*Noella's POV*
I knocked gently on the door. "Nile? It's Noella. Can I come in?"
The door opened to reveal her in the same clothes we arrived in. I took it in stride and looked around her temporary room. "I was wondering if you would like to bother some clothes? I know we haven't had the chance to get you any yet."
She looked at me in relief. "Thank you."
I smiled at her. "Of course, follow me."
I walked her to the women's closet. "Most of our safe houses follow the same pattern. We have two rooms that act like closets, but you can use either of them, I like to steal the boy's hoodies."
I pointed to my section. "That's mine. Most of it's from the nineties, but there are some solid pieces. Andy's is right there, feel free to choose from either."
I walked to my rack and pulled off a pair of flowy pants and a white crop top, setting it on the vanity for me later "We are going to a bar to discus everything when we are all ready but you have plenty of time. I'm going to restitch Andy when she's out of the shower then get ready." I looked at her. "Take whatever and ask if you need anything."
I walked to the door and stopped just before I left. "I mean it Nile, don't hesitate to ask." I left her in the room.
I walked to the supply closet and pulled out the first aid kit before walking to Andy's room.
I knocked as I walked in, sitting on her bed. The water was still running so laid down on her bed after grabbing a notepad from her desk, doodling until the water stopped.
Andy walked out in a towel and stopped when she saw me on the bed. I looked up and held up my roll of bandages. She sighed but grabbed her clothes off her desk and walked back into her bathroom. I grabbed some pain medication and a sterile needle and thread.
I had everything ready by the time she walked out in a sports bra and pants.
She sat down beside me and leaned back.
"I brought some pain medicine, I didn't think we wanted to do liquor again."
She took it from my outstretched hand and laid back down. I put on gloves and began to gently touch the exit wound. "How did you only rip one side?" I murmured, feeling around her stomach.
"Skill." Andy chuckled causing me to laugh in return.
"Do you feel it working yet?" I looked at her cautiously.
"Go ahead."
I searched her face and found no hesitation or apprehension. "Okay, try and hold still."
I worked quickly, years of practice ensured I made no mistakes. We may have always been able to heal, but I always helped people when I could.
"All done." I finished putting the bandage on her side. "Anything else hurt?"
"Nothing worse than usual."
"Andy."
"I'm fine Sunshine. Promise." She put a hand on my shoulder.
"Tell me if anything changes, and from now on, me and you meet after every mission. Is that understood?" I spoke sternly, leaving no room for argument.
"Yes Ma'am." She gave me a mock salute.
"Do you need help with your shirt? Or are you good?"
"I'm good. Go shower." She practically shooed me out of the room.
"Will do." I gave her a thumbs up while walking out of the room.
I swung by the closet and grabbed my outfit before heading to Bookers room. Nile was in my usual one, and I didn't want to bother the boys, they would likely be inseparable for a couple of weeks until they were comfortable again.
I knocked, and Booker quickly answered, already dressed and ready. "Is it okay if I use your shower?"
"Go ahead." He opened the door to me.
I moved past him and stopped when I looked around. "You're packing?"
"We both know I won't be welcome back." He looked down sadly.
"You made a mistake Book, No one's going to throw you out until we've talked about it." I put my hand on his cheek. "Eternity is a long time, there are plenty of mistakes we are going to make, try not to let this define you."
I walked past him and closed the door.
Forty-five minutes later I walked out mostly ready. Booker was fast asleep on the bed, so I tiptoed out and made for the kitchen. I was currently the only one without a room, and from the sound of the house everyone was sleeping, it was best to let them rest.
I looked in the fridge only to realize none of us had stopped for groceries. I shut it quietly, oh well what's a few more hours.
I walked over to the couch and laid on it, quickly drifting into a deep sleep.
A light turned on. "Umf." I snuggled deeper into the warmth, shoving my head deeper into my pillow.
My pillow chucked, and I felt it vibrate through my body. Wait. Pillows don't move.
