A/N: So sorry for the long wait on this chapter. It is shorter than usual, but I figured I needed to cut back since my chapters a million pages long and if I kept going this would have been 2 million pages long. Alright guys, enjoy. Next stop: Japan!

"Sometimes in life, you have to make a selfish decision and do what's best for you."

– Saquon Barkley

Chapter 5

I tried my best not to check my watch again. I could tell that it was making Yuri anxious and I needed everyone in the house to be as calm as possible. He isn't outwardly showing any concern that he knew I had been questioned about him. There had been members of the Ostanian military there, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had already been tipped off. He sat on the couch watching television as if everything was normal. Though nothing about this situation was normal. For one thing, I was sitting in my home that had been bugged by my brother-in-law who was a member of the Secret Police and he wasn't insulting me.

There was a small chance that he didn't know and this investigation was legitimate. But why would the Secret Police investigate their own in their building? There was something very wrong about this situation. I had expressed my concern that this was some sort of ploy to Handler, but the chain of command demanded that Loid Forger meet with the council and report back. The council was made up of ten people - five Ostanians and five Westalians. There had been members of the government, military, and even educators appointed to this special council. You could tell that neither side completely trusted the other as there were two stenographers transcribing the deposition. Admittingly, it was a bit odd and uneasy to have fellow Westalians see me as an enemy and insist I was only trying to paint Yuri in a good light as he was my family.

"Yuri Briar hates me," I had stated to the council. "He comes into my home, sleeps under my roof, insults me and my daughter, and tries to persuade my wife to leave me. He disrespects me every opportunity he has. I owe him nothing. However, it does not change the fact that he is a loyal civil servant that loves his country. I don't know if he's a member of the Secret Police, harassing and torturing our fellow countryman. If he was, I can tell you he was misled into believing it was the best for either country. This war…the one that should have been long over has torn neighbors apart. I will not allow it to tear my family apart in its wake."

I could only hope that my ending statement had convinced the council. I didn't need them poking around my life any more than they already have. The stress has caused me to act impulsively and irrationally. Not that I haven't welcomed some of the changes. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a gold pocket watch I had retrieved from my office at the hospital along with several other documents and devices we were going to need. I'll still need to come up with what I'm going to tell Yor and Anya. I can only hope they trust me. For the first time in a very long time, I didn't have a plan. Well, I did, just not one I'm confident I can pull off and or with several back up plans.

I stared down at the golden watch Yor had given to me for our first anniversary (well, second to the public). I clicked on the release latch and the front case popped open. On the inside of the case, she had part of our vows engraved: No matter what hardships await us, let's do it together. Admittingly, I was touched when I received the gift. Though at the time, everything we did was for show, Yor had really put thought into the gift.

The watch wasn't something I would normally use, but it did come in handy. Thanks to Franky, if you turned the crown to the right and pressed down on the latch release any tracker or listening device within 500 meters would jam and disable for approximately 5 minutes. There would be a lot of ground to cover in a very short amount of time. I was glad that only Franky knew about this new tech device. Technically it hadn't been approved by WISE, but really it's just two devices in one. Then again, not many devices issued by the agency can throw your location to send people on a wild goose chase.

I sighed as I closed the watch and put it back in my pocket. Yor was much later than usual. I had insisted Yuri stay for dinner since we would be leaving in the morning. Though the chances were small, if the inquiry was legitimate Yuri was sure to be arrested as a war criminal. I've personally seen him in action and there is no way in hell he would not be viewed as a threat to peace between the two countries. Considering I don't know when or if we will ever see him again, I'm sure that Yor will appreciate him being here tonight.

"It's getting kind of late," Yuri noted as he looked away from the TV. "Should we go look for my sister?"

The anxiety in his eyes contrasted his calm tone. Yor had gotten off at 5:00 PM as she does every night and it was already 7:30. Even if the train was late, she should have been home over an hour ago. I let out a heavy sigh as I pushed myself out of my chair and nodded my head.

"Anya," I called. She poked her head out of her room a moment later. "Please put on a coat. We're going to go out for a bit."

"Is Mama ok, Papa?" Anya asked concerned.

"I'm sure she is. We're just going to see if maybe she got lost on the way home." It was highly improbable, but what else was I supposed to tell Anya? I don't even know what could have happened.

"I just texted Dominic," Yuri stated as he put his jacket on. "He said that the girls went out for drinks after work, but he wasn't sure if Yor was with them."

