Page 50 of The Cinderella Secret
“Give him your phone,” snapped Ella. He was going to get himself shot.
Aiden actually laughed. “I can’t. I really left it at home. I’m very forgetful. Ask anyone.”
The bank robber flipped his gun around and jabbed Aiden harshly in the stomach. Aiden doubled over and the bank robber ran his hands through Aiden’s pockets. Finding nothing, he growled in frustration, which made Aiden laugh again, and Ella glared at him.
“Sorry,” said Aiden and for a moment Ella felt like they were the only two in the room.
“Did you get them all?” yelled the head bank robber. The man holding the sack didn’t immediately answer. “Ringo! Did you get them all?”
“Yeah,” growled Ringo, stepping away from Aiden with a disgusted look.
There was more yelling from the two bank robbers in the back and the final bank employees, including Aiden’s friend from earlier, was pushed out with the others to line up in the main foyer.
“Ringo, George,” snapped the one that seemed to be the leader, “you’re up. Get to the vault.”
There was a tense few minutes of quiet in the foyer, and Ella could hear sniffling from one of the employees. Into the silence they heard the very faint, high-pitched whine of the siren.
“Fuck!” snapped the second bank robber, his eyes going to the leader. “They’re early.”
“Shut up, Paul,” said the first bank robber. “We don’t know that’s for us.”
“Because there’s another bank robbery happening right now?” demanded Paul.
“Shut up, Paul,” snapped the first one.
Ella was aware of Aiden’s head turning back and forth between the two bank robbers. His face had the intense expression that she’d come to dread. He was about to figure something out and make her regret whatever she’d just said. Only in this case, she wasn’t the one he was aiming at.
“You’re not going to make it, John,” said Aiden, straightening up and taking a half-step forward.
“What’d you say?” barked the leader, who put his gun directly onto Aiden’s chest.
“You can’t crack the vault fast enough,” said Aiden.
“We only need ten minutes,” said the second man.
“That’s at least five minutes two long, Paul,” said Aiden. “But I can cut it down for you.”
“Oh, you can? I suppose you know the combination?” asked Paul sarcastically.
“Yes, I do. I was just back there, and I saw someone open it,” said Aiden.
“Aiden!” gasped his friend, from a few spots down the line.
“Let the hostages go,” continued Aiden, as if his friend hadn’t spoken, “and I’ll give it to you.”
“Yeah, right,” said Paul.
“Shut up, Paul,” said John.
“That’s not part of the plan,” hissed Paul. “He said stick to the plan.”
“Well, he’s not here, is he?” Suddenly, John wheeled around and looked at the line of bank employees. “All right, all of you on the right side of the desk, you’re leaving. Down the stairs.” They stared at him in disbelief. “I said move,” he yelled and fired a shot into the ceiling. There was a panicked stampede for the stairwell and Ella gestured for her team to join the group as it ran past them. Tic made it, but Paul snagged Tac and Toe.
“No, you Chinks stay right where you’re at. You have to stay.”
“How lovely,” drawled Aiden. “Racist and stupid.”
“Fuck you, cracker,” said John. “Give us the combination.”
