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Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XX

Sutton sat by the counter, watching fondly as Jack tried to show Lula how to throw a card. She smiled as Lula commented on her “perfect score.” The two bent down to pick up the cards. From what Sutton could tell, they became engaged in a deep conversation.

“Okay, great.” Sutton jumped as she heard Danny respond as he hung up the phone. Danny spun around, clearly surprised to see Sutton sitting so close to him.

“So, was that them?” Sutton asked. Danny sighed as he returned Li’s phone. “Just tell me the truth, Danny.”

Danny puffed out his cheeks. “Yeah,” he huffed, “that was them.”

Sutton sighed. “Do you ever get tired of not trusting people, Danny?”

“Sutton, I’m not doing this to betray the team or Dylan,” Danny explained in a whisper, careful to not let Jack and Lula hear. “I’m doing this so The Eye can fix this and we don’t go to jail, or worse.”

Sutton rolled her eyes. “I know, Danny, but you just need to learn that trusting people doesn't make you vulnerable.”

Danny looked down, shaking his head. “You’re right. I know you are. It’s hard not being in control.”

Sutton chuckled. “As I recall, that’s what made you hard,” she smirked, patting Danny’s reddening cheek, and turned to head over to Jack. Danny shook his head, bewildered by Sutton’s comment.

Lula had just gotten up, a smirk on her face. Sutton scrunched her eyebrows together as she looked at her. Once Danny regained consciousness, he met Jack and Sutton. “Okay, so there’s a marketplace down the street,” Danny explained as Jack stood, “and I’m meeting a man with a blue hat. I’ll give the stick to the right people and get us home.”

“Go grab, Merritt, okay, Jack?” Sutton said. “Oh, and, uh, don’t forget your belt,” she winked.

“Oh, it’s not- she took it off me-” Jack struggled for an answer. Danny and Sutton raised their hands as if to say “not my problem.” “You know damn well if Sutton took your belt off, Danny, you would-” Sutton glared back at Jack as Danny rubbed the back of his neck. “Yep, you’re right. Totally not the right time for that joke.”

Once the Horsemen finally returned to the Sands to stay for the night, they were escorted to a five bedroom suite, courtesy of the lovely Walter Mabry. The living area looked very much like Walter’s, giving Sutton a creepy vibe as she sat on the couch. She swirled her neck, the joints cracking. She gave herself a bear hug, her shoulders popping.

“Damn, I haven’t heard bones crack like that since I lived with my grandfather,” Lula stated, sitting beside Sutton.

Sutton chuckled. “It’s all from stress, trust me. That’s what caring too much does to you.” She glanced back at Danny who was engaged in a conversation with Merritt and Jack.

Lula cleared her throat, drawing Sutton’s attention to her. “So, um, I have a really dumb question to ask you. Totally won’t be offended if you don’t want to answer.”

Sutton smiled. “Dumb questions get you dumb answers, you know?” Lula smiled lightly. “What’s up?”

Lula huffed. “So, back at the magic shop, Jack told me that every girl he gets close to, he takes their trust.”

“And their wallet?” Sutton said. Lula lifted an eyebrow. Sutton chuckled. “Yeah, he’s told me all of that. Jack is my best friend, Lula.”

“Trust me, that’s very clear,” Lula laughed. “I don’t get it, though. The two of you are extremely close. What makes you different?” Sutton scrunched her eyebrows together. “I don’t mean different in a bad way! God, no. I mean, just, you know, different that he trusts you with so much.”

Sutton sighed. “Back when we first went into hiding, I asked Dylan why he left me the Tower as my tarot card.” Lula stared at her, obviously confused. “Sorry, um, when he recruited us to become the Horsemen, Dylan left us each a card. In some ways, the cards reflected on us.”

“Let me guess, Danny was the Lovers?” Lula stated with a smirk.

Sutton chuckled. “Yes, he was, as irony would have it. Henley was the High Priestess, Merritt the Hermit, and Jack was Death.” Lula sucked in a breath. “Trust me, it freaked him out on more than one occasion. Anyway, I asked Dylan why I was chosen to be the Tower. He said to me that I was chosen to be part of the Horsemen because the others needed me for more than my abilities.” Sutton smiled to herself as she recalled Dylan’s words. “Henley needed me because I’m her family, her blood family. Merritt needed someone who he felt responsible for, someone who made him feel like a family again. Jack needed a best friend, someone to call family, someone to trust.”

Lula nodded. “So, Jack never really saw you as someone to fall for?” Sutton shook her head. “And you were never interested in him?” Sutton smiled, nodding her confirmation. “Damn, you’re really dumb for such a brilliant woman.

Sutton laughed. “Thanks a lot.”

Lula smiled. “What about Danny? What was Dylan’s reason for bringing you on for Danny?”

Sutton sighed. “Dylan said that he thinks Danny needed me the most. He needed someone to deflate his head and match him intellectually.” Lula laughed as Sutton side smiled. “But, I needed him just as much. Apparently, we both needed love after never truly feeling it, or after believing it never existed at all.”

