Wider.
Older.
But what unsettled Leo wasn't Mike's size.
It was his expression.
There was no pleading.
No anger.
No panic.
Just attention.
Mike was studying him.
Leo felt exposed.
“Stop looking at me like that.”
Mike said nothing.
“Give me your wallet.”
Mike slowly reached into his pocket.
Leo tightened his grip.
Mike stopped.
“Easy.”
“Wallet.”
Mike placed it on the table.
Leo stepped closer.
Then Mike noticed something.
The young man was breathing too quickly.
His pupils were wide.
His thumb kept shifting against the shotgun stock.
He wasn't in control.
He was pretending.
Mike had seen that before.
Many times.
He knew what happened when a frightened person with a weapon became convinced that everyone was against him.
So Mike did something that would later make no sense to millions of people watching the video.
He reached for his coffee.
Leo raised the shotgun.
Mike stopped.
“Don't.”
Leo's voice cracked.
Mike looked directly into his eyes.
Then he slowly placed the coffee cup back on the table.
Ceramic touched wood.
A soft click.
And Mike spoke.
“Point that thing at me one more time…”
He paused.
The entire room seemed to hold its breath.
“…and the last sound you'll ever hear is the coffee cup I set down on this table.”
Leo froze.
Corey froze.
Denise stared.
And somewhere above Pump Seven, a security camera continued recording.
It would later become the most watched piece of footage anyone in Barstow had ever seen.
But at that moment, nobody knew.
The Men Behind the Guns
Leo stared at Mike.
“What did you say?”
Mike didn't repeat himself.
“Open the register,” Leo said.
Denise obeyed.
The drawer slid open.
Cash.
Coins.
Receipts.
Lottery tickets.
Leo glanced at the money.
Not much.
Maybe two thousand dollars.
Not enough to erase his debt.
Not enough to change his life.
Not enough to justify what he was doing.
But once the gun was out, Leo felt trapped by the decision.
He grabbed the cash.
“Bag.”
Denise reached beneath the counter.
Her hands were shaking.
She gave him a plastic bag.
Leo stuffed the money inside.
Corey kept watching the door.
“Let's go.”
Leo didn't move.
Mike was still looking at him.
“Why are you staring?”
Mike answered quietly.
“Because you're going to do something stupid.”
Leo raised the shotgun again.
“Don't tell me what I'm going to do.”
Mike's eyes remained steady.
“Then don't.”
“What?”
“Don't do it.”
Leo swallowed.
Mike nodded toward the shotgun.
“You're holding that because you think it gives you control.”
“It does.”
“No.”
Leo's jaw tightened.
“It does.”
“No.”
Mike's voice remained calm.
“It gives you responsibility.”
Corey looked at Leo.
“Let's just go.”
Mike looked at Corey.
“Your cousin is right.”
Leo snapped:
“Don't talk to him.”
Mike turned his eyes back toward Leo.
“You're not angry at me.”
“Yes, I am.”
“No.”
Leo stepped forward.
“You don't know me.”
“No.”
Mike nodded.
“But I know fear.”
Leo said nothing.
“I know what people do when they become convinced they have no way out.”
Leo's eyes narrowed.
“You some kind of therapist?”
“No.”
“Cop?”
“No.”
“Military?”
Mike hesitated.
“Used to be.”
Corey looked at him.
“What branch?”
“Army.”
“What rank?”
Mike didn't answer.
Leo's attention sharpened.
“Special forces?”
Mike gave a small smile.
“Does it matter?”
Leo didn't respond.
Mike continued.
“You're twenty-six.”
Leo's expression changed.
“How do you know?”
“Because you're standing like someone who still thinks being young means being invincible.”
Leo stared.
Mike looked at Corey.
“And you're twenty-three.”
Corey swallowed.
“How do you know that?”
“You look younger.”
Corey almost laughed.
It was a nervous laugh.
Mike recognized it.
“What's your name?”
Leo shook his head.
“No names.”
“Fine.”
Mike looked at Corey.
“What about you?”
Corey said nothing.
Leo snapped:
“Don't answer.”
Mike nodded.
“Okay.”
There was another silence.
Then Mike asked:
“Why are you doing this?”
Leo didn't answer.
“Debt?”
Leo's face tightened.
Mike continued.
“Drugs?”
Nothing.
“Someone threatening you?”
Leo's eyes flickered.
Mike saw it.
There.
That was the answer.
Someone was threatening him.
Mike lowered his voice.
“Who?”
Leo stepped closer.
“You don't know anything.”
“I know enough.”
“No, you don't.”
“I know you're not here because you want to rob a gas station.”
Leo's grip tightened.
“I said shut up.”
“I know you need money.”
“Shut up.”
“I know somebody is waiting for you.”
“Shut up!”
Mike stopped.
Leo's breathing became rapid.
Corey whispered:
“Leo.”
“Don't.”
“Let's leave.”
Leo turned toward the door.
For one second, the robbery appeared to be ending.
Then Denise accidentally dropped a bottle.
It hit the floor.
Crack.
Leo spun.
The shotgun came up.
Mike moved immediately.
Not toward Leo.
Toward the coffee cup.
He struck it against the table.
The ceramic broke.
Leo flinched.
The shotgun fired.
The blast exploded through the store.
Denise screamed.
Corey dropped to the floor.
The bullet tore through a ceiling panel.
Smoke filled the air.
Leo stood frozen.
Mike moved.
He grabbed the shotgun barrel.
Leo pulled back.