"You check the bar since I'll have Anya. We'll check her normal route home." I grabbed my jacket and hat off the rack and held the front door open for Yuri, Anya and Bond. We hurried down the stairs and gathered on the front steps of the building.

"Is there anywhere else you can think of she would be?" Yuri asked, his tone getting more and more desperate.

"Possibly that coffee shop by City Hall, but they'll be closing up soon."

"That's by the restaurant. I'll swing by there and see if she's there."

I nodded as I put my hat on my head. It dawned on me for a moment that there was someone that she could have gone to see that wasn't a co-worker. "You don't think she would have gone to see Melinda Desmond do you?"

The thought seemed to cross Yuri's mind as well because he turned ghostly white. Yor and Melinda had become friends after the incident with the school bus. Everyone kept their distance from the Desmonds after the arrests, but it wasn't in Yor's nature to turn her back on a friend. If she did go to the Desmond mansion, today of all days, it wouldn't bode well for the inquiry against Yuri and possibly launch one into the Forgers.

"I'll head straight there," I stated.

"We're going to Second Son's house?" Anya asked excitedly.

"Hold on," Yuri said as he grabbed my arm. "You can't go there. Both the Westalian and Ostanian surveillance teams are probably all over that place keeping an eye on anyone coming in or out of that property."

"If my wife is there, I need to go get her," I growled, pulling my arm from his grasp.

"If she's there, then the damage is already done," Yuri snapped back.

It would seem the brotherly love facade was over just as quickly as it had started. The tension in the air must have been clear because Bond started to growl as he got between us. He wasn't particularly a good guard dog, but he was loyal to a fault. Before anything could escalate further, I heard a set of footsteps approaching followed by Yor's voice.

"Loid? Yuri? What are you all doing outside?" Yor asked. We both turned toward the sound of my wife's voice. "It's far too late for Anya to be out."

"You're lecturing us about how late it is when you're waltzing up at 8:00 PM?!" Yuri shouted.

"Yuri, please. You'll wake the neighbors."

I side stepped my dumbstruck brother-in-law and hurried over to Yor. "Yor, where have you been? You haven't come home this late since you were trying to learn to cook."

"I'm so sorry, Loid. I didn't mean to worry you," Yor apologized. "I had some things to take care of and I lost track of time."

I could tell there was something she wasn't telling me, but she didn't want to talk about it right now. Not in front of Yuri and Anya. I had to accept her explanation for now, but I reminded myself to ask her about it later.

"Why don't we head upstairs and have dinner?" I suggested.

"Come on, Mama!" Anya said excitedly as she took Yor's hand and pulled her toward the building. "Papa made hamburg steak!"

"He made your favorite? What a great Papa he is!" Yor exclaimed happily.

I let out a heavy sigh as I slowly followed behind my wife and daughter.

"You're just going to accept that answer?" Yuri asked. "You know she's not telling the whole truth."

"I have to accept it, Yuri," I replied. "She'll tell me more when she's ready."

Yuri shook his head. "Ignorance isn't always bliss, Loidy."

Yuri headed back upstairs to the apartment, but I hung back for a moment, letting the crisp night air surround me. I closed my eyes and took a long, deep breath.

So you're really going through with this.

I opened my eyes and looked beside me at the other me. "We both know I have to," I said. "I have no other choice."

You have a lot of choices. This is just the one that benefits you.

"And so what if I'm selfish for once in my life? Have I not earned it? After everything I've been through, do I not deserve something that benefits me?"

Nothing benefits spies. We live empty lives within the shadows. That's why you're called Twilight.

"And if I don't want to be? What if I want more?"

The other me looked up at me with a grin. Now you're asking the right questions.

I haven't felt this nervous since Anya's admissions interview when I nearly knocked that professor out. I tapped my foot impatiently as I stared out the train window. We were set to stop at the train station in Shellbury for a few hours. Fregis got heavy snowfall during this time of year, so they would need to clear the tracks before we could safely continue. This stop would be our opportunity. Despite having packed for a few weeks away, we didn't have much luggage - two large bags, two smaller ones and the personal bags we each carried. It wasn't ideal if we were trying to get through a crowd, but not impossible. I pulled the pocket watch from my pants just to be sure I hadn't dropped it. If I lose this, this will all have been for naught.

"You're using the watch I gave you," Yor commented. She had a big smile on her face.

I just remembered that I really only use it at the hospital. I'm sure that she was glad to see me with it now, even if not for its intended purpose.

