Truth | ✔

Part Five

Crina sat in her office sifting through papers on her desk. She needed to find a fourth but what she was doing was too important. She had a lead on the missing piece due to the information the hostage spilled before she killed him.

All along her and her father were looking around Europe for it, trying here in Romania first but now she knew they were wrong. What they were looking for was in America. A whole ocean away, what seemed to be a whole world away. She sifted through the documents trying to convince herself it was true, it seemed too good to be true.

Maybe it was time to explain the cause to Nic. She needed to find the time to introduce the subject but she didn't want everything that was built up to fall. She didn't need a reason to kill Nic, call her weak but she couldn't find it in herself to kill Nic herself. She was growing attached. Too attached.

Even if she didn't want to she gave Nic the day off, Crina usually did after she used his full name. He needed time to recover even if he didn't think so. But she knew that even with his day off he was right outside of her door dressed, ready for any mission. But she would refuse to call on him today. She's called in her third in command Mihal in the room a couple times, she didn't want Nic to do anything on his day off though she praised his loyalty to his job. To her. But she figured that he was ready to know the cause they were fighting for. Sure the members were briefed but no one knew the true reason. No one but her and her dad. Now she was going to call in Nic.

"Nic." She called quietly, knowing he could hear her. "Clear the area then come in, lock the door." The door stayed shut before it opened. Nic walked through, his blue eyes filled with unwavering curiosity. His dark hair smoothed back, not a wrinkle in his suit.

"I'm surprised." He said, "calling me in on my day off." Nic took off his jacket before placing it on the back of the chair. He went straight for the self where the bourbon was, pouring two glasses.

"Yes, well I have something important I thought was right to tell you. I'll trust you not to breath out a word to a single soul." Crina said, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her desk. Her light hair was down today, brushing her arms.

He handed her a glass with a grim face as he sat down opposite of her. She could feel oxygen escape her and her palms start to sweat. The woman had never felt like this before. It was a strange feeling.

"As you know our objective is to retrieve something that was once stolen. It's about time that I tell you, and only you about this secret. Let it get out and you'll find yourself in a world of trouble. That's a promise." He nodded so she continued. "My sister."

Nic sat pin straight in the chair, "pardon?"

"That's right. My sister was taken from the hospital from birth, sold by a stranger. Probably figured that since we were twins that my parents could afford to lose one. But we've been searching for her." She explained, handing him the yellow folder. "We were looking blindly, we didn't expect they kept her first name."

"Celestina. Identical." He said, glancing up at Crina. The only difference in their features was Celestina looked more carefree and happier in her life than Crina seemed. It was obvious that the two had grown up in two different environments. Sometimes Crina thought that if her sister wasn't taken then she wouldn't know this life. She wouldn't have had to kill people, she wouldn't have to make this her life's purpose. She didn't want to but she didn't want to disappoint her parents. Crina would rather put her passions aside to give her parents their happiness, their child back. Sure it was twenty-two years too late to build up a strong relationship but it was the idea of being complete.

"She's in North America. We can't go in to simply take her, we need to have a plan, something that wouldn't scare her. I don't want to go in blindly to have another mishap like Gheorghe. Try to come up with something. Don't make me regret my decision." Crina said before standing up. She needed to tell her parents the news.

She slipped her coat on and without another word to Nic, who was still sipping his bourbon, she grabbed the folder and left her office. She trusted Nic would lock up after he left.

Taking large strides, she made her way through the confusing twisting tunnels before she came to a stop outside the cafe.

"Good afternoon." The old lady greeted. Crina nodded her head in acknowledgement. "Would you like a drink, dear?"

"Sure, I'll take an iced coffee and a chocolate bagel." She stopped and sat down, barely having to wait two minutes. She was out the door before she knew it, taking bites of her bagel. The woman got into the sleek car and told the diver to go to her parents house. They lived pretty far from base, they lived far from the main places. Sipping her coffee and eating her bagel, she looked out at the passing buildings and people. There wasn't much to do in the car rides and she was getting anxious to tell her parents that she found her sister. She found her.

Her heartbeat was quick yet steady. It was her nerves getting to her. Crina normally didn't allow herself to act or acknowledge these feelings but she couldn't help it. She also knew that she shouldn't let her guard down but that was also something she couldn't help.

Soon enough the car pulled up to a simple one story house in a cute neighborhood. The house may have looked small from the outside but it was anything but. She got out, holding the fine light in her hands before walking up to the door. She didn't want to walk in so she knocked loudly on the door. Her mom was the one to answer, without any hesitation the older, plump, graying woman gathered Crina in her arms.

"It's so good to see you babe, come in. Nicolae, babe's here!" Her mom shouted. Her mom led her in the living room and handed Crina a cup of tea and set a plate of cheese and crackers in front of her. Soon enough her father joined both of the girls, sitting across from Crina with his wife.

She set the folder down on the table.

"So you didn't come here for your own will, when will it ever be for your own pleasure, babe?" her mom asked. Crina looked to her mom to the folder.

"Both of you will thoroughly enjoy the contents." She said, leaning back, picking at her nails. Her dad let out a huff as he picked up the folder. But as soon as it was opened it was closed as her mom let out a loud sob. But her dad opened it back up to read its contents.

"You found her." Her mom said, getting up and rushing to bring Crina into her arms. "Thank you." Crina let her mom hug her, her face void of showing anything to give away the aching feeling she felt in her chest.

"Do you have a plan?" Her dad asked, a blank look on his face too. His dead eyes met her equally dead ones.

"Not yet."

"Make sure it's clean" He said, laying the folder on the table in front of him. He stood up and walked over to the large liquor cabinet in the corner of the room.

"Understood."  

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So fresh. So clean

Date: January 18