I sleepily looked up and found myself wedged between two familiar bodies.
Joe looked down at me. "You want to tell us why we found you on the couch?"
I looked around and noted that I was in their bedroom. "Because I thought you were sleeping." I closed my eyes again and laid back down.
Joe pulled away and Nicky did the same, getting out of bed, likely so we could leave. "Monsters," I mumbled, pulling the blankets closer to me.
"I'll get you fries." Nicky bribed.
The blankets got thrown off in my haste to get out of the bed. "Lead with that next time." I swayed at the sudden rush to my head.
Joe caught me. "Slow down Sunshine. We'll get you the fries."
I nodded. "Is everyone else ready?"
"Yeah, Andy turned the lights on, she told us to meet her down stairs."
"Sounds good." I yawned. "I need to grab some shoes. I'll meet ya'll down stairs."
I grabbed a pair of black gladiator sandals and quickly made my way down the stairs. Everyone was ready, but the mood was darker, dimmer, successfully reminding me the reason we are going out.
We took two cars and arrived at the bar much quicker than I would have thought. I sat in the backseat, watching Joe and Nicky interact. It was all so instinctual, so subconscious. They reached for each other without realizing, and it saddened me to think about how much it must have hurt to not be able to touch each other during our captivity, especially when they were so close.
Joe walked around and opened the door for me, and all three of us walked in, both of them had an arm over me.
The others were already sitting at a table. We walked to the bar, ordered my fries and got drinks. This would likely be a long talk.
Booker was given time to explain his side and immediately took his leave outside, leaving all of us to argue our own case.
It had been thirty minutes and both Joe and Nicky were pushing his banishment.
"He made a mistake." I butted in. "Was it a big one? Yes. He's going to suffer with his guilt for years to come, isn't that punishment enough. He's our family!"
"He gave our secret away and got us captured." Joe fought. "What would have happened if Nile didn't come back?"
"She did." I spoke evenly, not wanting to imagine that possibility.
"It could have been decades, centuries, all spent locked in a cage." Nicky spoke quietly, risking a glance at Booker's turned back.
"What about Andy?" I said quietly. "Her immortality is gone. He's her best friend. Is she expected to spend the rest of her life away from him?"
"I've had two hundred years with him Sunshine. If this is what's best for the group, I'd say it was plenty of time."
Nile stood up abruptly and walked away, heading in the direction of Booker.
I sighed and took a sip of my tea. I wasn't really in the mood for liquor, and Booker deserves a sober decision from us.
"Can we shorten it? Two hundred years is a long time, especially alone."
Joe sighed. "I am willing to negotiate."
My smile grew. "Good. I was thinking..."
An hour later we had all reached an agreement. One hundred years was the best I could do on Bookers behalf, and that was because Andy backed me. Nile still fought for no banishment, and while it was admirable, it was a losing battle.
"Andy you should tell him." Nicky said gently.
"Here." I pushed a paper into her hand. "Give it to him for me."
Andy nodded and stood, with her gone I slid closer to Nile. "How are you doing?"
"I'm okay, I just miss my family." She said distantly.
I looked at her cautiously. "You know I used to be a spy, if you give me your address, I could always swing in a take a few pictures or items?"
She looked at me hopefully. "What is someone notices?"
I laughed. "I've been doing this a while, and besides, I broke into the kremlin at fifteen, your house should be no issue." She still looked hesitant so I continued. "Think about it, the offer always stands."
"I will." She spoke softly.
I hummed and began to finish off my fries. Joe and Nicky kept to their word, and I had been picking at them ever since they arrived at our table.
The barkeep, a younger guy about twenty-two walked up the table. "Another round?"
"Actually, can I get a Whiskey on the rocks?"
Joe looked up. "Make it four."
He smiled at me before walking away. Nile leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Ten bucks says that drink is on the house."
I looked over with a smile. "Deal."
She laughed and leaned against the wall.
