The hardest part began.

Waiting.

At that moment, all we could do was sit and wait, hoping that no one would decide to do something stupid. From the vault’s door we could hear the noise from Geezer's equipment as he tried to break into the room holding twenty million dollars. According to him, it was going to take some time.

Meanwhile, Crowbar quickly gathered the hard drives connected to the cameras and took them to the microwave. He put them in but didn't turn it on because it could explode. An explosion meant smoke and the fire alarm going off. So, we decided to wait until everything was done in the vault and then, before leaving, turn it on.

And then there were the visitors. We knew sooner or later someone would try to peek in here. It turned out to be sooner rather than later, and not just one person. When a bank customer tried to break in, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest.

"Main entrance!" Malu said quietly, immediately drawing his gun on the visitor. "Someone's trying to get in."

I joined him while Alex kept an eye on the lobby. Syringa spoke to us almost immediately.

"Some idiot's knocking on your door. Ignore him, he'll leave soon," her voice came through the earpiece.

"If anything, just chase him away."

"I'll handle it, don't worry."

We kept our guns trained on the door for a few seconds until the idiot stopped trying to break in and accepted his fate as someone who wouldn't get into the bank today. And there were more than a few such people, which was no surprise. Crowds of people were trying to get in here, but they left. Some even managed to complain about why we were closed when we should be open. After all, we were almost in the center of the city, so it was expected.

During this time, we had to keep a particularly close eye on the hostages, who could pull some stunt.

"No one moves unless they want to become recognized as a hero posthumously. And I guarantee that it's the only outcome," Malu said, sweeping his gaze over the frightened people.

But several times, we really did have to worry. Especially when Syringa reported:

"Holy shit, cops!" her scared voice made us practically jump.

"And so?" Malu was instantly on edge, and the hostages fell silent. "EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP!!! IF THE COPS BLOW OUR COVER, I'LL KILL EVERYONE HERE, INCLUDING THE KID, BEFORE THEY GET TO US! BELIEVE ME, WE HAVE ENOUGH BULLETS FOR EVERYONE!!!"

The hostages fell silent at once; someone even whimpered slightly.

"They're driving slowly... shit, they're looking at me! Should I drive away? Malu! They seem to be staring at me!"

"What's happening?" Geezer chimed in. "Need help?"

"Better keep cutting that grate," Malu replied. "Now, babe," Malu used the word "babe" to avoid using her nickname in front of others, "calm down, stay still. Don't drive away. Don't worry. Are they coming to you?"

"No, they just stopped on the other side of the road."

"Don't look at them, just stare bored at the street. You're not in on this; you're not robbing, just driving. You have a license and insurance, right?"

The crux of the matter was that one just needed to have a license and general insurance, and then one had the right to drive a car. Syringa had both. Of course, she didn't want to show her license, but she didn't have a choice. Either way, she herself said that she didn't plan on staying in this country for long.

"I'm not looking at them; I can see them out of the corner of my eye. Damn! They're coming towards me! They've got out of the car, and they're coming to me! Malu! They're coming here! Keeper of the World, they're coming to me!"

"Don't panic. Everything is okay, keep the walkie-talkie on so I can hear your conversation. As soon as you hear a hissing sound, you'll know it's me connecting and wanting to say something. Switch it to loudspeaker mode so they can hear me too when I start speaking, got it?"

"Y-yes, I got it. I got everything."

"Great, everything's fine, we're just putting on a show, that's all. You're not guilty of anything right now, you're not involved, so don't worry. Everyone else, no chattering on the radio without a command." He looked at the hostages. "One sound, you bastards, and I end you all. I swear on my mother."

The coldness in his voice left no doubt about his words.

Though I doubt he would do it unless he starts freaking out, but the hostages didn't need to know that. Moreover, as far as I understood, he didn't love his mother that much, considering the fact that she was an alcoholic, the same as his father.

I also heard through the earpiece what was happening with Syringa. Everyone on our radio call did. Cars were passing in the background, judging by the noise, a crowd was buzzing, someone was honking in the distance. All of this mixed into a cacophony of a bustling city. And amidst all this noise, I heard:

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, officer."

"You are quite young for such a job, lady," he probably meant that the girl worked in a company where the majority of the staff were middle-aged men.

"Life is a strange thing, officer. But a woman's soul needs food and clothes," her giggle was heard, pretty cute even through the walkie-talkie, after which noise filled the air. It meant that Malu had connected to the channel. But the noise disappeared when the air was free.

"Marina! Marina, this is Mark. Are you there?"

Syringa immediately responded.

"Yes, Mark, what's up?"

"We've smashed half the wall to hell, but everything here's rotten to the core. There's work for another two or three hours. Basically, we need copper wires with reinforced insulation and about thirty conductors, I guess. So bolt to Ryazanov, let him give a whole coil of forty if he wants us to finish by this evening. And grab Gera, he's a specialist in this, right?"

