Chapter 9
The transition from the attic onto the open roof terrace exposed them once again to the biting fury of the midnight storm. Torrents of rain lashed sideways across the black tar-paper roofing, turning the surface slick and treacherous. In the distance, the neon lights of the city blurred into shimmering pools of color through the downpour.
Daniel led the way, holding the heavy leather suitcase in one hand while using his other arm to create a stabilizing human shield against the wind. Rachel followed closely behind, keeping a firm grip on Toby’s hand as the boy’s boots slipped repeatedly on the wet gravel.
“Watch your footing, Toby! Step where I step!” Rachel shouted over the deafening roar of the wind and thunder.
The gap between the corporate tower and the federal annex was spanned by a narrow maintenance catwalk made of rusted iron grating, suspended forty feet above the dark alleyway below. It looked fragile, swaying slightly under the violent pressure of the storm winds.
Daniel stepped out onto the catwalk first, testing its structural integrity with a heavy boot before signaling for them to follow. “It’s stable! Keep your eyes forward, don’t look down!”
Rachel stepped onto the metal grating, the cold water pooling around her sneakers instantly. She looked down through the open grid pattern and instantly regretted it; the dark alleyway yawned like an abyss beneath them, framed by towering concrete walls. She squeezed her eyes shut for a brief second, fighting off a wave of paralyzing vertigo, then forced herself to focus entirely on the back of Daniel’s dark shirt ahead.
Toby stumbled midway across the span, his small foot catching on a bent section of the iron mesh. He let out a sharp cry as he dropped to his knees.
“Dad! Help!”
Rachel dropped instantly, sliding across the wet grating to grab Toby under the arms just as he slipped slightly toward the open edge. Her heart leaped into her throat.
Daniel turned around with lightning speed, dropping the suitcase and lunging backward across the catwalk. He reached down with both hands, grabbing Toby by the collar of his jacket and hoisting the boy effortlessly into his arms in a single fluid motion.
“I’ve got you, I’ve got you,” Daniel panted, pulling Toby against his chest while steadying himself against the handrail.
Rachel scrambled to her feet, her hands shaking violently as she checked the boy over. “Are you okay, Toby? Did you hurt your ankle?”
“I’m okay, Aunt Rachel. I just slipped,” Toby whispered, burying his face in Daniel’s shoulder, refusing to let go.
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Daniel looked at Rachel, his eyes wide with a shared terror that words couldn’t capture. Without a single spoken word exchanged, they both turned and rushed the remaining distance across the catwalk, slamming through the heavy fire door of the federal annex and collapsing safely inside the dry, dimly lit corridor beyond.
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