Soon enough he walked back over and set down everyones drinks. He threw a napkin down and set mine right in front of me. "This one's on the house." He winked before walking away. Joe and Nicky glared at him as he left the table.
I gave him a flirty smile before taking a sip of my whiskey. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ten-pound note. "I'm going to like having you around."
She took it out of my hand. "Me too."
I downed the rest of my drink and began to stand up with the others. I peeked at the napkin. A number, how original. I pocketed it just in case.
Nile looked at the napkin but didn't comment, opting for a smirk instead. Joe opened the door and we all filed out of it.
We stopped at the stairs, watching Andy give Booker one last hug before walking back towards us. I followed Nile and Nicky as Joe waited for Andy at the bottom.
"This is a little creepy." I looked back at Copley.
He chuckled and put a hand on my shoulder, not noticing how I tensed at his touch. "Technically it's all history, and besides, you're the one with the most privacy."
I looked at my near empty board. "Fair point."
He grabbed a file from his desk and put it in my hands. "Blake told me to keep it safe before he died. I think it was meant for you."
I gently took it from him and opened it. I was greeted with a picture of me and him smiling. I remembered this day well. It was taken three days before I was sent to Russia. Tears filled my eyes and Nile came up behind me.
"Is that you?"
I smiled. "Yeah, Me and my brother." I touched his face gently.
Her smile dimmed as she turned it over reading the writing on the back. "This is only a few days before you ship out."
I nodded, looking at his familiar writing on the back. "He followed a few months later, after my cover had been created."
"You were so young."
"So was he."
I moved to the next page, seeing all kinds of pictures of me growing up. The most startling was my intake picture with the CIA. Five year old me smiled up at the camera, nestled in the arms of a random soldier.
"I've read it a hundred times" Copley spoke from in front of me. Everyone else was still examining their boards.
"Find anything interesting?"
"Other than the fact that you were the most successful agent in the cold war, nothing too exciting."
I blushed at the compliment. "I would have lasted longer with the right team."
He looked down. "Blake fought for you. You do know that right?"
"I know." I spoke sadly. "And in the end, I fought for him too."
"Your file stops after your capture, what happened?"
"I died after some time in a prison. None of my contacts were ever found, so I did that right at least." I turned the page looking at another report.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
"I'm sorry?" I looked up confused.
"Blake had a hit list. Everyone knew it, after he died names starting get crossed off." Copley looked at me curiously. "The CIA spent years looking for this avenging angel. Was it you?"
I looked back down. "I told you, I fought for him."
He smiled and reached into his pocket. "Then I have one more thing for you." he handed me Blake's necklace, a twin to my own. "He would have wanted you to have it."
"Thank you" I spoke sincerely. Pulling it around my neck.
He walked up behind the others, and I followed, noting my presence among some of the bigger missions.
"This is only what I've found going back the last hundred and fifty years or so." Hundreds of names appeared on the board. "When you think about how old you are, the good you've done for humanity becomes exponential."
I reached out and touched the picture of Liana at the UN, speaking out on the horrors of the human trafficking ring I found her in.
"Maybe this is the why, Andy." Nile spoke from her spot by the desk, looking at Andy softly.
I smiled at Andy before looking back at the boards. Purpose. We finally had proof that our efforts weren't for nothing.
"It's nearly impossible to disappear in the world we live in today. There are too many people like you who can bend it to your will." We all looked at Copley. "Too many with bad intentions. We don't have all the answers, but we do have purpose. And you're going to help us."
I straightened up and watched him. I noticed the others in the room doing the same, altering their body language to seem more intimidating.
Andy continued. "When we leave a footprint in the sand, in the snow, in the ether, you're going to sweep it. You're going to protect us from those who want to put us in cages, and you're going to help us find those jobs that are best suited to us."
We were all in front of him now, watching his every move.
"She's not asking." Joe looked positively intimidating.
Copley nodded. "I'd be honored."
"Then let's go to work."