Combustion

Plan B

I entered the cop car and immediately got to work. I pulled an iPhone charger out of my pocket and connected one end to the laptop and the other to my phone. I called Flame. "It's connected," I reported. She tapped at her keyboard for about 15 seconds before responding, "I located the files, download is commencing now. Should take 40 seconds to a minute." Just as she said that the laptops screen started moving like clockwork. Different files from different databases were opening, downloading and closing. Warrants, criminal records and witness statements were some of the things I recognized from what I was seeing. I knew our main objective was to get personnel files on specific officers that we would use to our advantage at a later date.

"The shots came from the back, just out of that door," said Charles escorting the officers through the bank. They all had their flashlights out as their protective boots squeaked across the marble floor in the pitch black bank. "There was one person, who I believe was shot, that was on the ground and the other guy was standing over him," he panicked. "My partner was supposed to be doing a scan of the inside of the bank but I haven't seen him since I called you guys," said Charles. The two guards looked at eachother.
"Are there any signs of any break-ins or money missing?" asked one of the officers.
"Not from my knowledge," responded Charles. "I don't think this situation had anything to do with money at all."

They approached the back door and when they opened it they saw an empty alley filled with puddles caused by the rain. "I promise they were here not even 5 minutes ago!" exclaimed Charles. It had actually been about 3 and a half minutes, but who's counting? The officers surveyed the alley, both of them using their flashlights to help assess the situation. There were 3 sets of footprints leading back to the road, the set in the middle weren't as clear as the others. It appeared that for most of the walk he was either dragging his feet or getting carried. The mud helped the officer follow the prints to the street, where they all led to one location where a section of the road wasn't as wet as the pavement around it. The officer assumed  a vehicle must've been there before. One set of  the foot prints went just a few steps in front of where the others stopped to a BMW. The officer pushed the PTT button on his radio and said, "Dispatch I've got an 11-54 across from People's Bank of America headquarters in downtown Southern Hill," the officer shined his light through the window of the car examining its interior carefully, "Can you send a tow truck to come pick it up?" The officer let go of his radio and used his newly freed hand to cup around his eyes as he took a closer look into the car. He didn't see anything unusual.

I caught the beam from the flashlight in my peripheral vision just in time to duck in the seat as the flashlight shined into the patrol car. I swiftly closed the laptop so that it's screen would not illuminate and glow through the windows. The officer hovered the flashlight over the car for a moment then turned to observe the BMW some more then he finally walked back into the alley. I slid back into a comfortable sitting position and resumed what I was doing after I made sure the coast was clear. I opened the laptop back up and the downloads continued like normal.

Plan B was the backup plan that would allow us to kill two birds with one stone. Tonight was supposed to be a simple switch and execute type of stealh mission but we expected Charles' disorder to kick in when dealing with the delivery driver from Jimmy John's so that I would've had the proper amount of time to finish downloading information from their system before he returned. If everything worked out perfectly the guard doesn't get shot, the police aren't alerted and we get away clean. Only, Charles' disorder didn't kick in, a guard did get shot and the police were alerted so now here we are. Atleast, here I am.

Blaze and the guard would've been on the interstate by now, halfway to the safe house. I probably had about twenty more seconds until I could make a get away and join my team. The rain was still pouring and the download seemed to be going slower now that it was closer to the end. The last file began to download as a pair of headlights pulled behind the BMW I drove over here. The lights from the cop car I was in illuminated the decals on the side of the car that just arrived and the word police glowed like a diamond. It was the same cop that had crept behind me the first time. Why was he back?

I soon found out why he was back as a tow truck crept down the street moments behind the cops car. The tow truck backed up in front of the BMW and the driver got out of his truck to connect the hook and chains to the car so it could be taken away. Why in the hell are they towing my car!? I wasn't breaking any laws that I could think of. The lights from the cops car plus the lights of the tow truck combined with the lights of the car I was in made it very visible in our area now as to where just a block ahead it was still pitch black. The blackout would only be active for about another minute or so. I had to get moving.