ILLUSIONS II

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

She looked at her phone when it beeped. She wasn't going to leave until she had her answers. She wasn't getting out until she knew what her mother was doing in the states, heck, until she knew what her mother was doing alive. Nobody was stopping her from getting her answer. She didn't care if the president of the United States was pulling into the building. She wasn't leaving. Her phone beeped again and she looked at it.

Nicholas: if you don't get out of there, you would be in trouble because I would be coming in and trust me, you wouldn't want to meet me in there. Get the hell out of there now!

She looked at it and responded.

Kimberly: Stay outside, Nick. Stay there with Barry. I would be out as soon as I can but I can take care of myself and I don't need you messing with things here. Whatever is going on here, if you come in, my mom might die for real. I want my answers so stay where you are. I would be out in a bit.

She hit the send button and she tossed her phone in her back pocket and headed out of the corner that she had previously hidden in. She walked towards the conference room and saw the man that was yelling at her mom. She entered the room and saw her mom sitting there, lost on whatever she was doing on the tablet she was holding.

Kimberly: so you really are alive.

She saw her mom freeze and that was all the response she needed to confirm her suspicions. Her mom slowly turned to look at her and she shook her head.

Kathy: what are you doing here?
Kimberly: I ask the questions, not you!
Kathy: keep your voice down! You shouldn't even be here! What the hell are you doing here? How did you find me? How did you get in here?
Kimberly: if you think you are the only one with access to places like this then you are joking. Hell, I am supposed to be working for the CIA. I am still a teenager so I am just as good at this as you are. Who the hell are you and why are you alive?
Kathy: I don't care how you got in but you need to leave, now!

That was all the response she was getting. Her mom stood up and walked out, leaving her standing there. For a quick second, she couldn't do anything but stare at the empty space that her mom had previously occupied. She heard someone bang on the door of the room she was in and she knew that she needed to get out. She looked around and saw a different door. She didn't know where it led but she needed to get out. She eventually found her way out and she saw Nick's car. She headed for it and turned around to take one last look at the building before leaving. When she got to the car, both Barry and Nicholas came out of the car.

Barry: was she the one? Did you get any answers? What did she say?
Kimberly: we need to get out of here. Let us go home.
Barry: is that it? She didn't say anything? You didn't get to talk to her?
Kimberly: no, I didn't. She told me to get the hell out of her life and stay away from her so no. I didn't get the reunion that I was looking for. Is that a good enough answer for you?

She sighed. She didn't mean to snap at anybody but she was losing it. She got into the car and they headed home. The ride home was silent and everybody was fine with it. Nobody knew how to break the silence so they embraced it instead. That was all she needed to know. She had a plan. She wasn't willing to push through with it until now. She pulled out her phone and she scrolled through her contact list. She found the number she was looking for and she smiled to herself.

Kimberly: hey, Shawna. I need a favor

She texted and she hit the send button. She was done dealing with the problem the nice way. She was going to do it another way, her own way. She knew that Nick wasn't going to approve of her ways but she had no choice anymore. She had to do it this way. There was no other way.
*****

He was in his office, trying to monitor the costs of the next project and if it was worth it when he sighed. He dropped his tablet and looked at the picture on his office table. It was the last picture he had taken with his kids, inclusive of Barry and Bryant. He looked at his daughter's smile and his heart melted. She looked so happy. Now, she was just different. She was cold, she was withdrawn. His phone rang and he looked at it. It was an unknown caller. He stared at it and let it ring. The person was persistent so he decided to pick it.

Jason: Yes?
Kathy: Jason, your daughter knows that I am alive. Kimberly has seen me. She knows about me! She saw me. She was at headquarters. I left her there, didn't explain and I definitely didn't answer any of her questions. What the hell is going on?
Jason: hold on, slow the hell down. What do you mean by Kim knows that you are alive? Where the hell are you?
Kathy: I flew in today to attend to something and she saw me. She was there, at the headquarters. What was she doing there? Who is she hanging out with now? I suggest you go back home and find out because she may just be as deep in this as I am and if that is true then our sacrifice wasn't worth it. find out what your daughter is up to!