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ocated back in the corner. But other than that, there wasn anything significant. If it wasn available it wasn problematic.

We reached the top of the stairs. We looked around. About six or seven steps short of the top you had a hidden view of all the rooms. Sure enough I saw Duke, Bishop, and Knight. They were all waiting, and with the two of us approaching that meant our six man crew was only short one, Don.

I walked in the room first and Hype was on my tail. Knight was leaning against the wall to the far end of the room, arms crossed, and eyes closed. Duke and Bishop were sitting at the table; we took our seats next to them but across from one another. The only sound in the room was the ticking of Bishops watch. It was about three minutes il.

…

Our attention was drawn to the wall as the projector came on abruptly. The loading screen didn take long to up and vanish. The previous screen was replaced with an image of a bank.

”This, gentlemen, is the Metro City Bank. As Im sure you
e all aware its about three cities over, ” Don spoke calmly as he stepped inside and continued to close the door. He looked over at Bishop and gave a nod. Unuttered but understood, Bishop turned around and began pulling the strings to all the blinds. ”It holds more or less twenty mill. And if we pull this off well be looking at $3.3 hundred thousand each. We
e not cleaning it out, just enough for each of us to carry. ”

He swiped left on his phone and the next slide showed. The interior layouts as well as the blueprints appeared side by side.

I sat back, taking everything in like a wet sponge. In this business knowledge was power. To miss anything could mean losing everything from the money to our lives, and our success was evident.

”There are four guards posted during the day, but by night security is practically tripled. Our best shot, take it by force in the middle of the day. ” Don spoke calmly.

”Tactfully, or brass blazin, ” Duke inquired.

”Tactfully. We don want any unnecessary risks. If we can avoid firing, we might have an more time to get away. Refrain from drawing any unnecessary attention. ”

He slid left on his phone again and the screen changed. Before our eyes was an image of our objective from a central view. As if it was taken in the middle of the bank, with a 360 view of the surrounding. As he continued to rotate every angle he pointed out everything: camera locations, entries, exits, and suspected panic button vicinities.

…

”So what exactly did you have in mind, ” questioned Knight.

”Execute sedation through the ventilation system. Load the A/C unit with nitrous oxide. During the right time of day combined with an accretion of the heat, we could hasten the process. Once everyone is inhibited, we step in, empty the tellers stations, and force someone to let us in the safe— ”

My mind started racing. I was taking everything in just as fast as I could come up with deficiencies. This entire plan was jeopardy. Are we supposed to let everything air out before charging in? Or we are going in through the mist of it all? If we are, any kind of malfunction could happen: gas masks, a smoke detection system, even the fact that a bystander walking by witnessing random bodies lying, and etcetera.

”What if, just hear me out, we go in a different way. Almost as if it were misleading, like a divergence? ” I spoke up without thinking about what I had just done. It was my first time speaking up in one of our meetings. I shouldn have interrupted, especially while Don (of all people) was talking.

”Who…gave you permission to speak?! You lil disrespectful bitch, ” Duke stood up as vehemently as his voice gave off. His seat toppled over as his palms came slamming onto the table top, it tremored beneath his force. Duke was practically towering, leaning over half the table. His fists clenched, the right was drawn back and struck the table with such speed and rabidity. We weren half an arms span from him. I could feel Hype next to me flustered, and probably quivering.

My heart skipped a beat. I wasn expecting such a reaction. But I wasn anticipating such an outrage. I remained unmoved, tranquil. My composure was tangible, and my face reflected it. My posture unaffected, my head still, but my eyes were glaring up. The aloof was etched on my face, and Im sure my nonchalant attitude irritated him. ”Are you done? ”

That did it.

With unreal speed, Dukes left hand gripped my collar and forced me up out my seat. He jerked me towards him. My thighs took the impact of colliding with the table as he continued to reel me closer. I could feel my toes suspended a few inches above the carpet.

”DUKE! ”

And with the sound of Dons domineering voice filling the room, any and all hints of hostility ceased. The malice in the atmosphere disappeared, and Duke lowered me to the ground and let go of my collar. His scowl never coalesced as he half squatted and reached behind him for his chair. He sat it back on all four a little more abrasively than necessary, and took his seat.

I remained standing and straightened out my shirt, fixing the fresh dinginess bestowed upon me.

”You had some to say, Ayden? ” There was something about the way Don said it. Even from halfway across the room, his words still sent chills trembling down my spine. His eyes were frigid and emotionless, piercing through me. I knew whatever left my lips better not had been a waste of time. I had to think of something to say that would prove of importance for interrupting our brief.

”As I was saying before, your plan, ” I fumbled for the right words. ”Had too many X-factors, anything that could go wrong, and if it did… It would be a domino effect. But, what if we could go about the heist and leave everyone left astray all together. Get out completely undetected, like hiding in plain sight. ” As the words were leaving my lips, the plan was forming.

Dons face settled. I had everyones attention. Great. Now all I needed a plan that would minimize any risk. I thought hard thinking of what to say next, preparing for the question coming.

”So, what would you propose? ”