On The Run

Chapter Thirteen

"I didn't." He says. And I can't place his emotion, anger, fear, disappointment?
"So now what?" I ask... He can never go back to a normal life like this. I know what we have to do. And it terrifies me. We have to go back... And we have to delete his face on any security camera in that building.

Without answering he turns around, and I know we are on our way back to that horrid store. But this time, we are breaking and entering, and we will destruct public property.

Oh Ty, what have I gotten myself into with you? I never asked for any of this.

On our way back to the store where Ty's fate hangs in the balance, I can't help but to think of how I used to be. Before all of this.

I was just a broken girl, living a normal life full of fighting parents. I was so innocent, got good grades at school, played volleyball, always asked my brother for help, had a boyfriend, and broke up with him, while my brother went to his house to have a "talk with him" for breaking my heart. I was such a seventeen year old.

Now I feel ten years older. I'm on the run, disobeying my parents (without them even knowing), stealing, and I'm about to vandalize security films.

Even though I feel a pang of disappointment, I'm also a little excited. I can't hide that I'm scared for what's gonna happen if we fail, though.

Even if we get his face off the security cameras, how are we going to deal with the cops. There are going to be so many cops there investigating what happened.

"Ty. You can't go in." I say, scared to death that I am going to be alone in this operation.
"What do you mean I can't go in? You can't do this alone." He says, and for a moment, I think it's true. How is a goody two shoes going to be able to infiltrate a store full of cops, get to the security cameras, and delete the history without knowing the password? This is hopeless.
"They are gonna recognize you right away, Ty. If you set foot in the parking lot of that store, our cover will be blown and you can never live a normal life with your sister again..." Or me. But I don't say that. I don't want my emotions getting involved in this.

"Well, then how do you expect to pull this off on your own?" He asks incredulously.

I wish I could say I have some master plan devised, but I'm at a total loss.
"Whatever you were planning to do only on my own." I answer mentally crossing my fingers.

"Your insane Iz, you know that?" And I'm afraid he's gonna say no, but instead, he lets out a sigh.
"But your right." He says, and he cringes soon after he said it seeing me gloat.

"How did those words taste coming out of your mouth?" I ask.
"Shut up. Let's make a fool proof plan." He says, chuckling to himself.
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1) park in the small woods next to the store.
2) make my way to the back door looking for cops.
3) find liter fluid in the store
4) set the place on fire
5) GET OUT

Sounds simple enough. That eliminates the computer hacking geeky stuff that I would never be able to pull off. And hopefully I'm stealthy enough to sneak around the place without getting caught.

I giggle at the thought.
Me, stealthy?

"What do I do if I get caught?" I ask thinking of the worst that could happen.
"You won't get caught." He answers.
"Ty! I'm trying to run through all the possible scenarios! Now answer me, what do I do if I get caught?" I'm proud of my no nonsense tone.
"It depends on what stage your at. You could run, set the place on fire, or..."
He loads the gun right in front of me, but I immediately shake my head no!

"Protect yourself."

"I'm not shooting anyone!" I yell at him, and he jumps from my sudden outburst.
"I didn't think you would. But it would make me feel better if you'd at least take it. Please?" He asks, he sounds like a child begging for candy at a store. How could I say no?

"Fine but I am not using it!" I say and I am not up for arguing.

He smiles and hands me the gun, showing me the safety, and how to take it off, and how to react to a recoil. I know I am never going to need this information, so I am barely even paying attention.
"Yeah yeah." I answer.
And he hides the car right where we had planned.

I have the butterflies. Not the "I'm going to prom with my crush" butterflies but the "if you screw this up, things will never be the same again" butterflies.
What have I gotten myself into?

I can't second guess myself now. He gives me a quick peck on the cheek and I open my door. I mentally try to prepare myself, here it goes.

I walk, as quietly as I can't, my shoes barely making a sound on the twigs and leaves. I'm so proud of myself for how unclumsy I am right now.

The trees slowly begin to part, and I can see the outline of the store I had promised myself I would never come back to. It has only been about fifteen minutes since our "getaway" so if everything goes as planned, the cops would have to rely solely on their memory to identify Ty.

As the trees come to a sudden stop, I look to my left and my right to make sure I am clear to make a break to the back door.

As soon as I see the silhouette of a scrawny cop disappear to the front of the building, I run, as fast as I can without the fear of tripping myself up. And now, I'm at the back door.

I hear voices coming around the side of the building, so I duck, and hide myself behind the opposite side of the garbage bin. I hold my mouth to keep my breathing silenced, and I internally giggle thinking how I must look like a dumb broad from a horror movie.

As soon as they pass me, and done see me (what a relief) I try to open the back door, but its locked. I bring my hands to my hair and lightly pull out of frustration. Then, I realize that Nick tried to teach me how to pick a lock.

I check my hair for a hair pin, and pull one out, excited that my absent mind put it on this morning.

As I attempt to pick the lock, I remember my brother teaching me how to do this.

We were five and six.
"Why are you making me do this?" I ask my little girl voice sounding groggy as I yawn and realize it's passed my bedtime.
"Don't you wanna know what you got for Christmas?" He asks, and I giggle, excited as he twists it one last time and unlocked our closet.
He closes the door before I can look inside.
"No! You have to try it first." He scolds.
"Aw come on, Nick!" But he doesn't falter.

It took me three tries but I finally picked the lock and found my pink mini driving car. The plastic one with a small motor.

I smirk one last time before I hear the familiar click of a successful break in.
No one is inside right now, which is the best news I have had all day. I crawl go the glass door, and checking to see that no one is watching, lock the front door. That will hold them off so the fire can grow and consume Ty's face in the camera.

I grab a gallon of liter fluid, and find a box of matches. This will do just fine. I stealthily sneak around looking for the right place.

I finally see it. The utility room, guessing that it would be the place a security monitor would be, I open the door. The room is small, much like the office Ty and I were held in earlier.

There are so many computer modules and the huge monitor that would have gotten my Ty into a lot of trouble. I smile, proud of yet another success, and I pour the liter fluid.

I start that room on fire, and knowing I haven't got much time before an alarm goes off, sneak into the isle way, and set the whole place ablaze.

I run out of the building, and I lock the door behind me, to keep the people out while the fire does its job. I hear a ton of commotion in the front.

"Fire! There's a fire!"
"Was anybody in there?"
"Get a fire truck out here now!"

But even I know it's too late as the building turns a bright red-orange, and Ty's face is forever burnt out of this place.

I turn to run back to the woods, but what I see next has me stopped in my tracks.

Ty and a police officer. Rolling around on the ground, and the look of horror on Ty's face as he tries to ward off a gun.