Sam was right, Dr. Ryshard hadn't been back to see him again since his first day. That was probably for the best. Most days, Sam spent his time divided between working on his project and curling up in the corner to cry. The day before, Sam had finished his project and so, with the sun just beginning to set, he was ready. The narrow ledge beneath his feet sloped ever so slightly away from the side of the Ryshard building and made it difficult to keep from slipping. He had to be quick, if he was overcome by the emotions now, he would probably jump. The lights from the city below illuminated the sculpted stone, metal, and glass structure. Up close he could almost appreciate the beauty. Above him was the final ledge he had to climb before he reached the very top of the Ryshard building. Sam's office was somewhere below. He tried not to think about it.
Fear welled up inside, threatening to overpower him. Sam punched the side of the building, the stone carvings biting deep into his fist and making it bleed. The pain drove the fear back and Sam reached up for the final ledge. The blood on his hand made it difficult to get a proper grip, but he managed to pull himself up before panic could take him. Once on the top of the building, Sam took hold of the rope he'd tied to his waist and began to pull. The bundle at the other end rose slowly in the fading sunlight. He'd had to pack it firmly with lots of padding in case it bumped against the wall.
An updraft caught the bundle and swung it out wide, pulling Sam with it. The edge of the building drew nearer and Sam dug his feet into the roof's rough surface. Sam slowed but he was still being dragged nearer the edge. If he held on, he'd be pulled off the roof to his death. If he let go, he'd lose this one and only chance. The promise of death was tempting, far more at that moment than it had been his entire time of being the Crier.
An short pipe sticking out of the roof caught his eye and Sam leaped for it before he could change his mind. He wrapped the rope around the base of the pipe and used it to anchor himself. The bundle swung back and Sam gritted his teeth as it collided with the side of the building. Something below cracked.
Sam pulled the bundle the rest of the way up and unwrapped it, fearing the worst. The first layer of wrapping came away easily, followed by the second. So far he couldn't feel any loose parts or see anything that would signify a broken component. The final layer of padding fell away and Sam breathed a sigh of relief. The crack from below must have been a window. Hopefully no one heard or saw it. Most people were gone by this time anyway. Still, Sam hurried over to the group of radio and satellite relays.
“Which one is it?” Sam muttered to himself. The light was getting too dim to make out the signs that marked each one.
Sam rummaged through his pockets until he found the key chain light he'd brought. The light was weak, but that was the point. If anyone were watching on the security cameras, a bright light would stand out, but a faint one would go unnoticed. That was why Sam had picked sunset to implement his plan. The low light made it difficult for the cameras to get a good picture and gave Sam a good hour to work in.
Sam clicked on his light and made his way through the forest of aerials and dishes until he found the one he wanted. The service panel opened easily and he began wiring up the device he'd been working on. He had to be quick, if he took too long plugging it in, the change in the signal would become obvious and they could shut him out. His fingers trembled and he had to punch the rooftop several times to push back the nervousness and anxiety. At last the final wires were spliced together and Sam turned on his device. A high pitched hum was all that signified that anything was happening.
Sam leaned back against the base of the relay dish and took a drink from the water bottle he'd stored with his device. It would take a couple hours for the signal to be changed. Any sudden changes would be noticed, but subtle ones were far more likely to slip by. He took another drink. The water had a strong metallic flavor and Sam made a face as he downed another gulp. A quick look around revealed where all the security cameras were and Sam noted that there was a blind spot right where he was sitting. That was good, he didn't want to have to climb down tonight.
Besides, Sam thought, taking another drink from his water bottle and looking out over the city, It's such a beautiful night.
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