Dots

Thirteen

It took a total of 13 seconds for everything to go to shit.

Maura just had to open her big mouth and Dave just had to be an asshole about it. That's just the way they were though and it's a wonder that I made it this far with them. I'd only realised that having the two of them together was a bad idea when it was already too late. We were already in the vault, pulling the biggest heist of our careers. We'd spent months planning and it still strikes me that Maura and Dave didn't fight throughout that time. It was as if the adrenaline of a job brought out the worst in them and that became apparent when we'd snuck in undetected and were trying to get back out.

"Dave did you disable the motion sensors?" Maura whispered to Dave.
Dave rolled his eyes.
"No Maura, I didn't disable the sensors," Dave replied sarcastically. Maura, however, seemed not to catch onto the sarcasm and passed a scowl to Dave.
"You better be fucking with me Dave because it was your one important job," Maura whispered, more aggressively this time. Dave turned to Maura and his left eye twitched.
"Listen here you sack of -"
"Both of you shut up!" I reprimanded cutting off Dave's, no doubt, vulgar comment and turning to give them a stern look. Dave and Maura stopped arguing but both seethed. The tension was thick but at least they were both keeping quiet. I checked the blueprints and then glanced at my wristwatch. We were almost out, just one corner and we'd be rich.
There was a noise from around the corner and the three of us abruptly stopped. A flashlight beam came from around the corner, followed by the sound of a flushing toilet. I swore to myself in my head. No guard was suppose to be patrolling this area but I hadn't counted on one of them needing to use the bathroom opposite our escape route. The three of stood frozen and in our state of shock we didn't have time to hide as the guard rounded the corner.
I was so sure we were done for.
But the guard didn't shine his light in our direction and didn't notice the three figures shadowed by the darkness.
I held my breath until he'd completely disappeared.
It was too close of a call.
I decided to rush to get out and in less than the time I'd originally planned, the three of us were out the escape route and into the van we'd stolen for this job.
Maura and Dave celebrated as we piled into the van but I stayed silent, a bad feeling tugging at me.
Dave took the wheel and I sat in the passenger seat with Maura at the back.
We drove and we made it quite far before Maura couldn't hold it in anymore.
"I can't believe we just pulled this off! And with an idiot like Dave tagging along!"
Dave's knuckles went white on the wheel.
"One more word from your mouth Maura and I swear to god I'll kill you," Dave threatened. Maura laughed and rolled her eyes.
"Please, you're such a sissy you won't even land a shot,"Maura stated casually, almost as if she was looking for a fight.

There was a split second of silence.

The next series of events happened in rapid succession in the span of 13 seconds.
Dave pulled out his gun and pointed it at Maura then fired before I could stop him.
I grabbed the gun from Dave.
The gun misfired into his eye as I grabbed it.
The van swerved out of control.
I grabbed the wheel and noticed the blue and reds light flashing in the rearview mirror.
It only took 13 seconds for all of that to occur and for me to finally hit the brakes.

So imagine you're a cop who sees a van swerving out of control and hears the sound of gunshots.
Imagine you follow the car until it abruptly stops.
Imagine you find two dead bodies in the van, a gun wielding murderer in the passenger seat and a near priceless artifact from the museum, stained in blood at the back of the van. I suppose it wouldn't look good.

And it only took 13 seconds for everything to go to shit.