by Serena James
“Okay.” His tone became more serious. “Listen, there is something else I have to tell you. Your mother is in hospital, very ill. It is possible that she hasn’t got long. I’m sorry Rebecca. Allbright isn’t happy about you going to see her but I told him flat, I am taking you. He wants to speak with you before you start talking to ATM.”
Rebecca’s voice was soft, quiet and resigned. “I knew she didn’t have much time. But I do need to talk to her. Charles will be devastated. By the way I have no intention of speaking to ATM. They stopped Jed’s upload remember. I do not trust anyone there with the information. I am going to get in contact with the BBC. I want this to go out on their world service. They will jump at it.”
“Allbright doesn’t want you to name Traynor because of repercussions in destabilizing the government and the country. It seems your father will have to be dealt with behind closed doors.”
“He’s right. Traynor will just find a way of wriggling out of it anyway. He seems to have a great knack for doing that. Remember that cash for votes scandal last year. The police couldn’t get him but they really believe he is guilty. We need to corner him somehow, maybe try to force a vote of no confidence in him. I need to talk to Allbright. Oh, by the way, I nearly forgot,” her face brightened again as she remembered the thought that had come to her in the bathroom. “I have the evidence we need. Don’t you ever read your e-mail Dominic?”
“Only when I am in the office and I haven’t been there for a while. And you could say I have been distracted. What do you mean anyway? What evidence?”
“Jed, he sent everything to you. When the upload to ATM failed, he knew it was done deliberately and he said we should send it somewhere safe in case anything happened to us and we didn’t make it out alive. He suggested sending it to you. He thought you were the sensible choice.”
Kane’s voice sounded his disbelief, “Really?”
“Yeah. He always said you were... well noble.”
Kane’s laugh was sarcastic.
Rebecca added, “Well, his exact words were noble, pompous ass Brit.”
“That sounds more like him.”
“I miss him.”
He gave her shoulders another squeeze. He felt her shudder against him. She put her hand to her face. He knew she was remembering Jed’s murder. He held her tighter. He tried to take her mind from the images that trapped her inside her mind.
“How on earth did he get my e-mail address?”
“You would be surprised what you can get off the Internet these days. I need your address so we can access it. Come on. I noticed that this plane is fully office equipped. Let’s move and then you can have a shower.”
He sat up with her. “You never stop do you. When this all over you and I are going straight to bed. I feel like I could sleep a hundred bloody years.”
“I know what you mean, I look forward to it. Come on.”
* * * * *
It only took Rebecca minutes to access his e-mail and bring up the pictures and the interview with Somwan. Rebecca’s written account, notes and thoughts accompanied them. There was only a short note from Jed. It said:
Dear Pompous Ass Brit,
If you still love Becks you will keep all of this safe. It’s a matter of life and death and for once, I’m not kidding. You always seemed like a trustworthy guy, if anything happens to Rebecca and myself, get this to the police and make sure it circulates in the press.
By the way I reckon Becks has forgiven you and I think you should remove that bug up your ass and go and get her back. Don’t waste anymore time. You leave it any longer and I am going to try and win her back myself. You’ve been warned hot shot.
Jed
Rebecca was quiet. Then she smiled, “I didn’t know he wrote that.”
Kane covered Rebecca’s hand on the table and squeezed it. “All this time I had it all right under my nose.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, “Michael wasn’t the only one who knew that Anna was your mother. Charles did as well.”
“Yes I bet he did. Can you get me Allbright on the phone, so I can send a copy of this to him?”
Kane nodded and then took his leave to have a shower. Thank God he’d had his case sent to the plane the morning before they left for the hospital, at least he had a change of clothes. He’d wanted to make a quick getaway without any baggage to hamper them. It was always a smart move. He still wasn’t convinced about having a shower in a plane. But he was going to go for it and relished the idea of having time to himself to collect his thoughts.
