The Unforeseen Withdrawal
Dollars Ex-Machina
In the unforgiving heat of noon, Marcus and Stella contemplated the imposing structure of SunTrust Bank. The bank so impenetrable its vault opened right there, on the banking floor. A charming misdirection; there was another vault door beyond it.
Marcus strolled into the bank, won smiles and trust, while in a nearby café, Stella, the tech prodigy, circumvented the bank's security protocols and provided Marcus with the digital bonafides that would allow him through the first door as a security consultant.
While Marcus strode into the vault, Stella infiltrated the bank's network, disabling alarms, closing the outer door and accessing the second door sub-routines.
The inner vault’s door opened. The inner vault was empty. More misdirection. The bank was a sham.
In the café, Stella's screen flashed an incoming transfer, four times their expected haul. With it, an anonymous message: “They moved the money. I helped you steal it. I'm your fan.”
She stared at the message, shocked, then grinned. They had an ally, a ghost in the machine.
Crestfallen, Marcus slumped in defeat. Stella slid into the driver’s seat, and showed him the laptop screen. They roared off into the heat, the wind singing songs of an impossible heist.
About the Creator
Ian Vince
Erstwhile non-fiction author, ghost & freelance writer for others, finally submitting work that floats my own boat, does my own thing. I'll deal with it if you can.
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Peanuts and Crackerjack
Bottom of the ninth inning. The game is tied with two outs, two strikes and a man on second. I tap the bat on home plate. The rigid vibrations it creates reminds my aching digits that this isn't over. The practice swing only adds to the heft of mental burnout... Man on second, willing to chance it. Pitcher eyes him but doesn't give in to the dangerous bluff. I kick up dust, readying the peculiar stance I've had since the days of little league. The bat lays stiff upon my cramping shoulder. Pain has no reason to be acknowledged; it's a fleeting afterthought. The sun sits passed high noon, but the stadium lights are on anyway. They trick my brain into believing they are the cause of this sweltering heat. Sporadic clouds are motionless, they too, don't want to miss this exhilarating predicament. Anticipating the next pitch, intensifying roars from the crowd rumble the stadium... Behind me, the crafty catcher adjusts his stance and spits to the dry dirt. Behind him, the staunch umpire doesn't flinch or even blink; he knows how important his call will be. The pitcher winds up, his grip tells me its gonna curve. The release is fierce! Beads of sweat from his hair and face disperse in every direction as the force of his might is unfailing. My left leg lifts—an instinctual move that will increase the power of my swing. It's all down to my two, bloodshot eyes. They lock onto the speeding, white dot as it instantly becomes the target I intend to destroy. The swing is late, but I manage a solid tip. The ball is taking a fast bounce toward the pitcher who is recovering from the almighty throw! Man on second leaves in a desperate rush! I fling the bat to the side with a sense of urgency and make a mad sprint to the only destination I have—first base. Three defenders race inward to be the first to retrieve the skidding ball. Man is almost on third! I watch the open glove of my adversary, wondering if I’ve done enough to win this race. I switch my attention to his eyes, looking for a clue, some kind of reaction that tells me the ball is in the air and heading his way. All I see is frustration. The deafening roar of the crowd spikes! Something happens that I can’t see! My opponent abandons his post right as my left stride touches the bag. I waste no time turning my head to see the pitcher laying on his stomach, pounding the mound with an open glove. He misses the opportunity to out me and the ball has quickly bounced past him. Excitement grows! This isn’t over yet... It's become an imperative fight to tag out the runner heading homeward. The catcher falls to his knees in obvious despair as he watches my teammate make the run of his life. He knows it’s going to be close when he sees the shortstop fumble the ball a second too long. I jump up and down with no plans on leaving first base. All my chips are on the speed and agility of the active runner. His cleats dig into the dirt, trailing a dust-filled cyclone from the rapid and strenuous strides. With a thrusting dive and an outstretched arm, he lands on his chest to begin the crucial slide to home plate. The shortstop fires the ball to the catcher! It immediately begins closing the gap! Nail-biting doesn't begin to describe the anxious vibe permeating the stadium. The bench begins to celebrate even before he reaches the plate. Forty thousand cheering fans reach maximum crescendo, filling the air with a glorious sound. Everyone knows how this story will end… My teammate is met by the entire bench as his fingers inch across home plate, instantly followed by the unmistakable motion of the catcher's glove attempting to tag him out—its milliseconds too late. The ump swings his arms outward, officially calling him safe.
By Lamar Wiggins5 days ago in Fiction
Comments (11)
I love this one. You wove a great tale of intrigue with an efficiency of words. Well done!
Amazing heist! Congratulations!
Whoaaa, I did not see that coming! That was fantastic! Loved your story! I've subscribed too!
You managed to get a huge amount of information into these 200 words! Well done!
Wow! Thank you Kim, Alhassan, Dana, A., K.C., and Clyde so much for the amazing comments! I'm very early on in a journey towards fiction and it's heartening to see I got one right.
Fun and suspenseful! Great job with the challenge!!
nice one
That's a very nice twist. Well done and Congratulations on Top Story!
I love your language in this! The heist itself seemed to be written with the rhythm of a dance, and then your last sentence was so victorious and filled with intrigue. Well done!
nicely done - i like the AI component would you read something I wrote also on AI? appreciate any feedback! https://vocal.media/fiction/my-ai-alibi
Very awesome bank heist story!