Silence. It seems that Malu played so well that now Syringa can't answer.

"Hey, Marina, are you messing with your phone again?"

"I... I'm here. Just trying to remember."

"Alright, forget it, go to Ryazanov. Let him send someone. Get in touch when everything's ready."

"Yes, I'm on my way now."

And again, silence on the air. Everyone was mum because it was unclear whether she remembered to switch off the loudspeaker after this conversation or not. It would be awkward if we started talking and the cops were still there.

Only the sound of the cutter and the intermittent sobs of people could be barely discerned. We all anxiously awaited Syringa's reply, and I suspect that everyone pictured the worst possible scenario at that moment. I even managed to break into a sweat from the tension, trying to calm my heart with deep breaths.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"It's me," her voice finally came through, prompting us to exhale in relief. "I've left the place, I can't stay there."

"Did the cops say anything?"

"They overheard our sweet conversation. I told them my duty calls me, and I’m not paid to chat. And the cop mentioned that my turn signal is broken."

"Did he ask for your license?"

"No, he just let me go."

Just because of a turn signal... We could have been caught because of a turn signal, unbelievable. I'm sure everyone else was thinking the same thing.

"Did you turn the speaker off?"

"Yes."

"Great, just drive around and park somewhere then. We'll call you," Malu said, then turned to Crowbar, who was standing next to us. "Can you hook up the cameras without recording, just to watch the street?"

"Yes, of course."

We could do that, but the cameras only cover what's right outside the doors. They won't allow us to assess the surroundings properly. Almost all of them are fixed in place without the ability to control them. But it's better than nothing.

"Perfect... Hey, breaker, how much longer?"

"Hold on, I'm trying my best. These are impulse-proof alloys. Even the cutter struggles."

"Just cut out the lock, then."

"Oh, aren't you a genius! Thanks for the advice! And here I was, an old fool, not knowing what to do! Malu, don't piss me off. I'm not sitting here because I enjoy it."

I don't know how long it took. I just walked around among the people who tensed up slightly as I passed by them. Alex sat on the manager's counter, surveying the room. Crowbar settled on a chair near the exit. Malu roamed the bank, occasionally peering into the vault. And people outside sometimes kept trying to break through the door. At some point, we even stopped worrying about it. All that remained was agonizing anticipation, which had evolved from fear into a gnawing pain in the gut.

Now I understand why children always ask how much longer they have to wait - because I kept doing the same thing. It's not that you're an idiot - it just makes the waiting easier.

"Breaker, sorry, but I need to nag," Malu couldn't hold back anymore.

The crackle of the radio, a hiss, and then Geezer's response.

"Nag away."

"How much longer? Not trying to rush you, but I'm anxious."

"Soon, don't worry. Just a bit more. But let's have our hacking friend come over here."

Malu disconnected from the call and nodded at Crowbar.

"You heard him. Go see what's up."

Crowbar merely nodded, and after a few seconds, we heard his response.

"There’s an alarm here. Another one. Lasers. No idea how to disable them, so bring the administrator."

"You bring him, I'm keeping watch in the hall."

"Got it, coming."

Crowbar exited the vault, quickly crossed the room, and approached the administrator.

"Get up, handsome, you're helping us today," he yanked the man to his feet, causing him to stagger slightly. It's remarkable how scrawny Crowbar looks and how strong he actually is. "Let's go, you have some explaining to do."

And he dragged the man towards the vault. The administrator could only stammer, "What happened?", "What's going on?" and so forth. I wasn't listening to what they were talking about specifically, but after two minutes, Crowbar's voice came over the radio.

"We have a problem. Our new friend says the safe deposit box inside is private, so he can't disable the lasers himself. We'll have to beat the clock and grab everything."

"How much time do we have? Ask him," Malu tensed. To be honest, we all tensed up, even Alex straightened up. If it was about beating the clock, it meant there were slim chances of slipping away from the police quietly.

"He says... they're watching the alarm all the time."

"What the hell does he mean, 'all the time'? What bullshit is he spouting? How do the owners get their money then?" Malu started to get riled up.

"He says the owners notify the security before entering so that they know it's them triggering it. When they exit, they report that they've left and the security takes everything under control again. If a message doesn't come in three minutes after the laser is crossed, the police are notified."

"Who the hell are they defending from?!"

"Maybe from us?" Crowbar gave a logical answer. "By the way, our breaker has almost got the door open."

"Damn..." Malu muttered aloud. "Son of a... bitch... And how much time do we have from when we cross the alarm until the cops arrive?"

"He said that... uh... They wait three minutes to get a signal, then three minutes for the cops to get to the bank. Not counting regular patrols. So, six in total."

But they will most likely break in through the main entrance, while we escape through the back. Just because they won't even consider it. That's another minute or two. I don't know what Malu was thinking at that moment, but he started pacing back and forth, trying to gather his thoughts, then shook his head and straightened up. He looked confident again, as always, when a scuffle started. As if he drew strength from it.

