Hostage

Written by: Ray Stone

Joey’s calm forceful voice echoed eerily through the connected earphones. Reece jerked instantly and twisted in his seat, a look of sudden shock creasing his grimy, sweaty face. Sam sat motionless, stunned.

Brian spoke first.

“Okay, Joey…listen…I’m really sorry about your older brother but you realise we had no choice. He was obviously involved in something bad. We had to get out. It was my decision to pull us out of there.”

“Shut up! Shut up, you murdering swine!” exploded Joey.

The shrill note of hysteria in Joey’s voice clearly indicated immediate trauma and shock. Sam bent forward to comfort him. She gasped loudly as he suddenly pulled a pistol from his flying suit. Then, grabbing her by the neck, he pulled her close and raised the pistol to her head.

“Now, Brian, you’re going back to the scene or Sam’s dead,” he ordered.

“Joey, I have to radio in,” he answered in a quiet but calming voice. “They will want to know what happened. Please be sensible and we’ll sort this out back at base,” pleaded Brian.

Sam sat on the floor, shaking uncontrollably, afraid to move or say anything. In his present state of mind, Joey was capable of anything, including killing her.

“You don’t get it,” sobbed Joey hysterically. “My brother and I planned this for months. This was our big payday and you ruined it, you dirty swine.” He paused. “Radio in and tell them you are attending. That’s all.”

Brian looked sideways with apprehension at Reece. Nothing was going to happen until they landed. He had no choice but to please Joey. He radioed in a brief message. Gently easing the control stick, he banked gradually until they were on a heading back to location 248. The yellow corn fields below gave way to the dark green canopy of the forest. Brian wondered if there were any others involved with Joey and his brother. They were certainly going to be armed. The situation was turning really bad. He looked down to his left leg. The emergency very pistol was holstered tightly against the cabin wall.

“You want to tell us about this?” asked Sam, nervously.

Joey pushed the pistol against her forehead. “You wanna’ know, huh?”

Involved with a drug baron for some years, Joey’s brother was receiving back-handers for information and favours. They had planned to double cross the man and ambush a huge delivery of ‘weed.’ The money would last a lifetime. It became apparent as Joey told them of the planned theft that he idolised his older brother. With no parents from the age of eleven, he grew up in his brother’s crooked black shadow.

Brian flew them in low, skimming and hovering over the tall trees before landing in the clearing. Two cops were running from the trees, each carrying an automatic.

Reece breathed a sigh of relief and smiled grimly.

Joey pushed the door back with his foot.

“You okay, Joey?” called one cop.

“Yeah. I got us some hostages.”

Copyright Ray Stone 2014

 

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