Bullseye by David Baldacci Page B

them. One gunman held his finger to his lips and walked forward into the bank lobby.
    His name was Adam Chase, he was the leader of this group, and he had very little time to accomplish something exceedingly momentous.
    “Listen up, everyone. I’m a simple man and the rules are straightforward. You do what we say, you get to go home. You don’t, then Sunday does not come for you.”
    He pointed at dead Charlie.
    “That does.”

CHAPTER 2
    Chase pointed at the tellers behind the glass.
    “First, you keep your hands in plain view. If you hit any alarm button, silent or otherwise, everyone out here is dead.”
    The two women and the man looked at each other and slowly lifted their hands.
    “Good, now, the three of you come out here and join us.”
    They didn’t move.
    A second gunman strode forward and put his pistol against Stone’s head. “Now, or the geezer gets his brains blown out,” he said.
    One of the female tellers unlocked the door and the three of them filed out.
    “Thank you,” said Chase politely. He stepped inside the tellers’ cage and examined the set of alarm switches hidden under the counter. None of them had been activated. He looked at the tellers. “Very smart of you.”
    The second gunman slapped Stone on the side of the head. “Congratulations, Grandpa, you get to live.”
    “ He was a grandfather,” replied Stone, glancing over at dead Charlie. “I’m not.”
    “Then this is your lucky day,” said the man, slapping Stone’s head again.
    Stone’s jaw tightened ever so slightly when the man struck him a second time. Robie noticed this. And he knew Stone would kill the man given the chance.
    “Okay,” said Chase. “Everybody line up against that wall.” He pointed to his right.
    Everyone did as he said and they were methodically searched. Out came all phones, electronic tablets, and other communication devices. They were collected in a basket. When Robie’s gun was found, Chase held it in his gloved hand.
    “Why do you have this? You a cop? A Fed?” He nodded to one of his men, who searched Robie for a badge or creds but found none. He did hold up Robie’s gun permit.
    “Just a law-abiding citizen,” said Robie.
    Chase glanced at the permit and then wheeled around and clocked Robie in the jaw, nearly dropping him to the floor.
    “I don’t like law-abiding citizens. Now get back in line,” said Chase, shoving Robie away. “You give me trouble I will shoot you with your own weapon.”
    Robie staggered over and stood next to Stone, rubbing his jaw.
    One of the gunmen produced zip ties. Each hostage’s hand was bound to another hostage’s. By virtue of their proximity, Robie and Stone ended up cuffed together.
    “Now sit,” said Chase, waving his machine pistol at them.
    They all sat on the floor, leaning against a wall.
    While one gunman watched over them, the other three set to work. From the laundry cart several duffels were pulled. They had taken the key from the door lock and also confiscated the spare security door key from behind the tellers’ stand. There was no way out now.
    Chase looked first at the open vault and then at the bank manager. “The vault has to be closed by twelve-fifteen or the central office will know something is wrong.” He waved his gun. “So do it.”
    Stone glanced at Robie and then back at Chase.
    The manager was tethered to one of the bank customers. When he rose, so did she. They were hurried over to an electronic pad next to the vault door. With a gun pressed to his temple the manager punched in the requisite numbers and the massive door slowly swung closed and then locked into place.
    “Thank you,” said Chase.
    “Just please don’t hurt us,” mumbled the manager, who was breathing heavily.
    Chase slapped him. “You don’t speak unless you’re spoken to. Now we have to go through the bank closing protocols so the central office will believe everything is just fine and dandy here. Let’s go.”
    Chase led the manager and the