by Dan Alatorre
“Meanwhile, you two have to get onto the roof, slash the canvas, and turn off the generators. Gee, no problem.”
“Yeah,” Melissa frowned. “It would be nice if we had some help. But as it stands, we don’t. And the last chance we have to grab back the time machine is tonight.” Her face grew firm with resolve. “So unless anybody has any better ideas, this is what we’re doing.”
“Can’t we just smash through the overhead door like they do on TV?” I asked.
Barry shook his head. “It might not work. Those big roll-type doors are made of some kind of thin metal slats, but they might be reinforced with steel bars or something. We want the guards to leave the machine. If they hear a bunch of noise and think they’re under attack, they might not leave—and they might fight back. Then those pesky guns might start firing. Besides, if we tried to smash through the gates and didn’t make it, game over.”
“Okay, okay. We’ll do it your way.”
“You know,” he rubbed his chin. “The only other thing we could really use is a couple of two way radios. Where could we get something like that at this time of night? Radio Shack?”
“Why do we need radios?” Melissa narrowed her eyes.
Barry patted his broken leg. “I can’t run around with you, but with communication, I could tell you what to do. And you could give me updates while I keep lookout from the truck.”
It made sense to me. There was only one problem. “We don’t have any more money.”
“Yeah, well… we’re already thieves.” Barry glanced at me. “If you can create a distraction inside Radio Shack, I’ll grab some walkie talkie radios and run out. They only ever have one guy working. It shouldn’t be too hard to distract him. ”
“How you gonna run anywhere, gimp boy?”
Melissa held her hand up. “I’ll create the distraction. Peeky will grab the radios. Barry, you have to wait in the car.”
His mouth curled into a smile. “You gonna distract the Radio Shack guy the way you did with the motel clerk?”
“Maybe. You jealous?”
“Maybe I should just stay here in the hotel.”
“Oh, no.” Melissa straightened up. “Last time we split up we almost didn’t reconnect. Let’s stay together. That slime ball at the front desk can’t find us if we aren’t here.”
“Well, we are coming back here, aren’t we?”
“Kind of.” She glanced at the window. “There’ll be some high school party going on in his motel somewhere before midnight, I guarantee it. They won’t want their parents to know what they’re up to, and they sure won’t want the front desk guy checking up on them. So they’ll be happy to trade rooms with us.” She winked. “Happens all the time.”
Barry seemed satisfied. He turned to me. “Listen, at the Sun Dome, the two of you should be able to boost each other up onto the rain gutters. I’ll point them out to you. They’re these big concrete downspouts, like aquifers, but they start out about ten feet off the ground on a column. Melissa can help boost you up like this.” He squatted a little, interlocking his fingers and holding them out like a step. “One foot goes here, in her hands, then your other foot goes on her shoulder. Missy, if you lean back against the column, it’ll support you and you’ll be able to hold his weight.” He turned back to me. “Then you reach down and help pull her up. That’s all you need to do.”
I looked over at Melissa. “Make sure we have enough gas in the getaway car.”
“The tank’s half full. Anything else?”
“Sure,” I said. “Knives. Lock picks. Bullet proof vests.”
Melissa grabbed the backpack. “We can’t go on a crime spree to put together all the stuff we need. We’ll have to improvise.” She unzipped the bag and dumped it on the bed. “Let’s see what Sheila’s got in here.” Moving her fingers over the pile, she sorted out useful objects. “Hairpins – that’ll help with the locks.” They went into her pocket. “A corkscrew. And check it out.” With a quick flip, a one-inch blade appeared.
“Why does a bottle opener have a blade attached?” I asked.
“It’s a foil cutter, for expensive wines. It’s small, but it will have to do.”
“Besides,” Barry said. “It only has to work for a few minutes.”
“I guess that just leaves us needing some radios.” Melissa put her hands on her hips, sighing. “Okay, let’s go rob the fucking Radio Shack.”