* * * * *
Kane was just finishing up dressing into yet another of his suits when there was an urgent bang on the door. At the same time the plane suddenly lunged violently to one side and down. The engine made a high-pitched scream as he was thrown sideways. His head banged off one of the shelves. He grabbed hold of the sink to stop himself falling over and held on. Death by plane. Not the way I expected to go. What the hell is going on?
The plane began to level off again. The banging at the door started again. It was more frantic this time. It was Ramsay, “Sir, are you all right in there? We need you out here now. We are just flying over the English Channel and are being attacked by military aircraft.”
“What the...?” He moved to the door feeling some dampness to his forehead. He touched his fingers to it. Blood, a small amount, he would live, as long as the plane stayed in the air.
Ramsay was visibly relieved when he opened the door. “Come and look, sir.” Ramsay took him to one of the windows. Sure enough there was a fighter coming up alongside them. He heard Stuart shout. “There’s another one.”
Kane moved with Ramsay to a window that looked out onto the opposite side. Another fighter was lowering itself to be level with their wing. Kane marched down the cabin and demanded to know if everyone was okay or had been injured by the lunge. “
Rebecca was on the phone trying to get through to the BBC. “I can’t get a connection. The phone has stopped working,” she told him, her frustration evident.
She put the phone down and started moving out of her seat. She told Kane, “It’s him isn’t it? My father. We can’t let him shoot the damn plane down. I thought he needed my kidney. I thought we were safe.”
Kane caught her arms. He told her, “Let’s just relax until we know what is going on. I am going to talk to the pilots.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Kane didn’t answer. He gave her a nod as he walked into the cockpit. One of the pilots was talking to someone over the radio. The co-pilot turned to Rebecca and Kane. He told them, “They are Royal air Force jets and we have been told to land the plane. They say they have information that we are under the control of terrorists from the BLA and we are en route to attack London. We’ve tried convincing them otherwise, but they have their orders and they won’t listen. We’ve lost all long-range communication, they are apparently jamming it to prevent us communicating instructions to other BLA members. We do still have short range radio, which is allowing us to talk to the fighters.”
The pilot had finished his radio conversation, and relayed it to them, “They are directing us to an airfield called Welsey, near Eastbourne on the south coast. We aren’t been given a choice. We have to land and then we will be given further instructions.”
Kane demanded, “Why do they want you to land there?”
The pilot was impatient, “I don’t know. They won’t tell me. But they have enough firepower to rip this plane out of the sky and I am not going to argue. They’ve already threatened me that if I don’t they will consider it a hostile act and will take the plane down. Please return to your seats I have to start descending now.”
Kane looked out at the fighters. She was right. It was Traynor. He wasn’t going to give up. He still wanted Rebecca and her kidney to save his daughter. He was forcing them to land and was going to attempt to snatch her. He told the pilot. “When the plane lands I want to know what they tell you. Don’t make any move without my say so. Don’t tell
them anything until I tell you that you can. I have reason to believe that a kidnap attempt is going to be made on Ms Eaton.”
The pilot looked at him alarmed but he nodded his agreement. Kane led Rebecca out of the cockpit and back into the cabin. He told the others what was going on and that he believed they should expect a full on assault once they were on the ground. He sat Rebecca in a chair and went with the others to check the guns and ammunition they had locked in the luggage compartment at the back of the plane. He hoped Allbright was tracking the plane and would figure out the airfield they were being forced to land at so he could send them some assistance. They all returned to their seats feeling the plane begin to descend sharply. They were discussing tactics, making plans when Rebecca interrupted them all.
She told them all firmly, “No. This isn’t going to happen. You won’t have a chance of fighting off...”
Kane cut her short. “Don’t get any ideas, Rebecca. Just sit tight.”
Ramsay tried to reassure her, “We’ve been in worse. Don’t worry about all of us, we know what we signed up for. Risking your life is part of the job.”
