The boom rocked the corridor, and even through my closed lids, I saw the brilliant flash of light, as if a star had exploded in the hall. The gunfire ceased, and Garret took my hand, pulling me to my feet with a brisk “Let’s go!” We sprinted past the stunned, gaping soldiers, hit the stairwell at top speed and didn’t stop running until we reached the very last door and burst through it into the hot Vegas night.

Riley

Riley

We finally reached the end of the elevator shaft.

I heard Ava hit the bottom, the quiet thump of her feet on solid ground echoing faintly up the tube. Relieved, anxious to be done with tight spaces and lethal falls in utter darkness, I descended the last few rungs and hopped off the ladder, before realizing we weren’t home free just yet.

The floor under my boots swayed slightly, as if hovering a few inches off the ground. Clicking on my flashlight, I saw we’d hit the metal roof of the elevator box, thick cables coming out of the center and rising up the tube. A small square hatch sat in one corner, and Ava crouched next to it, her hair a ghostly silver in the pale light.

“It’s stuck,” she whispered.

Putting the flashlight on the floor, I knelt across from her and grasped the handle at the top. “On three,” I muttered, as her fingers wrapped around mine, slender and cool, and I tightened my grip. “One…two…three!”

Together we tugged. The hatch, like the elevator doors, resisted a moment, then opened with a rusty screech that made my teeth vibrate. I poked my head through the opening, shining the flashlight around, then pulled back with a nod.

“Clear.”

We dropped into the elevator box, Ava landing as lightly as a cat. The doors were partially open, and I could see an empty hall beyond, dark and silent for now.

“First floor,” Ava whispered, gazing at the brass number in the door frame. She sounded relieved. “We’re almost out.”

“Not quite.” I eased into the hall, gazing around warily. “The doors will be guarded for sure, and there’s no telling how many snipers they’ve got watching the exits. And of course, that damn chopper will be circling around, making things difficult.”

“So we can’t go through the doors.” Ava followed me, pragmatic and as cool as ever. “How will we get out, then?”

“Easy.” I grinned at her. “We use a window.”

Voices echoed down another hallway, making us both tense. A moment later, the sound of boots started toward us, marching ominously closer. I switched off the flashlight, and we ran.