The Bank Robbery – VI

(This is the sixth part of the series that began here . If you like it,  and would want to be updated whenever I post the subsequent parts, you might want to subscribe to the posts via email) 

“I am all for it. I think it can be done, I was paying more attention today, and there is no security, we can easily haul in the money and run,” Ramesh began.  

“And run where? we are no robbers or criminals,” Vikas said, a little irritated.  “What do you think Rahul?”  

“I think your plan is the best, we can take Ramesh’s help to fill in the details and then act. But I noticed that we have only twenty days to figure out everything, otherwise the money will be gone and all will be in vain.”  

“Yes…twenty days, but twenty days are more than enough.”  

“Ok! here is the final plan then”, Vikas continued, “Rahul and me will leave this place a few days before the actual day… we are away often so it won’t rouse any suspicion. On the day we won’t be able to contact each other, neither will we try…so everything has to be very well planned. On the day, we meet at some place, possibly looking as different from our usual self as we can, just passing by through this area, then we will wait at that blind curve near the village. I chose that point because it’s not in sight and in that area there is no cell phone signal. Ramesh, you get them to leave a little late somehow… that can be easily done, I think… then  you have to get the telephone exchange down. It’s not  something that has not happened before, so they will not be too worried about it. The best way to do it would  be to somehow cut the electric supply of the exchange. They don’t have back up so as soon as the lights go out, the phones go out; If we are lucky the power will be out as it is on that day.  

Then we stop the vehicle carrying the money on its way and take the money and run… we should be well out on our way before they can inform anyone. And it will be in less then two hours that we will reach our houses.”  

Here Vikas stopped, and looked at Rahul and Ramesh, and observed them closely.  

“Have you done this before?” Ramesh said.  

“No. Why?”  

“Your plan is very professional.”  

“Thank you! But, we still have time to polish it some more, but for now, we will not be talking about it and we won’t be seen together more than we usually do. No one makes any change in their routine life. Everything happens as it used to before.”  

“Yes, captain!” Ramesh said.  

“Ok!’ was all Rahul said.  

As the days passed the three were getting restless, and it showed. In trying to be normal they were acting abnormally, though people were too busy, or simple, to notice. It had been decided that it was a subject that would not be talked about until five days before the actual deed was to be done. So, like them, I had no other option but to wait till the day of the act was near and then watch them do the deed.  

Out of the three, Vikas was the least affected. It was almost as if he had done this before, and he seemed quite sure that this would work. The other two were jittery, and more than once, it seemed to me, they had almost wanted to back off, yet such is the lure of the lucre that no one can back away from it, once he is committed to it. Plus, Rahul thought at the first sign of anything going wrong they would make a run for it and if no money was stolen, it would not be that big a crime, and maybe they would still be safe. A part of them, I figured, still thought it was a joke or a prank of some kind, but days were fast passing and it would soon be the big day, or B-day as they had named it.  

So, the day arrived when things had to be put into motion, the fire had to be lit, the ball had to be set rolling. It was the evening of the fifth day before the destined day, and the three friends met just like they usually did. But this evening was different from others, today they had an agenda.  

As soon as the three were gathered at Rahul’s place and the cook had prepared tea, they started to make their plans.

“Anyone has any change of hearts,” Vikas, like always, was the first to speak.  

“No”, ramesh said while Rahul just nodded his head in a negative.  

“Good, then!” Vikas said “Let’s get rich.”