Into My Heart

XC

KRISTIE

"Hey, Sammy, where you headed?" I ask, giving my sister a little pat on the back.

The tall blonde smirks, winking at me.

"I'm out doing evil, girl" she then says, with an honest laughter coming out of her throat.

With that said, she closes the door behind her, right after kissing Shelina. 

If Mallory was still asleep and that Shelina was now in Sam's room to attend a Zoom meeting with some of her colleagues, it is only Alex and I remaining in the living room. My phone has been buzzing for a while now, but I wouldn't let that get in the way of my mission to protect Mallory at all costs. 

Instead, I just turn it upside down without seeing who was trying to call, before sitting down on the couch.

Not so long afterwards, Shelina bursts into the room, her eyes wet with tears, holding some old files in her hands. Her whole body was shaking, which makes Alex and I get on our feet all at once. The lawyer was just overwhelmed with emotions, so I immediately go to her, grab her shoulders with my hands, shaking them softly, staring right into her eyes.

Trying to use my softest voice, I ask:

"Shel, what is it?"

The Canadian closes her eyes in order to pull it together enough to declare:

"Samantha is The Patriarch, Kristie..."

"What?" Alex and I say together, before I alone add: "Careful about what you're saying, Zadorsky."

But the brunette's eyes were so honest that a nauseous feeling takes over my stomach and body in its entirety. 

Without expecting us to remain calm and collected, Shelina immediately explains:

"I-I... I found this (she shows her a pile of file and, when she opens it, everything becomes blurry:): serial numbers, medical records of the 100 deaths related to cancer because of Press Corp and O'Hara Industries, contacts with all the gangs related to the two firms, identification of known associates and... check this: a list of 37 names, including those of the latest victims, as well as all those prior. You've got Ashlyn Harris, who visibly buried leads on a FBI investigation related to the deaths of O'Hara Industries' health workers who found out about the insemination of cancer ; then you've got names like Channing, Tyler, Stacey and Cody Press, Dan O'Hara... It appears that all names have been wiped out, except one..."

My eyes go wide.

"Christen..." I whisper, before shaking my head. As Alex puts a hand on my shoulder, I start shaking and angrily say: "Why would she do that? Why would my baby sister become a crime mastermind?"

"Because she thought - rightfully so - that her - well, your - parents died because of a medical experiment, and she wanted to get revenge on anyone invested..." Alex says.

Shelina looks up at the sky, in tears, before whispering:

"Why, God... Why?"

Her voice breaks, and I could feel all the pain emanating from her: the woman she loves - my bloody sister - is a serial killer who was now trying to take out one last pawn.

And we needed to save her.

*

ABBY