Page 5 of Instinct & New Identity

So much had happened in the last two weeks, and yet it felt like the world had also stood still.

First, we had the funeral for my parents.Ididn’t cry once during the ceremony.Ilikely didn’t have any more tears left.Iwas just numb.Bothmy parents had been shot during the robbery and died almost instantly.Theonly thing that had helped me sleep even a little at night was knowing they didn’t suffer.

All our relatives fromPuertoRicocame up for the funeral, butIdidn’t even remember many of them being here.Theyall offered condolences and forValeriaand me to move back home with them.Icould go to college there, andValeriacould start fresh in high school.Onone hand, those things made sense, but on another, it felt foreign to us.ValeriaandIhad only ever knownFlorida.It’swhere we were born and raised.We’dvisitedPuertoRicobut had never lived there.

Ourabuelawas going to stay with us for a few weeks, at least to get through the trial, but then she wanted us to move back with her.Shewas old and herEnglishwasn’t that great, so it was easier for her to go back home.Valeriabegged me to stay here.

“You’re eighteen now.Youcould take care of me, and we could stay here inFlorida,” she begged me. “Please,Cat.Please.”

I wanted to,Ireally did, but mentally,Iwas drained.Itold myselfIwould wait until the trial was over and then decide.

The last remaining gunman from the robbery had not been the brightest bulb in the box.Hehad gone to the hospital shortly after to seek treatment for his injuries, where he was arrested shortly after.Becausehe had sustained injuries in the shootout, it took nearly two weeks before he was released from the hospital.Hewas set to appear at a bail hearing later that morning, andIwas to testify at that hearing sinceIwas the only survivor to have seen his face.Apparently, they wanted to use my testimony to prevent him from getting bail before the real trial began in several weeks.

My sister was not expected to testify but was still coming to court with me in case the prosecutors changed their minds.Wesat just outside the courtroom in what felt like a stuffy doctor’s office waiting room.

I thoughtIwould be more nervous about the bail hearing, butIwas still so numb from everything that had happened thatIdidn’t really register being there.Theattorneys on both sides asked questions, as did the judge.Thewords just kind of came out of my mouth as though they were memorized, whichIguess they kind of were sinceIhad practiced with the prosecutor and other attorneys the past few days.

WhenIfinished testifying,Iwalked past the man who shot at my family.Theone whose face—and creepy scar—I’dtried to avoid looking at whileItestified.

The police had told us that all the men involved in the robbery that day were members of theCrossStreetKings, a local gang that was rapidly growing in both numbers and violent criminal activity.ThemanItestified against stared at me, his face completely blank, showing no emotion.Themen seated behind him in the gallery area, however, radiated hostility.Therewere two of them, and they looked like they belonged to the shooter’s gang.

Our attorney had warned us that they were likely there not just to support their own, but also to ensure nothing damaging was said about the gang.Theydidn’t speak—but they didn’t need to.Theirglares said everything their words did not.

I was escorted out of the courthouse along with my sister, two attorneys, and two police officers.Iwalked down the stairs, holding my sister’s hand, just wanting to get home.Atthe bottom of the stairs, we had turned to go to our vehicle, whenIheard several pops.Ifroze.Suddenly,Iwas back in the gas station with my family and being shot at.Ifelt my body being thrown to the ground, and my knee seared with pain.Shoutsand screams exploded into the quiet scene beforeIrealized we weren’t back at the gas station but, in fact, were being shot at right outside the courthouse.

Next, we were huddled into a car and whisked away.Ittook several minutes for me to realizeIwas even injured, likely due to the adrenaline.Ireached down to grab my leg which felt excruciatingly painful, only to realize my leg was not positioned correctly.Ididn’t have to be a doctor to know your knee and leg bone should not be angled that way.

An hour later, my sister andIsat in a hospital room after we had both been checked out.Valeriawas fine, having only gotten a scratch, which only slightly eased my heart rate.I, however, had broken several bones from my knee to my ankle from the fall.Aftera successful surgery,Iwas put in a cast for several weeks and would need to rehab it after the cast came off.

There had been several police officers posted outside our hospital room ever since we got there, but nowIlooked up to see one of our attorneys from the trial and two other people walking in the door to our room.Onehad anFBIjacket on.Theother was in a suit, both with grim looks on their faces.

“Catalina,Valeria,” our attorneyMirandaspoke. “ThisisFBISpecialAgentKenCooperandUSDeputyMarshalAdamKeys.”

Not knowing why they were there but also not having the energy to ask,Ijust nodded at both of them.Mysister, however, did not have a problem speaking.

“Are you here to arrest the people who tried to kill us?”Valeriaasked loudly.

“We are currently searching for them,” said the man in the suit, who must have beenDeputyMarshalKeys.

“Who was it?Wasit the guy she testified against?Howdid he get a weapon?”Valeriafired off in rapid succession.

“The man in custody did not shoot her,”Mirandasaid. “Ourother prosecutors confirm he was inside the courtroom the entire time, but we do believe it was someone from theCrossStreetKingswho shot at you both.Oneof the men sitting behind the suspect in the courtroom left after we did to make a phone call, apparently.”

My heart rate sped up.Theywere after us becauseIhad testified!Wasit my fault?Inot only put myself in danger, but my sister too.

“What do we do now?Whatif they come back?”Valeriaall but yelled.

“That’s where we come in,” the man in theFBIjacket said. “TheFBIandUSMarshalswill give you and your sister a new identity and put you up in a safe house.”

“How safe?”Valeriaasked, but before they could answer,Ispoke up.

“Witness protection?”Ichoked out.

“Yes, ma’am,” the agent confirmed.

“For how long?”Iasked.

“At least until the trial is over and all threats against you and your sister are removed,” he responded in a very monotone voice.

---