March 29, 2045~ Washington D.C

    “The job is done.” I’m going to see that b***h goodbye.” Skai says with a sly, smirking voice. “It’s over.”  Justin stays quiet over the communication for a minute. “Skai you have 60 seconds before that castle blows... please... you can make it out.” “Oh Jay, how many times have I told you, this is my fate.” I looked over at the clock. 30 seconds. A bang. “Skai you okay?!” I ask. I got no response. Justin and I just listened. “Well hello Ms. Rogue,” a strange lady said over the comms. “So nice to see you again. Have you finally come to turn yourself in?” Skai laughed. “Amanda, don't be so stupid. I’M here, to turn this place O-U-T.” 3-2-1

BOOOM!

     I watched as the castle exploded into a million piece. I swallowed hard and tears ran down my face. I plummeted my face into Justin’s chest. It was the hardest thing letting her go. Justin smoothed my hair and gave me a kiss on the head. “She loved you a lot Maria, she wanted you to know that.” I shook my head slowing and wiped the tears from my eyes. “Yes, I know,” I said with a sudden burst of confidence. I had to carry on the legacy she started." I will be strong, for HER. My Ms. Rogue.”

April 8, 2045~ Virginia Memorial Cemetery

    The rain poured down all around me as I drove to the burial site where my mother’s funeral was to be held outside. The world around me seemed to be moving in slow motion and it was only me and the grave. As I approached the burial grounds, a tent had been set up in preparation for the rain and winds. My heels sunk into the wet, dewy grass and began to be covered in mud. The birds flapped about the sky effortlessly, happy as always, and I cursed them in my mind. So free, free from pain and burdens..., My mind drifted until Justin came running alongside me. “Hey girlly, how you feeling?” “I’m alright and you? Do you bring the speech?” “Yeah I’m holding it together. About that... I hit some roadblocks so I think I’m just gonna go with what’s on the heart.” I smiled and gave him a knuckled to his arm. “Well you can’t go wrong with that can ya?” “He laughed aloud and gave me one last hug before entering the tent. “Meet you inside?” “Yup, just need a moment,” I replied. He nodded and left me alone in the rain.  I watched as all the people came flooding into the tent to see my mother. None of them I knew and NONE of them were family. I played with my fingers, staring at the ground counting the numerous gravestones. She was really gone. Forever. At least on earth. I took a deep breath and stepped into my white covered tent. I had just confronted my greatest fear, a meeting with reality.

     Justin took the stand, paperless, and adjusted the mic. He stole a glance at the ground restless and eager for some real closure. “Eh-hem,” Justin said into the mic. The whispers of the people ceased. “Today, we are here to celebrate the life of our dear Skai Rogue. Former CIA secret agent. A leader of Rogue Nation, a mother, mentor, and just maybe would have been my wife.” He said with a smirk. The audience smiled and laughed. He continued, “I have not prepared a fancy speech for you all, but I see it in your eyes that you would like to know the truth about our beloved Skai.” Truthfully, He knew my mother better than I did.  The most I knew was that I was conceived by force and that Rogue was not her actual last name. I was curious to take a trip the down memory lane.” I still remember the first day we really met...

January 1, 2040~ D.C

“We were hacking the CIA computers. Together.” he laughed a little. “She always had a way of getting me to do what she wanted.  That day, I was her personally hacker. She had overheard a meeting she wasn’t supposed to and the CIA secret was exposed. They were part of a terrorist organization. And Skai was determined to stop them.” He slowly shook his head and looked up at the people. “We were working for terrorist and we didn’t even know it. We were part of two different departments, she was in the field and I was I.T. Who would have thought she would be into weird, white computer nerds? When I first caught a glimpse of her at lunch I was awed. Her long black curly hair, and smooth milk chocolate skin.  Her personality was even better. Funny, adventures, driven and passionate. I knew someday she would become a great leader. I just didn’t know it would be so soon. After we hacked the CIA, we on the hit list and wanted for treason. Amanda Striff was an evil and twisted women. We made it out and ran like hell. We knew things no one else could. We had taken coordinates to an abandoned underground storage building built back in 2020. Amanda called and she picked up. Furry in her voice she answers, “what the hell to do what?” Amanda answered slyly and slowly. ‘Well Ms. Rogue you can’t run forever; we will meet again someday.” She hung up the phone and from this day on Rogue Nation was established and our leader was born. She told me what Amanda had done to her…” His voice cracked and the tears formed in his eyes. “She killed her family and she order a man to torture her... All to keep her quiet. But she did the opposite. She had our Beautiful Maria- He shot a glance at me and I felt the tears warm on my check- and never stopped fighting until she won.”

The crowd roared with applause cries and tears. He nodded his head and stood in front of my mother’s casket. “We love you, Ms. Rogue.” He said tears fully covering his face. ‘You did it.”