Lula sighed. “Not needed, Sutton.” Sutton crinkled her eyebrows. “You said you both “needed” love. You still need it, in the present and future tense. You and Danny were meant to fall in love, not out of it.”

“Lula-”

“Just let me finish, okay?” Lula took Sutton’s hands, wrapping her own around them. “I see the way the two of you still look at each other, Sutton. Ever since we got here, all he has done is try to protect you, in his own weird ways.” Sutton snorted a laugh. “I think his real reason for telling Walter we would do this crazy thing is because of you. Walter’s ultimatum was “do it or be killed.” Danny couldn’t risk that. He couldn’t risk losing you in the actual, physical sense. God, he even held your hand when you were scared on multiple occasions. He truly loves you, Sutton.”

Sutton gave Lula a light smile, then let out a sigh. “I miss him, you know?” She looked back at Danny who was now deep in thought as he looked at his phone, trying to figure out his plan. “So, so much. I miss kissing him whenever I want. I miss our stupid arguments about nothing in particular, and then-” Sutton cut herself off, feeling her face heat up.

Lula laughed. “It’s crazy how much two people can miss each other, even when they still see each other every day.” She stood, pulling Sutton up with her. “He misses you like crazy, Sutton. He loves you more than I think even he knows.” Lula pulled Sutton into a hug. “Promise me you’ll be back together before we leave Macau?”

Sutton sighed. “I hope for that more than anything.”

Lula patted her shoulder. “Get some sleep tonight, okay?”

Sutton smiled as Lula turned, walking toward the room Jack just came out of. “Lula, don’t be me,” she joked.

“Hey, like Chase said- what happens in Macau…” Sutton shook her head, laughing.

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XVIII

“So,” Walter said, backing away from Merritt, “how’d I do it? Easy. You see, magicians like to control other people’s perceptions. In your heightened state of agitation, you saw the simplest cues- black tube, roof, and your mind filled in the rest. The tube you meant to go down was twenty feet to your right.” The Horsemen tensed. “Come on, sit down, sit down. There’s no point in standing there.”

The guards forced the Horsemen to the couch where Walter stood. Sutton sat down next to Lula, followed by Danny. “Anyway,” Walter continued, “once in the tube, yes, you’re right- blah, blah, blah. The strobe contained UV letters pulsing the word ‘sleep.’ That combined with the sound led you into an instant alpha pattern. You two,” he smiled, pointing to Sutton and Danny, “were actually quite cute. All cuddled into one another.” Sutton and Danny glanced at one another, blushing.

“And from then on, it really was just fun.” Walter ran over to the couch, squeezing himself between Jack and Lula. Sutton scooted herself closer to Danny, her legs practically on top of his. “And I can assure you, you don’t know what happened.”

Walter started a video which he cleverly titled “Our Trip to Macau.” Light music filled the air as embarrassingly uncomfortable photos of the Horsemen scrolled across the screen.

“That’s really creepy,” Lula said. Walter chuckled. “Really, really creepy.”

“That’s not cool,” Merritt stated as a picture of him and Walter showed on the screen.

“Yep, easy stuff, magic,” Walter announced. “I mean, if you put your mind to it.”

A picture of Walter kissing Sutton’s cheek as he pushed Danny away appeared. Sutton gasped, appalled, as the others sucked in a breath. Sutton felt Danny’s body tense at the sight. She took a cautious glance to see his jaw clenching tightly. “Alright, that’s enough,” Danny told Walter. He sucked in a breath to calm himself down, Sutton running a hand down his arm. “So-so why are we here then, besides you getting to show off how adorably clever you are?”

“Not to mention how pissed you’ve just made Atlas,” Merritt murmured. Sutton glared at him.

“Well, to start with,” Walter explained, “the man you stole from last year, turns out I invested quite a lot of money in some of his companies so a lot of what you stole was in fact mine. Good news is, it’s very easy for you to pay me back. I just need your skills.” A picture of Owen Case flashed on the screen. “Owen and I were like the Beatles, if the Beatles had been-”

“Elfin?” Sutton suggested. “Creeps?”

“Geniuses,” Walter clarified.

“Pretty sure the Beatles were geniuses,” Lula reminded Walter.

“And like them,” Walter continued, ignoring Lula’s comment, “we had a dream. Could we create actual, genuine magic?”

“And I’m guessing one of you achieved that dream, and it wasn’t you?” Merritt concluded.

“That is what he would like you to think,” Walter said, standing. Sutton moved herself to a bit more comfortable position on the couch with the gift of space. “My vision was a perfect blend of intelligence and technology, but Owen wanted it for himself so he humiliated me by exposing my private files to the board of directors. Convinced them that I am unstable.”

“Did you take a picture of him while he was sleeping?” Danny cockily questioned. Sutton snorted.

“He had me kicked out of my own company and now he goes around taking credit for a chip that’s not just a key to one computer, but every computer system on the planet,” Walter explained. “It can unencrypt anything, crack the defense firewall, manipulate markets, and spy on anyone.” The Horsemen sighed. “And now it’s being sold to the highest bidder.”

“If you’re so rich, why don’t you just buy it?” Jack questioned him.

