Within The Families

9: The Panel

"Relax Ria, you'll do just fine," Lindsey assures me for the tenth time during our video call.

"Lindsey's right, it's not as complexed as you're imagining it to be," Sandro chimes in while my inward state of panic continues to persist.

"Easy for you to say, you've already passed your testing, and from what I've heard in record time at that," I huff, directing my words towards Sandor while sinking into my seat.

"Like I said, it's easier than you think," he replies shrugging.

"You and I might have two completely different meanings of the word easy," I mumble.

"He's right Ria, just calm down you don't even know what these tasks are," Lindsey points out.

"And that's the scariest part," I admit solemnly. "What if they make these tasks impossible to get through just to make sure I don't get in," I add softly.

"You're overthinking this," Sandro says. "And I get where you're coming from, the day I was told about the test I was just as terrified as you are...if not more," he adds.

"And?" I urge him to continue.

"And that's when Diego let me in on a little secret on how they evaluate these things," he continues.

"They?" I cut him off before he can continue explaining.

"Yeah, they. It's not just one person who judges who gets in and who doesn't, wouldn't be very fair now would it," he replies.

"Never knew the mafia was big on fairness...you know since they're the mafia and all," I raise my brow.

"We have to be," he shrugs. "Bias decisions lead to incapable employees, and that leads to losses or worse, something we cannot afford in our line of work," he adds in clarification making me nod in understanding.

"Anyway, like I was saying there is a specific panel of high-ranking members from different departments that are appointed for this job besides the leader--who in your case is Xavier," Sandro explains. 

"Each member focuses on a different aspect of the individual undergoing the test," Lindsey says taking me but complete surprise.

"How...wait you took--"

"No, no. Are you crazy?" Lindsey scoffs while cutting me off.

"Then how do you know all this?" I ask, crossing my arms across my chest.

Hesitation dawns over her, while she looks to be inwardly debating on her answer.

"Linds," I call, my tone daring her to lie to me.

It takes me a few more moments of narrow-eyed starting at her to finally get her to give up. "Fine!" She sighs. "But you can't tell anyone I told you this," she negotiates.

Sandro and I both nod affectionately and wait for her to spill, which she appears to be a bit hesitant to do.

"Fallon is one of the members on the panel. And may or may not have explained how all this mafia testing works," Lindsey mumbles and I frown.

"When did she tell you all this?" I ask suspiciously.

"Yesterday, it came up in a conversation we were having," Lindsey replies.

"Interesting," I mumble under my breath.

"Why?" She asks, her tone full of curiosity.

"No reason, just found it a bit strange," I dismiss the topic while simultaneously managing to change the topic.