Flashing lights flood the room from outside.
The room freezes.
Then … chaos.
“Fuck.”
“They’re not supposed to be here yet.What the fuck?”
“Boss?”
The masked men all look toward T, who is unnervingly still.
There’s shouting outside.
“How the fuck did the cops get here so fast?”
The only one who doesn’t seem worried is T.
He speaks low.“The silent alarm must have been triggered.It doesn’t matter.We planned for this.B, you stay up here.Make sure they don’t get in.”
The Hulk grabs Sterling and grits out, “Yes, sir.”
“Stick to the plan,” T says to the others, who are standing by.
The rest of the floor is empty.
Tegan is gone.
T grabs the manager and keeps walking.“Let’s go.”
The rest of the men fall in line, leaving Sterling and me with the Hulk and his jittery friend to watch as they all step into the elevator with the manager.Off to the vault they go.
“Take care of it,” T says before the doors close.
Jitterbug grumbles.“Fuck it.Put them with the older guy T cleared out.We need to get downstairs.”
The guy Sterling punched spits blood onto the floor, forgetting that’ll be evidence or just not caring.“Fuck!Fine.”
We’re dragged to the corridor.There are scuff marks in the carpet and spots of blood that turn my stomach.The walls are lined with financial ads and praise, and the banality only makes this whole situation worse.
I’m readying my feet, turning to the left, where they took everyone else.
We’re pulled to the right.
Oh God.
The door opens, and it’s a relief to see the man from earlier alive.He straightens, surprised as we’re shoved inside.Sterling hits the ground first and catches me.The door slams behind us, and we’re left alone.
I slide down the wall to sit, my shoulder bumping Sterling’s.The other man sits opposite, curious.
“I’m Mia.”
“Hal,” he grunts, his gaze shifting between us.Anxious.
“They hurt you,” I say, keeping my voice gentle.
“It’s fine,” Hal says.His hair is gray at the temples, shaved close to the scalp.Late forties, if I had to guess.“It’ll be over soon,” he murmurs, eyes on the door.“The cops are already outside.”