“So he gets the money and the pleasure? No. No, no, no. Besides, why would I buy it when I can have you steal it for me?”

“Oh,” Lula gasped. The Horsemen chuckled.

“It’s being previewed tomorrow by various suitors,” Walter stated, “which include your targets. A crew led by a South African gangster.” Lula mocked him. “Yes, so how your team gets past security, that’s up to you. But once you do, you just need to inspect it and steal it.”

“That’s it?” Danny questioned.

“Yeah, come on. This is perfect for you, isn’t it? You’re magicians and thieves.”

“What makes you think we’d even consider doing this?” Jack asked Walter.

“Um, wait, I had a reason. What was it? Ah, yes! You see, back home you’re wanted criminals, but here, I control the police, the casinos, the media. I can give you a new life, out of hiding,” Walter explained. Sutton’s ears perked up. She looked at Danny who looked back at her. The other Horsemen were contemplating it as well. “And, if you don’t, I’ll have you killed.”

The Horsemen stared at Walter, challenging him. He smiled, trying his best to be charming. “You know what?” Jack spoke up as he stood. “I’m not stealing a thing for you, not unless Dylan tells me it’s okay.”

“Really? And Dylan’s where exactly?” Walter questioned.

“It doesn’t matter. Yeah, I’m with him,” Lula stated, standing beside Jack. “So you can go ahead and kill us because I’m not going to steal anything for you either.”

“Huh, strikes me that a consensus seems to be forming, Walter,” Merritt concluded, taking his place beside the other two rebels, “and we’re calling your bluff.”

The three looked back at Danny and Sutton as they sat together. Sutton glanced down at her fingers, thinking about Henley and why she left. Just as Sutton was about to say her piece, Danny spoke. “Actually, we’ll do it,” Danny stated as the others questioned him. “We’re in Macau. The oldest magic store in the world is here. We’ll get the supplies we need and, uh, we’ll do it.”

Danny stood and shook Walter’s hand, receiving a “thank you.” Walter walked off, leaving the Horsemen standing there in the empty room.

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XIX

“Steal something? For this narcissistic little man-boy?” Merritt complained as the Horsemen walked down a busy road in Macau. “I don’t like it, but what I like less is you deciding for us,” he told Danny.

“Yeah? Do you like that we’re the laughing stocks of the magic world and the fugitives of the actual world?” Danny questioned him. Sutton hit his shoulder. “Walter is right. We-we have nowhere to go.”

“Yeah, but we can fix that!” Lula told him.

“We can fix it?” Sutton questioned her. “So you’re officially part of this wacky tribe that I call a family?” Jack and Merritt laughed as Danny gave her a side smirk.

“Look, even if we get this stick, he’ll never let us go,” Danny explained. “We can’t trust Walter, okay? The Eye has a history in Macau. They’re the only ones we can trust. Now, if we can get it to them, they can clear our names and get us the hell out of here. Come on.” He stepped into an old magic shop, followed by the others.

“It’s a bad plan, man,” Lula told him.

As the Horsemen entered the store, Danny, Sutton, Jack, and Lula headed for the counter. Merritt, on the other hand, took a trip around the store.

“Hey,” Danny said, ringing the desk’s bell multiple times. “Hi, how are ya? Um, we-we need some things custom made, actually by tomorrow. We’re kind of in a rush, and, uh, you-you have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?” he questioned as he realized the two people behind the desk were ignoring him.

The woman in the rocking chair threw something at the younger man, getting his attention. They started speaking to one another in Mandarin. The man stood, turning his attention to the four. “Welcome to Iong’s. My name’s Li, not Bruce Lee,” he sang as he let a springy snake fly at Sutton’s and Lula’s heads. Sutton squealed, moving out of the way and bumping into Danny, him grabbing her shoulders to steady her.

“Got you!” Li said. Next thing they knew, he pulled out a small light, having it fly and disappear in all kinds of ways. He seemed to have stuck it in his mouth and blow it back out, putting the light in Danny’s face.

“Oh, and now it’s by my head,” Danny complained. “How fun.”

“Twenty dollars,” Li told them. Lula complained about the price.

“No, thank you. We’re kind of in a rush,” Danny explained, only to be shushed by Li.

“Ten dollars,” Li winked.

“Uh, no way,” Sutton sneered. “You’re nuts.”

“Two for one,” Li said, pulling another one out and sticking them in Danny’s face. “One for you, the other for your girlfriend, eh?” Sutton’s face began to flush at the comment.

“Okay, just give us the thumbs, yeah?” Jack told him, noticing his best friend’s discomfort. He handed Li a ten dollar bill.

“Thanks a lot,” Danny said as he took the thumb lights. “Jack, please take these.” He handed them to Jack, who smiled and gave one to Sutton. She took it, mouthing Thank you.

“So we need a, um, Keplinger holdout, and we also need roughing fluid, a Sanada gimmick, sleeves, tracks. All in plastic, though, if you can,” Danny requested of Li.

Li turned to the older woman and began to explain what Danny said in Mandarin.

“You came up with that list in, what, half an hour?” Sutton asked.

Danny shrugged. “I have done harder things.”

