A Life for A Life

*Caitlyn’s POV*

It wasn’t hard getting to meet Agent Morgan Lee’s wife. They lived in a decent sized home in the suburbs in DC. I got to her at a good time. She was getting groceries out of the trunk of her Alexis. Two young kids could be seen jumping out from the back seat and running across the yard to get to the house, screaming.

“Hello.” I said, smiling as I approached.

The blonde woman turned, her eyes landing on me. She stared at me for a brief moment before a smile lit her face. “Caitlyn! Oh, my! It’s been years since I’ve seen you!”

The last time I’ve met this lady was whenever I was in my premature teen years. She was pregnant with her first child then too. It’s been a while since then. She put down the bags she was holding and running over to me, pulling me into a hug. “You’re all grown up! Such a pretty girl you’ve become. Shame on Morgan for not bringing you to visit me. Is he the reason you’re here?”

She knows Morgan works for the CIA and so did my so called parents. I nodded. “Why don’t you come inside? I’m about to fix up some dinner. Would you like to stay for a meal?”

How long has it been since I’ve had a proper meal? “Definitely.” I breathed, walking to her other side, grabbing a couple of bags to help.

We managed to get everything inside within one trip. I could hear the kids screaming around the house as they played around. “Kids! We have company, so quiet down!”

Her demands seemed to work for a little bit, but you know how kids were. “Kids… I love them to death, but sheesh they’re a handful.” Mrs. Lee said as she took a seat.

She offered coffee and I took it gratefully. Sitting in a luggage carrier for two hours with the constant changes of air pressure could really mess with you. “Mrs. Lee…” I started.

“Oh, please, call me Nina.” She smiled. “No need to be so formal. I’ve known you since you were a child.”

I offered a smile. “Nina… what time will your husband be home?”

Nina blinked some. She thought some. “I’m not sure, he’s been staying late at work for the past few weeks. I’ve been trying to cook supper later than usual, but he never seems to make it in time. He usually gets home after I’ve put the kids to bed…”

“Is that so?” I asked.

“Are you needing to talk to him?”

I nodded. “It’s really important too.”

Nina’s eyes traveled down to the duffel bag on the floor beside me. “Are you in need of a place to stay? We have a guest room right upstairs if you would like to use it.”

She was so quick to offer it up that I was at a loss of words. “Um…” I tried to answer.

Nina brought a hand to her mouth. “Oh! I apologize for being so straightforward with you. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in so long I want to catch up with you. I’ve always looked at you as a much younger sister. Morgan and I’ve been together since high school and I met you when I was in my early twenties. I loved you ever since I saw you whenever you were, what, seven? You were cute as a button.”

A smile spread across her face. I couldn’t help but smile back and chuckle some. “Well, if that’s the case, I can’t refuse your offer.”

“Mommy! Mommy!” I heard a little girl as a blond came running in.

She went to stand beside her mother, who put an arm around her and pulled her to a hug. “What is it, sweetie?” Nina asked sweetly.

The little mini version of Nina looked up at me. “Who’s that?”

“That, baby, is Caitlyn. I’ve known her for a long time. She’s like a younger sister to me.”

I smiled at the little girl. “You can call me Cat if you’d like.”

“Cat? I like kitties!” The girl smiled. “Bubby!”

She ran out of the kitchen. Nina shook her head. “She’s an adorable little thing.”

I couldn’t help but hear myself think. I’ve thought about it before, but there was seriously something familiar about that nickname Cat. Kitties? No, it was something else…

“I should probably start dinner. It’s going on six o’clock. Hopefully Morgan will be home sooner.” Nina said, standing up.

I nodded. I stood up also. “Would you like me to help? I’m actually quite good in cooking.”

“Nice.” Nina smiled. “Mind washing the veggies for me first, then? I’ll prepare the meat.”

I knew I warned Agent Lee that I could hurt his family if he ever tried to turn me in, but I knew I could never bring myself to do that. I would let myself die first before getting his family involved. They didn’t need to be drug into this situation, so I decided to keep myself a friend to them. Especially to Nina. I’ve known her since I was small and it was her warm personality and warm front that taught me to care about everything.

I wasn’t a normal girl. I could break a bone without a hint of mercy, I could find every dark secret about a person and use it to my advantage, I could do just about anything if I put my mind to it, but never in my life would I put someone innocent into a situation they didn’t deserve to be in. This very thought made me think of Louis. Right now I was here, even if he didn’t want me to be, because I knew this was my fight… more than his own too.

Nobody knew of him yet, at least not that I knew of. Right now it was my fight. So I waited for Morgan to come home with his wife, drinking coffee with her as I did so.

I shouldn’t have expected a warm welcome either. I mean, I did threaten his family’s lives before.