JUST A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR HEART | TO [1]

XXI • THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS

Rousseau's Restaurant

Cami O'Connell and Kaleb Westphall are working on cracking the code that the late Father Kieran left for them in the small box that his precious key opens together, when several men in smart suits come in through the main front door and start clearing out the customers as if they own the place. Both Cami and Kaleb see what they're doing, from their close opposite seats at the main bar, and the latter goes over to find out what is going on.

"Hey, is the party over?" Kaleb mentioned the impolite men in smart suits.

Francesca Correa walks into the restaurant, "I tried to be nice about this..."

Cami quickly keeps the notepad she was writing on into her back pocket in alarm of the young woman's unexpected presence as Kaleb frowns at her before he mentioned her impolitely in return, "We both know that's a lie."

Francesca fakes a smile at the tall young man, though in her typical flirtatious manner regarding the opposite sex, "You know me so well."

Cami gets up from her seat assertively, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I am the new owner of this--" Francesca looks around in distaste, "--gumbo shack. Ink's not dry on the contract, yet, but I can tell you I got it cheap. Business is not what it used to be since Sophie Deveraux kicked the bucket."

"Yeah, too bad for us, especially considering you invited yourself here when you know that it's not up to question that nobody likes you." Kaleb snarked.

One of her security guards locks the restaurant door so no one can get in or out, incurring Cami's clear nervousness, though Kaleb only remains calm.

Kaleb turns away from the scene for a while, "Great. We're on lockdown." As if being in an unlocked restaurant with them aren't a huge pain enough.

Cami swallows her hesitation silently, "Look, I don't want any trouble." Considering the treaty itself has the main objective for peace under it.

"I don't really care what you want. Let's talk about what I want."

Cami simply nods once in quick understanding, "Right. Our uncle's key." Which is supposed to be passed down to the first-born son of their family.

Francesca mirrors her as she slowly nods her head with a reply, "Mmhmm."

"That's funny, considering the key doesn't belong to you." Kaleb spat in defense of his cousin and his own brother, who's the successor of the key.

"Uh, you said you were going to use it to protect the innocents of the city? Seems pretty ironic, considering your line of work." Cami added on.

Francesca fakes another smile, especially for the clearly nervous blonde, "I'm a legitimate businesswoman who's never been convicted of a crime." She slowly circles around the bartender, "And, as leader of the Human Faction, that key is mine. I gave you both time to mourn. Now, time's up!"

"Screw you. You're not touching that key." Kaleb defended his own family.

"It's fine, Kaleb. Message received." Cami fakes a smile in return for the older brunette woman, "Let me just go find that key I don't have." Funny.

"My family's been in New Orleans a long time, Cami. Even longer than yours! And we've learned it's a very hard city to get by in if you don't have any friends. I'd like to be your friend. So I'm going to give you until tomorrow. And after that, I won't be so friendly." Francesca smiles coldly and walks out the main doors with her loyal security team in tow, as both Cami and Kaleb watch them go and glare at them with mutual resentment.