Jack snickered. Danny rolled his eyes. “Same,” Sutton winked, making Lula snort.

The older woman looked at Danny and said something in Mandarin. “What?” Danny asked her as she turned back to Li. “Is there a problem?”

“My grandmother wants to know why plastic. Plastic is cheap,” Li interpreted.

“Sorry, yeah, we need plastic because we’re, um, uh, we’re going through a very sensitive metal detector. Okay?” Danny explained. “So plastic, nothing,” he motioned with his arms. “Metal, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo, woo,” he gestured, “it detects.”

Again, the older woman replied in Mandarin, mimicking Danny’s movements. Li snickered.

“What did she say?” Sutton asked Li.

“She says, just because you are talking slowly and moving your hands, doesn’t mean she can suddenly understand English.”

Lula clicked her tongue. “Oh, yeah. So sorry, he’s racist.”

Sutton rolled her eyes. “Not helping, Lula.”

“Uh, guys,” Merritt said, “we’ll be right back.”

“Okay, kiddies. The chaperones are watching you,” Chase stated as they left. “Don’t do anything I would enjoy.”

“Okay, have fun you two!” Danny sarcastically responded. He went over to Li, requesting to use his phone.

Sutton glared at Danny, knowing just who he was calling. She walked over to Lula, who watched on as Jack approached Danny. The two stared as Jack let out a heavy sigh and Danny turned away from the group. Sutton hung her head, tears pricking at her eyes as she remembered what Danny did that day in the tunnel.

Lula noticed the uncomfortable tension floating in the room. “What is wrong with this thing?” she said as she stuck her fingers in a Chinese finger trap. She drew Jack’s attention to her.

“Relax, it’s just a kids toy,” Jack told her as he tried to help.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Ow!”

“Sorry, sorry!” Jack apologized. As the two struggled to remove Lula’s tense fingers, Jack asked Sutton, “Is that why you broke up with him?”

Sutton hummed a response as she looked up at Jack. Jack gestured to Danny with his head. “Danny. Did you break up with him because you knew he was contacting The Eye?” Sutton looked away. Jack nodded. “I wish I could say I’m surprised, Sut, but…”

Sutton sighed. “I know, Jack. You warned me. You all did.”

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XII

It had been about a week since Lula had joined the team. They were putting the finishing touches on their plan to destroy OCTA. Sutton was still skeptical of the new addition to the team, not sure whether it was safe to get too close to Lula just yet.

On quite a few occasions, Sutton saw Lula hitting on Jack. He would give her his signature heart-melting smile and brush her off. If only Jack knew what that was doing to Lula. Merritt, on the other hand, was doing the opposite. Much like he always did to Henley, Merritt threw little compliments and weird comments her way. Sutton would roll her eyes, laughing to herself, remembering Merritt had been out of practice for some time now. Dylan seemed to be enjoying his newest addition. He constantly had side conversations with her. It seemed Lula’s role in the heist grew each day.

Then, there was Danny. Her Danny. Sutton watched Danny closely every day, seeing as his eyes lit up every time he spoke about the heist. His lips seemed to have a permanent curl to them now. However, every night, Danny went back to their apartment, and Sutton went to Merritt and Jack’s. The feeling of not knowing what he was doing there haunted Sutton every night. Was he hurting too? Was he with someone else? Was he thinking about how to get Sutton back?

“Sut!” Jack’s voice knocked her out of her trance. “What do you think?” Sutton stared at him blankly, praying no one else would notice. Jack did and quickly saved her. “You think you can take Henley’s place in the flirting department?”

Sutton let out a heavy sigh. “Those are some pretty big shoes to fill. I’m not sure if my flirting skills will fool anyone.”

“They always fooled me,” Danny murmured, looking up at her and giving her a side smirk. Sutton blushed, wanting so badly to kiss the smirk off his face as they held their gaze.

Lula cleared her throat, dragging Danny and Sutton’s attention from each other. “So, we’re all set, right?”

“I think we’re ready,” Dylan nodded. “Meet here bright and early tomorrow morning.” The five groaned as they left Dylan and walked out of the Horsemen Hideout.

“Hey, Sutton,” Lula peeped up, grabbing hold of her arm. Sutton spun around to face her. “It’s still early. Want to get something to eat?”

Sutton looked back at the others. “Go have a guys night. Talk about what you did before…” She trailed off, realizing what she was about to say.

Danny cleared his throat. “Yeah, okay. Have fun, Sut.” They gave her a smile, then the three of them walked off as Sutton watched.

“So, what’s your poison?” Lula asked, rubbing her hands together. “Sushi? Chinese? Italian?”

Sutton smiled. “Nah, I’m a burger and fries type of girl.”

Lula looked at her in shock. “Really? You don’t seem like it.”

Sutton sighed. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Lula.”

Lula smiled. “That’s why I want to hang out with you. I know you aren’t comfortable with me quite yet, and I get it. Danny told me it takes a bit for you to let your guard down.”

Sutton chuckled. “Danny told you that?” She rubbed the back of her neck, feeling her face heat up.

“He did,” Lula stated, taking note of how Sutton acted at the mention of Danny.

