PROJECT: Incarnation

Confrontation | 36

Caitlyn had never been in such pain before. Probably because she had never been pierced through with a fish hook. The doctors at the nearby hospital claimed that she was lucky to not have her shoulder dislocated. Due to the severity of her injury, Caitlyn remained at the hospital for three days with only company an annoying migraine. She didn't get any visitors - not that she expected anyone, if she wanted to be honest with herself. There had been no word from Vi since that night and her partners were probably too busy to even be concerned about her. She didn't blame them. She was all too aware of TPA's policy after missions like that, successful or not.

Having all that free time gave, Caitlyn had the opportunity to contemplate and analyze the situation properly. For the first time since ages, she was completely confused in all aspects. Everything seemed to be so complicated. One part of her just wanted to give everything up and go for an eternal vacation and never look back. On the other hand, Caitlyn knew this was impossible at this point. Besides, running away from her problems wouldn't solve them.

That night proved to her how little she actually knew. Her ignorance had put everyone in grave danger. All things considered though, it wasn't entirely her fault. PROJECT Inc. ought to have given them all the information they needed for this case and instead they lied and kept them in the dark, which would explain why McCarthy wasn't so shocked to see Warwick at the old factory. His memory only angered her. At least he got what he deserved. That didn't mean that the threat was gone, though. Caitlyn could claim without any doubt that the company was very dangerous. She wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to assassinate her and several others after what they saw that night. Although, the damage was already done and they were too many to kill without raising suspicion. So from that aspect she could say that they were safe for now.

Then it was the PROJECT traces themselves. Caitlyn wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about the lot of them. One the one hand, they protected her arch nemesis and tried to murdered her and then they saved her life. And of course there was Vi. The way they all acted, it didn't make sense. They didn't function the same way. Which meant that each of them were different, just like humans. She had never thought of it like that and this was one of her first mistakes. What PROJECTS truly were after all? Humans augmented with technology, despite what the company that had created them wanted them or believed them to be. She should have known the first day she met Vi. But she hadn't cared enough then.

Now it was all different.

Although that night had been a complete disaster, it had also explained a lot of things to Caitlyn. It finally explained why she felt the way she did around Vi or why the latter was always so flirty. Riven hadn't been joking, she had probably seen something that Caitlyn was unable to. Slowly, she had grown very fond of Vi, much more than she could ever possibly imagine. And because of that she was terrified. Caitlyn was scared of attachment due to the nature of her job; she usually was gone for long periods of time but her greatest fear was meeting another version of the people she cared about in another timeline that couldn't even remember her. Someone would ask, why couldn't she just quit her job? Truth be told, after everything that had gone out, she considered it. But this job gave a meaning to her miserable life even if it meant risking her life and even if eventually wouldn't give her what she had signed up for in the first place; her parents. It was impossible, she knew it now.

Caitlyn was terrified, yes, but she couldn't control the way she felt. The only thing she could do was accept it. But she needed to address this issue to Vi. She wasn't sure how much they'd be able to see each other after this case was closed and it was that specific case that brought them together in the first place. That would happen only if Vi decided to give any signs of life.

Everything was just a huge mess and Caitlyn had no clue how to get out of it.

Three days later, she was dismissed from the hospital with the advice to take a lot of rest. Caitlyn believed she had already taken enough rest those three days she did nothing but lay and think. She went home for a quick shower and then straight back at the Timeline Protection Agency's headquarters. Even there everything felt different. Caitlyn headed straight to her office, ignoring all those murmurs and occasional stares at her. Her partners were also surprised to see her there.