In Trinidad, I took a fresh approach to food shopping. Instead of the usual store-hopping or relying on ventional methods, I chose to buy everything from wholesalers. To make this pn a reality, I found a closed restaurant with a living space above aiated a two-week rental. I vihe owhat we were a group of traveling chefs dug workshops in various cities.

  Mahya decided to use the time to gain a skill she thought was important: motorcycle and ATV meics. She made up a story that we were going on a motorcycle and ATV trip in Afrid he knowledge to take care of the vehicles if there were any problems along the way. Al was not ied in meics, so I announced he would be in charge of receiving deliveries while Mahya and I studied. I was already despairing of him. He said he wao fill the missing csses, but I didn’t see any i from him in any field.

  I asked him about it, and his answer was that he had not yet found his passion. He said that when he did, he would make the necessary iment.

  As I calcuted our food needs, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of anticipation. I was especially mindful of the possibility of roup expanding (I still hoped that Lyura would join us). With this in mind, I pced our food orders, ready to aodate any additions to our team.

  I sidered seeds to grow food iure, but I remembered the crates of seeds I’d bought before leavih the first time. I pulled them out and sorted through the tents. There were ten crates each of tomatoes, coffee, and cocoa, along with several more crates filled with mixed seeds for fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and herbs.

  Sprains and Rice

  Pallets of long-grain white ricePallets of brown riceBulk bags of jasmine riceBulk bags of basmati riceBulk bags of wild riceBulk bags of quinoaBulk bags of couscousPallets of rolled oatsBulk bags of steel-cut oatsBulk bags of barleyBulk bags of bulgur asta and Noodles

  Pallets of spaghettiPallets of maiBulk bags of penneBulk bags of fusilliBulk bags of fettueBulk bags of egg noodlesBulk bags of rioodlesPallets of sagna sheetsBulk bags of orzoBaking Supplies

  Pallets of all-purpose flourPallets of whole wheat flourBulk bags of bread flourBulk bags of cake flourBulk bags of ealBulk bags of almond flourPallets of sugar (white granuted)Bulk bags of brown sugarBulk bags of powdered sugarBulk bags of baking powderBulk bags of baking sodaBulk bags of yeastBulk tainers of varactBulk tainers of cocoa powderBeans and Legumes

  Pallets of dried bck beansPallets of dried pinto beansBulk bags of lentils (green and red)Bulk bags of chickpeasBulk bags of split peasBulk bags of navy beansBulk bags of kidney beansed and Jarred Goods

  Pallets of ed tomatoes (diced, crushed, and whole)Pallets of ed beans (bck, kidney, garbanzo)Bulk packs of ed vegetables (, peas, carrots, green beans)Bulk packs of ed fruit (peaches, pears, pineapple)Bulk jars of pasta sauceBulk jars of picklesBulk jars of olivesNuts and Seeds

  Bulk bags of almondsBulk bags of walnutsBulk bags of cashewsBulk bags of pesBulk bags of sunflower seedsBulk bags of pumpkin seedsBulk bags of chia seedsBulk bags of fx seedsSpices and Seasonings

  Bulk tainers of salt (kosher, sea salt)Bulk tainers of bck pepper (whole and ground)Bulk bags of garlic powderBulk bags of onion powderBulk bags of paprika (sweet and smoked)Bulk bags of Bulk bags of dried anoBulk bags of dried basilBulk bags of dried thymeBulk bags of dried rosemaryBulk bags of dried parsleyBulk bags of dried dillBulk bags of turmericBulk bags of curry powderBulk bags of chili powderBulk bags of ground amonBulk bags of ground gingerBulk bags of ground nutmegBulk bags of ground clovesBulk bags of mustard powderBulk tainers of bay leavesBulk bags of red pepper fkesBulk bags of fennel seedsBulk bags of coriander seedsBulk bags of cardamom podsBulk bags of star aniseBulk bags of sumacBulk bags of za’atarOils and Fats

  Pallets of vegetable oilPallets of olive oilBulk tainers of extra virgin olive oilBulk tainers of ut oilBulk tainers of shorteningBulk tainers of sesame oilBulk tainers of avocado oilSweeteners

  Pallets of honeyBulk tainers of maple syrupBulk tainers of agave syrupDairy and Alternatives (Shelf-Stable)

  Pallets of powdered milkPallets of evaporated milkBulk packs of almond milk (shelf-stable)Bulk packs of ut milk (shelf-stable)Bulk packs of soy milk (shelf-stable)Bulk packs of shelf-stable cheese (e.g., Parmesan, cheddar powder)Snacks and venience Foods