"I am," I smiled back. "It seemed fitting to use the anniversary gift on our anniversary trip. That reminds me." I reached under the table for my bag and pulled out a black square, velvet box with a red ribbon tied around it. "Happy anniversary."

"Oh Loid, you really didn't have to," she said as she nervously took the gift.

"Of course I did. It's our anniversary." I tried not to laugh as she stared cautiously at the gift. "Come now, Yor. It won't bite."

"Open it, Mama!" Anya said excitedly as she jumped on the seat beside Yor. "I wanna see what Papa got you!"

"Anya, what have I said about jumping on chairs?" I scolded. She instantly plopped onto the seat beside her mother. Once she did, I reached into my bag again and slid a box across the table to her.

She looked up at me excitedly. "Is this for me, Papa?"

"It most definitely is," I nodded. "It's not just Yor and my anniversary. When Yor and I got married, she became your mother and we became a family. The Forgers were complete. I can't imagine any better reason for us to celebrate."

Yor flashed a smile at me before looking over at Anya. "What do you say, Anya? Should we see what your Papa got us?" she asked cheerfully.

I watched as they pulled the ribbons off their respective boxes and opened them.

"So pretty!" Anya exclaimed as she lifted the thin gold chain from its place. Dangling from the chain was a pale pink pearl that had been cut into the shape of a heart. "Thank you, Papa!"

"You're very welcome, Anya," I smiled. I looked over at Yor. She was covering her mouth with one hand, but I could tell she was shocked.

"Loid, you really shouldn't have," she whispered. "This must have cost a fortune."

She lifted her own gold necklace from the box. It was very similar to Anya's, but her pearl was a pure white carved into a rose. Neither of them knew that these specific pearls would emit the same jamming signal as my pocket watch when I activated it. It was no easy task replicating Franky's work on a much smaller scale and getting it into the pearls without degrading the integrity of either item. Honestly, I'm giving them a 65% chance of failing. It was a rush job and I'm no Franky. I only need it to work that 35% of the time.

"It may have cost a little more than I expected, but nothing that would put us out of house and home," I laughed. "Pearls are the traditional third year anniversary gift, but you don't seem like the string of pearls type. I always thought you enjoyed things that were subtle. I hope I didn't assume incorrectly."

"No, it's perfect," she smiled.

"The three of us know it's only been three years, but everyone else thinks we've been married for four, so…" I reached into my bag again and handed her another velvet box.

"Loid! No, this is too much!"

I shook my head. "Like I said, the world believes we've been married for four years. It's actually something that was brought up at the deposition. I seem to have been reckless in my planning and I fully intend to correct that. This was the easiest thing I could think of doing." Yor opened the case and much like the necklace, she stared at the jewelry within in shock. "This one did set me back a pretty penny, but thankfully all that overtime at work helped."

She slowly removed the white gold bracelet and examined the charms that much like her necklace were carved into roses.

"One for each year," I explained. "Gold for the first year, garnet for the second. Obviously pearl for the third year and blue topaz for the fourth. We'll add a charm every year for the public anniversary. Then you'll get a separate gift for our actual anniversary. I was going to get them in the shape of your earring, but the jeweler made a comment that they might look like…ahem…something else." I waited for a reaction from Yor. She had been awfully quiet. Was I wrong in my gift choice? She didn't really wear jewelry other than her earrings. "You don't like it.'

"No, it's not that," she said softly. "In fact, I love it. I've just never really received anything this nice. I mean, we've gotten each other gifts, but they've always been practical. This…Loid, this is perfect. Thank you."

She blushed when I smiled at her. We didn't really get to talk much about what we had discussed yesterday. By the time Yor had gotten home, it was fairly late. I had insisted Yuri and Yor spend time together since we were leaving town early the following morning. I finished getting Anya packed then got Yor and my suitcase ready. I packed as much as I could that wouldn't seem too suspicious, but there was still a lot we were leaving behind. I just made sure that I took anything that was irreplaceable. When we left this morning, I took one last look at our home. We became the Forgers in that small apartment on 128 Park Ave. In that home, we didn't just play roles as a family, we were a family. I wonder how Yor and Anya will feel when they learn what I have planned.

"Can I put mine on?" Anya asked.

"I think that would be an amazing idea!" Yor smiled.

