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Nick and AJ once again stood there not knowing what to do. It was the kind of dejavu that AJ felt he could do without. He knew what that sound was, he knew but he didn't want to verbalize it. So Nick did, "AJ that was gun. Why are they firing?" He asked with such a raised level of panic in his voice that all the bad thoughts that AJ had tried to bury far in the depths of his mind came vomiting forward. "I don't know kiddo but we can't think about that right now"

"We have to go see if they are okay" Nick said moving without thought towards the sound of the gun blast. Toward his friends, that he pictured lying dead on the floor. AJ ran to catch up with him and tackled him to the ground. "No Nick! We can't. We have to find help" Nick pounded his fist against the floor in a dejected manner. He didn't want to agree with AJ but the guy was right. They would be no good to their friends going in and getting caught. They would just have to hope that everything was okay.

Nick and AJ got up from the floor and tried to get as close as possible to the main room without being detected. They tiptoed almost all the way to the end of the hallway. There they were able to see Howie. He was sitting looking very quiet and pale but other than that alright. AJ felt for the first time since they entered the bank, a dull ray of hope, "Maybe we can get D's attention" He whispered to Nick. The boy nodded in return. Now the question was how?

The bad guys were nowhere to be seen but they could clearly be heard and AJ was able to make out the lady's voice. She was telling the guy in charge to calm down and that everything would be okay. "I think the main guy lost his cool" He said to Nick who was also listening intently while trying to flag down Howie. Then he heard her say something about getting the boys. That sent his dull ray of hope fading into the dank abyss of the bank.

"Well, at least they know we are alive" Nick said also more than a little disappointed that they were both about to be hunted again. AJ nodded but never took his eyes off Howie. Come on D look up! Come on! he pleaded but the Latino never did. "It's no use Nick, Howie is not looking this way and if we try anything to get his attention, we might get everyone else's as well"

"So, what do we do now?" He was getting a little tired of that question too. Why was it that he had to have all the answers? Couldn't Nick think up a plan just this once? He didn't have time to voice his concern because he heard her walking this way. Right towards them. "Shit" Nick said. They both ran back towards the hallway letting the darkness envelop them.

They stood stark still. That's all they could do, she had come up on them fast. A bit faster than they had expected.

She walked right into that hallway knowing the boys had to be in there, if not then they must surely be upstairs. She was so happy she had persuaded Jordan to let her go alone. Bringing someone else would have just thrown everything off. She had to be the one to find them. And she would, because they trusted her. Stupid kids.

She walked into the dark hallway with confidence. Trying to adjust her eyes to the blackness. She thought about turning on the light but that would spoil the fun of finding them. She walked up a bit and then stopped. She thought she smelled something, caught a whiff of an aftershave or something.

AJ who was standing right behind her didn't dare to breath. He saw her sniffing and thought when he got out of this he was gonna throw out that bottle of Calvin Klein. He hated that shit but Howie told him the girls go nuts for it so of course he had to put a ton on today! Now it was gonna give him away.

She stood there forever but didn't dare to turn around. She knew he was there, how easy it would have been just to turn and grab him but where was the fun in that? So she continued to walk once again, smiling so wide she almost began to laugh.

AJ let out his breath when she began to move past them. He thought they were clear, they weren't detected. How, he had no idea? But he was still grateful. Then just as she was about to safely turn away, Nick coughed.

He didn't know what to do. He had been holding it in since he drew a deep breath. She was standing right by AJ, he couldn't make a sound so he held his breath, tensing his entire body up. The cough was deep down his throat now trying to escape out of his mouth. Nick held it in, but it was no use, he had to let it out. Maybe she wouldn't hear, maybe she had gotten far enough away.

She turned towards the sound of the coughing. And began to walk back towards the boys. She thought about maybe just ignoring it and making her way up the steeps but she didn't want them thinking she was stupid so she made her way back towards the boys and standing in the middle of the hallway she whispered.

