Not Good

Whaaaaaa! Whaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaa!

Francisco and Richard were walking back toward the lobby when the blaring alarm struck their eardrums. The men wearing the dog and cat masks turned around, covering their ears quickly.

"DID YOU DO THIS!?" The dog robber barked, confronting Francisco with a hostile demeanor.

"What? How do you think I-" Francisco clenched his teeth. He found it difficult to speak and think, as the shrieking sound invaded his ears. Richard, his brother, immediately leaned close to him.

"WHAT DO WE DO!?" Richard yelled, causing his little brother to shake.

"Would you not yell in my ear!?" Francisco yelled back. He shook his head slightly, wondering why his older brother, the supposed bank robber, was asking him for advice. Biting his lower lip, his pupils bounced left and right. He certainly didn't want his older brother to get arrested.

Francisco snapped his fingers, backing up and jerking his thumb behind him. "Over here!" He started running back down the hallway. Richard and the two other robbers quickly followed. Richard trusted his brother, but the other two weren't convinced.

"If this is a trick and you're trying to escape, I'm going to kick your ass," the robber with the dog mask woofed. Francisco slowly began getting less motivated to help, reminding himself that this was for Richard.

As Francisco raced down the halls, his heartbeat raced fast. He never knew his heart could reach that level of speed. His breathing remained erratic as sweat spilled out of his pores. Arms and legs jittered, but his mind almost felt clear. The financial advisor could not explain this phenomenon. Feelings of excitement, anxiety, and fear mixed. Was this a result of him living an office job for years?

He made a few turns in the building before coming across a metal door with a glowing 'Exit' sign above. The heavy door had a push bar with an apparent keyhole. The man with the dog mask pushed aside, attempting to push the door open.

Krr-klick.

The door did not budge.

"Great job, you idiot, it's locked!" Dog barked.

Francisco glared at the robber for an alarmingly long time, considering the situation.

"What!?"

Francisco slowly pulled out a key from his pocket, inserting it into the keyhole and turning the lock mechanism, not breaking eye contact.

"Well, how was I supposed to know you had the key? Speak up next time," the dog robber yipped, rolling his eyes. Francisco turned the key and locked the door back.

"Hey, let's just calm down," Richard mediated with a nervous chuckle, patting Francisco on the back. With a sigh, Francisco unlocked the door again, pushing it open to reveal a back alleyway.

All four of them stepped outside. Richard hurriedly shuffled through his pocket and fished out his phone. He tucked his firearm under his arm as he called someone.

"Where is your getaway vehicle?" Francisco whispered with concern.

"That's who I'm calling. He's nearby," Richard assured. Francisco nodded, glancing at the other two robbers standing idly. They were focused on the ends of the alley. Even outside the building, the alarm could still be heard.

The robber with the cat mask walked up to Francisco. He reared his head close to his. "So like, what's your deal? You're way too supportive for a bank guy. Are you like our inside man?"

Francisco scratched the back of his neck. His voice stumbled as he held tightly on his tie. He simply winked at the cat robber and smiled.

"No one tells me shit," the cat robber hissed before walking away.

Richard hung up the phone, putting it back in his pocket. He nodded his head happily, "Okay, so the driver will be here in a few seconds. Can someone go get the others?"

The dog and cat robber glanced at each other and then back at Richard. The dog robber swung the bag of money over his shoulder and tilted his head smugly. "Why would we do that?"

"I don't understand the question," Richard was taken aback.

"We have the money. If they don't get here in time, it's their loss," the dog robber explained.

"It's probably their reason why the alarm went off in the first place!" The cat robber spoke up.

Francisco noticed his older brother's body language change. His posture stiffened, and his grip on his firearm tightened. The financial advisor urgently leaned and whispered to his brother. "Hey, Richie. Calm down. I wouldn't do anything rash. They probably want a bigger share."

"We're not leaving them!" Richard didn't budge, planting his feet on the ground and trying to look intimidating.

"Are you stupid? Think of the more money we could get if we cut out the others?" The cat robber snarled.

"I don't care! I could use the extra money, but not like this!" Richard yelled.

Francisco worried about what might happen next. He knew his brother, but he definitely did not know the other two robbers. Even though Richard had a weapon, Francisco doubted he would use it first or at all. The tension in the alleyway turned heavy; there wasn't time to have an argument or a slight disagreement. Francisco became anxious, wondering if he could mediate the situation.

Everyone turned their heads down the alleyway, hearing the sound of a rumbling engine as a cargo van slowly turned into view. It drove steadily toward the group. As it approached closer, the Dog and Cat robbers pointed their guns at their clown associate. Richard pointed his firearm back, nervously switching targets between the two of them.

"Whoa, whoa! Let's calm down!" Francisco yelled.

The driver of the van rolled down the window and stuck their head out. "What is going on here?!" The voice was feminine, exerting emotions of confusion and nervousness. "Uh, what happened to the others?"

"They're not coming!" The dog robber growled.

"Okay, cool, so that means more money for us, right?" The driver whistled.

"No, we're not leaving them behind!" Richard insisted.

"Y'know, maybe you should sit out. We'll get in the van, and you can stay with the rest of them," Dog grumbled. "I'll be glad to put a few holes in you."

Francisco widened his eyes, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Do you hear this man's threat? I don't think you should keep pushing," Francisco whispered.

Richard clenched his teeth. He quickly adjusted his aim at the van.

"Hey! What did I do!?" The driver yelled, throwing her arms out the window.

"If we continue this, I'll empty this entire clip into the van! We won't make it out of here without it!" Richard screamed. The Cat and Dog robber kept their guns pointed at him. "If you're going to shoot me, you better make sure it's a clean shot!"

Francisco tensed up, his body stiffening as he watched this 'Mexican standoff' take place. Gulping, he stepped in front of Richard, his arms spread out and wide. He could feel the attitudes start to shift.

"Get out of the way!" All three of them yelled.

"I think it's best if you listen to the clown, you guys don't have a lot of time to argue. You're wasting time; it would be faster if you just got the others," Francisco explained. "I wouldn't doubt him. If he does shoot the vehicle, there is absolutely no way you're getting out of here."

The dog robber grumbled, lowering his weapon. "What?! You're just going to cave in?! You think this guy's going to shoot the van!? He couldn't even beat that banker up!" The cat robber hissed.

"The fact he didn't beat the shit out of him tells me he will shoot the van," Dog ruffed. He opened the exit door behind him swiftly. "I'll get the others, and I'm taking the money with me. This has been a huge waste of time."

"I'm coming with, I don't trust you with the money alone," Cat snarled. The dog robber rolled his eyes as he closed the door behind them.

Francisco caught his breath, looking behind him as Richard lowered his weapon and leaned on his knees. The tense situation also exhausted him. It was rough trying to gain their composure. The ongoing alarm still rang in their ears. They could hear faint police sirens mixing with the noise pollution. Things weren't looking good.