Interstate 93

Enzo

Enzo slips through the crowded streets. He's almost there. His hands flick out every few seconds, grabbing this man's wallet, and that woman's watch. By the time he gets to the ladder, his pockets are stuffed to the brim.

"Ya got a nice haul today, Enzo," says someone from the roof the ladder leads to. He climbs the ladder quickly.

"Couldn't help myself, Lok. And you know better than to point it out."

"Ya, but den I wouldn't' get as many words out of you f I didn't."

"So?"

"Never mind. You don't get it."

"I get it, I just don't understand why you need it."

"I don't need it. I want it."

"Exactly. So why go to that length, and not something simpler?"

"'Cause this way, you argue, and when you argue, you talk. It's one of the only ways I can get you to talk."

"Anyway. The mission."

"Ah, yeah. Da bank's that big, fat building over there. I think I'll call it Fredrick. It looks like Fredrick."

This was one of the reasons Enzo did not like to work with Lok. He always named the buildings or people they robbed from. It was very annoying. The only reason he wasn't ditching Lok, and going with his plan, is because Lok can pick and hack any lock. He's a prodigy lock-picker. Oh, and if he ditched Lok, his status would take a drop, at the very least. At the most, they would clear his memory of the Guild, and throw him onto the streets. But not before blinding, scarring, and branding him. 

So, yeah. Lok would have to stay. For now.

"I scouted a little too."

"Oh yeah? Didja see what kinda lock dey have?"

"An Alfa 32650d."

Lok whistles. "Sweet!"

"That's for the front door. Then they have several different scanners for metal, firearms, liquids, and stuff like that. The place to see the scan is locked by a Yfing2460.

"Wow, they sure do have max security."

"When you finish going through the scanners, there is another door. EllyKo lock. They take you in a heavily fortified elevator with a CASCFASCNUTY lock. All the safe's have Tessa's."

"I can get us thru. I got a Per, Bill Bob, and Baley, and three Teeho's. It'll be easy."

"We have 17 minutes and 38 seconds until we start."

"Okey-dokey."

Then they wait.

Mallory

I pucker my lips and blow a bubble gum bubble. I'm bored. The boys should be here at any moment now. Then I'll act like they've got a safe I gotta show them to when really they're just gonna take whatever's in Bill Van Osheke's safe. I dunno what's in it though. I'm doin' this for a 1/5 of whatever is inside.

But so far all I'm doin' is waitin'.

Suddenly. The earpiece in my head beeps.

The front door is open. The front door is open.

I dart toward the front door.

Standing there are two men. They must've heard me because they are hiding in the shadows.

"Ya know, I can see ya. C'mon. If you don't come, I won't get my share and the leader will be, like, super mad. She'll blame it on me too."

I beckon them with my finger, then turn around, and stride to the scanners. The young, tall, lanky one with messy brown curls and bright brown eyes is following me. The other one, with olive skin, black hair, a small beard, and piercing green eyes is hesitant.

I spin around. "If you're not coming, then that's your fault."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"How do ya know you can't. Plus, there are security cameras."

The tall one immediately pipes in. "I hacked into them. They're on a loop."

I raise my eyebrows. "Then you must be Lok."

"Yup. And he's Enzo. Enzo's shy. He's like, in third-highest position. Doesn't trust anybody. But if he ditches me, the leader gets mad."

I raise my eyebrows "Third-highest? Sweet. I'm an Infilt. Like, 17th highest, but, whatever, ya guys are staying too long. They're gonna check on me soon. Then they'll no 'bout the loop when I make excuses."

I face back to the scanners, and press my fingertip to the scanner. The doors open, and we step through, not even touching the scanners. I type in the 24 digit code, they give us every morning, and the door swings open. "Tada! Come on in."

I lead them to the elevator. "Your turn, I say, turning to Lok. It's Vincent's turn to check. Not mine. They'll ask questions if it recognizes me. I used a fingerprint mold for the other ones, but this one is all yours. 

Lok takes out a slim contraption and plugs it into the CASCFASCNUTY.

It takes exactly 3.51 seconds before the elevator doors open. We step inside, and I swipe a copy of Vincent's ID through the scanner. The elevator jolts then starts to steadily descend. We hit the bottom with a dull thump and the doors slide open.

We are in a white room, with almost invisible white doors. My eyes roam the walls.

"Nothing's here," cries Lok, silently.

"Shut up. Your eyes are not good enough."

I finally find it. Enzo doesn't enter the room. My fingers slip into the hole, and I open the door. There is a handle, and I pull it out.

When I see what is inside, I gasp. There are thousands of hundred dollar bills In here. Lok slips in front of me, and pushes the money into a garbage bag.

"C'mon," he says, swinging the bag over his shoulder. Let's get to the car.

"Lok," says Enzo. "You need to go to the Guild. Tell them to meet us on the Kapusy Bridge."

Lok sighs. "Fine." He tosses the bag to Enzo. Go with her."

"One thing," I say. I pull out my guild phone and text Alice, the Guild second-in-command.

Infilt done. Stay or go?

I wait patiently for her to respond. Suddenly, my phone vibrates. I check.

Go with Enzo

"I'm comin'," I tell em. "Alice said yup."

"Who's Alice?"

"The SIC."

"Then come on. We got a black Subaru. Not going to waste the chance."

He slips out the secret door, and into the night.

Lok shrugs. "Bye."

"Bye" I slip out the door after Enzo. The night air is chilly. Enzo is already in the car.

"Where are we going?"

"Alice said down Interstate 93, then out on exit 215. Make a right, right, left, right, straight, left, and then 6902 S Kapusky Street. That's a safe house. 

"I'm going to stick to Interstate 93 for now, then you can remind me when we get to exit 214."

"Cool."

"Oh, and umm, one more question. Are you from the west? You have a western accent. I was just wondering."

"Yup. Born and raised in the west. Moved to the north 3 years ago. Started working for the Guild 2 years, 7 months, 1 week, and 5 days ago."

He's silent. "Well, how do you know Alice as Alice, when your only an Infilt?"

It's my turn to be silent. "Well, she was my best friend. Then she moved north. 8 years ago. She became best friends with May. They both were poor. Had to steal to survive. Then I moved north 6 years later, and she welcomed me to the guild. I moved up so quickly because we're best friends. But May also wants to be Alice's friend. So I'm stuck as an Infilt for now.

I'm used to it now though. I like it too. I get to make new friends, even I have to never see them again. That's a big thing for me. And Alice sees that I am happy, and leaves me be. So yeah. Any other questions?"

"No."

And we sit there in the black Subaru, driving down Interstate 93, just thinking.