Chapter 696: Fortunate Accident

It was early, but because she could not sleep, Mina left her room to start preparing breakfast. She had yet to find secure housing for her sister's family, so everyone lived with her, and after a terrible reunion, Sadie and their mother were finally on speaking terms. She did not know what their conversations consisted of because she was seldom invited to their chats, and when she was, she did not know what to say.

While Sadie had stories of travelling around The Four Cities, learning the language, getting a job, renting an apartment, and even developments between herself and Troy, Mina only had mostly grim memories. She considered telling her mother that she was on a pirate ship, where she was practically forced into killing people before it became natural for her, but she knew that would send them backward.

Sadie was near her due date, their father actually retired from his job, and the last thing Mina wanted was for her mother to go back to being terrified that she was a monster, and in trying to 'do the right thing,' alert the Lee group to her location. As she had expected, the moment her father stopped working, people began sniffing around the couple's home; likely looking to see how they were being taken care of.

Mina believed President Cam was searching for her, but she was not sure how he would even know to look, since she had been careful not to reveal her name or face to anyone other than her relatives and closest subordinates. However, she was sure that someone was catching onto her because one of the men from her town was missing, and cameras showed that he was taken by; based on his size alone, Drax and his men.

To Mina, it was an indication that either the Lee's were able to notice her efforts to stage a coup, or she had gone too far in robbing senior Lee. As far as she was concerned, the man had it coming to him. If she were in his shoes, she probably would have done the same thing, only she would have purchased tickets for some of her guards to join her on the cruise, thus making it more secure, but in order to make it seem as though he were on vacation, the man did not do that; so it was really his fault.

The entire situation was a joke to Mina, one she often laughed about. Senior Lee had gone on a cheap cruise to avoid scrutiny, but in her opinion, doing that was more suspicious. The only benefit of him doing something so reckless was that it was easier to bribe people who worked for cheap cruise lines, and sadly, it was also his undoing because that was how she found out exactly where to be and when.

It was also how Mina found out that the ship's captain had a thing for women from Bal, and she had plenty who were beautiful and deadly among her ranks. It took them less than twenty minutes to separate the crew members with guns, another ten minutes to get ropes over the edges, and with the layout of the ship and room location, the hardest part of the job was moving the gold bars. Everyone celebrated so hard after they pulled it off, and when she was able to turn the gold into money, she experienced a moment of happiness that led her into Nael's bed, then on the receiving end of his blows again.

That aside, Mina missed her life as a pirate, and not because she enjoyed breaking laws, but because there was something freeing about living on the waves; except for when it rained, then it became terrifying.

"You're up early again,"

"Bad dreams;" Mina replied honestly.

"I've heard." Mina knew that Troy's mother was suspicious of her, and truthfully, she did not blame the woman at all. Every time she cooked, the woman was right there to watch her, failing to understand that many times, she cooked at Sadie's request. Even now, the breakfast she was preparing was being made to order for her almost ready-to-pop sister.

"You're not going to take my grandchild away from me," the woman said in a snarl, and Mina shook her head in annoyance.

"You do understand that I've already had several opportunities to hurt them both if I wanted. You were there, you saw what my people can do."

"Yes, but I know what my nephew did to you, and I know that it was because of what your sister and my son did to him. If you want revenge, take it out on the one who deserves it."

"You may think you do, but you don't know me Mrs. Claire. Sadie's baby is also my niece, and I'm just grateful that I get to experience this moment with her." Mina slowly chopped the fruit she was preparing, and when she had enough, she filled two small cups and slid one over to Troy's mother. "You and I are similar you know; we would do anything for the people we love, and because I feel like I can trust you, I'm asking you for your help." Claire listened attentively as Mina laid out a plan that relied heavily on her cooperation.

"Why me?"

"Simply put, you are untouchable by the Lee group, and I want to use that to my advantage." Claire did not know how to react, but she was made even more confused by the woman in front of her.

"Don't you hate them at all?" She questioned, and Mina shrugged.

"I'm angry, and hurt by their actions, but the only person I have ever truly hated was myself."

----

Claire walked into the slums flanked by arm guards, she wore a thick black veil, and Mina had put prosthetic scars on her face that helped to disguise her appearance. All she had to do was order some people around and lift her veil a few times, revealing her face to whoever was watching before she would be flown out by helicopter. She did not understand the significance of her actions, but they were simple enough, and went off without a hitch.

