WARNING

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS CRIME, MURDER AND RAPE, SO PLEASE DO NOT READ IT IF YOU WOULD BE OFFENDED.

WARNING

Chapter 3 - Wrong Place, Wrong Time

The next week was restful for Howard and Leonard, they refined some parts of the suit and its systems, but it was done, the only thing preventing its unveiling being Dr Hogan himself. This project was Hogan's baby, the final chapter of a brilliant scientist's career, and Leonard and Howard could not take that away from the man, they would wait for his return. Leonard went back to his report, and worked during the day and part of the evenings, since Penny was working late all week, he was hoping to see her that weekend. It was a very normal week and Leonard took Sheldon to work that Friday, thinking how happy this weekend would be and how nice it would be to spend it with Penny.

-TIN MAN-

It was 2 PM when the stolen car, containing 3 men, pulled up to the bank a couple doors from the Cheesecake Factory. The driver was nicknamed 'Pony', because he drove like the wind and was fast in everything he did. The passenger was nicknamed 'Breaker' he was a goon, not very smart, but built like a tall rock, he lived by being a bouncer, a person who hurts people and by crime, like today. In the back seat was 'JT', better known as Jim Thompson, he was just bad, already spending ten years in jail for killing a man in a fight, and that was only one they knew about. JT was in the back seat, because he trusted no one and wanted Pony and Breaker where he could see them. They were heavily armed, handguns, automatic rifles they got on the black market and chest body armor, like the police used. They wanted the money from the bank, and JT was going to make sure they got it, all of it.

JT was the one that organized this crew, he wanted to make a quick score, the petty crimes he pulled before not providing him enough money between jobs. The bank was perfect, lots of money for just a little work, and he thought if they just went in shooting it would be over quick so they could be in and out. JT liked the shooting part, he liked guns, they gave him the power of life and death over people, that was a big rush for him, he just liked it. He also liked, in California, it was easy for him, a criminal, to get guns, even illegal automatic weapons, while honest people were restricted by the state. The state also made it hard for regular people to carry guns around, so he didn't have to worry about someone shooting back, they were all sheep and victims to him. It all made JT feel powerful and in control, that was even better than sex for him, because it lasted longer and he felt better afterwards. It was with that rush of adrenaline that JT got out of the car and headed to the front door of the bank.

It was a quiet day at the bank, it was not busy because it was in the third week of the month, and this Friday was not a normal payday for most people, so there were only a few customers, the employees and a security guard. Every person in the bank was either thinking about the errands they still had to do today or, in the case of the employees, what they were going to do that weekend. None of them had even imagined how that was all going to change as the three masked men entered the bank, JT immediately firing his gun, killing the security guard, who was just taking a sip of his coffee.

"Everybody on the floor, now!" JT waved his gun back and forth to emphasize his command.

Breaker stayed near the door, out of sight and watched, while Pony moved towards the teller line, then jumped over the counter. JT stayed in the center of the lobby, constantly moving and pointing his automatic rifle, his finger on the trigger, constantly flexing, looking for an excuse to shoot. The power JT now felt was like a drug to him, he was grinning like a clown under the mask. None of them knew that when a lone 19 year old tiny redhead teller had seen them come in the door, and watched the gun come out in JT's hand, she had pushed the silent alarm button through instinct.

Pony grabbed a young pretty brunette teller by the hair and pulled her off the floor, "Fill these bags with money."

"If you put any of the that dye money in there, I'll kill you." JT added, pointing the barrel at the scared girl.

The girl was terrified, started crying and couldn't move, "Move it!" Pony then nudged her with the barrel of his gun, soon realizing it was a mistake, the girl cried harder and Pony now noticed the puddle forming around her feet.

Pony pushed the girl back to the floor, "Lay down!"

"What the hell is going on?" JT was mad, this was taking too long.

"She pissed herself!" Pony snickered.

"KILL HER!" JT was really mad now.

The girl started to sob uncontrollably, Pony really didn't want to kill her, so he looked at an older, slightly overweight teller, and said quietly "Can you fill these, without pissing yourself." and the woman nodded, slowly getting up. He looked at JT "It's good now!"

JT was still mad, "Be quick, or people are going to die!"

The teller was quick, she filled the first bag from the teller drawers, putting aside certain cash bundles, telling Pony they were dye filled. She got the one bag filled and then filled the next with the cash located in one of the opened large drawers in the vault, Pony wished he had picked her first when he saw how quick she was. Pony grabbed the full bags, smiling at the woman, "Good job lady." then jumped over the counter and looked at JT "All done." They then both moved to the door.

