I shifted the paper bag from one hand to the other. I tapped my foot as I waited for the elevator to come back. I was bringing Lucy a snack since I had a meeting here. It had been a while since I was in the Sorcerer Weekly building. While most of the floors were used for the magazine and company, some of the floors were rented out by other companies. It was one of the most significant buildings in Magnolia.

The car had stopped and I moved to the side as people got out and the next round filled in the space. It seemed like all of the buttons were illuminated as everyone was getting off on different floors. I pressed the 6th button and faced straight ahead. My body moved with the motion of gravity and the gentle rise and fall of the car.

I moved further into the back as people started to exit. I leaned my back against the wall, taking in deep breaths to calm myself.

"Sixth Floor," the elevator chimed.

I pushed off the wall, stepped over the threshold, and entered the hallway. I turned to the right and followed the corridor past a few offices and bustling interns. I stopped at a door that said "Heartfelia, Lucy".

I smiled. She's really come a long way. I knocked before opening the door and stepping inside. She sat at her dressing table with curlers in her hair; flipping through a magazine. Her head whipped towards me.

"Levy!"

"Hia Lu."

She flung out of her chair and into my arms.

"How have you been?"

"It's been as good as it can be I guess."

She took a step back, keeping her hands on my arms. "Still taking your meds?"

I nodded. "I am. Less wine and more medication. Along with meditation and some journaling."

"Good. Good"

"Now what's been going on with you?"

She turned and sat back in her chair.

"Everything's been great I think. We're starting to get into the fall selections."

"Fall? But summer has barely even started."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I know. But in order to get the fall issue out on time we have to have everything ready for the editors to set up the magazine. So it's always done a few months ahead."

"Sounds complicated."

She laughed. "It can be. But I honestly just put on what they tell me and pose how they want me." She looked at the bag in my hand. "What'd you bring?"

I sat it down in front of her. "A chocolate almond croissant from the bakery down the road."

Her eyes grew wide with stars floating in them.

"These are my favorite. Thank you so much, Lev."

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's the least I can do. Besides, I haven't really thanked you for helping me through what happened."

"Levy. You never have to thank me for that. I will always be there no matter what."

I took a deep breath to keep the tears at bay. I shook my head.

"Anyway. I just wanted to pop in and see how you were doing. I have a meeting on the 13th floor I shouldn't miss."

She gave me a tight hug that lasted longer than usual, but sometimes a long hug is just what you need.

"Come back anytime. What's on the 13th floor?"

"One of my work offices is up there. They called me in."

She raised an eyebrow. "Real work or your work?"

"The second one. I'll text you."

We both said our goodbyes as I retraced my steps back to the elevators and hit the 13th button. My body lurched as I was taken higher up. On this floor, this was only one office. And the main door stood in front of the elevator. I knocked and waited. I could hear the mechanisms move as the door unlocked and swung open.

A small white desk sat on the right-hand side of the room. With two monitors, a phone, and a cup of pens. Random files adorned the empty space but she knew they were for show. A sleek brown ponytail and eyes rimmed with glasses peered over one monitor.

"Took you long enough."

I waved half-heartedly. "Good morning to you Ever."

She rolled her eyes in response. "He's ready for you."

I bypassed her desk and walked towards the back and to the open white door on the left side of the room. This room was a little more inviting if you could disregard the scowl that appeared on the man in the middle. A worn oak desk with match chairs sat towards the back. Filing cabinets and a bookshelf lined the walls.

His desk has a least three monitors and was more disorganized than the pretend one out front. Papers spewed everywhere and at least half a dozen broken pencils. The trashcan was overflowing with crumpled-up papers and a few empty paper coffee cups.

I sat in one of the worn seats in front of the desk and crossed my legs comfortably.

"You look like shit."

He chuckled but the scowl never left.

"You sure know how to make a man feel great considering your job."

"Oh please Laxus, you know I don't flirt on my off time."

