Nothing can go wrong, right?
Shane held his hand up, signaling me to get ready. He spoke into his radio, “Eliza, tell us when. We’ve been in this stairwell for way too long,”
“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.
Shane’s radio crackled silently for a moment. “Sorry guys, there’s, uh, there’s a party going on.”
Shane gripped the radio tighter. “You’re kidding right?”
“I wish,” Eliza sounded disgusted, “Oh God… it’s a theme party. Hula and limbo and some kind of roasted thing… I think it’s a pig.”

“Does it look like it’s ending soon?” Shane asked, searching for options.

“Nah, these office jockeys are just getting started,” Eliza noted, “And that lady should not be wearing a grass skirt…”

“Are you sure we’re not going to be compromised?”

“Not a chance, these people wouldn’t take the stairs to save their lives.”

Shane looked back at me, his electric blue eyes meeting mine. “What do you think, man?”

“You know what I’m thinking,” I answered.

Shane smirked. “Right on,”

Suddenly there was a breathless, strangling sound coming from the radio – Shane instantly picked it back up, tense. “Eliza! Are you okay?” The sound continued. “Eliza!”

“I’m - I’m fine, guys,” she said in-between breaths. The wheezing solidified into full laughs. “It’s just this dude trying to limbo; I’ve never seen anything more awkward in my life.” She had another bout of giggles while Shane relaxed.
He rolled his eyes at me. “Freakin’ chicks, dude.”
“What was that?” the radio crackled.
“Um, nothing,” Shane avoided, “The eagles are leaving the nest in five, standby.”
“What?!” Eliza exclaimed, “There’s kind of a freakin’ Luau happening! We have to abort!”
Shane spoke forcefully, “We didn’t come all this way to let a few corporate slaves get in our way, did we, Blake?”
I nodded in agreement. “I’m ready when you are.”
Shane smiled and put the radio up to his mouth again. “Eliza, forget the standby, we’re moving now.”
“Wait, what about your gear check?” she asked, exasperated.
“We’ve been gear checking for the last five hours, I think we’re good. Nothing can go wrong, right?”
Eliza sighed. “Fine, waiting on your move.”
“Roger that,” Shane responded. He turned again to me, and held his fist out.
I bumped it with mine. “You nervous?” I asked.
“Well, don’t tell anybody,” He leaned in closer and whispered, “No.”
I laughed. “Let’s do this,”
Shane ruffled my hair. “You’ve come so far, bro, you’re one of us now, I can see it in your eyes. I’m proud of you.”
I clasped his shoulder. “We’re Falling Stars, man.”
He smiled. “You got that right. Let’s go.” He leaned into the door, his hand slightly resting on the handle. I fell into place behind him, butterflies filling my insides. Maybe he wasn’t nervous, but I knew I was. I’d never been more nervous in my life.

He held up three fingers.
Three.

Two.
One.
He kicked the door open and light flooded my vision as we rushed in.

*

*

*

“If you were so nervous, why didn’t you back out?” the interrogator asked.
I leaned back in the uncomfortable, metal chair. “Commitment.” I revealed simply.
She looked up from her files, meeting my eyes disbelievingly. “Commitment?”
I sighed, and leaned forward in the chair again, resting my cuffed hands on the table. Jesus, this chair was impossible to get settled in. “You don’t understand the bond that we had. I wasn’t going to even think about backing down. We’d put way too much into it.”
She shuffled her papers around and then folded her hands stiffly on top of the table, like a statue that didn’t get out much. “And so now we’re at the part where everything goes wrong?”
“Everything,” I confirmed.
“Well, let’s hear it,” she commanded, not knowing the weight in the question she just asked.
I hesitated. I didn’t even like thinking about what happened, let alone talk about it. “Shane kicked the door open…”

*

*

*
Shane kicked the door open and we rushed into the grey, boring office that was hideously adorned with fake torches, paper palm trees, and shining streamers. We surprised a few party goers right off the bat that were making small talk by the water cooler, covered in lays. The woman stared and the man yelped like a girl, dropping his paper cup.
I spotted out target – the balcony. It was about the size of a dance floor and was swarming with office workers, crowds of people talking and awkwardly hula dancing.

