#Chapter 106 – Training Camp

“Is Amelia going to be there?” Alvin asks as Evelyn loads a cooler full of snacks into the back of the hummer.

“What?” Evelyn says, confused. “No. Why would Amelia be there?”

Ian shrugs. “She said she’s gonna ruin our lives. She didn’t say when. She could be anywhere.”

Evelyn shakes her head and goes to kneel next to her boys, concerned. She really wishes that they hadn’t been privy to that conversation, but she can’t help it now.

“You boys don’t need to think about that,” she says. “Amelia was just mad – she didn’t mean it. And your daddy and I can protect you. Plus! We’re going to a military Beta base!” she says, very cheerful. “There are lots of Betas there, all sworn to protect you. I promise, you’ll be fine.”

The boys nod, encouraged, and climb into the back of the car.

Victor is cheerful as he comes down the driveway, dressed not in a suit but in tactical black. Evelyn smirks, thinking that the last time she saw him dressed like this was during her rescue from her father’s house. When she’d had a chance to get up-close and personal with that tactical gear, pressed into the little hideaway in her closet.

She glances down at herself, her jeans and blue cardigan. “Am I…underdressed? Do I need something in a camo print?”

He laughs, considering her. “No, civilian. You’re fine.”

“I want camo print!” Ian shouts from the back of the car.

Victor smirks and gives Evelyn a false look of derision. “Now you’ve got them started.”

She laughs. “You’re the one dressed like a GI Joe.”

“Touche!” he says, swinging him into the car. “Everyone buckled up?” When he hears three assenting answers, Victor swings the car out of the driveway and onto the open road. To more hummers full of Betas follow.

new plan to incorporate Rogues into his Beta forces – Evelyn’s eyes had

of nowhere, beyond his farm and the woods in which they had gone camping, out to a flat plane of earth where it looked like there was nothing around

gasps when they start to pull into view of his forces. “Oh

smiles, pleased, secretly, that she’s impressed. But it is an impressive space. They pull through a tall metal gate topped with barbed wire and drive through what seems like a small city’s worth of cinder-block buildings topped with corrugated tin roofs. “These are the sleeping units and mess halls,” Victor murmurs, navigating carefully through groups of troupes that travel in packs of

target practice, a small set of woods in which they

Evelyn leans forward, squinting to see better. “Is that

“What else would it

“You have a helicopter?”

“I

hears Ian shuffle close to Alvin to whisper. “Three for me and three for you,” he

get one?” she asks. Ian, equally serious,

back to the front of the car as Victor pulls into a spot by the nicest building in the area, made of bricks instead of cinder block. “What’s this?” she asks,

says, opening his own door and stepping out. “With a little sleep space, in case I

from the back of the car and take them by the hand, leading them into the office.

here,” Ian whispers, truly

good,” Alvin adds with a

think it’s kind of…bland. Needs some flowers. Or colorful paint.” She

just don’t get it mom.” She laughs again and pulls him through

says, looking around as she puts her bag down on a metal chair by the door. The room is very small, with a big metal desk at the center of it. In a corner is a single bed, sparsely dressed with a green wool blanket and a single pillow. Behind a wall to the right – Evelyn grimaces to see that there’s no door even – there’s a small bathroom with a tiny

a sliding glass door that opens into a grassy area, with a firepit sunk into the ground. She notes a series of camping chairs lined up against the wall. For more casual meetings, she assumes, or

head to the side, considering this office’s contrast with Victor’s modern home, all glass windows and fine

love it here, mom,” he says,

for a little while,” he says,

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