As Breaker lead them out the door, Pony followed with the bags, and JT brought up the rear. However, before going out, JT turned, "Assholes!" and squeezed the trigger of his automatic rifle, spraying the bank interior with bullets until his gun's magazine was empty, snickering as he left. It his wake, he left two wounded women and a dead teller, a bullet through her head, the woman who had filled Pony's bags with money.

Breaker, Pony and JT ran around the corner to their car, JT locking a fresh magazine into his rifle. They were about to open the doors to the car when the first police car arrived, blocking the bank parking lot, trapping them, their car now useless. JT did the first thing he could think of and emptied his rifle's new magazine into the police car, wounding one of the officers. However the second, pulled out an automatic rifle from the car and immediately returned fire, driving the three of them for cover behind their car. They were now in trouble, the sound of other police car sirens coming closer and the constant fire from the other officer of the car JT shot up. The needed to get away.

"Let's get out of here. Pony lay down covering fire, while we back off, then we will cover you." JT was very pleased with his plan.

"Screw that, we are all going together or all staying here, I'm not covering nobody's ass." Pony glared at JT.

JT looked at Pony with hate, he needed the asshole now, but he would settle this later, "Okay, we all move and fire." A few seconds later, the three criminals all opened up on the officer and backed away, the officer having to duck behind his car, while they moved to safety behind a nearby building. They were temporarily in the clear now.

Pony lead the way again, JT in the middle and Breaker picking up the rear. They quickly moved past a couple buildings, and were moving by the Cheesecake Factory, when Pony stopped, holding up his arm as he looked around the corner, "SHIT!". JT moved up to see what Pony was looking at, then swore too. There were several police cars and they had their escape route blocked, they weren't going that way now. They eased their way back, the way they came, and stopped again as they saw a couple of rifle armed police moving near the building they had just moved around, they were now surrounded. JT looked around, there was only one option, so he nudged his comrades towards the door of the Cheesecake Factory.

Penny had just picked up her tip from the table, it was only a 5 percent tip again, she felt more like a indentured servant than a waitress. She thought, she could actually make a living, at her job, if people would just give her the socially normal 15 percent, but no she ended up barely making it week to week, serving people who didn't give a crap about her. These were her thoughts, when she heard the screams and turned to see the three armed men enter the dining area, yelling for everyone to get on the floor.

JT didn't really know what he was doing, he could have walked in on a full dining room full of people, more than he could ever control, but luck was temporarily smiling on him, the lunch rush was over and there were only a couple of tables occupied. They quickly rounded up everyone, 37 people, and separated the men from the women, beating one almost senseless, because he wouldn't leave his wife. Pony was actually able to convince JT to put the 12 men in the freezer and lock it, over JT's first suggesting of killing them. They now had 25 women to use as shields, and JT figured he would trade them for his freedom.

They moved tables and chairs to make an obstacle course for anyone who tried to come in the door and locked all the other doors in the building. They then set up more tables as barriers to hide behind, dividing up the women and having them sit in front of each barrier. JT personally picked the woman for his barrier, he liked them young and pretty, so when he liked one, he just reached down and grabbed them by the blouse to pull them up. JT liked his power over women, he was always much stronger than them and abusing them was fun, so he treated them roughly when he pulled them up off the floor actually tearing a couple of the girls blouses in the process, then laughing and leering at what he exposed. Penny was the third girl he picked, and it took all her will power not to try and kick him when he yanked her up off the floor ripping her uniform blouse in the process.

The women sat terrified for over an half hour, the whole time Pony and Breaker sitting in the middle of the restaurant with their guns watching them, the girls JT picked especially scared by the way the man had looked and treated them. JT was under cover at the door way, and by the way he was shouting, Pony knew he was trying to negotiate their escape, by trading hostages for a way out. What really worried Pony was he heard JT say something about killing hostages, one each hour, in a couple of hours, if his demands were not met. Pony didn't want to be involved in a slaughter, if they would get caught after doing something like that, their remaining lives would be hell. Pony looked at the women, some of them had heard JT too, and were now crying hysterically, he didn't like the way things were going.

JT moved back to his comrades, then looked at the girls, "SHUT UP!", which made the crying ones now whimper, as they were held by their friends. Penny had one of the new girls wrapped in her arms, trying to calm her down, when she saw the man JT smile at her and give her a wink, as he moved to talk to Pony.