  Bulk packs of crackers (assorted varieties)Bulk packs of pretzelsBulk packs of grano barsBulk bags of dried fruit (raisins, berries, apricots, dates)Bulk bags of pop kernelsMiseous

  Bulk tainers of peanut butterBulk tainers of almond butterPallets of bulk tainers of jelly/jam (various fvors)10 Pallets of coffee in all its formsBulk bags of dried pasta sauce mixesBulk packs of bouillon cubes (chi, beef, vegetable)Bulk tainers of soy sauceBulk tainers of Worcestershire sauceBulk tainers of hot sauce (various types)Bulk tainers of vinegar (white, apple cider, balsamic)Cold and Froze and Poultry

  Pallets of frozen chi breastsPallets of frozen chi thighsPallets of frozen whole chisPallets of frozen ground beefPallets of frozeeaks (ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin)Pallets of frozen beef roastsPallets of frozen pork chopsPallets of frozen pork tenderloinPallets of frozen pork ribsPallets of frozen ground porkPallets of frozen baPallets of frozen sausages (various types: breakfast, Italian, bratwurst)Pallets of frozen turkey (whole and ground)Cold and Frozen: Fish and Seafood

  Pallets of frozen salmon filletsPallets of frozen cod filletsPallets of frozen haddock filletsPallets of frozen shrimp (various sizes)Pallets of frozen scallopsPallets of frozen musselsPallets of frozen cmsPallets of frozen lobster tailsPallets of frozen crab legsPallets of frozen tipia filletsPallets of frozen tuna steaksCold and Frozen: Dairy Products

  Pallets of butter (salted and unsalted)Pallets of margarinePallets of cheese blocks (cheddar, mozzarel, Swiss, Monterey Jack)Pallets of shredded cheese (various types)Pallets of cream cheesePallets of sour creamPallets of yogurt (pin and fvored)Pallets of heavy creamPallets of half-and-halfPallets of cottage cheesePallets of ricotta cheeseCold and Frozen: Eggs and Egg Products

  Pallets of fresh eggs (rge, medium, small)Bulk packs of liquid eggsBulk packs of egg whitesBulk packs of powdered eggs (for baking and cooking)Cold and Frozen: Miseous Refrigerated Ingredients

  Bulk tainers of mayonnaiseBulk tainers of ketchupBulk tainers of mustardBulk tainers of sad dressings (ranch, Italian, Caesar)Bulk packs of refrigerated dough (pizza dough, croissant dough, biscuit dough)Bulk packs of ready-to-bake pastries and cookiesCold and Frozeables and Fruits (Frozen)

  Pallets of frozen peasPallets of frozen Pallets of frozen green beansPallets of frozen spinachPallets of frozen mixed vegetablesPallets of frozen broccoli floretsPallets of frozen cauliflowerPallets of frozen bell peppersPallets of frozen strawberriesPallets of frozen blueberriesPallets of frozen raspberriesPallets of frozen mango ksPallets of frozen mixed berriesCold and Frozen: Other Refrigerated Ingredients

  Bulk tainers of fresh herbs (basil, parsley, tro, dill)Bulk tainers of minced garlicBulk packs of pre-cut vegetables (onions, carrots, celery)Bulk tainers of tofuBulk tainers of tempehBulk tainers of refrigerated pasta (ravioli, tortellini)Bulk packs of refrigerated sauces (pesto, Alfredo, marinara)Bulk tainers of fresh lemon and lime juiceBulk tainers of salsaCold and Frozen: Prepared Foods

  Bulk packs of frozen pizzasBulk packs of frozen sagnaBulk packs of frozen burritosBulk packs of frozen soups and stewsBulk packs of frozen appetizers (mozzarel sticks, chi wings, potato skins)Bulk packs of frozerees (chi pot pie, shepherd’s pie, meatloaf)Cold and Frozen: Other

  Bulk tainers of refrigerated almond milkBulk tainers of refrigerated soy milkBulk tainers of refrigerated ut milkFruits aables: Fruits

  Pallets of Granny Smith applesPallets of Fuji applesPallets of Ga applesPallets of Honeycrisp applesPallets es (Navel, Valencia)Pallets of lemonsPallets of limesPallets of grapefruitsPallets of peachesPallets of arinesPallets of plumsPallets of apricotsPallets of strawberriesPallets of blueberriesPallets of raspberriesPallets of bckberriesPallets of bananasPallets of pineapplesPallets of mangoesPallets of papayasPallets of kiwisPallets of watermelonsPallets of taloupesPallets of honeydew melonsPallets of pears (Bartlett, Bosjou)Pallets of grapes (red and green)Pallets of cherriesPallets of figsPallets of pomegranatesFruits aables: Vegetables

