The Professor drilled it into their brains several times. Relationships were forbidden. There were, of course, a few exceptions that the Professor himself even overlooked, but there were some that the Professor was also a bit oblivious to. Like how willing Tokyo was to absolutely lay her life down on the line for the youngest member in their group; Rio. Ava pulled the mask over her face, standing to the side, but still behind Berlin. She held the huge machine gun that she was still getting used to carrying firmly. Berlin counted down by the second. Twenty more seconds. She stared hard at the front doors, the alarm of the building sounding off extremely loud. The police were only seconds away. Berlin turned momentarily, looking straight at Ava. He had no fear. He wasn't scared of walking outside of those doors, even knowing that the police were on the other side. He loved the adrenaline. Ava, however, was a terrified wreck, a million worries running through her mind. Her gaze flickered to Berlin, feeling his stare and he offered her a warm smile. He was clearly trying to ease her.
"Five," Berlin turned back to face the door when they got below ten seconds. She snapped her head towards Tokyo when the woman rushed out of the building.
"Tokyo!" Rio screeched out in fear. "It's too soon!" Even seconds too soon would ruin their strategically planned out heist. Just as soon as she was outside the building, Rio followed suit after. Ava knew if one went, the other would follow.
"Fuck." Ava mumbled the curse word. They would have to go early. She stepped out of place, hurrying out of the building when she heard the gunfire. She aimed towards the ground like the Professor requested. The police were aiming to kill. It wasn't a gun battle because the gang had a different agenda than the police did. Ava's head snapped, hearing a panic cry from Tokyo. Ava looked for Rio, knowing Tokyo's weakness. She found him on the ground in the middle of the stairs. Tokyo's anger got the best of her. It could've been because of past experiences, but it triggered Tokyo. She turned back to the police officers, firing and hitting both of them. That was far from the plan. They didn't know if the gunshots had been fatal. All they knew was that they hit a police officer. Although upset, she helped Tokyo pull Rio's body back into the Mint's doors. Denver shut it with the slam of a button.
"God fucking damn it!" Ava cursed aloud as she paced back in forth in the Mint's front entrance. The gates were sealed shut once again and this time for good. She was going to follow the Professor no matter what. She could understand why Tokyo reacted in that way, assuming Rio had been shot and killed in front of her. She couldn't imagine if it had been someone she loved. "Fuck." She mumbled the word, bringing a shaky hand up to her eyes. She closed them and for a moment everything seemed to slip away. She could pretend like she was back at her apartment. Her life was normal. She wasn't a terrorist of her own country. As soon as she opened her eyes back the turbulence and chaos rushed back. "Tokyo, is Rio okay?" She hurried back to their side, her eyes running over the boy that was laying on the ground. Tokyo was in a fit of tears, clinging onto Rio as if his life depended on it. His eyes were sealed shut but Tokyo nodded her head, but her lips stayed silent. Ava let out a breath of relief, stepping away to give them some privacy. Everyone seemed to be panicking at this point. Some were just better at hiding it. Helsinki and Oslo were guarding the doors heavily, each on one side with a heavy-duty gun resting in their arms. Denver was cursing aloud, swearing over and over that the plan had been fucked. Martin was standing there quietly by Moscow and Nairobi stood directly beside Berlin, her eyes resting on Tokyo. Berlin let out a frustrated huff, staring at the two idiots that already seemed to throw the plan off track.
Tokyo managed to wipe her tears and stand up from the ground and Rio followed suit. Ava stepped around the hostages, hurrying up the stairs to get to a window. She needed to see if the police officers were dead or just injured. As she was doing this, Tokyo and Rio hurried to a separate room, hoping to clean the open wound on his head. Nairobi and Denver followed both of them in anger. Nobody could blame Tokyo for firing for love, but it seemed useless because Rio was there alive. If they didn't have the public's opinion, they had nothing. It was their first stand against the police, and it was already going drastically different than she planned it to go. Paramedics were already on the scene, pulling the two men out of the police car. They were both alive, surprisingly because Tokyo had damn good aim. Ava let out a satisfied sigh, her head tilting back for a moment in total happiness.
"Are they dead?" Berlin asked the question as he edged up to Ava's side. Ava finally looked at him and she shook her head. Berlin was staring at the scene, forcing his eyes off of Ava for the moment.
"No, they're alive," Ava said the words confidently. "Which technically means we haven't spoiled the plans yet." The word was purposely used at the end because it was just the start of the heist and they seemed to be having a lot of problems already.
Berlin finally looked at her, but his annoyance clouded any of the feelings that he had for Ava and shoved them so far down that it'd be unrecognizable. "We didn't do anything. Tokyo and her boy toy did." Berlin snapped.
"They clearly have feelings for each other. You can't blame her for acting out of fear and anger. " They rehearsed it over and over again, but here they were already fucking the plan up. Ava always tried her hardest to see the best in absolutely everyone and the actions of others. Ava was an emotionally sensitive woman, and it was going to be her weakness during this heist. She knew that very clearly. "I mean, what would you have done if it was- " Ava had almost wanted to say her own name, wanting a clarification. Berlin's brows furrowed at her cut-off, but Ava spoke again. "Someone you cared about, Berlin?"
