The Academy: Discovery

Katlyn

"We're really going to owe the Toma team a lot of favors after this." Victor comments as the others walk through the door. This isn't the first time I've heard mention of favors and wonder if they really mean favors or if thats some kind of code. They make it sound like they hand out vouchers that say 'one free favor' or something and when you receive one you can ask someone to rake your yard or hand you something when its out of reach.

Kota shakes his head. "Yeah, and we haven't even made progress on the actual mission. This was all for Elsie. At this rate I'm not sure we'll have enough favors to complete the mission." My shoulders droop again and I'm sure a look of guilt washes over me since thats exactly how I feel. Silas slaps Kotas shoulder to get him to be quiet or to look at me I'm not sure. Kota does both looking surprised to see me standing in the living room. He hadn't seen me. "Sweetie I didn't mean..."

"Its okay. You won't have to waste anymore time on my parents...or me. You can concentrate on your mission." I turn and return to my seat between North and Luke on the couch. They've turned the TV off and they're both glaring at the doorway. "He wasn't being mean put your claws away you two." I tell them thinking for the first time that its obvious they're related. They're personalities and looks are usually so different its easy to forget but just then their expressions were very similar.

"Miss Cathcart would you mind if we discussed some things with you now?" Mr. Blackbourne ask.

I shake my head but reply "I meant what I said though. Please don't waste anymore time on my parents or me."

"Shut the fuck up Beautiful. We're too smart to waste time. You're just full on insulting today aren't you?" His smile tells me he's not completely serious.

"Okay." I shrug.

"I know I've been avoiding asking about your past but after our conversation with Tom I think its time we discuss it." Sean says looking like he really doesn't want to discuss anything.

"He told you more?" Several of them exchange looks and nod. "About?"

"Katlyn." Kota answers watching me carefully. Under his careful inspection I know he sees me gasp.

I cling onto North and Luke beside me again. "Katlyn is the reason I knew how to help you with Mr. Blackbourne, Sean. And the reason I knew Nathans gun was a 1911 the first tie I saw him...." I pause considering how she could be related to things now and when I put the pieces together. Or at least think I have I add "she's why I'm not dead and why my parents would 'give' me to Tom."

"Start from the beginning." North tells me giving my hand a squeeze.

I take a deep breath and watch the floor in the center of the group. "Tom was 'dating' Katlyn although I think she didn't want to be. He hit her and abused her mercilessly. Every time I saw her she had more and more injuries. Each time they were more severe. I think I saw her so often because he had to keep her close or she would run. And she was barely older than all of you are now. One of the few times my mother let me do my school work in the restaurant Tom had brought her. Since they didn't ever want us to talk to each other my parents made her go into their office. Tom had interviews to conduct in his so she couldn't go in there. Anyway she hadn't been in there very long but my parents went to check on her. I guess they didn't trust her not to go through their things. With good reason. When they went into the office they caught her snooping. It was still early in the day and the dinning room was full so they couldn't punish her then. At least not the punishment they had in mind. So in the mean time I saw them bring ropes and things into the office. They must have tied her up. I kept thinking my parents would tell me to get back upstairs but they didn't. I had finished my work and knew I should leave but I was worried for her. So I sat and waited. I waited until it was too late. As soon as the restaurant closed they locked the doors and my parents went back to the office. I heard the gun shot then saw Tom bursting from his office. I heard yelling and fighting for a couple of minutes before the three of them pulled Katlyns body out of the office and out the back door." A chill runs over me as I remember the hole in her head and the blood trail it left behind." I should have ran but I was frozen. I couldn't move. And when the three of them returned only a couple of minutes later they saw me there. I tried to convince them I didn't see anything but they knew where I was sitting I could at least see some of what happened. My father dragged me the office..." The blood was worse in there. It was splattered on the wall and the filing cabinet. Dripping down like a thick gel. It wasn't at all how I would imagine blood to look. I don't want to think why it would be different but deep down I know. ".. and I thought he was going to shoot me too. I think he would have if it weren't for Tom stopping him. He called them both outside and when they came back my father just threatened me. It was more like a threatening lecture. He had several guns in the office and he pointed each one out giving me facts about each one. I thought he was trying to scare me with his knowledge of guns. It worked. I had to clean up the mess but after that I never heard anything else about it."

"You're right Mr. Richards did save you that day but I assure you Miss Cathcart it wasn't in your best interest. He told us today that your parents had only agreed to spare your life because when you turned 18 you were to serve as a replacement for Katlyn in Mr. Richards life...in his bed. Apparently Mr. Richards convinced your parents to spare your life since they in his mind took what was his and owed him a replacement."

I really hate throwing up in my mouth but it appears to be the thing to do today. I somewhat knew what the creep had in mind for me but to hear it put like that drives the realization home. Thankfully with all my guys here with me I feel strong enough not to let it get to me too badly. I'm quiet but I'm thinking. There is something bothering me about what Mr. Blackbourne said. Well two things. One: I can't imagine Tom just chatting with them about this. "How did you get Tom to tell you this?" I watch as all they're eyes unconsciously slip to were Mr. Blackbourne stands. His eyes don't leave mine. "Oh." I say not sure what to think of their answer. I move on. My second problem with Mr. Blackbournes statement: "I've been 18 for several months. Why now?" I'm also wondering how a creep with apparently so few morals would think to wait until I turned 18.

"I asked the same thing." Kota says. "Unfortunately that is a question we have to wait for the Toma team to report back on."

"Did he answer about the cat stuff?"

"We're calling it Catnip." Kota tells me. I nod. Makes sense. "And no. He didn't. Our main concern was why he wanted you kidnapped and why he thought you belong to him. The Tomas will get the rest."

I look at all of them and say "I appreciate your help but I don't want you to look for my parents anymore."

"Miss Cathcart Mr Lee didn't exactly mean what you may think he meant just there in the entry. In fact he was wrong anyway. We won't be requiring favors for this mission because its not simply our mission. Its an academy wide mission. Everyone is required to help where they can without the compensation of favors."

"I'm not saying this because I heard Kota. I've just decided they aren't my family anymore because..."

"Family is a choice." they chorus making me smile.