"What's this about killing people every hour." Pony whispered, looking at the girls.

Just as quietly JT responded, "Don't get your panties in a bundle, pussy boy. We'll shoot the men in the freezer first before we even think of the girls. Besides, I want to have a little fun with a couple of them, if the police drag this on too long."

Pony just shook his head, what the hell did he get himself into, 'This asshole is nuts' he thought. But he was stuck now, they were all in this together, so he would just go along until they were out of there. Pony figured he could just shoot JT and be done with him, when this was over.

Breaker had heard the conversation between Pony and JT, his hearing was much better than they thought. He didn't like the idea of killing the pretty girls, however killing the men didn't bother him at all. He also liked the idea JT had about getting a little more personal with the girls if this drug on and thought, he should pick a girl or two he liked. It also dawned on him, he should pick one to take with him, because he knew JT wasn't going to leave without a couple of them for insurance, and after they were safe, well then they could have fun, Breaker smiled.

The police surrounded the Cheesecake Factory, quickly set up a line of cars and barricades to secure the perimeter. Occasionally a few SWAT members would move around the building to look for weaknesses, but for the most part the police were afraid to move, there were too many innocent people inside, so they waited for the negotiators. It was a short while after the stalemate had settled in that the press arrived and they did their best to catch up, this was going to be great for the evening news.

JT surveyed their fortress, it was really pure good luck they picked this place. There were windows on one side but they were windows designed to protect the customers from the sun, so you could see out easily, but it was extremely hard to see in. They weren't too many doors and they had piled up all kinds of stuff in front of them to block them. The dinning room floor was also to their advantage, it was open, so they made little bunkers for each of them with tables, to hide behind if they were assaulted, then with the girls spread around the outside of each bunker, no law abiding cop would shoot one of those girls to get at them. Yeah, this was good, they had the advantage, they were going to escape, he just knew it.

Each of the three of them took turns at the door, while the other two rested in their little safe bunkers. JT was just walking to his when he stopped before Penny and grabbed the hair of the new girl that was in Penny's arms. Penny almost jumped up until the barrel of his pistol was pushed into her face. "Be nice, we can have a little fun later, you and me." JT then dragged the pretty, tiny brunette behind the tables with him, her crying now starting all over, again.

The girl was very pretty, young and petite, weighing less than 100 pounds, and JT knew he could easily control her with no problems. He sat down and pulled her in his lap, ripping her blouse more and pulling her bra off so he could fondle her breasts. She cried louder and he saw the blonde, that had been holding her, turn to glare at him. "You turn around and mind you business and you shut up, or we'll end this now!" JT then put the barrel of his handgun to the brunette's head while glaring at Penny. Penny turned her head, and sat there trying not to get upset, as she heard the whimpers and soft pleading, from the girl she knew was only 18 years old.

Time moved slowly, the negotiators called and JT explained to them, over the phone, what he said about killing hostages, which made some of the girls cry again. JT wouldn't let the girls go to the bathroom, he liked being cruel, so a couple of girls who couldn't hold it any longer, wet themselves, and the smell of pee was getting into the air. JT finally let the little brunette go, after about an hour, and she slowly walked around to the front, to Penny again. She was stripped to the waist and when she sat next to Penny, her skirt rode up and Penny could see she had no panties, the bastard had raped her. She didn't cry anymore either, so when Penny brought her back into her arms, she just laid against Penny, staring ahead.

Penny held the little girl, trying not to cry herself, she was so scared, she felt like a chill was running down her spine. She couldn't believe this was all happening, she never imagined she would see such things, in her life, much less be in the middle of them. Penny had never had a loaded gun put in her face, it terrified her, the man, JT, was nuts and he was a killer, if you didn't do what he wanted, you were dead. Penny began to feel she may die that night, and the thought brought even more fears in her.

Penny just continued to hold the poor girl, he had raped, holding her was comforting to Penny and she hoped it was comforting to her. The maniac had practically told Penny, she was next, and if she tried to fight or prevent him, she knew he would kill her. She wondered if it would be better to die, the thought of being raped by him so repulsive to her, but then she thought of Leonard, standing over her grave, his face, he would cry and it made a tear rolled down Penny's cheek. Leonard would beg her to come back to him, he would never desert her no matter how damaged she was after this, he would still love her and hold her, Penny sat there making up her mind, she would try to survive for Leonard.