“Go for Kylie.” I answered.
“Report to Tinley and Josh. Copy.”
“Tinley and Josh, copy.”
The teamwork modeled after Patrick’s special forces experience, the six-member team worked together well. It seemed a bit overkill in this situation, but I wasn’t here to reinvent their protocol. I was here to poke holes in it.
I made my way over to Josh and Tinley near a pillar. As I approached, Josh sat Tinley’s feet on the ground.
She waved frantically.
I hurried over to her.
“Is everything okay?”
“Um.” She looked at Josh, who nodded. “Will you walk to the bathroom with me?” Her cheeks flushed pink.
“Of course, I have to go too.” I took her hand. “Girls always have to go to the bathroom together. It’s a rule.”
“It’s a rule, Daddy.” She repeated with a definite nod to her daddy.
His left eyebrow shot up to the sky. Tinley giggled and waved.
There were two secure bathrooms on the floor, but the one behind Rayna would allow me to check on her and get them alone faster.
I walked around the back perimeter of the crowd. Approaching Rayna from behind. I tapped her on the shoulder.
“Tinley and I are going to the bathroom.” She frowned. “You should come too before we head home.”
“But I don’t have to go.” Rayna turned back to the crowd. Tinley helped me out.
“Please Rayna. We have to do what Tinley says, remember.” She grabbed her friend’s hand. “I’ll pee quick, I promise.”
“Okay.” Rayna really looked out for her friend. It seems while Rayna was a middle who was told no all the time, Tinley was the one who had everyone wrapped around her little finger.
The bathroom was a few feet away; I led them into the spacious room. A line of the three of us reflected in the mirrors behind the sinks. The tiles were a matte silver metal that reminded me of the rusty tin man.
The bathroom stalls were in a separate area on the other side of the wall. Instead of taking Tinley to the nearest stall, I proceeded down to the stalls at the far end. I opened the last one for Tinley; she scrambled in and did her business.
“You better go to, since we’re here.”
Rayna rocked on her heels.
“I guess so.” She stepped into the closet stall and locked the door behind her.
I made sure no one else had followed us into the bathroom.
Tinley was the first to finish. “Let’s wait here for Rayna before you wash your hands.”
She looked into the disabled stall. “There’s a sink in here.”
“Oh, okay, go ahead.”
She went into the larger stall and washed up.
Rayna came out a few seconds later. “You can wash your hands in here after Tinley.” I opened the handicapped stall and stepped in behind Rayna and shut us all in.
I pulled the earpiece out of my ear and shoved it deep into my pocket. If they could hear us, the sound would be muffled.
