Quinn pulled him close so he could whisper in his ear. “Stay here. If we’re not successful, do what you can to help with the aftermath. Otherwise we’ll contact you.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where do you think we’re going?” Quinn asked. “To stop this.”
“And you don’t need me?”
“At the moment, no. There’s just no sense in all three of us going down.”
Nate’s brow furrowed, but he only said, “Okay. We’ll meet up after.” Quinn hoped Nate was right.
“We’re all set,” Tucker said into his phone. He was standing in the lobby with a few of the other attendants and the handful of children who had been selected to greet the targets out front when they arrived. The rest of the children, and, most important, the delivery devices, had been moved into the auditorium to await the arrival of the guests.
“The trigger?” Mr. Rose asked.
Tucker glanced at Petersen. He was a few feet away with Iris in his arms. “In place, ready to go.”
“Good.”
Tucker wasn’t sure where Mr. Rose was. After the helicopters landed, the old man had taken one of the waiting vehicles for himself and disappeared, leaving the execution of the plan in Tucker’s hands.
“What about the schedule?” Mr. Rose said.
“We’ve been told everything is running on time.”
At that moment, Ms. Stanton entered the lobby from the auditorium, looking both nervous and excited. Tucker smiled at her and gave her a nod. She smiled back and started walking toward him.
Into the phone he said, “The transfers?”
“Once the job is complete, you will get the rest of your money. Just like we discussed.”
“Fine,” Tucker said. “Gotta go. We’re getting close.”
“Don’t disappoint me,” Mr. Rose said.
Tucker disconnected the call just as Ms. Stanton reached him.
“I’m told there might be a few minutes’ delay at most,” she said.
“I would have expected more,” Tucker said, his tone light. “These things never come off on time.”
She put her hand near her mouth like she was about to tell him a secret. “I think it helps that we’re one of the first things on their agenda for today.”
“I think you’re probably right.”
They both laughed at the non-joke.
“So is Iris ready?” Ms. Stanton asked as she looked over at the girl.
“She’ll be plenty ready when they arrive.”
“Of course she will be.” Another smile, then, “I need to check on the others. So just hold your position until you’re given the word to go outside.”
“It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for,” Tucker assured her.
The crowd parted with reluctance as Quinn and Orlando elbowed their way to the front. When there was only one row between them and the loose line of cops holding everyone back, Quinn leaned down and whispered in Orlando’s ear, “Five seconds. That’s all I’ll need.”
She turned and kissed him on the cheek. “I love you,” she said.
Quinn moved into position, going to the right against the stone half-wall that lined the parking lot. Once he was there, he looked back and gave Orlando a quick nod.
She waited a moment, then turned sideways and began trying to squeeze around the woman who was in front of her.
“Hey, watch it,” the lady said. “I’ve been waiting here for hours, so back off.”
Orlando ignored her, and continued to push until she’d worked her way to the front.
“I said I was here first,” the woman said. “Move back.”
“You move back,” Orlando said.
“Officer,” the woman said, her voice rising. “She pushed me out of my place.”
The officer nearest them looked over. “There’s plenty of room for everyone, ma’am,” he said.
“Yeah,” Orlando said. “So just shut up and chill.”
“She’s been there all morning,” a man who was probably the woman’s husband or boyfriend said. “Now move back.”
“I’m here now, so I think I’ll stay. Thanks.”
“I don’t know who the hell you think you are,” the woman said. She was almost yelling now. “But that’s my spot and you’re going to move.”
“Everyone calm down, all right?” the officer said.
“I’m not going anywhere, bitch,” Orlando said.
