September 15th, 1997.
At a warehouse at the same place where Lusty became an armed guard.
“If you all don’t mind me asking?” asked Lusty, “But what are we doing today?”
Someone replied, “First we’re heading to the Federal Reserve to get some cash and head to several banks owned by Fortune Financial to drop off the new dollar bills. The Little Bird Bureau of Treasury printed some money to replace the 1983 series bills which were supposed to be taken out of circulation in 1991 but stayed in circulation for another eight years. It’ll be a milk run.”
Lusty went over to the armory and got her pistol and shotgun. She also had to sign for it so they could know who had what. She was also given a box of twelve-gauge buckshot ammo and a box of .45 rounds. Of course she had to hand load them because they didn’t want to be responsible for giving someone a loaded gun and soon the police showed up because of a barricaded suspect situation.
***
In the armored car.
“So Lusty, what do you know about the city of Empire?” asked the driver.
Lusty replied, “Besides being born and raised here. I can tell you that there are more criminals in this city than in prison. I can tell you that.”
After half an hour they arrived at the Little Bird Federal Reserve in Downtown, Empire.
They had to show their ID cards to enter but before they could go down to get the money they had to stop at a checkpoint. Lusty had to leave her pistol and shotgun until they came to get what they came to get.
When they got to the basement. Lusty whistled when she saw several stacks of gold.
They had several money bags full of money.
“How much money is in these few bags?” asked the driver.
The Federal Reserve Guard replied, “Two hundred thirty-eight thousand five hundred and fifty-seven hundred. Probably shouldn’t have said it but it's too late now and I thought all of you should know if all of you weren’t told.”
They put the money in the back of the armored car and Lusty got into the back and closed the doors and went to the main banks and saved for the central bank for Fortune Financial that’s on the district line for Uptown and Downtown.
Lusty stood guard at each one until the delivery was complete at each one. She noticed a vehicle following them but she didn’t say anything because the make, model, and color are common and it was a 1965 Wasp Air four-door coupe (1965 Chevrolet Bel Air) with a blue color after each delivery it had a different license plate. So Lusty’s radar didn’t think they were actually being followed.
Only Lusty stood outside during the deliveries while the driver who never left the armored car since leaving the Federal Reserve only had the passenger go out to bring the money into the banks and come back.
While heading to the big bank. Lusty had a gut feeling so she grabbed the emergency phone.
“Dispatch this is Armor Car FF-812,” said Lusty, “We’re being followed by a car with the same individuals inside and they have been following us for the past two hours and a half. Requesting a patrol to come to us. We’re currently southbound on Flurry Street in the Eastside.”
The dispatcher told her to have the driver continue to the bank they were heading to next on the Uptown-Downtown District line. So they did until they drove through an intersection and got rammed by a truck.
“Going to call it in,” said the second guard.
The guard next to the driver pressed the panic button and grabbed the radio. Before the second guard could radio in that a truck or a heavy-duty vehicle rammed them there was a gunshot.
Lusty heard the gunshot and the driver's side door opened so she checked and saw that the driver was getting out and saw the other guard dead. Lusty picked up her shotgun and grabbed the phone she had in the back with her and radioed it into the dispatcher. The dispatcher told Lusty that police support is on the way with an ETA of three and a half minutes for a local patrol and nine and a half minutes for a Special Weapons And Emergency Service Unit (mix of a SWAT team and an ESU team).
Until then Lusty was alone. When the armored car backdoors opened Lusty got shot at but the bullet missed. Lusty fired back and her shotgun didn’t miss. But some robbers were able to get a bag of money but she was able to scare them off and they ran into a bank so Lusty radioed that robbers had gone into another bank, the Bank of Empire.
What to do, Lusty thought, Stay here so either the bank can get robbed and someone could get hurt or follow the Little Bird Good Samaritan Act of 1940 and 1948. Fuck it.
Lusty decided to intervene even though she was not a police officer. She waited by the back door in the alleyway.
After some time the police did come but they thought that Lusty was a criminal even though she tried to explain what happened the arresting officer pulled the “You can explain it down at the precinct” card. Even though Lusty knew that the cop was doing his job he didn’t seem interested in hearing what Lusty had to say and he didn’t care and just said that her story doesn’t add up.
Lusty was given one phone call though she should’ve called a lawyer. Lusty sees lawyers as “money-hungry parasites” because the few lawyers she has seen in reality and could tell that they’re only doing it for the money they’ll get. Lusty decided to call Firefighter James Smith even though he’s still reeling from the loss of his only son.
