Day 252 - Repeat Offenders - Chapter 12.6 - (1226 words)

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REpeat offenders

By Wayne Webb

CHAPTER 12.6

“The Plaza is in the other direction or am I missing something?” Harold was looking tired as he queried Ivan. He in turn was checking the loading of his gun, the one from which he had fired a round and killed the police officer who had come to check on them. That was a turning point for Harold, they had committed endless crimes without consequence and he had the odd sensation driven by the desperation of not really being himself any more. There was a freedom in that, he would have to leave behind his life, his wife and all pretences of being Harold White Bank Manager. That was a big mindset change he needed to make, or face some alternatives that he did not really want to think about. The thrill of robbing the vault over and over again, the idea that wealth beyond thought was as easy as taking it, keeping it and repeating it was a charge.


The power to do as you pleased, take what you want and reset any negative after effects was immensely enjoyable, but there were risks as well as rewards. In their dozen trips back in time he had got to know his co-conspirators very well and knew that they had a different set of rules for life, and a different set of tools they used to adjust to things, emotionally. They all came from very different places and all have very different skills, complementing each other.


Harold had access, he had risk mitigation and he had a calm and business like manner that he brought to the job. Mike had the leadership, he steered the ship and was decisive and ruthless in his approach. Ivan was a blunt instrument, he was the unstoppable force when needed. Brian was the mechanics, the practical elements of setting the device and calculating the various elements that intersected with the job when it was in play.


With Harold's access though it was almost like Mike and Ivan were redundant members of the team. No violence, no extra planning required, simply walk in and take what you need, rinse and repeat to exponentially multiply your return on the job. There was no need to hurt, maim, kill or even threaten anyone, they all stood to make impossible amounts of money for as long as they could keep up the ad infinitum behaviour that put them in the money.


This shooting was a sudden, unexpected reminder that while they had a gentleman's agreement in place these rough men stood ready to take action without thought. There was no negotiation, no planning and no alternatives offered, there was only a harsh and unforgiving death.


These were the men he was partnered with and every step had the potential to be his very last on this earth. He had put his faith and his life in their hands and not until now had he stopped to really consider that. There was always the reset hanging over him, that as an extraneous duplicate he could be killed, removed or left out of the anomaly and the unknowing version of himself was free to continue on with no awareness of what had happened to him and been reset out of the mix. He could die and they could even leave his body to be found by the authorities, it would make no difference expect that he would be a medical miracle. The man who was a duplicate of a man already alive, it would be one for the record books but no satisfactory explanation would be found and no one would care to look too closely anyway.


So he was going to the bank, opening the vault and taking the loot, but without the childlike awe he had before of flouting the accepted norms and making a profit from the situation and taking the adrenaline rush as the natural high to buoy himself along. Instead he was cautious, watched every move like a hawk and kept the thin and forced smile he had always used when dealing with criminals before. On his terms, no longer on theirs.


Ivan had not been interested in going back to the bank though and as soon as they were out of sight of the Van, he put an arm on Harold's shoulder and brought him to a halt. That touch had stiffened the poor man like a board, waiting for the axe to fall on his head. The man that had insisted he stay alive, the one that insisted that everyone play a more civilised role was just beaten and bullied by the two men they aligned themselves with and now they were split up with a hoodlum a piece.


Divide and conquer, but that cut both ways. Of course Harold was with the man who could have easily ripped him in two like a demonstration phone book and Brian was a scientist, how much violence could that man muster? He was as good as alone and at the mercy of a man who already admitted that he had been addicted to killing and beating people with no conscience.


“Follow me.” The instruction left no room for argument, but was not mean or ill intentioned, this was what was happening and following the lead he set was the rule.


“What is going on?” Harold could not hide the resignation to his fate, it wore on his words like a weight he had carried too long already.


“We are going to the warehouse. Someone is lying, and I don't think that Mike can be trusted. There is a reason we don't fucking split the group. We don't fuck with the plan now. Come on.” Ivan walked to a car and with a quick look inside the window he slammed an elbow through the glass and opened the door.


“I thought you wanted the money?” Harold said, confused.


“Money is money and we have a time machine, I don't believe for a second that it is 'broke' these fuckers are lying to us and I, we, are going to catch them in the act.”


They drove to the warehouse in silence and watched from a distance as Brian and Mike entered the space where the device was housed. They ran as quietly as possible to the doorway, thinking to stay within the relative proximity of the base device, just in case.


“We can see from up there!” Hissed Ivan and they pulled down a fire escape ladder that made a noise of metal grating on metal as it descended. No one came looking so they practically leapt up the rungs and got onto the metal walkway that ran along side the edge of the outer wall, and then up to the services on the roof.


They peered in through the window in time to see Mike getting clocked from behind by Brian.


“Fuck me!” Ivan swore and he saw another Brian and himself sitting calmly watching. They said nothing as Brian tried to secure Michael before he woke up.


“He should put him in the chair and...” Ivan saw himself do exactly what he had been thinking of doing. “... oh. Yes, good.”


Ivan was staring down at himself when Ivan inside the warehouse looked up and caught his own eyes looking directly back.