To Be A Killer

Chapter 88: Mombo No. 5

"Okay, great. I've got you on cameras now. There you are, both on the roof next to..." Sam trails off. "W-what is that?"

"It's a giant rollercoaster," I reply, heart hammering in my chest.

Don't look down.
Don't look down.
Don't look down.

"Oh, yeah. I heard about that." The enthusiasm in his voice doesn't make me feel any better. "It's like a massive version of the one they had at the other building near Abel. It doesn't work, does it?"

"They had some glitches, yeah, but it still connects all the buildings in the Comansys Plaza," Maxine replies. "This is the only way to get between buildings, other than going in the ground."

I nod. "Cool. Cool. Uh, so what's the plan now that Moonchild kinda, sorta has the upper hand?"

"We think that she's heading for the broadcast relay station in the south spiral," Janine answers. "Her mind controlled forces are protecting her. We can see ripples in their movement. His Majesty is still trapped. We're attempting to raise Pro. Downes back on the radio to tell us what's the regular song in their interface."

"And what about Simon? Have you heard anything?" I try to hide my worry, but my voice still wavers as I think of what's supposed to happen. I know it's going to happen today. I can feel it.

"No, we have not. That means it's just you two. You're all we have to rely on."

"This sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Sam muses, but his voice is dry. I understand what he means. This isn't the first time the weight of the world was on my shoulders, and I doubt it will be the last.

"We need you to make your way across to the south spiral as quickly as you can. You'll have to run along the struts of the rollercoaster," Janine says, and I choke.

"What?"

"We wouldn't normally ask you to do this," Sam says quickly, "but it's our only chance to get the ZRD from Moonchild, to be there waiting for her when she reaches the roof. I know you can do it. I believe in you."

That makes one of us.

"Sam," Maxine says with her face scrunched up, "I think there may be something that can give us an edge. That song she sang when she spoke to us-did you recognize it?"

"I don't think so, no... Oh. O-oh, wait. Wait. You're right. I did recognize that! Get running! You might just be onto something."

I don't like this. My stomach twists in knots as Maxine and I climb up the ladder towards the track of the rollercoaster. With each step I feel my heart sink as cold fear claws at my insides. When we climb up onto the track, I have to use all my willpower to not go into a full blown panic.

"It's okay, Five," Maxine says, although it seems she's trying to convince herself more than she is me. Her voice shakes almost as bad as her hands do, but we keep moving, hearts hammering and fear evident on our features.

"You're okay. Just don't look down," Sam says, and I grit my teeth in order to hold back a snarl because his words aren't exactly helping since he's on the ground in Abel. "Let's uh-let's try to distract ourselves with... a story."

I blanch. No, not a story! Anything but a story! "S-Sam, I really don't think-"

"I know! I could tell you just how Maxine and I recognize that song Moonchild sang."

"Sam, p-please don't..."

"Okay, right, so this was when you, Runner Five-I mean, you weren't Runner Five yet, and I guess you weren't... you? How do I say this without it sounding weird? Um, well you weren't here in Abel. You were still Runner whatever-number-you-used-to-be. You were still Singer, I guess."