cable to the car and plugged it into charge.

Mike could see the dazzled expression on Jake's face. 'Welcome to our home' he said before jumping out of the truck to greet the boy and some other children who had now gathered in the courtyard.

'How many of you are there here?' asked Jake still trying to take it all in.

'We have a couple of hundred here' replied Sam, 'but there are many places just like this one scattered around the country and we keep in contact with our brothers and sisters elsewhere. You know to look out for each other'.

He jumped down into the courtyard and was literally swamped by a herd of screaming children demanding his attention. He took a toy from one of them and tossed it up into the back of the truck at Jake. Taken a bit by surprise Jake caught the spherical object and looked back at Sam with a bemused expression.

'That my friend is a football' he quipped. 'At some point in your stay here I'll show you what to do with it, now come on, Isaac will be waiting'.

He trailed off into the mansion with Mike and the squawking kids. Tank and Ed following them in. Lexi was now looking up at him, her face more welcoming than it had been at any point during their brief encounter at the compound or the journey here.

'So, you need a girl to help you down' she joked offering her hand to him. 'Come on there's food waiting inside'.

Jake looked back into the rear corner of the truck where Max was laid, back turned and seemingly asleep. 'I really should get Max' he said.

'Trust me, one whiff of what they have cooking up in there and he'll come running. Now come on' she asserted not prepared to take no for an answer.

He took her hand and jumped down from the back of the truck. On landing he lost his balance slightly, stumbling towards her. Lexi's free hand pressed firmly on his chest to steady him and prevent him falling and now they were incredibly close, eyes meeting properly for the first time.

Jake mumbled an apology, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. He willed himself to move away, but their eyes were locked like magnets and neither was able to pull away. Jake was not really sure what was happening, but he was pretty certain that the disgusted look that now spread across Lexi's pale porcelain face was not a good sign. It didn't take long before his olfactory senses kicked in and provided a clue.

Unbeknown to him, Max had arisen and had been watching the uncomfortable situation unravel from the truck just a breath away from them. He had just yawned and then inadvertently burped in their faces. Perhaps it was time to teach this old dog some new tricks.

'What the hell have you been feeding him?' Lexi complained, turning to the now panting Max and breaking the magnetic field that had gripped them both just moments before.

Jake too now smelled the rotten fish smell emanating from his less than helpful wingman's smiling and mischievous face.

_I heard there was food._ Max's voice now echoed in Jake's befuddled brain before he jumped down and headed into the house without the slightest whimper or whine following the removal of the microchip. _That was for the microchip, butthead._

Jake scowled disapprovingly at his faithful companion as he sauntered away. Jake and Lexi were now alone, though, entirely unsure of how to proceed, but both clearly a little embarrassed by the situation. No words were uttered, just a silent nod of acknowledgement that this had been an awkward situation that now needed to end and they strolled heads down deep in thought into the mansion. Jake, in particular, was scheming an appropriate payback for Max.

After the late supper, the majority of the rebels had tucked the children in for the night having only allowed them to stay awake until the safe return of Lexi and the others. The children had been excited to learn that a new member would be joining their extended family and Jake was made to feel far more welcome here than he had ever experienced. While he had been extended a very warm welcome, it was Max who had been spoiled the most with many of the kids feeding him their leftovers under the table. The handsome brute had managed to finish every last morsel but was now worse for wear, tucked up under the table snoring loudly with Rosie a large grey and black Alsatian bitch. He had never really been exposed to other dogs and Jake was happy that he had made a friend and could behave like a normal dog for a while. He sometimes forgot that his companion was not human, such was their unique bond and ability to communicate, but the truth was that if it was not for Jake's unexplained abilities they would be like any other dog and his master. Jake gave him a gentle stroke and removed his mini backpack which contained the package that Frank had given him at Mack's.

With the vast majority settling down for the night, Jake was now ushered to the top floor with the group who had come to rescue him. It was time for him to finally meet Isaac.

The group entered what had once been the master bedroom, one that had seen much better days. The expensive gold and magnolia wallpaper was peeling off the walls and tinged with fingerprints and dirt; the red carpet looked worn and in places was threadbare and the furnishings were totally out of character with the lavish building. It was clear that the chairs and beanbags scattered about the room and the mixture of table and shelving styles were a collection of useful finds rather than the antique collections one would expect to decorate such an ostentatious place.

Tank, Lexi, and the others from the truck took a seat whilst Jake now found himself the only one standing. He was stood before an antique rosewood desk, the only appropriate feature of the otherwise thrifty surroundings, faced by a pale-faced petite young woman with luxurious shoulder-length brunette hair. She sat to the left of the dark skinned man in the centre whom Jake had assumed to be Isaac and another woman who flanked his left side. She was caramel skinned and very beautiful and from her body language, Jake had surmised that she was Isaac's lover.

'Welcome to our home Jake' said Isaac his voice steady and calm. 'Please let me introduce you to Phoenix' he gestured to the young woman with brunette hair, 'and to my wife Serena'.

Jake had seen pictures of Isaac on the state broadcasts where he was portrayed as an evil madman intent on murder. The man Jake was now looking at was much softer in real life, his deep brown eyes were kindly and the measured tone of his voice would make anyone feel at ease. He did not really seem capable of the atrocities laid at his door. He was a very handsome, edgy looking man with model features and a day or two unshaven stubble beard forming on his square jaw. In fact, the most menacing aspect of him was his afro hair that seemed to form a giant star upon his head. It had been just moments since they met, but Jake was already awestruck and sucked in.

'It seems as though you have friends in high places' Isaac continued. 'Frank contacted me earlier today, he suspected that you might encounter some difficulties getting out of London given the meeting of our esteemed world leaders tomorrow'.

The realisation dawned now on Jake about the fortuitous escape from the compound.

'Frank put himself at great risk for you, and given how incredibly cautious and careful Director McQuaid normally is, that tells me that you are someone of great importance' continued Isaac his natural authority and measured tone starting to make Jake feel less easy now. 'I too am a cautious man, and whilst you have been welcomed here, I need a little convincing that you are in fact who we think you are'.

Phoenix leaned across the desk and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, never once looking away from Jake who was now starting to quake a little in his boots.

'It would seem that you are one of the very rare cases who never got plugged into the raging authoritarian machinery of the Empire' continued Isaac in reference to the fact that no tracking device was found lurking hidden within his body. 'Only the bastard children born illegally out here in the ghetto have that privilege' he said now catching the sight of Lexi, 'although this unusual occurrence is not necessarily entirely without president'.

'I have no idea' explained Jake with a hint of anxiety in his voice, 'I have never lived within a compound, for many years I lived overseas with my-' his sentence stopped in its tracks as he wrestled with the best description of Shengani. 'I was sent by Frank to live with an old man called Shengani, old, but very capable and clever who looked after me from the age of about six until sixteen' he blurted unconvincingly.

The expression on Isaac's face suggested that a family history lesson was less preferred to a response with greater brevity. The bored sigh and slight clenching of the great man's jaw suggested that Jake should get to point.

Jake then remembered the package given to him by Frank and decided to moves things along. He now approached the antique desk and placed a small container with a clear solution in it. It was no bigger than the kind that had been used for prescription contact lenses in the past.

'Frank said to give you this as a sign of good faith' Jake said, now stepping back to his original spot.

The rest of the room were all now craning their necks to get a look at this token of faith that the mysterious newcomer had presented to their leader. Puzzled expressions and quizzical looks bounced around the room. Isaac had taken a brief glance at the small flask of clear liquid before resuming his steady stare at Jake.

'What is it?' said Serena to her husband.

Isaac continued to maintain eye contact with his new young guest before announcing, 'why it is proof my dear that the boy is exactly who he says he is'.

Isaac's fixed stare now relaxed, his eyes softening and a wry smile now took shape on his face. He took up the tiny bottle and gave it a gentle shake. A tiny little black dot barely a couple of millimetres in diameter now floated from the bottom of the flask into sight still immersed in the solution.

Murmurs of collective understanding of what the flask contained were now filtering through the room. It was a disabled tracking device used by the Empire, administered during the mass immunisation campaign before they imposed their rule. Jake it seemed was still in the dark.

'That's why we couldn't find his tracker' said Mike to Sam.

Isaac shook his head and holding the small flask for everyone to see. 'No Mike, this tracker was mine'.

It had been over a decade or more when Frank had removed this device from Isaac and to whom he and the rebels owed their lives. While he and his fellow soldiers had not been subject to the mass fake immunisation campaign, they had been injected with the trackers under the guise of a immunisations they received to safeguard against alleged biological weapons that their enemy was using during the war that had broken out in 2019. Isaac and the others had been entirely unaware, but it had led to huge reductions in the numbers of rebels whom the Empire had been able to detect, capture, execute and torture over the years.

'So tell me Jake' said Isaac, now placing the flask into his pocket, 'what exactly are you looking to do here?'

'I want to bring the Empire crashing down and I want to clear my father's name' replied Jake, the emotion in his voice palpable.

'Well, you have come to the right place then' smiled Isaac in reply. 'Defeating them though is not going to be easy, they have support across the globe, have more people under their spell than we have in our ranks and their arsenal is far superior to ours'.

Isaac now ushered him and the others to a map he had on the wall. It showed the world as it once was with hundreds of countries all independently run. There were now many coloured pins within the map and an array of coloured drawn boundaries over the old demarcations.

Isaac then outlined how the areas marked in green were the territory known as Europa, a collection of the old European states excluding those in the former USSR but including some countries from the middle east and of course the United Kingdom. These he explained were under the control of President Van Duyn and the territory had responsibility for managing the entire surveillance system mainframe for all residential compounds across the globe and it was this that he chose to focus upon.

'If we can take out the headquarters in London and put a virus in their system, it would give us a chance to take over the media outlets that they have' he explained. 'If we are able to show the people in there that the rebellion is working for them and not against them then we could create uprisings like no one has ever seen all across the globe. Whilst this wouldn't bring an end to the Empire, it would severely weaken them'.

Jake was not entirely convinced so far. 'I've seen some of these people up close and to be honest, I don't think they really see themselves as prisoners or indeed you people as their allies'.

Isaac smiled. 'Everyone in those places has either lost a loved one, been separated from them for a number of years and has basically been fending for themselves. They may look like they are functioning, but without the constant glare of Empire over them or the fear that they will be cast out to certain death, if they knew the truth, it could set them free'.

Jake pondered his statement for a while. It was true, he was wanting to stand up to Numen and all the others who had sought to take over. He was just a young man, still ignorant of many of the atrocities that had led to the authoritarian regime, looking around him there were people here who seemed equally if not more motivated than him to stand up and fight. They all had their own idiosyncratic justifications to rise up and Isaac may be on to something with the dream walkers within harbouring pent up, latent feelings and experiences that if given an outlet could ignite like napalm.

'Okay, so if, and it's a big if. If you can override their security system, what makes you think that these people are just going to suddenly wake up, get angry and then take out that anger on the forces who have repressed them all this time?' he challenged.

'It's the right question' reasoned Isaac. 'However, we haven't been sat idle all these years. Admittedly early on various groups formed and we began to fight amongst ourselves. In fact, Numen and his men made sure we did. They realised we were growing in number and were beyond their control so they started to campaign their propaganda in the ghettos and rebel groups fought one another for a few years. Eventually, we all realised that their tactics of divide and rule were merely aiding their agenda' he explained.

'That's when we formed alliances across the rebellion' interjected Lexi. 'We realised that we were stronger together fighting against a common enemy. We shared resources and intelligence to ensure that all of us thrived, that we were equipped, fed and well organised'.

Phoenix who had been silent up until this point now spoke up. 'In order to control the people in the compounds, the Empire closed ranks and fortified their interests. Controlling these cities of people is not their end game and to be honest we don't yet know what it is' she said. 'When they built their compounds though they left everything that was outside free to be used and exploited'.

Isaac now took back control of the discussion. 'Between us and all the neighbouring groups like us, we replicated what they were doing inside those compounds, we gathered intelligence that shows that their strategy goes back decades, we took control of places like this to sustain us and provide the life that they had been so desperate to take from us. We gathered arms, machinery everything we could and set about freeing the loved ones we could with what little we had'.

Isaac now pointed at his son Tank. 'I had a responsibility to ensure that he lived in a world where he was free and that rifle he has come at a cost. We have lost people over the years, attacking the Empire's convoys of food and equipment, but it was all in the name of reclaiming our right to live free and to make our own minds up, not the indoctrinated bullshit they are feeding people in those prisons'.

Isaac paused briefly, gathering himself. 'To answer the question you asked Jake, we do have eyes in there and people who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. We have troops out here waiting for the green light to go in and blaze a trail of utter devastation. Now, with you, we have been granted the key to the kingdom'.

The excitement was now pumping through the room, the energy and desire to get started was in clear evidence. Even Jake was ready to go into bat, but Isaac's words had given him pause for thought.

'What do you mean I'm the key to the kingdom?' He asked incredulously. 'I'm just some stupid kid with a vendetta'.

Isaac flashed him a beaming grin. 'Oh, on the contrary Jake. You see, Frank has gone to great lengths to hide you from the eyes of Numen and his forces, you are one of the few whom the Empire was not able to get it's sinister grip upon and there is a good reason for that, but most importantly we have seen just a glimpse of your capability'.

He turned and waved Phoenix over. She brought over a laptop and showed him the screen. On it, he and everyone else in the room could see his escape from the foot soldiers on his opening night in the London compound. Jake suddenly felt very vulnerable indeed.

'Calm yourself. You have no enemies here, and your secret, whatever it is will not be uttered outside of this group' assured Isaac seeking nods of reassurance from the rest of the group. 'I don't care who or what you are, but you can help us defeat these people and if you are against them then you are with us'.

'Look, I know what it looks like' stuttered Jake, 'but I have no idea how I'm able to do that' he said pointing to the screen.

'It was no fluke, though, was it?' Isaac replied with a fatherly wink. 'I've seen other examples of your work'.

Jake was starting to feel a sensation he was not particularly used to, the pressure of hope and expectation. He started to feel a little flustered.

'I bleed just like you do, a few magic tricks aren't going to stop some foot soldier wiping me off the face of the planet like the rest of you. Besides they have thousands, if not, hundreds of thousands or more of them' he protested.

'You aren't on your own though' chimed Lexi.

'Exactly!' Isaac interrupted. 'We are all here to fight, maximising whatever skills and abilities we possess, but that's enough for tonight. It's late and everyone needs their rest'.

The group began to disperse, the meeting now adjourned. Jake remained, though, he had more questions. He was a little perturbed at the high expectations that this new acquaintance of his was bestowing upon him. Sure, he fully intended to fight the Empire, but the way that everyone had reacted, it seemed that they viewed him as some kind of demigod. He was a just a teenager with some uncontrollable and unrefined tricks.

After Serena had kissed Isaac goodnight, the two of them were now left alone in the room. Lexi loitered just outside the door desperate to eavesdrop on their conversation.

'I don't understand how I can help you' said Jake more comfortable in letting down his guard now that the others were gone.

Isaac placed his hand on Jake's shoulder and gripped him tightly, pulling him close. 'Tomorrow you, Phoenix and I, have a date. Things will become much clearer to you then. I know you have many questions, some of which I probably can't answer, but some answers will come because you have them, right here' he said tapping Jake on the forehead.

Jake had never felt such warmth from anyone. He had been far too young to remember much of his childhood and both Frank and Shengani had shown him a less tactile kind of fatherly support. They had imparted great wisdom, advice, and practical support, but what he was feeling right now was something entirely beyond his comprehension. It was love, not the intimate kind you shared with a lover, but the kind that a parent had with their child. It was a welcome feeling and his anxieties abated, for now.

'Now get some rest, you'll need as much energy as you can muster tomorrow' said Isaac now breaking away from the embrace. 'I'm pretty sure Lexi is out there waiting to show you to your digs, I'll catch you tomorrow'.

Jake took heed of his advice and headed for the exit, Lexi had made herself scarce and decided to intercept Jake by the stairs. Just as he was about to leave Jake stopped and turned.

'So what do you think I am then?' Jake enquired.

Isaac's mouth straightened and he gently shook his head. 'That is one of those things that I just don't know the answer to' he admitted. 'It is of no consequence, though'.

Jake left torn between feeling satisfied that he had been accepted by the group but disappointed that they all knew that he was not really one of them. The problem was, no one seemed to know exactly what he was which made him feel just as alone as before.

Isaac fondled the flask with the microchip in it, as a smile rose upon his lips like the sun rising at dawn. The fuel of his own desires had been stoked and reignited, he sensed he had taken a big step to realising them today. He knew the boy would change everything they had been working towards all this time and he could feel redemption bubbling away deep inside the pit of his stomach.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 6

YEAR **2030 - REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE**

It was a spring morning, the sun shining through the cool breeze and the rebel's mansion in daylight was a sight to behold. Following an early breakfast, Lexi had decided to give Jake a brief tour of the grounds before his scheduled meeting with Isaac and Phoenix. They had brought Max and Rosie along for the walk.

The crop fields were being tended by many of the adults and children, harvesting food for the day and week ahead. Others were tending to the livestock in the far fields that had been sectioned off quite deliberately within the acreage of the grounds. A small cluster of children was being taught by a portly man and bespectacled woman in another corner, whilst another group was playing sports with some other men.

Tank and Sam were off on a run with some of the younger generation, who were about Jake's age, training them up for combat. Everywhere they passed Jake could see people working or learning, contributing to the overall running of the place. Everyone appeared to be happy and free, a far cry from the monstrous militants portrayed in the media.

'So do you guys grow all of your own food here?' Jake asked, interested in how they were able to sustain a living here for all these people.

'We grow as much as we can throughout the year which feeds everyone on a daily basis and any extras are stored for the winter' explained Lexi. 'Obviously, we have the farm which helps, but we also have stores of dry and packaged foods'.

'Where do they come from?'

Lexi smirked, throwing a stick ahead for Max and Rosie to chase after. 'Those have been stored up for years before and we add to them from the courier raids that go to the compounds. We have been doing it for years'.

'Haven't the security services grown wise to that and used them to capture your men?' he enquired thinking this was a logical weakness to the dependency on the workings of the Empire.

'They tried that, putting tracking devices on the vehicles, adding additional security and all that stuff, but each time we adapted our approach to combat their threat' she said matter-of-factly.

'So that's it, you attack their convoys and they just let you?' Jake enquired incredulously.

The dogs had returned, Rosie the victor in collecting the stick, though if you had asked Max he would have insisted he had let her win. Lexi threw the stick again and the dogs charged after it a second time.

'It started to cost them more than it was costing us, so they began to just leave stockpiles for us to collect. They didn't lose any of their foot soldiers, had plenty of propaganda for their people about us and stopped losing their transporters and weapons'.

'How do you know they aren't just poisoning the food to kill you all off?' Jake asked still finding this arrangement hard to believe.

'Well no one has died for a start and because they know that resistance is futile, there are far too many of us to just go out and exterminate. If that ever happened we would attack their food compounds and then they would have nothing for their workers. It's clear that whatever they are working towards, we are like irritating rodents to them and either they leave food out in the field or we're going to overrun the house' she said.

They began to make their way back to the house and Jake pondered the conversation further in his head. The arrangement seemed to make sense, but what interested him more was what was so important to the Empire that rendered the rebellion outside of their control so unimportant? They controlled the majority of people who had survived the atrocities of the past and whatever it was they needed them for, was clearly something to fear. Jake had been hell-bent on gaining vengeance for the loved ones that had given their lives so that he could live and it was clear that the rebellion's intent was to restore liberty and freedom to the world. If the Empire's strategies up until now had not been to reign supreme over the world, what was their goal?

Isaac had taken over from Lexi on the role of host, showing him around the rest of the mansion. In many of the expansive rooms that had formerly been bedrooms, they had built bunks and camp beds to house all the people who lived here. The rooms that may have once been dedicated for important guests now housed anything up to thirty people. The mansion was serviced by its own independent water supply with a water well and stream outside. Power was provided by the solar panels on the expanse of the roof, a few homemade wind turbines had been erected to the rear of the property and were attached to generators in the rear garages. It was like Isaac had described, with the range of skills and expertise of the rebels being shared across the respective bases. They had managed to forge a truly sustainable home for themselves.

'The power we try to keep to a minimum and use it to charge the vehicles and support our communication infrastructure' explained Isaac as they now arrived at the large outbuilding beside the garages where the generators whirred with activity. 'Here is our most treasured asset' he said as they approached the door.

As they stepped into the dingy outbuilding, it was as if they had gone through a time warp to another dimension. The open-plan space was littered with countless monitors, machines and contraptions that just seemed totally out of place with the rest of the agricultural and rural ecosystem that they had created here. Computer monitors flickered to life and huge luminescent columns spread to the rear of the outbuilding, flashing intermittently with purpose.

'What is all this stuff?' Jake blurted entirely overwhelmed.

From the back of one of the columns, Phoenix now emerged, her shoulder length hair now pulled back into a ponytail and her brown eyes magnified by a pair of glasses.

'Welcome to the hub' she said as she took up a seat by the monitors and encouraged Jake to sit. 'This is my baby. He might drain the power, but he comes in handy'. She gushed stroking the technology like a pet. 'We use this place to communicate with the other rebel bases, gather and store intelligence on the activities of the Empire in the data farm back there' she pointed to the large column stacks. 'It's also where we conduct some of our more innovative activities'.

Phoenix was quite animated about the gadgets and gizmos laid out before them and Jake could see that this was where she felt most at home.

'You see Jake, when you asked yesterday how we were going to infiltrate the Empire's stranglehold on the truth it conveys to its citizens, this is kind of what we had in mind' said Isaac inviting Jake another chance to take it all in. 'Back there we have the history of our world going back decades which provides the evidence through the eyes of those we have been able to free of the true atrocities of what the current regime has been doing to humanity for years. The indoctrination of generations from the Baby Boomers post World War Two, through Generation X of the 1980s and then the Millennials. It's all there waiting for a chance to be unveiled, a grand awakening'.

Jake's expression suggested that he might need a lot more convincing. Having noted his scepticism, Phoenix jumped up from her seat and took over the explanation.

'When the compounds came into effect, the Empire discovered that in spite of their efforts that they could not close down the internet without harming their own interests, so they built a system within it closed off from the outside. So, we took all of the satellite communications that they abandoned to build our own network on the outside. It is a vital tool to protect us from them. They have no idea of our capability and advances in innovation' she said.

'And they are what exactly?' Jake challenged.

Phoenix signalled for him to follow her to the other side of the outbuilding which he had yet to explore. Behind a partitioned wall were a series of old barber chairs, ten in total in two parallel rows of five. They were all in a reclined position and were attached by a series of wires to a monitor, but most alarmingly of all eight of them housed a green and black human figure which made Jake jump, startled by the revelation. The figures were fallen foot soldiers from the Empire, laid out and motionless in the barber chairs.

'Don't worry' assured Isaac, 'they are not active, at least not in the sense that they were originally intended'.

Phoenix invited Jake to sit in one of the unoccupied chairs at the end. He passed by the robots which were in a state of sleep, images flashing subliminally at pace on the monitors behind each chair.

'What the hell is this?' Jake blurted, reluctantly taking the seat. He did not like the idea of being so close to one of his arch enemies having spent years trying to evade them.

'This is where the magic happens' said Isaac, his eyes glowing with a fatherly pride as he turned to Phoenix her eyes magnified by her spectacles full of energy and enthusiasm.

'Scientists had been working for many decades on a cure for Alzheimer's disease' explained Phoenix, the excitement evident in her face. 'They figured if they could download people's memories and store them like we would data onto a computer hard drive then as the brain deteriorated, they could reload the memories. It was a meant to be a cure for a terrible disease. The research was ongoing throughout the war and genocide and I was lucky enough to be able to learn from the man who made downloading thoughts possible'.

Jake's mouth was aghast. 'You mean to tell me that you can actually do that?'

'It's called memory mapping' she continued. 'We take one of these robots and mimic the patterns of your brain and transfer the memories from your mind into it. Then we are able to download the images and data to files on these computers from the robots as these are doing right now' she said pointing at the activity of the eight robotic henchmen beside him.

'The things we have discovered through this interrogation technique have been astounding' added Isaac. 'These captives we have provided a wealth of visual intelligence we could never have imagined. Evidence of torture, the murder of innocent citizens and directives given by the Empire's leaders' he explained.

'That intelligence was invaluable and helped to bring unity to the rebellion' interjected Phoenix. 'Then we realised that we all had our own experiences and memories stored up here' she said pointing to her temple. 'The technology we have at our disposal allows us to bring those memories back to life'.

'Ok I get it' snapped Jake, 'but what use is it all? How will this bunch of memories stop Numen and the Empire?'

'Evidence, intelligence and the key to waking up our imprisoned brothers and sisters' replied Isaac with a steady and assured tone. 'Phoenix can take all of this and create a compelling compilation to convince the sleeping masses that life under the Empire is not what they think it is, and that we are not their enemy. Once we get into their system and take it over we can unveil the truth and set them free'.

It was a lot to take in all at once. Memory mapping sounded absolutely mental, but was it really that hard to believe for a boy who could read and control people's thoughts? The irony of this realisation made Jake laugh out loud. The sight of the eight fallen foot soldiers quelling this from escalating into total hysterics.

'So if you can do all this stuff and have all of that history logged back there' he asked once he had regained his composure, 'what exactly do you need me for?'

Isaac and Phoenix shared a momentary glance that read _shall you tell him or should I_. Isaac gave a look that pulled rank and turned to Jake who was still a little distracted by the Empire soldiers at his side.

'Whilst we anticipate that you have memories of your own that will support the body of evidence we have collated already' Isaac began to explain. 'We think you may have some memories of others that may be of even greater use'.

Before Jake could ask Isaac what he was going on about, Phoenix took him by the hand. 'You have had contact with key figures who have the code to the mainframe. For the all the help we can get to storm the compounds, unveil the truth of the past and begin the real fight, we need to bring their system down. The passcode is the only way'.

'And you think I have it?' Jake replied incredulously. Isaac shook his head. 'Then who does?'

'The president, his Head of Personal Security and the director of Security and Intelligence for the UCCA' replied Isaac. 'They all have a piece of the puzzle and you have had contact with them all. Somewhere in your head, you have all the intelligence we could ever need'.

So between Van Duyn, Numen and Frank lay the key to accessing the mainframe.

'What makes you so sure that I have all of this information in my head' he said still unconvinced.

'Frank is already on board, we have a bug tracking through Numen's head as we speak, although it is equally plausible he passed it on to you and you are the only one who has had any contact with Van Duyn' said Isaac. 'There's no certainty, but it's our best chance'.

Jake remembered the night at Desire when he had connected with the president. Could he have inadvertently picked up this information, he certainly had not been looking for it at the time?

'How exactly have you gotten into Numen's head' asked Jake, having found the president's lead henchman incredibly tough and near impossible to read.

'Lexi put it in him' said Phoenix, fondling her ponytail excitedly, a smirk forming on her soft lips. 'When they came for you, she stuck it to him, so to speak'.

'So I assume you want to that memory map thing on me?' Jake queried nervously.

His question was met with a brief nod from the rebel leader he had only come to meet the previous day. This was a moment of trust, a leap of faith. Jake interrogated both Isaac and Phoenix's faces and after a brief moment of heightened anxiety, he was satisfied that they meant him no harm.

'Right let's go for it then' agreed Jake.

For the next few minutes, Phoenix and Isaac fixed him in place, securing him like a mental patient to the chair and wiring him up to the monitor. They brought in another robot foot soldier and connecting him up to Jake and ran some tests to check that the system was working. Jake had to wear a mouth guard to ensure he did not bite off his own tongue during the procedure, which began to ramp up his anxiety levels. Phoenix then gave him a sedative to relax him and put his mind at rest to ensure the success of the extraction. The next stage involved being injected with a solution that contained magnetic particles so that his neural pathways could be replicated in the surrogate before the downloading began.

When they were ready, Isaac came and took Jake's hand, gripping it tightly as the sedative began to take full effect. His voice echoed in Jake's subconscious in a similar manner to how Max's did whenever they communicated.

'At first, it will go very bright and then you'll feel like you're on a rollercoaster' explained Isaac unaware that Jake never had the experience of riding a roller coaster. 'Then you'll experience a weird sensation that you are falling and bright images will then fly past you like you're in outer space and then after a while, it'll be just like a dream' said Isaac his voice trailing away.

A glaring bright light engulfed Jake's gaze, with Phoenix and Isaac disappearing from view. He felt himself slip gently backwards, drifting gently and carefully back even further. It was as if he was sinking deep into the floor. Just as the sensation began to get comfortable and Jake could feel himself slipping into the most relaxing coma, he was catapulted forwards at high velocity, spinning and spiralling out of control. His heavily sedated body now convulsed awkwardly within the chair as he delved deep into his own subconscious mind. The juddering and jerking quickly gave way to a weightlessness that he had never experienced before like he was flying or floating among the stars. Soon, he could see bolts of colour flying towards him and he was powerless to evade them. They passed through him with the speed of a speeding train until finally, his mind faded into black.

When Jake awoke he was met with the emerald stare of Lexi looking down upon him. She smiled as his eyes opened and he tried to lift himself into a seated position, his head groggy and heavy from the memory mapping procedure. It had felt like just a few moments that had lost consciousness.

After a moment or two, he came to realise that it was no longer bright and sunny outside, he and Lexi were alone in the outbuilding and she was sat beside him holding his hand. Of course, no sooner had this realisation dawned upon him, Lexi then pulled her hand from his.

'What time is it?' he enquired still feeling the effects of the sedative.

'It's late' she replied. 'You've been out for the count for about eight hours or so'.

The implausibility of her statement was etched upon Jake's face, but given how tired he was feeling, he was not about to argue with the validity of her statement.

'Where is everybody?' he asked barely able to ask more than a few words at a time.

'They went to get some dinner and before you ask I have been here with you for most of the day. I remember when they did this on me' she said.

It took him a while to be able to open his eyes fully, his head aching with a dull thump trying to acclimatise to the conditions of the real world. He could barely remember anything after everything went black and was curious as to how successful the process has been.

'They find anything?'

Lexi became a little uneasy in her chair and began to play nervously with her hair, which made her demeanour even more noticeable given that there was not a great deal of the cropped red hair to play with. 'Yeah they found plenty of stuff in there' she said curtly.

'What the hell does that mean?' he responded grumpily, regaining some of his strength.

'Phoe has got to filter through it all, but she has managed to pull one file together that she thinks you are probably going to want to see' she replied, doing her best to not make eye contact.

Even though he was still not fully in full charge of all of his faculties, Jake could sense the trepidation in her tone and manner. _What had they found?_

Jake now reached across and grabbed her hand, drawing her gaze back to him. He did not need to utter a sentence.

'It actually came from Numen' she confessed with a solemn tone. 'It involves your father'.

Like a dose of caffeine infusing an electrical charge into his system, Jake was now fully upright and alert, albeit with a heavy head. Jake could barely remember what his dad, Jack, looked like. If there was a memory that would remind him of this lost image, he wanted to see it.

'Show it to me' he demanded. 'Now, right now. I want to see it'.

Lexi tried to argue with him that he should wait until after he had fully recovered, to rest and ready himself for such a revelation, but each time she started to speak he just made the same demand raising his voice with each attempted protestation.

'Fine. I'll do it. You know, I think I liked you better when you were out of it!' She said angrily getting to her feet to display the archive file on the monitor. 'But I don't want to watch it again, you can watch it on your own' she snapped back at him.

Jake deflated back into his chair. 'So you have seen it already?'

She realised just how insensitive she had been and tried now to backtrack. 'It was just there, we couldn't help but see it' she explained uncomfortably.

'Who else saw it?'

'It was just me, Phoenix and Isaac' she replied hanging her head in shame.

Jake was not certain whether he was angry that they had seen it before him or whether he was just scared of what he was about to see given the significance that had been attached to it in this tense interplay with the girl whom he had started to establish a trusting bond with. He was not about to start an argument, though, he was far too tired and drained.

'Watch it with me' he said finally.

'Are you sure?'

He nodded and took a deep breath. Lexi then initiated the play function on the video file and took her place beside him. As the video flashed into action, she took his hand again, assuring him that in spite of what he was about to witness he was not alone.

YEAR **2020 - BERLIN, GERMANY - EUROPA FORMATION DAY**

Numen had been running through the streets of the German Capital for nearly ten minutes now. He quickly checked his watch, the countdown showing less than twenty-eight minutes, before glancing over his shoulder at his pursuer.

A physically fit man in his early thirties was giving chase. From the badge on his waistband, it was clear that he was an officer of the United Crime Control Authority. He was a Counter Terrorism Agent, Jack Harding, father of Jake, best friend of Frank and widower of Marie. His mousy hair matched his sharp, hazel eyes which at this moment flared with intent as he pursued his target.

The streets around the city centre were littered with citizens waving small flags depicting the new symbol of the united territory of Europa. Following the past decade of decline and misery for the masses, today was a day of celebration, the day that their new President would be announced. Banners were emblazoned upon every visible facade across the city with effigies and placards of the two rival candidates being waved amidst much fanfare. It was Election Day and the dawn of a new frontier.

Numen charged through the waves of the crowd desperately trying to shake Jack off of his tail, but his pursuer was gaining on him. The athletic, ebony figure began to knock people over, creating small ripples of disturbance among the crowded streets whilst all eyes looked towards the Reichstag government building where the leaders of former democratic republics had gathered to acknowledge this momentous day. Never in history had such an important day blessed this country since the fall of the wall that had divided them for over 38 years had been torn down in 1990. Germany would cease to exist as a separate country after today and would rise to prominence as the Capital of Europa. With such a great number of people present to witness this historic occasion and the number of VIPs in attendance, there was a massive security operation taking place, but the sheer magnitude of what was going on was beyond anyone's control.

Numen continued to charge through the packs of revellers, doing everything he could to slow the progression of Jack behind him. His watch continued to countdown and he knew he needed to get out the main stretch near to the Brandenburg Gate where the crowds were particularly heavily populated. He headed down a side road off the main strip and continued to run as fast as he could, checking very occasionally the counter on his watch and the man chasing him over his shoulder, his white braids swinging wildly.

He was full of running and now and continued East back onto the main road which had been closed due to the ceremonial event, passing by the crowds of people who were inching ever closer to the City Centre. Ahead of him, he could make out the spire of the television tower, like a lance in the distance some ten minutes or so away and continued headlong towards the beacon.

Jack continued to give chase behind screaming for Numen to stop or for anyone to block his path, but the noise of the crowd and their pre-occupation with the event meant that Numen continued ahead without intervention.

# By the time Numen had reached the Berliner Fernsehturm the countdown on his watch had diminished to just ten minutes. He tried to brush past the guards, shouting in barely audible German that he was a government agent and waved his credentials. They tried to refuse him entry but he just tossed them aside with a force unrivalled by any mere mortal. Having now entered the building, he swivelled on his heels turning back to Jack who was gaining ground on him. Numen pulled his gun and shot both guards to the floor, whilst Jack fired his own pistol into the building. Numen summoned the lift to take him to the visitor's platform which offered a panoramic view of the city from nearly seven hundred feet above.

# Upon arrival at his destination, the blue-eyed agent of the Empire checked his watch again and there was now less than eight minutes left on the counter. He peered out of the glass from the base of the tower's spherical orb and began to smash through one of the windows. Just as he broke through, he was interrupted.

# 'Freeze asshole' bellowed Jack, his gun fixed on Numen as he tried to catch his breath, 'get on your fucking knees you goddamn traitor!'

# Numen froze and slowly turned to face him, his blue eyes and ebony skin were as vibrant and overpowering as they were to those who would know him in the future. The palpable tension in the air between them was only broken by heavy breaths of each following the pursuit.

# 'Look, Agent Harding, there's absolutely nothing you can do here, so you might as well let me go' said Numen now facing Jack, hands raised in the air, still clutching his weapon.

# 'Drop that' said Jack referring to the gun 'I sincerely urge you to invoke your right to shut the hell up'.

# Numen dropped the gun and then was on his knees, responding to the UCCA agent's visual command with the gun.

# 'You're under arrest, for conspiracy to murder' said Jack with authority reaching for his handcuffs, but keeping Numen in the line of sight.

# 'Well the way I heard it that was you or at least that is the way everyone else is going to see it' said Numen confidently, a smirk forming on his thick lips.

# Jack ignored him, wiping the sweat from his brow and breathing somewhat labouredly still not fully recovered from the lengthy pursuit. The crowds outside did not know it yet, but the second candidate from Germany, Dietrich Westewelle, who was the overwhelming favourite to win the election had been found executed in his home, meaning that Raymond Van Duyn would be the only candidate left in the running. Victorious without challenge. Of course, it was expected that the election would be declared void and fresh campaigns would begin, but Jack was not fully aware of the situation that was now playing out.

# 'You really think you were going to get away with this?' he said, stepping towards Numen to secure him and take him into custody.

# His movement towards his captive was suddenly blocked and a sharp shrill screech was now piercing like fire in his temples. The pain was excruciating and he brought his hand to his head to try and brace himself as he fell to the floor.

# The truth is Agent Harding, I already have. Numen's voice echoed in his head. And you just gave me the perfect alibi when you killed those guards downstairs. Just think of the headlines when they discover that a high-ranking counter-terrorism agent not only killed the president-elect in his backyard but that he used the power of his position to use top secret information to conduct the greatest act of terror ever seen.

# Jack tried valiantly to get to his feet and knock Numen out, but he could barely move. He managed to raise his gun to Numen's exposed face, but no matter how hard he willed himself to pull the trigger, his body would not co-operate with the command.

# 'What the hell are you?' Jack spluttered, desperate for breath.

# 'Why don't ask your wife should you see her' said Numen with the authority of someone entirely in control.

# Marie had been gone missing two years ago after attending a local school where they had been administering the immunisations. It was said that she had experienced an allergic reaction and had died shortly after in hospital, but her body had never been recovered. Jack had suspected foul play, but given the turmoil that was happening at the time had been unable to locate her. He had found evidence that Numen had been involved and had been running a covert investigation on the general, which had inadvertently led him to the discovery of the conspiracy coming together today.

# Jack's gun now swung away from Numen and to his own head. He tried desperately to fight it but his finger now rested heavily on the trigger.

# 'What a truly sorry tale for your boy' mocked Numen. 'Mother poking her nose in where it wasn't wanted, father doing the same and hey presto they are erased from his life never to be seen again'.

# Jack grit his teeth and fought with all his might, but it was in vain. His finger gripped tighter on the trigger.

# 'You'll never find him, you murdering monster' he said defiantly.

# The sound of the gunshot could barely be heard as the news of the unfortunate death of Deitrich Westewelle rippled through the crowds like a tsunami. Numen clambered out of the smashed window and clambered to the top of the orb using a rope that had been cast down the front of the building from a helicopter that had emerged amidst the descending chaos below. He began to ascend into the chopper whilst the anarchy below began to unfold.

# Once he was in the helicopter surrounded by his mercenary clan, suited from head to foot in jet black attire like ninja commandos, Numen gave the all clear to leave. He then peered at his watch, the counter nearly at zero and looked back on Berlin on this the birth of Europa with a wry smile.

