Chapter 1
- Kill him, said the eerie figure at the end of the dark corridor. It’s finally time to begin.
Ian looked the man in the eye and nodded affirmatively before opening the heavy wooden office door and stepping out into the stone-carved hallway. He smiled. The mission he had been assigned to all those years ago was finally beginning.
- Can you stop with that music? said Elvira angrily. It makes me nervous.
- You’re not the leader here, Ian replied with pretended authority. You don’t get to control what I listen to and when I listen to it.
- If I’m not mistaken, you’re not the leader here either Ian, Elvira retorted with a smile.
The others in the white van burst out laughing.
- Plus one to Elvira, Ellie said with a giggle. She got you, Ian. Now stop listening to that crap, and hold on to what dignity you have left, or you’ll lose that too.
- What’s going on back there? there was a wild voice. Stop laughing and get ready. We’re coming.
The laughter suddenly stopped. The five black-clad figures pulled five revolvers out of their black holsters almost simultaneously. There were five successive clangs. They armed themselves.
- Careful with these, boys, they’re not toys, Ellie said playfully.
- Enough of your sappy sense of humour, Ian complained. Come on, let’s get this over with.
- I should let you know that I brought nails, Elvira said hesitantly, but no one paid attention.
The van stopped. For a while, silence reigned inside. The five figures put their hands, again almost simultaneously, into their identical leather coats and pulled out five identical gorilla-shaped masks and put them on.
- Gorillas! shouted the van driver. I’ll wait here.
- Let’s go, guys, Elvira said, lifting a large sack from the floor of the vehicle as Ellie opened the door.
And they got out of the van. They had parked it across the street from a large building with an ancient Greek facade. Columns supported the concrete roof, and above the massive main entrance, in large gold letters, was the words National Bank of Nevala.
The five figures entered the building. Before them stretched a large hall with huge chandeliers, dotted with lines of people waiting their turn at the counters. Reaching the centre of the large hall, the five took out their guns, and fired them at the ceiling, being careful not to hit the chandeliers. They did not, after all, want to injure anyone. Frightened, the customers screamed and ducked to the floor to protect their heads. The silence that spread through the room afterwards almost echoed itself.
Ian lifted the megaphone he held at the height of his mouth and shouted:
- Ladies and gentlemen. Please remain still in your seats until we have finished our work. I don’t want any of you to dare call the police. I want the honourable employees at the cashier’s desk to keep their hands visible behind their heads unless one of us tells you to do otherwise. We don’t want to hurt any of you any more than we have to, and we know you don’t want that to happen either. If you follow our instructions, you should be able to return home in good health.
- Good work Ian, Elvira whispered to him wryly, and he glared at her.
Then Elvira approached the first counter on the left and set the bag she was carrying down at the counter.
- Please, give what you have, she said calmly, almost politely, pointing at the gentleman sitting behind the counter with her pistol.
- Indeed, indeed, the clerk said stutteringly.
The clerk filled her bag with plenty of bills.
- Thank you for your service, she said with a laugh.
Ian then looked at his watch, and shouted over the loudspeaker:
- Two minutes!
Ellie ran to the next counter. So did Elvira. The rest of their comrades all the same. Time was running out.
- Please, give as much as you have, she said to the next clerk, and the next, and the next, pointing her pistol at them all. None of them objected. She had enough convincing arguments.
- One minute, Ian shouted.
A drop of cold sweat dripped from Elvira’s face.
Time was ticking away but she hadn’t nearly filled the bag with enough money. She ran to the next cash register.
- Fill it up, she said with a hint of irritation.
- Right away!
Ian’s voice came over the loudspeaker:
- Half a minute!
She looked behind her. No one had finished their work.
They had to leave with what money they had managed to get. The last instalment hadn’t filled her bag completely, but she didn’t have time to continue. But they absolutely had to leave. Over the loudspeaker, Ian called out:
- Time’s up, guys! We have to go. Thanks for your service.
Without delay, they closed the bags and ran towards the exit. In the distance, a patrol car siren could be faintly heard.
- Unfortunately, one of the polite gentlemen or one of the kind ladies at the cashiers disobeyed our orders and called the police, Ian shouted as they left. We are truly sorry to have to go through such an act, but you forced our hand.
Elvira then took a small parcel out of her coat and placed it on the floor. She didn’t want to hurt people, no. She just wanted to scare them somehow. She held back a smile.
The sirens were now sounding too loud and clear. In fifteen seconds at the most the police would have arrived. After running out of the building, they quickly got into the white van.
- Quick, go!” shouted Ian, banging on the driver’s window.
The driver of the van pushed the accelerator all the way down, and the vehicle
started. The police barely arrived. Two cars. One stayed behind and the second one got them in pursuit.
It was then that Elvira pressed a button on a remote control she held in her hand. There was a deafening sound of an explosion. And the central bank building, now two blocks back, was enveloped in thick smoke.
- What was in the package? Ian wondered.
- Smoke grenade, Ellie replied with a smile.
- You’re crazy, said Ian, startled. Smoke grenade? Why?
- Just like that.
- Guys, we’re not done yet, the driver shouted. I think we’re being followed.
There was gunfire. Someone was aiming at the van’s tires. Horns. Cars sliding. The patrol car siren in the back was getting louder and louder. A loud bang. Smell of burning oil.
- They’re gaining ground, we’re not going to outrun them, the driver said anxiously. They’re trying to blow out our tires.
- We got that, smart guy, Ellie replied. So what do we do?
- Your job, replied the angry voice from the front. If they catch me, I won’t stay in the slammer for more than two or three days. The Organisation will get me out quickly. For you, however, it may take too long. You’re not necessary, after all, but I am. Crucial, in fact. Ian, perhaps, is also important, but my point still stands.
- ‘How nice,’ Ellie whispered ironically. Any ideas?
- Well, are you all completely stupid? said Elvira. ’Don’t you remember I told you I brought nails?
- What are we going to do with the nails, Elvira? asked Ian. Elvira didn’t answer. Instead, she opened the back door of the
and emptied the box of nails into the asphalt.
- Are you crazy? They all shouted at once. Do you want to cause a car crash?
- Yes, Elvira replied with a smile.
There was a lot of clanging of flat tires. The drivers lost control of their cars. But the main thing was that the tires of the police car that was chasing them blew out. Vehicles were crashing, catching fire. They heard squealing, whistling, yelling. Chaos. And the siren of the police car was receding.
The five occupants of the van gasped in relief. They had escaped.
- We got away, the driver said. Good idea with the nails.
- Yoo-hoo! Ellie shouted. We’ve succeeded. We’re rich! 8
- This money is not for us, Ellie, Ian told her. And be careful how you talk, or the front man will get angry.
- You too, Ellie replied, disappointed. I can’t even enjoy it.
- Don’t worry, Elvira reassured her. We succeeded, even though this money is not for us.
