Just one more minute… Just one more minute… Then it's over… One more minute, then I'm done…
The small darkened figure quietly made her way through the dimly lit hall of the L.A. Museum of the Arts. Beads of sweat stung her eyes beneath her masked face. Her dark clothes, soaked in perspiration, clung to her frame as she huddled next to a monument. She kept her pink bag, the only item not matching her wardrobe, pinned tightly to her chest as her mind raced.
Just one more minute…
Her rapidly beating heart leapt into her throat as she heard the sickening click of a security guard's shoes on the marble floor at the other end of the hallway. She froze next to the statue.
The clicks casually plodded closer.
Oh no!... her mind froze in terror.
Her breathing ceased as the clicks steadily grew louder. She pressed her face into monument's side. I'm going to be caught… I'm going to be caught…
The clicks drew closer and closer… then alongside the monument… and then continued past her without a pause.
I can't believe it… he didn't see me? How couldn't he have seen me?
She ventured to tilt her head to catch a glance down the hall…
There a half-awake security guard plodded down the corridor with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slouched low…
He didn't see me! He walked right passed me and didn't have a clue… Then her eyes shot open… Oh, no… he walked past me…
With a thud her heart dropped from its perch in her throat and sank to her stomach… I have to get out of here! She panicked.
She began to move again. She quickened her pace down the hall towards the next room, the 'atrium.' Her masked eyes peaked around the corner, purse still clutched tightly to her chest. There stood her last obstacle. A solitary security guard stood next to the large glass entryway doors.
She looked around… There's no other way out… How can I-
Her thoughts were shattered with the ringing of an alarm bell.
Her heart jumped back to her throat as she ducked back out of view behind the corner.
"What's going on?!" she heard the guard at the door yell.
"The diamonds are gone! There's been a robbery!" she heard the man's radio reply.
She heard the guard's footsteps thunder as he sprinted in her direction.
She froze and pulled her purse closer to her chest not knowing what to do.
The man rounded the corner and slid to a stop. There standing next to him was a female chipmunk… in a ski mask!
The two stared at each other for only a half-second, but what seemed like an eternity to the young figure.
"FREEZE!" the man shouted.
She bolted for the entrance.
She could see her objective. Two solid glass doors were all that stood between her and her freedom.
She heard the man repeat himself. She glanced back as she ran.
The man reached for his gun and pulled… but it was still latched down.
She looked ahead. The doors were only feet away… She leapt…
And slammed with a thud into the glass.
The world grew fuzzy and spun in circles. She stumbled backwards away from the glass trying to find her balance. As things started to come into focus she turned to look at the guard. He had managed to unlatch his weapon and was bringing it to bear. She dropped to the floor just as his shot rang out.
She heard the glass shatter and jumped up. She threw her weight into the glass again, and this time it broke away.
She stumbled out into the torrential rainstorm that had engulfed the entire L.A area. As additional shots rang out she thrust herself into the dark cold rain and disappeared from view.
The security guard ran to the shattered entrance. Seeing no sign of his burglar he reached for his radio…
The young chipmunk stumbled through a dark alleyway a block away from the museum. She made her way to a large green dumpster and propped herself against it. She clutched the small pink purse in her arm. And for the first time in what seemed like a year, she was able to take a deep breath. She let it out and let her head rolled back against the cold brick wall to her back. She pulled her mask off and felt the cold refreshing rain pour over her exhausted body.
"Enjoying the rain?"
The Chippette snapped back to reality and to her feet. A man dressed in black stepped out from behind another dumpster further down the alley.
A simple nod was her only response as she glared at the man whose face was hidden by the brim of his low-pulled hat.
"Did you get them?" he snarled.
"Yes…" she clutched the purse tighter.
"Well…?" he held out his hand and motioned for her to give him her purse.
"Wait…" she paused making sure of what she was saying before she said it. "I… I… uh,… how do I know you're going to uphold your end of the deal?"
"Hmm…" a sneer formed across his mouth, "you don't. How about that?"
She stood frozen… she didn't know what to say.
"Ha, don't worry." The man took pleasure in seeing her unsure of herself, "It wouldn't do anything for us to turn on you. We'll stick to our part, if you stick to yours…" He motioned towards her purse, "Give me the jewels and we'll uphold our end of the bargain…"
The young Chippette tentatively held out the purse.
The man snatched it out of her hands. "for awhile, that is…" he added with another mocking sneer.
"But you promised-" she tried to interrupt.
"Don't start with me." He cut her off, "Now get out of here before the cops show up." He ordered.
"But the purse-" she protested
"Get out of here!" the man raised his voice.
She shrunk back. Taking one last spiteful look she turned and disappeared back into the rainstorm.