KABOOM! An almighty explosion in the distance sent a fiery mushroom cloud into the sky having decimated the Reichstag and the surrounding area. The screams that could be heard were brief, as several follow-up explosions tore through the heart of Berlin leaving an image for those that witnessed it, about the day that the depths of hell were raised on Earth. This was the beginning of the end, the Empire had officially announced itself on the world stage. Having infiltrated all of the machinery of power they would be able to tell this tale any way they wished. The truth was a liberty of the past.

YEAR **2030 - REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE**

The video clip had come to a haunting and abrupt end. The maniacal memory, all told through the eyes of his enemy, of his father's murder and how he was framed for the terrorist event, were now burned into Jake's subconscious. Tears streamed from his eyes, his teeth chattered a tune of hurt and hatred, he could not speak and there was absolutely nothing that Lexi could do. She simply pulled him to her bosom and comforted him in his time of greatest need.

All of the wounds that Jake had buried deep inside had now been played out before him like a Greek tragedy in high definition. The pain had resurfaced and would no doubt continue to haunt him. The truth in this instance was very painful indeed.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 7

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

Numen was in the shower, desperate to scrub and rinse away the terrible couple of days that had befallen him. He had the boy in his sights on two separate occasions and somehow he had managed to slip through his fingers, albeit with outside help. To make matters worse he would now be attending the meeting of the Council of the New World Order later this evening and would have to announce these very embarrassing facts to the four most powerful men on the planet.

Numen had prided himself on his ingenuity and ability to complete tasks competently and professionally. He had been instrumental in leading his elite squad known as Chimaera on many covert operations that had led to the emergence of the four territories and the control and order that had been in place for over a decade since the Empire had been fully established as the authority on all things.

He gazed at himself in the mirror, recounting the incidents with the boy's irritating and resourceful mutt, and the girl who had left a visible mark on his face. His once ebony, youthful appearance now tainted by the fresh wound on his cheek. Over seventy years on the planet and never before had he looked a day over forty the entire time, until today. He splashed water on his face and stroked the grey half goatee beard on his chin for comfort before focussing on his eyes. They looked tired and strained, a little bloodshot as a result of a very uncomfortable night of sleep. He had not experienced nightmares on the scale or frequency as he had the previous night, in fact, he was not the type prone to them at all. So much blood on his hands and yet he had always slept with an entirely clear conscience, but last night he had relived some of his worst acts in such detail, it was as though he had carried them all out again.

He had just a few hours to fully galvanise himself before the meeting and decided another rinse under the shower would suffice.

The Council of the New World Order would meet once every six months to update each other on progress towards their goal of world domination. Each territory had its own area of responsibility in maintaining the current status quo: Europa was the centre for resources and overall security management, through the United Crime Control Authority. All compounds across the global were managed and monitored with the core central system for this being located here in London. Food compounds harvested and generated the vast majority of the food supply which would be transported to the other territories to support their own more modest supply arrangements. Europa was also the mouthpiece of the Empire, communicating the endless propaganda of the regime far and wide.

Oceana led on the development of the robot foot soldiers and production of the weapons that the troops of the Empire were equipped with. They were also responsible for the manufacturing of vehicles, drones and of course, the very popular sex surrogates that made life bearable in an otherwise desolate and controlled world.

The Outlands was the centre for scientific research and the secondary purpose of holding captives who had been deemed opponents or threats to the Empire. Over many years, elicit spying operations over the entire population had been routinely conducted by the security services of the time and this had made it possible for the Empire to categorise everyone. Compliant and obedient citizens had been the first entrants into the compounds, identified as 'Lemmings'. 'Questioners', 'Challengers' and 'Resisters' had all been weeded out during the immunisation campaign and the war, such individuals had raised at least one red flag in terms of their pliability to the will of the Empire. The group labelled as 'Threats' had been taken prisoner in the Outlands and were used for human experimentation, as the Empire sought to understand these individuals' natural predispositions so that they might be able to utilise the findings to eliminate any future threats. Those people in this category tended to be of a very high technical and intellectual capacity, simply eliminating them would have been wasteful, they could serve the interests of the Empire if their inherent desire to resist could somehow be contained. This had formed much of the research carried out there over the decade since absolute power had been claimed.

In the final territory of the Americas, they had taken the lead in developing programmes concerned with monitoring outer space, satellite maintenance and covert research of an extra-terrestrial nature. They were also responsible for energy production and supply to ensure a sustainable future for the Empire's operations.

Having such specific tasks and responsibilities had been agreed as the best way to ensure that the Empire was an all-consuming entity, not blighted by the power struggles of the world of the past. They had sought to build consensus rather than conflict over the territories and fragmenting the key operating structures in this way meant that they would have to rely upon one another whether they liked it or not. The four territories collectively formed the pyramid of the world, the elite at the top looking down upon the enslaved masses and playing the role of god here on Earth.

Numen had been waiting for the commencement of the meeting in a secure room within the headquarters of the United Crime Control Authority, his official role in these meetings was to provide intelligence that would assist the key decisions that were taken. Unofficially, though, he was there to maintain order and play a buffering role between the egos of the world leaders who had taken to referring to themselves as the 'four horsemen'. It was far from original, but Numen was not about to point this out. If it meant moving things forward and getting things done, he really did not give a damn what they wanted to call themselves.

Van Duyn arrived in the room and took his place at the head of the conference table, his security detail taking up their place outside of the room. There were seats laid out for the other participants, not that they would be here in person, as this would be far too dangerous. Holographic effigies of the remaining three horsemen would be beamed into place soon enough, creating the illusion of a boardroom meeting of the key decision makers of the world.

'Quite a disturbance last night' hissed Van Duyn his maniacal stare now fixed on Numen. 'Care to explain exactly how the rebels got in and more importantly how close they came to taking me out?'

Van Duyn was well known for his lack of diplomacy and even more so for his self-obsession and arrogance.

'I think it's clear sir that we have a leak within our system. For many years now I have urged you to let me assume command of the UCCA operations and disband the current officers and chain of command' began Numen testily. 'This is why we use the foot soldiers for security, putting the instruments of the past in place means they are going to play the same old tune'.

'Let me guess if I was to give you control with your band of mercenaries, that none of this would have happened?' Van Duyn snorted contemptuously. 'It brings me some comfort knowing that my kind still plays a vital role in how things run on this planet, thank you very much General. Besides, Li's beloved robots have been thwarted twice in as many days and you dear General proved your incompetence as that mark on your face would suggest' he said indicating the marking on Numen's cheek.

The general's eyes cooled and paused a moment before responding. Now would have been a perfect time to remind the president of how he had come to power given Numen and Chimera's role in Berlin which had seen him as the only living statesman to assume control temporarily 'in the national interest'. Once in power, he promised fresh elections once order was restored, but they never materialised. Numen had been entirely responsible for Van Duyn's rise to power and had ensured that he had stayed there, drunk with power for over a decade, and allowed to carry out his paedophilic proclivities without having to do any real work. Sadly, though, whilst he was just a pawn, his paranoia had meant that he ensured that he had kept to human allegiances. Frank's ascension to the role of Director had been entirely on Van Duyn's say so and the days of getting away with executing presidents were long past, not that Numen did not imagine it on many a quiet night.

'I have seen to it personally that the fortifications of the compound are reinforced, additional guards put in place and all shipments into and out of our sites are rigorously checked' asserted Numen. 'It seems the boy got in with some help and we had managed to get a strange reading from his little pet'.

'Frank has informed me already of the details' replied Van Duyn dismissively. 'He also tells me that you have been meddling in his affairs since you arrived'.

'I don't trust him and neither should you' snapped Numen angrily. 'There were no drone patrols and the guards had not been informed of an imminent security threat despite my expressed orders'.

Van Duyn slammed his hand on the desk, his temper flaring. 'Remember just who is in charge here' he snapped. 'Were it not for your meddling the previous night, the drones would have been fully charged and out patrolling the streets, but instead, they had been conducting surveillance all day because you managed to get the other two destroyed. You also assumed responsibility even though you shouldn't have and it was, therefore, your responsibility to raise the alert, but instead you catch the boy and somehow allow him to escape'.

Numen's eyes lowered to the table, he was not used to being talked down to by anyone, especially some feeble human with a fancy title. Oh if only he could shut down Van Duyn's respiratory system or make his brain explode just to shut the fat imbecile up. That was not his call to make, though.

Van Duyn had calmed down now choosing to pour himself a glass of whisky. Such contraband luxuries were in short supply, but he needed to regain his edge before the commencement of the meeting. He enjoyed the luxuries of his position but was not the fondest of some of the alliances he needed to maintain, particularly Numen, whom he held in contempt and distrust.

'So before the others are linked up, tell me exactly where things are?' Van Duyn demanded, taking a sip from his glass.

'We aren't sure, the microchip from the dog was found a few miles outside the compound so we are not sure which of the rebel bases they have taken refuge in or whether they have settled in one location. We could send out troops and hunt them down' replied the general maintaining the façade of presidential power.

Van Duyn shook his head. 'That's out of the question. They could be anywhere, and if we start battling with the rebels, it will just lead to further attacks and we have to be focused on the bigger picture, the rebellion will be a thing of the past soon enough'.

Numen nodded in agreement, for on this matter he and Van Duyn were on the same page. The rebels had gotten comfortable with the current arrangements but in time they would reap the whirlwind. The idea of letting Jake escape him again was not one that sat easily, though.

Before he could put forward a suggestion of how they might proceed in luring the boy to them, the room was aglow with activity and flashing lights. Holographic images of the other horsemen were now flickering into view in the vacant seats around the table. With the exception of the red glow about their person, it was as if the three men, and the female figure behind the Oceana leader, were actually in the room in person.

The president of the Americas, President Rockefeller, had come into power following the assassination of the previous man who held the office during the war that broke out in late 2018. He looked like the typical puppet who had performed this role in the past, an old, white, middle-class, middle-aged man. Like Van Duyn he had risen to power amid controversy and during a time of heightened terrorism and he too had been meant to hold office temporarily. Initially, he had become President of the United States, but within his first term had sought to unify North and South America despite very little support from the people. Corruption in the very highest echelons of society had been well-established and had laid a firm foundation for a relatively easy takeover. The masses had become weak and disillusioned, airing their gripes on social media rather than taking any tangible action.

The next person around the table was a very odd and unusual man. His large nose and large droopy eyes made him appear like a caricature of himself. His high balding forehead pulled in one direction whilst his sharp and pointed chin pulled in the other. It was as if both features were trying to escape the other. The man was President Dupont and he was in-charge of the Outlands, formerly the continent of Africa, and he was a scientist first, politician second. The red glow from the holographic image accentuated his big bulging eyes and the heavy bags that had collected below them. Despite his bizarre and ungainly appearance, he was perhaps the smartest man in the room.

The final two figures at the table were both considerably younger than their compatriots. Grand Emperor Li Xiang sat brooding almost sulking, the young man, the most recent addition to the Council following the mysterious death of his father, was not one for discussions and given his aversion to learning English or skills of diplomacy had his elder sister with him at all times to speak for him. The Empress, Li Ying, was stunning, cutting a figure that was serenity personified and glowing with a power and grace that made them quite an odd couple; beauty and the beast. Whilst she brought a welcome elegance to the proceedings, the other horsemen were fully aware that she was an astute and capable contributor, someone not to be crossed.

'Welcome gentlemen and our esteemed Empress' said Van Duyn acknowledging the formed guests. 'Let us get down to business. The first item, round table discussion and updates on our respective projects towards phase two, code name: False Dawns' he said turning to a classified dossier in front of him. 'The dawn of the Empire was a great achievement, but the rebellion has continued to grow, posing a threat to all we have established to date, and with new threats emerging we need to initiate our plans swiftly, eliminating the rebellion entirely'.

All around the table, the heads of the four leaders nodded in collective agreement.

'General Numen, if you would be so kind as to step out of the room' said Van Duyn to Numen's apparent surprise. 'Perhaps you can come up with a plan as to how we might ensure our little problem doesn't become any bigger'.

'What problem?' Dupont said abruptly as Numen was about to leave without incident.

All the holographic images were now looking in Van Duyn's direction waiting for answers.

'We had a small incident' explained Van Duyn reluctantly. 'General Numen here managed to let some of the rebels get away with something, or should I say, someone, who may provide a thorn in our side'.

The collective were now totally fixated on Van Duyn, eager for him to explain in more detail exactly what threat he was referring to.

'Let us stop speaking in riddles now dear Raymond' said Dupont. 'Are you trying to tell us that you have found a survivor from Project Eden?'

Project Eden was the code name for a government-led research project of nearly four decades ago. It had been funded by the US and UK governments of the time. It had been set up to conduct an experimental analysis of extra-terrestrial life forms that had been stranded and captured on this planet. Dupont had been the lead scientist on the highly classified project that had been officially disbanded in the 1990s, but he had expanded his research without their knowledge and this had developed into the work he was presiding over presently. Project Eden had been subsumed into False Dawns after the Empire had taken over.

'We have found Marie's boy, Jake' interrupted Numen. 'He is here in London'.

Van Duyn flashed him a look of sheer, unrepentant hatred. 'This is an unwelcome distraction whilst we are so close to launching the next phase' he growled, trying to silence Numen who as far as he was concerned should have left some time ago.

'Then that is most excellent news' said Dupont licking his lips with unbridled excitement. 'This can only help us achieve our goals. He will be nearing the peak of his capabilities now and such power can only accelerate our ambitions'.

Grand Emperor Li raised his head briefly to allow his sister to translate, before dropping his gaze back to the table seemingly uninterested in the revelation.

'Whilst that may indeed be the case, President Dupont, what if the boy knows about Project Eden?' said Numen now giving a brief, wry smile to Van Duyn.

Van Duyn scoffed at the very suggestion. 'None of us bar Dupont really know anything about it. It would be entirely inconceivable that the boy has any idea' he said incredulously. 'Perhaps General, rather than wasting all of our time you should do as you are told and seek to ensure that the boy and the rebels stay well clear of what we are doing here' he snapped angrily, unhappy to have been undermined in front of his fellow leaders.

Numen stared at Dupont inviting a challenge to Van Duyn's orders. It was clear from the scientist's expression that Numen's reference to his classified pet project had filled him with a degree of unease. The others present in the room, albeit by satellite link, flashed uncertain glances between the two men, waiting for the silence to be broken.

'The research facility where the original project was conducted is no longer operational' said Dupont finally, still maintaining eye contact with Numen. 'No one will have ever known of its existence. However, I cannot be certain that there is no evidence there that may scupper our plans. If they come into possession of what Project Eden is, or indeed what it was, then it may leave us vulnerable' he continued. 'They will have a powerful weapon that they can use against us'.

'Now hold on a minute' snapped Van Duyn. 'What facility?'

'It's an abandoned military science facility in a place called Porton Down, Salisbury. It's not far from your location' explained Dupont. 'It had never crossed my mind that anyone would have ever come looking there, the project was classified and no one had any idea of the full extent of my research. Any who did have been accounted for'.

'What makes you think the rebels or the boy would have any idea about it' interjected Van Duyn alarmed by these sudden and unexpected revelations.

'Maybe that is why the boy is here' reasoned Numen maintaining his focus on Dupont. 'Perhaps he knows more than we think and has come looking for answers'.

The look on Van Duyn's face became ever more disgruntled at the discussions taking place. 'General Numen is my subordinate to command' he began very aggressively, 'I do not buy the nonsense that they might suddenly know something about some secret military experiment. Particularly as I know nothing about it. No, the general will do as I said and make sure that our original plans are conducted without interference' said Van Duyn with an air of finality.

Grand Emperor Li beckoned his sister to his seated position and whispered something into her ear, before returning to the uninterested posture he had held for the majority of proceeding so far. She whispered something back to him before returning her attention to the assembled world leaders within the room.

'My brother and I believe that simply assuming that there is a little risk here would be foolish. If what the stories we have heard about President Dupont's Project Eden are to be believed, then there is a real chance that the implementation of False Dawns could be in jeopardy' announced the Empress, looking for support from around the room.

'I agree' confirmed President Rockefeller. 'Raymond, we really cannot afford to give up the position we have here. We are on the verge of being able to crush the rebellion and we cannot let them get hold of anything that may help their cause. All of what we have been doing for the past twenty years will be at risk' he urged, his thick Texan accent enveloping the room.

'I think it is clear that I, and so it seems, all of us, think we should intervene here' said Dupont finally, leaving Van Duyn as the lonely voice of dissension. 'Send Numen and his men to the site, just to make sure'.

Van Duyn was furious. It was apparent that whilst democracy was dead in the real world, in this room he was outvoted three to one. He fired a menacing look in Numen's direction, was foul play at hand with his henchman's deceptive mind games? Numen returned a warm smile back at him.

'So what's it going to be Raymond?' Dupont pressed him for a decision.

'Well, whilst I see it highly unlikely that either the boy or the rebels have any idea about Eden, it is clear to me that on this matter I am in the minority' he sighed with frustration, taking refuge in his emptying glass of whisky.

He now turned his gaze on Numen. 'I suggest General, you take your men, and gather whatever evidence is left at Porton Down and ensure that if the rebels do discover its whereabouts that when they do, there is absolutely nothing there for them to find'.

'Yes sir, Mister President' replied Numen barely able to contain his delight at besting his rival in front of all of these powerful figures.

'I suggest you leave immediately and when you have recovered whatever is there, I expect a full report' Van Duyn said through gritted teeth, dismissing him with a nonchalant wave.

'Just one final thing' interrupted Dupont much to Van Duyn's visible irritation. 'If General Numen could ensure that the secrets of Project Eden are personally brought to me here, that would be greatly appreciated' he said with a curt smile.

Van Duyn was getting very irked at the hijacking of this meeting. He had been looking forward to the next steps in world domination and the destruction of the troublesome rebels. However, the thought of getting Numen out of his hair for a while seemed like a perfect solution given the royal pain in the arse that he had become. He took a long swig from his glass imagining himself back at Desire after the conclusion of the meeting. Tonight he was going to treat himself to an extra special night of debauchery and sin.

'Fine. He can report to me when he returns' he said curtly. 'Now if we could get back to business' he continued, dismissing Numen with a sharp threatening stare.

Numen was already half the way out of the door. Even though he knew Van Duyn was probably right about what Jake knew about the secret research project and site at Porton Down, a little voice in Numen's head told him that somehow he and Jake would meet again very soon. This time, though, Numen would be the one calling the shots.

REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE

Jake was wandering around the grounds of the rebel hideout in the countryside, he had been walking for some time now. For the better part of the afternoon and early evening, he had been digesting the revelations from the memory mapping exercise. Jake still had not fully recovered from the journey to the deep recesses of his mind and had yet to hear whether any information of use had come to light.

At brief intervals snatches of what he had seen through Numen's captured memories flashed subliminally into his consciousness, stabbing his aching head with snapshots of what would no doubt become a recurring nightmare of his father's gruesomely cruel demise. His thirst for vengeance was now more pronounced than it had ever been.

All this walking in circles was starting to take its toll and he was getting dizzy. Jake found a quiet spot in the corner, a small mound beneath a tree, which he chose to take refuge from his agonising recollections.

As he sat and clasped his aching skull, his dizziness began to be replaced by a feeling of nausea. He wondered just how long this terrible hangover would last as Phoenix had assured him that the symptoms he was feeling would wear off within a few hours, but still, they had not abated.

Jake continued to massage his temples and took deep breaths, taking in the cool air from the fading sky which was beginning to succumb to darkness. With each breath, a new image shot through his mind like a train until slowly and surely the images began to ease and the pain began to subside. The tension in his neck gave way to the coolness of the sky around him and Jake now lay on his back looking to the darkening skies. He wondered if his parents were up there looking down on him and if they were, whether he had turned out quite as they had hoped. All he knew was that he was down here unsure of what the future held and what his role in defining it would be. He spent the next few minutes scouring the sky for a sign, anything that might give him an indication of what to do next, but only darkness came.

The next thing Jake knew, his foot was moving quite independently of his thoughts and he seemed to be drowning in what felt like a lukewarm and fizzy downpour. He opened his eyes in startled disorientation to see Lexi stood over him pouring a bottle of beer on his face and kicking his foot. It took him a moment to realise that the sky had darkened into night and that he had clearly drifted off, but before he could say anything, Max's big fat face was drooling all over him. He tried to fight him off, but Max seemed intent on licking every drop of the beer off of him, which seemed to amuse Lexi no end. She fell to the ground laughing spilling even more of the bottled beer over him and now her. It was not long before the two of them were on their backs being totally harassed by Max and now Rosie, who had joined in the shenanigans.

Jake managed to tussle and wrestle Max onto his back, but the American Staffordshire Terrier fought back and they began rolling around like a couple of kids who had yet to learn how to fight properly.

Lexi took hold of one of the beer bottles and tossed it as far as she could, soaking herself in the process. First Rosie and the Max scarpered off to hunt down the discarded bottle. Jake's face was not quite as jovial as Lexi's, now adding assault to his list of ailments.

'Can I interest you in a beer' said Lexi giggling and not entirely in control of her faculties before following up her offer with a very loud belch.

'How much of that stuff have you had?' Jake said, taking the beer from her as much for her own safety as for his desire to be even half as drunk as she was.

Lexi tried to count out the number of beers on her fingers but became quickly confused when she ran out of fingers on her hands. She burst into laughter and began rolling around in hysterics beside him. Jake had no idea why, but just looking at her made him laugh too and soon they were both laughing like a pair of prize idiots without the slightest idea as to why. It was a welcome distraction to the heaviness of the afternoon.

After they had calmed down a bit, Jake sat up and began to sip the warm beer which, to be honest, tasted like dirty, dank water, not that it stopped him drinking the remainder before letting out a hearty guttural belch of his own. This seemed to set them off again.

They eventually became silent, both looking up into the twilight sky. Neither one of them wanted to bring up the images they had seen earlier in the afternoon, but neither knew how to get the conversation going. The silence was starting to get uncomfortable.

Lexi turned to him, she was going to ask how he was feeling, but the words did not come out at first, she was clearly a little more inebriated than she realised as she tried to focus her mind on getting the words out.

It was all taking a lot longer to process than she had anticipated, and Jake had now turned to look at her having sensed that something was amiss.

'How are you going to feel me?' Blurted Lexi finally.

The words hung there briefly as they both tried to digest exactly what she had said. She flushed with embarrassment as she realised what had inadvertently stated, but Jake did not say anything, he just looked deep into her eyes and went in for the kill.

Their lips locked together with a powerful magnetism that sent a pulse of electricity through each of them. She grabbed at the back of his hair gently holding him in place to make the kiss last longer. His kiss was firm and passionate and she gently bit his bottom lip, teasing his teeth with her warm tongue. If she could have she would have frozen time just to stay in that very moment. Both their hearts raced and pounded in a way that felt both natural and unnatural at once.

Jake's mind was flooded with bright energy and lights, erasing any horrific thoughts that had once taken refuge there. His hands without any conscious direction from his brain now clasped the sides of her pale face as he pulled her even tighter towards him. Her lips were soft and wet, and he sank into her soft embrace not wanting this feeling to end.

Life had been very unkind to them both and they had been forced to grow up so quickly and into a world so bleak and dark. The brief respite from responsibility, tragic history and the precipice of war was a welcome release. Neither of them really knew what they were doing, but to be able to switch off entirely from reality allowed them to be young and uninhibited for a while.

They continued to kiss and frolic on the ground a while longer, blissfully unaware that they were no longer alone. Tank was stood over them uneasily trying to gain their attention with the subtle sound of a fake clearing of his throat. After several failed attempts he gave out a heavy and laboured cough.

Almost instantly the two teenagers exploded away from one another, peeling off in opposite directions in startled fright. The sight of Tank looking uncomfortable and embarrassed of the scene he had interrupted cascaded down on to both Jake and Lexi who were now looking as far away from him and each other as they tried to regain their breath and senses.

'Sorry to um, interrupt' said the gargantuan figure, camouflaged under the dark canopy above. He tried to look anywhere other than directly at the two of them below. 'My dad sent me. You two need come back to the house, it's important' he said before awkwardly turning away and heading back.

Jake and Lexi could barely look at one another and the interruption by Tank coupled with the effects of the beer, especially in Lexi's case, made the whole situation very strange and discombobulating. They both got to their feet, rearranging themselves to ensure that no one would know what they had been doing out here, but to be honest it was highly likely that Tank would say something sooner rather than later. The two of them looked at each other briefly, though neither knew what to say, Jake just dropped his head to the floor and chased after Tank.

Lexi's feeling of drunkenness and the excitement of the kiss with Jake seemed to just flush through her body leaving her with a feeling of being ultra alert and stone-cold sober. Whatever Tank had come to tell them was clearly important, and this situation could wait for another time. Once she had regained her composure she gave chase behind them.

By the time they had crossed the field towards the entrance to the house, Tank, Jake and Lexi had entirely forgotten the awkward scene or at least were doing their level best to put the situation to the back of their minds.

'So what is it that is so important then?' Jake said finally, trying to bring a bit of normality to proceedings.

'Dad was hoping you might know something about some Project Eden or something like that' said Tank. 'Phoenix came across some muddled message which mentioned it and a base nearby' continued Tank searching Jake's face for some positive sign of recollection or affirmation of the mysterious revelation.

It was clear from the expression on Jake's face that he had never heard of it and he shook his head to reinforce his answer for good measure. They carried on into the house keen to join the others inside and to try and understand the latest conundrum that had come to light.

Lexi lingered a few steps behind them, her face telling a very different picture. She knew exactly what Project Eden was, but revealing that fact to the rest of them was not something she had ever anticipated doing. She composed herself and then followed them inside. The brief dalliance with Jake was now the second worst revelation she could imagine being revealed to her fellow rebels.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 8

YEAR **2030 - REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE**

The hub was a hive of activity with everyone getting over-excited at the message that had been transmitted from Numen's memory mapping. Jake and Tank emerged into the outbuilding to find Mike, Sam and a few other guys gearing up and getting weapons ready. Phoenix was frantically trying to improve the distorted signal that she was getting from the monitor, which showed the meeting that had just taken place at the London compound, however, the picture was far from clear and kept breaking up meaning only parts of the conversation were captured.

'What's going on?' enquired Jake.

'There seems to be a technical glitch, a fault or something' moaned Phoenix desperately tapping at the keyboard and tweaking wires to try and improve the signal. Nothing seemed to be working.

'Why are the guys suiting up?' Tank asked, looking across at Mike and the others who were nearly assembled and ready to move out.

Phoenix tried in vain to improve the picture that was flickering through to no avail. 'I don't know what's happening, it was working perfectly until this point, maybe it's just buffering because it is happening right now' she said ignoring his question.

Jake and Tank now looked at the monitor which she was desperately trying to fix, it showed a distorted image of four or five figures in a room around a table, but it kept breaking up and freezing. The audio was not much better but a handful of words could be made out and it was at this point that Jake heard the reference to 'Project Eden' just as Tank had mentioned outside to him and Lexi just after he had caught them kissing. This was not the time to recount that particular event, but it prompted another thought and Jake now scanned the room, where was Lexi?

'Dad, what's going on?' called Tank as Isaac emerged from the crowd. 'Why are the guys suiting up?'

Isaac's normally calm exterior had been replaced by one of suspicion and concern. 'These images came in a little while ago and like I said some Project Eden or something like that was mentioned' he explained, 'that's why I asked you to get Jake'.

Tank was getting irritable, was no one capable of answering a simple question around here? Isaac detected the anger welling up inside his son.

'A location was disclosed in the footage and it's nearby. I'm going to send a unit to check it out' he said.

'What's there?' enquired Jake not fully on top of the situation.

Isaac shook his head. 'We don't know, but we were kind of hoping you would' he said coldly, far removed from the warm welcome he had afforded Jake just a day or so ago.

Jake was beginning to feel as though all of the hope and expectation that people here had on him was perhaps misguided. They seemed to assume a lot of knowledge he did not have, particularly around this mysterious activity of the Empire. He was as in the dark about Project Eden as the rest of them and was starting to feel a bit out of his depth.

'I said to Tank on the way here, that I have never heard of a Project Eden. Honestly, Isaac, you have to believe me' he pleaded.

'I want to believe you Jake, but from the parts of the conversation that Phoe has been able to piece together you are implicated as being part of this top secret military project' said Isaac sternly. 'You are telling me that the words Project Eden or Porton Down, Salisbury, mean absolutely nothing to you?'

The discussions all around them had faded into quiet murmurings and everyone was now looking at Jake with a suspicion that he had not experienced since the days of being a young boy unable to bond or make friends with kids his own age. He had always been an outsider until he came here. It had always been just him and Max.

Max was now beside him, faithful as ever and faced the stares from the gathering with his master. Jake was certain he had never heard of any of these things. What the hell did a top secret military project have to do with him? He had spent most of his life on the run and this place that Isaac was talking about was right here.

_You remember your mother kid?_ Max's voice echoed in his head.

Jake now averted his gaze from the rest of the room and looked deep into the American Staffordshire Terrier's eyes. _What about my mother?_

Before we left your Dad took us to her grave.

The hairs on Jake's neck and arms all stood to attention as the picture of his mother's gravestone flashed into his memory, Max may have been on to something.

'I might not know anything about a Project Eden and I have no idea where Porton Down is or what happens there' said Jake slowly before taking a deep breath.

'But-' urged Isaac.

'It may be a coincidence, it may be nothing' said Jake. 'But when I was a little boy my father sent me away to protect me from what was coming, from the very people who have destroyed the world and your lives' he continued trying to reason with them. 'Anyway, before I left and became Jake Harding, Hunter, Wade and all the other names and alias's I was given, I was known by my mother's name. My mother was Marie Eden and she and my father never married'.

A thoughtful silence descended. Jake's head now hung heavily, had he just uncovered one of those secrets that in hindsight you wish you had never found? What if he had been part of some top-secret military experiment, it would have explained a lot, but what if it was a coincidence or perhaps his mother had been involved and it had nothing to do with him? No matter what way he tried to play it out in his mind, there was something there that needed answers and it seemed that Porton Down may have some of those.

Isaac took Jake's head in his hands and kissed him on the top of his head. 'I told you before, you are safe here' he said with his soft tone returning. 'There is no certainty that this Project Eden has anything to do with you, but you never know Jake, it may have the answers that you are looking for. It might also hold the key to our victory against the Empire'.

It had been the first time that Jake had been treated with such affection and warmth in a very long time. For a boy now entering into manhood, he was very emotionally under-developed having constantly been on the run and focussed on survival. He had not had many reliable figures in his life to this point. Isaac's fatherly support was something he had was growing accustomed to and the idea of displeasing him did not sit well. With this gesture of reassurance, the swarming butterflies in Jake's stomach began to abate.

'I have to go with them' said Jake.

'I'm not sure that is a good idea' said Isaac hesitantly. 'Phoe still hasn't managed to unlock the code to the mainframe and it might be a trap to capture you'.

'I have to go. If this really is to do with me surely I'm the most likely to remember and know what we are looking for' he reasoned. 'Besides, I can't just sit back here and do nothing'.

'I'll go with him' announced Lexi having suited herself up for action and recovered from her intoxicated state.

'Me too' chimed Tank heading off to gather his rifle.

_Me too._ Max barked.

Isaac could have given every reason under the sun as to why they should not go but he knew that resistance was futile and he had no right telling them what to do, but Tank was his son and he did not want him getting in harm's way.

'Go, but be careful' he said looking to both Jake and Lexi.

Isaac then went after Tank to reason with him to stay. Lexi was now beside Jake and handed him one of the nuclear pulse rifles that foot soldiers of the Empire carried. She was all business.

'You might need that. Just aim and fire until they stop' she said before heading off after the assorted crew of armed men that had assembled by the convoy of trucks.

Jake held the rifle in his hands, it was much heavier than he had anticipated. He had seen firsthand the immense damage that they could inflict and he hoped that he would not have to use it, he had never fired a gun in his life. Max came up alongside him now and rubbed his head against his leg.

_How did you remember that day, you were barely a puppy?_ Jake sublimated to him.

_It was the first and last day I ever saw you cry, until today._ Max replied.

More importantly for that matter, when exactly did you start to read?

Max barked and growled at him. _I might be a dog, but that doesn't make me retarded! Humans! Such an arrogant species!_

Max bounded off in search of the crew, with Jake laughing behind him.

The two transporters carrying Jake and the others to Porton Down had left about twenty minutes ago. In that time Phoenix had been furiously trying to fix the connection problem to the message from Numen's memory map. It continued to run on a loop with the image and audio still heavily distorted. She had double checked everything twice and still, there was not an explanation as to what was causing the problem. Phoenix decided to run the checks for the third time, exasperated with the situation.

Isaac then joined her in the hub having failed to win the argument with his son, who had joined the others on the mission to Porton Down.

'Anything I can do to help?' he said, clearly startling her to the point that she banged her head against the underside of the main computer station.

She emerged from beneath the desk clearly irritated rubbing her head from the bump. She rearranged her glasses to identify the cause of her current discomfort to see the towering figure of her leader.

'You know what, I have checked and double checked every cable, connection and I cannot for the life of me work out why that,' she snarled pointing at the flickering monitor, 'is not working'.

He helped her up and she rubbed her sore head. It was clear from his expression that Isaac was not having one of his better days either.

'You ok?' she asked.

'I couldn't stop him' he said referring to Tank. 'That boy is so headstrong, he gets it from his mother' he complained.

Phoenix reasoned that her head pain was probably inconsequential in the circumstances and assumed a more empathic tone.

'Mike and Sam will look out for him and keep him out of trouble I'm sure' she said trying to reassure him.

'You know, it doesn't matter. I can't protect him for much longer. What we are embarking on here, will inevitably lead to situations just as dangerous, if not more so' he said philosophically.

What he was saying was true, this was no game, this was a battle for freedom against a very powerful foe who would not relinquish the power they had usurped without a fight. He had spent his entire adult life at war, whether it was when he served his country in the incursions in the Middle East or as the leader of a band of rebels against fellow rebels or the Empire. It seemed to him that life was characterised by fighting for the hope that in the future things would be peaceful, calm and free. Each time he had entered the war zone he had done so hoping that it would be the last time, but for each regime that had been toppled another had taken its place. Of course, over the years he had learned that the very regimes he had played a role in overthrowing had been enemies of the Empire, mere stepping stones to their plan for the New World Order that was now in place. Peace, hope, and happiness would not be secured until the Empire was destroyed entirely. Only then would there be a chance for the kind of world he hoped that Tank and his children, when he had them, could live in free from tyranny. Until then danger, loss, and bloodshed would be an inevitability.

'I just hope they are careful and come back safely' he said.

Phoenix gave him a big hug and a smile. 'They will be fine I'm sure'.

The flickering monitor carrying the image from the Council meeting now went blank bringing a look of panic on Phoenix's face. She pulled away from Isaac and rushed to the screen checking the connections of the foot soldier surrogate whom Numen's thoughts were being transferred through, everything was in place, but the look of alarm on her face grew with each second passed and wire checked.

'What's wrong?' Isaac asked desperate to help her.

'The connection has gone' she said, her face casting a fearful expression.

In her panic, she ran across to the main computer terminal which was filtering through the gathered images in search of the passcode from Numen's mind. The seven letter code was only half decoded, with four of the letters confirmed. She hurriedly wrote them down fearing that the data was about to be lost.

'Is it a virus?' Isaac asked entirely powerless to assist her.

'I don't know, I don't think so' she said hurriedly tapping on the keyboards and checking the screens.

The monitor continued to decrypt the code and filtered through the images that had been downloaded already. Despite her alarm, Phoenix could not find any threat to the programmes she was running, it was all as it should be. She turned back to the surrogate and the blank screen, all the information that had been downloaded was secure and running through an array of decryption and translation software programmes, the problem was that no new information was being gathered. There was only one logical explanation to what had occurred.

'He has found the bug' she blurted. 'He knows we planted it on him'.

'Who?' countered Isaac still unsure of what was happening.

'Numen. He knows. It is the only explanation as to why the tracer has stopped'. Her anxiety level was increasing and she was now chewing on her ponytail nervously.

'How?'

'I have no idea, but if he knows about the bug then surely he knows that the guys will be coming after him at Porton Down. We have to warn them' said Phoenix in a hyper state of alert.

Isaac was frozen for just a moment. They had agreed to keep to radio silence to reduce the risk of detection or an inadvertent message that might be intercepted by Numen and his men, revealing their position. They were on their own and Numen seemed to be expecting them.

Phoenix had detected that something was wrong. Isaac's usually calm exterior had been replaced by one of irritation. His eyes bulging fearfully and he began pacing with agitation.

'What's wrong?' she asked, not really wanting the answer.

'Get a map that gives me directions to Porton Down and send it to the car. Do it now' he said before sprinting out into the courtyard.

Phoenix had little time to argue and began to search for the map that she could transmit to his handheld. Within a few moments the roaring sound of an engine, tyres squealing, and wheels spinning into action filled the night sky as it shot off through the grounds of the mansion and out into the uncharted roads beyond.

PORTON DOWN RESEARCH FACILITY - NEAR SALISBURY

From the air, the 7000-acre site certainly would not be much to write home about. Many of the buildings that had been used for top secret military research in the past had been left either abandoned or destroyed. The main spanner-shaped building and a few outbuildings that surrounded it were the only ones that had survived over the years.

Very little information was on public record about what had gone on here, there were many conspiracy theories about human and animal testing, as well as suggestions that biological weapons had been designed and tested here. Porton Down was a quiet place just on the outskirts of Salisbury and for many years now had been totally abandoned and left to decay. The two nearest Empire compounds of note were in Bristol to the west and Southampton to the south-east, with the London compound being the next closest some 90 miles away.

The two rebel transporters had come through the unguarded outpost at the front of the site and set down in what had once been a car park for research employees. The place was eerily silent and dimly lit and it was hard to believe that anyone was here, or indeed anything of particular value was left behind.

The group had split up into smaller units of four of five and set about exploring the place. Mike led a group towards the centre which included Jake and Max and a couple of others. Lexi and Tank led their group towards the east wing of the giant spanner-shaped building, whilst Sam took his troops towards the western side.

They all moved in their respective directions guns at the ready and entirely unsure of what they were looking for. Mike waved Jake and his team towards the entrance which had once been a heavily secured entry into the heart of the facility but was now destroyed and open freely welcoming them and anyone else in. It was very dark inside and the long straight corridors had become thick with dirt and damp from the exposure to the elements and having been neglecting over the years. Papers and reports were strewn about the place in a manner that suggested that the site had been raided and ransacked on many occasions given the scale of the mess.

Mike ushered the two other gunmen onwards, signalling for them to keep their eyes open and to check the rooms ahead. He encouraged Jake to stay behind him with Max staying in close quarters. Jake had hoped that when he got here, any memories would resurface and guide him to whatever it was that Numen was looking for, but so far nothing had registered as familiar.

They continued slowly and surely down the corridor peering into the diverse rooms that were littered with a range of scientific equipment and paperwork, none of which had survived the ransacking intact.

To the east of Jake and Mike's position, Lexi and Tank had spread their team around the horseshoe of the eastern wing and they began to enter the building from all sides. Just as the others had discovered, there was rubbish everywhere and any previous security systems that had been in place were long gone. They too began to sweep through the corridors, checking the rooms as they went. Still, an eerie silence swept through the place with no sign of Numen or affiliates of the Empire.