Anya handed her the necklace and turned around, holding her hair up and out of the way. I suddenly realized how long her hair had gotten. She had really grown in the last three years. She was still smaller than her peers, but she was catching up. Her face looked less baby-ish and her limbs were a little longer now. She was growing into quite the lovely young lady. I still hadn't been able to find any information on her birth family, so I had no baseline to determine what her height and features would turn out as she got older. It would be nice to at least know about any medical issues that may come up in the future.

I watched as Yor helped put the necklace on Anya. She's always been the gentler parent. She took to being a mother much better than I did as a father. To be fair, I also didn't have the greatest of father figures. I don't remember his face, but I remember his cruelty. I remember being afraid of him, but at the same time wanting his respect. No, not his respect…his love. I wanted him to give a damn about me. I wanted him to be proud of me. But all I remember about him is how he hit me and my mother. I do everything in my power to ensure that Anya and Yor have the father and husband they deserve.

"It's absolutely beautiful, Anya," Yor beamed.

"I wanna see!" Anya squealed. "Papa, can I go to the bathroom to see?"

"Alright, but you're to go straight there and straight back," I instructed. "Bond, please accompany Anya." Our dog barked in response.

Anya happily hopped off the bench and exited our compartment with Bond in tow. I could hear her giggle as she and Bond headed down the corridor to the restroom. Practical and tactical: the perfect gift if I do say so myself. I looked across the table at Yor, who was still smiling at me.

"Would you help me with mine?" she asked shily.

I nodded and she slid out from her bench and moved over to mine. She handed me her necklace and just as Anya did, she held her hair up so it wouldn't get caught in the chain. I tried to steady myself as I reached around to put the chain around her neck. I clasped the two ends together and put my hands on her shoulders.

"All done," I whispered. I felt a small shudder come from her.

Yor let her hair fall down her back before turning to face me. She reached down and touched the pendant that lay right above the curve of her breasts. I tried my best not to stare, but I knew I was doing a terrible job.

"How's it look?" she asked.

"Beautiful," I smiled.

"Eyes up here, Forger," she teased, noticing my eyes were wandering.

I felt the heat rising to my cheeks as my eyes met hers. "Sorry, it was hard not to look." I mean, because the pendant…was…there."

Yor chuckled as she leaned up and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I could feel her smiling against my lips as I pulled her closer to me and deepened the kiss. I had to remind myself that Anya was going to be back at any moment and it's probably best not to be caught making out with her mother…again. When we finally pulled apart, Yor settled into the seat next to me and I put my arm around her. I never would have imagined I'd be sitting here with Yor as her actual…husband? Boyfriend? This could get complicated.

"We never did get to finish our conversation," I noted.

"Really? I thought we decided we were together," Yor said. "I distinctly remember the 'my first boyfriend is my husband' comment."

"Yes, I recall that as well. We talked briefly. I just want to be sure I don't cross any lines. I know you said you're not ready for…that and I respect that. I just want to be sure I know how far is too far. Maybe we can start with basics like…will we start sleeping in the same bed?"

"Yes," she answered immediately. She must have caught herself because she covered her mouth and her cheeks started turning pink. "I'm sorry. That sounded too eager."

"Um, no…not at all." Ok, perhaps I was a little shocked. Maybe she thought about this more than I thought. "I'll keep my shirt on at night and maybe we can have a sign when one of us is changing."

She looked up at me, her head cocked to the side a little. "Why?"

"So we don't see each other in our underwear or…naked?" I was sure that would have been a given.

"It would also prevent some embarrassing encounters should we be doing…personal things."

"Personal things?" She looked at me with a genuinely confused look.

"Yea, you know…private stuff." Did she really not know what I was talking about? I know she's inexperienced, but surely she's pleased herself. I shifted a little in my seat. This was an awkward conversation for so many reasons. "I mean doing things couples do, but…by yourself."

She must have realized what I was talking about because her body stiffened.

"Oh," was all she said.

"I don't do it often," I blurted out. I'm not sure why I made my confession, but it wasn't making this conversation any less uncomfortable. I pulled my arm back, suddenly feeling like I probably shouldn't be so close talking about this.

"Where do you usually…take care of it?"

"In my room, but obviously not since you've moved in. Now just take a cold shower."

Why was I answering these questions? Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I'd be having this conversation with Yor. Or anyone for that matter. It wasn't exactly a normal conversation. I would have welcomed any interruption at this point. Why was Anya taking so long all of a sudden?