In the center of the room there was a whole roasted pig, an apple shoved into its mouth. Oh God no, I thought. I knew this would piss off Shane. He hated animal cruelty, and this was too far. He stood there for a moment, clenching his fists.
“Come on!” I urged. He broke from his anger and we dashed over cubicles and chairs, scaring a couple that were making out under one. The partiers were staring at us, not quite sure of what to make of these teenagers about to seemingly bum rush their pig. One was in my way and he didn’t move, so I shouldered him over, knocking him to the ground, Shane a few steps behind me.
This caused the office workers to stir, and few women screeched. I broke off and bolted for the balcony, the people out there still unaware of us. I turned to see Shane heading straight for the pig.
“Shane, no!” I yelled.
But there was no stopping him.
He kicked the pig with both feet, like a wrestler. It flew off the table, knocking down torches and partiers alike. A larger man finally came to his wits and started yelling at him, grabbing at his arms. Shane vaulted the table and nabbed the apple out of the pig’s mouth. He juked the man and smashed the apple into his gaping jaw. “How does it feel, conformist pig?!” he screamed.
I rushed over to him and grabbed his shoulder. “What are you doing?!” He suddenly snapped around, propelling me toward the balcony with him.
“We gotta go, bro!” he insisted.
Eliza was screaming through the radio. “What the hell is happening?!”
“Just be ready to jump!” Shane commanded.
We burst through the doors onto the wide balcony, making a beeline for the edge. Suddenly the limbo bar appeared in front of us, being held by two partiers that didn’t know what was happening.
Everything that happened after this happened in slow motion. I dropped to my knees, sliding under the bar while Shane jumped, clearing it completely. He hit the ground and I slid up to my feet, right next to each other.
Nobody stood in our way.
Four steps to the edge.
Three.
Two.
One.
Flight.
We soared over the edge and out into empty space, suspended for a moment in time, held aloft by air and shafts of light. Every nerve in my body burned, every cell and synapse firing at the same time. A flock of pigeons softly exploded from their roost under us, slowly beating their wings. I felt like one of them, like I could just start flapping my arms and fly off into the sky.
But then gravity settled into my stomach, bringing me back to earth – literally. North Michigan Avenue was eight-hundred feet below - we would be meeting soon. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye – a pink meteor rocketing earth-word alongside the skyscraper next to ours: Eliza. I looked to the side and saw Shane in mid front flip, a look of pure joy on his face. I looked to the other side and saw the sun about to drop below the horizon, its last rays warming me. I focused on down, and everything sped back up.
I was plummeting.
Wind tore at my face and body, trying to rip me apart. Weightlessness hijacked every sense I had. The street was rising to meet me. It was getting closer.
And closer...
And closer…
And closer…
MARK! The thought exploded into my brain and tore into my arm and fingertips. I reached back and snatched the ripcord hanging from my pack, viciously yanking it. For a half second there was the sound of fabric unfolding and caching the wind and I steeled myself for what comes after.
Snap!
Teeth jarring force cut into my shoulders, jerking me right-side up as my blue airfoil caught the wind, unfurling into its full length ram-air wing. Adrenaline instantly dumped into my system, sharpening my vision and electrocuting my mind. I grabbed the parachute’s toggles and hollered as loud as I possibly could, “WOOOOOO!” I listened my shout echo off the towers around me; I was impossibly happy.
There was an elated answer to my call from above. “YEAAAAHHHH!” I looked up to see Shane dangling from his black chute and grinned.
Eliza suddenly swept past, hanging from her airfoil too. “Now that’s how you jump, Blake!” We were sandwiched between two towers, and we floated downward like snowflakes, moving with the air currents. Pedestrians stopped on the sidewalks, staring and pointing. Cars paused in the street, creating the opening that we needed.
I was lowest to the ground, so I swooshed in, flaring my toggles and lifting my legs up. A car skidded to a halt as my heel sliced into a puddle on the side of the street, creating a rooster tail. People scattered as I made landfall in the middle of the street, running with the momentum. After a few steps I twisted around, snatching my paracord out of the air and forcing the chute down to keep it from catching the wind, reeling it in. Eliza landed next, making a smooth landing and repeating what I did. People gazed at us like we were fallen angels, come to deliver a message. I glanced around me; something was wrong.
Where was Shane?
There was a scattering of gasps behind me and I jerked around to see him hanging from a light poll by his chute. He dangled motionless for a moment before starting to struggle to unstrap himself, cursing loudly.
I finished balling up my chute, so I unbuckled my rig and shrugged it off; we chose not to use leg harnesses for this one for a quick getaway. A windowless white utility van turned onto the street, speeding and weaving through the stopped traffic. It’s brakes whined as it pulled up alongside me, the door being thrown open. I threw my rig in and dived after it. I held onto the side as we accelerated to pick up Eliza.
“Sup, Mac,” I acknowledged the driver.
“Oh, you know, same ol’ same ol’, man. What about you?”
“Yeah, nothin’ too big has happened lately,”
“That’s cool,” Mac suddenly punched the gas and jerked the wheel to the side, sliding the side to the van to face Eliza. She dashed into the open door and I caught her chute. We immediately started a three point turn.

