Author's Note: The usual - not mine, mo money, blah, blah, blah. I think I
have finally plotted out how the story is going to go down, so provided
school doesn't cause me to have a melt down, I should be able to update
pretty regularly.
* * *
"LEAVE IT!" The leader roared at one of his accomplices as they reached for the cell phone on the table. It had been ringing every few minutes, and it was started to grate on the leader's nerves.
"Maybe if we answer it, they'll leave us alone" suggested one of his cohorts. The leader didn't respond to this. He simply shot the other man a look of pure venom, and silently warned him to not to speak out again. The leader rubbed his head. Like Nick and Greg, he too was suffering from severe head pain. However, unlike them, his pain was biological in nature.
The leader, known better as Isaac King was dying. He knew it. He hadn't divulged the entire truth his friends, Randy, Brian and Al. He had simply told them that he only had a short time left and that robbing a bank would be the solutions to all their problems.
In a way, it was the solution. Isaac was planning on taking his cut of the money and escaping to somewhere exotic, like Fiji. He was planning on living out the rest of his days quietly, anonymously and as peacefully as he could. He had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour seven weeks ago. There was no miracle cure, no medical breakthrough for him. His doctor simply expected King to allow the searing pain to consume him, until he would one day fade into oblivion. That would not do. Isaac King was not the type of man to sit around and wait for death to come knocking at his door. He was going to go out in a blaze of glory. He wanted to end his life on his terms.
That's how he had come up with the plan to rob the bank. He talked his three best friends into helping him. All two-bit hoods in their own rights, they hadn't hesitated to step it up a notch and help Isaac in his plan to get the cash he needed to get away from Vegas. They had helped him plan the heist. He had thought of everything. They would make a dramatic entrance, get the cash and make their getaway.
But life has a nasty habit of throwing a monkey wrench into even the best laid plans. Once in the bank, Isaac had realized that he hadn't planned on needing to take hostages to aid his escape. He really hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but he didn't have any regrets either. He did what he had to do. And if that meant killing the two men down the hall, then that's what he would do. After all, he thought to himself, I am gonna die soon. My life can't get much worse.
"So what do we do about the deaf guy and his interpreter" Al spoke carefully, not wanting to agitate Isaac. Their leader was on the verge of snapping, and Al didn't want any anger to be directed at him.
"Kill them" there was no emotion in Isaac's voice, no hint of remorse.
"Just like that?"
Just like that" he confirmed. "I've got nothing to gain by keeping them around and nothing to lose by killing them. I figure we kill them, and make a break for it. By the time the cops find their bodies, I'll be halfway to Fiji"
Brian opened his mouth to speak, but the ringing of the phone interrupted him. Forcing himself to ignore it, he tried to produce a different solution.
"Look, I agree with you that they are more trouble than they're worth, but think about this. If we kill them, and the cops find them before we have time to disappear completely, we will end up in prison. Is that how you want to live out the last of your days, Isaac? You told me that you didn't have a lot of time left. Do you really want to spend the last few months of your life in the pen?"
Isaac didn't tell Brian that his life was dwindling down to weeks, at best. He didn't have months. And Brian made a good point. If they got caught now, his life would end in a blur of pain in the state penitentiary.
"So, what's your alternative?"
Brian thought for a moment. "Simple. We just leave them where they are. The cops are bound to track them down, and if they haven't, we leave some anonymous tip once we're safely out of the country. They'll never be able to ID us, and then we can just escape with a clean conscience."
Isaac nodded. "Alright. We go with Brian's plan. The deaf guy and his friend stay here until I give the say-so for a tip to be left, we clear?"
Before anyone could answer the phone began to ring again. Isaac's frustrations got the better of him, and he picked it up.
Randy's voice crackled across the phone. He had some interesting news for Isaac.
As he spoke, Isaac's eyes grew wider. A look of icy rage flashed across them. He stood, opened the door and peered down the hall to the room where Nick and Greg were being held.
