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Third pov

Over the next few years, while Jeremy learned to balance becoming fitter and learning as much as he could at the academy, Micheal started getting caught up in stuff much bigger than himself.

It started with buying weed just because he could in eighth grade. Then he became a dealer because he looked innocent enough for the cops to ignore him.

Then he started running bigger and bigger jobs at night, never knowing much more than how much money he needed to get from who and how much to give them.

He didn't realize he was getting closer to the center of a drug cartel until he got caught. April of eighth grade and he's caught by the police, or at least that's what he thinks it is.

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Micheal pov

I meet the guy in an alley, all cliche like, and he looks confused to see me, at such a young age.

"What flowers would you recommend for a first date?" I say, and instead of answering he draws a gun. "Chill bro I was just asking." I click the button in my pocket and it alerts the men above us to shoot, but two gunshots later and I know I'm alone.

I don't let on, looking at him confused as he still has the gun pointed at me.

"Who do you work for?" He asks demandingly.

"I don't work for anybody you wacko." I say, putting on a scared demeanor. He still grabs me by the collar and shakes me violently. I just manage to keep a hold on my glasses as the drugs come loose and hit the floor.

"You're coming with me." Shit, I'm caught.

Very caught, apparently, because he took me to an old run down bar, threw me into a chair and cuffed me to the arm.

"I'm going to ask you one more time." A new man, who looked more expensive than the first asked. "Who do you work for?"

"What's gonna happen to me if I don't tell the truth?" i challenge, expecting torture or just plain old death.

"I think you'll be more interested in what happens if you do tell the truth." I raise an eyebrow in a silent question. "Come clean now and I give you an escape, Michael Mell." Never a good thing when someone you've never met knows your name and they're not supposed distant family.

"An escape from what?" I test, and he answers simply,

"The bullies, your absent parents. Your shitty life could change for the better."

"How do I know you're not just going to kill me?" I ask, more than intrigued.

"Because, unlike everyone around you, I value you, and what you can offer. All you have to do is tell me how to find who you work for."

"If I do that I'll be dead by dawn." He sat back and spread his hands, saying,

"I can offer you protection from people like him." I consider it for a moment, realizing he's going to get what he wants one way or another so I may as well agree while I get something out of it.

"Magic Millions bar, above it. Arnie runs everything from there." I say, and the man behind the desk waves another off.

"Perfect." he grinned, not in the least bit creepy. "Now, about your escape. You could pack up everything you want to take with you, within reason, and join our ranks. Or, you walk away and forget this ever happened, knowing I'll keep Arnie away from you." He offered, and this time it seemed like I had an actual choice.

"I'd love to join you." I say, smirk tugging at my lips. 

A/N that last bit felt a bit pedophilic but oh well