Aiden checks the ammo and the safety and stands at the ready.
In situations like this, I’m normally a wreck. But this time, I’m filled with an iron resolve. Maybe it’s because Aiden is here. I have more to fight for. Or maybe it’s because I know how we’ll escape. And this means my journey home can finally start.
We both peer through the portholes at the approaching people. They’ve gathered outside the bank, taking defensive positions behind cars and cement columns.
A tall man with short, platinum-blond hair shouts out. “Come out, Aiden. If you both head out with your hands up, we won’t kill you or your friend in there.” He has some accent I can’t place.
“Screw that,” I say to Aiden, but he doesn’t hear me. He’s staring out the porthole, and his face has gone pale. He looks as if he’s seen a ghost.
He turns to me, deadly serious. “We have to go.Now. Is there another way out?”
“Yeah, but let’s give them something to worry about first.” I pull the Wilson wires descending from the ceiling. The sound of gunfire fills Main Street, and the people outside scatter. They’re yelling and shooting at the decoy buildings. I tug on the wires again, and more gunfire erupts. Then a third time. Three shots are all the guns hold.
Aiden stares at me with widened eyes. “Wow. Just wow.” A smile cracks through his otherwise drawn expression.
“Okay, let’s head to the vault.” I start back and gesture for him to follow.
Bullets strike the steel sheets on the windows. They make large welts in the metal, and one bullet finds its way through and hits the teller’s desk.
“Holy crap. What kind of weapons do they have?” I glare at Aiden. He shakes his head and shrugs.
We make our way to the vault. As I reach to close the massive circular door, Aiden grabs me by the shoulder.
“With that kind of firepower, it won’t take them long to get into the lobby.”
I nod. “Hopefully, the vault door will hold them off longer. We only need a little time.”
“What do you have planned?” The worry on his face is plain to see.
“I got this.” My smile is all confidence, but Aiden doesn’t seem too reassured.
Two fully loaded hiking backpacks sit in the corner of the vault. I spent the entire morning preparing them as I formulated a thorough checklist of items to pack. Going through the list was my therapy after Aiden left me. I kept telling myself it was useless and he wasn’t coming back. But I’m glad I didn’t listen to that voice in my head.
I take one and hand the other to Aiden. “Here you go. This is much better than what I gave you last night.”
Aiden takes it and shakes his head. “You knew I was coming back, didn’t you? I guess I underestimated you.”
I flash him a smile. “Yep, you did. Don’t do it again.”
I hand an old Casio watch to Aiden. “Here, this shows the date, time, and has a compass. And the batteries last forever. I have one just like it.” I point to the one on my wrist.
Aiden takes it and laughs. “Are our watches synchronized?”
I wrinkle my brow at his laughter. “Maybe.”
From beyond the vault door comes the sound of shattering wood and the front door slamming open.
“Here, help me with this.” I grab a crowbar and head to a large steel plate lying on the ground.
I wedge the crowbar under the plate, raising it about an inch. “Okay, now, let’s both get our hands under it.”
We lift the thick, heavy plate with all our might. Once it’s lifted, I prop it up with a piece of rebar. A little divot on the floor and in the plate holds the rebar in place. Beneath the plate, a tunnel heads down into darkness.
Aiden smiles. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“Into the garbage chute flyboy,” I say.
Aden shakes his head and laughs. “Okay, princess.”
