From twenty-five storeys up, it's a long drop to the bottom. All I can see from this angle is murky navy sky and light pollution, but if I shuffle forward maybe eight steps, I'd be able to see the street below. It'd only take a second, maybe two, if I sprint.
Privacy is a pricey commodity these days. But up here on an empty rooftop, I feel free. A badass freedom fighter, smacking the chains of restricted access and protocol permission to the outskirts of civilization.
I lean back against one of the slanted skylights, the glass cool against my back. The skyscaper is painted with dancing cones of light. I can't remember the last time I really saw the stars. I take out my EyeView anyway and snap a quick pic.
So lost in reverie, it doesn't immediately register when a creak sounds behind me. I turn around slowly – too slow.
"Hey," someone protests, huffing heavily. "You're not allowed to be here." He's thickset and dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit, one pudgy hand resting on the doorknob.
I bolt up, poised to run past him. There's no other way down.
He takes an uncertain step toward me. "How did you get up here anyway?"
I press my eyelids together. Maybe if I ignore him, he'll disappear.
"You know this is an infraction of the Code, right?"
I open my eyes. No such luck. Of course I'm well aware this is illegal – even if I hadn't been, the numerous signs on the hatch door would've been a pretty good indicator.
He inches forward hesitantly, still somewhat out of breath. Clearly this building is lacking in the security department. "Hey. Have you understood anything I've said?"
There are more clanks in the stairwell and another man, crisply dressed and brisk, emerges from the doorway. "Object in sight," the EyeView in his hand announces. He stares me down.
Oh. Shit.
"Scarlett?" he asks.
How the hell does he know my name? Please tell me he's not what I think he is. The two men are blocking the only exit. There's only one thing to do then – I start to inch backwards until I'm halfway between the edge of the roof and the skylight. "Who are you?"
He flashes his EyeView at me. "Agent Rex. You need to come with me."
Oh hell no. I keep moving until my lower back hits the guard rail. "Don't come near me." I lean back slightly. It's an empty threat, but I hope I come off as at least semi-credible – all I need is for them to give me the benefit of the doubt.
The security guard seems to be positively sweating. "What's going on here?" he asks nervously, looking between Agent Rex and me.
"Don't be ridiculous, Scarlett," Agent Rex snaps. "Get over here. Now."
I'm beyond perplexed myself; they don't usually send Special Services Agents after minor infractions such as trespassing or breaking and entering. I lean a little further over the edge, then jerk quickly, pretending to falter.
They both surge forward reflexively.
I recover my stance and dart between them, turning into a side gallop as I squeeze through.
I've loped into the stairway and gripped the banister before either of them have managed to turn around.
"Scarlett!" Agent Rex thunders, pivoting. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
Well then, it's a good thing he's not. Using my wrist as a fulcrum, I swing up and over the railing, bending my knees and bracing for the impact. I land a level down, roll upright and jump down another flight of stairs, taking them two at a time.
Rex is rapidly in pursuit; he's only a flight above me now.
"What's going on?" the security guard protests, still by the roof hatch door.
"Your best course of action is to stop right now," Agent Rex advises sternly.
I consider it for a moment. He knows who I am, so how much good would running do anyway? But then again, there seems to have been some huge misunderstanding, and being arrested by Special Services is never a good thing. They're not exactly known for calm negotiation.
I jump onto the banister and slide down two more flights. I'll take my chances and decide my own best option, thanks very much.
"I'm part of this building's security detail - explain what is going on here!" I almost feel sorry for the security guard; he's breathing hard now and having obvious difficulty keeping up.
"Need to know basis," growls Agent Rex without missing a single step. "You're not ranked at a position for clearance."
Ooh, zing! Another floor down. Where am I now, the twentieth floor? The seventeenth? I've lost count.
I'm about to leap down another flight of stairs when I notice that the corridor door is open, and make a beeline for the threshold instead.
I emerge on the other side in a long hallway lined with equidistant doors and plush burgundy carpet. It cushions each step I sprint. At the end of the hall, I pick up a piece of luck; the elevator door is just sliding closed. I slip inside right before the heavy metal jaws clench and punch the ground floor button viciously. There's a middle aged woman in the carriage with me, so I give her a meek smile, fighting to calm my racing heart. I wipe my clammy palms on my shorts.
We descend smoothly. I start to relax a little, trying to think ahead as to what my next step should be.
The elevator compartment lurches to a grinding halt, the alarm starting to blare. "The elevator is temporarily out of use. Please bear with us as we attempt to ameliorate the situation as quickly and efficiently as possible." The voice that comes out of the speaker box is generic, computer-generated. Unnatural.
The stranger cocks an eyebrow at me. "I wonder what the matter is."
"I have no idea," I mutter, feigning confusion. I have a strong inkling that this is about me though – should have known better than to think that I could really get away this easily.
"Well, I hope they fix the situation soon..."
"Yeah." I scan the control panel. Come on, come on, there has to be some sort of emergency escape override mechanism here. There's a tiny button at the bottom labelled "lock release." I stab it, praying for it to work.
The alarm shuts off and a small click echoes in the resulting silence, but beyond that, nothing else happens.
"What did you just do?" she asks, whirling on me, suspicion in her eye now.
"I'm in a hurry," I say by way of explanation, moving forward to try and manually pry apart the elevator doors. Surprisingly, they give way easily, retracting smoothly. Success!
Not as successful is the fact that we've somehow managed to stop midway between floors. Great. I guess I have the option of jumping down a four feet drop, or climbing up three feet with upper body strength alone. Yeah, I'll take the drop.
I grip the overhang of the floor and propel myself out of the carriage as the stranger mumbles away in confused protest behind me.
The impact jolts through my knees, and I stumble a little on the landing, the ball of my left foot temporarily paralyzed and then subsequently numbed. Lovely.
