Breathe.
Danny set his ear buds and took off running. He hadn't been active like this in months. He missed soccer. He missed summers in the city. He thought about the family he no longer had, the friends he hadn't seen since he had thrown his end of the school year party that had changed his entire life. He missed being normal.
Burn.
His legs ached but he didn't care, he kept running. He thought about the plan that was carefully crafted by his new family. The plan he lit on fire and watched disappear once he had studied it and committed it to memory. The smell of the burning paper he now associated with his freedom.
Balance.
He thought about Lacey. He thought about how for every bad thing that seemed to happen to him in this town, he had also found something good. He held onto that as he ran for however long his body would let him.
Bitter.
Danny had no idea who stole his money. He had a complicated network of enemies, acquaintances and friends. It could have been any of them, even Lacey. It was ironic that Gloria was the one who had cautioned him to trust no one, a piece of advice he circled back to more often than any other he had received.
Brave.
Today was the day. The plan was going to begin today and if it went as expected, all of this would end on Friday. Danny knew if he would have a chance of surviving this week he needed to take care of himself. He could only control his own self-care. He ran faster.
The plan.
Jo had lovingly named their group text DROWNING POOL in honor of surviving Danny's nightmare camping trip at the beginning of the summer.
Jo: Party time
Tyler: Yo when?
Jo: Friday night
Tyler: Amenities?
Jo: ) I'll try
Tyler: Down
Lacey: Who else is invited?
Jo: Just you losers
Lacey: Sure I'll go
Archie: I love you Masterson
Jo: I knew you'd be happy cuz
Sarita: Leave me out of this
Regina: Yeah I'm not sure
Tyler: C'mon Crane
Lacey: Seriously Reg you're leaving soon
Regina: Fine fine I'll go
Jo: Danny alive?
Lacey: Probably still asleep. That man had a workout last night )
Jo: Didn't need that update
Regina: Damn
Tyler: lol
Sarita: I hope you all drown this time
Lacey: Wow
Regina: Not funny
Danny: I'm up! I was in the shower
Danny: Sarita that's not funny you need to apologize
Sarita: Fuck off
Danny: :/
Jo: Danny can you come?
Lacey: He can! Lol
Archie: Okay you need to chill
Lacey: :D
Danny: Leave the Queen alone. Jo, I'm working Friday but I'll ask Gloria if I can stop by after
Jo: Damn it you're always working can't you ask for the night off?
Danny: Friday is slamming and I am not missing that $$$
Jo: Fine
Danny: Rico coming this time?
Jo: No idea
Tyler: Why would he torture himself?
Rico: I'll be there
It had begun. The path to the end of this horrendous chapter of Danny's life lay pending within Jo's seemingly innocent party invitation. Other than Jo and Lacey, their friends had no idea and that was the beauty of it. To fool Gloria this needed to appear natural, unscripted.
Danny had barely slept after reviewing the plan over and over the night before. His mind was on overdrive. He was plagued with what-ifs but chose to put his faith in Kyle's experience.
Lacey was right though, he did get a workout last night. He could feel the extra effort he gave to his girlfriend in his groin and his lower back while he ran this morning. It was worth it.
Danny ate breakfast and had his morning meeting with Gloria. She brought up the text messages and Danny convinced her that going to the party would be a great way to sell drugs to a bunch of people including Jo, who Gloria felt was important to sell to.
Once Gloria gave Danny the green light to attend the party, Danny got wired up and began what he hoped was the first of the last days of this nightmare.
The rest of the week crawled by. Doug wired Danny up after each morning run and Danny managed to network and sell Gloria's drugs until his shifts began each evening.
Yes, part of Kyle's plan included playing Gloria's game.
Kyle had been able to get clearance from Eddie and the FBI to not prosecute Danny for selling her felony level drugs. Danny was able to communicate with Kyle via good old fashioned paper notes that he exchanged with Lacey every night after work.