Yor was oddly silent. I knew I should have changed the subject. She didn't need to know what I did in private. I just thank God I didn't tell her that she was on my mind when I did those things. Honestly, I used to feel ashamed and embarrassed. We had entered this relationship platonically and for our own reasons. I had no right to think of her the way I did. I definitely shouldn't have had my hand in my pants thinking of things I could do and with her. I suppressed the feelings and images for most of our time together, but it wasn't as easy lately. Not even just this last week. No. This started a while back. I can admit that now.

I've been in love with Yor for sometime now. I can't tell her, not yet. But I don't have to deny it to myself anymore.

"I'm sorry," I said after what felt like an eternity of silence. "I shouldn't have said any of that. It's vile and disgusting. I don't know what came over m…"

Her lips were on mine again. Her kiss was different this time though. It wasn't just eager. It was almost aggressive. I almost wasn't sure who she was. The Yor I knew was meek, quiet, and reserved. She really only got aggressive - physically and sexually - when she was drinking.

When she pulled back, she whispered in my ear, "Maybe next time I could help." It wasn't her words that surprised me. It was the fact that her hand moved from my knee up and in toward my crotch, stopping half way up my thigh.

What the hell was that? My eyes widened in shock. This was definitely not the Yor I knew. I was actually so stunned I couldn't speak or move. I didn't have to though. She quickly squealed and turned red again as she scooted back and covered her face.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry!" she whined. "The girls at work gave me this magazine with this article on how to spice up your marriage and this was one of the things. But I can't! It's too much!"

What kind of magazines were her friends giving her? I was too stunned to ask or move. If I'm being honest, I was a little turned on. I've been hit on by women before, but this was Yor. Wholesome, idealistic housewife Yor. The mention of anything sexual made her flustered. So to hear such things come from her mouth and her hands to be where they were, it was more than my brain could process.

"Please say something," she pleaded. The look in her eyes begged me to excuse her behavior. She wanted me to tell her it was ok and we could forget it happened. There was no chance I'd ever forget this.

I willed myself to gain composure and sat up in my seat. "Yor, there's nothing to spice up," I reassured. "This is new. As I've told you before, we will take things as slow - or fast - as you're comfortable with. I'm not going to pressure you into pleasing me that way or having sex." I smiled at her and took her hand. "I'm perfectly fine just holding your hand. That is, as long as you'd allow me to."

Any trace of worry that was on her face, quickly faded. "I was just worried, you'd get bored of me," she admitted. "Sharon said that she and her husband had a rough patch around their fourth or fifth year of marriage. I know we haven't actually been living as a married couple, but I'm still scared you'll change your mind about me."

I hadn't realized how concerned she was about our relationship. We'd only just begun a romantic aspect, but I thought it would be easier to transition into since we'd been doing this for so long. Then again, this is her first relationship. It was technically mine as well. I've "dated" women before and been intimate with them, but it was always for a mission. Sad to say, I never felt any real affection for them. I knew the mechanics and physical expectations of a relationship, but I'm just as lost as she is when it comes to emotions.

"Yor, I think it's safe to say, with conversations like these, I'll never get bored of you," I teased. "I don't want you to worry about a thing. We'll navigate this relationship together and work out any issues we face together."

She collapsed into my chest, both relieved and embarrassed. I'll admit I can and do over analyze situations, so I can understand her worry. I don't want to mess this up either. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed the top of her head as I gently rubbed her back to calm her.

The cabin door suddenly slid open and Bond came bounding into the compartment.

"It's so pretty!" Anya exclaimed. "I look like a pri…" She trailed off when she saw Yor and I. Yor had sat up, but stayed close to me and I kept an arm around her. Anya's eyes darted between me and Yor as a smile quickly crept across her face. "Papa and Mama are flirting!"

Yor and I glanced at each other, silently agreeing to break the news to Anya.

"Actually, Anya, we are," Yor smiled.

"Your mother and I have been talking and we wanted to run something by you," I said. Anya climbed onto the bench across from me and Yor and continued to smile as she stared at us. "Anya, how would you like it if we became a real family?"

The little girl's expression changed into one of confusion as she tilted her head to the side. "But I thought we already were a real family," she commented.

When I think about it, things really wouldn't be changing for Anya. She lived in this world where she had a mother and a father under the same roof and cared for her. We raised her like any other parents would. Before I adopted her, she hadn't really had a real family so as long as she had people to love and care for her - she was happy and content.