The man began to pull his prizes from the purse and place them in his briefcase he had brought along. Upon emptying the bag of the jewels, he tossed the pink bag on top of the dumpster next to him. "Easier than taking nuts from a chipmunk." The man chuckled to himself and began to walk away.
"Alvin?" Dave's voice sounded from the kitchen. He waited for a response. "Alvin?" he called out louder.
"He's watching TV." Simon, who was making a sandwich, nodded towards the living room.
Dave grabbed his freshly brewed cup of coffee and made his way to the living room. "Alvin?"
"Just a minute, Dave. They've almost got 'em!" Alvin had plopped himself down in Dave's seat.
"Alvin, move over." He motioned towards the couch, "and change the channel."
"But Dave! It's COPS… It's a car chase and they've almost got the driver. He pulled off onto a-"
"Alvin, you know the rule. After work I get the TV for the news. Besides, I know you haven't done your homework yet."
"But Dave…" Alvin pleaded
"No Alvin, give me the remote."
Alvin begrudgingly gave up the remote and stood up.
Dave took the remote, switched channels, and sat down in his Alvin-liberated chair.
"…although shots were fired, no one was reported as injured. Again, if you're just tuning in there was a robbery at the Jewel Expose in the L.A. Museum of the Arts this evening. Early reports say that shots were fired and several jewel exhibitions are missing. Police are investigating a reported sighting of one of the thieves about a block away from the main crime scene…"
"WHAT?" Alvin and Dave both turned to face the TV. "Isn't that where Brittany is?" Alvin asked.
"Uh… Yeah…" Dave's mind raced, "Oh no…." Dave walked into the kitchen. He glanced at the time while retrieving his phone from the countertop, "She was supposed to be home fifteen minutes ago."
Dave dialed a number and waited.
"They say no one was hurt." Alvin's voice sounded from the living room, "And that it happened after the museum closed."
"She's not answering her phone…" Dave replied returning to the living room to see the news broadcast.
For the next several minutes Dave looked up the news on the computer trying to get more information on the robbery. He found that all the reports were still unconfirmed and nobody knew much of anything. He tried once again to call Brittany's cell phone but she still didn't answer. Dave was starting to get worried when he heard the front door open.
"I'm home." A waterlogged Chippette plodded inside out of the rain.
"Brittany! Why didn't you answer your phone?" Dave asked upset.
"You called me?" she dug her phone out of her pocket. "Oh, look at that." She said unconvincingly.
"We were worried!-"
"Why?"
"There was a robbery at your party." Alvin spoke up.
"Yes there was!" Brittany suddenly got upset. "and they acted like they didn't even care!"
"Excuse me?" Dave's face was puzzled.
Brittany began her story, "Well, remember how I was like the face of this whole jewel thingy at that museum? I did all the TV commercials, did the radio ads, and was on all those posters, right? Well, they have the opening party thing tonight. I show up and everyone is like old and boring. So, I do my thing and go to leave and they can't find my hand bag."
"Someone stole your purse?" Alvin rolled his eyes, "You didn't 'misplace it'?"
"No I didn't!" Brittany pressed her point, "Security wouldn't let anyone take a bag inside the main room. I dropped it off and when I went to pick it up they said I never dropped one off!"
"Brittany… we're not talking about your purse. The place got jacked. Robbed… Plundered… Swiped clean… They took 'em for all they had!... The jewels be gone…" Alvin dramatized.
"Really? Well, they deserved it." She mumbled and began to walk away.
"Brittany?" Dave stopped her, "Why are you soaked? Didn't you take the umbrella… or a cab?" Dave noticed something else, "And why is your shirt cut?"
"Oh that…" Brittany looked away. "I uh,.. fell down…" she tried to continue on her way.
"How?" Dave stopped her.
Brittany stopped. "Look. I got mad that they stole my purse. So, I got mad and left… And I slipped on the stairs outside and fell down. Okay? Can I get my stuff and go home now?" she snapped.
Dave got out of her way and let her storm off.
"Whew, someone woke up on the wrong side of the water-puddle." Alvin joked to Dave.
Dave ignored Alvin and watched Brittany storm up the stairs. Something didn't add up… he didn't know what was wrong… but something just didn't seem right.
A/N: Hello there :-) Long time no read. I just want to throw out a quick thank you for reading and begining this adventure. I will do my best to update consistantly, soon, and with good quality. PLEASE REVIEW. That is how I know what you, my readers, think of my story. I want to know what you think. I cannot get better if I do not know where I am wrong or what you guys want. You guys are always great. Please stay tuned. I have a couple of twists comming later in the story.
HAVE A GREAT DAY/NIGHT! (and I mean it)