Danny listed details about where the wire equipment seemed to be stored in Gloria's mansion and began documenting where the cameras were inside. He also listed who Gloria requested he sell the drugs to.
Kyle and the FBI had been busy preparing for Friday night's party. During the week Kyle had also approached several of the people on Danny's list and offered them immunity in exchange for wearing their own wires to record each deal.
The outliers turned out to be Doug and Rico. No one knew what Gloria had on them, what she was protecting them from. What did they gain from working for her? Did they think she was part of the FBI too? Kyle left them both alone for now.
One of the people on the list to sell drugs to was Tess Masterson. Part of Gloria's master plan to 'bring Eddie down' was also to bring Tess down with him. This connection was difficult for Danny because of the added layer of the unknown between them. He had trusted her with everything before, could he still? Before his shift on Thursday afternoon, Danny took his chance.
The note he received Wednesday night from Kyle indicated that Tess was on board with the plan and would be wearing a wire. Danny's defenses were still up and he was scared to connect with her again after seeing the heartbreak she had caused Jo. His own heart was a bit sore as well if he was honest.
It was after three o'clock when Danny made his way into Tess' studio on Main Street. The door chimed and Danny inched himself inside slowly, his arms wrapped around his body as he waited. So much had happened in this studio.
Danny reached down and held up a piece to a tea set that was for sale. He thought back to the night of the confrontation with Charlie, the one that led to him getting his ass beat. It seemed like a lifetime ago.
Tess walked up front from the backroom with a box in hand.
"Danny. Hi." Tess' voice was still soothing to him. Kind.
"Hi."
"You look good." Tess smiled and set the box down.
"You too. I just wanted to say hello. It's been a while." Danny said with a fair amount of sadness.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted to speak with me again after everything that happened at the beach."
"Me neither, but I do. I miss you."
"I miss you too."
"Have you talked to Jo?" Danny knew Kyle and Gloria could hear them both, he didn't care.
"She hasn't returned my calls, no."
"It'll take time, don't give up." Danny smirked at her.
Tess walked closer toward Danny, straightening things as she went. She was stalling, trying to think of what she had planned to say. Actually seeing Danny again had her emotions overwhelming her and she had a hard time staying on track. She took a deep breath and decided that her reaction really was natural and she included it.
"Not to be creepy but I watch you go into the diner at night. I can see you working from my window here. From what I've seen you do a great job. I'm proud of you." Tess gushed with full mom pride.
"Thanks….and that's totally creepy." Danny chuckled.
"If you ever want to make a few extra bucks you're always welcome back here. My customers would love to see you again. Especially Tim Calvert." Tess laughed.
Danny smiled at the thought of that crotchety man ever missing the likes of him.
"I've kind of got my own side hustle that takes up the rest of my time."
"I'm not surprised, you're such a hard worker. What are you doing on the side?"
"I can't really say—" Danny mumbled and walked around further.
"You can't say? Why not?"
"Let's just say it's not the most upstanding venture."
"Oh, is it under the table or something? Pssh, please, I couldn't care less about that stuff. C'mon what are you up to?" Tess was good at this.
"I mean—you're kind of crunchy right?"
"Is that what you kids are calling hippies these days?"
Danny ticked his head to the side, "Basically."
"Then you know that's a yes."
"Do you—smoke?" He asked her carefully.
"I have."
"Tess!" Danny giggled at her, feigning shock and knowing she was definitely not acting right now.
Tess smiled back, "Tell me you're not selling drugs."
"I'm not some big dealer, I can just hook people up with a little weed and stuff when they need it."
"And stuff. The Danny I knew didn't do drugs."
"I don't, I sell it."
"Danny—"
"I just need to make money. Someone stole the money I saved, I had to do something."
"Who would steal your money?"
"That's the twenty eight hundred dollar question."
"Ouch." Tess shuffled a few other things around her shop, "Well I'll take some of your weed then."