The hardest part for Claire was sneaking back into Pan. She floated around the country for days, and when she finally returned to rest, she was awakened by screaming. Sadie was in labor, Troy was panicked, and Mina was trying to arrange secure transportation to a private hospital. Claire only had her son, and for him, she would do anything; including trusting the woman he described as his little sister. She slightly chuckled at all the raised voices in the room and having worked as a military medic in her youth, she knew mistakes would be made if everyone did not calm themselves.

"Everyone, stop!" She shouted, and like magic the room stilled. "Troy, go collect Sadie's things, Mina, go get towels, alcohol and a strong clamp, Sadie dear, how far apart are your contractions?"

"Probably ten or fifteen minutes apart," Sadie replied in a pained tone.

"Okay, we will have to drive to the hospital ourselves if we want to make it, so let's move." Claire was not sure how Mina would react to being given orders, but much to her surprise, the woman yielded to her, telling Troy to stay with Sadie while she gathered the supplies. Claire was not sure at first, but she could now see that Mina was created, not born a killer.

----

Anne excitedly walked into Sadie's recovery room. She was being cuddled in bed by her husband while Mina held their swaddled baby in her arms. She was smiling down at the infant with such love and tenderness in her eyes that it made Anne's heart ache for her daughter, who, if President Lee could be believed, was once expecting a child of her own. Neither Anne nor her husband could bring it up to Mina because they felt it would be crossing a line, especially if she had chosen to terminate the pregnancy.

"You finally made it," Mina whispered, turning to her parents who were silently standing in the doorway. Sadie was asleep, and Anne felt guilty for walking into the room uninvited, but her desire to hold her first grandchild overruled any sort of propriety she had. "She looks like you daddy." Anne's hands shook as Mina gently handed the infant over to her, and then her daughter stood and backed away so she could hold the child while sitting. "What does it feel like to be grandparents?" Mina asked, and Anne could not stop the tears from escaping her eyes. The daughter she remembered, the sweet, even toned, and docile Mina was just feet from her, and yet she felt so far away.

"It feels like I owe you an apology," Anne replied. She slowly forced her eyes to meet her daughter's red ones, and in that moment, she could finally see Mina for who she was. "You were never a monster, were you?" Mina shook her head and stepped closer to her mother.

"I would never have intentionally hurt my family." Mina could feel her father begin to stroke her back and she turned to hug the man tightly. "Can we go back to that night?" Mina questioned.

"What night are you talking about sweety?" David could not help but to be more focused on Mina than his newly born granddaughter because he had forever to show the brand-new baby that he loved her, with Mina, he felt like he was already out of time.

"Back to the night we were all happy."

"But Troy wasn't there," Mina heard, and she turned to face Sadie who had lost too much blood during delivery and was still very weak. Mina finding her had actually been a fortunate accident because back in The Four Cities, there was a higher chance Sadie would have been neglected, simply because she would have had to deliver at the understaffed public hospital she could afford, instead of the private one they were in.

"He was," Mina said, approaching her sister and rubbing her pale face. "In spirit," she continued, making her sister chuckle. "The baby is fine, get some rest while you can."

"I'll be okay," Sadie replied. "Troy and I will have lots of help from our mothers. Mina smirked at her sister. They had already decided among themselves that their parents could no longer stay in their home, and it was Mrs. Claire's idea to have them all move under one roof, so that Mina did not have to spend too much money protecting them. "Would you be willing to move in with us?" Sadie questioned, and Mina was not surprised when both her parents nodded. She started to leave the room, wanting to give them time alone, but unlike any other situation ever, her mother stopped her.

"Will you be living with us too?" the woman asked expectantly.

"No, but I hope you'll allow me to visit often."

Anne was surprised by Mina's response, but she had time to think about some of the things Sadie confronted her with, and she was right. For all the bad Mina had done, she had made up for it with ten times as much good. Still, she was never rewarded or praised for her efforts, not even after the many times she helped Sadie with school. Anne had not meant to favor one child over the other, but that was exactly what she had done, all because of a hypothesis she was given.

"Mina, you don't plan to stay in this country, do you?" With a genuine smile Mina shook her head, but her sister didn't take the admission well.

"What are you talking about? You can't leave us, we only came back for you." Mina frowned at her sister's words. "Please Mina. Whatever It is, I'm willing to help you."

"Us too," Anne added.