Sitting outside in his Saab, Mark listened to the hum of the idled ignition. Staring forward at the curve of his wrist as his hand gripped the leather steering wheel cover, all the while he contemplated the only topic on his mind.

I know this shit backward and forwards, why the hell do we need another meeting? Since when the hell did Morgan start going over my head on setting meetings? Hell. He may be our boss, but he’s been incognito with putting his boots on the ground, like Amanda. Mark’s hand gripped tighter on the leather cover. How can I get rid of her? Do I put a bullet in her or what? Perhaps I should do things a bit more subtle? Fuck.

He pounded on the wheel as removing Amanda couldn’t happen soon enough. He sighed and opened the glove box. Then removed a small baggie filled with a white powdery substance. A little cocaine won’t hurt. Mark opened the bag, licked his trigger finger, and dipped it in. His finger colored snow-white, Mark rubbed it on his gums. Over years of sniffing, Mark lost most of his sense of smell, so he usually took it orally. Cleaning up, Mark put away the drugs and reclined his seat.

“What the fuck will I do with her?”

Mark opened the front door, and his late appearance caused a barrage of looks from everyone. He and Julie kissed as she added him to the previous conversation.

“Morgan’s lecture of the Founding Fathers fights after the American revolution. It almost sounds like the conversations you and Morgan have from time to time,” she said. Mark shot down her theory and believed their little bickering was something far different from their forefathers. Shawn and Amanda reentered the living room prompting the four to drop the discussion.

Julie pulled the blueprint from off the wall and laid it on the kitchen table for everyone to huddle around. With Morgan in the middle and Mark beside him, Amanda tried to squeeze her way between the two, until Mark gave her a sharp scowl powerful enough to wilt a flower. She promptly moved beside Shawn and didn’t look at Mark again.

“I know everyone gets it, but we’ll go over it again anyway,” Morgan looked everyone in the eyes as a way of saying there was no going back.

“From our inside sources, there will be minimal security at the warehouse, but just to be cautious, we need to go in heavy,” Morgan pointed at the top end of the schematic. “Mark, Dean and I will cover the north and east exits, and quietly take out any sentries,” he then pointed at the lower end of the blueprint. “Amanda, Shawn, and Julie will take care of the south.” Again, he eyeballed everyone searching for doubts or objections; there were none, all were in agreement. However, he did notice a micro-expression of droopiness on Amanda’s face compared to how perky she had been when he walked in, so he called her out.

“Do we have any objections?” Morgan’s eyes directed toward Amanda, but she shook her head. Morgan continued, “Alright, then we’re all in agreement. Rehearsal is tomorrow, and the heist is the following day. Meeting adjourned.”

Once Morgan dismissed them, the cliques went their separate ways inside the house. Mark, and Morgan, hung out around the front door; Dean hovered near the kitchen, rolling up the blueprint to place in the tube, as Julie studied in his room. Shawn and Amanda stayed in Shawn’s bedroom close enough for a passerby to hear their argument. However, Amanda’s voice rose, and the others heard Amanda say: he doesn’t even try. Placing the blueprints on the top shelf of his closet, Dean listened for anything else the couple might say within earshot, but only got wind of Shawn shushing her and urging her to keep her voice down, where she complied.

Dean pondered what they chatted about, but the idea came and left like the wind. It doesn’t matter; I’ll just playback this conversation later anyway. But I do wish you and Mark would learn to jive. It's not fair for the rest of us to put up with your beef. Perfect harmony resembled a pipe dream for Dean. From day one, Mark and Amanda bickered over anything and everything. Whether it was about dinner or who carries a shotgun on a job. Complete acrimony.

Shortly after, Amanda used the phone in the living room and paced around as Julie watched the crowd start bleeding out. Morgan the first out, followed by Mark. Shawn mentioned something about the gym, so Julie assumed it’s his destination. With the door wide open, Dean and Julie remained to study in his room. Each pass by Dean’s quarters, they heard a snippet of Amanda’s conversation. One part about making plans with a friend over the weekend and another about making a deal, but they didn’t catch the details.

“Do you think those two will be alright?” Julie asked, referring to Shawn and Amanda. The question caused Dean to shrug his shoulders. I’m no fortune teller, but I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

The duo ended their study session giving Julie the opportune time to pry the fragile Amanda. But when she left Dean’s room, the girl was gone. Where’d you go? Then the toilet flushed. Upon exiting Amanda’s shoulders slouched down in a defeated manner, Julie’s primary objective is to pry…subtly, of course. “Well, there you are,” Julie said as if tiptoeing towards this vile bobcat.

“What?” Amanda walked past her and pulled her backpack over her shoulder. Amanda turned and took a long look at Julie's face, her forehead pinched in. Julie’s either laughing or concerned around Amanda.

“I’m curious if you want to do our normal routine before a heist,” Julie stepped deeper in the feline’s quarters.

“Not this time,” Amanda said goodbye and made her way outside. Quickly, Julie followed and stopped her outside the fence on the sidewalk.

“Hey, wait,” Julie said. Amanda reluctantly came to a stop, but she turned around and obeyed. Julie knew Amanda’s history to overreact, so she trekked carefully near the cat’s claws. “What happened back there? You’ve turned into a different person.”

Amanda looked over Julie’s shoulder at Dean, standing at the front door. Julie felt his presence and knew she was done. I doubt this wildcat will stay any longer. Thanks for blocking an emotional moment Dean. “See you tomorrow?” Julie asked. Amanda looked at him then back at Julie and gave a minimal yeah response nobody could trust.