"Seriously?"
"You sound surprised."
"I just assumed you'd already have a ton of your own—"
"I'm traveling lighter these days. Trying to simplify my life."
"Are you not with Eddie anymore?"
"I never was, not really." Tess' eyes twinkled in pain, she was trying to talk to Kyle through her own wire, "I just, I had a moment. Eddie was a mistake."
"Where have you been staying?"
Tess held her hands up, "Home sweet home." She sniffled.
"Then you definitely need this." Danny fished out a gram from his pocket.
"How much?"
"Ten."
Tess walked over to her cash register and handed Danny the cash. Danny felt very uncomfortable completing a drug deal with someone he had seen as a mother figure but he wanted Gloria to believe he was serious about this job, at least until Friday night.
"If you need more, you know how to find me."
Tess took the tiny baggie, "Thanks. Hey how's everything going at Gloria's? She still helping you?"
"She is. I'm doing odd jobs around the house, Archie too. He's more of a groundskeeper."
"Well don't let her find out you're dealing, I'm sure she'd be quick to put you right back in prison."
"I won't, I'm careful. Hey I've gotta run, it was nice to see you."
"You too. If you see Jo, please tell her I love her."
"I will."
Danny took off and tried not to have a total breakdown as he walked up the hill to Johnny Cake's entrance. He hoped he said the right things, he prayed Gloria bought it all. Selling to Tess was a huge deal and getting her to accept a deal from him would be huge in Gloria's eyes.
Danny spied Lacey sitting at her usual spot as the night wore down. He was always so happy to see her, first because she lit up his heart every time he laid eyes on her and second because it meant it was almost quitting time.
"Hi." Danny smiled and walked up for a quick kiss.
"Hey there." Lacey smiled back.
"Want anything?"
"Yep."
"Behave."
Lacey pouted.
Danny hauled ass to get the diner back in order and reset for the next day. The second Johnny said he could leave Danny almost ran out of there.
"Ugh, it's so hot tonight." Danny grumbled as he stuffed his sweaty hair up into a fresh mess on top of his head.
"How's the running been going?"
"I'm so out of shape, but it feels amazing."
"Well I'm a big fan of your endurance so keep that shit up." Lacey beamed.
"Definitely." Danny smiled back.
"Want anything special to drink tomorrow? I'll find someone to buy alcohol." Lacey danced around him excitedly as she stuffed that day's note from Kyle into his pocket.
"For the party?"
Danny knew that the party wasn't really going to be a party and that Lacey was just playing it up, but for some reason her words swam around inside his overheated brain for a little while too long and got him thinking.
"Or the after party—" Lacey smirked, trying to let him know they'd definitely be celebrating once all of this was over.
"There's an after party?"
"I'm buying—"
"You're buying?"
"Yeah, so are you going to answer all of my questions with questions orrr?"
"Have I?" He really was overthinking at this point and although it sounded like he was joking just now this question was actually meant for himself.
"I can get you whatever." Lacey ignored him.
When he didn't reply, Lacey picked up on Danny's excessive thoughts and watched him battle with something for way too long.
Lacey had assumed he was just nervous as hell for tomorrow, but his body language said it was deeper than that.
"D, what's up?"
"Hm? No, nothing."
Lacey slowed their walk and swung around in front of him, holding her hands up in curiosity, giving him a chance to brush her off if he felt his current mood was somehow enhancing the game he was playing with Gloria. She didn't want to mess up his performance but something was off.
Danny licked his lips and knew he just needed to stay honest with her.
"Can I ask you a question?"
Lacey huffed out a single frustrated laugh, "Why not—"
"Please don't be mad at me." He begged her strangely.
"That doesn't sound good."
"You—have money to buy drinks?" Danny winced, not sure how to make this sound non-accusatory.
Was he seriously this pressed about the cost? Lacey thought that was sweet at first.
"It's no problem. You're worth it." Lacey smiled brighter.
