The Donut Shop ✔️

'T' Stands for 'Torrential Encounters'

Tweed motioned for them to follow as he crept along the side of the building. His expression turned into a broad beam as he spotted the tarp they had entered the building through the last time. 

He moved the tarp up, but instead of seeing a gaping hole, gray slabs filled in the section. "Drat. They closed up this section," Tweed hissed, sucking his teeth as he scanned the rest of the building before unconsciously reaching back grabbing Ethan's hand. 

In slow motion, his blonde head turned to face the boy. He shoved his hand away when he realized it wasn't Mara's. Ethan whistled low, but didn't comment further as they continued to prowl down the side of the building, arriving at the back. 

Amidst the sea of dusty bricks encased with mortar, a glass security door was positioned in the center, ripe for the use of three sleuthing teens. 

"How are we getting that open?" Ethan whispered, but when he glanced at his friend's face, complete with the signature sickly-sweet grin, he groaned. "Curse that brilliant mind."

"Mara, do you see any loose construction materials that are pretty hefty?" Tweed called out as he studied the lock of the glass door. Somehow, Ethan doubted Tweed was going to use 'hefty construction materials' to pick the lock. 

Mara's eyes roamed the base of the building before she picked up a metal pipe, swinging it twice in her hand like a lightsaber, then dropping it accidentally. 

The clatter of the metal on the concrete caused them to collectively suck in a breath and wait for someone to scold them and/or arrest them. When there was no sound or movement other than their own, Tweed was the first to take a step toward the door. He grabbed the metal pipe, locking eyes with Mara as he grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around so that the back of her styled afro puffs faced them. 

"What are you doing?" she asked as she tried to turn back around. Tweed silenced her, and when he was sure that she wasn't able to see him, he arched the pipe back over his shoulder and swung it at the glass part of the door. 

The pipe hit with a brash crash, causing the glass to form transparent spiderwebs. He beat the door again, and this time, the glass shattered, the ice shards spilling onto the concrete floor within. 

Mara's breath hitched as she turned and saw the pipe fall out of Tweed's grasp. His face was stormy, and he didn't dare look at her as he shoved his hand through the open slits of the metal grate, unlocking the door. 

Without any complaints, he was the first to enter the building. Everything was almost exactly the same, but this time, windows and doors were placed over the once-open spaces, casting angled shadows into the room. 

Mara raised her camera as they entered the office with light steps, all collectively breathing in relief. The simple, metal desk in the center of the room was cluttered with various papers and files. Mahogany bookshelves installed along the sides of the room were barren and waiting for a collection of texts.

"Ethan, you search the drawers of the desk. I'll keep a lookout. Mara, look on the mountain," Tweed said and gestured to the huge stacks of papers strewn across the surface of the metal desk without care. 

Even though Mara grimaced at the fact that she was going to have the hardest job, she nodded, drawing her camera close to her as she shuffled through papers. 

Tweed leaned against the doorway, and Ethan tuned into the quiet atmosphere like a radio station. The only audible sounds were the shuffling of shoes, the flipping of papers, and the wheels of drawers rolling out. He breathed in the scent of rock dust and resisted the urge to cough as particles flew into his nose.