Or A False Hope? (JP)

Her eyes locked onto the image of Lydia, but she froze at the use of her nickname. Those blue eyes narrowed on this man standing by her. No one but her father called her that, so this meant he'd spoken to Demitri at some point. "How do you know my nickname?" She asked.

"Your father called you that the day he left you with Dr. Venderson. I was there. He was heartbroken, beyond even. After your... accident. He didn't know what to do with you. He knew you would hurt someone if he didn't get help. Dimitri asked us to find a cure. We told him we would do everything we could to help you. Subsequently, you were a victim of vile men and bureaucracy. I should have seen to your care personally, but as you can imagine I had many obligations. Regardless, he was on a field mission to dispatch of that girl. Her name is Lydia, a little younger than you. She's become a symbol of revolution around here, for gifted people like yourself. She's an extraordinarily powerful telepath, and I suspect she took control of your father's mind after she captured him. We lost contact with him 4 days ago."

This worried Evie, to think of her father captured. "Do you...do you think they might be harming him?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper now. If anything horrible happened to him, she didn't know what she'd do to that person. She just knew she'd hurt them...badly.

Thomas contemplated the correct answer. "I'm sure they've hurt him to a certain degree, but he's more useful to them alive. Lydia's telepathy allows her to control people entirely. Their beliefs, thoughts, actions... she's very dangerous and quite misguided. Your father didn't want to kill her, but her persistent violence against our organization, as well as civilians, was intolerable. In fact, her terrorist cell has abducted the governor of Wyoming and the recently appointed Senator. We suspect their intentions are to demand ransom, but we haven't heard anything since their disappearance."

"I see," Evie replied, easily falling for such words. Being locked up so long she didn't have anything to go on aside from this man's words and he had been nothing but kind to her so far. "What do you want me to do? How can I help to get my father back?" She wouldn't tolerate anyone hurting Demitri.

Thomas turned toward the elevator and gestured they go back inside to the warmth. "I will explain all of that after you get a good night's rest. You are no longer a prisoner here Evie. You may leave if you like, you are 18 now. Should you choose to stay and help us, I think we'll accomplish great things together. There's nothing you can do this moment. But... as soon as there is a development, you will be the first to know."

The idea that she could help her father gave Evie renewed hope. He hadn't given up on her, that much was certain in her mind. She just hoped she could help him before it was too late. "Okay," She replied as she stepped into the elevator and had to lean back on the wall. Her body was starting to grow tired and weak from all the activity she had participated in. Who knew walking could be this exhausting? "Rest sounds good..." Her eyes were growing heavy with the need for sleep now. It wasn't even nightfall yet.

Thomas escorted Evie back to her room. After opening the door, he left a security access card on the table for her to come and go as she pleased. Of course, he knew she wouldn't leave. How was she going to find her father without his help?