plane. They wanted to kill innocent people like us. Why?’
‘You are not innocent! said the girl. ‘No one is innocent! People like you and your wife,
and that American - you have money and power and you take it from my people, from us! Do you know how I lived when I was a child? Ten people in one room, with no bath, no water, nothing! My parents had no jobs, no passports, no country, nothing! We lived in a town with ten thousand others. But ten kilometres away there were rich people like you, with big beautiful houses, fine cars, fine clothes - and they were all innocent people, like you! I tell you no one is innocent!’
She was shouting now, and nearly crying - there were tears in her eyes. Carl and Harald watched the gun carefully. ‘Poor girl,’ Carl thought. ‘Poor little murderess.’
The bearded man came out of the Captain’s cabin and put his hand on the girl’s arm. ‘Stop it, little flower,’ he said.
‘Don’t talk to them. That’s not your job.’ Then he hit Carl in the face. ‘Keep your mouth shut!’ he said. ‘Think about your wife instead. Do you see the time? I think she has forgotten you!’
Carl groaned and held his mouth with his hand. There was blood in his mouth and one of his teeth was broken. Then he looked at his watch. It was 2:23. Seven minutes left; then the half hour was over.
‘I’m sorry, my friend,’ he whispered to Harald.’ You tried fighting, and I tried talking. But it didn’t work. I think this may be our last journey.’
Chapter 11
Helen Sandberg decided she liked Colonel Carter. He spoke clearly, he explained his ideas carefully, and he listened to what she said. He did not try to be difficult because she was a woman. Best of all, they had made a plan together. A good plan, she thought, it could really work. Perhaps.
She looked at her watch: 2.23. ‘Right, Colonel, get your men ready. I’ll send you the first prisoner down to you when they arrive. But where are they? Michael, have they arrived yet?’
‘No, Prime Minister. Not yet.’
‘Then where the hell are they? Can you get Inspector Holm on the car radio?’ ‘They’re trying, Prime Minister.’
Michael spoke into the telephone. Colonel Carter left the room and Helen walked up and down slowly, watching the clock: 2.24, 2.25, 2.26...
‘They’ve got him, Prime Minister! He says... he says one of the cars has had an accident in the rain. He thinks he can be here in ten minutes.’ Michael looked up. There was no smile on his face at all now.
‘Ten minutes! What’s he driving - a police car, or a bicycle?’ Helen banged her fist on the table. ‘We’ve got four minutes left. OK. I want to talk to the hijackers. Get them on the radio.’
She sat down at the table while Michael called the plane. Colonel Carter came in and stood behind her. A voice came on the radio.
‘Well, Mrs Sandberg. Where are our brothers?
‘They’re coming,’ said Helen. ‘They be here in ten minutes.’
‘That is too late. I gave you half an hour. Your husband will die in four minutes.’
Helen pressed her hands flat on the table, so hard that the ends of her fingers went white.
‘Please don’t do that,’ she said,
‘I’m sorry, Mrs Sandberg. But if my brothers are not here in four minutes, your husband