'I'll check upstairs on the first floor' Lexi whispered to Tank as he continued to cautiously inspect the rooms near the base of the stairwell.

'I'll finish off here and then I'll come and find you' he replied in a hushed tone not fitting of his large frame.

They then separated out and continued to search the premises for any clues about Project Eden that might be of use and shed some light on its mysterious past and connection to Jake.

Lexi, unlike the others, knew exactly where she was going, having been here before, she knew that there was nothing of note in the core or western wings of the building, she had searched there on her last excursion. She skipped quickly up the steps and made her way to the very end of the corridor, checking intermittently that she was not being followed, keeping her rifle fixed ahead ready to take out any attacker. As she reached the end of the corridor she was met with two doors, one was an exit that led to the stairwell directly to the roof and the other was a part of the building that had no windows both into and out of it. She dropped to her knees at the entrance to the room, taking a quick look to her right for any signs of movement from down the corridor. Having ensured the coast was clear, she pulled out a small screwdriver from her backpack and began to unscrew the screws on the door handle. She had remembered the last time she came here that this room had been locked, so whilst the others had been trying to make sense of Numen's distorted revelations she had gone and got some tools to help her break in.

The first two screws dropped out easily and as Lexi got to work on the third one she checked the path was clear again. Pretty soon she had managed to remove all of the screws and the handle fell away on both sides of the door. She took out a large metal ruler and began toying with the lock until it gave way and the door fell open. After a final check, she went inside and closed the door behind her.

Lexi realised that the room was the length of the entire corridor and was a large rectangular room shrouded at this point in total darkness with the slightest beam of light breaking through the solitary skylight in the centre. She pulled a glow stick from her backpack snapping it to reveal a yellow luminescent glow that brought some of the features of the enormous and expansive room into view.

Behind her was a wall of metal lockers, like the ones that kids had used in school only much larger. As she began to explore the room further she could see a long line of what looked like empty aquariums, above them, hung strange large metal arms that lay dormant and unused. She continued to venture further in, the light from the glow stick only illuminated a small area at a time so she kept walking deeper into the room with more things coming into view with each step.

A series of intact filing cabinets were housed in the corner on the far side of the room. Lexi hurried towards them anticipating that these may contain the files she had been looking for on her previous visits. She put the glow stick between her teeth and placed her rifle on the floor next to the filing cabinets and pulled on the large drawer ready to quickly scour through the files inside.

The drawer was much heavier than she had anticipated and it required all of her strength to yank it open and as it gave way she was catapulted unexpectedly backwards onto the floor behind her. She landed on her backside with a quivering squeal escaping her lips and the glow stick falling to the floor. The fright of the fall and the shock of what she had opened had been unexpected. As Lexi recovered the luminescent rod and got back to her feet she gave a brief chuckle for having acted rather too much like a girl.

Behind her was a large metal box, like an oversized chest, she had not noticed it until the fall. She shone the light on it and it had an imprint of a human hand on the top, bedded into the casing which she was drawn to momentarily but then remembered the filing cabinet on her left that had caused her to fall. The mysterious casket could wait, she needed to check the files.

The draw had opened out into the room a good bed length and on closer inspection, it was clear that it was not a receptacle for paper files, in the drawer lay a motionless, no doubt dead, human figure encased in a body bag. Lexi covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming. She took hold of the next drawer and pulled on it, which also had a body bag in it. She did this all the way along the bottom row and soon there were five giant drawers, each containing a body bag.

The curiosity had now entirely consumed her and all thoughts of files and top secret reports had vacated Lexi's mind. _What the hell had they been doing here?_

She crouched down beside the first body that she had revealed, the cold from the rear refrigeration made her breath come out smoky. She shone the light down into the drawer and then took a deep breath. Slowly she unzipped the black bag to reveal the corpse inside. The smell alone brought her close to the point of vomiting, it was like opening a packet of processed meat, and the gassy stench was assaulting her nasal passage and bringing water to her eyes. To her surprise the body inside had not decomposed, having clearly been preserved through refrigeration. It was a male torso, deathly white almost blue skin, but most definitely human in form. She waved the glow stick over the upper part of his torso to his face and it was this that had forced her to take a step back. He had no face. It was as if someone had erased all of his features away leaving a smooth skin over his skull. Whatever he or it was it had no nose, no hair, ears or lips, just a flat skinned canvas that housed dark black vacant eyes staring into an abyss.

Lexi quickly checked another one of the corpses, another male, but again with the same faceless head and black eyes like the one before. She desperately wanted to inspect further but the light from the luminescent stick was starting to dim. She pushed the faceless corpses back into the refrigeration unit and took a last glance at the unique chest she had discovered when she fell down. Tank would be looking for her by now she reasoned, so she should leave, but the lure of the metal chest with a hand imprint was too much to bear. _Just a quick peak_ she told herself, and then she would go and find the others and tell them that she had found nothing.

She tried to find a catch or lever to gain entry into the casket but there seemed to be absolutely no way in. The glow stick became dimmer, but she could not leave without seeing what was inside. She kept searching but to no avail, there was no way in, just a weird hand imprint that was perhaps left there from someone else who had tried to get in. She imagined someone had tried and failed before her, slamming their hand down in frustration having been unable to gain entry. That explanation made absolutely no sense to her, so she did something else that made even less sense and placed her right hand into the imprint. Nothing happened. Frustrated she slammed her hand down into the imprint and cursed it angrily in a manner not befitting a lady.

It was hardly hey presto, but whatever she had done had now brought the casket to life and it began whirring from the inside and lights that had been previously hidden began flashing and brightening the room. After a few moments of activity, the casket popped open a bright green glow oozing from within. Lexi's gut instinct was to run like the wind, but something pulled her closer to the lid of the casket where the light was emanating and sparks of energy seemed to be churning from within. As she lifted the lid and took a look inside, the colour from her cheeks disappeared and her heart rate shot into overdrive. The shock fired through a sequence of synapses in her brain that for the moment made it difficult for her to command her limbs to run. In her head, she could hear her own voice screeching at her to run, but she was temporarily paralysed looking down at the glow from the box that shifted through all of the colours of the rainbow. This was clearly what Project Eden was all about, and no file or dossier could explain it quite like what she was witnessing.

Lexi soon found the energy to force herself into action and slammed the casket lid down, she cursed herself for having not followed her gut as she grabbed her rifle from beside the giant refrigeration unit with the faceless bodies inside. She needed to get the hell out of here. As she turned to run she slammed into a large black figure, hard as a wall and fell to the floor dropping her rifle and glow stick to the ground. She peered up and saw a gargantuan tower of a man, stood over her.

'Jesus Christ Tank, you scared the shit out of me!'

The fear and relief swept over her body, thankful for seeing him in this godforsaken place. She got to her feet again.

'We need to get the hell out of here' she exclaimed, looking directly at him.

Just then a cold chill swept down her spine and set into motion a flood of unbridled and uncontrolled chemical impulses. Within an instant of seeing his cold, vacuous expression the counter opposite to his usually warm, genial and polite facade, Lexi knew something was wrong. Tank's body collapsed in a lifeless heap right in front of her. The sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the room, slowly getting louder as they closed in on her. Lexi never looked up, her eyes were fixed on Tank, prostrate and beyond help on the floor. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks and the scream she urged to ring out Tank's cruel death never came.

The next thing Lexi knew she was floating off the ground and barely able to breathe. Her emerald eyes swept from the dead corpse of Tank into the cold blue stare of another ebony giant of a man. The grip around her neck tightened and the last thing she saw was her attacker smirking whilst he held her off the ground with little effort, stroking his silver half goatee with his vacant hand. Numen said something to her as she drifted into a state of semi-consciousness, but she did not manage to make out his exact words, but she did hear the whirring blades of a helicopter swinging overhead before everything went very dark.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 9

YEAR **2030 - PORTON DOWN RESEARCH FACILITY - NEAR SALISBURY**

Jake and Mike had swept through the entire central corridor of the abandoned research facility and other than a great deal of damage and lack of care they had come to the conclusion that there were no signs of any useful intelligence on Project Eden here. Had there been any, someone had already gotten to it before them.

They began to filter through the mess in the last two rooms in the corridor finding more discarded documents and damaged equipment. The frustration on their faces was mirrored by Sam and his team who had now emerged into the central section of the facility having checked top to bottom of the west wing.

'Anything at all?' Mike asked his cousin, in hope rather than expectation.

Sam shook his head. 'Just more of what you have found here. It looks like this place has been done over a few times'.

'Well let's hope Lexi and Tank have had more luck because this is starting to look like a dead end' replied Mike tossing the damaged microscope he had found among the wreckage back into the room. 'Come on let's get them and get out of here'.

The two groups had now merged and made their way through the labyrinth of decaying rooms and corridors towards the east wing. Jake remained behind his group leader thankful that he had not had to use his rifle, but he was troubled by the fact that at no point had any of these rooms, corridors or any of the paraphernalia strewn within them, had jarred his memory at all. If Project Eden had anything to do with him, he had no idea how. He was now deep in thought trying to figure it all out until Mike stopped suddenly and turned to him.

'Hey Jake, where's your dog?'

Jake turned to check that Max was still behind him and just maintaining silence, but he had gone.

'I have no idea' he confessed. He was now racking his brain for the last time he had seen his trusty companion.

'Well let's keep heading to the east wing' urged Sam readying his gun for action, 'he can't have gotten far'.

He now took up the lead with Ed, the driver from the breakout and a couple of guys from the rebel ranks that Jake had yet to make any significant bonds with. The taller one was called Simon and the slightly chubby one with blonde hair was Tom. Sam's group headed back through from where Mike and Jake had begun.

'We'll go back through the entrance' Mike called to his cousin, 'we'll double back around the outside and meet you and then we'll get out of here'.

'Okay, we'll get Lexi, Tank, and the others. We'll be there soon' replied Sam now making their way into the eastern wing of the building.

Mike then ushered Jake to follow him towards the entrance and the night sky of the eerie outdoors. Their group of three was now reduced to two and Jake was getting scared, he had not been able to get a read on Max since they had discovered that he was missing. He was either well out of range or worse still he was not responding because he was dead.

Jake and Mike spilled out into the dimly lit grounds outside the front of the facility, which remained deathly silent. Their vehicles remained static in the car park, it was as if they had been sent on a wild goose chase.

'It's too quiet' groaned Jake, still keeping his voice down just in case.

'I was thinking exactly that' confessed Mike still sweeping the area with his rifle ready for a surprise attack.

'You think they tricked us into coming here, just to lure us out' said Jake.

'Why would they do that?' Mike said.

'To leave the base under-equipped' he proposed.

Mike shook his head in disagreement. 'That makes no sense. We still have plenty of people back at base who could hold them off. Besides, how would they even know that we were aware of their discussion'?

A spark of realisation triggered in Jake's head. It was a good question, how the hell would the Empire know they were watching them? Given that they had not stumbled upon Numen and his men, catching them unawares, the more Jake pondered the question he could only come up with two conclusions. Either the Empire had no idea they were being spied on and had already been and gone meaning that whatever was here was now long gone, or more alarmingly, they did know they were here which meant they were in terrible danger.

The look on Mike's face told Jake that he had done some similar calculations of his own and had arrived at the same result.

'We need to find the others and get the hell out of here' he whispered.

The two of them had not taken more than a few steps when Mike grabbed Jake's arm and pulled him to an abrupt halt. Jake looked at him and then was drawn to where Mike was staring off into the distance. He starred and refocused a number of times but couldn't see anything.

'What are we looking at?' Jake enquired still unable to make anything out in the thick darkness above the site.

Mike placed his index finger to his mouth, calling for Jake to stop talking. He then tapped his right ear and pointed up to the north-east of their position behind the main building. Jake listened intently, the faintest of whirring and clicking could be heard in the distance, but it was getting closer. They waited a few moments longer and the whirring was now competing with the roar of an engine coming from a few miles away from them, along the road they had travelled to get into the place. Lights began to flicker in the night sky above and the shape of a helicopter could just be made out, a second one emerged behind it moments after.

'Why do I get the feeling we are about to be ambushed?' Mike said.

'We need to go and get the others' urged Jake.

He went to go after Sam and the others, but Mike pulled him back again. 'Listen' he said.

Among the sound of the helicopters and the vehicle that were closing in on the facility, a more familiar and welcome sound was fighting its way through. A dog was barking from the eastern wing, which could only mean that Max was safe.

On the roof of the building, Max's silhouette could be just about be made out running towards two armed figures. He jumped up at them and soon they could be seen falling from the roof to the ground below. Max now turned back and began barking again towards the position Mike and Jake had taken up.

'Let's get up there' said Mike.

He started to run towards the door that Tank and Lexi had taken earlier on, Jake followed behind trying to decipher Max's message which was difficult to make out under the cacophony caused by the helicopters and the vehicle that was closing in on the compound.

A bright bolt of fire ripped across the back of Jake and Mike and smashed into the building behind them, taking out a window and smashing some of the concrete off of the wall. Behind them, three of four dark hostile figures were closing in and firing at them.

'Get down!' Mike yelled diving to the corner of the eastern horseshoe of the building and turning to return fire.

Jake was now crouched down behind the wall, Mike hanging over him and unleashing fire at the oncoming attackers.

'You wanna do something useful and start firing back' he bellowed under the sudden eruption of noise that had overwhelmed the eerie calm of moments before.

The sounds of screams and gunfire inside the east wing told Jake that they were indeed being ambushed. He flipped his rifle into active mode and turned to fire. His first few shots were way off target and it was incredibly difficult to make out the figures as they were well-camouflaged by the darkness. This indicated that their foes were clearly skilled in covert and clandestine operations of this nature.

'They don't move like the guards from the compound' Jake complained, having not hit a target yet. 'They're so much quicker'.

'That's because they aren't robots. These guys are Chimera' said Mike still taking and returning fire.

A shot exploded just above his head forcing them both to recoil as the concrete from the wall gave way. Mike then swung back around the corner and unleashed a bolt from his gun into the unsuspecting Chimaera agent. Jake watched as the dark figure seemed to just erupt into flames before instantaneously imploding into nothing but dust and a shrill momentary scream that sent shivers down Jake's spine. A second agent followed the same grisly demise just moments later as he was instantly cremated by Mike's gun. The horrific final death call was blood-curdling.

Jake tried to block out the horror and was drawn to the thundering chopper blades from one of the helicopters above him. It had landed on the roof above them, creating a mini whirlwind behind them that sent his hair flailing. He began to return fire on the Chimaera agents with Mike, knowing that if they did not remove the threat of this flank then the rest of the group would be in jeopardy. He just hoped that Sam, Tank and the others were able to stop the agents inside.

With each shot, Jake fired, whilst it missed its intended target it did briefly illuminate the outline of the agents heading towards them. He had counted about seven in total and Mike had used the intermittent illuminations to eviscerate two of the targets leaving just five.

Two bright beams of light now lit up the courtyard and car park, exposing the remaining five figures who seemed to be caught unaware by the vehicle that had now roared into the main grounds of the Porton Down facility. The unexpected distraction had enabled Mike to terminate two of the agents, their bodies sucked into a fiery vacuum leaving the smallest trace of a dust cloud in its wake.

The car screeched to a halt and Isaac emerged unleashing hell on the remaining agents. Where Jake had failed to hit any of the Chimaera henchmen, Isaac and Mike had managed to eliminate them all. Having now abandoned the car with its engine still running, Isaac ran to their position, his arrival a very welcome sight.

'Where are the others' he said breathlessly.

'Inside' said Mike, but Isaac was already on his way.

Mike and Jake charged behind him towards the door that led to the roof above. Isaac took out two agents with quick-fire shots from his gun and their remains created a dust cloud that caught Mike unawares. As he choked and Isaac was just about to pass through the doorway, an agent came around the corner his gun trained on Isaac, who was now entirely at the gunmen's mercy.

In the instant that the hidden agent had emerged, Jake had unloaded his weapon relying entirely on instinct. The death wail and instant implosion startled Isaac. As he watched the final remnants of the agent who would have surely ended his life burn into the darkness, he turned back to see Jake with a stunned and deathly pale expression washed across him.

'Nice shooting' he said before charging into the building, closely followed by Mike who gave a fatherly pat on the back to Jake.

Jake had never taken a life before. He stood rooted to the spot his gun smoking from the shot. He willed his body to go in behind them, but he was in a state of paralysis, the shock taking charge momentarily. It was not that long until it gave way to a deep nauseous ball in his stomach and then Jake was doubled over throwing up his dinner.

With very little time to recover, Jake could now see the second helicopter hovering above the east wing. The Chimaera agents inside were lining it up for a strike on the building and the rear gunner was now aiming the cannon right at him. Jake tried to get into the gunner's head, but nothing was happening, his abilities were failing him right when he needed them most. After another unsuccessful attempt to claim control of the agent, he was now under fire and running for the refuge of the building.

An explosion ripped behind him, destroying the doorway and catapulting into the corridor near the stairs. He landed face down on the dirty floor, whilst the helicopter let rip with its impressive firepower. Jake kept his head firmly down on the ground trying to protect himself from falling debris. For the next few minutes, bolts of thunder and fire tore through the outer shell of the building amidst screams from inside as rebels and agents tried to find refuge from the onslaught. Walls seemed to disintegrate and ceilings collapsed, with debris and wreckage spraying everywhere, flames battling one another for superiority as the helicopter gutted the entire east wing.

After what felt like an eternity, the chopper blades could be heard ascending into the sky, closely followed by the second, until after a few more moments they could barely be heard. It was over.

As Jake finally lifted his head, fragments of dust and broken cement from the wreckage falling from his hair, his eyes were now just a few feet from a body staring blankly back at him. He jumped up in fright, now looking horrified and aghast at the lifeless body of one of the rebels who had been with Lexi and Tank. Jake had never spoken to him before and could not even recall his name. The startled look on the young man's face suggested that he had been caught unawares, the bluish tint to his face indicated asphyxiation, and whilst Jake was glad he had not had to suffer the awful impact of one of the nuclear pulse rifles, this did not look a much better way to die.

Max's bark from the stairs above drew his attention. Even up close he could not manage to draw up a connection to his faithful friend. Max barked at him again and then headed off into what was left of the first floor.

Jake began to clamber up the stairs, disorientated by the explosion and attack on the east wing. He was feeling incredibly weary and had to stop every few steps to take a breath. What was going on here? Could it be the after effects of the memory mapping taking hold or perhaps the trauma of the ambush? Whatever it was Jake was not feeling well and none of his usual faculties was working properly.

The carnage upstairs on the second floor was even worse than downstairs. Max had emerged from a room at the end of the corridor and was charging towards him, angrily barking at him and tugging at his jeans. Still, they were unable to communicate as freely as they had, but Jake was grateful that his old friend seemed to be unharmed from the incident. Max had some dirt marks on his back and a thick coating of dust all over him, but no wounds were apparent. His barking was now beginning to cut straight through Jake's head. How he longed for the chance to hear Max's gruff voice than this searing racket that was assaulting his ears.

Jake now entered the room where Max had been directing him, this was the room in which Lexi had broken into, unbeknown the others, before the cavalry had arrived. The large wall into the corridor had been pierced numerous times by the gunfire and the room was as badly destroyed as any of the others that they had inspected. Jake could make out the chiselled features of Mike and Sam crouched over a body in the corner and they seemed hard at work trying to revive the fallen soul. He was still a little dazed from everything that had happened and was not fully registering the gravity of what was happening.

'She's breathing, but barely' he heard Mike say.

Jake was now drawn to the second huddle where Ed was pumping down on the chest of a familiar face, Isaac cradling the head in his lap, muttering something over and over in a quiet and hushed tone.

'I'm so sorry, please don't leave me' Isaac uttered quietly, repeating the words over and over again desperate for a miracle to occur.

As he got closer, Jake could see the look in Tank's eyes, it was a look he had seen just moments ago downstairs. It was a lot to take in and Jake could not piece it all together just yet. Max was with Mike and Sam who were doing their level best to help Lexi, but he was doing little to help the situation.

'Jake' called Mike, 'do something about him will you, he's been going nuts for ages' he said trying to hold Max off.

'Max!' Jake yelled much more loudly than he realised, clearly still feeling the aftereffects of the blast.

Everyone now looked up at Jake, before returning to tending for the two fallen victims.

'Come here' growled Jake realising the brevity of the occasion, finally.

Simon and Tom were nowhere to be seen, it was clear that Tank was not coming back and Lexi was not looking good at all. Max whimpered and began jumping up at him and now Jake grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pinned him to the ground.

'People are fighting for their lives here you irritating little git. Show some goddamn respect' he bellowed angrily.

Max lay submissively on his back, eyes wide open in fear and his tongue panting whilst he let out a few squeals of frustration and fear. All the eyes in the room fell upon Jake a second time, then darting to Isaac before returning to the floor in what was a defeated acceptance of how true Jake's words were.

Jake let go of his grip of Max who now scarpered out of the door. Just as he realised how harsh and very insensitive his own words had been, a deep and bone-chilling wail of hurt erupted from Isaac's direction. It was an awful sound, the worst that Jake had ever heard, like a bear that had been caught in a trap and it replayed over and over again with each gasp of air that Isaac could muster. It made the hairs on the necks of everyone in the room stand on end and soon tears welled up in their eyes. With another juddering whimper, Isaac gave way to a torrential outpouring of grief, clutching tightly to his beloved son. Tank was gone.

REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE

A few very long and miserable days had passed since the horrific incident at Porton Down. Jake had felt very isolated, for the first time since arriving here. He could not even fall back on his tried and tested crutch of Max, who had given him a wide berth the past few days, choosing to spend his time with Rosie. Having had time to recover fully, Jake had hoped that his telepathic link with his old friend might re-emerge to allow him a chance to apologise, but his abilities seemed to have disappeared entirely.

Lexi was not herself and had taken to avoiding contact with absolutely everyone, no doubt consumed with guilt for Tank's death and whatever she had seen leading up to that moment. She had been a lot blunter with people than was normally the case. Phoenix had suggested using the memory map programme to help her make sense of what had happened in an effort to support her and allow her to be able to grieve, but Lexi had told her in no uncertain terms that this was entirely not up for discussion. She had not given Jake even a slight glance or word of acknowledgement, which was in stark contrast to where their relationship was just a few nights ago.

Isaac and his wife Serena had not been seen since the group had returned. She had blamed Isaac for the death of their son and had camped herself in their room in the house and Isaac had left the same evening with no one knowing his whereabouts or when he would return.

The rest of the rebels had been entirely crestfallen, having lost four loved ones and with their leader currently abandoning his role, the place was a shadow of its former glory. The children seemed to have lost their spark and no longer played out in the grounds, choosing instead to cling closely to their elders. Mike, Sam, and Ed had very little to say, simply engaging with him and everyone with idle and irrelevant small talk, whilst trying to busy themselves with arrangements for the funerals later today.

Two freshly dug graves were out in the back of the grounds hidden from view, one for Tank and another for the young man whom Jake had discovered in the wreckage. His name was Michael and he was just twenty-two, and like Tank was born into a world of chaos and hidden from the eyes of the Empire so that he might one day live in a free society. Beside the two graves were two crosses decorated with trinkets and wildflowers marking the deaths of Simon and Tom whose bodies had been unable to be recovered, having fallen foul of the impact of a pulse rifle's blast.

The quiet and serene patch of land housed other marked graves from fallen soldiers of the past. It was here that a memorial ceremony would take place later in the day to honour the fallen.

Jake decided to take himself away from the depressing atmosphere that had enveloped the place and returned to the mound at the front of the ground where just a few nights ago he had kissed Lexi. He lay down and looked up into the clear blue sky which was in stark contrast to the darkness that inhabited the camp.

It seemed no matter where he was and no matter who he came into contact with, death and destruction followed. First his mother, then his dad were taken from him. His mentor, and protector during his school-aged years, Shengani, had been murdered when stowing Jake and Max on a shipment to evade capture when their location had been discovered. Now the rebellion that had taken him in and offered him a home for the first time in a couple of years, had taken casualties because of something that he could not even recall from his past. The loss of his bond with Max and the breakdown in communication with Lexi made him wonder whether it was worth fighting on. He now began to ponder the dark reality of his existence should he choose to give up.

Jake lay there for a long while, imagining the Empire crushing the resistance and taking their plans to another level. He imagined the devastation of the all of the rebel hideouts across the globe, the people being slaughtered and captured and subject to the strict and harmful controls within the fortified working compounds. The more he delved into the apocalyptic future playing out in his mind, the worse he felt. The idea of Max being captured or harmed, or Lexi being executed or subject to torture filled him with dread. The truth was whether he liked it or not, giving up had consequences for the others whom he cared deeply about. They were depending on him and he needed to snap out of it and do his best to play his part. He had no idea of where to begin, particularly given the untimely sabbatical of his powers. Lying here on his back, however, was not the answer, so he got to his feet and headed back towards the mansion looking to put himself to some use.

As Jake got half way across the field, he could see the yellow paint of Isaac's car entering the grounds to the mansion. The car ambled slowly along the driveway, leading a train of about six or seven other vehicles, large people carriers filled with strangers. Jake tried to make out the figures inside, but the light from the sun above cast a glare across the windows making it impossible to make out faces. Jake then ran after the convoy which was headed towards the house.

The front of the mansion quickly filled with a makeshift welcome party for the unexpected visitors. The news of Isaac's return having filtered through from the gates was a welcome boost to an otherwise depressing and sombre day. Many of the young children's faces lit up as they saw him emerge from his car and they now ran towards him calling out his name in a cheerful chorus. Isaac's eyes were cold and he could barely muster a fake smile for the swarm of children who now gathered around him, grabbing at him and demanding his attention. It was understandable given the circumstances of the day, he had returned to honour the memory of his son and to face the wife who blamed him for his death.

Serena had joined the gathering crowd and filtered her way through to the front where her eyes and Isaac's met for the first time since his departure. An uncomfortable quiet descended on the gathering, eventually quelling the children's excitement. Isaac now freed from their clutches made his way towards his wife whilst the inhabitants of the other vehicles now dismounted.

'You came back' said Serena, her mouth quivering and her emotions stirring once again.

'Of course, I did' he said soberly, 'I wouldn't leave you here alone to say goodbye to our son'.

She embraced him tightly, crying aloud. 'I thought I had lost you too' she whispered.

'Never' he whispered back.

Behind them, a group of some twenty-or-so men had assembled. They were a very diverse mix of all shapes and sizes, some old, some young and others somewhere in between. They were all dressed in black and carrying gifts, clearly in recognition of the memorial to take place very soon.

Jake had managed to get back in time for when Isaac and Serena had embraced. He was now watching the scene alongside Mike and Sam and from the very relaxed way in which the stranger's entrance had been greeted by his hosts he assumed that they were allies.

'Who are these people?' Jack whispered to Mike.

'They are friends, leaders from other rebel compounds' said Mike. 'They have come to honour the dead'.

'And to figure out a way to reap vengeance on the assholes that did this' added Sam who stepped out of the crowd to embrace one of the new arrivals.

Mike, Ed and a host of others followed Sam's lead, embracing their brothers from the clans with whom they had a much-shared history. Jake watched on entirely bemused by the scene taking place before him. Whilst he felt a little uncomfortable at not knowing any of the new arrivals, he knew that if they had come to support and help Isaac, then that could only mean that they were enemies of the Empire.

Serena and Isaac led the procession into the mansion to prepare for the memorial service. The next stage of the plan to bring down Numen and the others could come later.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 10

YEAR **2030 - REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE**

The memorial held for Tank and the three others who had lost their lives during the ambush at Porton Down had been a much more vibrant and happy affair than Jake had anticipated. Having seen the camp in a grave state of mourning in the days leading up to it, he had expected the situation to get much worse. Instead, the event had been marked by a series of inspirational and rather humorous anecdotes about the four young men that had united the group once more. A banquet had been prepared fit for a King and the celebration of the lives of Tank and the others, rather than a mourning of their deaths, had carried into the evening amidst much merriment.

Jake had tried to use the ceremony and unity vibe to try and patch things up with Max. It had not gone quite as he hoped and it was clear that Max was still holding a grudge. The two of them had spent just a brief moment together at the close of the ceremony with Max allowing Jake a chance to give him a brief stroke before grunting and whining and then running back to be with Rosie. Jake was desperate to talk to him and to make amends but their telepathic connection had been severed, perhaps permanently.

'Hello, Jake'. Lexi's voice jolted him from his brief encounter with Max.

'Hey, how are you feeling?' Jake enquired taking in her much-changed appearance.

Lexi was dressed in a pale white dress that exposed her arms and legs. She had always dressed in much darker and more masculine clothes like she was always ready to go into battle. Yet here she was looking, well, like a young woman.

'I feel absolutely great' she said enthusiastically, 'never better'.

Her reaction had not quite been what he was expecting given the occasion and how she had been acting over the past few days, but then he guessed that she was perhaps overcompensating. In truth, her slightly odd behaviour was the last thing on his mind as his eyes dined on the feast of all the flesh that she had exposed. He had never seen her looking like this, she looked absolutely stunning and no matter how hard he tried to act normal he just could not stop looking at her.

'The ceremony was so beautiful don't you think?' Lexi said not reacting to his lack of subtlety.

Jake nodded, not really hearing her words.

'Such a tragedy what happened. Just horrible' she continued the enthusiasm not leaving her tone. 'Perhaps we should go and get a drink. I had a couple of glasses of wine earlier and it was just delightful'.

This revelation perhaps explained her slightly odd demeanour. Perhaps she was a little inebriated Jake reasoned.

She took him by the hand and whisked him off to get some wine. He had formed the opinion that she was clearly not in the state of mind to be left alone and could be a danger to herself, but secretly he hoped they could rekindle some of the passion from the night on the mound. No sooner has the thought crossed his mind, Lexi snatched a couple of bottles from the outside table and swept him away towards the bottom of the grounds. His chances of getting his wish seemed to be increasing.

A meeting was underway in the upstairs hideaway of the mansion, where Isaac had gathered the men from his camp with the leaders from the other sites. Phoenix was the only representative of the fairer sex present. There was a fervent debate underway on how the rebels should respond to the tragic events at the military research facility. There was clearly a lot of pent-up anger and frustration among the group given their own tragic experiences in battling the Empire.

'Gentleman' called Isaac, bringing the room to order. 'May I first thank you all for hearing my call for help and extend my humble gratitude for the kindness and respect you have extended to my people today' he continued raising his glass to the gathering. 'To freedom'.

The gathered group followed his lead raising their glasses and calling out in unison 'to freedom' before guzzling the contents and increasing their intoxication.

'We have not always seen eye-to-eye and over the years, and wounded one another gravely in the past, but the past few years we have been able to put our differences aside and unite against a common enemy. Today I ask you to go back to your people and networks and to urge them to get ready' said Isaac. 'The time for the revolution, the time for freedom of our people and all those who are imprisoned, to unite and to rise up is upon us' he declared, clearly feeling the effects of the celebration.

A small cheer met his opening, with some choosing to reiterate the initial toast, and drinking to it. A raucous revelry having replaced the sombre undertones of the day.

'We have all felt the pain of loss at the hands of the Empire, loved ones murdered and families devastated. It is time to take a stand whilst they least expect it, for I fear my friends, that should we not act now, it may be too late' continued Isaac.

'And what if you are wrong, Isaac' came a stern voice from the back of the room.

The amassed crowd now parted revealing the figure of the dissenter. A short, stocky man with a full beard and long brown hair, now stood up from his chair. He had two other men, one very lean and muscular with an expressionless facade and another with shorter hair and a neat greying beard that made him appear wolf-like.

'I'm not wrong, Merrick' replied Isaac to the stocky man. 'The Empire will not continue to let us exist as we have done'.

'What makes you so sure? Isaac, I get the pain you must be feeling, I like many around you have lost a loved one. I watched my children get taken into those brainwashing prisons and I watched as two of my boys were executed because they were too smart for their own good and tried to stand up for old values' Merrick said passionately. 'I only have Tamas left now' he continued, signalling to the younger and more athletic figure beside him.

'And what about your daughters' challenged Isaac trying to establish himself as the alpha once more.

The mention of Merrick's missing daughters dampened the challenge from the rival rebel leader.

'Vicky and I mourned them a long time ago. Even if they are alive, the Empire has corrupted them' he said his voice breaking momentarily.

'Then why are you here' snapped Sam. 'Why come here if you are not ready to stand with us and fight?'

Tension began to emanate throughout the room with mutterings of discontent slowly starting to resurface. Any rebellion against the Empire would need to be coordinated and cohesive if it had any chance of success. It was clear that old wounds whilst healed were not entirely forgotten.

'I came to honour the death of an old friend's child and to encourage him to not act in haste' replied Merrick. 'There was a time when we in this room were enemies, turned upon each other by the lies of the Empire. We saw good sense to agree to peace and to find a way to make a life for ourselves outside of the mentality of the asylums. Relative peace has meant less bloodshed and less of our young having to see the brutality that too many of us have seen far too much of. I do not wish to return to those days'.

His measured and insightful words seemed to carry a heavy reality across the room, none of those present had survived to this point without having lost and sacrificed a great deal. The cautious tone Merrick had now infused into the once raucous atmosphere now seemed to have a slightly sobering effect. Isaac could sense the initial enthusiasm of the collective was beginning to wane.

'Merrick, my old friend, you are like a brother to me. Whether you want it or not, the war is coming and we have proof. The question you have to ask yourself is, do you want to stand up to it and face it head on, or do you want to turn your back on it, burying your head in the sand in the hope that it will pass you by? For if you really believe the latter, you and those who choose to follow you, will end up with a knife embedded in your backs' said Isaac, his eyes stern and serious.

Merrick sat back down in his chair, his eyes never left Isaac's. He began to rub his round belly and stroked his long beard allowing his compatriot the space to advance his point. Isaac focussed his deep brown eyes on his old foe and friend and began to make an impassioned plea that all around them could hear.

'We once shared a dream of freedom for our children, a world better than any we had ever lived in. A vision filled with hope and freedom, not for just us, here on the outside, but for everyone' continued Isaac. 'That is the vision we all here wanted for ourselves and for our children and grandchildren to come. My boy gave his life for that dream and there's no way and nothing that will stop me from achieving it'.

Cheers and further murmurs in support of Isaac's statement filtered through the crowd like a wave and soon most if not all in attendance were nodding or making grunts of agreement with what was being said. Merrick seemed resigned to the general consensus that swept across the room. He acknowledged, albeit with some reluctance, that he was on board in principle with a brief nod of his head. The wolf-like man beside him now stood. His name was Marcus, but given his appearance had been known by his nickname 'Wolfy'.

'I imagine many here will be with you brother and may need some of that proof that you have mentioned. Me and mine are at your disposal, proof or not' he said gruffly. 'We have all waited too long for this day, fighting over scraps and making do. Never in my life have had to bend over and take it up the arse quite as much as a heterosexual beast of a man should. I'm tired of being screwed over and this wolf is thirsty for blood' he said with a roaring hurrah, that was met with a cheer. 'Fuck the Empire. Fuck Van Duyn the mental loon. And fuck being gang banged by those motherfuckers!'

Wolfy's coarse language struck a chord in the room and laughter swept the tension away.

'When this is all over Wolfy my friend, we will ensure you rise to the role of Director of Communications' said Isaac with a wry smile.

Isaac then invited Phoenix to take over proceedings and she played a montage of all of the atrocities that had been carried out by the Empire over the years. Images of brutal executions and the associated lies that had been fed to inhabitants of the compounds had been captured in a rebel counter-propaganda video that they intended to run on a loop after the compounds were breached. Phoenix also explained how once the mainframe of the UCCA headquarters had been disabled they could capture the scenes live and begin to broadcast across all of what was unfolding to the compounds across the globe. If they could show that the tyranny of the Empire could be extinguished in London and across Europa, then there was no reason why this could not sweep beyond the northern territory to the others, especially if all of the clans were able to transmit the message across their networks.

'London will be the first domino' explained Phoenix, 'we knock that one down and the others will fall one after the other'.

Once again the raucous enthusiasm had begun to simmer, with a number of mini-debates breaking out among the gathering. It was clear that many had reservations about the approach and the likely consequence of such a risk strategy that assumed a lot of the captives beyond the walls of fortified cities.

'Not all of the compounds have the same level of security or control as London's' continued Isaac sensing the scale of what was being proposed was starting to kill the enthusiasm that had been achieved to this point. 'Do not underestimate the latent anger that resides in the dream walkers, with them and us and the control over the Empire's communications we will prevail'.

Isaac's words had not convinced everyone and the murmurs of discontent continued to filter across the gathering. The rotund leader, Merrick now spoke up to quell the rising tide of uncertainty that was taking hold.

'We will spread the message' he said with authority realising the importance of the role that had been bestowed upon him to lead. 'I assume what you have shown us today can be used to rally our absent friends and their networks?'

The rest of the gathering now focussed on the silent interplay taking place between the two alpha leaders in the pack. Isaac switched his gaze to his bespectacled assistant to respond.

'Absolutely, I will send the links through' assured Phoenix a little unnerved by the situation given that everyone was now silent and scrutinising every gesture and word being spoken. 'We need everyone to just be ready and when we have access to the mainframe that's when we attack'.

She gave a sweet smile that seemed to have little impact on the stern expressions in front of her and resorted to diverting her gaze to the ground as she began to chew on her ponytail anxiously.

'That's the only part of the plan I don't fully understand' said Merrick breaking the tension. 'How exactly do we get access?'

'The mainframe is operated with a security fail-safe. You need three separate seven-digit passcodes known only to the highest ranking officials within the Empire's structure' explained Isaac. 'Phoe has managed to crack one of the codes thanks her ingenious invention out back and is close to cracking the second one'.

Merrick and Isaac now looked to her to confirm that this was the case. She darted a brief glance to them both, dropping the ponytail from her mouth and giving a nervous nod.

'We have five of the seven characters' she said in reference to the download of Numen's code. 'The truth is it has taken a considerably longer time than anticipated. I've never seen someone's head contain that much information. It's like we are trying to download thousands upon thousands of people's stored memory, not just one man's'.

It was a sight to behold, with the young woman in one instance exuding so much confidence in her abilities and then to fall into such an anxious state once her message had been delivered. Phoenix was not the fondest of large crowds, she worked best with machinery that did not answer back. Her gaze had fallen back to the floor and her ponytail was right back in her mouth as well.

'It's coming, though, slowly but surely' assured Isaac.

Merrick interrogated Isaac's face with a stern look before nodding in acceptance of what his old friend was saying. 'And the third part of the code, I assume the young fugitive you have been talking about this past few days has something to do with that?' he asked.

Isaac nodded but began to explain for all those present. 'That will be my responsibility along with Jake' explained Isaac. 'We have someone on the inside who we can trust. He has the final code and the physical access to the mainframe. Jake and he have a long and dependable history. That will be the key to getting us in'.

'So this inside contact is on board with all of this, right?' Wolfy interjected. 'Otherwise, we're all totally shafted and lambs to the slaughter'.

Isaac did not want to explain that technically Frank had no idea of what they were planning. It could lead to the whole thing unravelling. He hoped that Jake could convince his adopted uncle to help them, even though it would put him at great risk. Isaac was placing a lot of faith in both of them right now, the success of the rebellion depended entirely upon it.