* * * * *
We sat in the Kmart’s enormous parking lot, about a hundred yards away from Radio Shack, staring at it through its big glass windows.
Barry shifted his weight in the passenger seat, trying to keep his broken left ankle as comfortable as possible. “Look, it's a simple smash and grab. You see it on the news all the time. People just run in the door, grab the stuff, and run out again before the clerk even have a chance to figure out what's going on.” He eyed Melissa. “The only difference is, we're gonna send Missy in first to cause a distraction.”
“Are we sure the distraction’s even necessary?” I asked.
“No, but it’s a little like adding an extra level of safety.”
Melissa shook her head. “Safety during a robbery. What a concept.” She rested her hands on the steering wheel. “I'll try to get the guy to go way to the back of the store with me. As soon as that happens, Peeky, you run in and grab the walkie talkies.”
“Do we know where they are?”
“They shouldn’t be too hard to find. That stuff will be up front with the cell phones.” She gazed at Barry. “Stay in the truck with the engine running. You’re our getaway driver. When Peeky comes out, you guys take off. Then drive around and meet me in the back a few minutes later. That way they don’t think we’re together. The key is, remain anonymous.”
I took a deep breath. “Okay, I guess we're ready. Let's go.”
“Let me drive,” Barry said. “I’ll drop you off first, a little ways away from Radio Shack. That way, you can walk up and not be seen getting out of the truck.”
“Right.” She nodded. “Anonymous.”
From across the parking lot of the unsuspecting Radio Shack, we made our final adjustments for our assault. Barry slid behind the wheel of the truck.
I got out and peed behind it.
“Come on, Peeky,” Barry announced. “Time to go.”
* * * * *
At five minutes to closing time, the clerk at RadioShack was in no mood for customers. There was paperwork to do and a cash register to count.
But a pretty girl was always a welcome sight.
So when Melissa passed through the front door, she was not surprised at his smile. What did surprise her were the words that came out of his mouth.
“Hey, I know you. You're that politician’s daughter—Melissa Mills, right?”
Shit.
* * * * *
Findlay was amazed at the simplicity of the words he’d just spoken.
Maybe I should let them get the machine. Then I can just take it from them. They do the hard part of getting it away from the military guys, and I can pluck it from them afterwards. I can still go take my gold rush ride to buy the Coca-Cola stock and turn the machine over to the school afterwards. Who’d know?
Hell, I’d be the hero for getting the stolen machine back, and Peeky can let me know where it is.
* * * * *
Melissa smiled at the Radio Shack clerk as he came over to greet her. “Melissa Mills, right? From the political commercials. Your dad’s running for mayor.”
She was aghast, but managed to hold her smile in place. “Why, yes. Yes, I am.”
“Yeah, I saw you on TV the other day talking about your dad.”
Jesus, we can’t rob this place now. “Um, well—make sure you vote for him, okay?” She glanced up and saw a security monitor. Her jaw dropped.
“Oh, sure, I think your dad’s a good guy. And he’s well-known around these parts. He’s done a lot for the community.”
Returning her gaze to the clerk, she forced anothe
r smile. “You’ve sure done your election year homework.”
“Yeah, yeah. So what can I do for you this evening?”
She thought for a moment. Anonymous was out, but that wasn’t really the key. Not being tied to the robber was the key.
Peeky can still come in and grab the radios.
“Ma’am? Miss Mills?”
She regained her thoughts. “Um, well… I need one of these things over here.” She walked back to the back of the store.
He followed her. “Speaker wire and cable coils, eh? You installing a stereo?”
* * * * *
The bell on the front door of the Radio shack jingled as I pushed it open and stepped inside.
The clerk waved. “I'll be right with you, sir!” Then he turned to Melissa. “So, Miss Mills, what are we rigging up? A sound system?”
As soon as I heard the clerk utter Melissa’s name, I froze.
He knows her name!
Fear gripped me. I looked at Melissa.
