The First Hour

I rounded the corner at an already brisk pace. It felt like I was making great time until I looked at my watch. I picked up speed, nearing a dead sprint.

I wasn't the most fit guy ever, but my destination wasn't far. My chest heaved with every breath; and with every other step, I exhaled the notion of making it on time. My desperation pushed me past the point of giving up and I crossed into a whole new realm of pain. I was definitely going to feel this in the morning.

I took a shortcut through a backyard and crossed the street. Before me lay the empty shell of a mall that had been abandoned years prior. It was in such disrepair that the fact it was still standing was astonishing.

I looked up and down the aging chain link fence surrounding the property. I couldn't see any openings and the property took up an entire block of town, so going around wasn't an option. I glanced at my watch again. Climbing it is.

Albeit ungraceful, I managed to get over the fence without injury. That is, with the exception of my suit jacket. I had somehow tore a hole right through the back side of it.

I stopped to take a breath before venturing across the vast desert of a parking lot.

Years of neglect had allowed for weeds to grow wild between cracks in the asphalt. I stared as the heat rippled up from the ground, creating a mirage of the building in the distance. The bugs in the grass and my heavy breathing were the only sounds, making the whole scene that much creepier.

My head was pounding, my blood pressure high. Maybe I wasn't cut out for this. As that thought crossed my frontal lobe, a black cat trotted from the tree line I was currently using for shade. It made its way into the parking lot where it sniffed something and laid down, flicking its tail. Well I wasn't about to be outdone by a cat.

I took off my jacket and held it over my head to shade myself from the relentless sun. Here goes nothing.

Off I went. I made it to section "B" before I became winded again. I kept moving at a brisk walk as I took gulps of searing hot air.

By the time I reached the building itself, my clothes were completely drenched in sweat. Surely I smelled just as much. The walls were about forty feet high and there was no way I was going to try and climb up anywhere on the outside. It just wasn't worth the risk. There had to be roof access somewhere.

I found a little alcove along the wall that opened to a space the mall used to house the massive dumpster parked behind a gate. Behind the dumpster was a series of gas meters and an open door labeled "Boiler Room". That had to be it. I entered and immediately regretted the waste of time. There was no ladder anywhere. Just boilers. Go figure.

I tried another door. Locked.

Then another, sending up a little prayer.

Bingo.

I climbed the rickety metal ladder to the roof hatch. It fought back, but I got it open. The temporary relief from the sun was gone. Replaced with glaring sunlight and gusts of wind not present at ground level.

If you have ever looked, I mean really looked, at the footprint of a mall, they take up a lot of space. That same footprint translates to the roof as well. How was I supposed to complete my objective of finding a needle in this absurdly immense haystack?

I looked across the almost barren hellscape at what could only be described as such. Somehow there were plants up here, too. The Rooftop Units (RTU's) were scattered everywhere from being broken down for scrap. All that remained of them were husks of Earth-colored rust. Random bits of metal, pipe, and other materials were scattered about without care.

I started walking, not entirely sure where to go from here.

--

Two well dressed men sat in a conference room larger than the objective required, watching a screen showing a live feed of me wondering around the rooftop of an abandoned shopping center like an idiot. "You are the devil," said one man to the other, laughing, "simply devious." He took a sip of golden liquid in a glass. The other looked at the clock on the wall. "He only has fifteen minutes left."

"Think he'll make it?"

"He'd better."

--

I walked to the next pile of rubble realizing I don't have time to scour every inch of this place. Frankly, I don't think the task would be bearable with perfect weather and a week to do it. Time was coming to a close, but I could feel the objective somewhere around me. I had to be close.

Just then a glimmer of light hit me and I caught sight of something I never would have expected to find in this sea of decay.

It was another RTU, but this one was -- pristine. As if it had been placed there yesterday. It showed no signs of age at all. Not a scratch. I rubbed my eyes several times trying to decide if it was an illusion or actually there. I was sure it was real when I touched it and it came to life suddenly, giving me a heart attack.

I kicked it in retaliation as if it had feelings. I took a moment and looked around the outside of the unit, on the ground and down through the fan shroud blowing air that rivaled the wind in terms of temperature. It must be inside. Come to find out, these units have hundreds if not thousands of screws holding them together. Screws that I can't remove given my lack of tools. I found a piece of metal and tried using it as a makeshift pliers, but that wasn't going to work. Each panel has like, seven hundred screws all needing to be turned by hand. I don't have the time.

I kicked the unit out of frustration, this time yelling obscenities at nothing in particular. I composed myself, took a deep breath, and tried to focus. "Okay," I said to myself, "what do we know? The note said the objective is possible within the allotted time. We also know this machine being new is a clue, so it must be in there, right?" I winced, not even convincing myself.

Maybe I was looking at it wrong. Maybe I'm supposed to get in without tools. I scanned every inch of the unit and came upon a panel that looked like it was designed to be removed by hand. I chuckled to myself, clearly losing my sanity, as I read the label stuck to the panel, "pull up and out".

I did as instructed and the panel came free without much effort at all. The wind suddenly picked up and ripped the panel from my hands, cutting me on the way out.

I yelled out in pain as blood ran down my arm. Checking the wound, it wasn't that deep. I kicked the unit again out of frustration.

I collected myself and untucked my shirt, using it as a temporary bandage to help stop the bleeding. I peered into the dark space within the unit. Sure enough, there it was. My prize dangled in front of the internal filters.

I held the shimmering gold watch up in the sunlight. It was a sight to behold, and I had never been more proud of myself in my life. The helicopter that had been following me made a low pass and landed in the parking lot.

--

A smile crept across the man's face as the other hollered in celebration behind him. He knew the kid had it in him.

--

The interview earlier hadn't lasted long, mostly consisting of strange strings of questions regarding my aptitude in a variety of subjects. They threw scenarios at me that made little sense, but ultimately skirted the job description.

I had sent in my resume as a Hail Mary to what seemed like a rather prestigious position at a company called A.R.C. Corp (Asset Recovery Consultants). The pay was fantastic, but they stressed multiple times the potential for high-stakes environments.

What I had just completed was the final leg of an hour long scavenger hunt. I had an hour to get places, solve puzzles, and collect clues. That's how I knew the last piece of the puzzle would be on the roof.

When I made it down to where the helicopter landed, I was greeted by a man wearing an expensive suit and a huge smile. He stepped out, offering a hand to me.

An hour ago, I was just a guy looking for a job. Now, I'm a guy in torn, bloody clothes, drenched in sweat, and wearing two watches about to rub shoulders with some very wealthy individuals.

I let out a long sigh of relief. "They really put you through the ringer, didn't they?" the man shouted over the rotors, looking me over. "Yeah," I laughed, "I didn't know I had it in me."

He gave me a knowing smile. "Well allow me to be the first to congratulate you! C'mon, let's go meet with the rest of your team."