Chapter 6 - Rebels Revealed

I stood on the stage, in the almost dead silence, looking into the crowd. The calm before the storm, almost everyone reacted at the same time. You could hardly hear anyone specific over the amount of voices getting louder and louder.

In the midst of the uproar, an even louder voice broke from the back. "So you've bee parading this adopted daughter, thats been running your businesses that have by the way soared in profits, crediting it to "good luck", when its been her computer brain. Not only have you been hiding that from the world and using it to succeed your own profits, you turned this woman into a weapon and call her "daughter"??" This was Samuel, he had a way with words, but never quite with actions. He could amass a following that went nowhere, he had been trying to get an Orchid council seat for years, but he always fell short on his goals. There were murmured voices agreeing with him, i could see this ending just as bad as i thought it was going too.

Leo cleared his voice and stepped up next to me. "I know what all of this seems like, and the lead up to this entire thing is a long and crazy story that frankly isn't ours to tell you people. We didn't seek her out and force her to be part of this, we found her and saved her with her permission. It took years or hard dangerous work to save her, and get her here. You've seen what she can do all across Thailand, you root for Epsilon, you hope that Epsilon shows up in your region next. The people that we are fighting for pray to Epsilon. Now that you find out Epsilon was a sanctioned program from the Orchid council, that Epsilon is a woman from nowhere, that is now so part of our family, now you want to question Epsilon?" I had never seen Leo get angry but he was beginning to here, and it almost scared me more that the crowd in front of us.

"Look, we didnt plan a con on you guys. This is how the program worked out, and its been beneficial to Orchid all across the world. The Chen family didnt deceive you willfully to leave you in ignorance. Like Yuma said, how angry would you have been with a half concoct plan and no results to show?" I said.

At this point the Council members that had been sitting on the back wall stood up. "We understand there are a lot of questions and concerns, but this program has been in operation for over 30 years, when most of your fathers were still here running things."

Another voice spoke from the crowd, this voice i did often hate. His name was Joao , and he was part of the Chen family, and always hated that he wasnt more important. Thought he always had an air about him that he was more important than he was, him and his father liked t o sow discord to try to bring others down. I'm sure they saw a great opportunity here. "But how do you expect us to be okay with who Epsilon is? She's an unknown woman, American woman, with no past no history and no ties to any of Orchid families. She's an outsider no matter how you look at it, because she was a scientific experiment that somehow survived." Joao scoffed, as his father and their people nodded along in agreement. Another spoke from their crowd "yea as far as anyone here in concerned, she doesn't meet the requirements to be part of us. She isnt part of any of the rebel groups or families, why does she now get to come into a council seat?"

Yuma walked over to Lee and began to talk again. The room goes silent, shes always a woman that commands respect wherever she goes. "Then, we will announce this week their engagement." She pointed to Leo and I. "What you say now Joao? You going to tell me my son cant marry someone he wants too now?" She starred pointedly at the crowd. She looked over to me, and made eye contact. It felt reassuring but i knew where this was heading. I felt Leo grab my hand and squeeze it.

After her announcement, the room felt a ripple. There were certain groups that didn't partake in the conversations, they stayed silent and watching. Those were the ones that worried me. Not everyone is going to be okay with all of this. We spent the next several hours, answering questions and concerns. Everyone wanted to know how I ended up here, but i still didn't have much to tell them.

"I cant tell you that because i dont know. I have no memories from before Lee and his team found me. All i know is that it was the group of scientists that left Orchid and Cyber and were trying to build their own path. After that, Lee and Leo pieced me back together and here we are now. I don't know who i am, i dont even know my real name. I don't now how i got to where i was, or why they decided on me to use. I don't know. I can only tell you for certainty that i have dedicated myself and every waking moment to ending them, and their allies. I have and will continue to tear down your enemies, wether you like me or not, if you want me in this or not. I am in this, I am Epsilon. I am the thing that goes bump in the night and takes away your enemies and saves your families and the civilians. With or without your approval, I am Epsilon." I made eye contact with a few leaders and walked off the stage. The next few hours I wouldn't be useful anyways.

Climbing into the car after I asked Lee, "So how many are on our side and how many want to kill me?"

"Oh is say its about 40/60, not in your favor." Leo said. I couldn't help but laugh, and say "well that's better than i thought so, progress."

Lee sighed, "its better than i expected honestly. We have a lot more supporting factions that i thought we would. I think most are just angry that they don't have an Epsilon or a program for it. They want to be the group in charge of the leader of the rebellion. But I think more and more will come around after the official engagement announcement and the next few campaigns we have been working towards. Don't lose hope on people yet kids, Orchid is built on the faith of these families and ours."

I wanted to agree with him but I couldn't help feeling i had just been shoved into an actual arranged marriage. Leo sitting next to me looking around sheepishly didnt help.

"At least you have the decency to pretends to be upset about our arranged marriage." I scoffed at him. He turned pink and grinned at me.

"Pft, I told you you marry one of my sons one day." Yuma said, lee just watched us as we bartered back and forth about the arrangement.