The pair went to a nearby restaurant and called their order in. Lula went and retrieved it, the two walking a short distance to Lula’s apartment. By the time they sat down, Sutton’s walls had started to crumble. Lula wasn’t that bad, just a little crazier than Sutton was used to.

“So, what happened with you and Danny?” Lula asked as she ate a fry.

“W-What do you mean? Sutton stuttered as she squirted ketchup in her to-go container.

“Oh, come on!” Lula laughed. “It’s pretty obvious something happened between the two of you. I mean, every time Danny talks to you, you get this look in your eyes and a goofy smile. Hell, I catch Danny full on staring at you whenever you’re doing something, especially if you’re helping Jack. He looks like he wants to tackle you and tie you down.”

Sutton bit her lip as she dipped a fry in the ketchup. “It’s… complicated.”

“Complicated how?” Lula asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she bit her burger.

Sutton contemplated her options- to tell Lula or keep her in the dark. She took a bite of her burger and decided it wasn’t fair not to tell her. “After our first show in Vegas, we slept together,” Sutton blushed, Lula’s eyes growing. “I had been falling for him for almost a year before that. Apparently, he had been too. We hid it from the others, until after our last show, when Jack and I met the others in Central Park at the-”

“Lionel Shrike Tree,” Lula stated. “Jack mentioned how it led you all into hiding.”

Sutton chuckled. “Right. Well, after we went into hiding, Danny and I were officially dating. I was living with Henley and he was living with Merritt and Jack. He would visit just about every other day, and I would visit him. When Henley left, he moved in with me.” Sutton let out a sigh. “It was amazing, to be living with him, to wake up beside him every morning.”

Lula giggled. “You were living a fairytale. You know, if thieves had such luxuries.”

Sutton smiled. “Yeah, I guess we were.”

They ate in silence for a moment, Sutton reliving the beautiful moments she had with Danny. Suddenly, Lula asked the question Sutton had been dreading.

“So, what changed between you two?”

Sutton sighed. “Let’s just say Danny did something that made me not trust him.”

“Damn,” Lula groaned. “That’s awful. You have no choice but to see him every day now. Break-ups suck.”

“It’s not really a break-up, just a break,” Sutton clarified.

“Look, Ross,” Lula joked, “it sounds to me like Danny fucked up. How can you forgive him?”

Sutton sighed. “It’s hard to understand, I know. Jack and Merritt are still confused. But, I just have this feeling that Danny is going to fix everything. He’s going to fix us.”

Lula scoffed. “Danny’s one lucky guy for you to just wait for him to somehow fix things.”

Sutton chuckled. “You just don’t know Danny like I do. No one does.” She smiled, feeling as though her heart was in the right place with her decision.

Lula shrugged. “So, tell me- Is he a control freak in the bedroom?” Sutton snorted. “Did he tie you up? I can totally see him having a kink for that!”

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XV

“As the Horsemen like to say,” spoke an eerie voice to the audience, “magic is about controlling perception. You see them as champions of the truth, but are they, or is that just another one of their illusions?”

Sutton ran out from backstage and into the crowd, frantically searching for Jack.

“So since they clearly love secrets, let’s reveal some of theirs.”

“Danny, everyone, get off the stage,” Dylan’s voice commanded through the earpiece. “Abort! Jack, go with them. I’ll see you at the meeting point.” Sutton’s eyes flew through the crowd. Finally, she saw him.

“Do you recall the deaths of Jack Wilder and Sutton Reeves?”

Jack grabbed Sutton as they met in the crowd. “We need to get out of here now,” he told her, his eyes wide.

“What if I told you they’re not just alive, but they’re actually right here!”

Sutton and Jack froze, a spotlight blinding them. People in the crowd started yelling for them as photos were snapped. Sutton pulled on Jack, and they began to run.

“And do you know who else is here? The FBI! Let’s let them in, shall we?” the Horsemen heard as they reached the exit of the building, leaving the voice locked inside.

“We gotta get to the chute!” Jack yelled behind Sutton. “Go!”

“Who are those guys?” Lula shouted back.

“Who cares?” Sutton responded as she climbed a ladder behind Danny. “Come on! Keep going!”

“How the hell could this have happened?” Merritt questioned. “I thought Dylan had everything under control.”

“Yeah, apparently he didn’t,” Danny responded as they took out his headset. “You okay?” He asked Sutton.

Sutton smiled weakly. “Besides coming back from the dead in a way I didn’t want to, sure. Just peachy.” Danny gave her a side smile, brushing a few hairs out of her face.

“You know,” Merritt continued, “maybe you’re the leak, Dan. Where have you been sneaking off to?” Sutton’s eyes grew.

“Don’t do that,” Danny yelled back. “Don’t you dare for a second insinuate that I had anything to do with this.”

“I’m not insinuating anything!”

“Let’s get to the truck! Come on!” Jack yelled at the three.

They ran to the pipe they needed to take to the truck, everyone sliding in, Sutton after Jack. As they slid, Sutton heard what sounded like a voice talking to her. Suddenly, she became sleepy, then everything went black.

