The Game 🌹( Joshler )

Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Past the point of no return

"We become the things that we think about."
-EARL NIGHTINGALE

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"About time- I thought I sent Ashton and Tyler after you?" Uncle Reeves voice echoed out as Tyler pushed open the door for Josh. Sara and Dylan following close behind.

"The both of them were arguing, it's been settled." He informs briefly. Ashton clenches his jaw, eyes fixated on anything but Joshua. There's a small seemingly aged box on the long oak brown table. It immediately takes Joshua's attention, folding his arms, eyes narrowing as if he could see into the cardboard material. "What's this?" He doesn't need to elaborate.

"I found it at the door of the warehouse this morning." The older man says, taking a seat near him.

"Should we open it?" Sara chimes in. Josh shakes his head almost instantly.

"No, if we weren't expecting a package
we shouldn't open it." Joshua glances up to Reeves. "I presume we have other groups that aren't too fond of us?"

Ashton scoffs from his position on the wall. "Try the whole state."

Josh sighs, and despite himself approached the box. A hesitant pale hand reaches out. Uncle Reeves smiled, which confused Sara greatly. Tyler watched with anticipation, brows furrowed and curious about his intentions. His fingertips brush against the box, fingers curling back from the moisture. He purses his lips. The box was wet, except it hasn't rained in weeks. Joshua's head was reeling, confusion fitted all over his face. Nobody dared to speak. Plus, watching Joshua go about the box was quite interesting. He reached into his back pocket to retrieve his phone. His thumb slid across the screen, switching modes on his camera. Sara folded her arms skeptically. "Not to be disrespectful or anything, but how is taking photos supposed to help exactly?"

Joshua then looked up finally to survey the room, studying their perplexed faces. "You're kidding, right?"

"Just open the box, man." Ashton sighed tiredly.

"Be my guest," Joshua replied carelessly. "You didn't really expect me to open this suspicious ass looking box without examining it, did you?" He shook his head. "And I'm glad I did." He angles his phone to show the others. The thermal heat sensor filter showed something small and compact within the box. "It looks like a bomb."

"Christ," Reeves swore. Josh nodded his head slowly at him. He looked somewhat... surprised.

His attention focused on Dylan. "Your work is in tactics right?"

"Uh, Sure."

"I'm going to need you to destroy this someplace safe and far from here."

"Yes, sir." Dylan nods sharply, reaching to grab the box but was soon stopped by Josh.

"Before you do that I need you to take it to Joe for fingerprints DNA anything that can get you an idea who sent this lovely package." He instructed, folding his sleeves up his toned arms. Joshua nodded over to Tyler. "Then I need you to take it from there. No guts no glory." He deadpanned. Tyler smiled almost menacingly. Joshua could tell from that look alone that Tyler Joseph was no longer the star basketball golden child that he used to be. "Take Finn if you need to, I want answers."

Joshua turned his head, studying Reeves profile. He was uncharacteristically quiet, simply surveying the room. He spoke up. "Wait a minute, don't you wanna think about this for a second?" Tyler quirked his eyebrow at the older man's statement. He noticed the restlessness in his hands, the silenced shuffling of his feet.