'The boy will deliver what we need' said Isaac trying to convince himself as much as the others around him.

'I have heard you banging on about this boy' said Wolfy looking around the room. 'Where the hell is he?'

Now everyone else was looking for Jake with those who knew him thinking the same thing: where was Jake and why was he not here?

Oblivious to the events taking place within the confines of the mansion, Jake and Lexi were back on the mound in the front of the grounds looking up at the sky. The two empty bottles of wine were absently discarded behind them. Lexi was much worse for wear than Jake, having consumed the lion's share of the haul. They had spent most of the time talking about nothing in particular, with Lexi leading conversations on themes such as the weather and why trees were beautiful. It had not really been the hotbed of intellectual debate and she was really not entirely herself, which was probably to be expected. Jake sensed she was trying to avoid any deep discussions in any way she could which explained her odd behaviour, drunken state and desire to keep topics of conversation on meaningless topics.

'Are you sure you are okay?' Jake asked, getting rather bored by the childish talk.

Lexi rolled on to her front and jumped on top of him catching him totally off guard.

'How many times do I have to tell you? I'm fine Jakey boy' she said slurring her words in this intoxicated state.

'You really don't seem fine to me' he said awkwardly.

'Let me show you just how fine I am' she said, before kissing him firmly.

The kiss he now found himself engaged in lacked the passion and intensity from the first one they shared. The electric sparks he had experienced the first time had been replaced with a surge of anxiety that was growing in the pit of his stomach. Lexi was totally out of control and her unpredictability was making him increasingly uncomfortable.

'Wait' he said breaking away for a moment. 'This just doesn't feel right' he confessed.

'Feels just right to me' she smirked, cupping his groin in her hand. 'Relax would you' she said before kissing him again.

He kissed her back and whilst he had to admit he was not entirely hating what was happening, he sensed that things were getting a bit too hot and heavy. Lexi was ravenous for his attention, biting his lower lip and pressing herself upon him firmly, her ripe breasts imprinting themselves upon his chest. She stopped kissing his mouth and smiled at him briefly before kissing his neck and nibbling at his ears. Lexi took his hand, clutching it to her firm breast, her nipple alert and aroused.

Jake did not resist her domination of him and followed her lead, his heart racing. If she could have read his mind at that point, she would have seen a tug of war taking place between a devil and angel of him. The devil urging him to go for it and the angel warning him not to take advantage of her in this state. It seemed, for now, the devil version of Jake was getting the upper hand.

Lexi stopped kissing his neck and was now sat upright astride him. She took his index finger in her mouth, first sucking it gently and then applying a small amount of pressure with her teeth. She then pulled both his hands to her chest her pert nipples showing visible arousal through her pale dress. She ushered him to squeeze them gently as the giggly girl of the earlier points of the evening gave way to a tumultuous temptress intent on sating her deepest desires.

Jake could feel her heart rate increasing with every caress and they began to kiss again. She maintained the position of dominance and began to gently grind her pelvis on top of his stirring his loins. It was hot and Jake was finding it hard to breathe easily. Lexi now ripped open his shirt, the buttons popping off and revealing his athletic frame. She began to kiss his neck again and began to sweep her lips south to his chest and began to nibble on his left nipple, before running her kisses down his tight stomach to his belly button. She then began to kiss her way back up his naked, exposed torso, hungrily kissing his lips and caressing his tongue with hers.

The taste of alcohol on her breath brought Jake out of the trance he had become enveloped in. Whilst this felt utterly fantastic and his body seemed more than willing, his conscience kept gnawing at him telling him to stop. Lexi continued to kiss and grope him, undoing the buckle to his belt and running her hand across the bulge that had welled there.

He thought that now might be the best time to stop proceedings, take a breath and consider whether this was the right time for them to do this. He urged his mouth to utter the words, but this state of arousal held the words at bay.

They continued to kiss, her hands running through his hair, tugging him gently towards her before pulling his head into her bosoms. She let out a few pleasurable groans before pinning him down flat on the ground, kissing him firmly on the mouth. Then she sat up astride him again, gently swinging her hips to ensure she maintained his attention. Their eyes locked upon one another and she took hold of her dress and lifted it over her head, returning a cheeky, seductive smile, now entirely naked and straddled across him.

Jake's body reacted far quicker than his mind, with blood rushing south. Lexi was crouched over him, totally exposed to him, her milky pale but perfect skin shimmering under the stars and moonlight above. Her pink nipples were firm and stood to attention upon her round, ample breasts. Her emerald green eyes twinkled invitingly and she bit her lip, leaning back slightly to ensure he could see her in all her naked glory.

'Like what you see?' Lexi whispered taking his hand and running it across her firm midriff and up to her exposed breast.

What came from Jake's mouth bore little resemblance to a language spoken on Earth. He could barely speak, the sight before him far more arousing than any he had pictured in his wildest dreams. It began to dawn on him that he was probably going to be having sex for the first time tonight, well with someone other than himself at least. He wondered if all the practice he had gotten up to now was going to pay off. This was all he had ever hoped for and more and whilst it felt entirely right, the angel in his head started to prevail in the tug of war stakes.

'Look, Lexi, I'm not sure this is such a good idea' he blurted to very apparent disappointment. 'It's just I don't want to take advantage of you what with everything that has happened'.

The seductive and sexy look on her face had been overwhelmed by one of anger and humiliation. 'Don't be so gay Jake' she snapped, 'it's just sex for god sake'.

While Jake was no expert on these matters, the site of her clambering off of him and hurriedly replacing the discarded dress was not the best sign of things having gone swimmingly.

'Look I was just thinking of you and it just didn't feel like the right time, that's all' he protested trying to cover himself up.

She had managed to replace her dress as quickly as she had taken it off, her face full of thunder, staring down at him. 'A word to the wise, when the guy has a raging erection and the girl is butt naked and gagging for it, that Jake you stupid twat, is generally accepted as the "right time"' she snapped having repeated his words back to him using the inverted commas signal.

She now stormed off back towards the house cursing and swearing under her breath clearly frustrated and humiliated by the ordeal. He would have chased after her but the fear of getting his head caved in made him pause, that and the fact that his apparent excitement had not yet abated.

_What a monumental and monstrous disaster that was_ , he thought, before finally getting to his feet and skulking off back towards the house. This was one of those times where having a confidante, the infinite pearls of wisdom from the experience of mum or dad, or a sibling well-versed in this kind of thing would have been useful. Jake had none of the above and on this occasion, Max, would not be an appropriate substitute.

By the time he had arrived back at the mansion, Jake had managed to shut the horrific ending of the ordeal to the back of his mind arriving just in time for what appeared to be a mass exodus from the base. The leaders of the other clans were now saying their last goodbyes and packing up the people carriers.

'We will alert the others and send them the evidence you have gathered' said Merrick embracing Isaac, 'we will wait for your signal to launch'.

'I assure you, if we don't take action then they will' urged Isaac. 'The time to act is now'.

It was clear from his expression that Merrick was still not convinced by the threat. 'I hope you are right brother because once we set out on this path, days like today will become the norm for us all. Win or lose, there will be many lives lost' he warned.

'I know what is at stake' Isaac whispered. 'I'll be in touch soon'.

They embraced a final time and shook each other by the hand firmly, sealing the pact. The truth was that they may never see one another again once the attack was launched. Merrick then pulled Isaac close keen for his words to kept private.

'If you see my daughters before I do, or if anything should happen to me' Merrick whispered. 'Tell them I love them and I'm sorry that it took so long to set them free. Good Luck'.

He then peeled away, never once looking back, before disappearing into one of the vehicles at the front of the convoy. Within a few moments the men were on their way to spread the word of the coming revolution, soon it would go viral, sweeping like wildfire across the territories. Now all that was required was the initial spark to set it alight.

As the guests departed down the long dirt track of the rebel base, Isaac now came alongside Jake.

'Phoenix has got one of the passcodes and the other one is just one digit away from being deciphered' said Isaac in a business-like tone. 'You and I need to go and convince Frank to give us the final part of the code and help get this thing started' he said.

Jake's thoughts of events of the evening were now entirely drowned by Isaac's request, which in truth had come across as more of a demand. Jake, however badly he had handled the last incident of the evening was not about to repeat the mistake now when his fearless leader was stood before him.

'I'll get in touch and set up a meeting' replied Jake. 'What if he can't give us what we need?'

Then I guess we will have to find some way to persuade him' he said with a look suggesting non-conventional means. "Or more accurately you will' said Isaac defiantly before heading inside.

Isaac's statement gave Jake new grounds to feel nervous. He was certain they could convince Frank to help them, but if he refused then what? Did he really think that Jake would use mind control on the only person who had been a stalwart for him since childhood? Isaac might think he knew the extent of Jake's abilities, but he did not know that they had disappeared without a trace since Porton Down. The internal dialogue with himself was interrupted by the revelation that he had buttoned his shirt incorrectly, which Jake then wondered if Isaac had noticed. The humiliation and embarrassment that filled his head, drowning out the next steps of the plan. This was turning out to be a very bad day indeed.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 11

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

The assignment that had been set to Otto, Numen's second in command, had been a relatively simple one. He was to follow the UCCA's Director of Security and Surveillance, Frank McQuaid, and he was to report on any anomalies in his behaviours to Numen immediately. Otto was to be Numen's eyes and ears on the ground as he delivered the package collected at Porton Down to President Dupont in the Outlands.

For the past few days it had all been very simple, Frank would start out with his morning bagel and coffee from Mack's, before heading to headquarters where he would spend the majority of his day. He would return to his compact studio room for the night, before following the same routine the next day. It was boring and treacherous and Otto longed for the chance to get back to his Chimera operations as soon as was humanly possible.

He was now sat in his black nondescript car outside of Mack's Coffee Shack, keen to not rouse Frank's suspicions, waiting for the director to arrive with coffee and bagel in tow. Otto was dressed like the dream walkers, grey suit, and tie, ginger hair slicked back and neat and a pale expression that suggested routine and monotony was the order of the day. He was not used to being so exposed like this and was itching for the comfort of his commando black fatigues and mask to cover up his emaciated skin.

The role of an average, everyday man was a far cry from leading covert special operations anywhere in the world. He missed the days when they started wars in far-off lands, tangling feeble governments up in knots as they tripped over themselves to restore order and build democracy whilst his men robbed the countries of their wealth and infrastructure. He and his men had played such a vital role in getting the Empire their foot-holding in every key corner of the globe and the chance to kill off these walking parasites on the planet lent itself to his murderous proclivities. A few nights ago he had erased two worthless humans from the face of the planet and now he was here, babysitting the old man.

Frank now emerged from Mack's with his coffee cup and wrapped bagel. Otto groaned with hatred and got ready to follow him to the headquarters for what looked like another tediously pointless day ahead. The director now clambered awkwardly into his car a few car-lengths down and started the engine.

As Otto watched him pull away, the director blissfully unaware that he was being followed headed for work. Otto turned the key in the ignition, roaring the engine into life and then waited for a few cars to pass him before he pulled out into traffic, ensuring that he kept a reasonable distance between himself and McQuaid.

The journey to the UCCA headquarters was uneventful. No traffic violations of note, not even the hint of hostility on the morning commute. The dream walkers just shuffled along the streets or drove without haste towards their respective places of business like a smooth running and well-oiled machine. The dream walkers were mere worker ants, carrying out the necessary tasks to ensure the Empire's interests were protected and the next phase of their evolution moved steadily into place. It was the picture of perfect serenity and enough to make Otto feel sick, he looked forward to the days when these useless insects were eliminated permanently.

Frank had pulled into the secure entrance to the UCCA headquarters and Otto was now behind him waiting to gain entry. The large robotic security soldiers carried out their routine inspections, checking over the vehicle and ensuring the occupant was who they claimed to be and had the appropriate security level to gain entry. Frank would soon be off to take up his designated spot and Otto would keep a watchful eye on his car from the other side of the car park until he returned later. That had been the routine of the past few days, but today something was a little different.

Frank was still in his car at the security post and the foot soldiers had completed their usual checks and were now stood to attention, waiting. Otto could sense that something was wrong, but did not want to cause an alarm, any extreme movement would surely draw the guards' attention and before he knew it the fires of hell would come raining down on him.

He maintained his position in line, considering a quiet reversal back into the street, but as he looked into his mirror a UCCA operative car pulled in behind him. He checked his rear view again and there seemed to be little activity from the officer in the car, he clearly was just waiting like the others to gain entry. Otto began to look beyond the guard post into the car park. A small group of human officers from Frank's team were now headed to the guard post with a handful of additional foot soldiers in tow.

It was clear that something was wrong, but Otto opted to maintain a cool exterior, he had the credentials to gain entry and had no reason to panic. He toyed a little tentatively with the gun at his side knowing that any sign of aggression would be met with a showing of force that would obliterate him and this stupid undercover car he had chosen. Had Frank actually made him? Or was this just a slight change to protocol? Otto relinquished his grip on the gun and waited, readying himself to play his latest role.

With the arrival of the UCCA officers and foot soldiers, Frank's car slowly pulled off into the car park towards his parking spot at the front of the building. It looked as though a shift change was taking place and the officers were headed for vehicles near to the guard station. Otto breathed a sigh of relief and pulled into where Frank's vehicle had been just moments before. The two new robot guards began to carry out the checks, just like any other day. There was a tap at the driver's window and the robot was now stood looking down upon him, faceless and with a thin visor where its eyes would be.

'Credentials please' the robot said in a flat and emotionless tone.

Otto reached for his identification and badge showing that he worked as an agent for the UCCA. The robot scanned both before returning them to him, clearly satisfied of their legitimacy.

'Biometric identification' the robot then said before scanning Otto's iris and taking an imprint of his hand on the electronic scanner.

'So what's with the hold ups this morning' Otto enquired as each check was carried out in turn and he successfully passed each one.

'Changes to protocol, new shift change pattern sir' the robot responded. 'All clear Agent Lawrence'.

Just as the guard soldier waved him through, he saw Frank's car now passing out of the exit beside him. He had been distracted by the change of routine that he had not noticed the director swing full circle and then come to the exit. Otto knew he had to move quickly, he accelerated away from the guard post but was brought to an abrupt halt by the two vehicles reversing into his path. The officers who had crossed the car park had now pulled into his only way ahead. In anger, he sounded the horn and began to shout profanities at the drivers who were looking at him in utter confusion. He then tried to reverse back, but the other UCCA vehicle that had been queuing behind him had now pulled up to the guard post. He tried to catch a glimpse of where Frank had gone, but he could not see the director's car anywhere.

The situation had not gone unnoticed and now the two sets of foot soldiers from each of the guard patrols were slowly closing in on his black undercover car, guns at the ready. Otto was becoming increasingly panicked now and could see no way out. He tried to accelerate forwards again, but the UCCA agents had stayed in position. The agents had stepped out of the vehicle and were now moving in towards his car, his erratic behaviour causing alarm. Otto pondered the idea of charging through the middle of the two cars that now blocked his path, but he knew that he would be unable to crash through them with such a small distance between them. He then considered drawing his gun and going out in a blaze of glory, but that would only create even more suspicion. So he did the thing he had least wanted to do and did nothing.

The foot soldiers surrounded the black saloon and the UCCA agents moved in on the car with their guns aimed at Otto.

'What exactly appears to be the problem officers?' Otto said in his most polite possible voice.

'You cleared this guy' one of the officers called across to the gathered foot soldiers.

'He's one of yours' replied the foot soldier who had cleared Otto just a few moments ago. 'Agent Lawrence'.

The UCCA agents now looked at one another, suspicion and intrigue etched upon their faces. None of them showing a sign of acknowledgement of the pasty-faced, ginger-haired man in the car.

The lead agent now came up to the window, pointing his gun in Otto's face. 'In a bit of a hurry there Agent Lawrence?' His face was unfriendly and his tone suggested that he was not in the mood for messing around.

'Look, let's all calm down a bit' said Otto raising his hands in submission. 'I apologise for my outburst, just need a dose of caffeine. Low blood sugar that's all' he feigned apologetically.

His explanation had not lowered the level of tension and now he had three foot soldiers with their pulse rifles locked on him and four armed UCCA agents up close and personal. One opened the passenger door and grabbed his identification and badge, the second removed his gun from him whilst the lead officer continued to stare into his eyes.

'Now you want to tell us who you really are?' The lead officer continued having taken charge of proceedings.

'Look, guys, there has been a big misunderstanding here' said Otto trying to worm his way out of the situation. If he could get moving in the next few minutes he might still have a chance in catching up with Frank. 'How about we all take a breath and forget about one guy having a crappy start to his day and just move on'.

'How about you quit messing us around and start talking' growled the lead officer, his stare never flinching. 'Agent Lawrence is no longer with us. I knew him personally and you know what, you aren't him' he snapped. 'So, who are you?'

The situation was spiralling out of control and Otto had nowhere to go. The officer asked him a third time to reveal his identity but Otto fixed his sight away from them and refused to speak.

'Right then, you wanna do this the hard way. Get your ass out of the car and put your hands on the bonnet' said the lead officer. 'Do it slowly' he warned.

Otto complied reluctantly with the commands and he was now face down on the bonnet of the car. The lead officer now waved his colleagues into position to secure the vehicle and the armed robotic guards across to supply backup.

'Take him into custody. Perhaps some time in the cells might jog his memory'.

The guards complied with senior figure's orders, binding Otto's hands and feet together and securing them together behind his back to ensure his movements were entirely secured. They then lifted him off the ground and began to carry him into the building.

Otto turned to the lead officer as he was carted away. 'You are making a big mistake Agent' he paused waiting for the lead man to identify himself.

'It's Agent Paulsen' he replied. 'Now you know my name, let's go figure out exactly who you are'.

Otto knew he would be released soon enough. It would be a matter of time that he was discovered as an undercover Chimera agent and once the jurisdictional bullshit was over and Numen had vouched for him, Otto would find out what Frank was up to. Otto was not worried by his arrest or the procedural minefield to come, but when word got to Numen of his failure he would be a marked target. The general was not renowned for giving second chances and whilst Otto had built up a lot of karma points with his boss over their many years together, there was no guarantee that he would be allowed to survive the night.

ABANDONED ARMY BASE - HULLAVINGTON

Frank had not ascended to the position of Director of the United Crime Control Authority because he was some "Yes Man" or puppet to the regime. He got there because he was smart. He knew the moment that Numen had left London that he should be on guard and on the lookout for anything and everything. When Jake's message had come, requesting a meeting, he knew that he would need to be extra cautious.

Frank had established his daily routine for the simple reason that he knew he would only have a few variables to control. He was aware of the pasty-faced man with slicked-back ginger hair tailing him and he had played along with the farcical cat and mouse game in an effort to give Numen the feeling of control. He had lulled him into a false sense of security quite brilliantly. He guessed that his morning bagel and coffee had probably been spiked with an isotope tracking device, he had used such things himself in the past. Their lifeline was quite short though and eventually passed through the system within a twenty-four hour period. He had grudgingly disposed of both the coffee and bagel a mile or so out of the compound, as well as disabling and replanting the tracker on his car which was now headed in the completely opposite direction to his current location on board a disposal vehicle.

Changing the shift patterns of the guards had been a stroke of genius and he had timed it perfectly with his routine. The added insurance of alerting his officers to a potential incident taking place in the city centre could not have worked out any better. The fake scenario had been meant to slow the pace of his follower, allowing him time to get beyond the eyes and ears of the compound and enough of a head start to send him off in the opposite direction. For all of his brilliant and meticulous planning, Frank could not have predicted the sequence of events that had taken place at headquarters, not that it mattered. He had set a hidden stinger in the path for his pursuer, to give him some additional problems, just outside the compound, but this unbeknown to him would not be required given what had happened.

Frank had set the meeting time and place with Jake when he was on his way to the old and abandoned military site a good couple of hours drive outside of London. He knew that Isaac's hideout was in the vicinity and it would provide them with ample time to respond to his communiqué and to meet him there.

He had not come across any vehicles along the country roads off of the main strips of the motorway. Traffic was never particularly dense during the middle of the week and was mainly restricted to large vehicles carrying food shipments or supplies from one compound to another. During daylight hours, attacks by rebel groups were very rare as this might expose their own fortifications and location given the heavy presence of the Empire's eyes and ears through existing CCTV infrastructure.

Frank had nothing to worry about, though, his diary highlighted a routine inspection to the base which still had many assets that the rebels might want access to. Visiting in daylight hours would not rouse any suspicion or lead to any awkward questions as to why he had come alone and to ensure complete anonymity of the visit he had reset the daily surveillance priorities so that he would be well on his way before his team realised that security cameras in the area had been on the blink again.

It was a fine day in the Wiltshire countryside. Frank was now pulling into the sleepy base and made his way to the empty hangar at the foot of the site. He pulled up next to the beaten up yellow excuse for a car that Jake and Isaac had arrived in and motioned for the two of them to pull into the hangar to ensure that they were completely out of sight. Frank then got out of his car and closed the doors to the hangar. They were now secure and out of view of any prying eyes. As Jake and Isaac disembarked Isaac's heavily modified but vintage Triumph TR7, Frank placed his finger to his lips and began to fiddle with a device that he had placed on the bonnet of his car.

Once the device was operating to Frank's satisfaction he turned to the two of them. It was clear that neither were any the wiser of what he was doing, the suspicious and curious glances evident.

'In my experience, you can never be too careful' explained Frank now turning to the device that was no bigger than a briefcase. 'It disrupts signals and means that if anyone is trying to listen in then they will just be met with a bunch of useless white noise'.

Isaac smirked, impressed by Frank's ingenuity. 'It's been a while, Director McQuaid'.

'Indeed it has' Frank replied now embracing Isaac like a long lost friend. 'I trust this one hasn't been too much trouble' he said rhetorically, now embracing Jake. 'What, no panting mutt with you? The two of you are normally inseparable'.

'He's back at the house resting' Jake lied, his relationship with his faithful friend was still at an impasse. 'Look Uncle Frank we didn't ask you here for a nice little catch up on how things have been'.

His sarcasm was met with a serious stare from Frank who then raised his palms to the air and directed his nephew to take a look around. 'Does it look like I came here for a chinwag Jake? Seriously, because I don't go to this much effort when I'm entertaining. I'm glad to see that Isaac has been looking out for you and I was surprised not to see the dog given the two of you normally resemble conjoined twins. I trust that he's okay too?'

'Max is fine' interrupted Isaac sensing that it might be better for him to take over the talking from here on in. 'Jake has settled in well and I imagine his slightly short manner might be attributed to why we asked you here'.

Jake did little to protest at Isaac's intervention even though the truth was that he was very much missing his friend, appeared to have lost all of his abilities and had the worst first intimate encounter with a girl. Such trivial events were obviously far removed from the events that Isaac wanted to discuss, but Jake was still a boy after all with insecurities like anyone his age. He sensed that airing such feelings would probably bring little sympathy from these two alpha males so he decided to brood a bit and let Isaac lead the way. He had got Frank here, after all, so his job was done.

Isaac then proceeded to outline all of the things they had discovered up to this point, the cover-ups by senior figures within the Empire's ranks of the execution of innocent citizens; he explained the historical incidents that had paved the way for the Empire to seize control through smoke and mirrors and outlandish conspiracies. At the points where he seemed to be losing Frank, he took out a touch screen handheld device and showed him the images captured by Phoenix.

Frank listened intently, part of him thinking that what Isaac was saying was entirely beyond the realms of comprehension, that such corruption and deception on this kind of scale could not possibly exist or have existed in the past, particularly to the less well-informed. However, he knew that anything was possible and was unfortunately very well-informed. Most people would have treated what Isaac was saying as entirely incredulous and some elaborate conspiracy theory. He had himself rewritten many events in history for the protection of the public and he had witnessed firsthand the lengths that characters like Numen were prepared to go to grease the wheels of the compounds, so he knew it to be true. Seeing the evidence laid out this way in such a measured and well-evidenced fashion told him that Isaac was no lunatic crackpot or conspiracy theorist. If Frank was truthful with himself, he knew the evidence was there for him and everyone else to see, for so long no one had ever asked the key questions and as the evidence, he was being shown suggested, those who did had suffered the consequences.

After a few more minutes and countless more examples of heinous crimes committed by members loyal to the leaders of the Empire, Frank had seen more than enough.

'Look, I get it and to be honest I can't say I have never had suspicions' he said finally, perplexed and trying to regain some sense of perspective. 'God, I have long suspected this kind of stuff was going on, though nowhere near the size and scale that you are suggesting. Could you begin to imagine the ramifications if this got out?'

Isaac's eyes were now fixed upon him. 'Could you?'

Frank's expression shifted to one of outrage and utter bemusement. 'It would be total anarchy and everyone would go crazy, that's what. The system would break down and everyone in it would go absolutely berserk' he said gesticulating wildly like an escaped mental patient to emphasise his point.

Neither Isaac nor Jake was particularly moved by his display of mock outrage. They simply stared back at him with their questioning eyes interrogating him to consider what he was saying. It did not take long for the penny to drop.

'You intend to announce this to the world?' His question hung in the air momentarily with no immediate reply. 'You want to open Pandora's Box and unleash hell on earth?'

'No, we want people to know the truth' said Jake.

'And you are certain that is what people want? I don't mean to patronise you boy' he continued doing exactly that, 'but, I've been around for a long time and no one wants to know the truth, they just want to live in their little self-contained bubbles, pissing their pathetic lives away and pretending everything is a-ok'.

'Was Dad's life pathetic? Or what about my Mum's?' Jake snapped bringing Frank's rant to a halt.

Given the restrictions in place under the Empire's regime where everything was presentational and false just for an easy life, Jake pondered whether that was really what the masses wanted. No freedom of expression, just a cog in a machine to service the desires of the few. _Who would voluntarily accept life on those terms?_

Jake having had this revelation now began to think of his own life and circumstances. He was starting to see Isaac's bigger picture view. It would only take a trigger and enough people to react before a whirlwind of unbridled slavery could unleash even the most brainwashed of people into seeing reality for what it was. Action was a certainty.

'Look, Jake, of course, your parents mattered' Frank continued, 'but what you are talking about here if you start it, you have no idea where it will end. Who is to say that the grass is greener or that something much worse than Van Duyn and the others doesn't step in to fill the void' he argued, encouraging Jake to really think the consequences through.

Isaac stepped between Jake and his adopted uncle trying to bring some sanity to proceedings and to kerb the emotional cloud that had been infused into the discussions. 'Do you think things could really be worse than they are now?'

'I honestly don't know' confessed Frank trying to regain his composure.

'And what if I told you that there is every chance that without intervention, Jake's life is at risk, as is mine, and all the people who want to set the people free' Isaac pressed. 'We know that they intend to press on with something called False Dawn and from what we can muster they intend to launch it soon'.

Frank recoiled at the name. 'What the hell is 'False Dawn'?'

Isaac shook his head. 'We have no idea, just the name and that whatever it is will have consequences for all the rebels across the globe. Let's face it, Frank, they weren't going to let us co-exist forever and they have been increasingly stepping up their rhetoric in the media. That tells me that whatever they have planned could mean the status quo is maintained with no hope of ever bringing the Empire down. Take the rebels away and they have absolute and unequivocal power to do as they please and who knows what comes next?'

Frank's head was spinning, he had not been prepared for this. The things he was seeing and hearing just showed him how little he really knew as to what was going on in the world. Given his position as Director, he surely should have been in the know, but even with the highest security clearance, he had no idea. It was clear to him at this point, that Isaac's operation had much more capability than he had imagined.

'I'm not saying yes to what you are proposing, I can't see how you are going to make it work' Frank said. 'What is it that you want from me?'

'Well, that's the thing Frank' said Isaac taking a step towards him. 'In order to reveal the truth to all those dream walkers, we are going to need to broadcast the message loud and clear to everyone. We are going to need complete control over the Empire's system'.

A loud, nervous and somewhat derisory laughed escaped Frank's lips. 'You are barking bloody mad. You realise in order to have that kind of access you would need not only my access code but that of that maniacal monster Numen, and the president's too' he said shaking his head. 'It cannot be done. And, even if that miracle were to take place you would need two of the three of us to enter the code manually into the system on the inside'.

'We have Numen and Van Duyn's codes' Isaac said calmly, now showing him the two codes on the touch screen device.

The codes looked genuine and Frank was now getting a little nervous. 'Even if I was onboard with this, you still need to get Numen or Van Duyn at the mainframe terminal for all of the biometric tests. Then the firewall is disabled briefly for a few minutes and the system resets itself. What are you going to do, then?'

'You find a way of getting some of my guys into the compound undetected and they will be able to disable your system permanently, trust me'.

Frank did not like the sound of this one bit. 'So let me get this straight. You want me to give you my secure access code, somehow slip your guys in through security and you want me to stand there and hand over the entire mainframe that secures all the compounds across the world to you and your men' he said checking to see he had it all right.

Frank began to laugh aloud at the ridiculousness of the idea imagining that in a brief moment or two the large framed rebel leader would join him in the titillation of such an outrageous plan. Isaac appeared entirely unmoved, his brown eyes firm and focussed.

'That's absolutely what we want' said Isaac matter-of-factly.

Frank shot him an incredulous look. 'Fine I'll put my life entirely in danger, not to mention all those innocent lives of people inside to help you start your revolution Isaac' he said with a hint of sarcasm. 'But unless you can somehow morph into Numen or Van Duyn, how in god's name are you going to be able to disable the mainframe before your morbid slideshow is unveiled to the unsuspecting world?'

Jake who up until this point had been a bit of passenger in the conversation that was unfolding had understood everything that Isaac said. Frank's latest question, however, had him wondering too. Was this going to be another expectation of his surrogate father that he had yet to be informed of and would no doubt have zero chance of being able to deliver?

'No one said they would do so willingly. You leave that part to me' said Isaac confidently. 'All we need is access in and for you to be there when we arrive'.

Isaac knew that Phoenix was more than capable of overriding the system once the firewall was disabled and she would be able to ensure he stayed that way permanently. He also believed that if Frank was on board that he would ensure getting her in there safely and play his part. The only part of the elaborate scheme he had to take a leap of faith with was that Jake would be able to perform the puppeteer role in getting Van Duyn to the terminal. He believed in the boy, he had seen him perform similar feats before but had not yet addressed this part of the plan with him. Jake did not need to be able to read minds to sense that this was his plan, though.

Frank had hoped his challenge to this inconceivable plan would have given his old friend pause for thought, but if anything it had spurred him on.

'So are you in?' Isaac asked.

Frank let out an exasperated sigh, casting a cursory glance at Jake before his eyes now came into line with Isaac's dark caramel and calm eyes. 'If it means protecting my boy, then I guess I'm in' he said somewhat reluctant and defeated. 'You'll need to give me some time to organise a way in. Is there some way I can reach you?'

Isaac handed him the touch screen device. 'When you have something for us get in touch with Phoenix, she has the phone you gave Jake'. He then turned away and encouraged Jake to get in the car.

'So why do I need this exactly' said Frank waving the touch screen at him.

'There's a file on there I think you are going to want to see. It might give you additional motivation if you start to get cold feet' Isaac said running his fingers through his afro, before opening the car door.

Frank looked at the device with a quizzical expression. 'What's on this file exactly?'

'It shows what really happened to Dad' Jake said from the passenger seat. 'It proves that he had nothing to do with the terrorist incident in Berlin'.

Jake closed the door, flashing his adopted uncle a brief smile. Frank gazed back at him, returning the smile and allowed himself a fleeting thought where they lived together in a world free of all this secrecy and constant state of fear. He felt bad for the kid, he had never had anyone there for him offering him a normal life. The truth was if he could help Jake just as he had promised to when he was just a boy that was motivation enough. Frank was growing tired of all the underhanded nonsense anyway. In truth, in the very empty life he had, Jake was the only thing he cared about and the rule breaches to support the rebels was what kept him going from day-to-day. He was frightened by the thought of the change and all he might lose, but he had not really given any thought to what life might look like outside of the elaborate bubble that had been created. Perhaps now, he should give it more thought.

He turned to leave, holding on tightly to the thought of the boy growing up and having his own family one day. He liked the idea of them visiting old Uncle Frank, bringing a few cold beers to the barbeque on a nice summer's day talking about happier events. That was something he could definitely fight for.

'Hey, Frank' said Isaac, interrupting the trail of Frank's musings on a brighter future. Frank now turned back to him. 'You ever hear of a Project Eden?'

The mere mention of the name sent a shiver down his spine. That was something he had not heard of in a long time. His gaze flashed from Isaac to Jake and then back again. This meeting had led to many revelations, but this one was not going to come from him.

'No, I've never heard of it' he lied, his poker-faced expression being bought by both Jake and Isaac hook, line and sinker.

'Never mind, we'll be waiting for you to get in touch' said Isaac as his star-shaped locks disappeared into the car.

Frank now opened the hangar doors and waved them off. His head was spinning from the meeting that had just taken place. He then took hold of the touch screen and flicked to the file labelled 'Berlin 2020' and pressed play. Enough memories and harrowing images had been exposed from the past already, adding one more to his collection of nightmares could not hurt.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 12

YEAR **2030 - SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS**

It had been over three weeks since the meeting between Frank, Isaac, and Jake at the abandoned barracks of Hullavington. The rebels had taken the time to ready themselves for the fight that was on the horizon and word of the incursion and forthcoming rebellion had spread across the globe to the clans of freedom fighters who shared their aims.

The raid on the London compound was a critical part of the plan. Not only would they need to break their way in, take over the mainframe and broadcast the rebel message across the internal networks to the big screens that littered these compounds, they would have to take on the firepower of the Empire's security and more importantly hope that the brainwashed citizens inside joined them in the uprising. There were a lot of ways in which the mission could fail.

Jake looked forward to seeing the monotonous messages of propaganda that were broadcast on state television being replaced with the harsh truths that Phoenix had managed to collate showing corruption, betrayal, and cold-blooded murder. It was a leap of faith to expect this to act as a catalyst to an uprising, but if they did not act now or at least try, then the chances were that dreamland was going to become the world of the future. Whilst many would have been content to continue the mindless conformity just for an easier life with an 'I'm alright Jack' attitude, without collective action, it would not be long before the Empire stepped up its efforts and those same people found themselves victim to a change of plan and surplus to requirements. The dream walkers needed to know that they outnumbered the Empire, and together they had the power to determine the course of the future, they just needed the opportunity.

Once they had been given the green light from Frank, Isaac had set the wheels in motion. The rebel clans awaited his signal, ready to launch at a moment's notice and by this time tomorrow they hoped to be celebrating a victory.

Jake, Mike, Sam and Phoenix had been sent ahead to the docks in Southampton where they would board a shipment for the compound in London. Frank had ensured that two of his very best and trusted men would be driving the transporters that Jake and the others could stow themselves in to get to the compound and once they gained entry it would be up to them to get to the mainframe at the UCCA headquarters where he would be waiting for them. He had also ensured that President Van Duyn would be in the compound having scheduled a very important meeting with him in the morning. Frank was putting everything on the line and if this plan did not play out as it was meant to then he and anyone following his orders were in grave danger. The stakes were very high, as were the risks.

The instructions that Jake's quartet had been given was to arrive late in the evening at the docks and to hide out until the ship docked and began to unload the large containers. Once the two trucks had been loaded up they would pull from the docks to the charging station before making the early morning journey to London. The group was to look out for a truck that as it left the docking and loading area dipped its headlights three times. This was the one that they should board.

The quartet had watched from a distance as the ship had docked and began to unload its shipment onto the array of trucks that had gathered. Security was heavy down by the docking area but was non-existent outside of the gates once all the necessary security checks had been completed.

'What's it I'm looking for?' Mike said now fixing his binoculars at the activity down by the ship.

'Two trucks. One will dip its lights three times' said Phoenix having agreed on the finer points of the plan with Frank herself.

They were all down on the ground a few hundred metres from the electric charging point that the trucks would pull in to allow them to board. Phoenix was unused to being out of the comfort of the hub and was chewing on her hair as her anxiety levels began to elevate. Mike watched as trucks emerged from the docks and went on their way into the night.

'None yet' he whispered.

'You okay there Phoe' asked Sam having detected the fear growing from behind him.

Three men now looked back briefly at her shining a glow stick in her face. Phoenix's usually calm exterior and pristine brunette locks had given way to two curly bangs draped around her now pale, bloodless face. She spat the hair out of her mouth having been caught.

'This is normally Lexi territory' she moaned. 'I'm the computer nerd and we generally belong away from the action, away from the sun and anything that can harm us'.

Sam sniggered. 'Well, if Lexi was half as capable with computers as you, then she'd be here'.

Lexi had been a regular topic of conversation over the past month, especially after the events at Porton Down. Everyone had noticed that she was not quite herself, but she had been slowly getting back to normal. Jake was just grateful that Isaac had insisted that she led the cavalry once the incursion got underway and had not selected her to be part of this group. It had meant that the awkwardness that still existed between them could be avoided and Jake had found that spending time away from each other had allowed him to regain his focus and more importantly his abilities. He felt sharper than he ever had done.

'Heads up everyone' said Mike waving their attention to the entrance to the docks. 'We've got flashing lights up ahead, let's go'.

Two trucks had emerged, the second dipping its beams just as Frank had planned. The quartet was now up and running towards the charging station up ahead through the fading darkness of the early morning skies, the light blue hues slicing through the thick darkness with the onset of the day just hours away. A new dawn was rising.

The trucks positioned themselves side by side within the docking station blocking the view of any prying eyes. The drivers went about their business so as to not draw any attention, engaging in a little small talk as the trucks began to charge in readiness for the journey ahead. There were a few other drivers doing exactly the same thing, minding their own business and waiting for the trucks to be refuelled. The process was a noisy one with the electronic charging stations generating and pumping so much energy that the men needed to almost shout at one another just to hear what they were saying and this provided an ample distraction for the rebel stowaways to board the second truck without anyone batting an eyelid. The driver had left the rear latch undone, ensuring easy and quick access, Mike and the others clambered up into the rear container and slammed the door shut, the sound barely audible. They were now secured in the second truck and ready to get on their way.

After a few more minutes of listening to the two drivers talking about shift changes and driver logs, the charging stations whirred to a stop. The rear door was tightened and secured and soon the two men were bidding the other drivers farewell. Then the driver of the truck that Jake was in, could be heard clambering into the front cabin and the engine roared into action. They were on their way.

'Well, that was a lot easier than I expected' confessed Phoenix a few minutes after their journey had begun.

Mike cracked a glow stick, illuminating the inside of the iron prison they now found themselves encased within. It was dark and dingy and difficult to see very far ahead.

'What exactly is in this shipment anyway?' Sam enquired trying to get a look at the merchandise within. 'I hope it's food because I'm starving' he moaned.

Mike began to venture into the expanse of the cargo container. It was like a labyrinth that had been compacted into this small space. He could barely make out a few large caskets, stacked on top of one another with tight passageways towards the other end of the container.

'I don't think it's food' he said, slipping sideways alongside the high stacks. He shone the glow stick on some of the thick wooden boxes, but all the writing was in another language, He had been around long enough to know that the symbols were Chinese but not long enough to know what they meant.

Sam and the others were following behind him, passing by several stacks of these wooden boxes that had been shipped from overseas.

