A Big Mess
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Chapter 2
Amanda had not realized she had accidentally bumped into an actual bank robber at Arlington National Bank. After all, she was only there at the bank to get her address corrected on her checkbooks.
And when she did bump into him, Crowley Stuber had politely asked her if she was here to open an account with the bank manager, who happened to be Lee on an undercover mission.
"So you think I want to open up a new account...with him?" she scrunched her face as if Lee were a virus as she head-gestured in that direction, "uh, no, not really. I've never seen him before -in that particular seat, that is..." she added, in order to continue being truthful.
Stuber looked confused, "Then why were you headed in the direction of his desk?"
Amanda's eyes got slightly larger but then she recovered, "Oh, I was, wasn't I? Welllll, it was just to ask a question, a tiny question, but in the end, I decided it was much too tiny."
Stuber glanced over at the teller's cage. His partner was still in line. He still needed to bide some time.
"Nonsense. You're at a bank and they have your money," Stuber reasoned, "You deserve answers to any questions you may have. Don't make it a wasted trip!"
"-Oh, it's not wasted; I was on my way to the, uh deposit slip table to deposit my paycheck anyway," she stated, trying not to cringe at the lie.
Oh boy. Lee needed the handle the situation. He quickly came beside Amanda, "-Excuse me, Miss, I'm the bank manager, and I believe you were coming over to ask me a question?"
Amanda blinked quickly, "Uh, yes I did say that..."
Lee wanted to extract her from the situation as fast as possible, "Go ahead and ask and then you'll be able to go out and enjoy the lovely spring weather for the rest of the day!"
In other words, GET OUT!
"I see," she stated, trying to make her mind work quickly, "Yes! My question is a simple one, really..." She took a glance around and her eyes focused on the deposit slips table, "and the question concerns the pens you provide at the deposit slips table...now, I realize it's a small matter, but I think it needs to be addressed. You know how your pens are always attached to long chains, which are then bolted to the table? I was just curious...aren't you sending the wrong message to your customers? After all, if I can trust my money with your bank, why couldn't you trust me with your pen?"
Stuber tilted his head in confusion.
Lee smiled confidently, "It just another way we show our clients that your money will remain as safe and secure as our pens."
"Oh gosh, that was a good answer," Amanda nodded, then tried to put on a casual attitude, "Well, asked and answered, my deed is done, so I guess I'll be going now!"
"Wait!" Stuber interjected, "Didn't you previously mention you were here to make a bank deposit?"
"Oh, I did say that, didn't I?" Amanda ruefully stated, "Yes I need to do just that, so I'll just go over there, away from here...and...Have a nice day, gentlemen!" she cheerfully stated as she quickly strode over to the deposit slips table.
After she left, Stuber commented to Lee, "I suppose being the bank manager, you've had to deal with all sorts of weirdos who enter this bank."
Lee did his fake chuckling "Yes, all in a day's work!" He then got serious again, "So I couldn't help but notice that you were also headed my way...is there anything I can help you with?"
"Indeed, you can!" Stuber heartily stated. When he saw the customer the teller was helping leaving and his accomplice was next, he explained, "I am interested in opening a savings account with your bank!"
"I'm delighted to hear that!" Lee feigned a business-bank smile, "Why don't you come over and have a seat while I can get the necessary paperwork going for you?"
Stuber went over and sat across the desk from Lee. Looking very relaxed he read Lee's nameplate.
"Mr. Donahue," he read and then looked up, "did I get your name right?"
Dammit. Lee berated himself for not introducing himself first, which was what a bank manager would do. Amanda definitely had been a distraction.
Lee immediately apologized, "Forgive me for not making the introductions! I'm Ted Donahue, the bank manager. And you are?"
But instead of answering, Stuber leaned forward from his seat, his previous friendly manner gone. He brought his draped trench coat around so that Lee could see the gun underneath it, "My name is not important, Mr. Donahue, but, as you can see, my gun is VERY important..."
Lee put his hands up in a defensive manner, acting surprised and scared, the way a regular person would act.