"I know you are here, So this is what we are gonna do" She could no longer hear the boys but imagined the terrified looks on their faces. "I like games kids and we are gonna play a game of tag! I am a nice person. Very nice in fact. I don't want to catch you, so I am going to count to ten and you are going to make a run for it"

AJ stood there listening intently looking for any sign from Nick. "So boys what do you say? Are you in for the game?" She asked. AJ knew Nick would never make it. He was ill and wouldn't get more than a foot away from her. He wanted to urge the kid not to run. But he had no way of doing so.

"Okay so I am now closing my eyes and counting to ten now, by the way, don't be loud the rest of the guys are right out there" She said pointing towards the main hall.

Nick stood there paralyzed in fear. She was playing tag? He hated that game ever since he was a child. It never went well and he was always the first one to be caught. The kids in his neighborhood used to make it a secret hidden rule. Get the scrawny little blonde first. So they used to hunt him down. He hated the feeling of running never knowing if someone was going to sneak up behind him.

"1"

He stood there not knowing if this was real or not. Was she just trying to get them to move so she could grab them gun in hand?

"2"

It seemed like a logical thing to do, isn't that what he might do in this same situation?

"3"

This was just a trap her eyes were probably wide open

"4"

Nick still stood silent and not moving at all

"5"

Just then he felt a tug at his shirt, he jumped but made no sound

"6"

AJ pulled him away from his hiding spot just a little ways down the hall

"7"

"AJ it's no use"

"8"

"Shut the hell up and stay here!" He said and then he was gone

"9"

Nick hated this game he wanted to call time? Could he do that? Was there any rules?

"10! Okay times up, and here I come"

Nick closed his eyes, this was always the worst part. He knew he was going to get caught. God why did he cough! Not fair. Maybe she won't find me? Oh yeah and how was that possible? He asked himself? While he was busy carrying on a conversation with himself, Terry made her way right past him and down the steps. Towards AJ.

AJ ran like a demon down those steps and towards the vault. Why he picked the vault he had no idea but he did. There wasn't even any place to hide in there. Then he heard her footsteps. "Damn!" He said as he grabbed some of those canvas sacks that had served so well as hiding spots before and buried himself underneath.

Terry knew they would either run into the vault or the storage room. You go where you think it's safe and they felt safe there. She had them. She ran into the vault and turned on the light. "Okay, I know you're in here guys! Come on out" She said kicking at the canvas bags only missing AJ by an inch.

"Come on kiddies! Game time is over and I win!" She said once again kicking the bags, she got him that time but he refused to make a sound. He just winced.

"Playing hard to get I see, okay suit yourself I will go check the other room" Then she turned to leave once again flipping off the lights. She made a sound as if walking towards the other room but she stayed just outside the doorway.

Nick had crept down the steps as slowly as he could trying not to make a sound. He saw her standing there, just waiting. He wanted to yell to AJ but it was too late. He walked out of the door and in one swift movement, Terry had AJ in her hands.

"God how stupid are you kids anyway?" She asked smiling. She pushed him towards the wall and then took her gun and pointed it at him.

"Okay blondie! Playtime is over, let's come out now! Or I will kill your friend" She said.

Nick just stood on the stairs not sure what to do, the last time he came out the guy was just about to hit him. Luckily AJ had come to the rescue. It only seemed fitting that now HE should come to the rescue for his friend. He was developing a plan in his head as she once again continued to count

"1" she said

"2, I don't think he's coming out here do you?"

"3"

"No I don't"

"4, you think you mean that little to him?"

"5"

"No, he's just a wus"

"6" She laughed but still continued to count

"7"

"Besides he isn't even down here"

"8, he isn't?"

"9"

"Nope and you'll never find him either"

"10"

"No, she won't because I have" AJ and Terry both turned to see Jason holding Nick by the collar of his shirt, gun planted on his head.

"Game over!" He laughed as he held the struggling Nick in his grasp. "Boy I know some people who can't wait to see you again little fella!"

AJ just looked on as his friend was dragged up the steps. "Sorry about that, I didn't know he was gonna come down" Terry whispered to AJ.

"Now what?" He said more to himself than to anybody else as he also was brought back up the steps and into the main hall...