Family Business: Anarchy (Book II)

Chapter 31.

Chapter 31.

Back in graduate courses (and work full-time) now and I always feel like I write more when I have less time (RIP my sleep schedule)! I am hoping to crank a few more chapters out now that my writer's block is gone. I have many scenes written out and now it is just a matter of piecing it all together! Thank you for your patience and commitment to my story. I appreciate you always. 

I lean back against the wall as I straddle the long bench in the cafeteria. It is hard and uncomfortable to sit on, but still is the best we have right now. At one point, The Council tried for individual seats but they kept getting knocked over so we had opted for the long benches. When it got crowded, you would be squished up against the people next to you, making it hard to eat but right now the cafeteria is pretty empty. People are sitting at a handful of tables, but spread far enough apart that it just about evens out to one group or person per long table.

"Right, Aria?" Amanda says, making me turn to her.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that? I totally zoned out," I murmur, giving her my full attention. Will snorts from across from me but keeps his comment to himself.

"I was just telling Octavia about all the things we've been doing here at camp and how the WC has been getting an astronomical number of donations," Amanda says, waving off my comment. "We're always looking for volunteers so if you want to help, we'd love to have you."

I glance over at Octavia who is staring at her plate, "She just got here and you're already trying to recruit her?"

"She has to pick by the end of the week," Amanda replied, shrugging. "I might as well pitch the best place to sign up for."

"I've been leaning towards the security team actually," Octavia says, turning to look at Amanda and I. Her eyes dance with mischief. "I want to go to the meeting later today."

"The security team are a bunch of sexist, misogynistic assholes," Amanda says, rolling her eyes.

"Did you and James break up again?" I ask, smirking as I lean over to take a sip from me glass of water.

She whirls on me, fuming. "He literally said that being on the Welcome Committee is easy and that we don't deal with anything challenging there! He said that the security teams do all the leg work and we just tell people where to organize their stuff."

"Hesgotapoint," Will says through a mouthful of bread, earning a slap on the shoulder from Amanda. "Swwy!" He chokes, coughing into his fist as he hides his laughter.

"Asshole!" Amanda snarls, "You have no idea the people skills involved in what we do! We get everyone on their worst days."

"I deal with hungry people all the time! They're always at their worst." Will protests, gesturing to the cafeteria line. "And I deal with-" His voice drops, whispering, "Mrs. J!" As if on cue, from seven tables down, Mrs. J turns slowly and stares directly at him but he is too focused on Amanda to realize. I smirk, shaking my head, knowing he will receive the handle of her wooden spoon later.

I turn to Octavia as they start arguing back and forth. "Do you think you can do it?" I ask, biting my lip.

She nods, "I think so... but it will help... how?"

I adjust my seat on the uncomfortable bench so that I fully face Octavia. "There's someone else I want you to meet but I promise you, you won't like him..."

~

"So Goldstien," Kent says, staring at the file in his hands.

I glance at Fletcher, my jaw tight. "He started off as a defense lawyer who got into it deep with some clients. When he realized that there was more money in the dark side of the law, he became one of the top human traffickers in the nation," Fletcher says, gesturing to snap images of Goldstien meeting with clients, shipments of girls at the docks, and a few sting operations done by police. "The shipments are always in someone else's name and Goldstien funds their defense throughout the law process, or he buys whatever they want in lock-up. He's gone as far as to even pay off wardens and guards to look the other way about certain shipments entering the prisons."