"Ma, this is going ot be an extended engage to that we call off eventually. You know that right?" She didnt answer me. "..right?..you, you know that.."

She smiled and started rushing us out the car, "go go, go and rest. We are here, bye now. Love you, bye bye now" and she shut the car door in our faces.

"Your mother is going to kill me one day."

"Do you think she knows this is a fake engagement?" Leo laughed.

"Ill take you down with me Leo Chen, dont tempt me." We argued back and forth on the way to the condo.

Climbing into my bed after my shower, i kept thinking about the last few days. It wasn't that I disliked Leo that much. I didnt love him like i wanted to spend my life with him,but i didnt dislike him either. Leo himself was a great man, and a very attractive man. I just didnt like the idea that i must be married to him to matter in this. Why is it that he determines my worth? Why cant I determine my own worth?

My phone ringing brought me out of my thoughts, "Hello ryder."

"Baby, its been 2 days and I'm already not okay with this. Do you know what I have had to deal with all day!??! LEON! I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH LEON ALL DAY BY MYSELF!"

I could hear Leon in the background whining, "come ooooon, you're suppose to love me you know!"

"Shut up I'm talking to the love of my life right now, leave us alone." ryder said. I couldn't help but laugh at them.

"Ryder be nice to Leon, Leon dont drive ryder crazy."

I could tell Leon was pouting, "but he doesnt let me hold his hand all the time, or let me hug him all day, or let me shower him with my attention!"

"HE TRIED TO HUG ME WHILE WE WERE WALKING DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS BABY."

"Yea now you know what I deal with" i laughed.

"Yea well that's why we need you back, you don't complain when he showers the attention on you and it lets me not feel smothered so i dont smother my boyfriend in his sleep!"

"Heeeey! YOURE both suppose to love me you know?"

"Oh i complain often, it doesnt get me anywhere"

We spent a little while on the phone, talking about the day and placing bets on how soon Ryder tries to smother Leon in his sleep.

I loved these two, i know I shouldn't really. It's part of my job to be their protector but living with them and taking care of them for these years, they've softened my heart for sure. And they were harmless with the way they talked and joked with me. They are so in love with each other it's almost sickening to see, but i love how happy they are. Ryder pretends to be annoyed by Leons smothering love, but he really just likes to pick on Leon. And Leon is a giant teddy bear that loves skinship and physical contact, so he's easy to tease.

I cut off their pretend arguing and said "okay guys, i have to go to sleep. We're going to the companies here tomorrow for budget meetings."

"Aw okay then. I still dont like this I'm going to tell Yuma to bring you back to us. This isnt fair, Leo doesnt get to keep you from us. I love you, goodnight!" I could hear Leon yelling in the background "I LOVE YOU TOO MORE THAN RYDER DOES" i laughed and hung up as they started arguing about who liked me more.

A few minutes later my phone rang again, it was Ryder again from an encrypted line. "He's in bed watching a movie so he'll be asleep in less than 3 minutes. Tell me how today went." So i told him the events of the meeting, and how we have many more to come. I told him of my worries of the Chen family safety now.

"I agree, i think we are going to need to be more proactive. I understand that they needed you to be with Leo for now but i dont like not having you by Leon, and it's harder to work together if youre far away."

"I know, i dont like it either. But to be fair , they dont know that I know youre my handler. So we have to do what we have to do for now." I said.

"Baby, we have to protect them. We need this war to end so that the world can be free of the malicious and tyrant leaders that they have right now, but we have to protect them…I cant let anything happen to Leon.." For the first time in years i could hear some fear creep into his voice. I knew what he wanted to ask me but would never jeopardize our jobs.

"Ryder. If it comes down to it, and you need to choose. Choose him," he took a breath like he wanted to argue with me, " no ryder. I'm serious. If it comes to it, choose him. I will be fine, at this point I'm not indestructible but I'm damn hard to hurt. Ill be fine, just make sure Leon is too. And Ill regroup with you guys when i can. I dont know when or what, but after revealing this, people are going to start trying to replicate me and some are going to try to get to the boys. We just need to be ready, if i go radio silent, you know what to do."

"I dont think I've ever heard you actually worry about something. I watched you charge into oncoming bullets without sweating, and leap onto moving cars without a pause. What's got the big bad Epsilon worried?"

"I dont know, i cant place it. But after the meeting today, its not sitting right. Lee seems positive about it, but i cant shake that there is going to be something big coming our way soon." I sighed

"We will take care of it. We always do. Get some rest Ep, ill check in tomorrow with you.'

"Goodnight Ryder."

Laying there after the phone call i started thinking that life was going to get a lot more complicated soon. With the engagement, the company take overs, the campaigns , and there are bound to be people after Lee and Leo now. I realized that I spent so many years with this family focused so hard on finding a way to get better and better so i can get my revenge on those faulty scientists, that i didn't realize when all of the family slipped into my heart.

This was a family i was going to fight for, and fight with, for as long as they needed me. I knew that one day Leon would understand why everything has happened the way it has, and why Ryder ,his sweet innocent boyfriend, was Epsilon's Handler.