“Like I said,” I continued, embracing Eliza. “Nothin’ too big, really... Well, we did kind of JUMP OFF THE PARK TOWER!”

Eliza laughed gleefully. “That was the awesomest thing I’ve ever seen!” We hugged again, and I felt our racing hearts press together. We pulled apart and held each other’s arms for a moment, unable to break eye contact. I felt something pass between us.

“Okay you two, get a room please,” Mac interrupted, “Need I remind you that Shane is hanging from a light post?”
I broke from Eliza and stood behind Mac. “I know, I know, just drive under him.”
“Under him?” Mac questioned.
“Just do it,” I ordered.
“Alright, whatever you say, man.” Mac hit the gas and we accelerated forward. I leaned out the door to see Shane still struggling with his gear. The paracord was twisted and tangled under his arms and legs, keeping him from falling. I ducked back in and told Eliza to grab the knife. Mac honked at a group of people that had gathered under Shane, causing them to scatter. We came to a halt directly under him and I hung onto the roof, standing on the doorframe.
“How’s it hanging?” I called.

He jerked his head down, his face tight with tension. “Not too well bro, I could use some help.”

I felt the knife being pressed into my hands. “No problem, catch!” I tossed the sheathed knife up and Shane deftly snagged it out of the air. He unsheathed the blade and started slicing at the paracord entangling him. It wasn’t the easiest stuff to get through.

Police sirens wailed suddenly.

The Fuzz.

Our timing was off, we should have already been gone. I rapped the roof of the car. “Come on, Shane, we gotta go!”

“I’m trying, I’m trying!”

The sirens were getting louder. I couldn’t tell from which direction they were coming. “Seriously man, move it!”

Shane grunted with effort.
The sirens were so close.
Mac gunned the engine. “We don’t have much time, Blake! I’m about to go!”
I jerked my head into the van. “We are not leaving him,”
Eliza stood up. “We can’t just abandon him!”
Mac’s eyes narrowed. “Watch me,”
I was about to punch Mac in the nose when suddenly the whole van shook with a deep, metal warping, wha – whump!
“Go!” Shane commanded from the roof.
Mac didn’t hesitate on the gas, and we shot around the corner. Shane must have been hanging onto the roof’s head lights. How does he do it? I wondered briefly. Mac took another corner sharply and I saw Shane’s left leg slide off the side of the roof and dangle in the air for a moment. We took another turn and he righted himself. I jumped into the passenger seat, sirens filling the air again. Did they see us?
“Parking garage, parking garage!” I pointed violently at a gap in the buildings around us.
“I know, I know,” Mac agreed with gritted teeth. He deftly swung us into the garage and drifted up every deck until we reached the top. Mac brought us to a smooth stop and nobody said a word, listening to the sirens. They got closer, closer, closer, they were right on top of us… then they started fading, getting farther and farther away until they were swallowed up by the Windy City.
We all breathed out a collective sigh at once.
Suddenly it was dead calm, aside from our still adrenaline flooded hearts.
“I can’t believe we just got away with that,” expressed Eliza breathlessly.
Mac started laughing. “You three are the craziest people I’ve ever known; and that’s saying something.”
Eliza smiled and I couldn’t help but grin.
Shane dropped from the roof onto the doorframe, his long blonde hair wind whipped and his face alight. “Boo,”
Eliza yelped and bear hugged him.
“I was wondering if he was still up there…” Mac muttered.
Shane shook off Eliza and I stepped out of the van. His face lit up like a kid on Christmas day. “Blake, the man of the hour, come ‘er bro!” He suddenly put me in a head lock and gave me a light noogie. I struggled and broke his grip, playfully shoving him away. “I thought I was a goner, man. I thought that the Fuzz was going to get me and it would be the end of Shane Brooks as he knew himself,” He clasped my shoulder, “You saved my life.”
“Your life?” I questioned, “They wouldn’t have shot you or anything.”
“I know, but I almost wish they would before they arrested me. I would rather die than be locked up. I’m a free bird, they can’t cage me!” He looked at me and Eliza and embraced us both, “They can’t cage us!”

*

*

*

I stared at the table and strained my wrists against the handcuffs, willing them to pop open or snap off or something. Having laser vision would be so cool right now.
“So… that’s where everything went wrong? That was it?” The interrogator lady prodded.
I looked up and met her water grey/blue boring eyes. There was no way she could totally understand what I was telling her – no way she could feel it or live it like I did. “No,” I said simply.
“No?” She asked.
“No,” I assured, “It’s only the beginning.”