In a minute, Steve said, “Are we waiting for something?”

“What?” said Lloyd.

“Aren’t you going to push a button?”

Lloyd looked at him, then at the elevator. “Right. Sorry,” he said, and pushed 1 to bring the elevator down. He smiled tightly when the number lit up, thinking, Please don’t let them kill me and eat me when this is over. That’s what cults do, right? Eat people they don’t like?

Steve smiled at Lloyd like he was a puppy that had just learned to pee outside. He checked his watch. It was ten thirty-five.

Lloyd thought, They can’t eat me before this is over, so I still have a chance to run. When he got a glimpse of Steve’s smile, Lloyd was certain he was sizing him up for a barbecue. He hit the elevator button again, willing it to come down faster.

On 12, Eddie had finished drilling six holes around a wall safe in the corner office. He got out the Semtex plastic explosive, which he’d already rolled into long Tootsie Roll–shaped minilogs, and began packing it into the holes. When they were all filled, he nodded to Racer X.

“You’re up, new guy. Hand me those caps one at a time. And don’t drop any,” Eddie said.

Racer X opened his pack and handed Eddie a blasting cap. He handed him each cap slowly. Too slowly, he realized when Eddie started opening and closing his hand fast in front of Racer X’s face. He was sweating when Eddie took the last cap out of his hand and pushed it into the Semtex. The big man took a timer out of his pocket and attached it to the leads from each cap. He packed heavy soundproofing cloth around the explosives and waved for the others to follow him out.

The three men lay down behind the reception desk just around the corner from the office.

Coop checked his watch again. It was ten forty.

How much longer is that fat fuck going to take?

The others finished their candy bars and were looking at him anxiously.

“That’s why you don’t eat candy before a job. It makes you antsy,” he said.

“Not me. It calms me down,” said Tintin.

“Well, I’m antsy for you,” said Coop. He checked his watch again. “Any minute now.”

On the elevator, Steve wanted to check his watch, but he couldn’t move his arms. When he’d made the whole group agree to come with him on the robbery, he hadn’t counted on some of the logistical problems. Like how it would feel to be packed into an elevator with twelve other people, including a nonbeliever who was so scared, he was one hot second from having a stroke. Steve prayed to his malevolent overlord that the elevator move just a little faster so he could get out and breathe some damned air again.