She took a deep breath and held on tightly. The wire wrapped around her wrist, up her arm and over her shoulder. She knew she could do it, she just needed to convince herself that she could do it. That it was in her genetic fibers.
Another deep breath.
Her toes began to tingle like they always did before any big job. And this one was paying out big. She pictured her brother and sister back home, sitting in front of the cracked TV screen, the empty fridge with the broken light, the bathroom that she tried to keep clean, but no amount of scrubbing could get that kind of grit out of the aged tile. She tried not to think of the one bedroom that smelled so much like cat urine that they slept in the living room. But that was okay, they liked to sleep together. They called it camping out...even though none of them knew what camping out meant. After she got paid tonight, she was going to get them a big cheesy pizza and maybe rent a movie. A glimmer of happiness flickered in her chest.
She allowed only a moments thought towards her parents. Her dad had taught her well, and he would be proud of the gig she landed. Her mom would be furious.
Claudia shook her head and felt the wire tighten a little more. She took another big breath and went over the plan one more time. All she needed to do was take the wire from this Hummer's bumper to the the front of bank's wall and then casually walk away.
She had this.
She made one more last check around, looked at her watch, when the minute hand hit the four, she would run from behind the massive tire and out to the bank wall where a hook had already been planted, and then walk to a cafe a few blocks away.
Five. Four. Three. Two...
Just as she switched her footing, a firm hand planted on her right shoulder.
“Claudia, why am I not surprised?” A deep familiar voice tugged at her ear.