by Jeff Uribe
[NRPG: All, just turning up the heat a little. How WILL Zulu get out of this one?
Syd: Loved the two stories. We must chat sometime...and soon! I'll let you know when... if things ever slow down at work. Ugh, it's getting so that I'm actually thinking of killing off one of my characters....
Krister: So, who's that Paul Keller dude and why does he hate Docker so? Or is that for future posting...]
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[On the plane]
> Instead, he said, "Depends on how badly they want to cover it up. Did he > recognize anyone?"
> Martin had to relay the question across the aisle so that no one had to > shout across the width of the plane and alert the other passengers. > Vanessa shrugged. "I don't know. If he did, he didn't show it."
A moment later, a worried looking flight attendant made her way to the front of the plane. Leo followed her progress as she entered the cockpit. When he looked across the aisle, he knew that the rest of the team figured out that they had been made. Less than a minute later, the captain's voice could be heard throughout the cabin.
"This is your captain speaking. I regret to inform the passengers on Flight 1013 that there has been detected a malfunction to one of our engines and that this flight will not be leaving for Washington D.C. We regret the inconvenience that this will cause, but ...."
As the captain continued, the worried looking stewardess came back towards to where the team was sitting and handed Vanessa a note. She bent down and whispered to Jordan, "There's a madman in the back who says he has a bomb with him. He said that you were FBI agents and would know how to take care of the situation?"
Jordan nodded, "Yes, we are. Evacuate the plane as quickly and quietly as possible. Then have the airport crew to push this jet as far away from the terminal as they can."
Vanessa opened the note in front of her and read, "Little kitten, Let's see if you'll have to use the 2nd of your 9 lives today." Expressionless, she crushed the note in her hand and stuffed it in the air sickness bag in front of her. Jim was about to draw his gun when Jordan stopped him, telling him that all of the passengers hadn't disembarked yet.
The next 10 minutes were probably the longest that the team had to endure as they sat in their seats while the last of the passengers and flight crew left the jet. Soon after, they felt themselves being pushed backwards away from the main terminal and causeway. When they felt themselves stop, all 6 of them got up from their seats and drew their weapons. Making their way to the back, they saw their quarry sitting in the last row of the plane with a big grin on his face. Fanning out in a semi-circle, Leo to the left, Jim and Jordan to the right, Vanessa, Zenya, and Martin in the middle, the team had their sights on the mad bomber.
"My friends," the man said, "You wouldn't shoot a man strapped with 10 pounds of C4, would you?" He brought his hands up to show the team the two triggers he held in both hands, his thumbs poised above the little red buttons sitting on top. The team also saw the armaments strapped to his chest and the wires going to it...