She looked back at me, her eyes wide.
Should I run out now and scrub the mission?
As the clerk squatted down to explain speaker wire, Melissa waved at me. She mouthed the word, “Go.”
Go? I hooked a thumb at the door. Leave?
She winced, mouthing again: “Get the radios.”
I repeated it back, to be sure. “Get the radios?”
She nodded emphatically, the blood draining from her face. Above her, I spotted the video camera. It had recorded our interaction.
I mouthed. “What about that?”
She glanced up to the monitor, then back at me with a scowl, mouthing, “Do it!”
I scanned the packages on the shelves. Everything suddenly looked the same. Some were toys, some were cell phones, but each plastic package was indiscernible from the next.
My heart was in my throat, convinced we’d get caught. I blinked a few times. I could see colors in the boxes—blue, red, green—but I wasn’t sure what I was staring at.
Am I having a panic attack?
My hands were sweating. I heard myself huffing and puffing.
Melissa directed the clerk to something on the lower shelf. “What are these over here?”
He grabbed a small box. “These? These are cable junction boxes. What's the project you're doing?”
I tried to examine the boxes of gadgets in front of me. There were all kinds of things; I couldn't figure out which was which. I’d never stolen anything before my life. I was a nervous wreck.
Every package looked the same. They might have all been walkie talkie radios, but I couldn't figure it out.
Melissa glared at me again, her eyes growing wider.
I was frozen with fear. I couldn't think.
Suddenly the front door burst open again. It was Barry.
He leaned on the open door and supported himself by placing a hand on the frame. “Where do you keep the walkie talkies?”
The clerk looked up. “I’ll be with you in just a moment.”
Barry hobbled his way over to me. “Where are the fucking walkie talkies?”
The clerk stood up, pointing. “Right there…”
Barry glared at the shelf. He grabbed a box and turned for the door.
“What’s going on?” the clerk asked.
The bell clanged again as Barry threw open the door and disappeared through it.
“You’re robbing us!” The clerk’s jaw dropped as he watched Barry disappear. He looked at me. “You’re robbing us, too?”
“Uh…” I glanced at the door.
“God, can’t you two follow some simple directions?”
He turned, appearing crestfallen, to Melissa. “Are you robbing me, too, Miss Mills?”
The yellow truck appeared in front of the door. Barry honked the horn.
“Yeah, I kinda am.” Melissa shrugged. “I’m sorry.”
“Miss Mills! Don’t – don’t do it.”
She ran for the door. “Can you bill me for it or something?”
As it glided closed again, I stood there staring at the clerk. He stared back at me, his mouth open.
I reached for the door. “I… should probably go.”
The horn honked again. The clerk shook his head. “I have to call the police. You guys are in a lot of trouble.”
“Please don’t call the police.”
“I’ll lose my job if I don’t.”
Barry laid on the horn again. This time, the sound unfroze my feet and I ran.
* * * * *
Barry drove like a madman. “Jesus, what the hell happened to you guys in there?”
“What!” Melissa threw her hands up. “Why did you come barging in, John Wayne?”
“You guys were taking too long. What happened?”
“I went through the door and the guy knew who I was right away. He called me by name.”
“What?”
“Yeah. He said he knew me from my dad’s TV commercials and stuff, or from interviews or something.”
“Okay, so we had a perfect distraction.” Barry turned to me. “What the hell happened to you?”
“I panicked! I never stole anything before! I kept thinking about how mad my parents would be if I got caught. I froze.”
“Jesus, Peeky.”
Melissa pounded the seat. “You know, it was a simple plan. Stroll in and grab a walkie talkie.” She glared at Barry. “And you were supposed to stay in the car!”
I shrugged. “There were all these security cameras, too...”
Barry groaned. “Peeky, it’s a Radio Shack. They sell security cameras. They have them on display.” He took a deep breath. “Fuck. Well, it doesn't matter. We got the radios.”