Rebecca didn’t look convinced. Kane wasn’t entirely sure how they were going to pull it off either but they were going to make sure Traynor didn’t get his hands on Rebecca or they would go down fighting. Still, Kane had no intention of dying. He had a full life to lead with Rebecca and he was going to try damned hard to make sure nothing got in the way of that.
Rebecca sat quiet. She fastened her seatbelt and didn’t say anything else. She looked deep in thought. It made him nervous. She wanted to sacrifice herself again. She was terrified for everyone and she felt responsible, guilty. It was written all over her face. Not this time darling, I’m not going to let you run out on me again. Somehow we’ll make it through.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The cabin was silent as the plane descended. Kane heard the landing gear come out. He reached over and held Rebecca’s trembling hand. He kissed it and didn’t let go of her until the plane landed with a thud. As the plane taxied along the runway, Kane got up. Rebecca moved to follow him. He tried to stop her but she informed him strongly that this was about her and she had a right to know what her father was going to do.
The pilot looked at Rebecca. “They want to talk to both of you?”
Kane asked, “Who wants to talk to us?”
“I don’t know... Nobody is telling me anything other than where to go and when to stop.”
Kane gestured for him to let them hear. He demanded to know whom he was speaking to.
The voice was male, “It doesn’t matter who I am, Mr. Kane. When the plane comes to a complete stop I want you to bring Rebecca Eaton down to the bottom of the steps and give her to us. You will also bring her brother Michael Eaton. If you co-operate nobody on the plane will be harmed and as an added bonus we will return your sister to you now, also unharmed.”
Kane was agitated, “You have my sister?”
Rebecca placed a comforting hand on his arm. He fought to keep control in his voice, “Is she all right?”
“She is fine, at the moment. But if you don’t co-operate, Mr. Kane, that will change. She will be taken to one of our hospitals and used for organ donation. I am sure Rebecca Eaton will have been able to fill you in on what goes on at these hospitals. We will also storm the plane and make sure nobody leaves it.”
Kane was silent. He couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. His heartbeat was agitated, almost erratic with fear for his defenceless sister. He’d never felt so cornered. She wouldn’t even know what was going on. Rebecca answered for him.
She coldly told the voice, “This is Rebecca Eaton. Tell my father, that he will get what he wants. I will be out in a moment. Give me five minutes.” The man agreed.
“No!” Kane was furious with her. He took hold of her arms and shook her with rage. “There is no way I am letting you walk off this plane to die.”
She shouted at him, “Stop it. You’re hurting me. You have no choice. I am not going to be responsible for the death of everyone on this plane and your sister. No way, I couldn’t live with that. This is my decision to make, not yours.”
She turned in his grasp and started to make her way back into the cabin. He took hold of her arm and swung her round as she entered it. Everyone looked at him with alarm.
He shouted at her, his frustration and fear was so loud that his voice reverberated around the cabin’s walls. He pointed angrily at her as he gripped her arm so tightly she was reeling from him. “No, this isn’t your decision. It’s mine. I am in charge of your security and I am not going to let you walk off this plane. Is that clear?”
He was surprised when she raised her voice to match his own. “You have no choice. They have your sister. I won’t have any more people killed on account of my life.” She pointed to the window as the plane came to a stop. Two cars came rushing towards them as did a small team of armed men. They surrounded the jet aiming weapons at it. Her voice was a plea, “You have to let me go.”
He stared at her. He knew she was right. She always was. But he heard himself tell her, “No, I can’t let you go. I can’t.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. He knew they were for him. She put her arms around him and held him tight. He shook against her as he put his own around her. God, he didn’t want to let go of her. He felt emotion well up inside him and threaten to overwhelm him. She reached up and held his face with shaking hands.
“You know you have to let me go, Dominic.”
His own tears spilled lightly from his eyes. He slowly nodded. He reached down and held her face and kissed her fully. He told her, “I am going to come for you. I am going to stop them. I won’t let them kill you, I promise. Hold on for me.”
She nodded. He wiped his eyes. His men were downcast but Miles was studying their opposition outside. “We could do this, sir...”