Firefighter James Smith did come down to the Ninth Precinct but he had to wait to talk to the desk sergeant. When he did get a chance to talk to the desk sergeant the desk sergeant told him that Claire Johnson is currently under investigation and won’t be released and not seeing anyone. The desk sergeant also told him that a patrol found her holding a twelve-gauge eight-shell magazine tube pump action shotgun and a seven-shot Phoenix Pistol (M1911A1) with a hair trigger, match grade tube with hollow pointed rounds.
“They’re called ‘Armed Guards’ for a reason,” said James Smith, “She also didn’t break any law and she is protected by the Little Bird Good Samaritan Law of 1940 and 1948 because she intervened and tried to stop a crime. Also, it’s uncommon for people to have side jobs. Also, I wonder what the FDE would look or say when they read a report from the EPD about them arresting an off-duty firefighter who was working on her side job and got arrested for trying to help others. I highly doubt it would be something good. I want to say they’ll say something bad.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Firefighter James Smith wasn't wrong a lot of firefighters in the city of Empire and across the country of Little Bird have side jobs like being Babysitters, Baristas, Fast food, Lawn mowers, landscapers, Retail, Shelf stockers, Scuba instructors, Security Guards, Parking lot attendants, crossing guards, bakers, chefs, delivery drivers, just to name a few so they can have something to do on their days off instead of sitting around their house or apartment.
Firefighter James Smith left the police precinct but he noticed a group of people outside across the street he cautiously asked who they were. They told him that they were old neighbors of Lusty. He told them that he is her coworker but if they are there to get her out or to bail her out then it’s not going to happen.
Some 1960s EPD Patrol Cars, Slicktop patrol cars, 1967-1971 Buckliner Muscle (Dodge Charger) patrol cars, and a 1967 SUV came by to park on the inside of the three-foot-tall, two-inch wide cement wall but has an opening so police vehicles and people can come and go with ease.
Firefighter James Smith went and got Firefighters Eddie, David Nygumn, Michael Sullivan, Engineer John Ramirez, and Lieutenant Autumn.
Lieutenant Autumn wanted to just go in and break Lusty out but he remembered he’s not a special forces soldier and well they’ll get Lusty out one way or another. They thought about how they could get her out for about a couple of hours.
When two hours did pass the front door of the Ninth precinct opened and it was Lusty who was released due to the robbers being apprehended in the bank. Captain Asyling reprimanded the officer who arrested Lusty because she radioed in about the armored car robbery and tried to stop it.
***
Lusty went back to where she was at with the four warehouses and she checked in her shotgun and pistol which the Empire Police had to give back. Lusty turned the weapons back in.
“Here is your check,” said the man.
“Check?” asked Lusty.
The man replied, “Your biweekly paycheck.”
“I just feel like a dumbass now,” said Lusty. “I thought I was getting billed for the damage to the armored car.”
The man replied, “No that gets paid from Fortune Financial because it’s their armored car and they just outsourced their armored car security for them to us. But we think it’s an inside job though. You're not the first to report on being followed and robbed before reaching the final bank.”
Lusty then went to the bank where she had both a savings and checking account at The Bank of Empire.
While she was standing in line with the paycheck in her pocket. Ugh elevator music, how can someone work eight to twelve hours just listening to cheesy elevator music that dates back to the 1890s, and if they don’t hurry up I think the elevator music is going to give me a headache.
Lusty started to tap her right foot because she was getting bored.
A car soon crashed into the bank with the fuel line punctured and leaking fuel. Lusty ran over because her training kicked in so she ran over to the car.
“Ma’am can you hear me?” asked Lusty.
Lusty reached into the car and turned it off the car because while it’s currently stuck she fears that it could get itself unstuck and either crash into something else or hit someone.
The woman driving the car didn’t respond but she fell backwards against the seat and closed her eyes. Lusty checked that she still has a pulse but she isn’t breathing. Lusty then sees that the woman is pregnant.
She probably suffering from Pre-eclampsia, Lusty thought, Looks like part of her leg is broken as well probably could make a homemade splint.
Lusty was able to get the driver's door opened and bring the woman out and after a quick search, she got two pike poles and two blankets.
Guess she went up in the mountains to go skiing, Lusty thought, And with two blankets guess it was pretty cold up there.
Lusty made a homemade splint. Lusty even though not having any breathing gear on her but didn’t stop her from giving air to the woman by giving her mouth-to-mouth without doing CPR. Lusty did it for a few minutes until an ambulance came to take the woman to the hospital and a tow truck came to get the car.
At the counter.
“Can’t believe you went to help someone you probably don’t know,” said the bank teller.
