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“I’m all ears, Mathias,” I said as smoke began to billow down from the floor above.

He pointed out the window but not at the bridge to the right. He pointed down river to the left.

“What if we crossed the river to the south beyond where that roadblock is?”

“But how are we going to get across the river?” I said. “This is the only bridge for miles.”

“About a quarter mile from here along the river on this side is a small brick building.”

“Next to a waterfall,” I said, remembering the running path and the cormorants, which felt like a million years ago.

“Yes,” Mathias said, nodding. “We’re working there as well on a second hydroelectric generator and one of the company trucks is parked there in a lot on the other side of the river along Route 4.”

“But how do we get across the river?” I said. “Swim? The river is deep there and wide. And there’s a thirty-foot waterfall.”

“We won’t need to swim,” Mathias said. “There’s a phone cable that goes across the river above the waterfall. The telephone pole has rungs on it. We climb up and go hand over hand across the cable to the truck.”

I thought about that.

It sounded insane.

“The cable will hold us?”

“Yes. If we go one by one, we should be fine.”

“We’re going to cross the river on a phone cable above a waterfall? That’s the plan?” Colleen said.

Something fell above and more smoke filled the ceiling of the stairwell.

“That’s what we’re down to now,” I said.

“Then it’s agreed,” Mathias said. “When we leave out this window, you three head south to the utility building. I’ll go to the bridge and drop the crane across Route 4 to block them from pursuit. Plus, it will have them looking the other way while you head down river.”

“No,” Mario said.

“No?” Mathias said.

“I’ll block the bridge with the crane,” Mario said.

“You?” Mathias said. “Why you?”

“You suck with the crane is why. That’s my specialty, remember?” Mario said, smiling.

“But—”

“But nothing,” Mario said. “You go with them. I don’t have a kid waiting for me at home. And don’t worry. You think I’m going to let these jackasses catch me? After I drop that bitch, I’ll be coming straight down the river on my boogie board.”

“Your boogie board?” I said.

Mario nodded.

“It’s in the crane cab,” he said.

Mathias rolled his eyes.

“He has a surfing suit and he plays with his boogie board in the river after work,” Mathias said. “Sometimes while we are working. If you haven’t noticed, he is an idiot. Like a child.”

“Yeah, well,” Mario said, “my boogie board skills are coming in real handy right around now, aren’t they? After I drop Big Mama, I’ll be coming straight down that river like the Mississippi Queen .”

A shattering crack came from above followed by another thud.

“C’mon,” I said. “Let’s do this. We need to get out of here!”