“Ahhh!” Sutton screamed as she landed with a jolt. She sat up, seeing Jack beside her. “Oh, thank goodness. I’m not dead!” She hugged Jack who gave a light chuckle.

“But I am,” Lula complained as she pushed Danny out of the laundry bin she was sharing with him.

“What the hell is going on?” Jack asked once they all had brushed themselves off.

“Wasn’t there supposed to be a truck?” Lula questioned.

“Where the hell are we?” Danny asked.

The people in the kitchen they were somehow in started yelling in a language none of them understood. One of them grabbed Danny and Jack.

“Hey, hey!” Danny yelled. “Wait, did you misrun the tube?”

“No, I put it in the truck!” Jack confirmed. “I know I did!”

“Yeah? Because we’re really not in the truck right now.”

“Somebody must have moved the tube,” Merritt clarified. “Were we above a Chinese restaurant?” Someone stole his fedora and he grabbed it back.

Suddenly, they were all pushed out some doors, Sutton knocking into Danny who helped her stand up right.

“Okay,” Danny said, “why are we here?” Sutton grabbed Danny’s hand, fear rushing through her. He interlocked their fingers tightly, his actions pulling at Sutton’s heart as she moved to his side.

“Why am I freaking starving?” Lula questioned her stomach.

“Yeah, I’m weirdly starving too,” Jack admitted.

“This makes no freaking sense,” Merritt stated, rushing out of the restaurant.

Danny ran a hand over his head, trying to make sense of everything. “None of this adds up,” Sutton told him in an attempt to calm Danny down.

A lady with a sizzling plate pushed past Lula. “Sorry!” Lula apologized. “At least, and I know this isn’t much consultation, but apparently we’re now surrounded by Chinese food. Right?”

“Guys,” Merritt emerged, “I think where we are right now, they don’t refer to it as Chinese food. It’s just called… food.”

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XIV

Sutton and Merritt quickly changed their outfits upon arriving backstage.

“Hey!” Lula waved as the mentalists appeared.

“Nice work, lady,” Merritt told her as he flipped his fedora on his head. Lula thanked him. The three walked up to the stage to wait.

Jack let out a sigh. “I’m actually nervous. I’m not even going on stage.”

“Me too,” Sutton smiled at him, reminding him he wasn’t alone. The two stretched their hands out to one another in front of Lula, giving the other a small squeeze in comfort.

“You know, I’ve heard that if you’re nervous, it can be really helpful to picture each other naked,” Lula told him. Sutton and Merritt stifled their laughs as Danny walked up between them.

“It’s actually ‘picture the audience naked,” Danny reminded her.

“No, this is new. This is a new science,” Lula told Jack. “So, I don’t know, do you wanna- we should try it.”

“Not the right mood,” Jack explained, looking off to the stage.

“I guess that leaves you and me, old buddy,” Merritt told Danny.

“What?” Danny asked. “Oh, to picture each other- No. No, thank you.”

“Hey, look- I mean, I admit, from the neck up, there are issues, but from the neck down, The David,” Merritt responded with a straight face. Sutton snorted a laugh. Danny gave her a look.

Lula grabbed Sutton’s shoulders. “I think what Sutton means to say is, she and Danny don’t need to leave things to the imagination. They are a much better pair for this experimental activity,” she winked.

Danny and Sutton looked at Lula in shock, then at each other. Thankfully, the announcer’s voice came over the speakers to inhibit their responses.

“Good morning, Octa-lites,” Merritt whispered into his headset. Owen’s voice repeated it to the audience. The audience cheered. “Now I’ve made the claim that Octa Eight was pure magic, but the truth is, that’s just one of those things I say. When, in fact, I mean something else. What else do I mean? Well, here to fill you in on some of my fabulous lies and hypocrisy, and to perform some of the most dazzling feats of magic you have ever seen, they are the world’s greatest magicians here to expose me for the fraud I truly am. Ladies and gentlemen, here are the Horsemen!”

“Showtime,” Jack whispered to Sutton as the two stepped back.

The two held hands as they watched their fellow Horsemen leap out into yet another performance without them, both sighing heavily. They heard the audience erupt into cheers.

“I better get going, Sut,” Jack told her. Sutton nodded as Jack kissed her cheek and left.

“Hello, New York!” Danny’s announcer-voice projected. “Thank you so much!”

“Hey, it’s great to be back!” Merritt told the audience.

“Have you met our newest Horseman?” Danny asked. “Lula!” Sutton winced as Danny introduced the world to Lula in the same place Henley once stood. “It feels good, right?” Danny asked Lula.

“Yeah, it’s pretty good,” Lula confirmed. “Pretty good.”

“Thank you, thank you. Uh, okay. We wanna talk to you about your privacy. Now, what does your privacy mean to you?” Danny questioned the audience.

“‘Cause apparently to Owen Case, it means absolutely nothing,” Merritt explained.

“No, actually it means less than absolutely nothing,” Lula clarified. “You see, he’s mocked your privacy. He’s scorned it.”

“Right, and we’re not just talking about the things you’ve already agreed to,” Danny explained further, “when you signed, uh, probably without reading, um, the terms and conditions of Octa’s one through seven.”

