GOD FORMULA

08 Eve Trinity

The group laughed in unison again. Adopted orphans like Noah were the butt of every joke. The young man bit his lip and started walking away.

Cory rushed to his feet and blocked the path. He pulled down Noah's hood roughly and grabbed his jaw with a hand. "I'm the goddamn Class President! I wasn't done talking to you, scum!"

Noah grabbed his wrist and applied light pressure. A pained expression replaced Cory's smugness abruptly. He hurriedly withdrew his hand and groaned.

"What the fuck did you do to my wrist?! You maggot!"

Noah was an incredible athlete and had trained his body privately for years. He never participated in Academy sports to avoid drawing attention to himself. The young man never demonstrated his strength before, but today he was in an especially foul mood.

"How dare you try to hurt me, loser!" Cory raged. "Do you know who my father is? He is the Chairman of Gilbert Industries! He has contacts with the Mayor of Concord! I'll get you expelled and have your family arrested!"

Noah would be elated if the Shepherds got arrested, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Ron Davidson, who was built like a tank, jumped to his feet. As the wrestling champion of Concord Academy, he was a feared individual. "Should I fuck him up for you, Cory?"

Noah balled his fists, anger bubbling in him. These elitist students wasted money on trash food and luxuries. At the same time, Lia couldn't even have her share of life-saving medicine. Someone needed to be taught a lesson. Ron Davidson was about to realize he wasn't the strongest in the class.

"Leave him be, everyone!" Alice exclaimed all of a sudden. "We need to focus as a group and plan a strategy for the Providence Conference."

"Fine," Cory replied, gesturing to Ron to back off. "I'll let the wastrel escape today. But I won't let it slide the next time!"

Noah's eyes met Alice's for a second. He nodded his thanks, gathered his things, and scurried away. It was a close shave with the elite gang. In fact, the young man who prided himself on self-restraint felt a twinge of guilt for almost losing his temper.

Noah was about to exit the cafeteria when he sensed someone watching him. He stopped in his tracks and looked for the source.

In the STAFF ONLY section, Noah noticed a new face—a tall, elegant blonde with aquamarine blue eyes. A crowd of teachers suddenly blocked his view. The young man shook his head and left the cafeteria, wondering who the stranger was. More importantly, why was she watching him?

***

The auditorium was packed to the fill. Apart from the graduating class, even junior year students were present. They were desperate just to get a glimpse of what Providence Technologies had in store.

Mrs. Gosling ascended the stage and, after a few formalities, invited the Providence team to begin. The students let out a collective expression of wonder as a young group, sharply dressed in expensive suits, ascended the stage and set up an audio-visual presentation.

Their attire and mannerisms exuded wealth, competence, and authority. This is what success looked like in Concord City.

Leading the Providence team was a girl in a fashionable pantsuit. She was gorgeous, with lustrous, blonde hair and a voluptuous yet slender body. In looks alone, the girl put Alice Harper, the campus belle, to shame. All the boys and male teachers began drooling over her appearance.

Noah was also intrigued, mainly because he recognized her as the mysterious blonde from the cafeteria. The beauty's expression was cold and stern, as if she were already disappointed with Concord Academy.

She raised her demeaning eyes to the class. Her following words were abrasive, and her tone was condescending. "I am Eve Trinity, a member of the board of directors of Providence Technologies."

Her words caused a flurry of gossip in the crowd. "Eve Trinity? Isn't she the daughter of Leland Trinity?"

"Leland is the Chairperson of Providence! What is his daughter doing in Concord City?"

"Silence!" Mrs. Gosling commanded, and the crowd simmered down.

Eve continued speaking as if she had not been interrupted at all. "I'll cut to the chase. A decade-long research by Providence's scientists has helped us conclude that an invasion from the outlands is inevitable." 

There was another flurry of gossip among the students. Everyone was aware of the dangers lurking outside the habitable cities—the outlands. After the Third World War, extensive continental areas of the Earth were separated from human civilization by walls.

The outlands were breeding grounds for ferocious monsters mutated and evolved from radioactive wastes. It was also rumored in chat groups that those forbidden lands were inhabited by intelligent creatures who planned to overthrow the human race. However, the government heavily censored such information.

"Isn't it forbidden to talk about the outlands?" one of the curious students asked from the crowd.

Eve cast her an emotionless glance. "It was until now. Providence is already working with the Department of Defense. We are developing weapons technologies to resist an invasion. However, our purpose for this visit is recruitment."

Excited murmurs rose among the crowd. The rumors were true! This was a golden opportunity to be hired by Providence Technologies!

"Don't be optimistic already," Eve interrupted the shift of moods. "Concord City isn't our only target. We are conducting country-wide recruitment tests on academy students about to graduate."

"In what position will you be recruiting?" another student asked.

"That is a good question. Providence's new weapon technologies require young exceptional individuals with high overall statistics. We are recruiting smart agents with sharp instincts. They must be strong and courageous. Our company will build an elite team separate from the government's defense forces."

Eve's revelations began another wave of discussions in the crowd. "How many will be chosen? And how?" one of the students asked.

The Headmistress addressed this question. "Classes for the graduating class will be suspended tomorrow for a recruitment test," Samantha declared. "Those who don't wish to participate may remain at home."

"It is possible none will be chosen," Eve concluded, shutting down her presentation. "Therefore, give it your best, or your worst. I honestly don't care."