Melissa looked at the box. “Did we?”
“What?”
“These are, like, kid walkie talkies, Barry.”
“What! Are you kidding me? I grabbed the wrong box? Shit. Hang on.” He hit the brakes and pulled over. “Let me see it.”
Barry scanned the box for a moment. It was pink with a castle on it.
Cinderella.
“God damn it.” Barry’s cheeks turned red. He pored over the box. “Well, it doesn't matter, they’ll still work for what we need done. They’ll have enough power.”
“They’re freaking Cinderella walkie talkies, Barry.” Melissa said. “I had a set like this when I was a kid. They fucking suck.”
“I'm sure they have some kind of decent range. They’ll work just fine as long as we don’t have any interference. Which we shouldn’t, in an empty basketball stadium parking lot.”
Melissa stomped her foot. “Jesus Christ, we really are the gang who can't shoot straight. If we can't even pull off a simple robbery of a Radio Shack, how the hell are we gonna shut down the Sun Dome? And that clerk’s going to call the cops. This is not good, you guys.”
“Nothing has changed.” Barry’s voice was even. “We don’t have any time? We didn’t before, either. The cops are gonna get called? They were already after us. What’s a few more?” He poked the dashboard with his finger. “This all comes to a head tonight, whether we like it or not. If we can get the machine, we can clear our names. It’s that simple. If we get the machine, people will believe us when we tell our story. But we have to tell it, not Findlay, and not Dean Anderson.”
He smiled, looking resolute in his words. “And believe it or not, I think shutting down the Sun Dome will actually be easier than robbing Radio Shack.”
Sandwiched against the truck door, I had only one thought.
It better be.
Melissa flipped the pink box over. “Do these things need batteries? Should we go back to Radio Shack, or do you wanna knock off a 7-11?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“The burglary gods took pity on us.” Barry pulled batteries from the Cinderella walkie talkie box.
Melissa and I stood under the trees at the soccer field, overlooking the Sun Dome parking lot. Barry sat in the truck a few feet away.
“Robbery gods, no
t burglary gods, Barry.” Melissa snapped a battery into one of the pink princess radios. She turned it on and held it up to her mouth. “Burglary is when you take things from a person. Robbery is when you take things from a place. Over.”
There was a little static, but otherwise the radio sounded fine. Barry adjusted his volume and answered Melissa. “10-4, good buddy. So we burgled Jonesy when we took her clock? Over.”
“I burgled Jonesy?” I laughed. “I don’t like the sound of that. Very… unwholesome.”
Melissa frowned at me. “No, she wasn’t there.” She put the radio up to her mouth again. “Negatory, negatory. We robbed her.”
Barry’s staticky voice came over her radio again. “Negatory? Is that a word? There was a clerk present at Radio Shack. Did the three of us burgle him?”
I covered my face. “Oh, I hope not.”
Melissa chuckled. “I think you burgled him all by yourself, big guy. We just watched.”
“10-4. And, yuck.”
The parking lot of the Sun Dome was big, empty and dark. On game nights the lights were bright enough to illuminate every square inch of asphalt over the acres of parking, making it bright as daylight. Tonight, only about one in ten of the parking lot lights were on, and the empty lot was beginning to accumulate a nighttime mist. The top of the stadium, however, glowed. The stadium lights inside caused the canvas roof to light up, making an eerie white crescent-bubble against the backdrop of a black sky.
Barry spoke over the radio again. “Okay, you guys. It's zero hour.”
We walked over to the truck.
“Just remember, it's all pretty simple.” Barry was a stickler for details, despite his demonstrated impulsiveness during the Radio Shack heist. “You boost each other up onto the gutter, climb your way up to the roof. Then you just want to poke a few holes—you know, make some slashes. You'll start to feel the air coming right out.”
I observed the stadium in the distance. “That thing’s not gonna pop like a balloon when we stick the knife in it, is it?”
