The Last Hostage by Nance John J

Author:Nance, John J. [Nance, John J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, Mystery, Crime, Adventure, Suspense
ISBN: 9781504027960
Amazon: B018YPUQQU
Goodreads: 28652220
Publisher: Open Road Media Mystery & Thriller
Published: 1998-01-20T08:00:00+00:00

TWENTY

Aboard AirBridge Flight 90, Telluride Regional Airport, Colorado. 3:27 P.M.

With Rudy Bostich afraid to move in the copilot’s seat, Ken Wolfe reached down to the back of the center console and pulled up the P.A. microphone.

“Folks, you’re going to see someone come out of the cockpit. Make no attempt to stop him, approach him, talk to him, or otherwise interfere with him. Stay in your seats. That includes the flight attendants.”

Ken looked through the peephole before moving out of the cockpit and into the adjacent lavatory. He emerged again rapidly and glanced back up front, satisfied that Bostich was holding onto the straps for dear life, totally unaware that the trigger was still in Ken’s left hand.

“I just want you to know, Bostich, that we’re all depending on you,” Ken said mockingly.

The passenger cabin was quiet, with several sets of startled eyes following him. Annette was nowhere to be seen, so Ken reached down to the same panel Annette had used constantly to talk to him and rang the rear galley. Annette answered almost instantly.

“Are you all three back there?”

“Yes,” was the icy response.

“Okay. You’re going to feel the pressure change as the front door is opened. Stay back there! Do NOT come forward, and do NOT let any passenger stand up.”

“We get the idea, Captain.”

“Just one thing. I’ll have the trigger with me if I step outside. If I see any human being open a door, or worse, try to leave the aircraft, I’ll detonate.”

He replaced the handset and looked through the small window on the door. The deputy was visible on the tarmac below, his hands on his head as requested.

Ken disconnected the automatic exit slide and worked the door handle before flipping the switch that extended the self-contained boarding stairs. The sound of motors whining finally ended, and he swung the door open and stood for a moment in the doorway, half expecting the impact of a bullet.

Instead, the flow of a cool breeze washed over him as he stepped outside and raised his left hand. “You see this black plastic thing, Deputy?” he yelled.

“Yes,” Goodwin replied.

“Did the FBI agent brief you that it’s a trigger?”

Goodwin nodded.

“Okay. I’m coming down these stairs. If anyone’s waiting with a gun, you’d better stop him. I get shot, we all go up in one horrendous explosion.”

“No one else is close, Captain. I told all my people to stay away. What do you want?”

Ken reached the bottom and stepped onto the ramp, immediately dropping to a squatting position to inspect under the 737 and around behind it.

No one there. So far, so good, Ken said to himself as he stood.

He turned back to the deputy. “I want your gun, Deputy. Take it out of the holster with two fingers and place it on the ground, then back off. I see any sudden movement, or see your fingers closing around it, I’ll trigger the bomb.”

“No.”

“No?” Ken said, his head inclined to one side in surprise. “No?”

“I can’t give you my gun, Captain.”

Ken looked down and shook his head before looking back at Goodwin.

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