“No we can’t, Miles. Rebecca is right. They have my sister. But the moment they take Rebecca we will have to get moving. So be ready.” Miles said nothing more. He looked at Rebecca with a mixture of pity and admiration. Kane pulled Michael up from his seat and undid his hands. Charles was protesting at Rebecca. She reassured him of her decision but he didn’t look convinced. Kane told Miles to hold him back as he took Rebecca to the door. The pilot opened it and the steps automatically extended down to the tarmac. A blast of cold air blew through the cabin reminding them all that they were back on British soil in February.
Ramsay patted Kane’s back. He whispered in his ear, “I have an idea sir. We will follow you down.”
Kane knew what his idea was without asking, the same thought had already formed in his mind. It was dangerous but it might be his only way to save Rebecca. It was a calculated risk he was going to have to take.
It was dark and there was heavy snow from the runway piled onto the grass that surrounded the airfield. It began to snow lightly as he walked Rebecca and Michael down the steps of the plane. No one spoke.
The two cars had parked near the aircraft, dark Jaguars, sleek and powerful. Three men got out. Kane knew that the tall one was Professor Quayle by the description Rebecca had given him. Kane suddenly felt hesitant. His hand reached out and grabbed Rebecca’s arm as Quayle approached, pulling her away. Rebecca gave him a sympathetic look and whispered at him to let her go. He loosened his grip with reluctance. As Quayle took hold of her arm, every fibre in his body screamed at him to pull her back. It took one hell of an effort to keep control. The second car door opened and another man brought his sister out. She wasn’t happy. She was agitated and when she saw him she started to wail and cover her head with her arms.
Rebecca stopped before she got in to the car. She said to Quayle, “Call off your men. I want to know everyone is safe before I come with you. I want to see them leave now.”
Kane held his breath. For an insane moment he wanted to laugh. Good girl.
Kane felt himself being watched by Quayle. He answered her, “Fine. They can’t do anything now to help you
and I suppose they have co-operated. We can’t afford to take out a full planeload, there will be too many questions. Simon, tell your men to move out, we have her now.”
The man standing next to him didn’t seem very sure. “I don’t think...”
“Just do it.”
“If you insist.” He gestured with his hand to his team and they backed off.
The man let Kane’s sister go and she came to him. He wanted to hug her but he knew she wouldn’t allow it. He rubbed her back and tried his best to reassure her that she was safe now as Rebecca gave him one last look. She mouthed the words, “I love you,” before she got in the car. Michael was put in the same car in the front passenger seat. Ramsay was behind him now on the steps. Kane told him to take his sister into the plane. The two cars began to drive off.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kane heard the sirens first. His relief was immediate. Allbright had come through for them. His relief was immediate but short lived. The two cars carrying Rebecca, Michael and Quayle were making a break for it even as a dozen police cars entered the perimeter of the airfield. They were still a distance away and not near enough to stop the cars” progress. Kane heard Ramsay run back down the steps of the plane. He was carrying a HKG36. Kane kept his eyes on the car containing Rebecca. Ramsay handed him the rifle and he bent down resting his knee on the ground. As he aimed the rifle at the car Ramsay said quietly, “It’s a risk. It’s icy. You might overturn the car. She could be killed.”
He continued aiming the rifle, getting the car in his sights. If he didn’t take the risk she would be dead anyway. He ignored his fear and concentrated. He took a breath and slowly exhaled to steady his hands. He fired the shot and took the front tyre out.
The Jaguar swerved violently to one side. The driver was fighting to keep control. Kane held his breath praying the car wouldn’t turn over. He heard the tyres screech and slide against the icy concrete as it fell into a spin. It was a wide curve and it caught the rear of the car in front and pushed it sideways onto the snowy grass with it at speed. Both cars ground to a halt with a thud. The front car rocked up on its side as though to turn over but it came back down to a rest. Kane had already stood up and started running towards it aware that Ramsay and Miles were following him.