Evolution - The Oasis Project Book 3

Eleven - Linkin

We waited for Ira and Stuart to arrive, and once they did, I started to tell my story. I started from the beginning, doing my best to remember every detail. Thierry's cheeks reddened as I explained where we found him and how I was still brainwashed and thought we were going to meet Oasis.

The group was confused as to how Asmar knew about Thierry, but we were quick to explain that after a few jobs Thierry and I worked together, we figured out we were a good team. When I was hired by Asmar's group the first time, I asked Thierry to come along - it was my first time working for a radical group and I was scared.

"Wait, who are these people?" Four cut me off, shaking her head.

"They're not widely known. They're known as the Nasi, it means forgotten. They're a group who disagree with how certain events were handled and want to make a change," I explained.

Four seemed to nod like it was an acceptable answer, but Thierry added in, "They're terrorists, fighting a government who have forgotten their people and their needs."

He was blunt. I was more hesitant to label them "terrorists"; their acts weren't to create fear, but to attempt to make the world a better place. I often placed them and Oasis in the same box in my mind. Their thoughts were good, but their actions were bad.

I continued to explain the call I received from Asmar before we left for Alaska and that's when the group became more unsettled. "He wanted to trade for one of the projects?" Four shook her head, pulling her long black hair into a ponytail, then let it fall. "How did he even know about them?" She sounded stressed.

"Because of you."

"What?" Four's whole body tensed like she was ready to fight.

I shifted from foot to foot, standing at the head of the table and everyone stared at me. "They were following you for a while. Asmar knew more than I did, he told me about a Deviation child. I think they wanted to use him, along with Nazem for their cause. They told me that he could touch things and heat them so extremely, they'd catch fire."

"Fang," Four breathed, suddenly a bit more worried.

I nodded, never knowing his name before. "That's the new price since Nazem died. They want Fang now," I stated, but realized I had forgotten the most important detail.

"That isn't happening," Four growled.

Thierry rolled his eyes. "Glad to see we're not in the human trafficking business." That made Ira and Yulian tense up and exchange a reassuring look after.

"I have to help them." My words had all eyes on me.

Ira sighed as she looked up at Thierry. "Linkin, just tell them," she encouraged me.

I nodded slowly and looked to Thierry, "After the accident, when they were stitching me up... Asmar told me I have a tracker in me. They know where I am."

"What?" Four was on her feet, the chair wobbling on the two legs behind her.

Her mind raced trying to find a solution, but Thierry only stared at me and for a second, I swore he stopped breathing. "I'm going to lose you again, aren't I?" he breathed, tears filling his eyes.

I slowly shook my head as I forced a sad smile. Stuart was arguing with Four, trying to calm her with logic, but it all faded to background noise as I watched Thierry's heartbreak. "No, that's why I asked for the equipment. We're going to cut it out."

"Then what? Wait for this to happen all over again?" Thierry shook his head.

The room went quiet as Stuart convinced Four to listen to my plan. "Then we're going to split up. Once it's safe, Thierry and I are going to take the brainwashed ones somewhere far away. We'll work on bringing them to our side, while we wait, we'll both be available for any missions which need tech support. If you receive more brainwashed people, send them our way. We may need one or two people to help out, but we can get a farm, somewhere far away. It'll be safehouse and rehabilitation site for everyone. If someone gets hurt and needs time to heal, send them our way. If someone needs to be unbrainwashed, send them our way. Until we know what Asmar wants, it may be best if I'm further away from the front lines."

Thierry smiled weakly. "We can get a dog." He didn't seem to realize that this wasn't a happy ending, that we would be working for the Deviations and be at war.

"A dog?" Four raised her brow.

Thierry paused and smirked, glancing back to Four. "For security, of course." Both he and Yulian laughed.

"It sounds like a good plan and all, but you're still tracked. We need to deal with Asmar and Nasi. We don't even know what they want," Ira protested, finally getting the chance to say her piece in front of everyone. "There are too many unknown variables, we're fighting on all sides."

She was right and I couldn't argue with her. "This is why I called this meeting. We need to decide what we're going to do. We need to pick our battles and we need to start working as a team. We have uniformed, organized, and unified enemies knocking at our door. We need to be smarter and take a page from their book and come up with a plan and know what we want." I paused to look over the group. "I want to take down Oasis and have my freedom. I want this tracker out of me and I want to marry Thierry." I smiled weakly at him and he nodded. "What do you all want?"