Fight the Shock

by William Oday

  A burst of gunshots made Lily duck. She pulled Piper close again. “No one is coming for us. Every first responder in the city is going to have their hands full.”

  “No, they’ll get a firetruck over here and use one of those extendable ladder things.”

  “You’re not getting it,” Lily hissed. “No firetrucks are going anywhere for anybody. They don’t work. Just like all those cars down there.”

  Piper sucked in a shuddering breath. She was starting to understand. “What are we going to do?”

  “We have to get down from here. It was over a hundred degrees this afternoon. It’ll be the same tomorrow. We can’t survive that without water.”

  “But you have water in that survival bag of yours. I saw you stash it on the way out of the hotel.”

  “Shhh!” Lily squeezed her shoulder. She didn’t want to be that way, but Piper had to wrap her head around the situation and do it immediately. “Yes, I have two bottles. My canteen and a plastic bottle from our room. I doubt that would be enough for us, and it definitely wouldn’t be enough for everyone up here.”

  “We don’t have to tell anyone about it.”

  “Come on, Piper. Someone will see at some point. And then what do you think would happen?”

  Piper looked surprised and glanced around at the huddled and terrified clusters of people. “You think they’d attack us?”

  “My dad says desperation can make good people do things they wouldn’t ever normally do. Besides, even if they don’t, are you going to be okay with letting people pass out from dehydration while we’re sipping away on our secret stash?”

  “How are we going to get down then?”

  This was the part Lily had been waiting for. She’d noticed it on the way up, but hadn’t thought much about it until a minute ago.

  “We have to get the elevator doors open and climb down the maintenance ladder.”

  “What?” Piper blurted out. “Are you insane?”

  The shadowed faces of several of the others pivoted toward them, but then turned back to their own concerns.

  “It’s the only way down.”

  “No! One slip and it’s over. You’re definitely insane.”

  Lily dug into her pack and pulled out a hundred foot bundle of olive green cord.

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s 550 paracord. I’ll use it to tie us together. It’s just for backup.”

  Piper did not look convinced.

  Which was understandable because Lily wasn’t all that confident either. But it was better than nothing and with the prospect of baking up here the only alternative, it would have to do.

  Someone bumped into Lily’s back, nearly knocking her over. She caught herself and looked up.

  Pungent fumes washed over them as a huge guy wearing a black and yellow Steeler’s jacket stumbled by and pitched into the elevator door. “Wasshh out! Idiots!” He teetered forward like he was about to fall over onto them.

  Another guy, short and stocky, stepped in and pushed the drunk away. “Easy there, big guy.”

  The Steeler’s fan eyeballed him for a second, drunkenly calculating the odds of who would end up with the beat down, and then lurched away. “Schtay outta my waayy.”

  The stocky guy turned to check on them. “You okay?”

  Lily was about to thank him when a high-pitched whine stole her attention.

  “What is that?” someone said.

  Lily pulled Piper over and they peered through the wires.

  It was coming from their right, getting louder and louder. Everyone on the observation deck, except for the obnoxiously drunk idiot, stared in that direction to see what it was.

  It came out of nowhere.

  It wasn’t there one second and was the next.

  Glints of moonlight revealed an enormous jet airliner streaking toward them down the strip. A wing clipped a building and the shriek of metal was soon followed by an enormous explosion when it hit the ground. A blinding fireball rose into the sky, lighting up the strip like it was day. Roiling yellow flames rose in a column into the sky. A wave of heat washed over them. Fires ignited as jet fuel and sparks combined in devastating fashion. One of the plane’s jet engines tumbled down the street, took a big bounce and then landed in the Bellagio fountains. It splashed and rolled to a stop, flames licking off the top and steam hissing.

  The brilliance of the expanding fireball in the sky faded as it cooled into black smoke. Already a caustic scent floated their way.

  “Oh my God,” someone said.

  A jolt of fear punched Lily right in the stomach. Her dad was flying home that night.

  Did his plane go down just like that one?

  6

  Lily pushed the thought away. Knowing what could’ve happened but not knowing what did happen was only going to make her crazy. She didn’t have time for that right now.

  No, she had to put that away for now and focus on getting out of this cage. She found the stocky guy on the other side of the viewing platform, staring out at a large fire to the south. Likely where the airport was. “Excuse me,” she said as she tapped his shoulder.

  He turned and forced a thin smile. “Hey.”

  “Thanks for backing that guy off.”

  He shrugged. “No prob. My old man was a mean drunk. Always hated it.”

  “Can I ask for your help?”

  “Sure. Is he bothering you again?”

  “No, not that. It’s the elevator doors. I need to get them open.”

  “What? Why?”

  “There’s a maintenance ladder inside that my friend and I are going to take down.”

  “Really? Why not just wait for them to come get us?”

  Lily chewed her lip. She didn’t want to go into it and she definitely didn’t want to start a panic with a dozen strangers in the enclosed space. “Look around. Any available response is going to go to putting out those fires and helping people injured in car crashes. They’re going to have higher priorities than us.”

  “We’re a long way up,” he said.

