Karina had met up with Jimmy and Rose in St. Louis. They were a couple in their late twenties, several years older than Karina, and they specialized in robbing banks. Jimmy was the trigger man and Rose was the expert safe cracker. Karina became the third person in their scheme. Sometimes she'd help Jimmy with crowd control. Other times she'd pose as an innocent bystander: an ace in the hole in case things went to hell. Rarely, on the easiest jobs in hick towns where cops were more of an abstract concept than an imminent threat, Rose would step back and let Karina work the safe. It was a skill the young thief was trying to add to her repertoire, although so far she'd only been able to handle the simplest locks. 

Karina had traveled alone from the east coast. She'd gotten used to walking for miles, hitching a ride, and sleeping under the stars with no one to talk to. But it had been a profitable couple months with Jimmy and Rose. They wanted to detour south to New Orleans and Karina had no problem deferring her Pacific pilgrimage if it meant she'd be adding more money to her growing bankroll. She didn't do much sleeping outside now; Rose always managed to talk Jimmy into paying for a motel, even if it was a cheap one. Still, there were usually two beds. On the one bed nights, Karina begrudgingly unpacked her bedroll and slept on the floor. On the two bed nights, she was lucky enough to have a bed all of her own. Some nights, she'd think of her father and her past- they'd been so wealthy, but she'd never understood what that meant, exactly. She'd trade it all to see her father's face again. Some nights, she'd cry, although she'd turn her face away from Jimmy and Rose and steady her breathing enough that it wasn't apparent. Some nights, she listen as Rose would softly call her name. Karina would never answer. She'd told them from the beginning that she was a heavy sleeper, which was a lie to make them feel more comfortable making noise around her. At the time, Karina had anticipated "making noise" would be things like packing supplies, cooking breakfast, and talking. She hadn't expected the regular occurrence of Rose whispering her name a few times and, when receiving no response, having to lie there and listen to them rustle around in the bed, initial light kissing noises giving way to subdued grunting and slapping. Every so often, Rose wouldn't be able to contain herself and she'd let out a low moan. They'd freeze as Karina intentionally breathed slowly, easily selling her sleep act to those who were desperate to buy it. She knew she should say something, but after the first couple times it'd just been so awkward. Better to let them be in love, is what she told herself in the light of day. But in the darkness? She liked listening to them.

Things were good, for a little while. It was when they were approaching New Orleans that Karina first noticed the friction. Jimmy would be knocking on the bathroom door every time Karina was in the shower, watching her just a little too closely as she was getting dressed for the day. Rose noticed, too. That night, instead of the usual sounds, Karina overheard whispered accusations and denials. 

Perhaps that's what made the next job go right to hell.

They were hitting a bank in downtown New Orleans. Rose was downstairs working the safe, while Jimmy and Karina were upstairs keeping everyone on the ground. Her revolver was intimidating and everyone upstairs was behaving. It was when they heard nothing from downstairs that they realized something was wrong.

"Go! Check it out!" Jimmy half shouted and half whispered. 

Nodding, Karina went downstairs to find the bank manager twisting the combination locks on the safe. The revolver in his face stopped him as Karina demanded to know where Rose was... but the muffled banging from within the safe told her. She shouted this information up to Jimmy and got to work on the safe. Just like she'd been taught... listening to the mechanisms... except it was too loud... Jimmy was yelling... "We need to go now. Cops!"

Karina popped to her feet and raced upstairs. Jimmy was holding the door for her and they barely made it around the corner before the cops arrived. Karina gasped for breath in the alley. They'd abandoned Rose. She followed Jimmy out of the city in a daze as he put as many miles as he could in between them and the job that had gone bad. At least they were heading west. That night, with Rose gone, they camped outside. 

The first night, Karina heard Jimmy's breathing. He was awake for a long time and she could feel his eyes on her. He fell asleep soon. She didn't.

The second night, still heading west, she tried to sleep facing him but it was too unsettling. They'd barely talked all day. Just riding in silence. She turned her back again, and thought of her father.

The third night, he whispered her name. She didn't say anything.

Every day they were pushing further west. Her best pace ever. But the fourth night was the last night. She heard him whisper her name, stand up, and make his way over to her. He towered over the foot of her bedroll.

"Karina... you want some company? Hey... what are you doin' in there? Are you... hey, you didn't have to do anything to yourself- I woulda helped."

He smiled and she stopped moving her hands. She spoke clearly, steadily.

"Jimmy... go to sleep. Now. And don't come any closer. This is your only warning."

Jimmy's face grew angry.

"What- what are you gonna-?! you think you can-"

He had taken one angry step onto her bedroll, when, in a single, smooth motion, Karina had pulled the trigger and started fanning the hammer of the revolver she'd slowly taken out and positioned under the blanket. A couple shots missed, but the other three didn't. She wasn't even aiming much, he was standing so close. They both looked at each other for a moment, stunned by what had happened, as smoke rose through the holes of Karina's sleeping bag. It seemed like they stood there looking at each other for an hour, but it must have been a few seconds. He hit the ground, falling backwards, and she sat there with her mouth open and listened to Jimmy die. It took too long, but the whole time she just sat there, cradling her gun. 

She vowed to never sleep without it again.