  Pallets of spinachPallets of kalePallets of romaiucePallets of mixed sad greensPallets of Swiss chardPallets of carrotsPallets of potatoes (russet, Yukon gold, red)Pallets of sweet potatoesPallets of beetsPallets of turnipsPallets of parsnipsPallets of radishesPallets of broccoliPallets of cauliflowerPallets of Brussels sproutsPallets of cabbage (green, red, savoy)Pallets of onions (yellow, red, white)Pallets of garlicPallets of shallotsPallets of leeksPallets of zuiPallets of yellow squashPallets of butternut squashPallets of a squashPallets of spaghetti squashPallets of pumpkinsPallets of bell peppers (red, green, yellow, e)Pallets of chili peppers (jape?o, serrano, habanero)Pallets of sweet mini peppersPallets of beefsteak tomatoesPallets of Roma tomatoesPallets of cherry tomatoesPallets of heirloom tomatoesPallets of cucumbersPallets of celeryPallets of green beansPallets of peas (snap, snow)Pallets of eggpntsPallets of mushrooms (button, cremini, portobello)Pallets of on the cobPallets of asparagusPallets of artiiseous: dy and Snacks

  Bulk packs of chocote bars (milk, dark, white)Bulk packs of assorted dy (gummies, hard dy, licorice)Bulk packs of chocote-covered nuts and fruitsBulk packs of chips (potato, tortil, vegetable)Bulk packs of pretzelsBulk packs of pop (microwaveable and ready-to-eat)Bulk packs of grano barsBulk packs of protein barsBulk packs of trail mixBulk packs of crackers (assorted varieties)Bulk packs of cookies (chocote chip, oatmeal, sugar)Bulk packs of snack cakes (cupcakes, brownies, pastries)Miseous: Deli Products

  Bulk packs of deli meats (ham, turkey, roast beef, sami)Bulk packs of sliced cheese (cheddar, Swiss, provolone, Ameri)Bulk packs of pre-made sandwiches and sBulk packs of pepperoni and other cured meatsBulk packs of paté and spreadsBulk packs of hummus and other dipsBulk packs of pickles (dill, sweet, bread and butter)Bulk packs of olives (green, bck, kamata)Miseous: Beverages

  Bulk packs of bottled waterBulk packs of sparkling waterBulk packs of soft drinks (co, lemon-lime, root beer)Bulk packs of juice (e, apple, grape, berry)Bulk packs of sports drinksBulk packs of iced teaBulk packs of energy drinksBulk tainers of drink mixes (lemonade, iced tea, sports drink powders)Miseous: ents and Sauces

  Bulk tainers of ketchupBulk tainers of mustard (yellow, Dijon, spicy brown)Bulk tainers of mayonnaiseBulk tainers of BBQ sauceBulk tainers of hot sauce (various types)Bulk tainers of soy sauceBulk tainers of Worcestershire sauceBulk tainers of sad dressings (ranch, Italian, Caesar)Bulk tainers of relishBulk tainers of salsaBulk tainers of marinades and cooking saucesMiseous: Baking Mixes and Ready-Made Dough

  Bulk packs of pancake and waffle mixBulk pauffin mixBulk packs of cake mixBulk packs of brownie mixBulk packs of cookie mixBulk packs of bread mixBulk packs of refrigerated dough (pizza dough, croissant dough, biscuit dough)Bulk packs of ready-to-bake pastries and cookiesMiseous: Breakfast Items

  Bulk packs of cereal (various types)Bulk packs of oatmeal (instant and regur)Bulk packs of granoBulk packs of breakfast barsBulk packs of pancake and waffle mixBulk packs of syrup (maple, pancake)Miseous: Items

  Bulk tainers of peanut butterBulk tainers of almond butterBulk tainers of jelly/jam (various fvors)Bulk packs of dried fruit (raisins, berries, apricots, dates)Bulk packs of nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts)Bulk tainers of coffee (ground, whole bean, instant)Bulk tainers of tea bags (bck, green, herbal)Bulk packs of honeyBulk tainers of agave syrupBulk tainers of mossesBulk packs of instant noodles and ramenBulk packs of ed soups and stewsLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Foods