'Oh my god, you guys have got to see this' announced Mike from the front of the container. He had passed through the maze of stacks into the wider expanse at the other end.

Soon, the others joined him. Sam cracked a glow stick to aid his cousin's and their joint illumination now cast a light on an unanticipated cargo.

'Frank said there would be a surprise' admitted Phoenix, her eyes bulging with unease. 'He also said we shouldn't worry'.

The mini bubble of light that had formed between them outlined the shape of a foot soldier, powered down and inactive. The figure was at least eight feet high, cast of solid metal and gazing lifelessly at them. The giant foot soldier's black and green exterior could just be made out under the light. It was clearly one of the Empire's and it was here in the back with them.

'Great' said Sam finally, 'here we are about to bring the revolution and uncle Frank has packed us in a sardine can with a goddamn guard!'

His apparent anxiety was about to be heightened further as Mike waved his luminescent wand further into the container's hidden corners. Jake now cracked a third glow stick and joined him.

'Holy crap' Phoenix sighed slowly. 'There are loads of them'.

A wall of stagnant foot soldiers was soon revealed by the emergent light. They were hanging from the rafters of the container's insides and arranged in rows of four that swept back beyond the light.

'There must be like twenty or more in here' said Jake trying to take it all in, his light revealing more and more of the henchmen, the machines of their enemy.

Mike had broken open one of the wooden boxes and was now holding a large nuclear pulse rifle that was standard issue to the machines they were now sharing the journey with.

'Well if you need a bit of reassurance, maybe you should have one of these' he said tossing the rifle to Sam before reaching in and grabbing another for himself.

'Now that's what I'm talking about' said Sam, a devilish look taking possession of his face. 'Let's see what else they got in this little treasure trove shall we'.

He and Mike ventured further into the container to explore the cargo. Jake and Phoenix were now alone surrounded by large weapons of mass destruction and a swarm of sleeping foot soldiers.

'So how are you feeling now?' Jake asked with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

'Me, I'm fine' she protested as if this was just a walk in the park. 'Definitely starting to get used to all of this action and adventure spy stuff' she lied.

Given half the chance she would have taken to chewing on her hair, but whilst she was not that accustomed to human company, something told her that this was probably was not the done thing. She also felt a lot more self-conscious around Jake given their similar age and she imagined he probably thought she was a bit of a loser and did not want to do too much else to confirm such impressions.

Just at that moment, the truck jolted awkwardly, the driver clearly hitting a slight bump in the road. The impact caused one of the foot soldiers heads to jerk up and then crash down on the on the breastplate. Phoenix screamed, her hands and arms flailing in the air, thinking that it had come to life.

Jake tried to suppress an urge to laugh and Sam and Mike now came storming down the container to deal with the emergency, guns ready to fire.

'What happened?' Mike enquired searching for threats but coming up empty.

'False alarm. Just a bump in the road' Jake said with a smile.

By this point, Phoenix was doubled over, sucking in deep breaths to calm herself and to hide her embarrassment. 'This is most definitely Lexi territory' she groaned.

She was thankful that for the next few miles the truck continued along its path without further incident whilst the guys took the opportunity to try to spook her again and poke fun at her. She was not afraid to admit feeling entirely out of her depth and the sanctity of the bubble she had created at the hub and home was very appealing right now.

Otto was at the head of a group of four black SUVs with blacked out windows. They were hovering with intent just a few hundred yards back from the two trucks having followed them from the docks. It was like watching an eagle sizing up its prey and preparing a launch.

The pasty-faced assassin knew that he was lucky to be alive and that he owed a debt of gratitude to his boss for having gotten him out of the sticky situation at the UCCA building just a few weeks before. Whilst the explanation provided had done little to smooth over long-term disputes between agents loyal to the UCCA and Frank, and Chimera, it had freed him from custody. Otto had since been reassigned to monitoring activity at a secluded old mansion deep in the Wiltshire countryside. Numen had been given cause to think that there was something of worth there and whilst Otto had feared it was going to be another boring stakeout detail, he was in no position to complain.

It had become clear over the weeks that he had been spying on the place that this was a rebel hideout. On the general's orders, he had followed the quartet to Southampton and kept out of sight before calling in the support he would need to take them alive. Otto had no idea what the rebels had planned, but when he watched them clamber in the back of the truck that was headed to London he knew this was something that may regain his General's trust.

He now pressed a button on the dashboard, which opened a compartment revealing a miniature monitor. It was time to update Numen on events.

'General Numen' he enunciated clearly with the blank screen now sparking into action.

Within moments, the piercing blue eyes and sparkling grey goatee of General Numen were live on the screen. The whites of his eyes and teeth just making him visible under the shallow light of the early sunrise.

'Have you got them yet?' Numen said direct and to the point.

'Closing in on them now sir' replied Otto increasing his speed. 'How do you want me to proceed?'

Numen's face was stern and surly. 'Kill the drivers. Take the others alive if you can and then bring them to me' he said.

'And if we meet resistance?'

Numen's face came right up close to the screen his eyes maniacal and unrelenting. 'Then you kill every single one of them and you bring me whatever is left'.

'The boy you mentioned is with the rebels' Otto said, 'what about him?'

Numen's eyes shifted for a moment, he was thinking. It had not occurred to him that the boy would have been part of whatever this clandestine operation was. He then turned back to the screen. 'I am holding you entirely responsible for taking the boy alive and delivering him to me' said the general finally. 'Consider this your chance to prove your worthiness old friend'.

'Consider it done' Otto replied stroking his slick ginger hair whilst checking his rear view mirror. The three other cars were right behind him and the second truck which housed Jake and the others was in touching distance.

'We're about to set off here. Call me when it's done' Numen said before the screen faded to black.

Otto now signalled to his entourage that the time to strike was now. His car began to pick up speed, passing the rear truck and eating up ground towards the one at the front. As he passed it, Otto could see one of the UCCA agents from the incident back at headquarters was driving. His lip curled and contorted into a sinister little smirk, he was rather going to enjoy getting revenge. He dropped a gear and pressed hard again on the accelerator to get up to the front of the lead truck catching a momentary glance at its driver. His smirk now blossomed into the biggest beaming smile as he caught the fearful stare of the lead agent who had arrested him just a few weeks ago, an agent known as Paulsen, Otto had not caught his first name. The look in the driver's eyes told him he that the game was up and now Otto swerved and pulled in front to try and slow him down.

The second SUV pulled in behind the first truck and began to slow its speed causing the driver of the rear truck to brake. The other two SUVs now came down the side and armed Chimera agents decked out in all black commando fatigues and masks, now aimed their powerful assault weapons at the driver's cabin and signalled for him to slow down and pull over.

The gap between the two trucks increased until it became apparent that the one in the rear with Jake and the others stowed inside had been brought to a halt. Otto had now pulled into the opposite lane and with a screech of the rubber on the road, had swung the car back around towards the one that had been flagged down and pulled over.

Agent Paulsen could see his colleague had been captured and had he been carrying the cargo that the director had insisted was delivered, he would have kept going, but right now, it was looking as though both his friend and the stowaways were about to come to a grisly end. He slammed his brakes on and the truck slowed to a halt. It transporter was too large to turn in the road and go back and was now slowly reversing back towards the gathering at the side of the road, the reverse alarm in full voice. Having seen Otto in the front vehicle, Paulsen knew they were in trouble, but he was not about to let his partner go down on his own, that was not the honourable thing to do.

Paulsen's truck came to a halt just a few yards away from the surrounded truck of his partner and he jumped down out of his cabin and began to walk quite leisurely towards the cluster of black SUVs. He pulled his badge, identifying himself as an agent with the United Crime Control Authority. Otto simply stepped down from his vehicle, removed his gun and shot Agent Paulsen square between his eyes a tennis ball shaped vacuum, like a black hole, opened up through the surprised agent's face and swallowed his entire head like water draining down a sink hole. His headless torso now dropped heavily to the floor with a thud, his badge rolling from his lifeless palm into the road.

The agent in the cabin of the second truck watched on utterly powerless to do anything. His partner's decapitated corpse twitching momentarily on the ground. The fear etched on his face quickly shifted to anger as he reached for something, perhaps his gun, but it was too late. Four Chimera agents, on waved instruction from Otto, now swarmed around the cabin of the truck and let rip with their assault weapons. The bright beams of each shot cannoned through the windscreen, shattering it into pieces, before scorching and tearing the flesh from his skin. Within just a few moments the makeshift firing squad had reduced him from a middle-aged grey-haired man to a charred skeleton that erupted into a cloud of dust.

'That'll teach you both for messing in my affairs' said Otto, the job satisfaction evident on his now grinning, psychotic little face.

He waved his men to the rear of the truck with a swipe of his gun, before bringing his trigger finger to his lips to urge them to be quiet. All of the men had now disembarked from the SUVs and surrounded the large rear container with Jake and the others inside.

'First, we secure the boy, Numen wants him alive' said Otto, now at the rear door. 'Once you have him do whatever you wish with the others'.

He nodded to the agent nearest the door to open it and soon both rear doors were swung wide open, a burst of bright light blinding them for the briefest moment. Within a moment of the light blast, the agents were now all in a line, guns pointing into the depths of the container. The bright light had sparked quickly and faded almost as quickly as it had emerged, and now all that could be seen were a few figures moving behind the stacks of wooden boxes.

'We have you surrounded, come out and you won't be harmed' lied Otto motioning for two of his agents to get up to the back of the truck.

The figures continued to muddle around in the back of the truck, with absolutely no intention of being subtle with their movements.

'We can hear you moving around in there. Time to come out' said Otto again his voice growing less confident with every utterance.

The movement inside was now starting to getting very vibrant and the container began to shake under the feet of the agents who had climbed inside. They looked back to Otto for guidance, their masks concealing the obvious fright and uncertainty as to what was happening. All the while the noises in the back grew louder and the container shook more violently. Then without any further word uttered, the container fell silent and still.

Otto and his men held their positions and fixed their sights on the back of the dark container waiting for the stowaways to emerge, arms raised in surrender. They waited a few moments, nothing, and then another few moments, nothing. Otto was growing impatient and the lack of confidence of his men was beginning to show as they all cast glances away from the container to one another, the uncertain stalemate growing more and more mysterious.

Otto now clambered up into the container, the stacks of wooden boxes obscuring his view. He waved his henchmen to follow him in, signalling for them to slip down the sides of the stacks and to flank the rebels who were clearly taking refuge inside.

The container had become eerily quiet and the light had been swallowed into darkness. Every footstep Otto or his men took echoed through the solid metal structure. He now slid down past the last of the stacks of boxes, a few fallen glow sticks faded on the floor and some of the boxes opened and the contents removed. The four stowaways were nowhere to be seen. It was a baffling situation.

'What's down there?' Otto motioned to the rows of static foot soldiers hidden by the darkness of the top of the container.

'Looks like a shipment of guards, sir' said one of the agents, shining a light across the large robotic figures. 'There's no sign of them anywhere'.

'Well they must be in here somewhere and the only way out is behind us' growled Otto before changing his voice to a higher pitched one. 'Come out, come out where ever you are' he chirped in a fake childlike imitation, the smile forming on his thin lips again.

Just as they took a step towards the back of the dark cavernous container a sound clattered behind them. The front agents now turned, aiming their guns towards the back where the sound had emerged, causing their colleagues behind them to raise their hands in submission.

'What was that?' Otto thundered, turning and pointing his gun at one of his agents.

'It came from that direction' said the agent, now pointing aimlessly to the open doors and dawn skies outside.
'They couldn't have gotten out' he snarled. 'Everybody be quiet'.

The agents listened intently and a rumbling noise from outside could clearly be heard growing in intensity. It was like a giant purring cat that had them all in a trance.

'What the hell is that?' Otto said finally.

No sooner had the question left his lips than he realised himself what it was. It was an engine roaring into life, and not just any engine, it was coming from the newly-expired agent Paulsen's truck. Before his brain could even fathom how they had managed to get out of the truck, past him and his men and into the lead vehicle, his attention was diverted. His agents were now pointing behind him and the floor beneath them began to judder like an earthquake had taken hold.

Otto now spun on his heel and found himself peering into the illuminated eye visor of one of the foot soldiers who had come to life. Its face came right up to his, so close that his breath formed a small condensation patch on its helmet. It had not been what he had expected, and within just a few moments all of the foot soldiers had sparked into life, queuing up behind the lead robot who continued to maintain close quarters with Otto.

The Chimera leader was now in a state of panic, sweat dripping from his pale skin. Not only had he realised that he was now faced with a small army of enormous robotic foot soldiers, but it was clear that they were all armed with the high powered nuclear pulse rifles. Somehow, Otto had led his men into an ambush.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 13

YEAR **2030 - MOTORWAY BETWEEN SOUTHAMPTON AND LONDON**

When the truck had come to a sudden standstill, Jake, and the others had known that something had gone awry. Frank's meticulous plan to ferry them into the compound had hit unforeseen complications. They were still several miles away from their destination and the fate of the planned rebellion relied heavily on them achieving their goal.

Jake had urged them all to remain silent and to listen out for any clues as to what was going on. They had heard the sound of Otto's convoy loom up on them and surround the truck just before it came to a halt here on the hard shoulder of the motorway. They had heard the rear alarm of Paulsen's truck backing up towards them and the agent announcing himself to their unwanted visitors. The execution of the two drivers had made it very clear that they were in serious danger and the orders from the lone voice of the assailants had made that very clear.

'First, we secure the boy, Numen wants him alive' Jake heard the man say. 'Once you have him do whatever you wish with the others'.

The announcement of their impending doom had put Sam and Mike in a state of high alert and like true soldiers, they were ready to go down fighting. They stood up and aimed their guns at the back of the truck ready to take as many of their enemies down as they could. Whilst Jake recognised the valiant and brave course of action the two men were prepared to take, it would not help the planned rebellion if they went down as martyrs to the cause. Getting into the compound and breaking the stranglehold their enemies had on the system was essential to ending the status quo.

'Wait' he whispered. 'Everybody calm down and take a seat'.

'Jake these guys are coming in here in a matter of seconds and they don't intend to take many of us as prisoners' Mike argued in a hushed tone so as not to draw attention.

'I have an idea, but you are all going to have to trust me' said Jake again with a bit more force. 'You all need to sit down and close your eyes'.

'Are you freaking kidding me right now' whined Sam, droplets of sweat hanging on his brow. 'We are about to get turned into a bunch of dust clouds and you want us to sit down and do some cum bye yah ritual!'

The looks Jake received from both Phoenix and Mike suggested they tended to agree with Sam's brutally honest assessment of the predicament they were in. Nevertheless, he was not about to give up and the movements outside suggested that time was running out.

'You have to trust me. Now sit down, shut your eyes and bind hands. Do it now' Jake asserted through gritted teeth, keen to make his point and to keep as quiet as humanly possible.

Sam turned to his older, chiselled cousin, looking for some backup. Mike just shrugged his heavy shoulders and did what Jake said, taking a seat and taking hold of Jake's outstretched left arm. Phoenix too gave a resigned look back to Sam who was now rubbing his closely shaved head with mock laughter. Phoenix took hold of Jake's right hand and now offered her free arm to Sam.

'Fine' he whispered, shaking his head furiously, taking hold of Phoenix and Mike's free arms. 'For the record, though, when we're all dead and where ever we end up let it be known that I think you're all absolutely off the goddamn charts, bat-shit crazy. Just saying'.

'Duly noted. Now close your eyes and clear your mind' Jake said with a tinge of sarcasm.

He now took a deep breath and closed his eyes and one by one the others followed suit even though they could hear the intruders outside clambering on to the back of the truck and releasing the lock.

In the days leading up to the initiation of the uprising, Jake had spent much time alone trying to recover his abilities. He had drawn upon the teachings of his childhood when Shengani would make him practice for hours and hours, clearing his mind of all of his fears and anxieties and just imagining endless possibilities. His old master had taught him that anything was possible when your mind could convince your body that the great visions it constructed could be achieved in reality. He had argued that the mind could create endless realities that the heart if fully tuned in could make real. Shengani had taught him that contrary to popular opinion, it was the heart that made people's dreams come true and the mind was merely the space that created the possibility. The key was getting them in synch.

Just a few days before he had been trying to put these teachings into practice alone in his room. He had just been informed by Isaac that his unique skills would be required to ensure Van Duyn activated his part of the passcode which they both knew he would not do voluntarily or even under duress. Without spelling it out to him Isaac had been telling him that the whole plan was entirely dependent on Jake's ability to take possession of the president and to make him do as they wanted. Jake did not have the heart to tell his faithful host that his abilities had completely evaded him. He had laid on his bed for hours agonising over the impossibility of what was being asked of him certain that he was going to fail.

Once he had burned off all of the nervous energy and thoroughly beaten himself up to point of self-loathing and utter contempt of anything he had ever been able to achieve in the past that was when Shengani had emerged in his head. The quirky little man prodded him with his walking cane and gave him a look of derision and disgust. Shengani had then been stood at the top of a very large wall that had taken shape in Jake's subconscious, looking down at him.

_Think not, how high is the wall I must climb_ , Shengani's voice had echoed in the deep recesses of his mind. _Think only,_ how to _get to the other side._

After a few moments, Jake had imagined flying over the wall, crashing through the middle of it, digging under it and simply walking around it. There were an infinite number of ways to address the obstacle and yet he had been looking at the hardest and most obvious solutions for everything up to this point, no doubt trying to choose to scale the wall and clamber to the other side, but for that he would have needed a rope, a hammer and a series of climbing clips none of which he had. It was at this point in his refresher course that he had a moment of clarity. He had been focussing on all the things he could not control rather than imagining the things he could.

_If your mind can create it and your heart believes it. Then for you Jake, anything is truly possible. Unrelenting belief is what will set you free._ Shengani had said before disappearing back into the depths of his brain.

When Jake had awoken from this internal lesson on how to free up his mind a few days ago, he was no longer on his bed within the confines of the mansion. He was now back on the mound at the front of the grounds, the twinkling stars above there to greet him. Jake had for the first time teleported himself.

Back in the truck, Jake had managed to establish a connection with his three friends who were oblivious to the fact that he was about to try the inconceivable and to teleport them all out of there. They were like a bunch of guinea pigs being subjected to an untested trial, but given the stakes, Jake saw no better alternative. He flooded his thoughts through the minds of Phoenix and Mike with relative ease, like a huge tidal wave crashing through feeble flood defences. Sam had offered much greater resistance but now Jake had managed to quell his contracting neural pathways, bursting them open with a bright energy that made anything and everything possible.

Within a brief moment, Jake could see the bright synapses firing in all of their minds, exploding balls of energy shooting across a web of thought processes that began to glow brightly and began to spark like a swarm of shooting stars all catapulting off into the distance at an intense velocity.

It was as though they were no longer sat huddled behind the wooden stacks in the back of the dingy container, but were instead gathered together as one glowing form on the most phenomenal rollercoaster journey through outer space. A bright glowing light rocketed ahead in front of them and it was as if they were charging at light speed behind it, just trying to keep up. Then as they got closer to it the bright light now expanded in front of them like a beautiful flower blooming and swallowing them in. The white light now sucked them in with a powerful vacuum, a dark tiny circle hurtling towards them in the distance growing larger and darker with every split second that passed until the bright white light had entirely evaporated, consumed by the greedy darkness that now enveloped them entirely, slowing their pace until it was as if they were in suspended animation and not moving at all.

The sudden dose of adrenaline kicked in and the four of them know jerked back into life still clutching tightly to one another. Startled and confused expressions flashed among the quartet as their hungry eyes ravenously took in their new surroundings. The dingy container was gone, the fresh breeze of the morning swept across their faces, the emerging light of day all around them. Mike was the first to get to his feet, looking back to the truck that had been surrounded by four SUVs, the inhabitants of which had now opened the back door to where they had been hiding just moments before. From this high viewpoint, it took him a few moments to gather his thoughts and realise where they were.

'We're on top of the other truck' he said somewhat bemused.

'You think?' Sam chimed sarcastically, now looking over the side of the truck to the remains of the dead agent, Paulsen, on the road.

Phoenix was completely stunned at what had just happened and had been the slowest to recover. She was chattering incomprehensibly and trying to stop her body from shaking from the shock.

'What the hell just happened?' Phoenix blurted finally.

'There's no time for that now' said Jake pointing to the rear of their previous abode that had now been breached and was full of activity. 'We need to get out of here'.

He took hold of Phoenix and led her towards the gap between the rear trailer and the driver's cabin to ensure that they remained out of sight. Mike and Sam now jostled for position, each desperate to get down quickest to assume driving responsibility for the truck.

Mike won the race to assume control of the vehicle, Jake, and the others clambered into the passenger side unaware of how long they would have before they were detected. Mike now reached out and grabbed at the heavy door, he caught sight of Agent Paulsen's body in the wing mirror, prostrate and rigid on the road at the tail of the truck. The sickening image causing him to tug harder on the door than he intended and resulted in a large slamming thud.

'I know why don't just wind the window down and scream at the top of your voice 'hey assholes I'm over here'' snapped Sam sarcastically in irritation at Mike's clumsiness. 'I suggest you get us the hell out of here before they catch wind of what has happened '.

Jake alert to the noise that had broken the eerie silence that had concealed their escape to this point now began checking for any movement from the opposite wing mirror. Mike ignored his cousin and put the engine into motion.

'Well, if they hadn't heard us before then they will now' he said pushing the large transporter into action down the road and away from the collection of SUVs and the abandoned truck that began to shrink into the distance.

Jake's eyes fixed on the wing mirror, surely it would be a matter of time before their escape was detected and the sound of the truck's engine triggered a response, but as he looked, nothing happened and they were soon getting further out of sight.

He turned back to the others shaking his head. 'Somehow I don't think they even heard us' he said.

Mike snatched a look in his mirror and he too could not make out any movement as the truck drifted out of sight.

'I still think that whatever happened back there was totally crazy by the way. I stand by my original statement' said Sam a cheeky smile beginning to emerge. 'It was so cool, though. Crazy, but very cool'.

They were now on their way, deviating from the original plan but well on target to get to the London compound to enact the next stage of the plan.

The tension in the back of the abandoned truck had reached a critical level. The rebels had somehow foxed Otto and his men and gotten by them undetected and had now clearly escaped in the unsecured truck that could no longer be heard having pulled off into the distance.

The Chimera agents and the armed foot soldiers had been locked in an unnerving stalemate for all this time, but it was clear that any sudden movement would trigger a situation that would result in a firefight of immense proportions.

'No one does anything stupid' Otto grunted back to his men. 'Nobody makes any sudden moves'.

The robot soldier whom he had been stood face-to-face with now recoiled back into a standing position. The black and green giant figure towering over Otto and his men filled the expanse of the container, and his fellow foot soldiers now stepped up alongside him creating a wall of green and black metal that caught the glimpses of light from the emerging day outside. The foot soldiers now raised their guns and aimed them directly at the intruders.

'Now hold on a minute' Otto said loudly, trying to assert a dominance from his lowly position. 'We are all on the same side here. We all work for the Empire' he reasoned.

Otto's men might have backed up their leader at this point in the negotiations by lowering their weapons to show they did not pose a threat, but they remained locked into a position of attack.

Otto began to panic, small little droplets of sweat forming on his brow. They began to descend his pallid facade like a group abseiling a cliff face. Each drop then trickling to the edge of his pointy chin and splashing down onto his boots.

He imagined how he would explain the situation to Numen, how he had allowed the quartet to escape, having failed to secure both of the captured trucks. How would he explain how the boy and his fellow stowaways had slipped his elite trained troops and given the current face off, what would he say was his brilliant resolution to that? Surviving this situation was one thing, but he was certain that Numen was going to kill him.

In the tense cauldron of the container, it was as if his internal inquisition was given a rather divine response. Over the silence that had engulfed the scene, a voice cut unexpectedly across the airwaves like a message from god.

'I told you to call me when you were done' Numen's angry voice echoed from Otto's ear piece.

In the split second that the general's voice carried into the container, the unexpected interruption had caused Otto to take a step back and he found himself tumbling backwards over an empty wooden box. It was as though he had been the first in a series of dominoes to kick a tragic sequence into action.

Startled by his fall, one of Otto's men had gotten an itchy trigger finger and let rip with the first shot into the back of the container. In a scene fitting of an old gangster movie, Newton's third law of motion was beautifully and tragically proven. The foot soldiers reacted to the gunshot instantaneously, unleashing their own arsenal of firepower. Within a brief moment, the whole of the container was alight with the fire of hell. Both sides unloaded the full extent of their weapon capability with the bodies of the Chimera agents evaporating into smoke and the fallen foot soldiers obliterated into piles of scrap metal.

The gunfight lasted just a few moments with the entirety of the insides and all the people within it being destroyed and decimated. A cloud of dust swept out of the back of the truck amidst a raging fire that had erupted inside the giant metal container.

'Otto. Otto. Otto answer me' Numen's voice could be heard from the ear piece that had been catapulted to the exit of the truck, still embedded within Otto's dismembered ear. 'What the hell is going on there? Otto, answer me' he continued to shout.

Through the destruction of the back of the truck, the bloodied and dismembered figure of Otto could be seen dragging himself towards his missing ear. He was covered in blood, both his legs missing and his attire covered in congealed blood, dusty remains of his colleagues and burns from the flames that chased behind him. He dragged himself to the mouth of the opening and clutching his ear tightly, tried to reattach it to his head entirely unsuccessfully.

'Otto, I swear if you have failed me again, I will personally tear you limb from limb' threatened Numen over the ear piece.

Otto rolled on his back and began to laugh uncontrollably, his wounds extensive and beyond repair. He tossed the ear into the flames that were slowly creeping towards him, killing off the voice of his General. In what was an ironic twist that was fuelling his painful laughter, Otto had been killed by his boss after all. The flames now hungrily fed on the bloody stumps where his legs had once been and his laughter was replaced with sheer blinding agony. The white hot burning sensation climbed up to his midsection and he began to fit and foam at the mouth, his screams of agony throttled by the intense heat that was drowning his inflamed lungs.

Then in what came as a flash of merciful magic, Otto's excruciating anguish was ended by an enormous explosion that ripped through the belly of the truck. The flames rose up into the early morning sky, a trail of murder and devastation in its wake. The rebellion was just getting started.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 14

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

It was a normal sunny day within the bubble of the heart of London in 2030. Long lines of worker ants shuffled along the paths like a herd of zombies, barely noticing one another and locked into their own little worlds for the day. The traffic queues on the morning commute were as orderly as they always were with traffic moving along at a snail's pace as people moved towards the start of yet another monotonous day.

All around the city, the enormous screens broadcast the usual state-sponsored nonsense. There were news reports broadcasting false victories achieved against the terrorist rebellion beyond the gates; adverts for new 'old movies' available for download; opportunities for earning credits by turning in any work colleagues who had breached the stringent rules of the workplace. It was the usual fare and the dream walkers floated within their propaganda-infested states whilst instruments of the Empire filtered among them in abundance with just one subliminal intent: everything was totally normal and under control.

Drones circulated the skies above making sure that everything was in order and everyone kept moving towards their designated place of work. Foot soldiers patrolled the main high street which acted as a thoroughfare for the commuters, here they would come to life for the briefest of moments as the iris scanners caught their eye, an array of tailored consumables broadcast directly to them which they could spend their hard earned credits on after a day of toil. It gave a whole new meaning to the concept of window shopping and this was perhaps the best part of a workers day, for other than work and the privacy of the tiny modules they lived in alone, there really was not much else to look forward to. Happiness was directly linked to the things that their credits could buy which meant if you had to get someone else in trouble for making an anti-establishment comment at work then so be it. Credits were hard to come by and it was not as if anyone had any family or friends in here so it really was a case of everyone for themselves.

The Empire had become masters over the years when it came to divide and rule, that's how they came to power in the first place, pitting various sections of society against each other and watching them battle one another to the bottom. The vitriol that was sparked from this approach had been a source of great amusement to the masters of the universe and the puppet politicians they used to enforce their will. The latter had enjoyed the riches that came with doing as they were instructed even if it meant a bit of public hatred. Little had these puppet politicians realised that once such laws and policies were in place, there would no longer be any need for them in this authoritarian dystopia. They had been the first casualties of the Empire's accession to the governing authority, they were a threat straight and simple, not through intellect or ability, they simply knew far too much about the dark arts that had got us all here. They had been servants to establishing this New World Order, fooling the masses into thinking that such changes had been carried out under democratic mandate rather than cloak and dagger deception. All those historic victories for greater freedoms, rights and civil liberties had been so freely handed over without much of a fight. The human race was a laughing stock so easily manipulated by the promise of wealth, power and fame or the promise that such things were ever achievable.

Frank was among the commuter swarms on his way to UCCA headquarters with his standard bagel and coffee breakfast from Mack's. Today looked and felt like any other day, but he knew that it was only a matter of time before the placid drudgery gave way to a violent revolt on an epic scale. He sipped his coffee, its bitter taste more pronounced than usual, the caffeine giving him a brighter buzz than it normally did. Frank gazed out on the sunny streets filled with the commuters, his mind shutting out the giant screens broadcasting the usual nonsense and he could hear music in his head. It had been so long since he had been able to drive and listen to music and he longed for the chance to do so again. The more he tuned out the droning pretence of the compound, the clearer the song filtered through his mind, his subconscious drifting to happier times, his fingers tapping out a tune. Now his head was bobbing up and down, the song growing louder in his brain and coursing through his veins.

Frank's gear changes became firmer and he began to squeeze the accelerator pedal with a heavy foot not caring that he was going above the designated limit. He now bit his bottom lip, allowing the uncontrollable urge of the music to take hold of him, jerking his head back and forth along with the guitar riffs and crashing cymbals that now flooded his body, the base and drum pounding through his heart. The tune was an old thrash metal classic of his younger years by the aptly named _Rage Against the Machine_ and the lyrics of the song now filtered to his vocal chords.

'Now you do what they told ya' he sang. 'Now you're under control'.

He continued to sing the lines, his voice growing in amplitude and vociferousness with each uttered line, building up to a crescendo whilst the engine roared out in harmony with his exhilarated rants. To unassuming onlookers it was quite a strange sight, a middle-aged man conducting his own private concert, wailing inaudibly at the top of his voice and trying to play air guitar whilst simultaneously trying to command control of a moving vehicle.

Frank was beyond caring by this point, he imagined this might be the last day he would be alive and he was going to enjoy himself goddamn it. He wound down the window and stuck his tongue out at the people giving him peculiar looks and stares of derision. It was not as if they could hear what he was hearing, the track having shifted to another from the album.

'We gotta take the power back. Come on. Come on' he sang out of his window, passers-by giving perplexed and startled glances.

Frank was overcome with hysteria, laughing wildly at himself, imagining how those stupid imbeciles must have taken him as a crazy fool in the midst of a breakdown, but he just did not care. He had not felt so alive in such a long time and continued to belt out the tunes at the top of his voice all the way to headquarters. He promised himself that if he made it through the day that he'd grow out his hair and learn to play the guitar.

Frank's little dalliance with the rock gods of the past had meant that he was already running late for his morning meeting. By the time he passed through the security checks at the gate house to HQ, he arrived at his office to find the president's security detail loitering outside.

The rotund figure of the president swivelled leisurely in his chair to greet him. Van Duyn was smoking on a contraband cigar, the ash spilling all over Frank's immaculate desk, whilst the president delicately twisted the tips of his ginger moustache.

'Good Morning Frank' he said looking far too comfortable in the director's seat. 'Take a load off and let's have a chat' he urged, directing Frank to the seat opposite his own.

Any remnants of the hyperactive state that Frank had embodied a few moments earlier had now vacated his body like an unwanted house guest. His business-like and professional demeanour returned, embracing the dull glow of his lacklustre black suit and tie, whilst channelling the cool and calm exterior of a statesman. The old Frank was back and he had business to conduct, the budding rock star would have to remain ensconced in his subconscious for now.

'Actually sir, I'd like to take you down to the mainframe and show you what I was talking about' said Frank, keen to get the next stage of his master plan underway.

Van Duyn blew a couple of smoke rings into the middle of the room just in front of Frank's face before discarding some of the excess ash on Frank's desk. 'You know it does rather surprise me that someone as straight-laced as you Frank my boy, would condone the smoking of contraband cigars in your office' the president quizzed in an attempt to unnerve him, such was his manner of always trying to irk anyone and everyone.

'Well to be honest sir, I have to say that what I want to show you is a little more important than a man and his vices. We all have them after all' Frank said trying to urge the president to get his butt out of Frank's seat.

The small pile of ash on his desk was beginning to bother him too, but Frank would ensure that one of his lackeys took care of that when they left, or not, this was a new dawn after all.

'Well, well, well. This is a very cold day in hell. Frank McQuaid, mister doing everything by the book surely has no vices?' Van Duyn mocked churlishly. 'Be careful my boy, don't let the mindless muppets out there hear you we'll end up with a revolution on our hands' he said, belting out a hearty laugh that made his belly jiggle.

Frank suppressed a smile, not wanting to indulge the fantasy of what he hoped was to come by confirming to the president that what he just uttered was closer to the truth than he realised.

'Shall we get down to the mainframe then?' Frank pressed.

Van Duyn rolled his eyes and took a final drag on his cigar, blowing a cloud of smoke up into the gathered haze he had already generated in the room. He then sprung to his feet and stubbed the cigar out in the middle of Frank's table.

Frank's gaze hung on the ash pile and burned imprint of the cigar tip on his desk, he allowed the tiniest of images to flash in his mind, one where he took Van Duyn's glowing cigar and poked it in his eye, before giving a disingenuous smile.

'Ready to go' he said with an insincere and overly-friendly tone, learned from years of faux hospitality dished out so freely in hotels and eateries in his past.

'I assume this has a little something to do with that prick Numen' said, Van Duyn, his boorish manner rekindled. 'He's a total cow's arse that one. Always getting in the bloody way and would be better served up on a plate, bloody and rare'.

It was an interesting and colourful metaphor and brought a genuine smile to Frank's face he was no fan of the general's either, a characteristic he shared with Van Duyn. He chose not to indulge the comment and instead led the surly President out of his office to the epicentre of the UCCA headquarters, leaving the makeshift ashtray on his desk still smoking away.

The United Crime Control Authority mainframe was a giant domed structure at the heart the organisation's headquarters in London, operating as the heart of all of the compounds across the globe. Here was where all monitoring, surveillance and state communications of the Empire took place. Entry was limited to authorised personnel only, gaining access only through a battery of biometric analyses including iris scanning, digital fingerprint reading and brain scan imaging.

The giant bullet-proofed glass dome housed thousands upon thousands of monitors sectioned off into areas of scrutiny teams who ran surveillance of all of the territories in the world. The litany of issues and incidents were all colourfully detailed across the screens allowing the diligent operatives to respond appropriately, delegating security teams to take appropriate action. This was one area where the reliance of robotic substitutes had yet to take off, relying on the decision-making of humans to maintain order and control.

It was an enormous operation, with each key land area being sectioned off into small surveillance teams. The core functioning of all of the territories ran directly through London and the failure of the mainframe would mean that the surveillance infrastructure across the world would be rendered useless, especially if the state messages that were so publicly broadcast started to announce the truth.

Frank and President Van Duyn, flanked by his security officers, now navigated the maze of the boisterous hive of activity. Images from across the world were now flashing up on the screens along with maps with flashing images detailing current events and incidents being attended to by the respective teams of operatives. The morning propaganda broadcast continued to play on a loop on the big screens within the dome, giving the morning commuters their daily dose of state-sponsored faux reality.

'Do you think they still believe all this stuff we feed them?' President Van Duyn asked in reference to the news broadcasts.

'It's not like we have a monopoly on the truth or anything' Frank replied sarcastically. 'To be honest, it doesn't matter whether they believe it or not. None of them are inclined to speak up, they know what the outcome would be'.

Van Duyn was starting to lose his breath, talking and walking was proving difficult for a man of his girth, clearly having enjoyed far too much time of having his head in the trough.

'I'm not quite as fit as I used to be old friend' Van Duyn huffed. 'Are we any closer to you telling me why I am here yet?'

Frank ushered him to a small booth within the giant dome of the surveillance operation. This was the central terminal that was limited to only the very highest operatives at the top of the security clearance level.

'I'm afraid it is just the two of us from here' said Frank placing his hand on the touchpad and lining himself up for the iris and brain scan. 'Your men will have to wait outside'.

The large transparent door opened and allowed him access, welcoming him by name and rank before shutting down and locking the others out. Van Duyn encouraged his men to entertain themselves outside, before running his own biometric scans and joining Director McQuaid within the self-contained vestibule at the core of the mainframe.

The vestibule was compact, able to house no more than a handful of people at any given time. Access was limited to just the three key holders to ensure high levels of security. Only they could make any significant changes to the running of the intelligence operations. Most activities only required a single key holder to be present, but for anything that required a substantial change such as a system reboot, would need at least two of the to be present. There was a giant panel with an array of monitors and a few terminals decorated with levers and computer keypads.

'I don't think I have been here in quite some time' said Van Duyn having now been sealed inside. 'Not since we set this thing up if memory serves me'.

Frank paid little attention and moved directly over to the central monitor. 'I brought you here today, sir, to show this'.

Frank turned the screen towards the president drawing his attention to a series of date-stamped files. The president peered vaguely at the list of video files not entirely sure what he was looking at. He then shrugged his shoulders, a blank and vacant expression taking shape on his face.

'There are data files missing, meaning someone took them' Frank explained a little huffily. 'On the same night that they disappeared, we had an incident here in London which resulted in many of our foot patrols, drones and armoured vehicles being destroyed. Two assailants evaded capture and were never found'.

Van Duyn's eyes shifted to a more serious look now. 'I know the incident you are talking about now. I thought General Numen took care of it' he said, turning his attention to the other monitors showing security footage of the main gate to the compound and a few of streets within London's city limits.

'If by 'take care of it' you mean, he cleaned it up, killing two of my best operatives in the process' Frank snarled. 'Then yes, the general took care of it'.

Van Duyn began to circle the vestibule, like an undecided shopper looking for their next purchase. It intrigued him how the noise in here was so well sheltered from the hubbub outside.

'So this is the brain within the brain?' Van Duyn asked changing the subject.

The unexpected question had taken Frank off guard, and for a brief moment, he gesticulated his uneasiness. 'Well yes, I guess' he stuttered not entirely understanding the point of the question. 'You realise what I have shown you, don't you Mister President?'

Van Duyn spun away from the activity taking place within the dome outside and fixed his serpentine stare on Frank. 'You think I care about some missing files and a couple of dead agents?' Van Duyn snapped. 'Is that really why you have brought me here?'

'Why else would I have invited you here?' Frank enquired not expecting a response. 'Someone other than my agents removed those files and we have no idea where they went' Frank asserted. 'We have had a monumental security breach, sir, we need to reset the system, our operation has been compromised'.

Frank was not sure whether the president was going to buy this story, but if he did then it would mean as per usual Frank would have over-delivered on his promise. He awaited a response, casting a glance at the screens to the front gate where he hoped that Isaac's men would be converging on at any moment. The coast so far remained clear.

'I'm not an expert on these things Frank, but if we do that, reset the system' he said in a mild and measured manner having considered it for a moment. 'Don't we run the risk of leaving ourselves defenceless?'

