Juvenile Heart

Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Armed Robbery

          "You're sure about this . . . ?"  Brian asked as we neared the door.

          I looked at him and sighed while slowly nodding.  The truth was, I wasn't sure.  I didn't know if this was our best option and I didn't know how it was supposed to end.  Things were going to get heated if they didn't listen; I didn't want to end up in prison.  I had a job to do.

          Then, Asher groaned, clearly agitated.  He'd been like this ever since Hector called last night and my eyes zeroed in on him.  He looked overly frustrated and didn't seem like himself.  I was unintentionally growing cautious around him and I didn't like the feeling I got when I looked in his eyes. 

          "Of course she's sure . . .  Let's just do this and get it over with," Asher said impatiently as he pushed us to the door.  I saw his phone light up again and my eyes switched from his face to the phone and back, again.  I didn't know what he was up to, but I knew it couldn't be anything good. 

          "Come on, man.  Let's just go . . . "  I said to Brian and he nodded.

          We made sure for a brief moment that no one has seen us as we walked around the building and opened the front door.  There were a few people inside – an elder lady with a walker, a woman and two of her kids and a younger guy, probably around 30. 

          "Don't move and no one gets hurt . . . "  Asher called out, his voice a robotic tone due to the microphone.  I glanced at Brian who nodded for me to go to the bank teller.  I did so and passed her a note that we'd typed up earlier. 

          If you follow my directions, no one gets hurt.  Nod if you understand. 

          She understood and nodded her head.  Her hazel eyes held nothing but fear and I could tell she hadn't had much trauma in her life.  I shook it off and focused on the task at hand, passing her another note. 

          Keep your hands above the level of the table and don't speak a word.  If you do, I won't be afraid to shoot you. 

          She listened and set her hands on the top of the table; I could see her blond hair shaking with the rest of her body.  She took the next note I passed her into her trembling hands and read to herself in her head. 

          Go to the back and open the vault, then I want you out of my way. 

         She was shaking horribly by now that she couldn't even hold the piece of paper still enough to read it.  I read her nametag; Penelope was what it said.  I closed my eyes for a brief moment and followed her to the back.  She opened the vault and then stared to walk away. 

          "Just listen to them and you won't get hurt . . . "  I said to her before she had a chance to get too far out of my sight.

          "I-I have a dau-daughter . . . "  She said, visibly shaking, "S-she's three months old." 

          "I understand that . . .  Just listen to them and you can go home tonight without being harmed," I told her.  

          My voice was disguised to sound like a deep male voice thanks to the microphone.  She nodded and went to the front and I gripped the bags a little tighter in my hands.  Walking around the vault door, I headed inside and stopped before kneeling. 

          Once I was on both of my knees, I unzipped one of the bags and grabbed out a small plastic sandwich bag.  I knew they had die packs on a few of these, and if you knew what you were looking for, you knew which ones they were.  I started piling them into the bags when I stopped at a seal that had a small red dot on it.