  Bulk packs of freeze-dried fruits (apples, bananas, strawberries)Bulk packs of freeze-dried vegetables (peas, carrots, )Bulk packs of freeze-dried meals (stews, pasta dishes, rice dishes)Bulk packs of dehydrated potatoes (mashed, hash browns)Bulk packs of dehydrated soups and stewsBulk packs of dehydrated meat (beef, chi)Long-Lasting and Specialty Foods: ed Goods

  Bulk packs of ed meats (tuna, chi, beef)Bulk packs of ed soups and stewsBulk packs of ed pasta (ravioli, spaghetti)Bulk packs of ed chiliBulk packs of ed milk (evaporated, densed)Bulk packs of ed ut milkBulk packs of ed beans (bck, kidney, chickpeas)Long-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Jars and Bottled Goods

  Bulk jars of nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew)Bulk jars of pasta sauces (marinara, Alfredo, pesto)Bulk jars of curry pastes and saucesBulk bottles of fvored syrups (vanil, caramel, hazelnut)Bulk jars of ghee (crified butter)Long-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Dry Mixes and Instant Foods

  Bulk packs of instant potatoes (mashed, scalloped)Bulk packs of instant rice (white, brown)Bulk packs of instant pasta (mad cheese, Alfredo)Bulk packs of instant couscousBulk packs of instant polentaBulk packs of instant quinoaBulk packs of instant soup mixes (chi noodle, mirone)Long-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Fermented and Pickled Foods

  Bulk jars of sauerkrautBulk jars of kimchiBulk jars of pickled vegetables (beets, carrots, cucumbers)Bulk jars of fermented soy products (miso, tempeh, natto)Bulk jars of pickled eggsLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Baking Ingredients and Enhancers

  Bulk packs of baking enhancers (gluten flour, dough ditioner)Bulk packs of fvor extracts (almond, lemon, mint)Bulk packs of baking chips (chocote, butterscotch, peanut butter)Bulk packs of decorating sugars and sprinklesBulk packs of cake and cookie decorating suppliesLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Iional and Specialty Ingredients

  Bulk packs of sushi rid nori sheetsBulk packs of dried seaweed (wakame, kombu, nori)Bulk packs of dried mushrooms (shiitake, pori, terelle)Bulk packs of specialty grains (farro, spelt, millet)Bulk packs of iional spices and seasonings (garam masa, harissa, za’atar)Bulk packs of dried chilies (ancho, guajillo, chipotle)Bulk paiso pasteBulk packs of fish sauceBulk packs of tamarind pasteLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Beverages and Drink Mixes

  Bulk packs of powdered drink mixes (sports drinks, fvored water, electrolyte drinks)Bulk packs of herbal teas (ile, peppermint, hibiscus)Bulk packs of specialty coffee (espresso, cold brew)Bulk packs of cocoa powder and hot ixBulk packs of shelf-stable milk alternatives (oat milk, rice milk)Bulk packs of kombucha starters and suppliesLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Dietary Supplements ah Foods

  Bulk tainers of protein powder (whey, soy, pea)Bulk paeal rept shakes and barsBulk packs of vitamin and mineral supplementsBulk packs of electrolyte tabletsBulk packs of green superfood powders (spirulina, chlorel)Bulk packs of chia seeds and hemp seedsLong-Lasting and Specialty Foods: Miseous Edibles

  Bulk packs of dried herbs (basil, ano, thyme)Bulk packs of bouillon cubes and powders (chi, beef, vegetable)Bulk packs of jerky (beef, turkey, vegan)Bulk packs of trail mix (various blends)Bulk packs of hardtack or survival biscuitsFresh Baked Goods

  Bread

  Pallets of white breadPallets of whole wheat breadPallets of sh breadPallets of rye breadPallets of multigrain breadPallets of French breadPallets of ciabattaRolls and Buns

  Crates of hamburger bunsCrates of hot dog bunsCrates of dinner rollsCrates of Kaiser rollsCrates of brioche bunsBagels and English Muffins

  Crates of pin bagelsCrates of sesame bagelsCrates of everything bagelsCrates of amon raisin bagelsCrates of pin English muffinsCrates of whole wheat English muffinsPastries and Croissants

  Crates of croissantsCrates of chocote croissantsCrates of almond croissantsCrates of Danish pastries (various fvors)Crates of amon rollsMuffins and Ses

  Crates of blueberry muffinsCrates of chocote chip muffinsCrates of bran muffinsCrates of banana nut muffinsCrates of pin sesCrates of fruit ses (various fvors)Cakes

