Title: Stuck In The Middle With You (2/4) Author: Meredian Email: mere_dythe@hotmail.com For Summary and DISCLAIMERS, see index page. Distribution: Only here at the archives, and through email. Feel free to recommend it, but if you'd like to post it, or whatever, (yeah, right. ;-) ) just drop me an email first. Thanks much! Feedback: Always appreciated! Note: * indicates thought. -----------------The car pulled up to the store-Justin's mind went clear. He was like a falcon, a bird of prey focused on his task to be carried out. When the signal was given, he moved out of the car with the rest of the crew. It was a nice, spring day. The sun was shining brightly. The colors were sharp, the windows of the wholesaler's glinting in the light. Justin glanced quickly to the others. They all looked calm and collected. Scarlett had taken her sunglasses off and was shining them on her handkerchief. Her eyes met him-- he saw collected coolness there. He was convinced of her professionalism, as convinced as he was of his own.
It was time.
Five of them: Mr.'s White, Blonde, Blue, Ms. Scarlett, and himself. They rushed into the store, intent on doing what they had to and getting out. Two minutes.
As Orange took the front and Blonde and Blue took the crowd, Justin, White, and Scarlett headed with the manager to the back...
"Okay, people, keep calm. If you keep calm, I won't have to blow your fucking heads off." Blonde's voice, carrying smoothly to them.
Taking the manager to the back, White cleared people away, and Scarlett moved ahead, intent on finding the diamonds. Justin had the manager by the arm, talking calmly to him.
"The diamonds, buddy. The cut stones in the safe. We want those. Only those. Stay in line and I won't break your fuckin' nose."
The manager stared back at him, silent, eyes wide. He brought them to the safe, and, after a nudge by White, began to undo the combination. As he opened the safe, Justin pulled him back.
"Let the lady do her work."
Scarlett popped her hands into the safe. She sifted quickly, efficiently through cases until she found purchase. Opening the slender lavender box, she glanced at the gleaming stones.
"These." Her voice was calm, unruffled.
"You sure?" White asked.
"Of course I am sure. I am never wrong."
Justin took the case and dropped it into the black bag. As he snapped it shut, he heard a loud, ear splitting ring.
*The alarm!*
But the ring was suddenly followed by gunshots.
!BANG! !BANG! !BANG!
Glancing at his two co-thieves, Justin rushed out of the back, to see Mr. Blonde quickly and efficiently picking off each of the customers. !bang! A young black girl. !bang! An elderly gent. *Civilians!?! Is he fucking insane?*
Suddenly, looking up, Justin realized that they were not alone. Easily ten cop cars and fifteen bluesuits were sitting there, looking assured, flanking the store in perfect formation. *What the fuck?!?!*
But, before he could process the info, the cops started to fire. Justin pulled out his gun and began shooting towards the cops. Running like mad, he headed out of a side door and down the street.
"Get the fuck out of the way!"
Screaming at the pedestrians, knocking into those stupid enough not to move. Justin could hear cops on his tail, screaming profusely at the same idiots who were in his way.
As he ran, stumbling over the curve, he saw a group of cop cars heading towards the store. Another momentous flash appeared in his head, but he pushed it back. All he needed right now was a car.
Which he saw, as he went flying into the road. He hit the windsheild of a car full force, and felt his ribs take a beating. His eyes glassy with pain, he rolled off the car and took cover on the side. Barely aiming, he began to fire at the three or so cops that were shooting at him. Seeing the bright sprays of blood, he was confident that he had tagged a couple. Then, without even considering, he pulled the driver out of the car and jumped in.
Speeding off down the street, Justin could hear the cops screaming and shooting behind him. He ducked, in part to avoid any errant shots, in part to see beneath the huge crack that he had created.
As he turned a corner, he looked down... and was confronted with the black bag. Somehow he had managed to keep ahold of the diamonds.
But he had to get rid of them. Somehow.
-------------------------------------------
*The storm drain.*
As Justin drove, the image of the drain on Percy St. kept occuring to him. *It's fuckin' perfect. No one would find them there. *
So, the problem of where to stash the diamonds was solved. That drain system on Percy St. was old, dark, and abandoned. No one ever went near it, and it was perfect for hiding a small, black bag with valuable contents. *But, there is no way I am leaving them there for long. No fucking way.*
As he maneuvered the car to the area of town that was his target, Justin's mind turned to other things. Specifically, what had gone down at the store.
*What the fuck was that?*
The speed with which the cops had arrived. That had taken him by surprise. Even with the alarm, they had arrived damn fast. And, thing was, they knew what they were doing. Justin shook his head in amazement as he turned the corner.
*What the fuck is going on here?*
And that second wave of cops, cops who were more flustered. They were more in place. But, yet so out of place. *Why would more cops show up later if the alarm had already been fucking answered??*
A look of confused anger passed over his face. He wished he could lay his finger on what was up. Because, well, this whole thing was pissing him off.
*A setup.*
The car swerved for a second. Justin's eyes glazed over, and his moth fell open. Shaking his head, he pulled himself together and continued driving.
*It fits so perfectly.*
The first wave of cops, knowing what they are doing, showing up way early. The second wave of unsure, loopy cops.
*A fucking setup.*
Seeing the storm drain, Justin pulled his car off the road. Looking around, he bolted out of the car towards the darkened tube. Glancing around to make sure that no one was looking, he crouched in the overgrown trash weeds and shoved the black bag into the drain. Pushing it as far back as he could, he pulled his arm out.
Justin then proceeded to arrange the weeds and stuff in the area, attempting to hide the trampled, fussy tracks he had left.
Back in the car, his suit still hot to the touch from the bright LA sunlight, Justin started towards the meeting point. His mind was still fuming over the idea of a setup. An idea that made more and more sense as time went on.
*A fucking setup!*
As he pulled into the lot across from the warehouse, his anger hit a head.
*I'm going to find out who is responsible for this. No one puts my neck on the block and gets away with it.*
Justin got out of the car and started for the big, metal doors. He could barely hear sounds inside. Looking around him, at the bright sunlight, the dusty cars, the drab houses, he felt an extreme sensation of being watched.
*Then I am going to grab Scarlett and get the fuck out of Dodge. This place ain't safe.*