"It just means things might look a little different," Yor explained. "Your father and I might hold hands more, maybe hug or…kiss sometimes too. We're also going to start sharing a room, but other than that nothing is going to change."

"Does this mean I'm going to have a brother or sister soon? Did Papa knock Mama up?"

I groaned as I slapped my face with the palm of my hand. Seriously, what was Becky Blackbell teaching her? Was she too young for the talk?

"No," I replied with a sigh, "please, don't say that to people, Anya. We have had this conversation before. It's not appropriate to say such things."

"Sorry, Papa. But I'll get to have a brother or sister someday?"

Yor and I looked at each other. This conversation definitely hasn't gotten this far.

"That's something your mother and I will need to discuss someday," I replied nervously. "For now, all you need to know we are now and forever will be a real family. No more pretending. Today is a new start for the Forgers."

They didn't realize how true that statement was. We had a few hours before the train reached its destination. In this short time, I'll let them enjoy talking about how this little thing would change their whole world. I let them talk about going home to our friends and Yuri for them to see Yor and I act more like a married couple. I let them believe that we would go home at all.

I stared out the window and watched as the scenery zoomed past us. The more I thought about it, the crazier this plan seemed to be. It could never work and if it did, they could hate me for it. The risk was worth the reward. That's what I kept telling myself. If peace was on its way, I should get to be happy as well right? Why couldn't I continue to be Loid Forger? Plenty of spies went on to retire and kept an identity they made up. As long as no one found out who they really were, they continued on as if they had been that person all along. It would be different in my case though would it not? I was on the run. We would have to change our names right? Would WISE really go all out to bring back one person?

I could see Anya staring at me with that look in the reflection of the window. One of these days, I really need to figure out what that is. Three years and I still haven't the faintest idea why she does that.

Before the train pulled into the Shellbury station, I excused myself to go to the restroom. I splashed some water on my face and tried to calm my nerves. No turning back now, Forger. You've made your decision and now you have to stick to it. I stared at myself in the mirror and my eyes drifted to the pin on my lapel. I detached it from the fabric and stared at it. A dagger facing downward behind a half open eye. WISE's symbol. I've had this pin for quite some time. Every time I put on a suit, I have it with me. It was in plain sight for the world to see, yet no one has ever figured out who I am. I'll stick out like a sore thumb. I slipped the pin into my pocket and headed back to the compartment to help get all our things together and disembark.

The train would be at the station for a few hours as the tracks were cleared so I arranged for us to get a rental so we could explore the city. It wasn't part of our itinerary, so WISE wouldn't have known prior to us getting here. I know for a fact that one of the magazine stands was tended to by a WISE agent. Once I figured out which stand it was, I sent Yor and Anya to get us some coffee and hot cocoa from them while I got the rental car. I'm not required to check in with WISE on this trip, but I still needed them to see that we had arrived at least to this check point. Since I was by myself, it was easier to show the woman at the counter a different ID.

Once I had the keys to the car, I met up with Yor and Anya at the magazine stand, ensuring the informant saw my face. As we exited the station, I reached into my jacket and pulled out a package, dropping it quickly into the mail drop box by the door. I loaded our bags and family into the rental before hopping into the driver seat. When I adjusted the rearview mirror, I was greeted by a familiar pair of piercing eyes.

Last chance, Agent Twilight. You go to Fregis and you can forget this ever happened.

I thought I was clear on what I was doing.

They'll figure it out sooner rather than later.

I know.

They won't stop until they've found you.

"Everything ok?" Yor asked as she put her hand on mine.

I stared at her for a moment, just taking her in and committing every detail of her face to memory. In the backseat, Anya was laughing as Bond licked her face. Is this what normal looked like? A carefree daughter and a loving wife? I don't have much of a baseline to know what 'normal' families looked like, but I know that I would risk anything and everything to keep them. Nothing and no one will ever take my family from me.

"Everything is perfect," I smiled.

In the corner of my eye, I caught a man in the rear view mirror looking in our direction. Something was oddly familiar about him. It was extremely unsettling and I don't usually get rattled. I reached into my pocket and turned the crown of the pocket watch to the right until I felt a small click indicating it was ready.

They will hunt you down. They will come.

I took one last glance at the man trying to pretend he wasn't watching us. I shifted the car into drive and pulled out of the parking spot. When I turned out of the lot and out of the man's sight, I pressed down on the crown of my pocket watch and set off the jammer.

Then let them come.