"Heyyyy, look, let's not be so hasty-"
Stuber's tone then became low and threatening, "Donahue! Put your damn hands down! We don't want to attract attention! Do you understand?"
His partner was being helped by Francine now.
Whatever I do, Lee internally promised himself, I must not look at Amanda and be distracted by her.
"Donahue!" Stuber's tone sounded frustrated, "I'm talking to you! Pay attention!"
Lee felt foolish, "Sorry," he apologized again, "What is it you want me to do now?"
"Act like a bank manager!" Stuber ordered, "Take out a 'new accounts' form for me to fill out..do it NOW!"
Continuing to appear nervous, Lee responded with, "O-Of course," he opened the drawer and immediately spotted his gun and his handcuffs laying on top of the paperwork.
Not now, but soon.
So instead of grabbing for them, he took out the appropriate papers and pushed it Crowley's way, "I understand my part, Sir. I will pretend to help you to open an account. No one will suspect otherwise, I promise. J-Just don't start shooting, please."
"That's better!" Stuber nodded, pleased. Continuing his role as a customer opening an account, he took out a pen and randomly filled out the form.
As he continue writing, he explained, "Right now, my associate at the teller's cage is instructing the teller to give him all her cash. Do not interfere or I will put a bullet in your head," he nonchalantly stated, as he continued to write down fake information, "If you call over the bank guard, I will shoot you in the head. If any alarms go off, I will shoot you in the head. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes, there are many options to getting shot in the head. I get it," Lee assured him. He was pretending to appear anxious, but was instead assessing the situation. There were at least 15 customers in the bank and two little kids...and that number didn't include Amanda. He purposely did not look her way.
Instead,Lee forced himself to focus on Crowley, who was busy instructing Lee, "That's right, keep playing your part...look interested in what I'm doing...smile...that's good."
"But I-I'm just so scared, Sir," Lee faked, as he pointed to an item on the paper, "this is all so shocking..."
Crowley showed no empathy as he continued writing, "Well, get unshocked!"
Meanwhile, from where Amanda stood with a clear view of Lee's desk, she could see that there was something terribly wrong. The man with Lee was pointing his trenchcoat in Lee's direction.
Why would he be doing that?
Then she remembered something. Previously when she had backed into that man, she felt something like a long steel pipe on her back.
Her eyes darted over again at the trenchcoat over the man's arm. The man seemed to be hiding something underneath it...perhaps the steel pipe? No, not in a bank, Amanda theorized and then her eyes became wide as a realization hit her..., No, NOT a steel pipe but...possibly the barrel of a gun! And now it was pointed at Lee!
Oh my gosh, Lee is in danger!
Amanda quickly glanced across the room over at Agent Chet, who was playing security guard. She tried to catch his attention, but he was busy talking to a young mother with her toddler. She next glanced over to Agent Charlie, the customer in line. He seemed more involved with watching the baseball-capped customer talking with Francine.
It was as if the two agents were purposely trying to avoid looking Lee's way!
Then it's up to me to save Lee! She decided.
Looking around the deposit slip table, she looked for a large object to use as a weapon. Everything seemed to be glued or bolted down. Then she spotted a large ceramic Thomas Jefferson Memorial statue displayed at the other end of the deposit table.
It will have to do, she figured.
Going over and grabbing the ceramic statue (It was heavier than she expected), she lugged it off the table and began to approach Lee and the supposed bank robber.
From across the room Agent/security guard Chet just happened to glance up at that moment and spotted Amanda with the statue. Realizing what she was about to do, he began waving 'no' with his arms at her to stop her.
Unfortunately, Stuber purposely had a good view of the security guard from where he sat and he saw the guard's suspicious waving at something or someone behind him.
Stuber quickly reacted.
With gun in hand, he whipped around quickly and cocked his gun.
"AMANDA! WATCH OUT!" Lee panicked, fear gripping him when he had seen Stuber pointing his gun at her.
With eyes round with terror, Amanda's hands flew up in surrender mode.
CRASH!
The statue in her hands came crashing down, scattering ceramic chunks everywhere.
The mission was now compromised, but Lee didn't care.
