Welcome to my World (WAYHAUGHT)

Chapter 13

Nicole replaced the sheet inside the envelope, handing it to J. "Righteousness would be my guess," Nicole said, tapping a sugar dispenser with her finger. "Their causes are all different, except for one thing, they all believe they are justified in what they're doing."

"Doesn't explain Cox, although she's bought into the whole radical mindset. Always a dangerous combination. From what I can gather JOSHUA is paying for deliberate chaos."

"That's what I never understood about the Widow," Nicole replied. "She doesn't have a cause. More like she's sending a message. But to who? And why?"

"I still haven't identified who in the UK is part of this JOSHUA organisation, other than it's clearly more than one. Communications refer to undermining those in charge, which I initially assumed must mean the Monarchy."

"Still could be the Monarchy. Although, it doesn't fit with these women. They don't need to take down our country. They have their own fights, or interests to protect. Whoa, scorned."

"Expand," J replied. "What do you mean scorned?"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. It's not what, it's who. These women are angry enough to blow up buses and schools, poison cities, or finance such activities."

"Conceptually plausible. Which would mean the Widow is angry at someone."

"What's her background? Something, no someone in her past must have made her like this."

"Her records have been cleaned. Any trace of who she is wiped. Not even a name."

"That's not possible, unless..."

"Unless someone on the inside wanted it that way. We didn't need to know who she was when she operated independently. We simply had to stop her, given she had made numerous threats to attack London."

"She still could. Something's wrong, I can feel it. It's like we're being forced down a particular path on a leash."

"My thoughts exactly," J replied. "That's why I needed to run this by you. I thought it was me. You were with her, you got closer than anyone who's still alive. What are we missing?"

Nicole shrugged. "She's messed up, that's for sure. Believes she's justified killing innocent people. I'm still trying to work out how Waverly became involved. So few know about us. It's got to me, for the first time doing this job it's got inside me."

"M did the right thing taking you off this. You're too close."

"Except, she's still sniffing around, following me, sending people to spy on us. We couldn't go back to the house because Waverly was too freaked out."

"Do you need to disappear?"

Nicole shook her head. "I'm not hiding. I just wish...if anything happens to Waverly."

"I can have a word with M. Have another agent assigned."

"She has two already," Nicole replied. "I'm not out of the game yet. I don't know. It's like she wants me to be afraid of losing the one I love. It's a sick game."

J sipped his lukewarm tea. "Not that I'm in any way qualified to comment, but maybe it's love."

"Of course it's love. My world is Waverly."

"I meant the Widow. Scorn, love."

"Why me?"

It was J's turn to shrug. "Women are not my territory."

"Fuck. Oh, fuck. It can't be. But, that would mean."

"Your communication skills haven't improved," J teased. "Expand."