  “Don’t remind me,” she said, half-heartedly trying to inject a little humor.

  “You sure?”

  She nodded.

  “Okay.”

  “Thanks.” Lily rejoined Piper and dug into her pack. She pulled out a hinged rod about eight inches long.

  “What’s that?” Piper said.

  Holding it horizontal, Lily showed how the hinge allowed the last third of the rod to drop to vertical. “It’s an elevator drop key. It’s nearly impossible to get modern elevator doors open without one.”

  “And why do you have it in your bag?”

  Lily flashed her a you know why look.

  “Oh, right.”

  Lily’s dad had been adamant that she add it to her backpack since she was going to a city filled with skyscrapers. She’d made such a big stink about how ridiculous he was being because it had seemed ridiculous at the time. And yet, here she was using it.

  She found the tiny hole in the door up near the top and inserted the rod. The hinged part went through and the end clunked down. She fiddled with it for a second until it engaged. A turn of the key and the safety mechanism disengaged.

  With Lily and Piper pulling on one side and the stocky guy on the other, they wrenched the doors open a couple of feet.

  Lily strapped on the headlamp and looked over the edge.

  It was a long way down. She’d gone climbing with Colton quite a few times while they were together. He was an adrenaline junkie that always liked to push the envelope. So the height didn’t bother her much. Then again, she didn’t have a climbing harness, ropes and all the usual gear.

  She turned to Piper. “We’re going to be fine.”

  Piper’s lips pressed into a tight line and she nodded.

  Lily fashioned and secured a makeshift harness around Piper’s thighs and torso. She’d never done anything like it before and so did her best. She secured the other end around her waist and shoulders, giving
the doubled-over cord that connected them six to seven feet of play. She secured it with a figure-eight follow through knot ended with a double fisherman’s knot for extra safety.

  For whatever that was worth.

  “Alright, you’re going first and I’ll be right behind you. Go slow and whatever you do, don’t look down. It’s just a ladder.” She glanced at Piper’s feet. “Take off the stripper heels.” She stuffed them into her pack and they were ready.

  “Whaashoo guyshh doing?”

  The drunk idiot again.

  Their stocky friend stepped between them with his hands raised. “You need to back up, man.”

  “Shhcrew you!” the drunk took a wild swing as the other guy ducked to the side. The drunk guy’s momentum pulled him forward toward the open elevator doors.

  Lily grabbed for his arm and got a hold of it.

  The stocky guy wrapped an arm around his waist and shoved him away. The drunk squared up like the fight was on but then turned, mumbling threats and promises of what would happen next.

  Lily found the plastic water bottle in her pack and handed it over to their helper. “Don’t wait too long.”

  He accepted it with a nod of thanks. “Be careful.”

  “You too.” Lily secured the headlamp to Piper’s head so she would have the best light possible. “Keep your eyes on the ladder and don’t let go with your hands until a foot is solidly on the next rung. Understand?”

  Piper nodded, but she was trembling with fear.

  Lily wanted to hug her, tell her she loved her and that they’d be best friends forever. But she didn’t because then they’d both break down crying and totally fall apart.

  Piper reached into the elevator shaft and got onto the ladder. Lily played out the paracord and then followed her out.

  The metal rungs were still warm from the afternoon heat.

  “Good luck.”

  She looked up. “We’ll tell someone at the hotel that you’re up here and need help.”

  “Thanks.”

  The play in the cord drew taut so Lily started down, matching Piper’s pace to manage the tautness of the length between them. If Piper did slip, she wanted to stop the fall immediately. Any extra play would cause the cord to snap and that might sever it or yank her off the ladder.

  Either outcome would be worst case scenario.

  Slow and steady, they descended down the ladder. Lily knew something terrible would happen. Some small misstep where it all went wrong. Every second felt like it could be the last.

  But they kept going.

  And she nearly kicked Piper in the head before she realized they’d made it. She climbed down next to Piper in a small space next to the elevator car. They fell into each other’s arms.

  Piper cried and laughed and a gob of snot shot out of her nose into Lily’s hair.

  “Ewww!”

  “Sorry,” Piper said as she tried to rake it out.

  Lily yelled up the shaft. “We made it!”

  A round of cheers and excited shouting echoed back.

  She untied and gathered up the paracord. She’d found uses for it now and again, but nothing like this. Nothing life or death. But she’d had it when it counted. Her dad was right.

  Ninety-nine percent of the time, you didn’t need this or that and life went on like normal and it was no problem.

  But that one percent was real.

  And in those situations, being prepared could make all the difference.

  She was just starting to understand exactly what that meant.

  7

  They exited the maintenance door into a cavern-like lobby hidden in shadows. One corner of the tower’s base extended down from the ceiling and into the floor. Lily’s headlamp swept over what appeared to be a quaint village somewhere in the hills of France. There were little houses with steep shingled roofs and lattice windows. Hand-painted signs hanging from curled wrought iron fixtures above each store. A faux cobblestone lane wound through the middle.

  It was quintessential Las Vegas.

  An appealing fabrication. An attractive exterior with little substance underneath.