“Dylan,” Jack’s voice came over Sutton’s earpiece, “the FBI is here.”

“Oh, uh, don’t worry about it,” Danny told him. “Go to plan C4.” Sutton shook it off. She wasn’t part of that plan.

“Before we start the show, we had Owen agree to a few terms and conditions of our own,” Lula explained to the audience. “So, everything that he had once considered-”

Lula’s microphone started to crack and the sound of a speaker backfiring rang through the stage. Now, Sutton became worried.

“Yeah, everything, uh, that he once considered private,” Danny explained, trying to save the show, “is now-”

Danny’s microphone was lost now too. Sutton felt her heart begin to race. Another crack and backfire sounded, then a strange, creepy voice began to speak to the audience.

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter XI

“Hi,” Danny replied sarcastically. Jack and Merritt gaped. Sutton stared at the woman, biting her lip. Danny glanced at Sutton as she leaned against the railing beside him.

“You met Lulu?” Dylan asked knowingly.

“I’ve met her,” Danny replied, fiddling with his gloves. “What is she doing here?”

“I’m the new Horseman!” Lulu told the group. Sutton’s breath caught in her throat as panic surged throughout her body. Danny placed a hand on her lower back in comfort, just as he always did, as Lulu cheered for herself. “Nobody? No excitement? Jack?” Jack glared at her.

“Dylan,” Merritt started as he turned toward the stairs, “tell me what’s going on here.” The group followed, Sutton brushing off Danny’s touch.

“Well, Lulu’s been on the underground scene for the last decade, and I think she has some real talent. I’d like to try her on stage to balance out the duo,” Dylan explained.

“What?” Jack gasped. “No, are you serious, man? After Henley left, you said I could get back on stage again, not someone who just showed up.” Sutton didn’t say a word about his comment.

“And I told you,” Dylan responded, slapping a hand to Jack’s shoulder, “I’d think about it, and I have, and I really need you behind the scenes with me for just a little while longer.”

“Dylan, come on,” Jack groaned. “I’ve been behind the scenes my whole life.”

“Which is a crime, might I add,” Lula piped up. “Have you seen that man’s face?” Jack gave her a look.

“As much as I appreciate the addition of some femininity to the group, over and above what Sutton and Ass-las provide,” Merritt insulted as each gave him a look, “I think the real issue is, we’ve been in this-”

“Yeah, the issue is that we have been rehearsing for months for something we don’t even know what it is,” Danny interjected.

“And you’re going to keep working until-”

“Until we work as a single organism. I know, I’ve heard you say that,” Danny responded cockily. Sutton smirked, biting her lip. She had missed Danny’s cocky remarks. “The thing is, when you say that, I think what you’re referring to is us.” He gestured toward his fellow Horsemen. “You know, not you.”

“Listen,” Dylan responded, obviously annoyed. “I’m getting my orders directly from The Eye. Okay? Then I give them to you. Now if you don’t like that, you’re welcome to go.”

“No, I’m not going anywhere,” Danny reassured everyone. “But I’m-I’m taking care of myself.” Sutton put a hand to her chest, feeling her heart ache. She knew Danny’s words were only said out of anger and annoyance. However, they still hurt.

“Guys, can I just weigh in here, really quickly?” Lula asked. Sutton rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “Cause I think I see what’s going on here. You guys are this amazing, tight-knit family unit and I’m a new person-”

“No, no, no,” Merritt told her. “We are anything but a family.”

At Merritt’s words, Sutton’s head began to spin. Everyone was complaining about “me, me, me” and not even caring that they were still a “we.” She rubbed her temples, trying to block out Lula’s stupid story. Finally, she had enough. “Shut up!” Sutton erupted. “All of you! You’re all acting like idiots!” The group fell silent.

Sutton looked around at the others, her chest heaving in anger. “Each of you is acting like you are the one and only solution to this mess we’re in,” Sutton told them. “We need each other to get through this, and you all know that.” The men looked at each other, nodding in agreement. Lula snorted a laugh.

“And you,” Sutton pointed at Lula. “You need to stop acting like an entitled bitch.” Lula gasped. Merritt and Jack let out a chuckle as Danny smirked admirently. “You do not get to come in here and act like my cousin was nothing to this team. You do not get to come in here and think you are going to take my spot, or Jack’s spot. Because, let me tell you, when we come back from the dead, it’s going to be ten times better than one of your “faking death” acts.” Lula stared at Sutton, mouth agape. Sutton heaved a heavy sigh, holding onto the table for support. She wasn’t sure where her anger had come from, but Sutton felt her body tell her it needed to be done.

“Damn, Sutton,” Jack spoke after a minute.

Merritt clapped slowly. “Couldn’t have said it better myself, beautiful.” He took Sutton’s hand in his, giving it a kiss.

Danny was still slightly in shock. “I can’t believe those words came from your body.”

“You’ve made your point,” Dylan told Sutton, nodding. “Lula?”

Lula looked at Sutton. “I-I’m sorry,” she said. “I guess I never thought about how you would feel with me joining the Horsemen.”