He ran a hand through his short blond hair. "Ain't that the truth."

"Where's Freed?"

"Working on some new intel. He should be here shortly."

I nodded in understanding. "You get my message?"

"I sure did. I ain't too happy about it."

"What are we going to do?"

"What we always do."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Laxus, I can't just go in and shoot him. That's too much paperwork for both you and me."

"Fine. We will play by the rules. I'm sure the council will give us a medal for shooting him anyway."

"Yes but then the council will have a hard time explaining to the public that directly shooting someone isn't always a great idea."

I rested my elbow on the arm of the chair and cradled my head. I've known Laxus since we were little. He got into this industry first and then brought me along when I thought I would do a good enough job. Especially when I got Jose off the streets the first time.

"Do we know anything so far?"

"Not much yet but I have some leads," a voice said behind me.

I turned my head to face Freed Justine. His brain even rivaled me some days. His long green hair flowed down his back. He wore a plain white button-down and black slacks. He brought in a few manila folders, handing one to me and one to Laxus. He sat down in the chair next to me, resting his ankle on his leg.

"How have you been Levy?"

"It'll be better when I'm on the beach with a drink and no cares in the world."

"Hopefully we will all get there. Now. I have a few papers in there about what we know from back then and what we know now."

"Well first off, how did he even get out? I thought we had enough to put him away until he was an old man."

"He bought his time with good behavior."

"He also literally bought his time," Laxus chimed in.

"Jose paid off some people in the department to be a little more leisurely with his sentence. He was still getting information fed to him from his cell."

"So that's how he knows what's still happening here in Magnolia."

"Precisely," Freed agreed. "We can't get him charged on the old evidence or that would be double jeopardy. We have to find new stuff."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "I think I could get him on sex trafficking and prostitution."

Both sets of eyes looked at me. "How?"

"Well, he found me. Said I had to meet him and that I still owed him."

"I thought that was taken care of when he went to prison?"

I rolled my eyes. "Apparently not. At least not in his eyes. He wants what he's owed with interest. He was very specific about it."

"Did he tell you how to pay it back?"

"Nope. He just said that it needed to be done within a certain amount of time or he was going to use me until my debt was filled. Apparently, he has others under him trying to pay off their debts. I saw a lot of the staff in there with empty eyes and he said there was a back door where they worked at. I can imagine that they are using their bodies to pay it off."

"Well, we can't be sure unless we get some hardcore proof. Is there a way for you to go undercover?"

I sighed. "I'm sure but if I go in, I'm not sure how I'll get out. By the look on his face, it seemed that not very many actually get out. At least not alive."

Freed rubbed his chin in thought. "What if we use a camera?"

"How? I'm pretty sure that if he makes me go through with it then I'll be naked most of the time."

"Bixlow must have some toys that would work."

"You mean his babies?"

Laxus waved a hand. "Babies, toys, whatever."

"Okay. A camera. But will that be enough?"

"I think we should also try to get evidence of intent. Like not just the acts but we have to be able to tie it directly to him. Like how he's getting the funds or the girls. Something like that."

I nodded. "There has to be like a payroll or something right? Cause clearly the money comes from the consumer and goes into his pockets. So there has to be some kind of paper trail. Whether it's under the table or not."

I stood from my chair and started pacing the room. I heard Laxus grumble out, "there she goes."

What connection could there be? There's no way anything would be exactly in his name. That would be too easy. He holds onto money with a death grip. Could be an offshore account but we would've found that already. He paid off the prison maybe he has someone on the inside.

Wait. That was it. He never works alone cause he never does the dirty work.

"I've got it!"

Both looked at me like I was crazy. Laxus rolled his hand, motioning me to exaggerate.

"He has someone on the inside."

"We looked at all of his team members. All were clean. We don't have any names for anyone that could be working on the inside."

I sat back in my chair, my legs bouncing as I looked at both of them.

"But there is someone. Jordan Anthony. The new CEO of Phantom Enterprise."