  2000 chocote cakes2000 vanil cakes2000 carrot cakes2000 red velvet cakes2000 lemon cakes2000 fruit cakes2000 cheesecakesPies

  2000 apple pies2000 cherry pies2000 blueberry pies2000 pumpkin pies2000 pe pies2000 lemon meringue piesCookies

  2000 batches of chocote chip cookies2000 batches of oatmeal raisin cookies2000 batches of peanut butter cookies2000 batches of sugar cookies2000 batches of gingerbread cookies2000 batches of shortbread cookiesBrownies and Bars

  2000 batches of brownies2000 batches of blondies2000 batches of lemon bars2000 batches of raspberry barsDonuts

  2000 gzed donuts2000 chocote frosted donuts2000 jelly-filled donuts2000 cream-filled donuts2000 powdered sugar donuts[colpse]Looking at the list I made, I sighed and increased my ste capacity twice more. At least this time, I didn’t get a headache. My ability points dropped below 200; I now only had 199. They were easy to accumute oh, but they also disappeared quickly.

  Maybe it would be a good idea to attend some more workshops.

  It took me four days to get all the orders pced and jure up the dots. Meanwhile, Mahya spent that time on the phone, hunting down someone willing to teach us how to beeics. She finally found someone, but it cost us—5,000! Yeah, it -off, but we didn’t have any other options. We left Al in charge of the deliveries and headed off to learrade.

  The garage was in the industrial area and reeked of motor oil and rust, a smell that stue no matter how many times I cast . It g to my clothes, my hair, even my skin. Dave, our teacher, showed Mahya ahe basics of a motorbike engine while we stood listening. His rough voice reverberated all over the garage, which was full of tools, spare parts, and bikes and ATVs in various stages of disassembly.

  “First thing you o know,” Dave announced, wiping his greasy hands on a rag, “is the anatomy of an ehis here is the carburetor. It mixes air and fuel before sending it into the engine.”

  Mahya leaned in, scribbling in her notebook. Now and then, she’d g me to make sure I was keeping up. I tried, but Dave bombarded us with a lot of information. Still, I couldn’t help but feel excited. Trying something pletely different was hard but, strangely, kinda enjoyable.

  The first few days were hard. I was clumsy with the tools, making more mistakes than progress. I was used to the small tools of a doctor, not those monstrosities. At one point, I dropped a wrench deep into the engine, and it took me half an hour to fish it out while Dave ughed at me in the background. Mahya picked it up fast—it was so unfair. By the third day, she was taking apart engines like she’d been doing it all her life, almost keeping pace with Dave.

  By the end of the third day, we had the basics down and even got the skill at level one. We could identify parts, knew what they did, and could handle basic repairs. We impressed Dave with our progress. He cracked a smile, which was rare for him. “You two are catg on quicker than most,” he said, tossing Mahya a new set of spark plugs. “Let’s see if you handle a full engine overhaul.”

  The couple of weeks were a blur of grease, sweat, and lessons. We tackled each challenge Dave threw at us—from ging tires to fixirical issues. By the time we left each evening, exhausted and covered in grime, I could feel our skill improving, even if the numbers didn’t show it.

  After two and a half weeks, as we were pag up, Dave handed us our st test—a beat-up motorcycle with more problems than I cared to t. “Fix this by the end of the week, and I’ll sider you both good enough meics for your trip.”

  Mahya and I exged a look and smirked. With the skill level at tere fident. We threw ourselves into it, and fixed what we could. Faulty wires, busted brakes, and, of course, the carburetor—yeah, I may have cheated with on that to save time, but we kept that between us.

  By the st day, the bike was ready. I turhe key, and the engine roared to life, filling the garage with the sound of victory. Dave nodded, impressed. “Well done. You’ve ear.”

  Not only had we learhe ropes, but we had leveled up our meic skills to level three, thanks to sheer determination and a lot of hard work. Covered in grease but grinning like idiots, Mahya gave me a high-five, her eyes sparkling with pride.

  After we ed up our meic lessons, Al finally got a break and attended a few workshops. Mahya and I mostly spent the st three days iy doing the usual rounds of shops, but this time skipping the alcohol and coffee.

  O night, Al of course, wao add adrenalin to our visit to the city—a round of visits t dealers. The first two stops were business as usual—or as normal as robbing drug dealers get—but the third stop was different. We stumbled right into the middle of a big deal.

