The Last Hostage Read Online Free PDF

view of the entry door, but if she'd been looking out the window, she could have missed him.
     
    "Well," Annette said at last, "all it takes is a momentary distraction." She smiled and added, "Besides, pilots are inherently sneaky. We have to watch them every second." Annette stood up and straightened her skirt.
     
    "You can be sure of one thing, though. It takes two pilots to fly this aircraft, so if we're airborne, he's up there."
     
    "Oh, I'm not worried. I was just curious."
     
    Annette moved quickly into the galley and pulled the curtain behind her. She leaned against the slightly curved surface of the right galley door and tried to focus on the fact that several unusual things had happened, and were pushing her off balance. The rhythms were wrong and it was rattling her, getting in the way of her normal sequencing.
     
    Should she be starting the drink service now, or what? It was ridiculous to have to think about it. Her service sequence was second nature.
     
    Annette turned her head and glanced at the cockpit door, which was visible around the corner of the galley curtain. The pilots should be almost at level-off and ready for something to drink, she decided.
     
    She moved across to the interphone panel and pressed the captain call button, relieved that Ken Wolfe answered almost immediately. "Ready for drinks, gentlemen?" "Hold on," Ken said. The line went silent for a few seconds. "No, Annette.
     
    Thanks, but we're just fine."
     
    "Okay.
     
    Would you open the door for a second, Ken? I'd like to come up."
     
    More silence, and her stomach tightened with each passing second. Something was definitely not right. This wasn't like Wolfe. Why would he hesitate before opening the door?
     
    Finally Ken's voice returned.
     
    "Annette, ah, I'm expecting some turbulence up ahead. Why don't you take your seat, and make sure the folks in the back sit down as well."
     
    "Okay, Captain, but please unlock the door for a second."
     
    "Not now, Annette."
     
    "But--"
     
    "Later, okay?" There was an edge to his voice she hadn't heard before. She tried to reply, but for some reason her voice wouldn't come, and she replaced the handset with rising apprehension.
     
    AirBridge Airlines Dispatch Center, Colorado Springs International Airport. 10:45 A.M.
     
    Judy Smith heard something ceramic breaking and looked up to see Verne Garcia leap to his feet and gesture to her frantically, his eyes wide. She moved quickly to his side as he covered the mouthpiece and turned to her, barely glancing at the broken cup on the floor, the blood draining from his face.
     
    "Judy, we've got a big, big problem. Flight Ninety's gone airborne and left the first officer behind?
     
    Judy stood in confusion for a few seconds, wondering how Garcia could have garbled his words badly enough to convey such a bizarre meaning.
     
    "Ninety's airborne and the first officer left something behind?" she asked.
     
    "No, no, no! The captain and the flight are airborne. What they left behind was the copilot. There was no maintenance signoff as far as we know, either. I have him on the phone here. He's on the ground in Durango and panicked."
     
    "Which copilot? A deadheading copilot?"
     
    "The copilot assigned to that flight. He's on the ground in Durango and on line eight. The plane is in the air without him."
     
    "How in hell could that happen? The copilot? No way!"
     
    "I'm not kidding, Judy. Please pick up an extension."
     
    She lunged for the telephone on the next desk and punched the appropriate line.
     
    "This is the director of flight control. Who's this?" "First Officer David Gates, ma'am."
     
    "Where are you?"
     
    "Durango. On the ground. The flight's left without me. As far as I know, the only pilot on that plane is the captain, and I don't have any idea why he'd leave unless he was forced to."
     
    "Forced? You mean, hijacked?"
     
    "I... I can't figure out any other explanation." The voice on the other end was anguished and tinged with