Seizure(47)

“That was the plan,” Hi tapped finger to palm. “The plan to which you agreed.”

“Won’t work,” I said. “I’m grounded now.”

“How long?” Ben asked.

“Two weeks. We can’t afford to wait.”

“Bonny’s treasure has been missing for three hundred years,” Hi said. “It can sit tight another fortnight.”

“Fine.” Not a care in the world.

Hi leaned close to his screen. “What do you mean, ‘fine’?”

“Don’t come with me,” I said. “I’ll go by myself.”

The boys all spoke at once.

“Don’t be a drama queen.” Hi.

“You can’t go alone.” Ben.

“Somebody has to watch your back.” Shelton.

I bulled ahead. Crazed idea or not, I was tired of arguing. I could sense Bonny’s treasure was tantalizingly close. No chance I’d wait another night.

“The only way through that wall is to move the stones,” I said. “And we can’t dismantle masonry on a guided tour.”

Sullen looks, but no contradictions.

“We either finish the job, or give up.” I crossed my arms. “I’ve made my call. Make yours.”



“I go first.” Ben pointed with his bolt cutters. “Ten seconds, then Shelton. After him, you two count to thirty, then come as fast as you can.”

“Everyone off the street ASAP,” I added.

We were huddled behind a jewelry store, one block south of the Exchange Building. Dressed in black. Just past three in the morning.

I carried only my backpack. Inside were a pen, four flashlights, bottled water, an electric lantern, and Bonny’s map.

“If Shelton can’t pick the door quickly, we bail.” Ben looked hard at me. “Right away. No exceptions.”

“Agreed.”

“If I see a car, my ass is hauling,” Hi said. “Usain Bolt style. I’ll swim home if necessary.”


“I’ll pop the lock,” Shelton promised. “But if the building has an alarm …”

He didn’t finish. No point. We had to pray for low-tech security.

“The rally point is Washington Park,” Ben said. “Miss that, meet back at Sewee.”

“Of everything we’ve done,” Hi said, “this is by far the stupidest. Just wanted to get that on record.”

Ben closed his eyes, inhaled, then charged around the corner.

“One one thousand … two one thousand …”

At ten, Shelton took off like a shot.

As I counted to thirty, Hi did little toe jumps at my side. Finally, after an eternity, we hit our mark.

“Go!”

We sprinted the short block to the building.

Success! The gate was open. Hi and I slid through and pulled it shut.

I turned and scanned the street. No movement, no signs of life.

“Keep going,” Hi said.

We streaked down the staircase. The door at the bottom swung open. Ben waved us through, then closed it behind us.

I clapped Shelton’s back. “Nice work!”

“No sweat.” Shelton’s face was drenched. “Okay, a lot of sweat, but that lock was a joke.”

We thumbed on our flashlights.

“This place is scarier at three a.m.” Hi whispered.

“A tad.” Shelton’s voice quavered.

I didn’t disagree.

We crossed the basement and descended the second set of steps. At the bottom we paused to regroup.

“Flare time.” As usual, three of us had no problem.

SNAP.

“Damn damn damn!” Ben. Struggling.

“Try to relax,” Hi suggested. “Let it come to you.”

“Relax?” Ben hissed. “What are you, an idiot? That never works.”

“Over here.” I’d already located the oddly mortared stone.

Shelton and Hi hurried to my side, leaving Ben to stew alone.

“The air seems to flow from behind,” I said. “Help me push.”

Shelton dropped to a knee beside me. Together we pushed with all the flare strength we could muster.

Nothing. The rock didn’t budge. A sick feeling formed in my stomach.

Hi added his back to the mix. We gave it everything. The stone refused to give.

The sick feeling grew.

“It’s no good,” Shelton panted. “This bastard’s not moving.”

“Let’s take off,” Hi pleaded. “We’ll try something else.”

“No,” I said. “We need Ben.”

“Ben can’t play right now!” Shelton yelped. “And we don’t have time to wait.”

I grabbed Hi’s shoulder. “Go! Do your thing!”

“You’re pretty casual with my life, you know.”

“Go!”

Groaning, Hi got to his feet, considered a moment, then crossed to Ben.

“Still failing?” Hi asked. Casual.

“I almost had it!” Ben barked.

“Maybe it’s your Native American blood,” Hi offered. “Perhaps conquered peoples can’t tap superpowers?”