Editing Edward McHaggis (section)

=== The First Paleto Crisis ===
The First Paleto Crisis began when Jim alerted the syndicate of a potential competitor rising in the quiet northern town of [[Paleto Bay]]. While Alexa initially brushed it off as another small-timer, Edward took it seriously. A threat, no matter how small, had to be addressed quickly. Edward and Tony set out immediately, riding in Jim’s old Bugstars van to avoid detection. They knew well enough that anyone worth worrying about would have lookouts.

When they arrived in Paleto, Edward approached the new player—an awkward, uncertain man who introduced himself as [[Damian Morrison]]. What struck Edward most was how out of place Damian looked. Insecure, uncomfortable, and clearly not built for the criminal world—or so Edward thought. Sensing an opportunity to send a message, Edward made a snap decision. Despite Jim’s hesitation, Edward and Tony forcibly kidnapped Damian and stuffed him into the back of the Bugstars van.

They transported him to a back alley on Mutiny Road in La Puerta, a place where lessons were taught and forgotten names were buried. There, with Jim reluctantly present, Edward led a brutal interrogation. He didn’t just want answers—he wanted to break Damian’s confidence. With a big evil smile on his face, he proceeded to waterboard Damian to break him psychologically and repeatedly hit him with a baseball bat. Edward very much enjoyed the torture, which according to him was a way to show his capabilities to his allies and enemies.

At the time, none of them knew who Damian really was. He was just another would-be player trying to carve out space in a city already spoken for. But when Alexa learned what had happened, everything changed. Damian wasn’t just a nobody—he was her brother.

This marked the beginning of a rising conflict within the group. Sensing an opportunity in the situation, Jim chose not to take sides. To Edward, this neutrality was disappointing—he viewed it as weakness, even if their friendship kept him from saying so outright. In his mind, you were either securing power or letting it slip.

Trying a different tactic, Edward approached Damian again. This time, he wore a mask of civility, attempting to rebuild some semblance of a friendly rapport. In truth, Edward’s intentions were purely strategic—he hoped that aligning with Damian could grant him leverage over Alexa. Damian, however, saw straight through the act, but chose to play along, seeing value in the deception.

==== Billy's resurrection ====<!-- The exact time of the resurrection is unknown, but is likely after the [[First Paleto Crisis]]. -->

Around this time, Tony—who had taken over Billy’s construction business—began to falter. Mismanagement led to the collapse of his income streams, and eventually, he left the city altogether. His exit left a gap in mobile support, but it also marked a shift in the syndicate’s dynamic.

Soon after, Edward and Alexa made a bizarre and questionable decision. The two exhumed Billy’s body, which, strangely, had not decomposed—likely due to the alcohol and cigarettes that had preserved him like a pickled relic. They brought his remains to a group of Haitians who performed an obscure ritual on the corpse. To everyone's surprise, it worked. Billy came back.

His resurrection was as chaotic as his life had been. For Edward, however, it was a rare moment of joy. Billy had been more than family—he had been a foundation. Seeing him walk again felt like fate had finally dealt a fair hand. Billy’s return wouldn’t fix the fractures forming in the syndicate, but for Edward, it was a reminder that not everything lost was gone forever.

==== Captain Cash and the Bunker ====
Another problem soon emerged in Paleto Bay: the arrival of [[Gerwin Cash|Captain Cash]]. A former navy captain with an unbreakable will and a stare like steel, Cash joined Damian as both protector and advisor. His military discipline and unwavering moral stance clashed immediately with Edward’s ruthless style. Edward didn’t fear many, but Cash was an outlier—resilient, unreadable, and unmoved by intimidation.

After a short confrontation in Paleto Bay, where Billy had taken a sniper position overlooking the meeting, Edward stepped forward and attempted to pressure the Paletan duo. He barked threats and laid down ultimatums. But none of it landed. Cash’s presence dominated the encounter, silencing Edward with sheer composure. Frustrated and unsatisfied, Billy and Edward left, retreating back to the city with more questions than answers.

But Edward wasn’t done. He and Billy decided to spy on Cash, needing to understand who exactly had entered the playing field. They tracked him back to a hidden bunker deep in [[Raton Canyon]] and installed a series of discreet microphones along the perimeter. While tailing him to the site, something unexpected happened.

A luxury helicopter descended onto the bunker. From it stepped Alexa. Edward and Billy, watching from a hidden vantage point, listened as Alexa confronted Cash. She demanded repayment of a $15 million loan that she had “granted” to Damian. The conversation made one thing clear: Alexa had never been neutral. She was deeply involved, and the loan was never a business transaction—it was protection disguised as debt. What Edward had suspected was now confirmed.

==== The Collapse of the Plan ====
With confirmation that Alexa had secretly backed Damian, Edward began laying the groundwork for a new strategy. He shared his idea with Billy: manipulate Damian into trusting him, then use that relationship to drive a wedge between the siblings. The $15 million loan was the key—Edward would present himself as an ally to Damian, only to later leverage the supposed debt as pressure against Alexa.

But before Edward could execute his carefully laid plan, Billy, in typical fashion, ruined everything. Acting on impulse and without warning, Billy confronted Damian directly and let the entire plan slip. Edward was furious. Weeks of quiet maneuvering undone in seconds because Billy couldn’t keep his mouth shut. His rage was internal controlled, but deep. He said nothing, but he wouldn’t forget.

Damian, for his part, was unimpressed. He saw through Billy’s clumsy approach and rejected the entire idea. The meeting dissolved with nothing gained, and Edward was back to square one.

With options running low, Edward turned to Jim. The two met in private and devised a new plan. It was simple: they would remove Damian from the equation entirely. Edward and Billy would escort him—by diplomacy or minimal force—to a private aircraft, where he would be shipped abroad. Meanwhile, Captain Cash would be dealt with.

The plan was put into motion. But when Edward and Billy arrived to execute it, they didn’t find resistance. Instead, they found Damian stoned, disoriented, and depressed—his uncle, Uncle Dave, had just passed away. The timing was unexpected, but it worked in their favour. With little resistance, they escorted Damian onto the plane.

As the aircraft ascended into the clouds, Edward watched from the runway. No shots fired, no blood spilled. The [[Bay Rebels]] were finished, for now.