  Lily glanced down at Piper’s bare feet. With all the debris scattered around, it was asking for trouble. She dug out one of Piper’s shoes and lined it up with the edge of the door.

  “What are you doing?” Piper said in an alarmed voice.

  “I’m breaking off the stripper heel.”

  Piper snatched it away. “You most definitely are not! And they are not stripper heels! They’re fake Jimmy Choo’s!”

  “Piper, what if we have to run? Can you run in heels like that?”

  She slipped it on and held out a demanding hand. “Give me the other one!”

  Against her better judgement, Lily turned it over.

  Piper put it on and walked in a little circle. “I can move just fine, thank you very much.”

  Lily decided to let it go. It would sort itself out. She just hoped that it didn’t cause a big problem when it did. “Come on,” she said as she tugged Piper’s elbow and headed in the direction of the reception area. They threaded through a section of slot machines, turned down a row, and Lily yelped with surprise.

  An old man sat in front of a slot machine. He was slumped down in the chair with his chin on his chest. A ring of thin silver hair surrounded a bald spot on top of his head. The light reflected off the mottled, bare skin.

  How had he died?

  Maybe a heart attack or a stroke or something. Her dad said that the frail and infirm were going to be hit hard by the unfolding calamity. Those least able to endure the difficulties would fall first.

  It was only the second dead body she’d ever seen in person. The first was Grandpa’s funeral. Even with all the makeup, he’d still looked so dull, so empty. That was when she knew it wasn’t him. Not anymore. The spark that was Grandpa had left. She’d broken down crying then. Not because of the body.

  It was discarded baggage.

  She’d wept for the spark that would never light up her life again.

  Lily turned sideways to edge by the body, when a hand shot out and grasped her arm. She jumped back and ripped her arm free.

  He was definitely not dead!

  “This is my row! Don’t even think about it!”

  The fumes rolling off him nearly singed her nose hairs.

  “What?” she said.

  “One of these babies is about to pay out big time,” he said as he squinted at her with suspicion. “And no one is going to steal it from me.”

  “We don’t want your machines.”

  He eyed them for a second, deciding if he believed them or not. He must’ve because he nodded. His eyes ran down Piper’s dress, long legs and stopped at her heels. “You a stripper?”

  Piper made a shocked face like she couldn’t believe he’d just said that. It must’ve been a put on because Lily had already basically said the same thing.

  Lily considered saying I told you so, but thought better of it. “Do you, uh, need help?” she asked.

  He grabbed a glass, finished whatever it was, and shoved it at her. “Another gin and tonic to wet my whistle.”

  “Sorry, we don’t work here.”

  He snorted grumpily. “Well, tell someone to turn the lights back on and get me another drink. And tell them I won’t be fooled into giving up right when I’m about to hit the jackpot.” He turned back toward the machine in front of him. “They’re always pulling some shenanigans trying to keep you from winning what’s yours.”

  “Okay, we’ll tell them.” Lily shot Piper a look and the two scooted by.

  Once they were out of earshot, Piper whispered, “That guy’s in for a rude awakening when he finally sobers up. If he ever sobers up.”

  They kept going and Lily struggled to stay calm. It was just so creepy. Earlier, there had been hundreds of people filling the casino, restaurants and stores. Now, it was a ghost town.

  Something crashed nearby and they froze to see what.

  A co
uple of guys not much older than them stood in front of a broken window. A jewelry store with necklaces, watches and earrings in the display window. They glanced over when Lily’s light hit them, turning to shine their own lights back. “You looking for trouble?” the larger one said as he tapped a tire iron against the wall. The other snatched up the items within reach, before climbing through the shattered pane.

  “No,” Lily croaked as she and Piper backed away. They turned and ran in the other direction and thankfully heard no signs of pursuit.

  People were looting already?

  On the one hand, she could hardly believe it. On the other, it made sense. Criminals broke the law even when things were functioning and the threat of getting caught was very real. Now that that barrier had been removed, they would be the first to take advantage.

  They hurried around another corner before slowing to a walk, panting more from fear than exhaustion. They turned in a circle, the headlamp’s disc of illumination sliding over surfaces. She didn’t recognize anything.

  They made these places like mazes. Unless you had a map or had been there a few times, it was easy to get lost. Lily was trying to decide where to go next when someone shouted.

  “Stop!”

  A bright beam landed on them.

  Before she could react, the man was next to them, bouncing the light back and forth.

  “What are you two doing?”

  Lily noticed with relief the badge on his chest. Casino security. He kept the flashlight trained on them while his other hand rested on the grip of the pistol holstered at his hip.

  “We were in the Eiffel Tower when the power cut off,” Lily said, nervously glancing at the hand on the pistol.

  He wouldn’t shoot them? Would he?

  “How did you get down?”

  “We got the doors open and climbed down the maintenance ladder.”

  His eyes widened with surprise. “That’s a long way.”

  Piper snorted. “Yeah, and it was terrifying.”

  “Do you have a room here?”

  “No, we’re at Mandalay Bay,” Piper said. “I love the aquariums.”