Page 117 of Magic or Madness

Lex thinks they cut the drugs and package them here, explaining why there are always so many men on sight.

If they were just guarding it, it wouldn’t seem like such a big operation.

That also means that there are more people inside than they’ve accounted for, most likely women who are forced to work for these men, attributing to the deadly drug right there in the warehouse.

My gut has been screaming at me since I learned about this job, telling me that something isn’t right, but I know I can’t talk them out of this. It’s been nonstop, all hands on deck since day one and nothing is stopping them after the hours poured into this already.

I glance at the whiteboard, littered with ideas, lists, and way too many question marks, and I shake my head, ducking into our bedroom for some quiet.

Ozzy and Lex are out on recon again, the fifth day in a row he’s been studying the warehouse, and my mind is desperate for a break.

Cami and Pepper don’t take much interest in the job, so they’ve been off on their own adventures the last few days, but as I spend more time around the guys, I’ve learned so much about this process, and how Doc trained them all.

He preyed on young kids who had nothing, turning them into monsters in the name of money, but more so, he withheld food, sleep, and basic hygiene when they made mistakes.

I’ve heard harrowing stories from Lex, Oliver, and Ozzy in recent days, the details making my stomach turn.

Lex got the worst of it until Doc realized he’d be more useful with technology, versus the hands-on parts of the jobs. Luckily, he began to excel, and that’s how he pulled the luck of the draw, always hiding behind the laptop.

Oliver was a natural, he loved getting the chance to put his hands on people in the name of work, and not much has changed because his weapon of choice is still his fists whenever he has a choice.

Ozzy had it more in the middle, working through the learning curve, but ultimately becoming the man he is today, skilled with knives and the quick wit that comes in handy time and time again. I tried to block out some of the more gruesome stories,but Doc was an evil man hiding behind the façade of someone who wastrying to help.

A few nights ago, Ozzy told me about the first time he’d killed someone, and his body was thrown into a panic attack that took hours to come back from. All I could do was hold him as he cried, while his body violently shook, and assure him that he was still the best man I’ve ever known.

“You’re not in that place anymore.”I reminded him, echoing the same words he said to me when memories of the life I lived before him came crashing down around me.

This job is bringing out all the worst reminders – and stories – but I can’t bear to watch the guys struggle with their pasts any longer.

As much as I know, there’s still so much that I don’t, particularly what happened to Doc.

I know the guys pulled the mutiny card, and Max was the one to execute him, but the details are still a mystery. They all carry a twisted sense of love for the man, but it also comes with a unique brand of hate, too. Something about the mutiny shuts them all down, retreating them into their shells and guarding the secrets of the past. I’m not desperate for the details, but curiosity is starting to eat at me, especially with the nature of this upcoming job.

“Fal, you alright?” Oliver lightly knocks on the door and opens it slightly, poking his head around the wood frame.

“Fine. Just need some quiet,” I say, not moving from my spot in the middle of the bed.

“May I?” He requests, gesturing toward me and the bed.

“Of course, come here Olly.” I tap the mattress, wrapping the blanket around me and sitting up.

“Is this too much for you? You seem … different,” he says, kicking his shoes off and flopping onto the bed beside me.

“I hate seeing you guys struggle, I just want to help.” I shrug, not in the mood to dive into the inner workings of my mind at the moment.

“We’re going to be okay, Fallon. We always are,” he reassures me, and I nod, allowing myself to believe him for a split second.

“Thank you, Olly. Hopefully, they find something today.” I sigh, and he holds his hand out to me, waiting until I lace my fingers into his.

If there’s one person I can count on around here, besides Ozzy, it’s Olly. He’s the best friend I’ve ever had, and over time, he’s become my brother.

I’m worried about everyone, but these two are my boys, and my world wouldn’t spin on the correct axis without them. In a short time, I’ve fallen in love, and found the family I was always lacking, with Oliver and Ozzy as my two main men.

“Actually, that’s why I came in here. I might have something,” he says, and my eyes widen in frustration, knowing he buried the headline.

“Fucking show me!” I toss a pillow at him, but following his lead into the office, where the walls are lined with surveillance photos, notes, and blueprints of the warehouse.

“Well, it’s not much, but it’s more than we had. I was looking at the blueprints, and only one room makes sense for storage. It’s connected to every heating vent, and is in the far right corner, closest to the loading dock. It’s logical that they’re using that room for the packaged product, and is what makes the loading process as quick as we’ve seen,” he pauses, using a red marker to circle the room he’s describing.

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