Frank tried to keep his eyes on the monitor evading the predatory glances his senior was throwing his way. 'The system will be down just a few moments, maybe ten minutes or so, and given the morning commute is over, now is the best time to do it' he explained his voice less convincing than normal.

'You think Numen took the files' Van Duyn asked slowly. 'Given that the two of us are the only others with means to do so'.

Frank nodded flashing a look into the president's penetrating ice blue eyes, before looking away again. Van Duyn fondled his beard nervously, considering the information carefully. He began to pace around the terminal pondering his options, his demeanour fitting of a predator face-to-face with his prey considering whether to end the chase or not. Van Duyn had never liked Numen and had grown more and more suspicious of his agenda since the Empire had taken over. He had kept him close and within his sphere of confidence to ensure that he could keep a close eye on him. If Frank, whom the president held in the highest esteem, was right then there was a chance that Numen could be looking to oust him. He remembered the shared look that Numen and DuPont had at the Council meeting and Numen had spent time increasing amounts of time away from Europa. _Was he about to become a victim of a coup? Had Frank alerted him in time, or was he about to double cross him and assume Numen's role once the president was ousted?_

'I spoke with Numen before you arrived' Van Duyn explained finally. 'He will be arriving here at any moment, perhaps then we will get to the bottom of this issue without the need for any unnecessary or potentially catastrophic actions' he said sternly.

The mention of the general's impending arrival did little to quell Frank's growing nervousness. If Numen realised that he had tried to turn Van Duyn against him he would certainly be toast, but more worryingly if he arrived too soon then Jake and the others would be in immense danger and the game would be up. His mind now started to close in on him, his options becoming limited. Frank considered reaching for the gun he had hidden in the drawer beneath the main screen that he had planted here when he first hatched the plan. He had only ever intended to use it if the plan went south, and right now he felt like he was in Antarctica.

As Frank slid the draw open to reach for the gun, an old relic from the past that fired bullets and left gunshot residue, he caught the eye of the president who was staring with a deeply puzzled expression at the monitors behind him.

'Frank' Van Duyn muttered now pointing at the screen. 'What exactly is that?'

Frank held off reaching for the gun and just as he was about to turn to identify the source of consternation, he could see the operatives within the dome of the mainframe hub going berserk. The two guards outside were banging hard on the door, yelling the president's name and then loud alarms began to overpower the disharmony and disarray that had descended upon the usually ordered control room. Red lights flashed menacingly all around them, signalling the start of the rebellion.

Frank jolted into action, as Van Duyn recoiled from the screens now taking in the chaos that was rippling all around them like an erupting volcano. He grasped the metal handgun and now raised it into Van Duyn's direction. By the time the president had turned for a response as to what was happening, he was met with the cold steel of the gun pressed between his eyes. His expression panicked and shocked at this unthinkable betrayal.

'Is this a coup Frank?' Van Duyn said as he was forced to his knees, the barrel of the gun making a soft indent in his skin.

'I guess you're not the only one with access to contraband' Frank replied with a smile, the songs of his favourite band now ringing loudly in his head. 'They always said the revolution would not be televised, well you know what, this one will be and there's nothing you, and Numen, and all you other parasitic pieces of shit can do about. Now shut up, and do exactly what I tell you'.

Frank slammed the butt of the gun down heavily on to the side of Van Duyn's head. The president collapsed to the floor with a load groan, blood seeping from the wound and he began to curse in pain. McQuaid laughed, in the movies, Van Duyn would have been knocked out cold without so much as a scratch and yet here he was screaming blue bloody murder amidst a steady crimson tide. In the frenzied excitement, Frank the rock star had been reborn, the chaos and disorder sounding out the anthem to his resurrection.

The two towers of Tower Bridge loomed large up ahead of the procession of vehicles emerging from both the east and west. Mike had handed over driving duties to Sam when they had joined up with the others near Basingstoke and the younger of the two cousins now had his sights firmly fixed on their target up above.

The original plan had deviated from its original course the moment that the two loyal agents had been neutralised, their manifests and credentials literally went up in smoke. Any orderly entry was not going to be possible, not that it bothered Sam. He could not wait to pump his foot down on the accelerator and start swinging the transporter at the hapless foot soldiers. In fact, he had set himself a target of crushing at least five before they got into the heart of the compound.

Lexi now overtook him, onboard a motorcycle, her short red locks flowing in the wind. She was to zoom ahead and plant the two bombs that were now straddling her seat. They should have had enough power to take care of the main gate which had been repaired since their last expedition into these parts. She revved the engine loudly and left the truck in her slipstream.

The next vehicle to overtake them was a small jeep without a roof that had been commandeered from a military base years before by Wolfy and his clan. It was an old machine that unlike the majority of vehicles these days, ran on petrol. Wolfy was a no nonsense old school type and had no time for the frivolity and innovation of the future. One of his men was in charge of his pride and joy, 'the beast', as he affectionately referred to her, though in true Wolfy fashion whenever he made reference to his treasured jeep he often dropped an f-bomb in the middle.

He was stood up in the back of the vehicle giving the thumbs up to his younger compatriots Mike and Sam. As the jeep passed them a big grin emerged from the grey bush of the beard on his stout chin. He did not look as though he was dressed for war, a pair of ill-fitting khaki shorts and a dark singlet that clutched to his round belly barely covered half of his stocky frame, the rest was all hair.

'That guy is a crazy sonofabitch' Sam commented as he waved back.

'Just be thankful he's on our side then' Mike replied, pointing into the back of the jeep.

Strewn all around him, Wolfy had an arsenal fitting of a small troop. Whilst he was still in their sights he picked up huge rifles and submachine guns, none of which were in use anymore, and raised them up inviting an appraisal from the two of them.

'What the hell is he doing?' Sam said as Wolfy held up an AK-47 with the shrug of his shoulders.

'I have a horrible feeling that he is asking us which weapon he should go with first' Mike replied with a chuckle, he pointed to the rocket launcher next to Wolfy's feet.

In the back of the jeep, Wolfy discarded the machine gun and picked up the rocket launcher with a beaming grin, Mike and Sam simultaneously giving him the thumbs up. It was settled, rockets first then bullets. The jeep now pushed up a gear and began to gain ground on Lexi up ahead.

The heavily fortified front gate had undergone extensive work since the rebel incursion nearly a month earlier. There were now two guard posts either side of the gate which retracted from the middle to allow entry into the compound. A solitary armed drone loitered behind it, just above the clearance of the first of the two towers and the second gate. The third one had yet to be fixed and the shipment of it and the foot soldiers to man it were due on a shipment today, the same shipment that had been the explosive end of Otto and his men a few hours earlier.

On the security monitors at the first gate, the lone image of a girl on a motorcycle hurtling towards them could be seen. Four foot soldiers now gathered in a line at the gate, switching their rifles out of safety mode and ready to fire. Under no circumstances did this vehicle have any business here.

'Raise the bridge' the lead first soldier announced, a signal being sent from the front gate to the second one. 'Get ready to fire'.

The raising of the bridge was not something that could be done quickly, nor was it a measure taken under normal circumstances, it was part of a new protocol that had been put in place. As the bridge was about to begin its five-minute elevation sequence a loud crunching sound emerged behind them with two loud explosions thundering from beneath the two tower hubs, destroying the hydraulic system beneath.

The guards seemed to have been caught off guard and Lexi's image could now be seen approaching the gate. The sound of the explosion and the motorcycle's engine acting as a distraction to the noise of the engines now charging behind her of Wolfy, and Mike and Sam.

The remainder of the rebels had camped at the bottom of the bridge ready to be waved into action once the security systems had been taken out.

Lexi was ominously close to the gate now, the bombs on the back of the bike and a nuclear pulse rifle fixed in under her right arm. She unleashed a shot from the gun and it smashed into the gate making a small dent, she fired a few more times, each time leaving a slightly larger indentation, but nothing that would penetrate the almighty steel gate.

The shots that had been fired from the rifle had not made any impact upon the security gate, but the flare of each of the shot impacts had destroyed the cameras at the front rendering the guards blind to the activity on the bridge. The images had flashed with each shot burning the screens. They flickered purple and red before sparking out and fading into darkness as the cameras expired.

'Open the gate. It's just one girl' the foot soldier commanded.

Lexi saw the opening and twisted hard on the handle propelling the motorcycle towards the hole that was slowly opening. She let out a roar and squeezed several times on the trigger as something hot, shot past her shoulder like a speeding bullet and towards the wall of soldiers who were now coming into view.

Just as they set to let rip, the two soldiers exposed by the opened gate took the full force of Wolfy's rocket and exploded upon impact, their decimated carcases catapulting the others left and right. Lexi continued headlong through the gap that emerged into the path of the drone that faced her, she jumped into the air allowing the bike to pass under her, shooting at the drone.

The bike slid onto its side and hurtled towards the second gate. Lexi landed heavily on her back shooting again in the direction of the drone that was now firing piercing bolts of fire into the road below, inching ever closer to her position. She scrambled to her feet and now began to run after the stricken motorcycle, firing at the unexploded bombs at the back dodging the rain of fire coming from the drone above. The roar of 'the beast' now burst in through the front gates, Wolfy having had time to reload now fired a rocket into the drone, blowing it to smithereens and out of the sky. It crashed like a meteor from outer space, igniting the bombs on the back of Lexi's discarded motorcycle which ripped through the two towers obliterating the guard patrol and gate with ease.

'Now that's what I call a fricking party!' Wolfy yelled in sheer ecstasy, or words to that effect.

Mike and Sam's truck came up alongside him having crushed a couple of guards who had emerged from the wreckage of the gate posts at the entrance. They continued to charge past giving a thumbs up as they passed him. They caught a view of Wolfy in the wing mirror, 'the beast' having now spun back towards the exit and the hairy little man could be seen taking care of the threat of the guards who had survived the initial blast. They passed Lexi, who bar a few scrapes and bruises seemed in good shape for the next steps and was now running along the bridge to the entrance to the city.

The truck careened through the strewn wreckage of the fallen drone and decimated foot soldiers. Fire and metal splashed across the road like a new age piece of art. They smashed through the disembowelled remains of the second gate to something they had not anticipated: armoured jeeps and a wall of foot soldiers.

Mike and Sam now looked at each other, shocked expressions mirroring one another.

'See you on the other side' Sam said, before slamming his foot down the accelerator.

They were fired upon from all sides, bolts of burning rage smashing into the engine and cabin, setting the truck ablaze. The huge transporter now appeared to jack knife and the rear trailer swung around to the front and crashed onto the road separating from the truck and cabin that housed Mike and Sam. The trailer shot along the road like a torpedo sparking violently towards the assembled roadblock; a runaway train with no one at the controls.

The truck crashed into one of the jeeps and rolled sideways, barrelling into a crunching, exploding mess when it finally came to a halt.

The metal container was taking the brunt of the defensive fire now with the shots sparking off of the sides and blowing open the rear doors. Just as it appeared to be slowing down, the sound of an engine pierced through the grinding of the container along the road and a jeep flew into action. Jake's figure could be made out, standing up in the back, manning the rear cannon whilst Phoenix was in the driver's seat shrieking at the top of her lungs as she tried to avoid the gunfire trained on them.

The jeep swept through the onslaught of the ambush, Jake clearing the path with precision strikes on enemy targets and into the centre of the once sleepy and serene city.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 15

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

Only when Jake and the others had arrived at the rendezvous point with Isaac and the others in Basingstoke had the quartet thought to check the cargo. The discovery of the armoured jeep, fully equipped with rocket propelling grenade launcher, had been an unexpected bonus. Jake had volunteered to hide out in the back with it, and given that it was only ever going to be used in the case of a precautionary backup measure, Phoenix had reluctantly agreed to join him. She imagined being in the back of a solid steel shipment with an armoured vehicle was about as safe as this particular mission was going to get. It was only when they were charging towards the towers of the fortified bridge that Jake had confessed his inability to drive, that she realised worst case scenario she would have to drive the thing. Never in her worst nightmares had she conceived the horror that such a scenario was about to play out here today.

She was sunk down in the driver's seat, her deep brown eyes flinching and wincing with each explosion that erupted outside. To take her mind off of the mayhem unravelling outside she began talking to herself and running a series of checks on the car whispering each stage to herself as she ran through them over and over in a bid to quell the panic welling up inside.

The approach had worked right up until the front of the truck began to take fire, the explosive impact of the foot soldiers' pulse rifles annihilating the engine and forcing the transporter to jack knife and catapulting the rear container that housed them to lurch forward. In that instant, the jeep began to roll forward and they were hurtling along the road with loud bangs thumping out a quick fire drumming sound on the rear door, having become the central target of their enemy's attack.

'Start the engine' Jake bellowed above the roaring onslaught and Phoenix's high pitched shrieks.

Phoenix was beside herself, all those routines to prepare had vacated from her brain leaving an emptiness that rendered her paralysed from the throat down.

'Phoe, kick it into gear, we've got to get the hell out of here' he said again. 'The door is going to come open at any second' he continued pointing to the hole that was giving way to the daylight of the outside having decimated the container's rear door.

Her eyes bulged with surprise, like a rabbit in the headlights, the colour flushing from her normally bronzed features. It was as if she had seen a ghost and had turned into one during the haunting process.

The cargo container continued to career uncontrollably towards the wall of soldiers and military vehicles. The sparks of the metal scratching the surface of the road crackled and banged inside, jolting Phoenix back into the present where Jake was shouting at her.

'Are you going to drive or do I need to take a crash course using your body as a test dummy?' Jake was saying as she recovered from the initial fright of the ordeal.

The colour now returned to her cheeks and her dark eyes sharpened into a look of intense concentration and determination.

'Get on the gun and shut up you freak' she said finally to Jake's stunned silence.

She turned the key, the jeep now coming to life and began to rev the angry motor with intent. Phoenix maintained her focus on the gap of light that was bursting through and began to mutter the checklist under her breath.

'It's actually a missile launcher' Jake said assuming control of the weapon, still not entirely over the whole 'freak' comment.

She shot him a look that suggested he should remain silent. This new girl who had taken possession of the normally mousy computer geek didn't look the type to be trifled with.

'It shoots stuff doesn't it?!' she exclaimed.

'Just saying' Jake muttered meekly. 'Technically it's not a gun'.

The door before them ripped open, the bright light evaporating the darkness within their metal tomb and opening up on a vista of wild warfare and carnage. The foot soldiers had breached the rear and were firing upon them. Phoenix roared the jeep into life, catapulting them into the heart of the battle outside, her inaudible warcry swallowed by the chaotic scene.

Jake began to let rip with the cannon, knocking one of the black and green shiny guards to the ground. He zoomed in on another that was about to let loose with the furious power of his rifle, the foot soldier exploded into a ball of flames, dismembered parts showering all around the battle zone of the city's streets.

With each shot that he fired, Phoenix swerved the jeep behind it and navigated a fiery trail through the voids that began to appear in the wall of machines. A rocket exploded behind them, a foot soldier in an exact replica jeep having missed them by a minuscule margin. Jake swung the rocket launching cannon ninety degrees, eradicating the threat with a burning hot blast that reduced the vehicle to a smouldering wreck.

The path ahead was now clear and Phoenix navigated the jeep into the heart of the city centre. The sound of gunfire from the rebel cavalry behind them and Wolfy's colourful tirade was quickly drowned out by the security alarms and sirens that had burst into life, announcing the security breach to the dazed inhabitants.

Jake pointed out the road ahead that led to their next hurdle, breaking into the United Crime Control Authority headquarters. As they roared along the deserted streets, the big screens that communicated to the brainwashed population announced breaking news of a terrorist incident taking place and urged people to stay indoors. Jake caught sight of the vacant and bewildered glances emanating from workers who now swarmed to the windows within their workplace. The situation a surreal dream for them all.

The headquarters was up ahead, foot soldiers and surveillance operatives were fleeing the building and grounds in a disorderly fashion. The chaotic scenes bringing a smile to Jake's face. It would not be long until the scare stories being broadcast into the city were replaced with the harrowing truth. This, Jake hoped, might spark some life into the zombie nation who resided here otherwise their campaign to restore freedom would be in vain.

The operatives now spilled into the car park, streaming out in ever greater numbers like a water main that had burst under intense pressure. They swamped the outnumbered foot soldiers, sweeping past them like a tsunami being sucked back out to sea. The sheer number brought the jeep to a halt and the crowd buffeted past Jake and Phoenix towards the war that was raging in the streets behind, the alarms and media announcements becoming overwhelmed with the screams of the rattled inhabitants.

Jake now jumped down from the rocket launcher and began to fight through the oncoming masses like a salmon leaping upstream. Phoenix grabbed her backpack and waded in behind him, her anxious demeanour having given way to a steely resolve. They were very near to the building's entrance now and once inside her natural technical skills would come to the fore.

Jake continued to fight against the current of escaping surveillance staff who continue to haemorrhage from the once secure entrance to the head offices of security and surveillance. The sheer weight and magnitude of the chaotic evacuation had seen the security door take a battering. Many of the huge robot soldiers had been knocked down by the marauding melee making Jake's attempts to get inside far more straightforward than he might have anticipated. He had managed to gather up one of the fallen soldier's rifle whilst continuing to battle his way through the opposing crowd. His and Phoenix's presence had not gone unnoticed, however, and two of the foot soldiers who remained standing had fixed on their positions. One began to plough through the crowd, knocking unsuspecting men and women to the ground as he went, the other set his sights on chasing Phoenix who was a few paces behind Jake.

The smashed opening to the building was just in sight, Jake darted and shuffled past the masses who continued to spill through the opening and into the expanse of the car park. His progress was stymied by the ball of fire that erupted right in front of him instantly incinerating a few of the screaming operatives that had just burst through the door whose charred, dusty remains now covered the escapees who were behind them. The disorientation that this caused was momentary, they barely had figured out what the dust on their hands and faces was before they too evaporated from the face of the Earth from the foot soldier's follow up shot.

Jake screamed at the remaining group who were charging into the car park like a herd of wild animals to stop, but they continued to pour out into the light. The third explosion sent Jake sprawling and he hit the wall of the building and slid to the ground. He was now out of the thick current of charging people desperate to escape the chaos, but who were being picked off in large fiery groups by the foot soldier intent on taking Jake out. The large guard had now punctured a hole in the endless stream of people, having eviscerated many of the innocent people at the tail end. Blood spattered and charred remains caked the ground like a child's messy painting, the thick smoky smog choking Jake and camouflaging the soldier's advance on his position. He now sat up and searched for his gun, which had been knocked out of his hands from the blast. Jake soon saw the rifle loitering in the mouth of the doorway well out of his reach, the heavy crushing steps of his attacker looming large upon on him. The metallic figure cut through the flames and smoke, its beaming visor locked upon him and the rifle that had killed so many people was now set upon claiming its next victim.

Jake reached for the rifle, but he was not even close to its fallen position. He was about to give up the ghost and accept his fate when the alert set of eyes of a young woman stared back at him from behind the entrance. She was shaking and had been drenched in the charred dust of those who had charged out of the door moments before her. As Jake came to focus upon her, more sets of eyes emerged behind her, this time two men, one had a metal pole in his hands ready to protect himself and the other had managed to find a gun. It was clear from their dusty attire that they were workers here rather than rebels from another camp. Jake looked away from them so as not to draw the robot's attention and he now sat upright ready for his execution. He looked back towards the crowd, hoping that Phoenix had not fallen to the same fate that had befallen him.

The noisy crowd had now stopped running headlong into the heart of the city as they had when he had arrived, they had now begun to huddle and group together in a more alert and intent state of mind. Panic and disorder had given way to anger and rebellion with groups joining forces and overpowering the giant machines. The clank of metal rang out as they hit the foot soldiers with whatever came to hand, be it rocks or metal debris from smashed cars. They swamped them in huge hoards even throwing themselves on top of the foot soldiers in scrums just to bring them to the ground and overpowering their former controllers.

Jake now faced his own aggressor, knowing that even if he was about to die, nothing would stop the revolution. He stared down the barrel of the gun and closed his eyes and thought of Max. He hoped his faithful friend would come through this safely and would be well looked after by Isaac. The moment lasted no longer than a breath and he heard the weapon discharge, the bright explosion of the blast sending a pulse of glowing energy through the darkness behind Jake's eyes. He waited for the bright light of legend to beckon him into the afterlife and for the burning pain of the gunshot to consume him in fire. He waited and it did not come, his eyes opening upon the scene at the sound of a dog barking profanity over the violent discord.

The foot soldier before him now wobbled under the train of fire that was being unleashed on him from all directions. Jake could make out the thick set image of his buddy bounding and darting around the foot soldier, whilst Lexi, Phoenix and the young woman from the doorway now fired upon the machine from all sides. After a few moments, the giant foot soldier rocked and stumbled, Max's endless circling of it having resulted in the soldier's legs being secured together with wire. He tumbled heavily to the ground whilst the three gun-toting women let rip into his fallen carcass and the men charged into the car park to finish him off.

The young woman from the doorway now flashed a smile at Jake, the look in her eyes was no longer consumed by fear but had sparked into one of determination and unfettered excitement. She then charged into the heart of the action taking place in the car park to join her rioting comrades.

Jake looked down at the fallen, disembowelled body of the foot soldier he had been certain just moments ago was going to end his life. He barely had a moment to count his blessings before Max pounced on him, pinning him down and licking the remnants of battle from his face.

_Thank god you are okay_ , Max's voice echoed in Jake's mind. _I don't think I could face being here alone without you_. He barked and continued to slather all over his fallen master, whilst Jake tried to wrestle him off.

_I feel the same way buddy, but do you want to get your stinking breath out of my face because I'm dying here!_ Jake responded telepathically.

Max reared back and began to bark in what appeared to Lexi and Phoenix as an affectionate exchange between the dog and his master. It was probably a good thing that neither understood 'dog' given the vile retort the American Staffordshire Terrier had just uttered.

'Well aren't the two of you a sight for sore eyes' he said to the two women hovering over him.

They pulled him up from the ground, the full extent of the violent battle unravelling behind them. Jake's eyes flickered from Lexi to Phoenix, both of them pumped up from the events that had unfolded so far and he found himself utterly lost for words. He owed them both his life and he pulled them both in close in an awkward three-way embrace.

'Err Jake' Phoenix interrupted. 'Shouldn't we be taking advantage of this opportunity to take down the mainframe?'

'I think that would be the best way forward' Lexi agreed.

He now let them both go and the three of them hovered in place in a cringing moment of heightened tension and unease. It was as if none of them knew how to burst this horrible silence that had engulfed them. Phoenix was the first to break the weird atmosphere that had derailed their progress.

'Right, Jake and I will get to the mainframe and begin the shutdown sequence' she asserted pushing Jake towards the now vacant entrance and forcing her gun into his hands.

Phoenix then turned back to Lexi. 'You go and get Isaac and the others and get ready to crank this up a notch' she said with authority. 'Take Max with you'.

Max began to bark in protest, rearing up and getting quite het up.

'He can come with us' Jake said having collected his thoughts finally. 'Let's go'.

Jake, Phoenix, and Max entered into the belly of the building, leaving Lexi to plough back into the battle taking place outside. Small factions of the population had awoken from their suppressed slumber and were joining the battle, but huge swathes of dazzled and dazed folk were spilling onto the embattled streets certain that what they were witnessing was all just a very strange dream. The rebel troops who had followed up the rear began to invite the dream walkers to take up arms and fight their oppressors.

Drones hovered overhead, their controllers now either dead or unleashing years of pent-up fury upon the agents of control who had suppressed them for so long. Rebel vehicles flowed freely now into the compound, receiving an expressionless and cold welcome from the startled dream walkers still trying to understand exactly whether they were under attack as was being announced overhead or whether they were being emancipated from years of brainwashing and abuse.

From the heart of the city, squadrons of foot soldiers could be heard marching menacingly yet measured towards the disturbance. The rumbles of their charge could be felt underfoot like a growing earthquake, it was as if thunder was closing in. Many of the rebel vehicles came to a halt, the swarms of mindless masses now looking back into the city from where the loud drumming was radiating. Soon everything was at a standstill and everyone's gaze was fixed upon the rumble from within the centre of the city that was now rolling towards them.

Mike and Sam having somehow miraculously vacated the truck before it was entirely decimated had been gathered up by Isaac and they had come up alongside Wolfy's jeep. They were all now looking up ahead trying to make sense of the pounding drum coming towards them.

'What the hell is that?' Sam enquired, showing bloody wounds on his face and body from the collision.

Wolfy turned to his three compatriots and pointed at the giant screen just down the road where the breaking news was being announced. Wolfy was not one to be lost for words, but his normally jovial manner had been suppressed by the images flashing up on the screen whilst the rumble of thunder in the distance began to swarm in.

It was a breath-taking sight, enough to break the spirit of the rebellion that was underway. Foot soldiers in rows of twenty and ten deep now marched towards Tower Bridge from up ahead of them with platoons of similar numbers flanking them from both the west and east. The screens now showed aerial footage of at least three or four other groups behind the three that were closing in on them, army ants ready to wipe out the threat of another colony.

'There are absolutely hundreds of them' Mike said consumed by the images unravelling on the screen.

The marching packs of metallic green and black giants crunched along the roads ahead of them, the sound of their simultaneous march thundering out the Empire's tune. The images from the large screens could now be made out just off in the distance, the soldiers coming into view, marching headlong into the battle zone from all sides of the city. The Empire forces outnumbered the rebels ten to one and if the revolution was to have any chance of success then the brainwashed masses were going to have to play a role.

To make matters that much worse, Isaac and his troop's attention was momentarily drawn to the skies above where five black apache helicopters sauntered in overhead, the whirring blades swooping by the wreckage of the bridge and mouth of the compound and in towards the UCCA headquarters.

Mike followed the path of the helicopters as they flew overhead. 'And what exactly is that?'

Isaac and Sam followed the trail of the five Apaches as they began to descend into the compound.

'That is trouble' said Isaac now kicking his vintage car into action.

Mike and Sam clambered into the small vehicle and soon they were off screeching into the distance towards where the helicopters were headed.

They had barely gotten a few hundred yards down the road until they came across Lexi who was now flagging them down. Isaac screeched the car to a halt and allowed her to jump in behind.

'Numen and Chimera' she said breathlessly pointing to the choppers. 'They're headed for Jake and Phoe' she babbled trying to get her words out quickly.

With a screech of burning rubber, they were soaring towards the devastation of UCCA headquarters. The platoon of foot soldiers from the east emerging in the distance ahead of them. Isaac had known that the uprising was not going to be easy, but the challenge they now faced made him doubt whether they really could overthrow the regime. He was not about to announce this fear publicly, but they were going to need something miraculous to happen to pull this off. They had all taken a huge leap of faith here and Isaac feared they had just leapt into an abyss, or even worse a lion's den.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 16

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND - UCCA HEADQUARTERS**

The relative solitude within the now empty shell of the Empire's security and surveillance mainstay was in stark contrast to the brewing violence out on the streets. Jake and Phoenix had not taken the lack of visible security for granted though and had slowly ventured along the corridors in search of the epicentre of technology that housed the elusive mainframe. Max had surged ahead of them to check the coast was clear, the logic being that he was less likely to draw attention and was much smaller than the two of them. He could also ensure that they did not find themselves suddenly falling foul to an ambush.

The hollowed out building was awash with empty stations and vacant rooms following the mass evacuation that had taken place. Jake had been encouraged by the reaction of the operatives who had very quickly assessed the opportunity that had arisen, rising up and venting suppressed wrath against their captors with very little thought given to the potential repercussions that would follow. It was more in hope than expectation that this next phase that he and Phoenix were embarking upon would generate the catalyst to spur the rest of the dream walkers to join the cause.

Max had come to a halt up ahead having discovered the entrance into the giant domed structure of the surveillance and monitoring teams. The images from across the globe continued to flicker and flash images just as they had done before the incursion. The colourful symbols of incidents and events still not particularly worthy of note, with the exception of the far wall of monitors designated for this particular compound and ones located in Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and the other main bases in the country. The monitors here showed that additional security had been put in a state of high alert and now lots of amber symbols seemed to be on the move to secure the grounds.

Jake now caught a brief glimpse into the large glass windows of the dome where the terminals had been completely deserted. The monitors designated for London were emblazoned with lots of red symbols indicating a state of high alert and whilst Jake could surmise that a large deployment of reinforcements had been sent out in the wake of the break-in, the images on the large television screens across the walls were more graphic. He could now make out the same footage that was being broadcast into the heart of the city with many hundred armed guard patrols closing in on Tower Bridge.

'We need to get in there, otherwise, everyone is going to get slaughtered' he said, the alarm easily detected in his tone as he pointed to the screen.

'That's only half the problem' Phoenix said now pointing at the guards in the room still desperately trying to free the president from the mainframe vestibule. 'Plus we need to figure out a way to get in, this place requires biometric markers just to open the doors and the last time I checked none of us is security cleared'?

Jake cursed himself for not having brought the girl from the doorway with him, she would no doubt have had clearance. He considered running back out into the carnage to retrieve her or any of the operatives, but he knew they did not have time.

'Can't you do some kind of computer nerd thing to open the door?' Jake said to Phoenix in a feeble attempt for an easy solution.

He did not even need to look at the brown-eyed beauty to know that he had just proposed a rather stupid question. Until the mainframe was disabled and she was left to work her magic, Phoenix was just a passenger.

The frustration at having come this far and being so close and yet unable to get in through the door sparked an angry exchange between the two and they began bickering like school children. Max left them to it and charged at the scanner beside the door. He threw the full weight of his body onto the flat panel kicking the biometric analysis sequence into action. The strobe lights ran through their sequence his paws and brain being scanned and then a stream of faces and records began to be filtered rapidly in front of him as the system searched for his records in the system. After a moment of checking, unsurprisingly the system determined that he had no right of access and set off the internal alarm.

'Max, what the hell are you playing at?' Jake yelled once he realised what the dog was doing, bringing the quarrel with Phoenix to an abrupt end.

Max simply turned back to them panting. It was almost as if he was smiling and Jake could now see that the president's security detail's efforts to get into the vestibule had desisted. They were now charging towards the entrance, guns locked and loaded, ready to address the threat that had emerged.

_I suggest you_ two _get out of sight and follow me in,_ Max suggested with a restrained bark.

Jake quickly pulled Phoenix aside and covered her mouth with his hand using Max's presence at the security entrance and the angle of the glass wall behind them to evade being seen. He ducked down behind a pillar, keeping out of sight of the door where Max waited patiently for the guards to arrive and the stretch of glass panels that curved away from the door to his current hiding place. Jake planned to creep up on them whilst Max provided a distraction and then they would be in, Uncle Frank would then be able to get them into the vestibule where he was holding the president hostage.

The plan that had now formed in Jake's head was beginning to roll out beautifully, the guards had arrived at the door, the sight of an American Staffordshire Terrier not quite what they had anticipated. They began to peer through the glass for signs of an ambush but could not see anyone in the vicinity. The first of the two then set about activating the security system to open the security door, Jake could hear them talking about getting rid of the pesky dog in case he kept on setting off the alarms. He figured this might be a good time to enlist his mind control abilities and perhaps take control of them before Max came to any harm, but he decided to wait until the door opened just in case his meddling affected the process and locked them out permanently.

In his rationalising of the situation, Jake had completely forgotten about Phoenix, whom he had tightly gripped to his chest, his hand firmly pressed down on her mouth. Right then as his concentration on the activity of the guards was at its peak, she sunk her teeth into his hand forcing him to release her. The catch on the door was beginning to unlock and Max darted a look back at his master having clearly heard the suppressed scream and stream of swear words that had been channelled on their private internal network.

Phoenix's voice of protest and the sound of the door opening coincided. Jake without hesitation stemmed the flow of the sentence coming out of her mouth by pulling her close and kissing her firmly on the mouth. It was a rather unconventional approach but had done the job of keeping her quiet in that crucial moment. Jake had only lingered there a moment, Phoenix's body had gone rigid with shock and after Max's words to act filtered through his head he pulled away. Phoenix was literally speechless, her eyes asking a thousand and one questions that her mouth could not.

Jake had now jumped to his feet and was charging towards the door, his movements drawing the guards' attention away from Max. He unleashed the full force of his weapon, taking the startled guards out before they could return fire and both wailed in agony as the skin and bones melted away into the vacuum of the gunshot wounds leaving a thin cloud of dust and smoke in its wake.

Max charged into the vacated space before the door could slam down, the alarms ringing out again to raise an alert of a security breach. Jake slid under the ever decreasing gap using the rifle as a prop to leave enough space for Phoenix to follow. She was still a few steps behind them dazed by the unexpected kiss.

'Come on Phoe get under here' Jake said, struggling to keep the door ajar as the alarm continued to sound and the gun started to creak under the weight of the door.

Phoenix tossed her backpack under the small gap before throwing herself head first into a dive. She slid through the tiny opening and Jake pulled her all the way through just in time as the rifle gave way and the door slammed shut. Phoenix rolled onto her back and could see the array of monitors and computer terminals all around. If she had died, she was most surely in her very own version of heaven right now. This thought had barely begun to marinade than she could see Jake hurtling through the air towards her fallen frame. Before she could even muster the energy to scream, he landed heavily on top of her covering her entire body with his. A voice in her head reminded her to pick up with him the finer points of physical etiquette between the two sexes, but just as she was about to push him off and protest, the glass behind them exploded.

The door and adjoining wall erupted, sending shards of broken glass all across the room. The nuclear rifle that he had used to prop the door open had been severely damaged and had blown up. Jake's head now lifted from the crevice in her shoulder and his brown eyes met hers again, a small smirk visible on his face. Before she could give him both barrels about these two physically inappropriate advances he had imposed on her a cloud of gas swept violently through the room burning up like napalm as it came into contact with the fire and fumes from the explosion. The two of them remained pinned to the floor as the flames burned up the gas and the remnants of what was in the gun. The weird predicament was not lost on either of them and when their eyes met again, Phoenix and then Jake burst into laughter. To make the situation complete, a torrential downpour descended down onto them from the sprinkler systems above. The monitors all around the room began to spark and fuse wildly as the impact of the flames and water took hold. One by one the monitors began to fade to black, the large screens on the walls following suit, but none of this had any effect on the soaked young couple now hungrily kissing one another on the floor. They had managed to evade certain death over the last twenty-four hours more than once, but with chaos reigning all around them, Phoenix and Jake gave way to a brief moment of desire.

It had felt like they had been down on the ground for an hour or more, but Jake and Phoenix's moment of passion had been incredibly brief. Max having taken cover during the blast, had been barking at them, with Jake choosing to ignore his internal demands to get on with what they had come here to do. As the last of the water came down, he now gazed into Phoenix's eyes wishing that it was all over already.

'Can I ask you something?' Phoenix said finally amidst Max's incessant barking. 'Why did you kiss me before, out there?'

Jake rolled off of her and they both now sat up, the sprinkler systems having soaked the inner workings of the surveillance hub. His attention was drawn to Frank in the vestibule just behind them who had obviously just witnessed everything that had happened and was urging his adopted nephew to join him inside. Frank's face was alarmed and uneasy. Jake now turned back to Phoenix feeling a little awkward and embarrassed by the whole affair.

'The guards were about to open the door, you had just bitten me and I wanted to make sure you kept quiet so that you didn't give our position away' he explained now getting to his feet and helping her up.

It was abundantly apparent from the disappointment that she now exuded, that this had not been the explanation she had been hoping for.

'So you couldn't have just told me to be quiet or covered my mouth up?' Phoenix asked becoming a little argumentative.

Jake rolled his eyes. 'You bit me when I did that!'

'Count yourself lucky I didn't again' she said huffily. 'So none of that meant anything?'

Frank was now tapping out a tune on the glass of the vestibule that seemed to Jake to translate as an appeal to proceed with shutting down the mainframe. In truth he was not really all that sure why he had chosen to kiss Phoenix on either occasion and whilst he did not regret it, the situation with Lexi did not feel fully resolved. Jake had never really had to address feelings like this in his life and whilst it had felt amazing just moments ago, the stone cold reality of the present was making him feel very uneasy. He just wanted to run away and hide from it all and as the tapping got louder from Frank he saw a way of avoiding the discomfort of the intimate encounter for a little longer.

'We really should get in there. A lot of people are counting on us. We can pick this up later' he said barely looking at her.

Phoenix sighed a deep, frustrated sigh and then snatched her backpack up and stormed across the soaked floor towards the vestibule. Jake followed behind.

They were now face-to-face with Frank, he had Van Duyn pinned down on the floor with his gun pointed at the rotund leader's bleeding head.

'I can't get you in until we start the reset, the security override won't allow non-authorised personnel in' explained Frank. 'I have entered the two parts of the code that I can, but he needs to do the last bit. The mainframe cannot be shut down until the final part of the code is entered and he successfully passes the biometric analyses' he said in frustration.

He then grabbed hold of Van Duyn and pushed him up against the window, his face becoming contorted and squished against the glass. The blood from his head wound had congealed in his thick matted hair. It had been a while since Jake had seen the president, he remembered the situation at Desire, the very thought of how the disgusting and evil man had touched him. It was clear to the president that he had met Jake before, the recognition lighting up his face.

'I know you boy' he said through the glass. 'You were the one who forgot to place my order' he said in reference to the meeting at the seedy venue when Jake had read his mind.

Van Duyn's hand came up to the glass trying to touch Jake's face now so close to his in a moment of instinctive weakness. The boy had been on his mind a great deal this past month or so and he had not realised until now that this was the same person who Numen had been so desperate to capture.

'I don't know what you want me to do' Frank exclaimed. 'He won't comply even with a gun to his head'.

The reference made the image of his father's demise flash into Jake's head, sparking the original plan. It was a moment of clarity that he had needed to put the whole issue with Phoenix and Lexi to one side.

'Let him go and step back to the terminal' Jake said as he attempted to clear his mind and take possession of Europa's soon to be evicted President.

Frank was about to protest, but the look on the face of his young nephew made him comply with the request. He stepped back awestruck by what he was seeing. Jake's eyes had shifted from a caramel colour to a bright blue and white glow and having released Van Duyn, the president had not tried to run although he was giving some resistance to whatever Jake was doing to him.

'You can't make me do it' said Van Duyn labouredly, trying to fight off the invisible demon that had taken hold of him trying to drill itself into his subconscious.

_Just you watch me_. Jake said telepathically. The voice ringing out the president's mind sent a faint shiver of fear jangling down his spine.

Van Duyn's body was sucked up tight to the glass now by an invisible vacuum. He was held there in a state of total paralysis trying desperately to fight back but achieving nothing. Van Duyn tried to shout out a threat but his words were muffled and incoherent as he slowly lost complete control of his body to the young man on the other side of the glass whose eyes glowed with a powerful dark energy.

Within a few moments the rotund leader of Europa was trudging towards the terminal completely against his will but the boy's grip on him was so great that any effort to resist was easily repelled. The look on Frank's face was one of abject horror and incomprehension having never seen the innate abilities of his adopted nephew, a boy whom he looked upon as a son, in action. Van Duyn was now up alongside him his limbs moving in a puppet-like fashion as Jake imposed his will on their every movement.