"Thanks." Danny didn't seem pacified by her answer, in fact he was obviously more unsettled.
Lacey stopped walking altogether.
"Dude."
"Look, you're not working so I was just curious where the money came from."
Lacey's face morphed into disbelief.
"Wow."
"I don't know how to talk about it without sounding like an asshole, okay? I'm just hot and tired and it's—"
"It's easy to assume shit, got it." Lacey took a step away from him and his excuses.
Danny reached out to grab her arm, a reflex he seemed to have with her that had gotten him into trouble before. Lacey ripped her arm away from him.
"Don't touch me."
"Lacey, I'm not trying to fight with you. Please—"
"I didn't steal your money." She said confidently, the power radiating from her face not matching the softness of her voice, "I've gotta go."
Danny didn't chase after her. He stood there, a block from Lacey's house and watched her walk the rest of the way home without him.
"Fuck." Danny muttered as he ran back through their conversation before realizing he'd now be heading all the way back to Gloria's on foot.
Danny: Please talk to me?
Lacey: I have my own money
Danny: I'm sorry
Lacey: Why can't it just be fun with us?
Danny: My life sucks right now
Lacey: I'm talking about us, our little bit of time together, unless I'm also part of what sucks?
Danny: Our time together doesn't suck
Lacey: But you think I'm a lying thief
Danny: I don't
Lacey: If you don't trust me at this point what are we doing?
Danny: I trust you
Lacey: Now who's lying?
Danny: Please don't shut me out
Lacey: Sleeping on it
Danny: Goodnight
Danny continued walking, trying his best to swim through the overly humid night air. He really was completely overwhelmed with anxiety about Jo's party tomorrow. Tonight though, he should have focused on her, on them.
Danny could hear a vehicle roar to life behind him and fly by as he crossed back through Main Street. It was Cole's minivan. It was like a PTSD trigger, Danny's heart rate went through the roof.
"If you can hear me, now might be a good time to send someone to pick me up." Danny said as calmly as possible, his chin tipped down toward the mic of his wire as he watched the van stop in the middle of the road.
Just like in a movie, the passenger door opened up and out popped Scott Ogden, thankfully without a bat in hand. The van's reverse lights turned on and it quickly zipped backward toward Danny.
"Danny, what's up buddy?" Scott smirked and continued walking toward him.
"Just headed to see your mom." Danny refused to show them his fear.
The van screeched to a stop. Danny looked over to see Cole glaring at him from the driver's seat. Danny smiled and waved like they were old friends.
"Got a surprise for you." Scott said before opening the sliding door to the van revealing Charlie McBride sitting in one of the back seats.
"Hey, Danny."
Danny couldn't find the words.
"Called in some favors, you know how it is."
Charlie slid out of the van and held his hand out, indicating that Danny was to get in.
"How's our girl?" Charlie asked as he helped Danny get in the van faster with a loving shove.
"Your mom? Not as good as Scott's."
"Fuck you!" Scott sneered.
Danny's defiance surprisingly earned him a laugh from Charlie.
"I asked the boys where I could find you and they were right, you're slaving away at the diner. Not gonna lie I thought it was nice of you to walk Lacey home first, but definitely didn't expect to watch you grab her by the arm again. Pretty sure I told you before that was unacceptable."
Danny nodded, how in the fucking world was this his luck?
"I don't put my hands on her."
"Only when I'm around then?"
"Why are you around?" Danny tried again to get some clarity from him.
"Well, it seems we're going to be working together again. Gloria sent me to pick you up."
Danny couldn't believe this shit. Gloria's influence on everything was truly terrifying.
Cole rambled up Gloria's winding driveway and stopped to let Charlie and Danny out before speeding away with Scott.
"It's good to be back." Charlie smiled up at the enormous house before beginning his climb up its massive steps.
Danny trailed along behind, worried to no end how this might affect the plan for tomorrow night, if he even survived that long.