belong outside.
The lobby isn’t deserted. It’s filled with security and guards block the entrance. A man dressed in black with an assault rifle strapped to his waist notices me as I get close to the exit. He waves at the men he’s speaking to and heads my direction.
“Can I help you?”
The sound of an explosion makes me jump. I look over his shoulder out the glass window to the pandemonium in the distance.
I need a way out.
And we’re not supposed to go out front. It’s one of the rules.
But I don’t care.
“No; I just came down to see what’s going on.”
He takes a step closer and gives me a skeptical look. “Dr. Thompson doesn’t want any of the Party trainees downstairs. It’s not safe down here right now. You’re not supposed to leave your floor. I’ll have someone escort you back to your room.”
My eyes dart around the lobby for a way out, a path to escape without being spotted. A darkened hallway lies to the left. It’s long – but I can see the light coming from the end.
“I don’t need an escort. I can make it back by myself. Like I said, I just came down here to see what’s going on.”
He pauses and then shrugs his shoulders. “Fine, suit yourself. Go back up to your room and lock yourself in. We’ll let you know when it’s okay to come out.”
“Sure.”
The elevators are down the hall to the left, the hallway that leads outside is to the right. I head to their intersection, watching what happens behind me in the reflection of a giant mirror hanging from the wall. A member of security watches me for a while, but then another guard gets his attention and he walks away.
As soon as he turns around I dart to the right.
The hallway is empty and the doors are closed. Maids’ carts line the hallway, one neatly stacked cart outside each room. The staff stays on the bottom floor. The hierarchy at the hotel is top down.
I run down the hallway towards the exit, trying not to glance over my shoulder every few steps. Looking behind will slow me down and I don’t have time to waste.
I get to the exit undetected and push open the door. I know an alarm will sound. But I have time, enough time to do what I need to do.
I push open the door and red lights flash behind. I look over my shoulder and see a security guard round the corner.
I start to run.
“Stop right there!”
I take a right and I’m behind the tanks along the side of the casino. I hug the far right side of the sidewalk. My heart beats in my chest and I take a couple of sharp breaths. The air burns going down. I know I’m in better shape than this. I’m an All-American Athlete.
“Stop!”
The sound startles me. My heart almost jumps in my chest. I push my head down and run faster. I know I can outrun my pursuer: I can run a mile in 4 ½ minutes.
The armored Hummer belongs to the Party’s security detail. The vehicle is massive, and even larger from my vantage point at ground level instead of high above the Strip. It moves forward, towards the crowd. I try to get ahead of it. A gun goes shot rings high into the air and another shot fires. I’m deaf. It’s like I can hear sounds happening around me but I can’t make out what anyone is saying. I look back and see the security guard running my direction. His mouth is moving, but I can’t make out the words.
The tank moves forward. I run to the fence and a couple of women from the opposition take a step back, their faces full of fear.
And it occurs to me that it’s me they’re scared of.
Then I’m standing between security and the opposition. I hold my hand up in the air for it to stop. It inches forward, daring me to hold my ground.
I stay.
I have to.
“Get away from there!”
My hearing is back. It’s the security guard that chased me out to the road. Behind him come three more. Big guys ready to take me back to the casino.
But I’ve got other plans.
I take a step forward towards the Hummer. It inches towards me. I can smell the fumes. The gun
The lobby isn’t deserted. It’s filled with security and guards block the entrance. A man dressed in black with an assault rifle strapped to his waist notices me as I get close to the exit. He waves at the men he’s speaking to and heads my direction.
“Can I help you?”
The sound of an explosion makes me jump. I look over his shoulder out the glass window to the pandemonium in the distance.
I need a way out.
And we’re not supposed to go out front. It’s one of the rules.
But I don’t care.
“No; I just came down to see what’s going on.”
He takes a step closer and gives me a skeptical look. “Dr. Thompson doesn’t want any of the Party trainees downstairs. It’s not safe down here right now. You’re not supposed to leave your floor. I’ll have someone escort you back to your room.”
My eyes dart around the lobby for a way out, a path to escape without being spotted. A darkened hallway lies to the left. It’s long – but I can see the light coming from the end.
“I don’t need an escort. I can make it back by myself. Like I said, I just came down here to see what’s going on.”
He pauses and then shrugs his shoulders. “Fine, suit yourself. Go back up to your room and lock yourself in. We’ll let you know when it’s okay to come out.”
“Sure.”
The elevators are down the hall to the left, the hallway that leads outside is to the right. I head to their intersection, watching what happens behind me in the reflection of a giant mirror hanging from the wall. A member of security watches me for a while, but then another guard gets his attention and he walks away.
As soon as he turns around I dart to the right.
The hallway is empty and the doors are closed. Maids’ carts line the hallway, one neatly stacked cart outside each room. The staff stays on the bottom floor. The hierarchy at the hotel is top down.
I run down the hallway towards the exit, trying not to glance over my shoulder every few steps. Looking behind will slow me down and I don’t have time to waste.
I get to the exit undetected and push open the door. I know an alarm will sound. But I have time, enough time to do what I need to do.
I push open the door and red lights flash behind. I look over my shoulder and see a security guard round the corner.
I start to run.
“Stop right there!”
I take a right and I’m behind the tanks along the side of the casino. I hug the far right side of the sidewalk. My heart beats in my chest and I take a couple of sharp breaths. The air burns going down. I know I’m in better shape than this. I’m an All-American Athlete.
“Stop!”
The sound startles me. My heart almost jumps in my chest. I push my head down and run faster. I know I can outrun my pursuer: I can run a mile in 4 ½ minutes.
The armored Hummer belongs to the Party’s security detail. The vehicle is massive, and even larger from my vantage point at ground level instead of high above the Strip. It moves forward, towards the crowd. I try to get ahead of it. A gun goes shot rings high into the air and another shot fires. I’m deaf. It’s like I can hear sounds happening around me but I can’t make out what anyone is saying. I look back and see the security guard running my direction. His mouth is moving, but I can’t make out the words.
The tank moves forward. I run to the fence and a couple of women from the opposition take a step back, their faces full of fear.
And it occurs to me that it’s me they’re scared of.
Then I’m standing between security and the opposition. I hold my hand up in the air for it to stop. It inches forward, daring me to hold my ground.
I stay.
I have to.
“Get away from there!”
My hearing is back. It’s the security guard that chased me out to the road. Behind him come three more. Big guys ready to take me back to the casino.
But I’ve got other plans.
I take a step forward towards the Hummer. It inches towards me. I can smell the fumes. The gun
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