Sutton nodded. “I might do 75% of the feeling for this team, but you’re all required to pitch in 5% each,” Sutton joke, cracking a smile.

Lula smirked. “You got a deal, Reeves.” She stretched her hand toward Sutton, who shook it. “Much respect for showing dominance in a very clearly male-dominated group. You scared the shit out of me!”

“That was the point,” Sutton smiled, mentally patting herself on the back.

“So, does this mean we’re actually going to do something?” Merritt asked, bringing everyone back to the sole-purpose of the meeting.

“Yes,” Dylan told them. Everyone looked at each other. Danny gave Sutton a slight smile which she returned. “You’ve all heard of OCTA and their playboy CEO Owen Case. His partner Walter Mabry died about a year ago. You wanna know what all of this has been leading to?”

“Yeah,” Lula said, grabbing something off the floor.

“OCTA’s hosting a launch of the next-gen cell phone,” Dylan explained as Lula rolled out a blank blueprint. “Once these phones hit the streets, he’ll siphon the user’s information to the black market. Meaning, OCTA’s selling privacy to up their profit. So, The Eye’s decided to expose him for it. Our mission is to high-jack the show. Rehearsals over, guys. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Now it’s time to get to work.”

Love is Like a Playing Card (J. Daniel Atlas) Chapter X

“It’s all in the wrist,” Jack told Merritt as they waited outside the Horsemen Hideout for Danny and Sutton. “Let the momentum of the card do the work for you.”

“Mhm,” Merritt agreed, rolling his eyes.

“This last one, I call the stall.” Jack threw the card, it coming to a perfect stop on the rusted car.

Merritt whistled. “Not bad. Now you want to see a thing of beauty?”

“I do indeed.”

“Here you go, and bingo bango bongo!” Merritt exclaimed, the cards he had thrown falling into a lame pile.

Jack nodded. “That’s good. No, no, no, it’s good to be positive despite making zero progress in a year.” Merritt agreed. “Whereas when it comes to hypnotism, the student has almost become the master.”

“I like your confidence,” Merritt told the pickpocket, “but you might say that you have the better teacher.”

Jack played along. “You’re right, you’re right. Your teacher definitely doesn’t know what he’s doing.” Jack flicked cards through the air. “By the way, was this your card yesterday?” he asked after catching the one he was looking for.

“In fact it was,” Merritt marveled.

“I thought so.” Jack sliced the air with a card. A loud clap sounded in the dimly lit alley.

“Not too bad,” Sutton smiled at them as she made her appearance. Jack and Merritt greeted her. “Ace of spades?” Sutton clicked her tongue. “Very predictable, Merritt.”

Merritt shrugged. “Where’s Ass-las?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “You just love calling him that, don’t you?” Merritt smiled widely in confirmation.

Sutton sighed. “Don’t know.”

Merritt and Jack exchanged a glance. “What do you mean?” Merritt questioned.

“Look, guys,” Sutton started, “it’s really not a big deal.”

“Did he cheat on you?” Jack interrupted.

“Why does everyone keep assuming Danny cheated on me?” Sutton asked. She let out a frustrated huff. “No, he didn’t cheat on me. Danny just did something that made me not trust him.”

“Awe, Sut,” Merritt cried, wrapping her in a hug.

“It’s okay, though,” Sutton said, clearing her throat and wiping at her eyes. “We are just taking a break. It’s not forever. I know Danny knows what he did was wrong. I just know, I don’t know how, but I know he will find a way to fix us, make us ‘Sutlas’ again.” Merritt gasped and fangirled at Sutton’s use of his nickname for the couple. She gave him a light smile.

Jack smiled at her. “I never saw this side of you before, Sutton.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Whatever it is that happened, I’m glad you are handling it well. If you have faith in Danny, I do too.” Sutton smiled up at her best friend.

“How’s Ass-las handling it?” Merritt asked, while Jack cursed him for using the lame nickname once more.

Sutton shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“If he has any sense in him, he will be a mess when he gets here,” Merritt told her. Just then, a motorcycle roared. Sutton turned, knowing fully well it was Danny.

“I’m going to go in a while, okay?” Sutton told the two as she watched Danny remove his helmet. She gulped. Danny was attractive as he was, but the motorcycle put him over the top. Shaking her head, Sutton headed inside to wait for the guys.

A minute later, Sutton heard Danny’s voice. “Okay, somebody broke into my apartment, alright? Some amateur who knew everything about me, everything about-”

“Wait, what?” Sutton interrupted, stepping in Danny’s path.

“S-Sutton,” Danny stuttered. He cleared his throat and gave her his signature smile.

In the dim light, Sutton could tell Danny had dark circles under his eyes. He was crying, Sutton figured, after she left. All Sutton wanted to do was wrap her arms around the man she loved, but she knew she couldn’t give in that easily. She needed to teach Danny a hard lesson. Sutton shook herself back to reality. “Who broke into our apartment?”

Danny shook his own head, disappointed that she didn’t want to talk to him about anything except business. “She-she knew everything about us. The Horsemen, that is. Everything about Henley leaving.” The group of four walked up to the railing. “That’s her.”

“Hey!” the woman from the apartment greeted them.