The Eve (The Eden Trilogy) by Keary Taylor Read Free Book Online Page A

from his seat.  “We can’t control the element of time so we’re just going to have to hope that we can get there quick enough.  It seems smart anyway to send more than one person on this mission.  We’ll get the van ready, and you’ll leave as soon as possible, got it?” Royce yelled at Dr. Evans. 
    He didn’t give any kind of response except for a glower.
    “You can take four guards with you,” Royce said, turning back to face me.  “Your choice, but I suspect I already know who you’ll pick.  The rest of the space in the vehicle will be needed for supplies and firepower.”
    “Avian’s coming, obviously,” I said.  Avian finally relaxed and put his weapon away.  “I don’t care what anyone else thinks of him right now, I trust him and that’s all that matters.  I think I owe it to West to let him come too.  He wants to find my sister as bad as I do.”  He hadn’t said as much, but I knew it was true.  “And Bill.  We’ve worked together for so long, he’s part of my team.  I’ll let you know the fourth as soon as I decide.”
    “Peachy,” Royce said, turning to the other two and giving an annoyed smile.  “So, we good?”
    Dr. Beeson shook his head and looked slightly irritated.  “I’ll have my team start working on the vehicle tonight.  We’ll work as quickly as we can.”
    “Great,” Royce said as he set to collecting his things.  He turned to Dr. Evans.  “Can I get you a magazine or something,” he said sarcastically as we all turned to leave.
    “I’m fine, thank you,” Dr. Evans replied with just as much vice and chill.
    Royce stalked out of the building, myself right in tow.
    There was a group of refugees walking out of the hospital and toward the hotel and our paths had no choice but to cross one another.
    There were two men; one in his younger twenties, another in his forties, and a woman who looked just older than me.  The two men glared at Royce and I, distrust and hatred in their eyes.
    The entire time we walked past them, bodies stiff, fingers just a little too close to triggers, I kept telling myself to simply ignore them.
    I was going a good job of it.  Until one of them muttered “murderers” once they were behind our backs.
    “Okay, this is enough,” Royce growled.  He reeled around and moving faster than I thought him capable of, grabbed the younger man by the front of his jacket and had him pinned against the side of a building.
    “I can deal with you wrongly accusing me of murdering that psychopath you all called a leader,” Royce hissed in his face.  “But I won’t tolerate lies about Eve.  After everything you lot did to her and after everything she’s done and will do to save your sorry asses, you ought to be bowing down at her feet.  Any of you says anything about her again, I’ll have every one of you escorted from New Eden in a very uncomfortable way.”
    “Both of you just stop!”  The woman from their group was instantly crying and I actually felt sorry for her.  So many of the refugees just wanted peace.  But the two men were bristling with anger.  But when a man like Royce makes threats, fear overrules anger.
    “Corbin,” Tristan suddenly called from behind.  “Do we have a problem here?”
    Royce released the man, who shrugged his jacket back on straight and tried to look unbothered by the encounter.
    “No problem,” Corbin said, his eyes burning into Royce’s.  “Apparently I’ve been put in my rightful place.”
    “Good,” Tristan said, his finger resting just to the side of the trigger on his shotgun.  “Now, how about we get on home, okay?”
    Without another word, the small group turned and started back for the hotel.
    “I hope they weren’t too much trouble,” Tristan said, watching them retreat.
    Royce’s jaw was set hard.  He shook his head once, hatred burning in his eyes as he stared after Corbin and the others.  Finally, he just stalked back in the direction of the hospital.
    “We’ve