"Well, well, well" he murmured "That is interesting"
* * *
"LEAVE IT!" The leader roared at one of his accomplices as they reached for the cell phone on the table. It had been ringing every few minutes, and it was started to grate on the leader's nerves.
"Maybe if we answer it, they'll leave us alone" suggested one of his cohorts. The leader didn't respond to this. He simply shot the other man a look of pure venom, and silently warned him to not to speak out again. The leader rubbed his head. Like Nick and Greg, he too was suffering from severe head pain. However, unlike them, his pain was biological in nature.
The leader, known better as Isaac King was dying. He knew it. He hadn't divulged the entire truth his friends, Randy, Brian and Al. He had simply told them that he only had a short time left and that robbing a bank would be the solutions to all their problems.
In a way, it was the solution. Isaac was planning on taking his cut of the money and escaping to somewhere exotic, like Fiji. He was planning on living out the rest of his days quietly, anonymously and as peacefully as he could. He had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour seven weeks ago. There was no miracle cure, no medical breakthrough for him. His doctor simply expected King to allow the searing pain to consume him, until he would one day fade into oblivion. That would not do. Isaac King was not the type of man to sit around and wait for death to come knocking at his door. He was going to go out in a blaze of glory. He wanted to end his life on his terms.
That's how he had come up with the plan to rob the bank. He talked his three best friends into helping him. All two-bit hoods in their own rights, they hadn't hesitated to step it up a notch and help Isaac in his plan to get the cash he needed to get away from Vegas. They had helped him plan the heist. He had thought of everything. They would make a dramatic entrance, get the cash and make their getaway.
But life has a nasty habit of throwing a monkey wrench into even the best laid plans. Once in the bank, Isaac had realized that he hadn't planned on needing to take hostages to aid his escape. He really hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but he didn't have any regrets either. He did what he had to do. And if that meant killing the two men down the hall, then that's what he would do. After all, he thought to himself, I am gonna die soon. My life can't get much worse.
"So what do we do about the deaf guy and his interpreter" Al spoke carefully, not wanting to agitate Isaac. Their leader was on the verge of snapping, and Al didn't want any anger to be directed at him.
"Kill them" there was no emotion in Isaac's voice, no hint of remorse.
"Just like that?"
Just like that" he confirmed. "I've got nothing to gain by keeping them around and nothing to lose by killing them. I figure we kill them, and make a break for it. By the time the cops find their bodies, I'll be halfway to Fiji"
Brian opened his mouth to speak, but the ringing of the phone interrupted him. Forcing himself to ignore it, he tried to produce a different solution.
"Look, I agree with you that they are more trouble than they're worth, but think about this. If we kill them, and the cops find them before we have time to disappear completely, we will end up in prison. Is that how you want to live out the last of your days, Isaac? You told me that you didn't have a lot of time left. Do you really want to spend the last few months of your life in the pen?"
Isaac didn't tell Brian that his life was dwindling down to weeks, at best. He didn't have months. And Brian made a good point. If they got caught now, his life would end in a blur of pain in the state penitentiary.
"So, what's your alternative?"
Brian thought for a moment. "Simple. We just leave them where they are. The cops are bound to track them down, and if they haven't, we leave some anonymous tip once we're safely out of the country. They'll never be able to ID us, and then we can just escape with a clean conscience."
Isaac nodded. "Alright. We go with Brian's plan. The deaf guy and his friend stay here until I give the say-so for a tip to be left, we clear?"
Before anyone could answer the phone began to ring again. Isaac's frustrations got the better of him, and he picked it up.
Randy's voice crackled across the phone. He had some interesting news for Isaac.
As he spoke, Isaac's eyes grew wider. A look of icy rage flashed across them. He stood, opened the door and peered down the hall to the room where Nick and Greg were being held.
"Well, well, well" he murmured "That is interesting"