Beware of the Neighborhood.

24 - Plan will work...or not

"...and you're definitely sure this'll work?" Kevin asked me for the 15th time.

"It has to! Even if it doesn't...well...we got no other option. Do you think we can back out?" I whispered.

"Don't you think its bit late for that?" Kevin muttered under his breath, looking around.

We were hiding behind the staircase since the last 15 minutes. I was shivering; it seemed as if my senses were slowly returning.

Up in the attic I had told Kevin about the whole plan. "That's not going to work" Kevin had said.

"We'll make it work" I had retorted.

"But Ashley, it's so insane! That's probably the worst idea you ever had. It's so extreme I can't even describe how extreme that is" he said, looking shaken.

"Don't you wanna stop this Kev? Don't you wanna put an end to this?"

"Yes I do, but the stakes are too high, Ashley. It's risky and dangerous not to mention downright insane, besides it may not even work...as in, At all!"

"Well guess what? It's a risk, we ought to take. And we can always improvise" I replied sounding more confident than I actually felt.

Of course Kevin was right. This was insane. But it was already 4;30 in the morning and the other two guards would be here any minute. And once Dexter returned from wherever he had gone, things would spin out of control at a rapid pace.

Kevin looked at me as if he could read my thoughts, then said, "C'mon, do you think Dexter would be that careless"

"Overconfidence has its price. Its time he pays it" I said, with hatred clear in my voice.

Kevin didn't say anything, rather just shook his head doubtfully.

"I know it's crazy but it's our only shot." I said, slowly moving towards him, placing my hand gently on his.

"You've made up your mind, haven't you?" he asked looking up at me.

"If you got a better plan, I am all ears!"

"Let's go for it then" Kevin had said getting up and that was all.

I was pretty determined at the time, but now crouching behind the staircase since last 15 minutes had sowed the seed of doubt in my mind.

I swallowed, my throat was still pretty dry, I needed water but this wasn't the time. The thing was that by the time we were prepared it was almost 4; 45 am in the morning, we climbed down from the attic slowly and as Lohan was on the rounds we hid behind the stairs waiting for the other two – Ralph and Ian – to arrive. We saw Lohan give a final check and then there was a loud click as all the doors and windows unlocked and seconds later the back door opened and Ralph and Ian walked in. The two of them together looked like pigs in uniform. They both were alike in terms of the close cropped hair, the upturned nose, the broad chest and the way they held themselves. We saw Lohan lightly stepping on the mat in front of the library door, which activated the lock down switch and sure enough there was another snapping and clicking noise as all windows and both, the front and the back door were electronically locked.

Lohan approached them and Kevin and I pressed leaned back against the wall, trying to hide in the shadows. Kevin peered out slowly, watching Lohan muttering something angrily to them, which we couldn't hear. They looked around for a several moments and Kevin ducked out of sight quickly.

Then after a moment the three of them headed into the library and we heard their footsteps fade as they went down the flight of stairs where I had met Dexter when I entered.