Both Phoenix and Frank looked on in astonishment and disbelief as Van Duyn's seven digit passcode was entered on the screen, triggering the activation sequence of the mainframe. The system then began to verify the biometric markers of both Frank and the president who was still under Jake's spell. The iris scanner and palm readers had completed their checks and now it was the brain function scanning check.

Jake feared that his possession of Van Duyn might impact on the check and prevent success so he was about to try something he had never been able to do before.

'Uncle Frank' he said still in his trance like state. 'Get your gun on him and make sure he doesn't move'.

As the system began to run scans on Frank's brain he took his gun and pointed it at Van Duyn's skull. The president now slowly seemed to wake up from the sedated state, but still unable to fully move his limbs as Jake drifted out of his head. The brain scan now scaled down his face, the geothermal image of his brain coming up on screen as Frank's scan proved successful.

'You won't get away with this' Van Duyn growled angrily, trying to disrupt the scan.

A few moments later the mainframe announced that the system was in safe mode and requested whether it should reset. Van Duyn bellowed his protestations loudly against the request to do so, wriggling and trying to get free from the invisible sack that held him up to his neck, but Frank just smiled at him.

'It's not a voice activated reset dipshit' he mocked as he slammed his hand down on the button on the terminal activating the system reset.

The door to the vestibule shot open and Jake and Phoenix entered. Now was the time to really bring the revolution to life. Phoenix got to work, pulling devices and cables from her backpack, the situation with Jake now far back in her brain. She knew that time was of the essence and the sooner she could take over the system and render it beyond the control of the Empire the greater the chance that they could succeed in freeing all of those brainwashed minds.

Van Duyn was raging, spitting fury and bile into the room. 'You're a traitor Frank, you are going to pay for this' he bellowed. 'You realise what you are doing, you are helping terrorists to bring disorder to the streets'.

Frank swung a firm right hand catching Van Duyn full in the face, blood flashing from his nose. Under normal circumstances, the heavy blow would have knocked him to the ground but Jake's grip on him had made him spring back up.

'I helped the real terrorists on their way up' said Frank as he hit Van Duyn in the stomach. 'All you people did was use these innocent people to do your bidding. They are slaves to your regime and enough is enough'.

At that moment Jake relinquished his grip on the president and Frank's second shot to his face resulted in the rotund leader collapsing to the ground like a fallen tree.

'It's good to see you boy' Frank said opening his arms to his nephew.

For the first time to Jake's recollection, the two of them embraced. It was a strange and liberating feeling, Jake having never experienced his uncle's guard being dropped like this and sharing his affection. As they pulled apart, the beaming smile on Frank's face, an image worthy of a record in the history books, was infectious. Now Jake and even Phoenix who had looked up from the terminal when the two of them had hugged reflected his happy disposition.

'When this is all over, we are going to have a barbeque and a beer' said Frank. 'Then you can tell me all about your girlfriend over here' he continued embarrassing the pair of youngsters.

Phoenix pretended that she had not heard him and furiously tapped away at the terminal keyboard and fiddled with some wires. The fake performance was a cover to avoid any further embarrassment. She was waiting for the system to reset and to open the command screen so that she could plant the virus that would shut down the Empire's network and lock them out permanently. Once she had assumed complete autonomy over the system, she would be able to upload the footage of the truth to be broadcast to the world, loosening the grip of power that the authoritarian regime had over its inhibited citizens.

Max was barking again and this time Jake had heard his warning clearly. The smile on his face fell into a frown and Jake's eyes lifted to the roof.

'What's wrong?' Frank asked, detecting the alarm in his nephew's demeanour, but now his and Phoenix's eyes were raised to the roof as well.

The sound of the rotating blades of helicopters swamped in overhead and through the domed glass ceiling of the mainframe building they could see Chimera operatives swooping down ropes from the choppers and on to the roof.

'How's it coming Phoe?' Jake asked as he scoured the outer room for a weapon.

'I'm going to need more time' she said the alarm audible in her response.

Jake snatched a couple of handguns from where the two guards had been executed. While they may not have carried the same punch as the assault rifle he had used earlier they were certainly more advanced and capable than the antique his uncle was carrying.

'You want one?' Jake offered one of the modern guns to Frank.

Frank had picked up the president and led him out of the vestibule his contraband Sig Sauer P238 pressed up against Van Duyn's head. 'Not a chance. I want them to know that Frank McQuaid is old school and not afraid of a bit of blood' he replied, his smile returning.

Max now charged past them through the blown opening and into the body of the headquarters, Chimera agents having gained entry from the roof.

'You follow the mutt and I'll try to use him as leverage and draw them away' said Frank referring to Van Duyn who was slowly coming around in the headlock Frank had on him. 'Look after yourself out there and we'll meet up when all the madness is done with'.

Jake was just about to run after Max when Frank called after him. He stopped in his tracks and looked back over his shoulder to his uncle.

'I'm proud of you boy and I know your folks would have been too' he said.

Jake smiled back at him for a moment before charging into the belly of the abandoned building to help Max.

Frank had Van Duyn in his clutches, the Sig Sauer fixed tightly to his temple. Frank looked over his shoulder to Phoenix in the vestibule working furiously.

'Lock yourself in there girly' he said to her.

'It's Phoenix' she said curtly.

'Well, Phoenix, you can call me Uncle Frank' he replied softly, 'but as soon as you can lock yourself in there and don't let anyone in. That place is like a fortress, no bullets, rockets or anything will get through. We're counting on you'.

He did not look back. He just kept walking the president towards the destroyed doorway ready to play his part. Frank could hear the agents of his enemy, the boots landing on the roof and tapping their way along the ceiling towards the roof hatch. The boy and his dog had gone past the likely point of entry and Frank hoped that this would mean they would be safe. He heard the capsule close behind him meaning that Phoenix was secured inside and that too brought a smile to his face. If he did not make it out of here, at least Jake might have a chance of happiness just like the dream Frank had for him. However, the now former Director of Security and Surveillance had a retirement party to get to and he fully intended to be the star of the show.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 17

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

Jake and Max had followed the sound of the boots across the roof of the Chimera squadron who had just flown into the battle zone. It was clear from the numerous drum beats underfoot that there were more than a handful of them about to descend on the young teenager and his companion. He had two handguns but knew that his opponents would be heavily armed and more than capable of overpowering them.

He had run all the way from the domed epicentre of the surveillance unit back to the destroyed entrance where he had seen the young brown-eyed operative crouched down and hiding when he and Phoenix had broken into the building in what felt like a lifetime ago. The unravelling battle taking place outside told him that the platoons of foot soldiers had arrived at Tower Bridge and that the rebels had put up resistance. He wondered if any of the dream walkers had followed the lead of the operatives from UCCA and had taken up arms against their captors. He hoped that Phoenix had been successful in taking over the mainframe and had been able to broadcast the message far and wide that the Empire was no longer fully in control of things, only then would the revolution really be underway and other rebel factions might be storming other fortifications across the globe.

As Jake imagined the scenes that would be breaking out all over the territories, he could hear the Chimera agents gaining entry from the hatch a floor above. Max was slowly skulking up the stairs, hunting them, and preparing himself to pounce. Jake trailed behind, guns both raised and following the American Staffordshire Terrier up the staircase. The thumping movements of the troops had slowed and fallen silent, the sounds of fighting from within the compound now filling the void.

Unexpectedly, Jake heard movement just behind him from the devastated doorway to the headquarters. He spun on his heel and swung his guns on four figures who had somehow managed to sneak up on him. No more than a split second passed as his finger gripped tightly on the trigger before he caught the familiar sight of a large star shaped afro, a young woman with emerald green eyes and red hair and two burly bouncer looking types, one slightly smaller than the other, but both with military haircuts and stubble beards. Jake breathed a huge sigh of relief as he realised that the armed troop closing in on him were Isaac, Lexi and the cousins, Mike and Sam.

'Hardly the welcome we were expecting old friend' joked Sam his arms raised in mock surrender.

To look at Sam and Mike, Jake could see that the two of them were dressed in the spoils of war, dried blood on their arms and faces mixed with a thick black dusting of smoke from the explosion that had catapulted him and Phoenix from the back of the truck.

Jake raised his index finger to his lips and gestured inside. 'Chimera agents coming from the roof' he whispered.

They were all now huddled together guns trailed on Max who continued to progress slowly up the stairs.

'How many?' Isaac asked rifle in hand and ready for action.

'I don't know but from the sounds of it, a lot' Jake replied.

'We saw five choppers come in' Lexi spoke up. 'Could be anything up to twenty' she said desperate to catch Jake's eye and very relieved to see that he was unharmed.

Jake continued to focus on the stairs above, Max getting dangerously close to disappearing from sight. He decided to follow him up and gestured for the cousins to cover him.

'Jake' Isaac whispered drawing Jake's attention. 'Where's Phoe and Frank?'

Jake gestured down the long corridor back to the domed surveillance centre from where he had left them.

'You go back there and check on them' Isaac ordered. 'Take Max with you, we'll take it from here' he continued highlighting his far superior firepower.

Jake was reluctant, the movement of the enemy agents began to pick up and it was clear that battle was about to break out any moment. He was desperate to play a role in this fight and he could sense that Isaac was protecting him, perhaps fearing that he would fall to the same fate as Tank back at Porton Down.

'Jake, they are going to need you, especially if Numen is here' urged Isaac more forcefully.

Jake now turned from his position on the stairs to face Isaac. Max's progression up the stairs ceased and he now came up alongside his master having clearly been commanded to telepathically.

'There's nothing more I'd love than to kill that bastard myself, but the truth is you are the only one who stands any sort of chance against him, and Frank and Phoe could be in serious danger' explained Isaac.

'Let me go with them' Lexi said her eyes desperately trying to draw Jake's into looking at her. He had avoided her for so long and she was desperate to reconnect with him, but he kept his eyes focussed on Isaac.

'Max and I will take care of it' Jake said before Isaac had a chance to answer.

Jake was now running through all of the permutations and replaying old memories inside his head that had scarred his childhood. All of them had involved Numen and he had taken so much from him. Jake was less certain than Isaac seemed to be that he might be able to match the general's abilities, but the ball of anger within him meant that even if he was not able, he would certainly die trying. The sombre look on Isaac's face informed Jake that he wished him luck and to reap vengeance for the rebel leader's murdered son.

Jake and Max began to head along the corridor from whence they had come, the smell of retribution in the air. He was so focussed on what was to come that he had not noticed the crestfallen look on Lexi's face which quickly turned to one of sheer anger as she took up his place at the helm of the gathered group.

They had only just turned the first corner when the shots began to ring out behind them. Jake was tempted to run back, but he could see Max charging ahead in the opposite direction towards where they had left Phoenix and Frank. The brief moment of dissonance and hesitation was quickly resolved by instinct, whilst Jake cared about the group behind him who had taken him in and looked after him, those whom he held most dear were in danger and it was this realisation that propelled him forward towards the mainframe.

Frank had barely moved outside of the domed structure of the surveillance hub when he was met with a familiar face descending the stairs from the roof. A cluster of black commandos with large machine guns surrounded the tall dark figure of Numen. His piercing blue eyes fixed on Frank and his captive Van Duyn. Frank swallowed hard, keeping his Sig Sauer pressed against the president's head, he hoped that this leverage might mean that he had some chance of getting out of here alive.

'Sweep the rest of the building for the boy, I know he's in here somewhere' Numen urged to his troops.

They swooped down the stairs past Frank and Van Duyn and into the core of the UCCA building on his orders. This left just the three of them, the president, the general and the director of Security and Surveillance by the stairs adjacent to the dome structure that housed the mainframe. Numen had a gun in his hand, standard issue, just like the ones that Jake had retrieved from Van Duyn's security detail. He slowly began to descend the stairs towards Frank and the president, the gun loitering with intent, held at his side.

'So at least we know what side you are now on' Numen said continuing to step closer towards the director and his captive. 'I always knew you were one of them'.

Frank tightened his grip on Van Duyn and started to take steps backwards to maintain the distance between him and the advancing ebony General.

'So tell me, Frank, how did you see this playing out?' Numen asked now on terra firma and able to see the destruction of the domed surveillance hub for the first time.

'Why don't you tell me, seeing as you think you know so much' Frank challenged, taking another step back to keep his distance.

Numen's eyes swept across the ruins of the vacated security stations, the majority of screens dead from the explosion and response of the sprinkler system and he could just about make out the figure of a brunette young woman encased in the vestibule hurriedly operating the computers within it.

'Well it looks to me as though, you have handed over control of our surveillance systems to the terrorists' he said now stroking his silver goatee beard. 'I can only assume you are holding our esteemed President here as some form of assurance of getting out of here'.

Van Duyn's eyes met with Numen's now, there was no love lost between them. The president could see the flicker of enjoyment in his General's eyes, seeing him helpless and vulnerable in this way giving him some kind of wicked thrill.

'Just shoot him already' Van Duyn ordered. 'Kill the traitorous little prick and let's go and stamp down our authority before these peasants work out what we have been doing all this time'.

Numen just smirked. 'It's far too late for that now Raymond, chaos has already begun to descend'.

Van Duyn's face was beetroot now, half through the tightening grip of Frank's headlock and half through the fury of his subordinate officer.

'I am still President and you will address me as such or so help me-'

His sentence was cut short. Numen's recently discharged handgun had given way to a short blast and a puff of smoke. A burning hole had opened up right in the middle of the rotund little man's face and had sucked his head into the fiery vacuum that the shot had created with a shrill scream of agony swallowed into the void. Van Duyn's decapitated body now fell to the ground in a burning bloody heap whilst Frank's utter shock bulged through his eyes to the burning corpse at his feet.

It took Frank a few seconds to react and he swung his Sig and fired at Numen. The general simply swung his free hand swiftly aside and Frank's gun toting hand seemed to follow its path, the impact of the bullet missing its target by some considerable margin and the stray bullet lodged itself in the wall near the stairs. Frank's hand now swung back following the orchestration of Numen's hand and without any control over the gun, Frank now felt his finger tighten on the trigger discharging a bullet through his left thigh. A searing warm stab shot through his leg, shattering his femur and causing him to collapse to the ground, blood pooling beneath the exit wound. Frank began to wail in sheer agony as the impact took hold of his senses.

The gun now swept from his fallen hand and shot up as if governed by a magnetic force and into Numen's free hand. The general inspected it with a nonchalant almost disgusted manner before tossing aside.

'Not exactly standard issue now is it Frank?' Numen said as he holstered his own weapon.

Frank writhed painfully on the floor, removing his tie and tying a tourniquet around the bloody wound. 'What can I tell you asshole, I'm fricking old school' he said defiantly.

Numen looked down on his foe, a sinister smile forming. 'Me too' he said. 'Let me show you'.

Frank now felt the messages in his brain, commanding him to stand up. He tried to fight off the involuntary response but he was soon screaming in agony as his body arose from its fallen position and he was soon upright, the searing pain shooting through his body. His eyes watered under the strain and he could see Numen's sneering evil facade staring at him and mocking a puppet on a string his arms and legs flailing as though he was being controlled by an invisible puppet master above. Now the pain reached excruciating levels as Frank's limbs mirrored the movement of the towering black aggressor before him. Numen's laughter battled with Frank's agonising screams for precedence whilst his body jostled and jolted under the command of his evil puppet master.

After a while, when Numen's sick sense of humour was no longer getting the stimulation or satisfaction he was looking for from Frank's agonising screams, the general desisted the puppet routine and sent Frank sprawling through the air with the slightest twitch of his hand. Frank was catapulted right from the blown up doorway all the way to the vestibule with the ease of a leaf being blown by a gale. Frank's bloody body slammed into the transparent vestibule startling Phoenix inside and causing her to scream in fright as he slid down into a slumped and beaten mess on the floor.

Phoenix jumped to her feet and ran to the glass wall desperate to help Frank, she then saw the towering figure of Numen, his black fatigues cloaked under his long leather coat, striding towards them. The general then raised his hand, palm facing forwards, with Frank now straightening up from his prostrate position and spinning to face Phoenix, hovering a few feet off the floor. Numen then slammed the director into the thick transparent wall between Phoenix and the outer room of the surveillance centre. Frank was in a terrible state, blood flowing from his wound and his body was now drenched with sweat, seeping profusely from the burning fever that had overwhelmed his nervous system. He was quickly slammed to the floor like a ragdoll and Numen was now at the window towering over his fallen body.

'If you want him to live, then I suggest you open this door' Numen said, his piercing eyes locking on her and sharpening. 'If you don't do it willingly I will make you do it'.

Numen's eyes now were straining as he tried to take control of her, but something was not working. She should have been sucked up to the glass begging for him to stop, but she was just staring back at him, the fear in her eyes giving way to a sense of profound confidence. Numen's eyes quickly assessed the fortified glass between them assuming that it must have something to do with his sudden inability to take possession of the weak little girl. His gaze was now drawn back to Phoenix, she smiled at him and raised her middle finger slowly, holding her defiant gesture until it was clear the transmitted message had been received loud and clear. The general not to be outsmarted tried with all his might to take hold of her with his mind, to grab her and throw her around the room like the insignificant and feeble lifeform that she was, but no matter how hard he tried she moved entirely of her own volition, free from the clutches of his hideous and heinous psyche.

Phoenix now went back to her duties at the terminal and began to put the finishing touches to the virus that she had uploaded ready to reveal the truth to the world of the countless crimes perpetrated by the Empire to usurp power and control over the citizens of the world. Numen was powerless to prevent it and his arrogant demeanour was washed over by a feeling of abject failure and fury. He began to bash out his anger on the window, caught up in a rage befitting of a petulant child who was unable to get their own way. It did not matter how hard he slammed his fists against the glass, Phoenix did as she pleased.

After a few more moments of thrashing about outside of the vestibule, Numen's tirade gave way to a calm acceptance. He might not be able to stop the girl, the irritation of how she had suppressed his abilities remained something of a mystery, but he could take out the threat of the boy at the very least. He turned to go about taking care of that particular attack only to be met with a sight he had not expected, Jake was stood just ten feet or so away, his eyes glowing with an electric blue energy staring right at him. More worrying for the general, the snarling dog, with his teeth bared was now reared up ready to pounce into attack just in front of him.

_Nobody messes with my family and friends and gets away with it._ Jake's voice carried a threatening tone deep in Numen's subconscious.

'You seem to have grown stronger, boy' Numen said trying to appear unfazed by the growth in stature of his opponent. 'How about you call off your little attack dog and we settle this like men?'

Max remained in position, his anger growing with each second and his teeth ready to make a permanent mark on the dark figure before him. The standoff that was taking place was like a calm before the inevitable storm, the sound of gunfire could now be heard being exchanged in the depths of the opposite part of the building and the activity on the streets could just about be made out whenever the gunfire ceased. All around them in various parts of the compound individual battles for supremacy were underway and with the slightest spark, this one would ignite into the most memorable battle of them all.

With all of the activity seeming to have been centred at the abandoned UCCA building, Wolfy had taken up the head of the rebellion out in the depths of the compound. The marching troops closing in on all fronts had not phased him much. He had come here to lay down a challenge with no expectation of ever returning. Wolfy knew that Isaac and the others had not abandoned the cause and he knew that it was essential that he and the remaining troops who had now gathered behind 'the beast' in their own vehicles since the breach would follow his lead.

The virile former soldier turned to his gathered comrades, the swamp of cars and trucks gathered behind him and littered with armed freedom fighters. He took up a megaphone and readied himself to give out a war cry as their enemies advanced.

'Fear not the tidal wave of metal that sweeps in on us comrades' he bellowed loudly over the megaphone. 'Instead, you all should fear my foot in your arse if you don't execute every one of these mother-' his foul-mouthed tirade was swamped by the sounds ringing from the big screens that had now kicked into action.

A montage of horrific past events now cascaded across all parts of the city. Jake's father's execution and how Van Duyn had come into power had been spliced with footage of former citizens being slaughtered by firing squads of foot soldiers and all manner of other atrocities. In bold letters, the words 'LIES' and 'CORRUPTION' had been stamped after old state-run stories had been flashed up at intervals showing the spin and manipulation of events from the past decade. Images of mass genocide, human testing and historical events that had been explained in a new light began to flood into the heart of the battleground.

Thousands upon thousands of the once docile and brainwashed citizens began to pour out into the streets, watching up at the messages being played out on the screens above with a look of sheer horror encapsulating them all. Even the usual news reporter Anna Spring could be seen among the horrified crowd watching on as her past reports were completely debunked and shown up as the Empire's lies and propaganda. The flashing words stating that everything they had believed was just a big deception and a way of keeping them under control was met with an immense outpouring of emotion.

The sea of onlookers now swamped into the voids between the robot foot soldiers and the rebels. Some people gave way to grief, crying for loved ones that they had lost whilst others spun like spinning tops trying to gather their senses as their bodies reacted with shock to the unrelenting rebel message playing out overhead. Whatever the reaction of the confused and bedraggled citizens, the noise levels as they began to wake up to the situation and to the truth began to grow and rise up like a tsunami.

Wolfy and the rebels looked on at the energy emanating from the ever-increasing crowd of onlookers, unsure of what to do. The sight was completely overwhelming, but the images and words from the big screens did not abate. More and more atrocities and discredited mistruths began to rain down on the crowded citizens like oil on a kindled fire stoking a few people to voice their pent up rage for the first time. Soon like a Mexican wave of fury and despair the crowd began to start to make movements towards the foot soldiers in every direction like a reservoir that had burst its banks.

Anna Spring and all those others who had been suppressed and kept under control all of this time now swept as a unified force towards the clusters of foot soldiers, picking up fallen bricks and debris to arm themselves. As the first stone was cast, the response of the foot soldiers had been vicious, with a burning shower of simultaneous fire cutting through the first wave of attack. If the Empire troops had expected this to restore order and hold back the onslaught then they had severely misjudged the intent of the now enlightened citizens. Their numbers grew, with huge masses of enraged men and women spilling out of every orifice of the city, spurred on by the revelations and standing up against the brutal murder of their fellow citizens right here, right now.

There were now hundreds of thousands of people charging upon the battalions of foot soldiers from all sides with full voice and armed with whatever they could find. They crashed against the huge robotic figures like waves, seeking to pull them down and use their weapons against them.

A giant grin now beamed from Wolfy's bearded face and the boorish brute watched on filled with utterly unbridled joy. He quickly turned back to his troops, his face immediately becoming a stern and serious one.

'Well, what the fricking hell are all you lot fricking waiting for? Get your fricking arses in gear and start helping these people!' He bellowed over the megaphone, or words to that effect, it was hard to fully comprehend the eloquence of his sentiments over all the noise.

As his assembled troops responded to his rallying call, Wolfy threw the megaphone to the ground, urging his driver to get a move on. Then with a howling call into the sky, he picked up his rocket launcher and began to fire into the crowd of foot soldiers. The battle for freedom was now underway.

The stalemate had continued long enough for Numen's liking, having been locked into a staring match with Max for some time now. The irritating and irksome little beast who had gotten the upper hand with him on more occasions than he cared to remember. The boy had not taken it upon himself to call the dog off, so Numen decided to take matters into his own hands. He flashed the holstered gun in Max's direction, but before he could get a shot away the roaring beast had pounced, his sharp teeth clamping down on Numen's right wrist and forced him to the ground. The general then fired the gun twice from his fallen position, the shots headed out of the domed room towards no one in particular as Max continued to gnaw away at his arm.

Jake had been drawn into the battle between Max and Numen who were writhing on the floor, his blood-soaked uncle passed out in the corner of the room. Just as he closed in on their huddled mass tussling on the floor, the two fired shots now under Numen's guidance arced back in his direction like a couple of heat-seeking missiles. He had no time to dodge them and simply closed his eyes and braced himself for impact. The two bolts of fire rebounded off the invisible shield that he had erected around him.

Numen finally managed to wrestle Max off of him and fired at the retreating hound who pirouetted and twirled his way to safety, avoiding any lasting wounds. The general now turned his wrath on Jake and began to fire at will at the boy, furious that his magical trickery had been so easily deflected. The flurry of blasts from his gun seemed to be caught in a state of suspended animation, slowing as they approached Jake. He had somehow managed to slow the progress of the shots and they began now to accumulate and spin violently together into a fireball that grew as each additional shot was absorbed.

Numen could not believe what he was seeing unravel before his eyes, ceasing to discharge his weapon before the growing mass of fire grew any bigger. Jake was walking slowly towards him, the gunshots all rendered useless and consumed within a furious ball of energy that radiated a tumultuous and pent up fury that needed a release. Numen was barely able to raise his hands to protect himself when Jake propelled the giant fireball headlong at him. The general's attempt to shield himself was less impressive than his younger opponent with the force of the blast now rocketing him into the vestibule with an almighty crunch as the reinforced glass cracked under the intense pressure. Stray shards of burning heat broke through the shield and scorched horrific burns on the general's pristine and once ageless face.

Before Numen had time to recover and whilst his wounds smouldered against his flesh, Jake was right in front of him. Numen watched as the boy assumed the role of puppet master that he had enjoyed just a few moments before with Frank. Jake lifted the slumped Chimera General up from the ground with consummate ease and then launched him high up into the destroyed surveillance monitors of one of the vacated stations. Numen crashed heavily into the area with monitors and equipment breaking his fall. Jake turned back to Max who had come to offer support.

'Get Uncle Frank out of here, and make sure gets out of there safely' he said exuding a powerful, self-assured confidence. 'Numen is all mine'.

Max barked acknowledgement of his orders and bounded into action to getting Frank out of harm's way. Frank was out cold, the fever overwhelming him and the colour draining from his face and limbs. He was a deathly pale grey, his skin clammy and saturated with blood on his lower extremities. His chances of survival were looking incredibly slim, as the American Staffordshire Terrier, grabbing a chunk of Frank's collar in his mouth dragged him away from the battle scene.

A torrent of flying monitors rained down on Jake like a sudden and unexpected storm. They flew viciously through the air like boomerangs and clattered into him before he had a chance to shield them away. The brief interlude with Max had given Numen just enough time to create a window of opportunity, peppering his unsuspecting adversary with the flying screens from all sides. It was now Jake's turn to be on the back foot as Numen emerged from behind the wall of flying monitors and thrust himself full force into the air and tackled Jake. They propelled like a rocket through the air until the young man felt his head and body crumple under the force of impact from the wall behind them. The entire front wall of the dome gave way and shattered under the weight of the two men's bodies soaring through the air.

Numen emerged from the wreckage, getting to his feet and dusting the remnants of shattered glass from his attire. His face was badly burned from the fireball, but at the present moment, he was looking the fitter of the two combatants.

'You certainly put up a better fight than your father did' Numen goaded. 'He was such a very easy opponent to overpower. Begged me not to kill you he did, just before I helped him blow his own brains out'.

Jake shot to his feet, his blood boiling and pumping the sudden burst of adrenaline through his veins. Numen was ready for him, lifting him effortlessly off the floor and tossing him into the air like a ball before unleashing a thunderous clothesline to his falling body. The impact was hard and it felt as though he just split Jake in half as he flipped violently in the air before crashing to the ground, the air in his lungs empty and gasping hungrily for breath.

He could just about make out the dark black military boots of Numen just in front of him, blood beginning to flood freely from his mouth. Jake could not decipher whether it was a cut in his mouth from the impact of the crash or a more serious internal wound given the raucous blow he had just received. He wanted to get up and punish Numen for his slur against his father and to avenge him, but his energy was spent.

'As much fun as this has been Jake, it really is time that I fulfil my duties here' the towering madmen said as he pulled Jake from the ground by his blood soaked locks.

The general now dropped the boy to his knees and lifted his beaten face up so that he could see Phoenix, screaming and banging on the glass walls of the vestibule having just witnessed everything. Numen was laughing, barely caring that half of his face had been melted under the intense heat, shrivelling his skin like a prune on one side. Vanity was least of his concerns and having checked that the troublesome Terrier was nowhere to be seen, he now turned to Phoenix tears welled in her eyes and raised his middle finger salute back to her. The encased mainframe suppressed her ramblings, her state of mind shifting from screams of intense anger to sobs of gloomy fear.

'Time to say goodbye Jake' Numen goaded him again as he locked his arms around the young man's head and squeezed him tightly in a chokehold.

The air from Jake's lungs began to empty at a rate of knots and black spots began to flash up in front of him making the sight of Phoenix's anguish more bearable, as they concealed her weeping figure from view. He could feel the energy that had once flowed so freely through him was slowly sapping away, everything around him was growing darker and he was beginning to fade.

'When I'm done with you' he heard Numen say. 'Then I'm going to kill her and that stupid dog of yours'.

Jake was now slipping into a state of unconsciousness. It was as if he had fallen down the deepest and darkest of wells, hurtling into a pool of nothingness, just a black and empty void. As he hit what seemed to be the bottom of the well, he broke through a cold rubbery type wall that had sucked him into a weird and colourful dimension. He wondered if all the bright twinkling lights of all luminescent colours that surrounded him were stars, paving the way forward to the bright opening of light that gently sucked him in. Was this it? Was this heaven in his midst?

The bright light now swamped all around him, drowning him in its dazzling glory and just as his view gave way to a bright pulse of white energy he was being fired back from where he came. It was just like the memory mapping experience, he was on a rocketing roller coaster only this time everything was in reverse and he was travelling at the speed of light.

Phoenix had watched Numen literally squeeze the last breath of air from Jake's comatose body, the lights literally fading into oblivion. The general had maintained his tight grip around Jake's neck all the while provoking her to crumble at the sight of his lifeless body, whilst he taunted her with his repugnant grin. She did not want to give him the satisfaction and she knew that even though the mission had been a success and the mainframe was now fully within the rebels' control, it looked as if it had come at a heavy cost.

The door to the vestibule had opened once the virus had been released and she knew that whatever Jake had done to prevent Numen from doing as he wished with her before, she had no such divine intervention working in her favour now.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 18

YEAR **2030 - LONDON COMPOUND**

Numen continued to squeeze tightly on the boy's neck leaving absolutely no room for error. He sensed that DuPont's beliefs about Jake had been misguided, the boy was no more special than any of the others whom he had executed over the years. The progeny of the mysterious Project Eden were in short supply, Numen and his men had been hunting them down for years, the threat they posed to the Empire being greater than anything the rebels could throw at them. In fact, bar two others, Numen was certain that all remnants of the scientific catastrophe of the top secret military experiment had been destroyed or detained.

The general knew that Jake was nothing to do with DuPont's hybrid creation scheme. Jake was an anomaly, a pure birth between one of his own and one of them. He was the forbidden child, a human, terrestrial hybrid, created through a misguided cross-species relationship. Numen resented the purity of his own people being polluted by the weak gene pool of the hapless humans and had taken great pleasure in erasing any trace of them from the face of his adopted home.

Numen was glad when he had killed Jack back in Berlin for having defiled one of his people's most esteemed scientists, Marie had been promised to him after all. Instead, whilst supporting DuPont's research she had secretly struck up a relationship with the counter-terrorism agent and bore the secret lovechild. Jake had been the scientific leap that had never been repeated since, a naturally born extra-terrestrial human hybrid. Numen hated everything the boy represented and was enjoying taking his last breath.

His enjoyment was interrupted by the movement of the brown-eyed human girl who had now exited the vestibule and appeared to be reaching for the Sig Sauer left outside. Numen allowed her to pick it up and quickly took her under his control, the protective shield that had served her earlier had now disappeared with Jake's last breath. He had gotten accustomed to helping these pitiful creatures putting themselves down, and urged her to lift the gun to her throat, tilting her head back ever so slightly. The girl tried to resist but was powerless to stop him. She began to whimper like they always did at this point, pathetic and weak creatures undeserving of the same air as a superior being like him.

He considered saying something clever, to mark her demise, but he could hear movements from the other side of the complex and the sound of the helicopters above firing into action. He had no time to fully enjoy the moment, it would have to be a dull and perfunctory execution. Numen had been so consumed with the boy, the girl and all the other things going on around him that he had once again taken his eye off of the ball where the meddlesome American Staffordshire Terrier was concerned. Max's warm breath was closer than the general had cared for it to be.

Having stalked his prey with consummate instinct, Max was now barely three feet away from his enemy, growling his intent with ever increasing vigour. Numen had Phoenix under his spell and Jake lay lifeless within his grasp and Max was in no mood to allow him an escape.

'We really should stop meeting like this mutt' sneered Numen having been bested by the beast far more times than he cared to mention.

Max's face contorted into a state of sheer unadulterated rage and he barked a warning shot or two before dragging his front feet like a bull ready to charge.

'You're too late. I've killed your master and soon I'm going to kill her and then you' Numen said pointing to Phoenix who was in position for an unwanted suicide.

Max leapt into action, Numen's throat his intended target, but as he jumped his roaring bark gave way to a loud bang and a whimper. Max fell heavily from the air and rolled onto his side, the recently discharged gun in Phoenix's hand releasing a tiny puff of smoke into the air. Her face was a picture of sheer horror and she could see the dog rolling around uncontrollably on the ground, wounded by the weapon that was entirely beyond her control.

Numen smiled, the glint in his piercing blue eyes revelling in the moment before quickly becoming tired of the mind-numbing wailing of the injured animal. He forced Phoenix to fire the gun at Max a second and third time to end his tedious groans of pain. He turned to watch the bullets tear into his foe, consumed with bloodlust.

His sinister grin quickly crumbled like the Berlin Wall as the bullets hovered over the fallen animal and then stopped still, before falling to the ground. The body of the boy now jolted to life within his clutches and a bright glow surged through Jake's eyes in a blinding flash of light. Numen had no time to react, he and the boy were now catapulted into the air like a rocket taking off in Cape Canaveral. They smashed into the glass ceiling above, shards of glass exploding down all around them as they now dropped just as quickly on to the floor below. Jake had wrestled his aggressor's grip from around his neck and was ready for the next round of their battle to commence. Numen had recovered quickly using his powers to fire shards of glass at Jake as he charged at him. They crashed into the force shield that now swarmed around the boy and fell meekly to the ground as tiny granules of sand.

Numen was losing control of the situation, he swung for the boy but his body was jolted backwards by a searing hot impact into his shoulder. The girl, released of his grip had shot him in his left shoulder and slowed his assault on Jake. She squeezed the trigger a number of times, but the clip had been emptied much to her dismay, but this was least of Numen's worries. His reprieve lasted only a few seconds.

'Nobody messes with my boy' bellowed Jake in a fury as the energy surged through his body and made him appear godly and commanding.

Jake shot at the speed of light towards him, slamming the Chimera General into the wall near the entrance and embedding him within the concrete, such was the force of the impact. He then unleashed a flurry of blows upon Numen, his hands moving faster than was humanly possible and each one embedding the powerless ebony henchman further into the wall.

Jake's assault subsided momentarily, checking over his shoulder for signs of life from Max. It was clear that he had been shot in the back leg, Phoenix now coming to his aid as his enraged master turned back to Numen. The general coughed blue blood from his mouth, the burns from the earlier battle having taken years off of him and he writhed weakly in the concrete hole he had been squished into.

'That was for what you did to Max' Jake growled, consumed with fury as he grabbed the lapels of Numen's dusty leather coat. 'This is for Tank.'

Numen's head jolted back deeper into the concrete encasing under the immense head butt that Jake unleashed upon him. The blue blood streaming from his nose now. Numen was in terrible shape, but he forced himself to snigger defiantly in Jake's face.

The young teenager was not riled, a wry smile emerged and cut Numen's artificial laughter in its tracks. The energy pulsed through the boy's body giving him a superhuman glow and then his smile gave way to a far more serious and menacing look of intent. His fist smashed Numen straight through the wall and onto the other side and as Jake stepped through the newly created void he could see Lexi and the others charging towards them calling out his name.

The distraction gave Numen a few seconds to get to his feet and make a move up the stairs to the activity of the choppers on the roof. Jake cursed loudly and gave chase behind, whilst Lexi sprinted behind him.

As Jake smashed through the door and into the daylight, he could see his enemy being pulled into the first of two choppers, the blades creating a mini-whirlwind that slowed his run. They lifted up into the air and despite his efforts to catch up to them, Jake watched as they swept up into the air. He tried to take hold of the driver and to crash the helicopter down into the rioting streets of battle below, but his grip was weak and he could not cut through the blockage. As he tried desperately to prevent Numen's escape he could hear Lexi screaming his name behind him. An agent in the back of Numen's helicopter now came into view as the helicopter turned sideways revealing the agent in charge of the chopper's gun.

A flurry of firepower was unleashed on Jake's position. He crashed heavily to the ground, tackled by Lexi as he watched the gunfire over her shoulder raining down right on them, but bouncing off of an invisible shield and the shots straying wide of them. Jake knew that the protective bubble had nothing to do with him, and as he looked into Lexi's eyes he saw that the usually bright emerald green now emitted a glow that he had only ever seen in his own reflection when exerting his own abilities. He felt weak, unable to move under her immense grip as the helicopter with Numen pulled off to the west, with the second one going in the other direction.

The glow from Lexi's eyes diminished as the chopper fled the scene and she now gazed back at him with her customary emerald gaze, her face flushed by the revelation of her secret. Jake now felt his body re-energise and quickly pushed her off and got his feet. He could not allow Numen to escape, not after he had him right where he wanted him.

'Jake wait, please stop' she pleaded as he ran to the edge of the roof, his eyes locked on Numen's escape route.

He ignored her calls from behind him and scanned the area as the helicopter drifted further away into the distance. Jake could not allow his sworn enemy to escape. He began to channel the energy through his body again, it was as if he had just completed a full system reset. He could see two hovering, abandoned drones off in the distance, loitering conveniently on either side of the helicopter. Jake closed his eyes and imagined himself as a giant playing with two tiny flying toys and then when he could feel the drones within his telekinetic clutches and took a deep breath and raised his arms out into a wide cross. He then exhaled and clapped his hands loudly together, opening his eyes finally to see the two drones hurtling like missiles upon the helicopter's vulnerable position.

KABOOM! The echoing thunderclap echoed above the heart of the city where the battles between rebels and the dream walkers against the army of the Empire raged. Numen's helicopter had felt the full force of the impact, exploding into a burning hot ball of flames, and crashing headlong into the epicentre of the battle zone. Jake gazed out into the city, the final burning remnants of his enemy crumbling to the ground to join the burning wreckage of the now decimated foot soldiers of the old regime. All around him he could see the people wide awake and crushing the last of the resistance. London had been emancipated from the tyranny of the Empire and Jake had laid his father's ghost to rest. Vengeance had given way to freedom. The celebrations would have to wait until he could confirm that Numen was gone for good, though.

All around the compound, the swarming mass of newly blooded freedom fighters had overcome the wardens of the realm. Piles of robotic henchmen lay in ruins, drones exploded from the sky like fireworks hailing the victory of the rebellion and euphoric screams drowned the sobs of those lost in the battle. Whilst the end of the Empire's rule here looked well underway, there were many battles like this one yet to be fought and won. However, hope had been reborn and the Empire's grip on world domination had been weakened.

In the wake of the battle, rebels and citizens, overwhelmed with joy began to embrace and cheer for the freedom that they had fought for today. The screens continued to churn out an anthem of revolution and soon images from across the globe began to flash on the screen, where evidence of emancipation in other compounds could be seen spurring a chorus of anti-Empire anthems from the gathered masses. The rebellion was spreading like wildfire.

