"We started climbing. The towers. Rungs they welded on those suckers, see, so painters could get up there. We were climbing. Television had their own ’copters out by then, Scooter. We were making it to world news and we didn’t know it. Guess you don’t. Wouldn’t’ve give a shit anyway. Just climbing. But that was going out live. Was gonna make it hard for the cops, later. And, man, people were falling off. Guy in front of me had black tape wrapped ’round his shoes, kept the soles on. Tape all wet, coming loose, his feet kept slipping. Right in front of my face. His foot kept coming back off the rung and I’d get his heel in my eye, I didn’t watch it ... Near to the top and both of ’em come off at once." Skinner fell silent, as if listening to some distant sound. Yamazaki held his breath.