He instinctively went into action to save Amanda.
Lee glided, stomach first, across the desk. But in the process, he accidentally knocked over several items on the desk, including the portable piggy bank with the hidden tape recorder.
CRASH!
The clay bank broke apart upon crashing onto the floor.
By that time Lee had already reached Stuber and made a grab for the gun. There was a struggle.
BANG!
The man's gun had fired, but thanks to Lee, it had missed Amanda completely. Instead, the gun shot straight up, making a direct hit on the light in the ceiling.
ZZZZHHHHHHKKKKKKKKK!
The light instantly exploded as shards of glass showered downward.
Unfortunately, the sound of a gun being shot was an easily recognizable sound to everyone.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Immediately screams echoed from everywhere in the closed chambers of the room. The entire bank erupted in chaos as running footsteps could be heard from all directions as customers scrambled towards the front door to exit.
This included Stuber's partner, who had grabbed the pile of money and ran. Francine tried to run after him but became lost in a crush of exiting patrons. Agent Charlie tried to reach Wiley, but in his haste, he ended up accidentally crashing into a rushing customer. The customer landed on his back, clutching his leg and yelling that his ankle was broken.
So Wiley had managed to escape with the first group of customers.
But Lee didn't notice as he was busy with Stuber. They were both rolling on the ground, fighting for possession of the gun. The gun managed to fly out of both their hands as it slid under a planter.
Lee was first in getting up to an upright position and he pulled Stuber up by the collar as well. He tried to land the first hit to Stuber's face but missed by centimeters, allowing Stuber to counterpunch Lee hard in the abdomen. Lee doubled over in pain and when Stuber was about to deliver his next blow, he heard a noise behind him, like some kind of steel rolling his way.
Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...
Stuber turned behind him in time to see Amanda rolling the bank's steel-drummed trashcan his way. Trash and crumpled papers fell out of the container, creating a trail of discarded goods. She then gave a final push and the trash can came barreling towards Stuber. However, by the time it reached its intended target, it just tapped him in the back of the leg.
But it was enough of a distraction because by the time Stuber had turned back around, Lee was ready. Lee fist-hit Stuber on the side of his jawline, following it up with a punch squarely on the robber's nose. Blood gushed from Stuber's nose as he yelled out in pain.
"Yeeeeooooooowwwwwww!"
And Stuber's agnonized scream could be heard above all the cacophony of the botched operation.
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Much later, when the craziness had died down and most people were gone except for investigative team going through the rubble, Amanda miserably watched Lee as he handcuffed and arrested the robber.
During that whole time Lee avoided looking her way. His jaw was rigidly set, his movements jerky and full of anger.
Francine came up to Amanda's side, "Well, well, looks like Lee got his man after all. Although he doesn't seem too happy with the results. Too bad the other one escaped—with the bank's money, no less."
Amanda bit her lower lip, "I can see that, Francine," she then heaved a sigh and with frustration stated, "And whatever this operation was supposed to be, it's all my fault that it didn't go as plan, isn't it?"
"I think you've just about summed it up in a nutshell, Amanda," Francine bluntly stated. She then glanced down at the floor and tsked, "and I have no idea who's going to clean up this monstrosity of a mess that was left behind, either."
Amanda dejectedly surveyed the room as well. Broken ceramic pieces from the statue, shattered pieces of the light from the ceiling, discarded refuse from the metal can, and destroyed items from the bank manager's desk were scattered throughout the floor. A busted tape recorder was also seen among the debris. And in the background, Amanda could hear a customer yelling for an ambulance.
Ba-Wump...Ba-Wump...wump,wump,wump...
The now familiar sound of the trashcan rolling could be heard again and Amanda looked over in time to see Lee kicking the trash can away furiously with his foot, while stepping around the broken pieces and scraps on the floor as he led the handcuffed suspect away.
With his lips thinned in frustration, Lee glanced one time over Amanda's way. Then frustratingly shaking his head, he stared stone-faced ahead, while at the same time roughly pulling the handcuffed robber alongside him.
And he didn't say another word to Amanda or anyone else.
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