FF – Grid of Doom
Here is my story for Friday Fictioneers, hosted by Rochelle. This week’s photo was contributed by Roger Bultot.
To read the other stories, click on the blue froggy.

Copyright Roger Bultot
“That’s some security.”
“Keep running!”
“It’s just like in ‘Resident Evil’.”
“Which didn’t end well. Keep running!”
The men burst through the door and fell, gasping. Behind them the laser grid flickered out, having chased them down the (now sliced and diced) stairway.
“Talk about your lethal response. Anyone would think they had the crown jewels in there!” said one.
“They did.” The other opened the bag to reveal crowns, necklaces and other bejewelled goodies.
“Awesome! Good job they didn’t have a backup system.”
Neither man noticed the ticking emanating from a suspiciously large sceptre at the bottom of the bag…
A ticking sceptre, eh? Perhaps a political allegory to be found here? Great story!
LikeLike
Ha, yes! Glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I read a tickling sceptre first and that made me giggle hard (that would be more efficient and less messy way to capture the thieves though)
LikeLike
That would have been fun!
LikeLike
They let down their guard far too quickly. Good one, Ali!
LikeLike
Just what the security team was hoping 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oops! Not enough planning perhaps?
LikeLike
They should have known about all security arrangements before going in 🙂
LikeLike
Yay! It’s been a long day and I was hoping you’d written something funny this week. Now I can unwind!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Somehow I don’t think things are going to end well! Great story, Ali.
LikeLike
It’s kablooie time 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha, great last line. A shame it won’t end well for them. Great take on the prompt.
LikeLike
Thanks! Their days are sadly numbered (zero).
LikeLiked by 1 person
best laid plans….
Randy
LikeLike
And this wasn’t even a best laid plan 🙂
LikeLike
Oh dear, all those lovely crowns and things blown to bits! Not enough reconnaissance gets them every time 😉
LikeLike
Yeah, seems a shame for all the jewels to get blown up 🙂
LikeLike
A technologically advanced, state of the art, futuristic laser defense system… and then they use something as crude as a ticking time bomb as a fallback option for thieves? How terribly unclever of the security staff. I think a scene like in Raiders of the Lost Ark when they opened the bag would have been more fitting…
LikeLiked by 1 person
But after the laser grid, who’d be expecting that…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I want a bomb made by acme. One of the round black ones with the fuse. And roadrunner, going beep beep!
LikeLike
With “bomb” or “TNT” written on it.
LikeLike
Heh. Love the thieves getting past the hi-tech to be taken down by the contingency plan. Great story!
LikeLike
They’ll probably be keeping an eye out for miniaturised drone bots when the ticking stops…
LikeLike
Thats not like in the movies.. they should get to enjoy the loot.
LikeLike
They’ll get to enjoy the loot for another few minutes 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good. Great tension. Good writing, Ali. 🙂 — Suzanne
LikeLike
Not good at all 🙂
I’m glad you liked it!
LikeLike
Hahaha! YES! I love it! Suspense, action-packed, gonna go out with a bang.
Five out of five Hopeless Diamonds.
LikeLike
It’s got everything!
LikeLike
If one of them was silly enough not to know the jewels where in there, I am not surprised they missed the device.
LikeLike
Not the sharpest tools in the box, are (were) they? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I guess not.
🙂
🙂
LikeLike
Tsk, that’s where greed and bad planning gets you. A great read, I love it.
LikeLike
Greed, bad planning and lack of observational skills. I’m glad you liked it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Natural selection in play.
LikeLike
The gene pool is now better off.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They thought it was safe to let their guard down, even for a second! 😀
LikeLike
“Look at me, I’m the king of Engla…” BLAM 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great last line, another plan that didn’t quite work out. Loved it
LikeLike
I guess it’ll end in two deaths just like your story too. Glad you liked it!
LikeLike
Dear Ali,
Do I hear “Darwin Award?” Funny.
Shalom,
Rochelle
LikeLike
Dear Rochelle,
That came to my mind too! I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Ali
LikeLike
I think these guys were in a little over their heads. They got close anyway! Funny story, Ali.
LikeLike
And they’ll go out with a bang 🙂
I’m glad you liked it!
LikeLike
I think perhaps those two crooks are going to end up’ sliced and diced’ (or equivalent!), too. Perhaps they should have looked more carefully for a backup system. 🙂
LikeLike
Yeah, they were so pleased to have evaded the laser grid…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh no, back up security. Love the Resident Evil reference which totally made me grin.
LikeLike
That bit in Resident Evil always makes me wince 🙂
LikeLike
There is nothing like an ending with something ticking at the bottom of the bag. You know there is more to come.
LikeLike
Indeed. Though I’m sure our protagonists will wish there was not more to come!
LikeLike
Very nice ending, just when I was thinking they got away with it!
LikeLike
Thanks! Just when they were thinking they got away with it too…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep. Thumbs up!
LikeLike
They should be easy to find shortly, at least parts of them. 😉
LikeLike
Ha! They’ve gone all to pieces and lost their heads 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Silly thieves – of course they had a backup system. I love where it is – I wonder what happens when the sceptre stops ticking. Great story. Love it.
LikeLike
I think when the sceptre stops ticking, so do they!
I’m glad you liked it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person