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 the first
prisoner down to you when they arrive yet?’
‘No, Prime Minister. Not yet.’
‘Then where the hell are they? Can you get Inspector Holm on the car radio?’
‘They’re truing, 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’re 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’ll 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 to that,’ she said.
Helen Sandberg decided she liked Colonel Carter. He spoke clearly, he explained hisideas carefully, and he listened to what she said. He did not try to be difficult because shewas a woman. Best of all, they had made a plan together. A good plan, she thought; itcould really work. Perhaps.She looked at her watch: 2.23. ‘Right, Colonel, get your men ready. I’ll send the firstprisoner down to you when they arrive yet?’‘No, Prime Minister. Not yet.’‘Then where the hell are they? Can you get Inspector Holm on the car radio?’‘They’re truing, Prime Minister.’ Michael spoke into the telephone. Colonel Carter leftthe 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 anaccident in the rain. He thinks he can be here in ten minutes.’ Michael looked up. Therewas no smile on his face at all now.‘Ten minutes! What’s he driving – a police car, or a bicycle?’ Helen banged her fist onthe table. ‘We’re got four minutes left. OK. I want to talk to the hijackers. Get them on theradio.’She sat down at the table while Michael called the plane. Colonel Carter came in andstood behind her. A voice came on the radio.‘Well, Mrs Sandberg. Where are our brothers?’‘They’re coming,’ said Helen. ‘They’ll 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 to that,’ she said.
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