Carl looked through the window and watched the cars arrive at the airport building. There were a lot of cars now and a lot of lights in the building. Inside the plane it was hot and quiet. There was nothing to do. He remembered other times when he had been in a plane at night with his wife and daughter. That had been fun because they were excited and going on holiday. His daughter had always asked lots of questions in the plane. Now, no-one said anything at all. Carl sat, and thought, and felt his face become wet with sweat.
‘Your passports, please!’
‘What?’ he turned suddenly. One of the hijackers, a young man in a black shirt, was just behind them. He had a bag in his hand, and he was taking everyone’s passports and putting them in it.
‘Why…?’
‘Be quiet!’ Harald whispered. ‘Let me talk, sir. Remember?’
‘Your passports, please.’ The young man stood by their seats.
‘Here you are.’ Harald gave the man his passport.
‘Thank you. And his?’
‘He has no passport. I am a police offi cer and he is my prisoner. I am taking him to prison in my country.’
‘I see.’ The young man looked at them both in surprise. ‘Stand up, you!’ Carl stood up and the young man searched his pockets, but he found nothing. He told Carl to sit down, then he opened Harald’s passport and looked inside.
‘Police pig!’ he said. ‘Now you are our prisoner!’ Then he hit Harald in the face, looked at Carl, and laughed. ‘And perhaps we will set him free!’
Harald said nothing. The hijacker was about the same age as him, but not so big. The young hijacker laughed again and moved on to the next seat.
‘Thank you, Harald,’ Carl whispered, when the man was at the front of the plane. ‘That was very brave. But I won’t let you die for me, you know.’
‘Be quiet, sir! Something’s happening!’ Harald whispered back.
Carl looked up. Another hijacker was standing in the door of the captain’s cabin. He was talking to the other two. He was a big strong man, with a black beard. He looked angry and waved his arms. Carl listened carefully. He could hear one or two words, but not many.
‘…nothing! Nothing at all!…stupid woman!…she needs time, she says…’
All the hijackers were angry now. They looked at the passports and then started to walk down the aisle, pointing their guns at the passengers. Harald sat very still in his seat.
‘Don’t look at them, Carl,’ he whispered. ‘Sit very still and don’t look at them.’
Suddenly the big hijacker pulled a passenger out of his seat. He shouted angrily in a voice that sounded American, but the hijacker hit him and then pushed him to the front of the plane with his machine gun.
‘Turn towards the door!’ ast, honey. And think hard!’