Deathstalker 02 - Deathstalker Rebellion

to you, or politic with you, or do business with you. You'd be an outcast, just like me. Only I can handle it. You couldn't. Don't slam the door when you leave."
    "And you'd agree to this?" said the Shreck to his daughter. "You'd turn against your own father, who loves you so dearly?"
    "What you do to me isn't love, Daddy. And you lied to me. I'd like you to leave now, please. And don't ever come in without knocking again."
    "Think you're so clever, don't you, both of you," said the Shreck, his broad
    glistening face flushing red with rage. "Think you're smarter than me. But you should know, dear Adrienne, that you don't know everything. You see, Evie hasn't told you her real secret. She wouldn't dare. So you tell this Campbell bitch to leave, Evie, or I'll tell her what you really are."
    "No need to put yourself out. Daddy. I'll tell her." Evangeline drew herself up and threw Adrienne a look that was part defiance and part plea. "I'm a clone.
    Daddy had me made to replace the daughter he murdered. That's how he's controlled me all this time. Or so he thinks. You never knew I was part of the clone underground, did you, Daddy dear? No, I can see from your face that you didn't. You threaten me, and the underground will have you killed. You tell anyone about me, and I'll disappear into the underground. I only stayed because Finlay made me promise I'd protect his Family. You don't have a hold over me anymore. You never did, really, apart from my own fear. You told me you owned me, and I believed you. I don't believe that anymore."
    "Good for you, girl," said Adrienne. She looked triumphantly at the Shreck. "Get out of our sight, you nasty little toad."
    Gregor Shreck looked from one woman to the other, struggling for words, then turned abruptly and left, slamming the door behind him. Adrienne let out her breath in an explosive sigh and collapsed back into her chair. Evangeline remained where she was.
    "Well?" she said quietly. "How do you feel about me now, now that you know I'm just a clone?"
    "My dear, after everything you and I have been through, your being a clone is the least of it. I'm actually rather fascinated. I've never known anyone in the underground before. Apart from Finlay, of course, but I think we've established I never really knew him."

    "How do you feel about me being a rebel, then?"
    "Damned if I know. This is all happening a little fast, even for me. I suppose I should be shocked and outraged, but I haven't been shocked since I was fourteen, and I'm too emotionally exhausted to be outraged. You're a clone and I'm a bitch, and the Empire doesn't have much use for either of us. So to hell with them, and long live the underground. Do you have a battle hymn? I feel like singing something loud and defiant."
    The viewscreen on the dressing table chimed suddenly, and they both jumped. They smiled at each other, and Evangeline moved over to answer it. Adrienne got up and moved quickly out of sight. "Better if no one knows I'm here for the moment, Evie."
    Evangeline nodded, sat down before the dressing table, and accepted the call.
    The mirror cleared, and she nodded as she recognized a familiar face. It was Klaus Griffin, her immediate contact in the underground. As far as the outside world was concerned, he was her costumier. For once he wasn't smiling, and Evangeline sat up a little straighter.
    "Are you alone, Evangeline?"
    "Of course. Is there a problem?"
    "This call is being shielded. We can talk freely. We need you to come below, to talk to Finlay. It's urgent. Can you get away?"
    "If I have to. What's wrong with Finlay? Is he hurt?"
    "No. But it's imperative he undertake a particular mission and we need you down here to convince him to go."
    "Why wouldn't he want to?"
    "Because this one will almost certainly get him killed."

    "And you expect me to talk him into it? Are you crazy?"
    "We need you, Evangeline. We need him. The safety of the entire underground is at risk. He's our only hope. Will you come?"
    "I'll come, but I'm not promising anything. Finlay's gone on enough missions for you. You've no right to expect this of him. And don't you dare try and talk him into this before I get there. He's not going anywhere until I've talked to him, and maybe not even then. Damn it, Klaus, we've done so much for the underground already. Find somebody else."
    "It has to be him. How long before you can get here?"
    "Give me an hour." She broke contact and glared into the mirror. "Bastards. Do they really think