Lusty replied, “It’s my job. I’m a firefighter. I got to help and save everyone from infants, children, men, women, transgender, non-binary, drug dealers, drug abusers, drug addicts, alcohol addicts, drunks, housewives, househusbands, blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, pink-collar workers, dumbasses, politicians, people who try to commit suicide, scumbags, dregs of society. You name it.”
“Must be a thrilling job,” said the bank teller, “So how can I help you?”
Lusty replied, “It is. I’m here to deposit this check. I want to split half of it with half going into my checking account and the other half going into my savings account.”
The bank teller did. Lusty also thought for a minute until she decided to do so and that was she decided to open up a 401k account because with three jobs she decided her paycheck from the Fire Department City of Empire will go into her checking account, her pay when she plays at clubs will go into her 401k account and her job as an armed guard will go into her savings account.
Lusty also took a brochure from the desk the brochure says that she can create a side-off bank account for a child or children and she can put up to nine hundred thousand dollars into it if she has a child regardless of gender can withdrawal the money tax-free and the Bureau of Treasury and the Tax Bureau (more or less like the IRS) can’t touch one cent of it.
Lusty decided to ask another bank worker about it and the bank worker told her that a lot of parents open one so that when their kid or kids become eighteen then they can help their kids by getting a jumpstart on life. She was now informed about something she didn’t even know about.
***
Back home in her apartment.
Lusty entered the room that she soundproofed. She picked up her guitar and strummed a few strings.
“Well, I was cruising down Route 105 in my muscle car feeling might slick,” Lusty sang, The radio screamed, the rhythm of the road like a fevered dream. Come on, let's twist and shout, Rock and roll, we can’t live without Guitar wailing, drums banding. We hit the dance floor dressed in style.
“A wild-eyed rebel with a crooked smile, the girls were grooving their skirts so short, the beat got hot we were ready to court. Come on, let’s twist and shout, Rock and roll we can’t live without. Guitiar’s wailing, drums banging. Electric guitars they’re screaming loud, and the crowd goes wild they’re a funky crowd. The stage is shaking, the amps are roaring. Rock and Roll we’re never boring.
“The spotlight’s on us, we’re the kings of the night. Our music’s rebellious, it’s a wild delight. The world is changing, we’re breaking the mold, Rock and roll fever it never gets old. Come on let’s twist and shout, Rock and roll, we can’t live without, Guitar’s wailing, drums are banging. As the night fades away we’ll keep on rocking. Our legacy forever unlocking so let’s raise our glasses, we’ll never be done, rock and roll forever on the run!”
Lusty went over to her blue spiral notebook and wrote down the song in a red ballpoint pen (the pen looks like a Bic Cristal ballpoint pen). Doesn’t help she “borrowed” it from Lieutenant Marcus/Lieutenant Autumn’s office.
Lusty looked at a case with thin glass which has war trophies from World War Two that her granddad, and granduncles collected across North Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. In the case is a golden pocket watch, a cigarette case, a pen from the reception desk from a hotel in Aachen, a German flask, a P08 pistol, a Type 14 pistol, the pin of a Mk 2 Grenade, Modello 1935 pistol, a German Seitengewehr 42 knife, and an Italian pugnale da paracadutista assaltatore mod. 1939 knife.
Lusty kept it hidden because she didn’t want Zofia to take it and in her soundproof room it has a lot of privacy that nobody will know it’s there. Lusty then went over to her desk which had a desk pad and she decided to balance her checkbook and pay the utilities and her car insurance.
Probably could give this place a renovation or have it repainted, Lusty thought, I like the Parquet flooring, granite countertops, walk-in closet, towel warmers, leather sofa seat, and other modern stuff as well as modern that goes up to the 1960s. I think this place would go nicely with a shade of blue or a blue-like color.
Lusty called a few places to get a cost estimate after she got her landlord’s approval to change the place how she wants. She told the three different companies that her budget is $1500. But after she got three different estimates from five hundred dollars, eight hundred and fifty dollars, and twelve hundred she decided to go for the second company because the guy who’s the owner gave off a vibe that they’ll get the job done and that the people would get it done.
For a few weeks, she stayed at a motel and ate mostly fast food like cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, chicken tenders, chicken breasts, potato wedges, mac and cheese, dinner rolls, and chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cakes. Sometimes she would get pizza but not a lot but mostly meat and chicken though.
Her apartment's overall style is ultra-modern, and had a bar in which she thought about putting some alcohol onto them but didn't because the drinking age in Little Bird is nineteen. But she didn’t know what kind of alcohol to get. She also reminded herself she had no reason to drink alcohol.