PROJECT: Incarnation

Darkness | 31

Even for someone as practical as Caitlyn this was just too much to handle all at once. After all, she had just escaped a giant explosion by jumping from the third floor. She might not be too good at addressing her emotions but that didn't mean she wasn't a little bit shaken and not only due to the explosion. 

Last thing she remembered was the area swarming with firefighters trying to take control over the fire and not allow it to expand towards nearby buildings and police officers asking questions about the event. It caused them more trouble than necessary because they were the only eye-witnesses alongside Vi. However, Vi had fled the scene almost immediately. Caitlyn had tried to prevent her from doing so, reason with her, but Shen had stopped her with a hand on her shoulder and a knowing look. Vi needed some space right now and it was best to grant her wish. With a sigh, Caitlyn followed Shen to give her statement to one of the officers. 

It was past midnight when they were done but none of them seemed tired of even remotely close to being sleepy. Instead of heading back to their homes, they decided to return all together back at the TPA headquarters. The building was silent when they arrived but the security guards didn't even flinch as they passed through the main doors. The Agency needed to be on the alert all the time, plus it wasn't rare that agents returned back from missions during those high hours. 

Their office was in the same state they had left it earlier this morning. Paperwork was scattered all over but Caitlyn couldn't bring herself to care at that particular moment. Her thoughts drifted back to Vi and her reaction to seeing her supposedly deceased sister alive again. Honestly she had felt so bad for her and it hurt her seeing her so upset. She only wished she could have done something to ease her pain rather than just stand there like an idiot. 

"Earth to Caitlyn," Shen said, waving a hand in front of her. 

She blinked. "Yeah, sorry. Just got distracted, that's all."

"Are you alright?" Riven asked in concern. 

"I'm fine. You should be more worried about yourself," Caitlyn deadpanned. 

"I'm fine-"

"Why?" Caitlyn interrupted. "Why did you let her abduct you?"

Riven averted her gaze while Shen blinked. "What?"

"Are you getting deaf, old man?" Tobias mocked him. "She asked why Riven let that freak kidnap her."

Caitlyn glared at him. "The term is abduct. Riven is 24. Kidnapping is what you do to children."

Twisted Fate waved her off but Shen was ignoring him either way. His eyes remained fixated on the white haired woman. "That's a really good question, actually," he commented before crossing his arms across his chest, tapping his foot on the floor. "So?" 

"I… I don't think you would understand," Riven muttered. Caitlyn raised her eyebrows, Shen huffed and Twisted Fate just looked at her. 

"Riven, please. I know you better than anybody else in this room," Shen stated matter-of-factly. "And I believe you owe us an explanation. After all, we did risk our lives to rescue you."

Riven ran a hand through her hair, not responding at first, only gazing down at the floor. That, before she raised her head and locked her eyes with Shen. 

"She was there. The night that it happened," she simply said eventually. 

Caitlyn didn't know much about Riven's past. It was Shen who did, as he was the one to recruit her in the first place. She only had knowledge about some general facts, her involvement in a chemical accident in Zaun for example. On the other hand, Twisted Fate knew nothing, thus the confused expression that appeared on his face at Riven's mysterious words. Caitlyn motioned at him to keep it shut.