  It was almost three in the m when we pulled up to an abandoned warehouse oskirts of town. It seemed like nothing had happened in that pce for years, which was exactly what we needed. We parked the jeep behind a cluster of trees, exged a gnce, and activated our Invisibility. Al went ahead, and I trailed behind him to find a good spot to wait. Based on the voices from ihere were people talking in Spanish and we heard some cursing in a nguage I thought was Russian, but I wasn’t sure.

  They souoo many, and I didn’t feel right to let Al go alone. Ihe se was tewo dozen heavily armed thugs stood around, all of them with big rifles. Nearby, a bck jeep stood with its eill running. Shadows danced across the walls as the thugs moved about, all focused oransa, pletely unaware we were there.

  “This surpasses our expectations,” Al sent telepathically, his voice a mix of excitement and caution.

  “No kidding,” I replied, sing the room. “Are you sure it’s a good idea? There are too many of them.”

  “Let us utilize the paintball guns.”

  I was so relieved I was invisible, sparing me from the embarrassment of anyone seeing me facepalm. How had I not thought of it sooner? It would have been so useful ba Phoenix!

  We slipped on our protective masks and moved into position. The thugs were pletely unaware, their rifles hanging zily off their shoulders as if they had nothing to worry about. I quickly sed the group—twenty-one in total, all heavily armed, plus the two head honchos, overseeing it all like kings of a pathetic little kingdom.

  “On three,” I sent. “Owo… three!”

  We fired in sync; the paintballs hitting their targets dead-on. The sleeping potion kicked in almost immediately, filling the air with a smell ano. One by ohe thugs colpsed, knocked out cold before they knew what hit them.

  “That turned out to be an uedly simple task” Al said, stepping uy who had a rifle bigger than he was.

  We moved quickly, looting the pce like pros. Well, by this point, I was kinda a pro. We collected bundles of cash, each thicker tha, ons—high-caliber rifles, handguns, you . And, of course, the drugs, all packed up and ready to go.

  We stored everything, cash, guns, drugs—the whole haul disappeared with a thought. The st thing to go was the jeep, its sleek frame vanishing into my Ste.

  “Mahya’s gonna flip when she sees this,” I said, grinning as I eyed the bck jeep.

  “Are you certain about this course of a?”

  “Why not? They’re bad people that sell drugs to children. Mahya is a good person the verts stuff to Magitech. I feel like Robinhood.”

  “Who is Robinhood?”

  “I’ll tell you at the hotel. Ready to head out?” I asked.

  “Indeed, let us depart,” Al replied, and I could hear the excitement in his mental voice.

  We slipped back out as quietly as we’d e in, hopping into our own jeep and driving off into the night. On the way, Al ented, “I wish I could witheir faces when they wake up.” We both cracked up at the thought.

  Whe back, Mahya was outside tinkering with an ATV, grease all over her hands. She looked up as we pulled in. “Everythi okay?”

  I motioned for Al to join me. “Yes, a a little something for you. Close your eyes.”

  She ughed but did as I asked, holding out her hands like she was expeg something small. I took out the bck jeep and pced it in front of her. Then, I took out the crates of guns and ammo, stag them ly beside the Jeep.

  “Alright, open your eyes,” I said, barely holding back a grin.

  Mahya opened her eyes and just stood there, mouth open, staring at the jeep and the crates of ons. She circled the jeep, running her hand over the glossy surface, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

  “This is incredible!” she finally said, her voice full of awe. “Where did you get it?”

  Al and I exged a look, both of us grinning like idiots.

  “We entered a small yet thrilling escapade,” Al said casually. “We believed you would find this useful. John said something about Robinhood.”

  She ughed and opened one crate, revealing rows of guns. “And this?” she asked, eyes wide.

  “Just a little bonus,” I shrugged. “Thought it might be useful.”

  Mahya ughed more, shaking her head in disbelief. “You guys are something else.” She gave me a quick hug, then did the same to Al. “Thank you. This is amazing.”

  I saw her eyes boung bad forth between the jeep and the crates, already figuring out how to use and improve everything. The excitement was iious, and I couldn’t help but feel proud. We’d pulled it off, and seeihis happy made it all worth it.

  “’t wait to see what you do with it,” I said, g her on the shoulder.

  “Oh, you have no idea,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with ambition. “This is going to be epic.”

  I didn’t know how many drugs we took—Al stored them food without specifying an amount. But the financial gain of the night was a little over a million. I just facepalmed and shook my head—resigned. It was like a curse. No matter how much we spent, the money just grew. It felt like a universe was trying to challenge me.

  After a few hours, we had t Mahya off her oys and drive to Pueblo to spend the money, or at least try to spend it.