Gio

“Come on.” He places his large hand on the small of my back and leads me to the table with them.

Spread out on the table is a large diagram, the floor plan of the building we’re robbing, I assume. There are four red circles on it. Gio jabs a finger at one near the center. “This is the vent on the roof. You’re gonna climb up the ladder over here,” He points to the side of the diagram. “Frankie will climb up with you and keep a lookout from there. Once you start, Frankie is going to start the stopwatch.” He looks at the team. “We have six minutes and thirty seconds from the time Annie steps into that vent, understood?” The guys nod. “Everything has to move fast, no mistakes. Got it?”

“Yeah, boss.” They all agree.

I stay silent. My stomach feels like it’s going to revolt.

“Annie,” Gio prods. “Got it?’

“Yeah,” I mutter. “I just need-” I feel it suddenly then, the urge to vomit. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me to the bathroom at the back of the warehouse.

“Jesus!” I heard Tony, or Frank maybe, yell.

I unload everything.

It’s official, I am not made for this life.

“Hey,” Gio enters the bathroom and kneels next to me. He rubs a hand on my back in a soothing motion. “You okay?”

I grab some toilet paper to wipe my mouth off. “Yeah,” I mumble.

“You nervous?” he asks, his face showing concern.

“I guess.” I inhale deeply and exhale trying to calm my nerves. I’ve been nauseated the past week, I just need for this to be over.

“In and out,” Gio tells me. “And then you’re done.”

Yeah. In and out, I can do this.

The last time a man told me a job was in and out flashes through my head.

Yeah, that worked out well for me.

We’re a sea of black.

Dressed in black from head to toe and seated in the black Escalade. There are five of us plus a driver who I don’t know. One of Gio’s men probably. He’s young, and Gio has already told him twice to stay in the car and not to move and inch until he says so.

I’m sweating beneath my black ensemble. I’m afraid I’m going to throw up again in the back of this car. I don’t even know who it belongs to.

“Wear these.” Gio tosses a pair of black gloves and black pantyhose to me.

I hold them confused. “What?”

“Over your head.” Charlie answers pointing to the pantyhose. “Can’t make out your face in those and you’ll still be able to see.”

Huh.

The idea of stretching the pantyhose over my head makes this all too real.

“Put this in first, though.” Charlie tells me, handing me a small device that looks like an earbud. “So we can talk to each other.” He gives me a small smile.

I look at the objects in my hands. Earbud, pantyhose, gloves. This is too much.

“Breath.” Gio instructs, sensing my panic. “Can’t have you freaking out in there.”

I inhale slowly and then release all the air.

I can do this.