JUNE 22

Daniel walked over to the vending machines, where he had left his bike parked. Mendes, despite his tough exterior, had a soft spot for his workers' well-being. He made sure they had access to refreshments, especially during the scorching hot days.

To that end, Mendes had installed two vending machines near the site entrance. One dispensed cold soda, while the other offered a selection of beers. It was a thoughtful gesture, one that endeared Mendes to his workers. 

Daniel left the bike parked by the vending machine, despite Crystal's instructions to leave it at the back exit. His encounter with Mendes had left him uneasy, and he suspected that Mendes might be onto their robbery plan.

"I'm sure he'll find it," Daniel muttered to himself, casting a glance at the bike before turning to head to the work site. He didn't want to raise any more suspicions or give Mendes a reason to investigate further.

Meanwhile, Mendes stood at his office window, his eyes fixed on Daniel lingering by the vending machine. A knowing glint in his eye, Mendes was well aware that Daniel and Crystal were planning to rob him. The secret camera he had installed in his office had captured Crystal snooping around for nights on end.

That was why Mendes had returned to the office, and why he had a rifle at the ready. He was confident that the robbery would take place, and he was determined to catch Crystal in the act. 

Mendes settled into his armchair, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face as he closed his eyes. He was savoring the thought of catching Crystal in the act, finally having the upper hand.

He had never been fond of Daniel and Crystal, and had only hired them as a favor to the priest. Now, it seemed that favor was about to pay off in an unexpected way. And he loved the thought of it. 

Crystal had mentally locked away the unnerving encounter with Derry, sealing it in a mental vault to be dealt with later. His mind was laser-focused on the prize: the remaining cash hidden in Mendes office. He gripped the key tightly, the cool metal a tangible reminder of the task at hand.

"This should be a cakewalk," he thought, trying to inject confidence into his racing heart. But fate had other plans. 

Unbeknownst to Crystal, Mendes was lying in wait, ready to spring a trap that would turn the table. 

Crystal's gaze drifted aimlessly at the road ahead as he drove, his mind still reeling from the events that had transpired. The junkyard, where he had hotwired the car, was now a smoldering inferno, Derry's lifeless body trapped inside. The memory of the gruesome act lingered, refusing to be extinguished.

He winced, his hand instinctively pressing against the wound on his stomach. The glue he had used to seal the gash pulled at his skin, a harsh reminder of the violence that had unfolded. The distance between the junkyard and the work site seemed to stretch on forever, Crystal's thoughts consumed by the darkness that had driven him to kill.

He stepped onto the company site, his feet carrying him forward with a sense of purpose. He had parked the car a short distance away, the stolen money in the backpack strapped to his back. His mind reeled with the events of the morning - killing Derry, setting the junkyard ablaze, and now, attempting another robbery.

Desperation drove him, fueled by the urgent need to escape Hudson Valley before the police caught wind of the junkyard incident. "I just need to get this one and get out of town before dawn," he thought, his mental clock ticking away.

He glanced at his watch; 12:30 glared back at him. Time was running out. He knew he had to wrap up the operation within the next 30 minutes.

Crystal stumbled, his legs wavering beneath him as he struggled to maintain his balance. The blood loss was taking its toll, clouding his focus and slowing his movements. He gritted his teeth, willing himself to stay upright.

With a newfound determination, Crystal made his way to Mendes' office, the spare key Daniel had given him clutched in his trembling hand. He inserted the key, turned it, and pushed open the door.

His eyes locked onto the floor safe, a familiar target. Four years of working for Mendes had granted Crystal intimate knowledge of the office's layout, including the hidden compartment. Mendes' boasts about the safe being unbreakable now seemed laughable.

Crystal recalled the numerous times Mendes had gloated about his supposed omniscience, claiming that nothing slipped past him undetected. A wry smile twisted Crystal's lips as he set to work on the safe, determined to prove Mendes wrong.

Crystal knelt before the safe, his blurry vision struggling to focus on the keypad. He typed in the code, but the safe's digital display flashed 

"incorrect". He tried again, his fingers trembling as he punched in the numbers. Again, the safe rejected the code.

Crystal's vision began to tunnel, his eyes struggling to stay open. Blood loss was taking its toll, but he refused to give up. With newfound determination, he typed in the code for the third time, his fingers moving with deliberate precision.

The safe's lock disengaged, and Crystal's heart surged with excitement. He opened the bag he had brought and began filling it with stacks of cash. His mind raced with visions of a new life in Downstate New York, where he and Daniel could start anew.

With the bag finally full, Crystal pushed himself to his feet, his legs wobbly beneath him. He took one last look around the office before stumbling towards the door, the weight of the bag pulling him forward like an anchor.

"Where is it?" Crystal muttered to himself, scanning the area for where Daniel had parked the bike. His eyes landed on the vending machine, and he spotted the bike parked beside it. He hurried towards it, his legs aching from the exertion made his stride slower than normal 

Just as he made his way towards the direction of the bike Mendes' voice boomed across the site. 

"Hey Christain!" Mendes yelled, his voice dripping with malice. Crystal spun around, his heart racing, and saw Mendes aiming a rifle at him from a distance.

He crouched just in time, the bullet whizzing past his head. 

"I knew you and Daniel were up to no good!" Mendes taunted, his voice carrying across the site. 

"I was willing to let you both go quietly, but now you're a thief! And I hate thieves!"

 Mendes cocked the rifle and fired again, the bullet ricocheting off the ground near Crystal's hiding spot.

Crystal cautiously peered out at Mendes, who stood at a safe distance, the rifle still trained on him. Crystal knew he had to think fast, or risk being pinned down indefinitely.

"Let's talk this out," Crystal called out, his voice weak but desperate. "You can have your money back." He struggled to keep his eyes open, his vision blurring at the edges.

Mendes' response was a shot that whizzed past Crystal's ear. "I don't negotiate with thieves!" he yelled.

Crystal knew he was running out of time. At this rate, he'd either end up dead or behind bars. Neither option was acceptable. With a surge of adrenaline, Crystal steeled himself for a desperate bid to escape. He crawled silently between the rows of parked cars, his eyes fixed on the bike Daniel had left for him. It was a long shot, but he had to try. Mendes was closing in, his footsteps echoing through the site.

Crystal took a deep breath, summoning every last ounce of strength. He burst into a sprint, dashing towards the bike with reckless abandon. Mendes was caught off guard, his rifle firing wildly as Crystal ran for his life.

Crystal's world narrowed to a singular focus: reaching the bike. Bullets whizzed past his head, the sound deafening, but he didn't flinch. His heart pounded in his chest like a jackhammer.

Mendes' rifle cracked again, and a blinding pain seared through Crystal's leg. His legs buckled, and he crashed over a table, the edge biting into his stomach.

As he landed hard on the ground, a vice-like grip closed around his head, pulling him into a tight headlock. Crystal's vision began to blur, his airway constricted. He struggled to break free, but the grip only tightened.