24 Hours

4:00 a.m.

Every muscle in my body went still. My heart thumped in my chest, so loudly that I feared Mrs. Mayhad would hear it. I held my breath to offset any potential noise. My eyes stayed on the glowing light until it had disappeared down the stairs. Her shuffling footsteps faded into the darkness. All of the air I had been holding in escaped my lungs in a rush. That was way, way too close.

"Why is she up?" Calico whispered. It concerned me that Calico was asking this question. She always carried herself like she was in control of the situation. The thought that she was just as clueless as I was unsettling.

"Not sure," Cougar said. "Probably just getting some water." I could hear the tension in his voice, which led me to believe that he was more concerned than he let on.

"Should we go now?" I asked.

Instead of replying, Cougar peeked his head around the corner.

"At least it's not Mr. Mayhad," Calico said.

"True, but she still could go upstairs and wake him."

"But is this really an issue now that we have what we came for?" Calico pressed.

Cougar gave her an annoyed glance. "We need to follow Raven's instructions. He usually knows what's best."

"Usually," Calico emphasized. "Not one-hundred percent of the time."

"If we can get out of here undetected, don't you think it will be an asset to us?" Cougar snapped.

I could hear rustling downstairs. A light was flicked on, scattering the darkness on the walls. I peered around the corner of the staircase. I craned my neck to see past the front entrance. My eyes fell on Mrs. Mayhad in the kitchen, as she fumbled through a cupboard.

"She doesn't appear to be leaving the kitchen anytime soon," I murmured.

The others stopped bickering and peered over my head, since they were both at least half a foot taller.

The stairs above creaked.

"Oh no," Cougar breathed. He grabbed the back of my blazer and forced me behind the wall. I almost chided him for being rough with my designer jacket, but stopped myself. Mr. Mayhad passed by, feet thumping on the stairs.

"Now what do we do?" Calico whispered fiercely.

"There's got to be something..." Cougar said.

"Maybe a window?" I suggested. The other two didn't so much as glance my way.

"We just need to get this box to the car," Calico said. Her eyes fell on me. "Hmm, maybe you're right."

My eyes popped open. Me? Right? That's a first.

"Yeah, I'll open a window, and you'll climb down through a tree. Then you can put the box to the car."

I suddenly wasn't so keen on this plan afterall. The thought of heights made me queasy. And besides, how could I possibly climb down a tree holding a box in hand?

"That actually works out perfectly," Cougar said. "Good idea, team."

Something about him calling me a part of his 'team' made me shiver. I didn't want anything to do with these criminals, much less 'be on their team.'

"But what about you?" I protested.

"It's not us we're concerned about," Cougar countered.

"You keep an eye on the Mayhads, I'll open the window for Jordan," Calico said. Cougar nodded and returned to his perch.