Army of Sin - Season 3 - Africa and Her Secrets

Episode VII - Hide and Seek

Location: Granada, Spain

The next day, found a deliciously sore Cassandra sitting at her office desk staring at three computer screens that allowed her to monitor various trends on the stock market. At the desk next to her, staring at her own setup of monitors, Amelia's eyes darted back and forth, her bottom lip caught in her teeth in fierce concentration as she prepared to close a particular trade. With a sigh, Amelia leaned back in her chair before cracking her knuckles.

"Well?" Cassandra asked.

"One eighty," a grinning Amelia replied.

"Whoop whoop," Cassandra replied, doing a happy dance in her chair, cutting it short as her legs spasmed reminding her that they were sore.

They had stumbled upon the Forex market and the possibility of becoming day traders by accident, overhearing the conversations in a bathroom while attending *Universidad de Granada*; Amelia had wanted to do photography while Cassandra chose a double major in both psychology and English. After doing some research they promptly invested all of their meager life earnings of three thousand Euros - their loss was catastrophic. However, the experience of loss taught them valuable lessons about risk management and taking a more calculated approach to things. Not to mention, it also gave them a valuable life lesson on not getting too attached to things. If only that could apply to some people she thought wryly, memories still teasing at her from her younger adult years when she grew up in the rural areas of Marbella, near the gang-infused areas of the city.

Life for her had done a full one hundred and eighty degree turn to find her living in a family home both she and Amelia had paid for with their first million-dollar trade at only age twenty-five just three years ago. There were two storeys of space and bright, natural light located in the Zaidín neighbourhood. The upper floor housed a large living room with huge windows welcoming the sun. Half of the living area was converted into their office space while the other half spilled into the kitchen area with varnished wooden finishes and fully stocked stainless steel appliances. On the other side of the bay windows, a wide patio overlooked the streets below as the sounds of mopeds and cars whizzed past, loud enough to filter upward. They were nestled in the heart of the neighborhood mere minutes away from the various leisure areas dotting the place they now called home.

Recently, the streets had become busier and busier as the local populace made preparations for the annual Zaidín Rock festival mere days away. Cassandra's blood began to hum in anticipation as she awaited the arrival of the others. It was not often that the family home was invaded with the welcome laughter and singing of childhood friends all too keen on celebration, having survived their very humble beginnings. "Successful London session," Amelia said, coming to join Cassandra where she stood on the verandah overlooking the townspeople moving about on this early morning.

"Plans?" The older of the two women asked.

"Go drop off the cheque for the Committee, get some shut eye before the rest of the guys get here."

It was the least they could do, Cassandra thought to herself; simply donate one hundred thousand euros to the organizers of a festival that needed funding from every angle it could get.

"What about you?" Amelia prompted with a gentle nudge of her shoulder.

"Probably just take a walk down to the market. Grab anything for you?"

"No thanks, I'll probably just do some tapas or make a salad for siesta." Pushing off the railing, Cassandra dropped a kiss into Amelia's short curls before heading inside to throw on her sandals and switch tops before hitting the streets below. Amelia drew her slim, black phone from her pocket and dialed the number without pause. After two short rings the person on the other end picked up the line, "She just left for the market," Amelia confirmed with a grin, eyes trailing her best friend's petite frame growing smaller and smaller as she made her way down the street.

➖➖➖

The market square was a burst of rainbow colour and riotous sound. Rows upon rows of fruit, vegetables and hand woven craft were on display as both tourists and locals brushed past one another, each on their own treasure hunt. Cassandra inhaled deeply with a smile, the strong scent of cardamom and nutmeg drifting through her lungs as a vendor turned the ladle in a large cauldron that bubbled every so often. Mouth-watering, she smiled kindly at the vendor who beckoned her over in greeting. Shaking her head slightly, Cassandra mouthed to the vendor that she would come back before the market took its siesta, her feet carrying in the other direction.

She froze halfway toward her favourite fruit stall, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in warning. Turning, she scanned her surroundings, eyes narrowed as she made a mental snapshot of each individual face. Swearing beneath her breath, she retraced the path of her eyes until it rested once more on the vendor with wicker baskets and small handwoven rugs. Behind the two customers; behind the vendor and behind her husband who stood sentry at her back, prepared to do any heavy lifting, Cassandra could have had sworn she had seen a smile she had seen but only one other time in her life. All her eyes fell on was a broad but lean muscled back going in the opposite direction.

Cassandra's feet began moving of their own accord. It was him. That smile…a smile that haunted her since the only time she had ever seen it. The inside of her palm itched to slap him, blood boiling as all the emotions associated with him broke free from their nine-year cage. Nine years. No contact. She had thought him dead. Yet here he was, walking away from her again. She couldn't wait to slap him.

 

END OF EPISODE