Heist

Part 1

  Murphy felt like there was ice trapped in her veins, cold and sharp and painful edging it's way through her. The drugs were for the prison. The drugs they brought to the grocery truck were for the prison. The prison is where Max is. The drugs were for the prison where Max is and were for Max to distribute. If they didn't - if she didn't- get the drugs there in time there was no doubt he would get hurt, which is exactly what Murphy was trying to keep from happening.

Her body felt rigid and unreliable, reminding her of the freezing cold that nearly paralized her after leaving the lakehouse with Max. This fear wasn't for herself and Pretzel this time, but solely for Max. Max, he was the only thing swirling through her brain as she heard footsteps pacing and Nia's heavy breathing. "Well?" Nia huffed, "Anybody got any new ways into that prison?" Her voice was angry and sharp. "You're boy's gonna be dealing with some angry customers if we don't get the goods in there, and soon."

"Max." Murphy didn't recognize her own voice as it whimpered his name to herself. Her throat was thick and she felt like she could barely breathe. "Max." Her fingers dug into her palms and she tried to keep them steady by pressing them into her legs. "Max." Her, almost unhearable, voice moaned to herself as she fought to keep her breathing even.

Nia sent her away, her employees urging and pulling Murphy along until they left her at Guiding Hope. Murphy paced and paced while her brain raced and raced until she found herself collapsing on the floor in front of the bathroom vent, fingers frantically working to yank it open and gain access to the hidden contents. Her hands couldn't stop shaking as she tried and tried to accomplish the extremely time sensitive task she had given herself. There was sure to be a mess on the floor, but she couldn't care too much about it yet, not until she had enough ready and hidden to take with her. Once packed up she called for an Uber and hastily tried to clean up her mess while she waited for it.

It wasn't until she was sitting in front of Max that she started to relax, even as she heard his voice hissing at her that she couldn't be there at the prison, couldn't be there with him. "Max." this time when his name passed her lips it was breathy and hopeful. Her first reaction to his presence across the table was to reach for him, and her fingers made desperate contact with his hands for a few blissful seconds before the guards yelled that they could not have any contact.

The tension was palpable to Murphy as she put her acting skills to the test and asking him for help fixing the joints of her cane. Relief from that tension came as she heard the amusement in his voice, admonishing her for not getting a new cane and discretely tapped his toes against hers as he readjusted his posture.

"Parish. Time to go." Someone's voice growled and he was roughy pulled from his chair. "What?" Murphy felt panicked, "But-" she started, reaching out for him, "I just- we just- Max!"

"Hey, Murphy, Murphy" his voice low and humming to her, "It's okay. I know, I know." he calmed, "Babe, I'm sorry, I have to go." He turned to the guards, a pleading look. "Can I just-" he waved his arms towards his girlfriend, who was still reaching blindly for him. "Please." With heavy sighs and scowls the guard nodded and immediately Max dropped to the ground in front of Murphy, his hands cradling her face.

That alone was enough to make the panic ebb away, the physical feelings reassuring that he was here and would be okay, if all went to plan. "Murph, It's gonna be okay." he repeated as her fingers traced his jaw. "Murph, I need to go now. And you need to go with the guard and let him take you back to Pretzel. Okay Babe? The guard is going to help you and you can come back for visiting hours again tomorrow."

She nodded in his palms to agree, tomorrow was a promise and she whispered it back to him. "Tomorrow."