First, he addressed Syringa.

"Babe, pull up, leave the cargo van, and get the getaway car ready in the alley. Wait at the door and be ready to bolt. Once you're there, let us know. Douse the van so it can be burned right away."

"Understood. I'll report when I get there."

"Okay, you," he pointed at me, "grab the bleach and pour it all over. You," he pointed at Alex, "go to the vault and wait for orders. AS FOR YOU, PEOPLE, YOUR SUFFERING WILL SOON BE OVER, AND YOU'LL FORGET US LIKE A NIGHTMARE. BUT IF ANY BITCH TRIES ANYTHING, I SWEAR TO GOD, I'LL BEAT HER BRAINS OUT RIGHT AWAY!!! SO LIE STILL AND DON'T TEMPT FATE!!!"

I think it was explained quite clearly, though many stirred a little. Either out of relief that it was almost over or out of a desire to cause trouble. Working for Arrow and Malu, I realized that people can be surprisingly illogical, even when everything is in their favor. Whether it's from stress or just a desire to do something, they sometimes pull stunts that make even the most experienced guy's hair stand on end.

I snatched the bottles out of the bag and started dousing everything we had touched. The front door with the handles, the counter, the stool, the door to the guard booth. I descended into the utility rooms.

"Hacker, where did you touch?" I asked over the radio.

"Their kitchen, the microwave, where the drives are."

"And I didn't touch anything there except for the mother and child," Geezer added.

Just in case, I sprinkled some bleach here and there, then went upstairs.

"I left a bit for the vault - to use when we'll exit it. We won't approach other places," I reported.

"Great, great... So, they'll pop it soon, and you'll go help them. But the main thing - box number two-three-one. Even if all of you have to use your teeth, open it. We can't leave without it, got it?"

"Yes."

At this moment, Geezer contacted us via the radio.

"Done, I've cut it. You can rush in."

"Then get the administrator back here. I'll be watching; the four of you wait for commands and start packing everything. Breaker, box two-three-one is on you. We won't leave without it. Try to do it in six minutes max."

"Understood. Already pulled out my drill. Everything will be fine."

"Great, wait for my signal."

We brought the administrator back to the hall under Malu's supervision, who once again warned everyone about the importance of obedience. Fear is the only way to keep everyone from doing something stupid. He was shouting there not for our sake but for the sake of those he didn't want to shoot at. Making them do nothing was giving them a chance to survive.

Meanwhile, I ended up in the vault, dragging bottles of bleach needed to douse everything here. Inside was a painfully bright, metal-clad corridor with a granite stone floor and a metal ceiling. There were several grated doors, reminding me of a prison hallway with cells for convicts. But here, behind the bars, treasures were concealed.

"Okay, everyone's ready," I reported to Malu via the radio, then decided to divide our responsibilities beforehand. "The three of us start loading immediately, then I keep stuffing the money into bags, and you take them to the back door. The breaker deals with the box. As soon as he cracks it, he immediately grabs the contents and gives it to me, takes the bags with money that will be here, his tools, and leaves. I'll douse everything with bleach, go downstairs, start the microwave, and jump out onto the street after you."

"Got it," they answered in chorus.

We stood like a rugby team preparing for an attack. Geezer held an imposing drill with a powerful bit, almost like a jackhammer.

Just a little more, just one go-ahead, and we'd charge. Everyone was waiting for Syringa, who was supposed to arrive, blocking with our cargo van the alley from the street side, where the police would likely pull up later. She was to splash the car with gasoline and bring a regular family minivan. The last one to run out would set our old car on fire.

"Two hundred kilos, insane..." Crowbar mumbled. "Who would've thought that money weighs so much, huh? And it's only a measly twenty million."

"A hundred-dollar bill weighs one gram," I shrugged. "The main thing is to distribute it evenly so everyone gets about thirty each."

"Will the girl be able to carry it?" asked Geezer.

"She? Absolutely, trust me," I murmured.

I located the right box with my eyes. As for the money, it was almost in the middle of the room, clearly visible - on a large metal table, on the lower shelf of it, plus a few more stacks on metal shelves on the side. They looked so big that you'd inevitably ask yourself - can you really spend all this if you live your life normally?

"Hey guys, it's me, babe, I'm in place. Are we ready?"

"Yes, we are ready," I immediately replied. "On command, we will start pulling everything out. I think we can manage in six minutes, maybe seven. If we open the box right away."

"We'll crack it," Geezer immediately burst into the channel, sounding in my free ear.

"Okay," we heard Malu again. "Babe, time six minutes as soon as I say 'go'."

"Yes!" she responded brightly in my earpiece.

He fell silent as if gathering his thoughts and confidence. Because right now, we were literally crossing that line, after which pure chaos would start. Everyone understood this, and we all took a deep breath together, like before a jump, preparing to dash forward.

"Well... Go! Time is ticking, guys. Now we put everything on red!"

We sprang from our places into the storage room.