REBEL BASE - WILTSHIRE

It had been a couple of days since the incursion at the London compound. Everyone seemed to have more of a spring in their step as they began to imagine the world devoid of the unrelenting grasp of the Empire. There had been many reunions of families all across the globe and sharing their private moments together, many more would be desperately trying to find loved ones for some time as the compounds fell into rebel hands and a new age of freedom began to take shape. It was going to be a long and arduous process for people to make sense of the two lost decades that had passed, to rebuild their lives and restore family units to what they once were. Despite the trauma, the alternative was not worth considering, emancipation was far better than a life entirely constructed by propaganda and lies. No one was kidding themselves that decades of oppression from the regime would disappear overnight, there was much to be done and many more battles to come. For many, though, the paradigm shift was enormous and the newfound freedom and hope that it brought was worthy of celebration.

Not everyone had come out of the battle zones with the same level of euphoria. Many had begun to reflect on those they had lost during the battle and the over the years that the Empire had freely dominated the world. This group of people had taken to paying their respects to loved ones lost in the prime of the Empire's reign.

The old mouthpiece of the tyrannous regime had been replaced by one that revealed the truth of the emergence of the lost decades or the 'twenty-year sleep' as the media were now referring to it. Daily broadcasts announced new compounds that had been liberated in the aftermath of the uprising in London. They showed how families had found each other and been reunited, refugees from devastated compounds were taken in by rebel clans and the talk of how to rebuild the world was already underway. In the meantime, the dream walkers abandoned old roles serving their captors and began to focus efforts on helping to reunite families, provide food and shelter for those who had become destitute, and also to lay tributes to brave souls who had lost their lives during the battles. The possibilities of how the new world that was still in its infancy would adapt to these circumstances were endless, but hope for a better and sustainable future was growing each day.

Jake was in the category of folk who had been more introspective in the days following the battle. Uncle Frank had been very ill following his gunshot wound and had been being tended to by Isaac's wife, Serena. He was slowly and surely getting stronger, having had the bullet removed, but he had lost a lot of blood and had required a great deal of medical attention and blood to save him. Serena, who had been a doctor in her previous life, had set up a small clinic within the grounds to help the wounded. Given their enemy's immense firepower, injuries were generally those incurred in narrow escapes, with the majority of the dead having been erased from the face of the world. Without the bodies, it made the whole process of identifying lost souls more difficult and those families who had hoped to be reunited faced anxious times finding brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters and such like.

Jake had spent the time since London pondering his own future. He hoped Uncle Frank was going to get better, and Max, who was being looked after by Phoenix, would too. The American Staffordshire Terrier had already begun to take uneasy steps, his back leg having been grazed by the bullet that Numen had forced Phoenix to fire at him. Max had quickly forgiven her and had begun to forge a close relationship with her, it was of little surprise given how much she spoiled him. Jake had noticed how Max had developed a few rather pathetic attention seeking behaviours since the injury, all designed for getting special treatment from his new best friend, he seemed happy, though.

As for the situation with, Lexi and Phoenix, Jake had found himself maintaining a distance between them both, still entirely unsure of his feelings. His initial chemistry with Lexi had cooled since the incident at Porton Down which had seemed to have affected her more than he realised, but also the revelation that she too had some form of power similar to his had given him pause. Jake was not entirely sure of who he was and indeed what he was, but he began to think that Project Eden, had something to do with it. Whilst Lexi had kept her distance from him, she had spent a lot of time helping Serena in the clinic and had taken quite a shine to Frank, spending many hours taking care of him.

Having lost both of his closest confidants to the maternal clutches of the two women in his life, Jake had often found himself entirely isolated and alone. There had been a few occasions when he had joined Mike and Sam in a few games of football, cricket, and rugby when they had been playing them with the kids. Jake had learned fairly quickly that whilst he enjoyed the learning of the sports and their associated rules, he was easily outplayed in all of them by the younger brigade who picked up the skills far quicker than him. Mike had assured him that it was all about taking part, but Jake did not much like being on the losing side on every occasion so had taken leave from the sporting jamboree that had become commonplace in the heart of the compound each day.

For the last two days, Jake had been coming to the burial site to take stock of life and his intended next steps. Sadly, the number of graves had grown by some number having lost many men in the explosive battle. Today, however, was a little different. As he arrived into the quiet solitude of the picturesque garden of the dead, he was not alone. Isaac with his big afro, uncombed and swaying in the breeze like a bush on fire, was hunched over the resting place of Tank, whispering a few words and no doubt updating him on all the events that had been happening.

Jake considered leaving, not wanting to disturb this quiet and personal moment, but Isaac had seen him arrive and waved him over.

'We're about done here, Jake, why don't you come and take a seat' Isaac said, patting the ground beside him as he took a swig from the bottle of liquor in his hand.

As Jake came to sit beside the muscular warrior who had successfully led the rebellion against the Empire, he could see tears welled in his eyes and a look of solitude and sadness. Isaac had always maintained an air of wisdom and fearlessness that made his present state somewhat unsettling and Jake really did not know where to start.

'I was just telling Tank about all of these families that are being reunited,' Isaac said, alleviating any worry of any awkward silences. 'This and all of the stuff that is to come is what it was all for,' he continued as he finished the last mouthful of the whisky in his hand, tossing the bottle into the distance.

Jake was now close enough to the gentle giant to be able to smell that he had drunk quite a considerable amount more than the two mouthfuls Jake had observed. His eyes were bloodshot and dopey from the alcohol that had taken hold of his system.

'I pictured this day, over and over in my head, the day we overthrew the goddamn Empire!' Isaac began to weep uncontrollably, the heartfelt pain jolting his chest wildly as if his emotions were trying to spark his broken heart back into life. 'He wasn't supposed to die!'

Jake put his arm around Isaac and held him tight. It felt very awkward given the size of the huge, wailing brute, but Jake had absolutely nothing to say to him that would make the pain any more bearable. He realised his issues with Lexi and Phoenix, paled into insignificance compared to the loss of a son. The fact that both Frank and Max looked like they too were on the mend, made Jake feel even worse for the state that Isaac was now in. He just held him and let Isaac mourn his child, he knew that empty platitudes and artificial philosophical sentiments would only really be to ease his own guilt rather than offer Isaac any crumbs of comfort.

The two of them sat there, embracing the silent solace whilst all around them the chorus of revelry and merriment rang out from all corners of the compound. It was a bittersweet juxtaposition of the many emotions that had been unleashed into the birth of this new uncharted world. The celebrations of freedom and hope had hidden tales of bravery and loss that now blended into a kaleidoscope of change. Nothing and no one would be the same again.

'Jake!' Lexi's voice interrupted the moment of silent solitude. 'Jake, you need to come quickly, Frank is awake' she said, a chirp of joy rattling her words out like a song.

Jake and Isaac turned to see Lexi skipping towards them, clearly unaware of the dark emotions that had recently emanated the graveyard. Her unbridled joy about Frank's improving condition cut through the darkness, like a ray of morning light, her face alight with the news and desperate to share the feeling with them.

By the time he had gotten to his feet she threw her arms open and pulled him close. The impact almost took Jake's breath away and he could now see Serena coming up behind, a smile on her face but more respectful of her surroundings.

'Your Uncle is asking for you,' she said, her red smile and emerging dimples blossoming on her face. 'He has been talking non-stop since he woke,' she continued, her face shifting to a more discerning look of fake annoyance. 'It didn't matter how many times I politely told him to shut up, he just kept blathering on 'where's my boy', 'go get Jake', 'I wanna be a rock star'!' She mocked, pulling Frank-like faces and putting on a deep manly voice as she uttered his words.

The joyous energy the two women had brought to an otherwise depressing void of a few moments ago was a welcome relief to both Isaac and Jake. The elder man trying to wipe away the tears to conceal his anguish from his wife.

'I suggest you go and see him, but not for too long, he needs his rest' Serena said sternly, playing her maternal and medical roles to perfection. 'Now go, be gone!' She said waving the two young adults away.

Jake and Lexi headed back to the house, the news of Frank's recovery enough to make the situation between them somewhat bearable and neither one made any effort to resurrect the unresolved tensions between them. For now, having Frank as a focal point meant that they could be in each other's company and the rest of it could wait for another day.

When the two of them were out of earshot, Serena turned back to her husband, opening her arms to welcome him into her bosom. Without the slightest hesitation, he fell into her warm embrace and kissed her softly on the lips.

'I miss him' he whispered.

'I do too' she replied. 'But that is no excuse for all this drinking. You must make your peace Isaac, your people are going to need you and your wife needs you too.'

He gripped her small dainty figure tightly in his mammoth arms, and kissed her again, whispering a promise that he would do as the good doctor ordered.

'I have news,' she said after a moment.

He stepped away from her, a look of sheer shock and excitement enveloping his inebriated body. He pointed to her tiny belly, the expression on his face asking the unspoken question. _Are you pregnant?_

She choked back a laugh and became a little embarrassed. 'No, not that, we can work on that,' she said becoming a little flirty at the suggestion, before redeeming her composure again. 'Frank knows where Noah is.'

The revelation was even more pronounced than the possibility of Serena being pregnant. It had an immediately sobering impact on the giant bear of a man.

'He knows where my brother is?' Isaac asked.

Serena smiled, shedding a solitary tear of happiness as she saw the hope light up in her husband's eyes again. 'He wanted to tell you himself, but I wanted to be the one. We haven't had many chances to be happy together, we have barely celebrated that the death of our boy was not in vain. With all the joy I see around me, I just wanted for a moment to revel in it with you.'

He swept in around her like a wave and lifted her up off the ground and kissed her like the first time they had met. In all the fallout of battle, he had lost perspective, forgetting all the things that mattered most and that motivated him to lead the charge. He had the most important thing right here, his wife whom he loved dearly, who had lost just as much as he had, but who had found the strength to help others in need even when she probably would have rather mourned her loss. This realisation fuelled and inspired Isaac, revitalising him and allowing him some perspective. Whilst he could not bring back his son, he could put all his energy into making his wife as happy as she made him and into finding his brother and bringing him home.

When Jake and Lexi burst into the room where Frank was recovering, they could see the wily old man, sat up in bed and looking better than he had done in days. His leg was heavily strapped and bandaged and his hair was suffering from a serious case of bed head, but other than that, he was looking reasonably well in himself.

Serena and her helpers had done a fantastic job of bringing him back from the brink. His leg was elevated, having had his femur fractured under the blast and it was not long before Jake could see that the morphine was working wonders.

'There he is, Jakey boy' Frank cheered as his adopted nephew entered the room. 'I love your stinking dog, go get him so I can give him a kiss.'

His unusual behaviour made Jake give a cursory and questioning glance back to Lexi.

'Morphine. Lots of morphine' she whispered.

'So how are you doing Uncle Frank?' Jake asked doing his best to adjust to the odd and somewhat intoxicated behaviour of his uncle. In truth, he was utterly delighted to see Frank so full of beans, having seen him feverish and deathly pale over the past few days.

'I'm grrrrreat!' Frank replied before laughing at his own joke that no one else seemed to have heard. 'Nurse, another one if you will' he said to Lexi, tapping at the tube in his arm, before giggling stupidly again.

'Her name is Lexi, Uncle Frank, she has been helping you to get better' Jake said.

Frank now sat upright and gave him a cold and serious stare. 'I know exactly who she is' he slurred. 'She's one of them, those ... I don't know what they call them' Frank muttered incoherently.

The look of alarm that suddenly swept across Jake's face was mirrored on Lexi's. Her mouth curled into a frown and her eyes sharpened into a look of pent up anxiety. At first, Jake reasoned that the drugs must have left Frank confused, but deep down Jake had sensed something strange with Lexi for some time.

'You know what he's blabbering about?' Jake asked her, his eyes burrowing into her startled expression with an enquiring manner fitting of an interrogation.

Jake had been so focused on the wellbeing of Frank and Max, and the frustration of never confirming the death of Numen and all of the events unfolding that he had forgotten about the incident on the roof. Perhaps Frank knew of Lexi's abilities? In fact, Jake had spent so long avoiding her because of that night on the mound that he had not broached the unexplained events of that night at the compound.

Lexi was consumed with anxiety, her pale cheeks flushed with the embarrassment of the unexpected outburst. 'I-I-I don't have a clue w-w-what he is talking about' she stammered. 'Honestly, it must be the drugs, he must be mixing me up with someone else' she protested as Jake's eyes swept back to his uncle.

'She's lying, she's one of them kids from your mum's research thing' blurted Frank still not entirely making much sense. 'You know, the one you asked me about at Hullavington?'

It was a like a punch to the chest. The revelation seemingly obvious now had Jake's mind whirring. 'You mean Project Eden?' he pressed.

'That's it, that's the one!' Frank agreed now pointing at Lexi. 'She's one of them and it's because of that place that we lost your mother and why we had to hide you' said Frank, now becoming overwhelmed with grief.

In this vulnerable state, it was clear that the many secrets that Frank had been keeping locked up were flowing freely and without a filter. Jake tried to piece together his uncle's babbled sentences trying to make sense of them and he was drawn back to Lexi again, searching for clues of her knowledge or culpability. Was she keeping secrets from them all this time?

'He's ... he's mistaken ... I have no idea what he's talking about Jake,' she lied unconvincingly.

The incident on the rooftop kept flashing back into his head and it started to make sense. A spine-tingling shiver shot down his back and made the hairs on his arms and back of his neck stand up on end. He remembered the visit to Porton Down, how she had disappeared from them all, how strange she had acted since. What about Tank? She was there when he died and had never spoken of it, was she just covering her tracks?

The thoughts of all that had occurred both before he met her and since joining the rebellion and Jake now was consumed with questions. Every time something had been amiss there had been a trauma or incident that had stopped him from asking her questions. Things that had never sat right with him but to which he had never given voice to. All of these things coursed through his brain like bolts of lightning and realisation. The situation with Max and how his faithful companion had never taken a liking to her. The issues the two of them had in communicating. Had she been the reason?

Lexi continued to protest, but Jake was having none of it. He grabbed her tight around the throat.

'Tell me everything you know about Project Eden or so help me I will beat it from you' he threatened, his grip tightening around her neck.

The shocked and outraged expression on her face lasted but a brief moment. Frank tried to intervene but was far too heavily sedated to be effective. Soon Lexi's mock outrage and innocent girl routine gave way to a sinister and empowered expression. Her eyes flashed with energy and an evil grin took shape on her ruby lips.

_What's the matter, don't like being the only freak in town?_ Her voice echoed in his head.

His fingers now began to unpeel around her neck, entirely without his instruction as she overpowered his senses and took control.

'How could you keep this from us?' Jake said as he was forced back against the bed. 'They trusted you, I trusted you. And all this time you had the answers'.

Lexi was now stood over him, holding him against the wall with an invisible force field between them. Her power was strong.

'You have no idea, you are just some little boy. Everyone trying to protect you, but the truth is they all just end up dead' she said menacingly, her eyes glowing red as she continued to hold him at bay. 'Project Eden was the birthplace of the Empire, the next phase of evolution. Your mother was a genius, somewhat deluded into thinking that everyone could live in peace. It is such a shame her little boy was such a pathetic aberration.'

She slammed him hard into the wall. Jake tried to fight her off but her power was superior and rendered his useless. It was now that he realised that she had been blocking him all along when his abilities had evaded him after Porton Down and on the roof when he had been unable to stop Numen from escaping. He had been able to overcome her power after that and as he looked into her glowing red eyes he began to ponder just how he had managed it. _How could he defeat her, here and now?_

He looked away from her and focused his mind, but as he caught sight of his uncle behind him: he could see that Frank's eyes had become bloodshot and he looked like he was suffocating. Frank began to jolt violently in the bed, desperately struggling to breathe and his eyes bulging out of their sockets. Jake urged his uncle to breath, his mind trying to overcome the grip that Lexi had over him. Frank would draw breath and then instantly his throat would close up as the two teenagers flexed their mental prowess through taking control of Frank's mind and body. Frank jostled in and out of consciousness, his ability to draw breath entirely dependent on which of the two was winning the battle.

'I really wish they'd let me kill you oh special one, but they never said anything about him' she mocked telepathically, nodding in Frank's direction. 'It must be second nature for you to be powerless to stop the people you care about from dying'.

It was clear from his uncle's lack of movement that Lexi was winning the power struggle. Jake summoned the strength from within, just like he had done when he fought Numen at the UCCA headquarters. He allowed the hurt and anger deep within him, to rise up to the surface; he had lost so many loved ones already and protecting his uncle was a chance to prevent another one from falling to the same fate. He watched as Frank fell back on the bed, Lexi's grip suffocating him into and he now lost consciousness.

The surging power was reaching boiling point and Jake was ready to unleash the pent up energy inside him. He turned to face up to Lexi, to end her and send her the same way as Numen. What he saw in her place surprised him, the chills jangling down his spine again. Lexi was nowhere to be seen.

Jake took just a moment to try and understand how she had escaped until he was drawn to his uncle who had stopped breathing and lay catatonic on the bed. He wanted to give chase and find her, but Frank needed urgent attention. _Was he too late?_

Jake quickly jumped into action desperately trying to revive him. He pumped down hard on Frank's chest and began to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, but everything he seemed to try, Frank was not responding to.

'Come on Uncle Frank, breathe' urged Jake continuing to pump his chest and breathe air into his lungs.

Jake began to scream for help, panicking at his uncle's lack of response. He continued to pump his chest with all his might, screaming for anyone to help them, whilst tears welled in his eyes. By the time help arrived in the form of Serena, Isaac and Phoenix, followed closely by a host of others alerted to the tragedy unfolding, Jake was in a terrible way, fearful that yet another loved one had slipped through his fingers.

Serena and Isaac pulled Jake off of his uncle, who continued to lay unresponsive on the bed, the young man beside himself with torment and grief fell into the arms of Phoenix and wept uncontrollably. Isaac took over, pumping Frank's chest and exhaling air into him in an effort to revive him. He and Serena continued for several minutes, urging Frank to breathe, whilst emotions in the room began to reflect the inevitability of the situation.

Frank McQuaid lay powerless and cold on the bed, the blue imprint of his nephew's hand, tattooed on his chest and heart. Serena drew Isaac's attention to the marking, which now began to fade away like dust in the wind. There was nothing else they could do except to console the grieving teenager who had sunk to the floor in a heap.

'It was Lexi, she did this' announced Jake before burying his head in the arms of Phoenix deep in mourning at the loss.

Shocked and startled glances swept across all in attendance, unanswered questions hovering like giant elephants in the room.

EVIL EMPIRE - CHAPTER 19

YEAR **2030 - OUTLANDS - COASTAL RESEARCH FACILITY**

It had been a number of weeks since the London compound had fallen, with the majority of other major Empire strongholds falling to the same fate in the ensuing aftermath. The revolution across the globe had rendered the stranglehold of the New World Order extinct and whilst families reunited and cities began to rebuild, the enduring legacy of the Empire had not been entirely erased from the annals of history. Key elements still existed in pockets around the globe and were now in retreat preparing themselves for the moment of retaliation.

President DuPont was in his research facility, his territory had been largely unaffected by the rebellion with the majority of inhabitants here prisoners and test subjects to his research. He had anticipated this day would come and he had always been prepared for the necessary actions required when it did. The quirky scientists busily went through all the rooms within his facility, checking he had removed all key evidence and ensuring that all the detonators and bombs that had been planted were ready for when the time came to leave. He intended to leave no trace of what he had been up to here over the last ten years, the development from his work at Porton Down.

As he swept through the laboratories that had over the years been a hotbed of scientific discovery and highly unethical research and development, the place was lifeless. All around there were large dormant mechanical structures used for lifting giant weights, metal storage units much like the ones at Porton Down and empty stations that had been the home of fellow scientists under his command.

DuPont continued to check the detonation devices, passing through many rooms that housed all manner of technology and equipment to support whatever questionable research he had been conducting. Corpses were left abandoned on surgical tables, limbs missing and cut open with gaping wounds, no longer of any use. Many of them were of the faceless variety just like the ones Lexi had stumbled upon at Porton Down. The further his sweep of the building went the more bodies that had been left to be cleaned up by the forthcoming explosion were in evidence. He carried out his duties diligently without even batting an eyelid, his long and drawn face focussed entirely on the task at hand. There was nothing of value here and soon the place would be decimated and he and his men would be on their way.

The site would be the final loose end he would need to tie up here in the Outlands having already obliterated four other research facilities and ten prisons in the past week. DuPont had watched some of the media coverage of the emancipation of the dream walkers, the sight of them reuniting with their families and friends had made him sick to the pit of his stomach. It had taken the mass execution of the thousands upon thousands of prisoners to even come close to getting him back to any sort of feeling of joy or comfort. He had even murdered some of them personally, but their helpless pleas and harrowing screams had done little to re-energise him. Nothing was going to bring him satisfaction until his life's mission was complete: world domination had been one thing, but world annihilation was a whole new level that he aspired to.

The news of Van Duyn's death had been a small crumb of comfort to him, he had never really liked the paedophilic humanoid, a mere pawn to the greater agenda that he and Numen were working on. He had not heard much of the other two remaining leaders, Li and Rockefeller, but even if they had survived he would ensure that they were taken care of one way or another. There was no place on this planet for the humans anymore and he would see to it that they would beg him personally for a return to being slaves to his rule. He found the humans a rather naive and easily manipulated bunch, he had been doing so for over ninety years now. He had made so many promises to help them with their poor levels of scientific understanding in exchange for the freedom of the people whom he had brought with him to walk freely among them. For every scientific breakthrough and advancement, he was able to broker more and more power and freedom for his own people and that had enabled them to infiltrate the most powerful institutions and positions of power in the world. They had been keeping the world under a spell ever since, birthing the Empire that had been in control over the past decade. DuPont had planned much further ahead though and the evolution of the Empire away from the hapless humans would be the next stage of his plan. This was the only crumb of comfort he had for the messy transition taking place.

DuPont's cleanup operation was interrupted, his thoughts of extinguishing the humans cast aside as footsteps tapping out a tune along the surgical floors drew his attention. His bulbous eyes looked for the source of the distraction up and down with a sneering appraisal. The tall dark figure came to a halt and waited for him to speak.

'Not exactly looking your best there old friend' DuPont said with condescension alluding to the facial scars and aged appearance of the tall, dark man staring back at him.

The piercing blue eyes of Numen stared back at him, the characteristic air of supreme arrogance replaced by a more aggressive and dark introspection. His once pristine face was peppered with burns and wrinkled scars from his battle with Jake, his nose and mouth not fully recovered from the beating he had received, but it was clear from his surly demeanour that the cosmetic injuries were far less painful than the ones churning up inside of him.

'It would appear as though you and the boy have far more in common than we first thought' DuPont began, returning to his checks. 'He has grown quite powerful I see.'

Numen chewed his lip, his angered expression not abating. 'You were right about him sir. He is different to the others' Numen confessed grudgingly.

'His limitless potential, whilst surely rather bruising to your large ego Numen, will serve us well in time' said DuPont, the hint of a smile emerging on his thin lips.

Numen had barely escaped the helicopter blast, having managed to teleport into the second chopper before Jake had destroyed it. Had it not been for the intervention of the girl on the roof he might not have had time to escape at all. The progression of the boy's innate talents had accelerated at an alarming rate and his power was strengthening to such an extent that Numen secretly questioned whether he could stop Jake should they meet again. He had never been challenged this way by any of the humans or his own people and deep down the thought that his position of being the top dog usurped, deeply troubled him.

'As much as I do enjoy being mocked sir, I assume you called me here for a more pressing matter' Numen enquired having had his ego bruised enough over the past few months and weeks.

DuPont's smirk fell back into his customary frown. 'I earned the right to mock you General, you have been failing on an epic scale ever since that boy came back on our radar' sneered DuPont. 'You managed to allow him to escape and join up with the rebels and get yourself bugged in the process. Thankfully the little cretins did as we expected and will probably believe that they have achieved a great victory. Let's just hope that they haven't found out anything else about what we plan to do or what we have been doing over the past ninety years will have been for nothing!'

Numen's head hung now, he had failed to capture the boy on a number of occasions when he had the chance and the loss of control over the dream walkers had largely been his fault. He had not realised the bug was in place until DuPont detected it at the meeting of the Council, and so far his counter plan seemed to be working.

'Failure to capture the boy is regrettable. However, I wanted you to help me escort our esteemed captives to our backup facilities' DuPont said, his tone softening. 'This is the last of our sites and when we leave it will be destroyed, signalling the launch of False Dawn' he explained.

Numen's face seemed to light up at the mention of the code named operation. 'You intend to proceed with the extinction of the humans?'

'I had intended to do so when they were still under our control, it would have been much simpler' groaned the scientist. 'However, giving them the slightest chance of fighting back seems only fair and when we have cleared the path, our people can join us here' he said.

'So the test subject was a success?' Numen enquired in reference to the red-haired girl to whom he owed his life.

'Indeed. They appear to have done remarkably well, and better still we now know exactly where the boy is now. We are going to need him Numen, alive' said DuPont clearly more aware of what had happened at the compound in London than his General had told him. 'He is the key to the future of our civilisation.'

Numen did not respond, accepting his orders and excusing himself with a nod before heading towards the cells below. He would obey DuPont's request about the transportation of the prisoners, but he would not guarantee the safety of the boy, there were some scores to settle on that front irrespective of what Jake stood to offer to the cause of his people.

The general had now entered into the dingy underbelly of the research facility into the dilapidated and damp dungeons that had been turned into a holding pen for DuPont's most treasured guests. It was a giant maze with no access to the light outside and there were many heavily armed guards in attendance. Numen stopped at a thick iron door and invited the guards to allow him inside.

'Leave us. Go and collect the other two' he ordered. 'I'll meet you at the lift, DuPont has choppers waiting for us on the roof.'

Numen then unlocked the door and stepped into the harsh cloud of black that enveloped the room. He clicked his fingers and the darkness was sucked from the room into his hand leaving a bright, electric white room in its wake. The only thing left in the room was Numen and the heavily chained figure on the floor, bracelets and restraints on her hands and feet and huddled into the foetal position on the floor, unable to cope with the sudden burning brightness in the room.

'Hello, Lexi' Numen said, as the red-haired figure eventually raised their head and her emerald green eyes met his penetrating blue stare.

Lexi was dressed in the clothes that she had worn the night they had gone to Porton Down, she looked dirty and unwashed; a neglected young woman with a broken spirit.

'Time to ship out' he said.

She lashed out at him, making little headway as the restraints pulled her back into place. The look on her face was one of fury and she began to curse angrily at him, the disorientation of her lengthy solitary detainment beginning to fade. She tried desperately to hit him or kick him but was barely able to move, the restraints tightening on her skin.

'They will come for me you piece of shit' she snarled before spitting at his scarred face. 'You won't get away with this!'

Numen's face contorted with disgust as he wiped the running saliva from his cheek. He swept a powerful backhand across her face, startling her and bringing her tirade to an abrupt end.

'No one is coming for you girl' he growled. 'They have no idea that you are gone. In fact, it's entirely likely that they have discovered that you betrayed them. Well, not you obviously, but you know what I mean.'

He began to laugh at the pitiful young woman before him. Her big green eyes emitting large tears and her boisterous manner fitting of a male soldier now becoming overcome with the weak emotions of a young girl who realised that she was in serious danger. He enjoyed the misery unfolding within her brain.

'Whatever that _thing_ is, they will figure out it isn't me' she protested.

'That thing you are referring to will lead us to Isaac, the others and your precious Jake and we will butcher them all before they even realise what has happened. It must be awful to know how easily we can replace you people, even you half breeds' he said sneering at her in disgust.

'So that's what Project Eden is then, is it? Some kind of messed up human cloning operation?' Lexi argued not entirely sure of what she was saying, having been searching for answers for many years.

Numen smirked. 'You are not a human' he said before laughing again.

Lexi's face was utterly bemused be this revelation, she had always known that there was something different about her and that she had been able to do things that others could not, but if she was not a human, then what was she? _Was she an alien?_

'No, you are not' Numen said having read her thoughts, 'I, on the other hand, am' he continued.

'Then what am I?' Lexi quizzed.

'You are a product of Project Eden, an elaborate science experiment that went wrong, an alien-human hybrid created in a test tube and replicated over and over again' he said. 'If it makes you feel better you are the original prototype. Surely, that's got to be of some comfort, right?' Numen roared with heinous laughter enjoying the torturous impact of the revelations.

Lexi's heart sank. She had been searching for the truth all these years and this was not the happy ending she had envisaged.

'So is Jake the same as me?' Lexi asked.

He went about securing her ready to leave the soon to be destroyed prison that had been her home since he captured her at Porton Down. 'No, he's very much an anomaly. I didn't come in here to give you a life history lesson you can save that for your mother' he said.

This was another shocking revelation. Lexi looked at him agape.

'My mother is alive? How can this be, I thought I was an orphan?'

Numen had heard enough and grabbed her from behind and began to push her out of the door, ignoring her question. Lexi was so confused by the revelations that she did not even attempt to fight her way free or put up any kind of resistance as he led her through the cavernous dungeon to meet up with the other guards and prisoners.

'You have to tell me, where is my mother?' Lexi asked desperately trying to catch his eye over her shoulder.

Numen continued to ignore her and pushed her through the passages until they were at the basement lift. A troop of four guards stood surrounding each of the other two prisoners, covering all corners around the two heavily restrained figures. One was a blonde haired young man, in his late teens. He had shimmering blue eyes and a blonde spiky quiff, his square jaw and porcelain angelic face hung down to the ground, his eyes not fully adjusted to the brighter conditions outside of his cell. The second prisoner was a woman nearing middle age, bronzed and beautiful, she had soft skin pulled tightly over her pronounced features that made her striking in a way that would make her stand out from a crowd. Her dark brown hair whilst dirty from years of incarceration and neglect was in remarkable condition hanging long and loose beside her face, emphasising her powerful eyes and thick lips.

As Lexi's attention was drawn to her fellow inmates, her eyes locked on the woman whose hazel stare returned her gaze. It was a look that she had seen before, the familiarity flooding through her body and forcing the hairs on her arms to stand to attention. She had never met either of her parents and never seen a photo, there were no memories of either of them existing and yet somehow this woman was communicating to her senses in a way that she had never experienced before.

Numen pushed Lexi close between the two guards at the front of the woman's position. 'Lexi, meet Marie Eden, the mastermind behind Project Eden, I'm sure she will be able to fill you in on all of your questions.'

Marie shot a look of pent up hatred at Numen, before her eyes fell back on the beautiful young woman before her, whose face had just turned a ghostly white.

'As in Jake's mother?' Lexi enquired. 'I thought ... he thought ... she was dead' Lexi blurted trying to take it all in.

'Not just Jake's mother, hey Marie?' Numen goaded.

Marie wrestled within her restraints, desperate to hit him and was pulled down to the ground by the four guards that surrounded her. The blonde boy reacted angrily and tried to protect her but he too was planted on the ground and put under heavy restraint.

'You can be so very cruel Numen' snapped Marie angrily. 'That was why I rejected you.'

Numen raised his hand to slap her, his blood boiling and consumed with rage.

'Try it if you dare' she goaded. 'We both know I could rip your arm from its socket and slap you to death with the soggy end.'

Numen dropped his hand to his side and shot her a look of disdain. 'Well you do rather have a weak spot for these parasitic humans, Marie that renders your powers utterly useless' he snarled, bearing his teeth like a rabid wolverine as he came up close to her face.

'Be that as it may, I suggest you get your men to take themselves off of Adam before I erase their existence from the face of this Earth' she threatened. 'And you let me get to my feet so that I can give my daughter a hug or so help me I'll make those lovely scars on your face into a bag once I peel the skin from your disgusting being, you feeble excuse for a man.'

The general slowly recoiled and with a face of bitterness, reluctantly ordered the guards to release the blonde boy and Marie. She rose serenely to her feet, the shadow of her internal evil twin giving way to her natural elegant manner, as she dismissed Numen and focussed her beaming smile upon Lexi who quaked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. Marie was like an angel, exuding a warm maternal glow, but it was clear from the earlier exchange that she commanded great authority and influence. Lexi was afraid, her mind ramped into overdrive. _Was Jake her brother?_

Marie beckoned her in and embraced her warmly, her maternal energy wrapping itself around Lexi and quelling the chaos and devastation unravelling inside the poor girl. Marie kissed her gently on the neck.

'Some things are a little more complex than they first appear' she whispered into Lexi's ear having heard her anxious thoughts. 'I will explain everything, I promise, I'm just glad that you are safe.'

The two women held each other for what felt like an eternity and Lexi for the first time in her life, allowed herself a brief moment of vulnerability, crying into the bosom of the mother she had been robbed of as a child. As they were pulled apart, Lexi could see that the blonde boy Adam was smiling at her, no doubt having had some similar experience himself and empathising with her current state of bewilderment.

'Let's get them out of here, this reunion nonsense is starting to make me feel sick' Numen said as he called the lift into action.

The three prisoners were rounded up and directed into the steel vestibule. Marie making a point of ensuring that she was stood between Numen and the two teenagers. The general tried to keep his eyes focussed ahead, trying to avoid any further embarrassment from the former object of his affections. Marie however, had other plans and came up close to him.

'The only reason I haven't killed you or DuPont already is because I need to ensure my son is safe. Never underestimate the power of a bond between a mother and her child. I will do absolutely everything in my power to prevent any harm from coming to him' she whispered to his visible chagrin. 'Just like I did when you got those nasty scars.'

Numen turned his head and met her eyes with a look of evil. 'And how exactly did you do that?'

'Like I said, never underestimate the bond between a mother and her son. He will always have the power of kings and queens of our realm at his disposal and in time he will crush you and we both know what that means for your little plans, don't we' she whispered before taking her place within the quadrant of guards who were detaining her.

Numen gave little indication of the tumultuous fury that he concealed within his body, choosing to keep his mind cool and calm so that Marie would be unable to read him. Whilst it was true that her love of the humans and their ways were Marie's weakness, the bond with her long-lost son being her major Achilles heel, Numen was acutely aware that she quite probably, was his.

The lift jolted to a halt and the doors opened onto the wide expanse of the roof several storeys above, where the last of the Empire troops and DuPont had boarded the whirling choppers. The prisoners were shepherded across the helipad, DuPont having emerged to greet them, he exuded a welcoming and amiable disposition not fitting of his odd appearance.

'From the look on your faces, I trust you have managed to catch up on old times' he said to Marie and Numen with a smirk on his face. 'Good to see you in the light my dear' he said taking Marie's hand and kissing it.

'Well you really shouldn't have kept me so long in the dark then, should you Uncle?' Marie chided him. 'But then as my father learned, some things never change.'

DuPont rolled his big bulbous eyes, ushering her to get into the helicopter behind. Given how very ugly and distorted his face was in comparison to her pure magnificence, it was hard to imagine that they could be biologically related.

'Put the boy and girl in the other one' he urged to the guards. 'It'll give them a chance to get to know one another and exchange some interesting tales I'm sure.'

'No. They come with me' Marie ordered. 'You have kept them from me for all these years, from now on wherever I go, they go.'

DuPont threw his hands up in the air and rolled his big eyes to the sky, caving into her will just as easily as Numen had. Lexi had noted the power that Jake's mother had over these two men, but it was hard to understand exactly where such influence stemmed from. She was just grateful that she would be able to discover the truth about everything if she was with Marie. There were so many questions lining up in her mind, she was not sure which one to ask first.

As they all clambered in the back of the helicopter, Marie sat between Adam and Lexi and clasped their hands tightly in hers a reassuring smile beaming from her lips.

DuPont and Numen sat opposite them, the old and disfigured scientist looking on at the scene reminiscent of the great reunions that had been covered by the new rebel-controlled media since the Empire's grip had been relinquished from the controlled masses. It sickened him that his niece, like his brother, had taken such a liking for the species he was here to eliminate. Marie shared her father's belief in cohabitation and coexistence, even believing that the two races could create the next line of evolved man. He, however, believed only in the extermination of their hosts and the preservation of what he believed to be a far superior species here on Earth. DuPont had committed fratricide to dethrone his brother, assuming control of their people. Whilst he needed to keep Marie on his side right now, to get the boy.However, once DuPont had what he needed, his niece would be treated to the same fate as her precious father.

The choppers began to rise up above the research facility and into the sky, a long trail of black hovering machines descending into the distance. Below them, large convoys of military trucks were boarding huge aircraft carriers boarded at the sea. Trailing behind them were long lines of young men and women marching simultaneously and orderly behind. From this bird's eye viewpoint, there were literally hundreds upon thousands of these long lines of army ants boarding the ships and vacating the research site. An exodus of an unknown nation.

Lexi and Adam looked down upon the scene, the grounds edging further away and the sheer enormity of the masses of DuPont's creations came to be realised. It was difficult to ascertain just how many of the clones there were, but it was a huge army.

'What have you done Uncle?' Marie said having taken in the long streams of what looked like an infestation of cockroaches ambling towards the sea. The horror etched upon her face.

DuPont smiled. 'Thanks to your sterling work on Project Eden, we have been able to grow and harvest our own hybrid army. Mindless human forms, with innate powers of our people. A new subspecies with a primal drive to overpower, conquer and erase all those who stand in their way. The humans can enjoy their False Dawn, they have no idea of what is about to hit them.'

The collective horror swept across the faces opposite him, Numen's glowering face shifted to a smug knowingness of the plan that was unfolding.

'They are all like that creature you put in my place?' Lexi enquired, visibly alarmed by the magnitude of the threat these beings would pose to the world.

DuPont's unbridled joy simmered and he cast a cursory glance at Numen. 'That had been the plan, but we had to accelerate the process. It would have been so much easier to have just slowly replaced all the dream walkers with new versions of themselves completely unnoticed, but sadly your meddling friends put paid to that so we had to release them as they were.'

The lines of clones were made up of fully formed human beings, but key features on their faces remained entirely unformed. Many entirely faceless creatures marched, with glowing black eyes and two tiny slits where their nose should be. Others had brutally contorted features, improperly formed and whilst others looked entirely human but missing hair, mouths, noses and ears. They were a bedraggled bunch of humanoids, assorted in terms of how far along the process they had evolved. There were many who looked entirely normal bar the glowing inhuman eyes and without knowing it, they would easily have been mistaken for everyday people.

'This batch are the last ones to be released. The oddballs you might say' he said laughing ironically given his own very absurd appearance. 'I assure you, though, that the others we have already sent out into the world are very much cut from the same cloth as our little test subject of you' he said pointing at Lexi. 'They have been nurtured and indoctrinated ever since we disbanded Project Eden.'

Marie looked out of the helicopter, the swarming mass getting ever bigger in the distance. The idea that this was just a small dose of what DuPont had unleashed on the Earth made her turn cold and shudder at the ramifications. The once enslaved masses had believed that they had just fought their battle for freedom and would not be expecting this counter punch and even when it came they would not even see it coming. The reality hung heavily upon her and as she looked at the young adults sat beside her, she realised that had it not been for her brainwave to try and fuse human and extra-terrestrial DNA, this threat would never have emerged.

The Empire was evolving, no longer set on controlling the humans and enslaving them to the regime, they were about to be aggressively displaced by a new breed, born and raised to serve their master's rule. The humans had won the first battle, but it looked as though the Empire was about to fight back.

