Shade and Clearwater

Chapter Five

So it was about a week since all this started before we finally pulled off our first job. I was feeling nervous as Jon pulled up to the curb outside the bank just after it opened for the day. I'd never done anything quite like this before - Jorge Luis had always said to keep a low profile, and up until now, that's exactly what I'd done.

Jon, on the other hand, was all business. He put the car in park, left the engine idling, and stepped out, smooth as you please. Not too fast, mind you, because that might draw attention. He stood looking around a minute, then chuckled. "Miles was right. They don't even have any surveillance cameras."
I snorted. "What did you expect? It's Valley City."

Jon leaned back down to look at me through his open window. "You ready?"

"Of course," I snapped. I took a deep breath and got out of the car.

The Valley City Territory Bank was fairly small, as banks go, just a single building a few blocks off Main Street. Even so, it was the height of a two-story building, with windows running from just above eye-level to almost all the way up to the ceiling. The layout was simple: a lobby with comfy chairs and standing desks, a teller counter along the far wall, and a door leading to an office in the back. Of course, I didn't need to see all this with my own eyes, I just skimmed a mental image off the occupants as I climbed the stairs to the front entrance, and it felt weird to hear people's thoughts again, after living in the ground for a week, like the world had gotten loud again.

There were five people inside. Four in the main room - the two tellers and a customer with a small child - and one in the back office - the bank manager, and the only man in the building. The younger of the two tellers was helping the customer and I had to chuckle, since in her mind she was bristling at the older teller for always making her help the first customer of the day.

The older teller looked at me as I approached as if I had just ruined her morning, and again I had to chuckle because that's exactly what I planned to do.

"Excuse me," I said as I walked up to the counter. "Does your bank have any surveillance cameras?" I hadn't seen any on the inside, either, but I wanted to make sure.

"Not that I know of," said the woman, puzzled.

"Oh good. That makes this much easier." I reached into her mind. I felt her consciousness flutter briefly, trying to fight back like a mouse just before a cat sinks its teeth into its neck, but it was over in the blink of an eye. "This is a robbery," I said in a clear, calm voice. "Hand over all your money." I didn't need to say that, of course. The woman was already stuffing all the money from her drawer into the canvas bag I handed her. And the customer and the other teller were completely oblivious because I was screening them out. But I just had to say the words so it would at least feel like a real bank robbery.

When the woman had cleared the drawer, I thanked her politely and went over to the other teller. "Excuse me," I said, pushing past the other customer, who stood frozen with a blank smile on her face. "I'm going to need all your money, too. Oh, but give this woman hers first. She's got a kid to feed." I patted the little boy on the head but he just kept staring straight ahead.

The other teller did what she was told, of course, and pretty soon I had two canvas bags full of money. I thought maybe I would feel like a bank robber then, but I didn't. The excitement was wearing off and the job had gone off without a hitch. I briefly entertained the idea of having the manager empty out the vault but Miles had made me promise not to on the first run, said it would draw too much attention.

I felt a flash of irritation, and the need to drum up a little excitement. I couldn't bring myself to do anything to the tellers - honestly they were just sad little people living out their sad little lives - but the bank manager had been cheating on his wife, claiming to work late but going to see his mistress instead. That was as good an excuse as any. I reached out and gave him a little push, and immediately I could hear him howling in pain from the back office. People tend to do that when they spill hot coffee directly onto their lap.