Hearing that Shawn hadn''t been beaten, both Dan and Anders Lowry were about ready to explode.


    The two of them were nearly seething with rage.


    Still, Anders managed to bite back his temper and ground out through clenched teeth, "So she didn''t punish you at all?"


    Dan''s face darkened even more.


    Right then, Anders was desperate to hear that Shawn had suffered—something, anything gruesome. After all, it wasn''t that long ago that they''d both been put through hell by Yvonne. They needed just a scrap of misery from Shawn''s side to feel the universe was a little more just.


    But instead...


    "She did punish me," Shawn replied.


    "What did she do?"


    Those three words "she did punish me"-made Dan and Anders both straighten in anticipation. They couldn''t wait to hear exactly how bad it was.


    As they braced themselves, hoping for some karmic retribution, Shawn casually tossed out, “She''s making me walk almost forty miles through the mountains!”


    Anders stared, lost for words.


    Dan just gaped.


    They exchanged a look, their faces darkening as their blood began to boil.


    Meanwhile, back on the call, Shawn had no clue that his "forty-mile walk" had nearly given these two a conniption.


    He went on, stillining, "Yvonne is ruthless. Seriously, she actually made me hike nearly forty miles on a mountain trail.”


    "Forty miles! She should try it herself and see how brutal it is!"


    "And at night, too. Could she be any harsher?"


    Anders couldn''t even muster a response. Hearing Shawn grumble that Yvonne was "so harsh," he was literally too furious for words.


    The thing was, Shawn really was grumbling about how hard Yvonne had been on him—butpared to what she''d done to them, it was basically nothing!


    Fuming, Anders hung up the phone.


    Dan looked about ready to explode himself—his expression was as dark as a thunderstorm. Xander, next to them, was nearly doubling over, holding his side in frustration. Shawn''s punishment had been just a long walk!


    Anders shook his head, "Forget it. Yvonne''s always been biased toward Xander-no use pretending otherwise."


    As soon as he said it, the whole room seemed to tense. The air nearly felt thinner.


    Carroll hadn''t expected it eitherpared to what their crew had suffered, Yvonne''s so-called “punishment" of Xander and Shawn felt almostughably light.


    Not even a couple of smacks? Even just a p or two would''ve brought their boss a little bit of satisfaction.


    But this?


    Dan, shaking with anger now, immediately dialed Yvonne''s number.


    de strike


    Yvonne had just finished listening to Ste outline hertest n to strike back at Mona and Berry She''de, actually been impressed by Ste''s approach.


    "That''s good. If they want to make thin


    interesting for them,” Yvonne said, smiling.


    difficult, let''s make it a little more


    Ste nodded, "Mona''s been living way toofortably these past few years."


    They had barely finished talking when Yvonne''s phone started buzzing. She picked up. "Hello?"


    "You didn''t hit Xander, did you?" Dan''s voice seethed through the line.


    Yvonne raised an eyebrow and nced over at Ste, then stood and moved aside to take the call privately.


    Before she could say a word, Dan let loose, his voice even colder, "And you didn''t hit Shawn either, did you?"


    “You didn''t touch a single person around them!"


    Yvonne replied, cool as ever, "What does that have to do with you?"


    Dan lost it You beat me half to death. You put my whole crew in the hospital. But when it''s Xander, you give him a p on the wrist! And Shawn, you just have him walk a few mites and call it a day!"


    Yvonne nearly choked on her own breath-she couldn''t believe what she was hearing.


    Dan continued, snarling, "You''re ying favorites, aren''t you? Even if you''ve got a soft spot for Xander, there''s gotta be a limit!"


    That word—"favorites"-made Yvonne''s mouth twitch in disbelief. “Me? ying favorites?"


    Did he even hear himself?


    Dan pressed on, voice slurring just a little, "Yes! Yes, you''re biased toward


    Xander Admitsit the DENOU


    found out it was him,


    out it was him, you were kind of happy about it, weren''t you?"


    "Just admit you''re relieved it wasn''t me. Right?"


    usation after usation tumbled out, each drunker than thest.


    Yvonne honestly couldn''t tell Dan was a little drunk. But facing his barrage, she just


    felt baffled.


    She cut him off, t and cold. "You''re delusional."


    On the other end of the phone, Dan looked about ready to blow a gasket.