"I would've dropped the bag and went back inside like the plan had been for the last fucking five months." He'd been working on the plan alongside his brother for a lot longer than the others, and the last thing he wanted was for things to get fucked up because of feelings. "No personal relationships for a reason."
Ava cocked her head to the side a little, her head shaking. "Then why the hell did you show up at my apartment door?"
Berlin's face was flat almost as if he was void of feelings. "We needed you for the heist because of your medical background."
"No." Ava shook her head again. She just didn't believe that was the only reason that they showed up that night.
"No?" Berlin turned to face her now completely, intrigued. His hands crossed in front of his body as he stared ahead at her.
"No." She said again. "I just don't believe that I'm only here for medical emergencies. You could've found a surgeon to go along with your plan easily. I'm a fuckin nurse, Andres." Her voice lowered a little when she said his real name, but his ears perked up like he was fully interested in what she was saying. "How the hell did you know I would even go along with the heist? I could've snitched on your asses that night."
"No." Berlin copied her word, and couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped his lips. He was amused. "I knew you wouldn't."
"How come?" Ava's eyes wandered over his face, lingering on his lips a bit too long. She forced her eyes to come back up to meet his own. He made her melt with just one look. Berlin released his hands, letting them drop down to his side, and stepped closer to Ava, just one step so that there was barely space between the two of them. "What makes you so sure I wouldn't sell your asses short for a plea deal?"
"I know you wouldn't." Berlin believed with everything in him that Ava wouldn't betray him. He didn't think she had it in her to betray even a person she wasn't getting along with. "I think you look at me the same way you always have." Ava's face fell, her brows furrowing now. Was it that clear? Had she made it that obvious that she was pining over him? Did Sergio tell him about her admitting her feelings for his older brother?
Ava chuckled in embarrassment. "You still are talking about it, huh?" Ava was fearful of it being mentioned in front of Martin because it would be a betrayal of trust. During the first year of being with Martin, she had continuous flings with Andres. She'd go on a date after school or after practices, but then she'd sneak out late to meet Andres. "You weren't even that good." She scoffed and shook her head, forcing herself to turn on her heel and walk away from him. She was going to get herself in a lot of trouble if she kept finding alone time with him. He was dangerous for her. He made her test her loyalty not only to herself but to her fiancé. Berlin watched her the whole time that she was walking away, his eyes plastered on her ass. If anyone spotted him, they'd know exactly what was on his mind. He turned his attention back towards the outside world, forcing himself to get his mind back into the heist.
Ava found the room that Tokyo was cleaning Rio up in. Denver was cursing in annoyance and anger at Tokyo for firing at the police officers and Nairobi was siding with Denver. They weren't there for relationships to get in the way of things and that's exactly why the Professor had purposely made that rule. They weren't supposed to be in relationships because of the vulnerability that came with that, but it wasn't just romantic relationships that most of them would be willing to die for. At this current moment, they all knew each other decently, but they were going to grow into something beautiful.
"I fucking passed out! They shot at me first!" Rio hollered in annoyance. He was so young and so innocent seemingly. It was hard for Ava to ever pinpoint her finger at him.
"I don't give a shit!" Denver yelled back. Denver had a temper like a firecracker. He was always lit, and the time was just ticking down constantly waiting for something to set it off.
"We need to all calm down." Ava tried to speak, but she was too calm. She wasn't getting anywhere with the soft-spoken attitude. Berlin walked into the room, shutting the door immediately behind him and the room fell silent quickly. He was in charge of the heist in the four walls that they were in now. He could control anything within the heist, and if he wanted to punish someone, there really wasn't anything anyone could do to prevent it.
"I'm calling the Professor." Berlin stepped over to the phone that was set up to contact the outside world, to the Professor himself.
The Professor was waiting worriedly for the call, so he answered quickly. "Berlin-" he waited for the report.
"Two officers have been shot," Berlin said.
"Who fired?" The Professor was quick to ask this. Everyone's eyes fell on Tokyo immediately as Berlin told about the girl that shot at the police first.
"Tokyo. They shot Rio. Apparently, they're seeing each other." Berlin's stare was firmly set on Tokyo.
"Let me talk to her." The phone was handed quickly over to Tokyo with Berlin handing it to her like a parent was on the other line waiting to yell at her.
Ava just stayed quiet, staring at the phone in Tokyo's hands. She seemed to be pint up with so much frustration because she immediately started rattling off why she wasn't in a relationship with Rio. Rio looked defeated, tears in the young boy's eyes as he heard the woman that he loved saying that she wasn't in love with him.
"I shot to protect our group members. That's all." Tokyo tried to finish, her eyes glaring at the Professor in the camera that they set up for him. Ava stared ahead at the floor, a sigh leaving her lips. It was hard to side with either one of them because she could see how much Tokyo cared for Rio, but the plan was solid and they couldn't risk any more mistakes.
"Hand the phone back to Berlin." The Professor ordered. Tokyo slammed the phone down on the desk and hurried out of the room, not leaving until the door was slammed. "Prepare for the next step, Berlin." Berlin's eyes fell directly on Ava and she looked back at him. For a moment, it was like they could read each other's minds. They were continuing like nothing ever happened because the officers were alive and stable.