MONALISA: Chapter 6
We had all joined him as panic was all written on our faces, to the congregants we were the lost and found sheep while to us, someone was about to go against our plan. We stood close to each other waiting for our worst, imagine being lynched in a church, probably for something that you had not even executed already. It’s marvelous how the Holy spirit works though, a few hours ago we were so sure we’d get away with the church money until our main accomplice got saved in a minutes and now he was about to blow the whole plan. By the time we stepped at the pulpit I was so sure that we’d eventually make it out no matter what but not with any cash. Imagine waking up every day for two weeks to think of the best way to achieve something only to fail at the very last minute, that’s how wasted I felt. I bet my partners were feeling the same heat too.
“Hello..mic check one two…hello..” That was Max doing what most of you can relate to. There was a technical error hence a hitch in communication. A normal occurrence. The moment Max encountered that I already knew that one of us had hatched a Plan Z, purposefully to save us, it was just a matter of seconds for us to act swiftly as we could. It was Mary, as we were assembling at the pulpit, she intentionally moved to the rear side, close to the church’s public address and as the saying goes, a drowning man clutches on a straw, she desperately but keenly grabbed a wire and pulled it off from its connection. Luckily, that’s how she cut short Max’s confession and saved our lives. However, Max wasn’t relenting, he soon discovered Mary’s trick and opted to shout instead, at least a few would hear him out. There was no way this was going to happen, my ‘adrenaline’ and inner self agreed and sooner than expected I had already shot on the ceiling, sending everyone down followed with shrill cries from shocked congregation.
Honestly, I think Christ should never come soon, no one is ready to die. The rate at which people were leaving the safe house (church) proved that not so many can put into practice what they preach every day. Two ugly things happened in the process, the pastor had an attack and passed out, on the other hand a stampede ensued that would later leave so many injured. Our main focus was to make it out too and vamoose as fast as we could but this wasn’t forthcoming because the whole of the police department were just outside, ready with their ugly gun muzzles pointed at the congregation. To control the commotion, I fired thrice at the ceiling ordering everyone to stay still, after which I beckoned Ted, who to my surprise had a pistol too, he’d then tell me that he wasn’t good with guns but he carried that just in case. To make it out without being shot, we had to camouflage, the four scattered and blended in between as I remained to take care of Max, he was still a threat.
“Tango one…tango two, we got a hostage situation sir! Waiting for your advice sir!” I could hear the loud conversion of an officer probably with his boss. Sooner, they’d request us to bargain, I supposed. It was no longer burglary, it was a hostage situation.
