CATHERINE SPICE

Twenty Three

Nesta was working on auto-pilot for most of the day. Her brief meeting with Shawn last night sent her into such shock the only way she could cope was by working on default settings.Her world had crumbled again thanks to Shawn's talk. It had crumbled but it had to cause it helped her reach a decision on what team she was on. 'he knows' she thought, 'why else would he tell me such a thing?'. Nesta had had some faith in Shawn, faith that he was not all that Damian and Alessandro had told her he was. Faith that the Shawn she knew, the Biggie she knew and trained with, was who he truly was.
Lynn waved her hand infront of Nesta's face, snapping her out of her thoughts and bringing her back to reality. "Honey, what on earth has you so troubled?"

Nesta sighed deeply. She was looking at the one woman who had always been on her side. The one true friend she had left and she might loose her too. She was determined to stick to her decision though. "Lynn, Shawn knows", she began, "he knows everything, even what I had planned the day he got stabbed outside the cafe. He also knows , that I know he is double agent. He runs a criminal syndicate and his main targets are the Castillos' ".

Lynn's face went pale for a moment. Their whole game plan was ruined. How do they move forward in bringing down the largest mafia dons now that the man who was supposed to be on their side has changed the game so much. "Nesta, how? How does Shawn...he is so naive". Nesta shook her head slowly. Lynn tensed up bringing her hands to her face and interlocking her fingers resting her pointers on the bridge of her nose. "There is also something else I need to tell you" , her heart began to beat vigorously. What If she was making a mistake? What if she kept quiet and kept the only friendship she had? She glanced around before finishing off, "I can only tell you later, at the Consapevolenzza, I told you I moved there right?" "hmm , you did right after the court processed your divorce. I will meet you there after work" Lynn smiled reassuringly.


Shawn's words echoed in her mind the whole day. "Do you really think Peter is such a saint?". She could still feel his warm vile breath on ear when he whispered that into her ears and placed a note in her hands. He revealed that her role model, the person she looked up to, was actually the kingpin of a criminal syndicate. Nesta was shocked. She couldn't believe what she had heard. She had always admired this person, and now she knew the truth. Shawn was not the leader but just a crooney. She had a lot to process. Her life had taken a turn she never thought was possible. She had to protect Damian, and Aurielle. She knew that her enemy wasn't going to stop any time soon. What would she do next? Nesta didn't know, but one thing was for sure. She wouldn't give up without a fight.

Lynn let out a soft cackle when she read the note Nesta showed her. They were warming up by the fireplace in the Constapevolenzza. "Is this how you ask your friends to have chicken and beer with you back in Belarus?" she giggled , "or what did one of the servers ask you to call them back?" . Lynn's smile faded faster than it came when she noticed Nesta's tear-stung eyes. It was too late for her to back out now. The ball was already in motion. Lynn grew anxious watching Nesta close her eyes and count her breaths before finally speaking. "Lynn", her voice cracked , "sorry, uhm Lynn, Shawn paid me a visit last night, he is the one who left that note. It's the number of the person I should speak to should I choose to work for him." Lynn was confused. She knew how criminals moved and behaved but not once did it cross her mind that Rodney's chicken, one of the busiest family restaurants was a front for syndicate.

"what do you mean work for him? Why would he say that? I mean does he not want to take down anyone and everything related to the Castillos'? Unless he wants to use you to get to them, like triple agent?" Nesta was torn yet, she had always been one to finish what she started, no matter how big or small the task was. "Lynn, I . To be honest I..." she felt her core slowly grow cold, " I was never truly with the intelligence. I was raised to be part of this world." she waved her hands around the room. Rosalyn's blank face made it difficult for her to guess what her friend was thinking about. "I did once think I was doing good. I had amnesia a few years ago and apparently , that is how the government got the idea of using me. That's why they trained me they way they did. But now, now I know who I am and what I want."

She tried to reach for Lynn's hands but instantly held back. "Lynn look, I know I lied to you but not once was I ever fake toward you. Everything I did , everything I said. Though the approach was wrong I really did think of you I-I do think of you as my friend, genuinely so." Nesta grasped the hemp of her velvet skirt. She was overwhelmed by her emotions and had run out of ways to express herself. Lynn briefly cocked her left eyebrow up still maintaining a very blank gaze. Her expression was blank but she seemed to have been holding her breath when Nesta was on the verge of breaking down.

Ashamed and anxious for her reply , Nes buried her face in her palms and lowered herself so her forearms were now hovering over her lap. She didn't cry, she was trying hard not to. She just gave her only friend the most confusing , pathetic explanation ever. Not only that, Lynn seemed dedicated to her job as much as they cared for each other she just might have made a new enemy by virtue of her heritage and strong ties to the Castillos'.