Girls Just Want To Have Fun | Robin Buckley

operation child endangerment

July 2, 1985

The group had spent the majority of the afternoon perfecting their plan. Erica was going to climb through the vents into the room. The rest of the group would wait on the roof while they were in radio contact with Erica. Once they'd confirmed that none of the guards were wandering around Erica would press the button to open the door and they would all go inside and shut the door behind them. After that the hard part was done and they just had to look through the crates to find out what the Russians had before carefully sneaking back out so the Russians would never know they were there.

Dustin had made Erica a sort of helmet for her to use in the vent. It was a bike helmet with two  flashlights with brand new batteries that were taped to both sides. Dustin had let Erica borrow his earpiece that had a microphone attached to it so Erica wouldn't have to carry a radio with her through the vents. Erica had also gotten elbow pads and knee pads to make it easier for her to move through the tunnel.

"Erica, do you copy?" Robin asked into the radio. Erica was the only one still inside, and the mall had closed almost an hour ago. There weren't any Russian guards in sight, and Jill hoped it remained that way.

"Mhm. I copy. You nerds in position or what?" Erica answered.

"Yeah, we're in position. It's all quiet here so you've got the green light."

Dustin had taken his binoculars with him to the roof and was scanning the area below them for any signs of Russians. Steve and Jill were looking as well, just without binoculars.

"Green light. Roger that. Commence operation Child Endangerment."

"Can we maybe not call it that?" Robin asked.

Erica ignored her. "See you on the other side, nerds."

They all sat in silence on the roof and waited. Normally Jill would have tried to make some sort of joke to lighten the mood but she was too nervous to start joking around. She was also glad that it wasn't raining like it had been the night before.

After not even five minutes Erica's voice came back on over the radio. "Alright, nerds. I'm there."

"D-do you see anything?" Robin asked, the anxiety in her voice clear.

"Yeah, I see those boring boxes you're so excited about."

"Any guards?"

"Negative."

"Booby traps?"

"If I could see them they'd be pretty shit traps. Wouldn't they?"

Jill let out a small laugh at that. Steve turned and gave her a look and she just smiled and shrugged.

"Thank you for that."

"I'm in."

"Oh god," Steve muttered. Jill looked over the side of the roof as the door opened and Erica walked out.

"Free ice cream. For life," Erica called to them. Robin smiled and shook her head. The group stood up and made their way to the ground where Erica was.

They entered the building and began to look around at the numerous shelves and crates everywhere. Steve pulled out a pocket knife and slit open the top of an Imperial Panda box. They all gathered around him as he pulled the flaps of the box open. Jill peered inside and saw a metal looking crate inside. It had a metal handle on the top of it and looked closed. Steve reached into the box and turned the handle. It opened with ease to reveal four more handles that looked the same but smaller.

"What the hell?" Jill asked as the crate seemed to steam/

"That's definitely not Chinese food," Steve observed. He put the lid down on another box and reached in to turn one of the smaller handles. He motioned for them to back up. "Uh, maybe you guys should, y'know stand back."