Margaret thought about the question carefully, digging into her memories, while sipping her coffee.
"She told me once that the women in our family were survivors. That we endured things others couldn't. I always thought she was talking about immigrant hardships. But now..."
She trailed off.
"Now you're wondering if it meant something more," Lilian finished.
"Yes."
"These genetic markers you mentioned," Margaret said. "This is connected to those stories, isn't it? To whatever made our family valuable to criminals."
"Probably," Lilian admitted. "We're still researching the full extent of it. But yes, there's definitely something unusual in our bloodline, rare enough to attract the wrong kind of attention."
They walked in silence for a while.
Suddenly a sharp whistle made them both turn. Katya was approaching from the direction of the main house, her tactical outfit and serious expression contrasting sharply with the peaceful garden setting.
