He lifted the gun into Maria's vision, and her hand hit the silent alarm by reflex. The gun continued upward until it pointed at the man's own temple. His eyes looked determined. Awareness of the gun rippled outward, until everyone was watching, including two security guards with weapons drawn. "Fill a bag with money and give it to me, or I will shoot myself." Maria desperately didn't want to answer him, but he was talking to her.

"I, I can't, I can't do that—"

"This is a robbery. Fill a bag with money and hand it to me." He looked around, his gun pointing at his head the entire time. "Tell them to put down their guns, or I shoot myself."

She thought she might sob. Instead, she raised her voice. "Put the guns down, or he shoots," she said.

"Put the gun down," one of the guards shouted.

"Just shoot him," someone shouted.

"He'll do it!" Maria shouted. The guards set down their guns. She looked up at his face. His eyes were wide. Scared.

She packed a bag with cash and gave it to him. Gun to his head, he left the bank, the crowd parting before him.