My client and I walked around looking for a couple of books at Code Zero Bookstore for her to get for her upcoming birthday. We hadn't been there for very long when I got a gut feeling there was something wrong. I saw a couple of men standing near the exits watching as people walked through the rows of bookshelves. "Maya. We need to leave."
"Why?" she asked not looking away from the shelf in front of her.
"It's an emergency," due to her autism I knew that nothing else would get through so I grabbed her hand and started pulling her towards the door. We had only made it a few steps when a gunshot echoed through the room.
"Everyone on the ground now," I pulled Maya down with me as the men that were posted at the doors made their way into the building, all of them carrying guns. The men made their way through the building herding us towards where the study rooms were. "Everyone drop their phones in the basket. Don't try to play hero, don't call 911, we will shoot you and leave you to bleed out before you get the chance. If you don't believe me, try it."
Quickly I tucked my work phone into my bra until I could figure out a way to call 911. I hugged my personal phone to my chest, my hands shaking, as the two of the men walked around the group collecting everyone's phones. I kept an eye on my client sitting beside me, trying to watch for any of her signs to indicate she might go into a manic episode. Her fingers thumped quickly against her leg as she toyed with her phone but she looked like she was remaining reasonably calm. When one of them stopped in front of me I got Maya's attention. "Maya I need your phone."
"Phone?"
"Yes, phone let me have it." Maya handed me her phone and I dropped both of them into the basket. I let my gaze run across the people around me noticing the young lady beside looked like she was about to faint. I started to think of a way to get the police here. Tapping her arm to grab her attention I shifted a bit closer, "I need you to pretend to faint for me."
"What?" She asked looking at me in bewilderment.
"Pretend to faint after they finish collecting the phones, I'll try to convince them to let me take you into the bathroom." The woman just nodded at me instead of replying, giving me a bit of a strange look. I looked back towards the men that stood at the entrance of the study room trying to listen to their conversation.
"I hope..... right man because if not then..... with us in jail."
"Calm down. We cut..... feed, no one.... phone, we will find the money and haul ass....... suspects anything. Anything useful....... could use to identify..... covered. So cool your shit." I wasn't very close to them so I could only hear about half of what they were saying. It was a little frustrating but better than nothing. Feeling a light tap against my hand I glanced over at the woman beside me who gave me a soft nod before she rolled her eyes up and hit the ground with a solid thud. I mentally winced when she hit her head harder than she probably meant to but it did its job. Three of the men started walking towards us as the man that was sitting beside the woman scrambled closer in shock.
"Lexi?" He gasped, gripping her shoulder and trying to shake her awake.
"Here roll her into her back, let me make sure she's alright." I quickly tapped the nurse training, trying to make it as believable as possible and to make sure she didn't actually hurt herself.
"What's going on?" A gruff voice spoke over me. Glancing up I saw one of the men standing directly behind me and one other behind him. I wasn't sure where the third one had gone.
"She fainted. Will you let me take her into the bathroom, please? I'm a nurse, and I need to check her head, make sure she's not severely injured," I stumbled through my words, my hands shaking in fear as he glared at me, "please I'm begging you. There's nothing I can do from the bathroom just let me make sure she's alright."
