Depraved Indifference Read Online Free PDF Page B

us.” Then he switched his headset to Montreal tower as much to drown out the sounds coming from behind him as to hear directions from the airport.
    Daphne West took a deep breath and waded into the chaos. Her pockets were stuffed with tissues. A middle-aged woman was weeping hysterically in 14B, and the two small children in row 12 had burst into sympathetic tears. A man was shouting about suing the airlines. Hands clutched at her jacket.
    â€œMiss, does this mean we get our money back?”
    â€œPlease, can I call my brother? He’s waiting at the airport …”
    â€œI’m sorry, I absolutely have to be in Milwaukee for a three o’clock meeting.”
    Daphne shook these off and made a beeline for a heavyset man who was thrashing and writhing in an aisle seat, his face turning the purple-red of fresh hamburger. He was struggling to get something out of his pocket.
    People were out of their seats now, pressing in on her from all sides. A hard finger poked her shoulder. She turned her head and found Pavle Macek’s eyes four inches from hers.
    â€œStop this!” he commanded. “Get these people back in their seats!”
    Daphne ignored him and bent over the struggling man. She searched his pockets and pulled out a brown plastic vial. As she wrenched at the child-proof cap, she heard Macek shouting:
    â€œI will blow you up! I will blow up the plane. I will blow you all up now ! Shut up! ” More people began to shriek and moan.
    A woman’s voice carried through the cabin, “I don’t want to die-e-e-e-e …” A man answered, “Aw, honey, honey, now …”
    Daphne felt as though she was moving in slow motion. Push down the white cap and turn in the direction of the arrow. The stricken man was slipping to the floor and making noises like a tenement toilet. Push the cap down and turn. Macek was pulling her arm. The vial opened and Daphne extracted a pill and slipped it into the man’s open mouth, under his tongue.
    She yanked off her shoes and jumped up on an armrest. Half the passengers were in the aisle, the instincts that told them to flee the place of danger having momentarily won out over the knowledge that there was no place to go. She took a deep breath. “Ladies and gentlemen, please , you must return to your seats. We will be landing shortly. You are in no danger at the present time. Please return to your seats, fasten your seatbelts, and return your seats and tray tables to the full upright and locked position.” There was an instant of silence at this, and then the woman in 14B took another lungful and resumed her aria.
    Looking forward, Daphne saw Karavitch emerge from behind the first-class curtain. He strode purposefully to 14B, leaned over, and whacked the woman across the jaw with his open hand. Once. Twice. The sound carried through the cabin like gunshots, and the hubbub slowly died.
    â€œListen to me,” said Karavitch in his deep, strong voice. “The stewardess is right. We mean you no harm, if you cooperate. We are freedom fighters, not savages. All passengers will stay seated, with seat belts fastened. No one will leave their seat without permission. Those who do not obey us will be strictly disciplined. Now, do as I say! Move!”
    Thoroughly cowed, the passengers shuffled to their seats. Daphne checked her heart patient. He was breathing more easily and his color was better. She spoke a few words of encouragement, then loosened his collar and belt. Next she distributed tissues and wiped noses, made faces, rocked, tickled, and otherwise helped to calm the two children.
    Jerry Silver came up to her and whispered, “What a horror show! Just like the movies. First class is calmed down, but they’re yapping about lawsuits. Anything I can do here?”
    â€œYeah, check the lady he slugged. I want to see about our Alice.”
    Jerry went over to the woman, a plump New York matron with false golden locks and a