Skyjack!. Tim Vicary

      Skyjack!

      SKYJACK!

      When people use guns to take what they want, how do you stop them? If you give them what they want, they will be happy – and they will use their guns again, and again. If you don’t give them what they want, then they will be angry – and they will kill. It is not easy to decide what to do.

      In this story, the person who has to decide is the Prime Minister, the head of the government. But the Prime Minister is also an ordinary person, just like the rest of us – a person with a family and children.

      How can you think clearly, if someone is pointing a gun at your family? What do you do? You take advice, you talk to the hijackers, you find out what they want, you keep everybody calm, you try to move slowly. But terrorists don’t like waiting, and sooner or later, you have to decide what to do …

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      The air hostess smiled. ‘Welcome aboard, sir. Would you like a newspaper?’

      ‘Yes, please.’ Carl took the newspaper and looked at his ticket. ‘I’m in seat 5F. Where’s that?’

      ‘It’s near the front of the plane, sir. On the left, there. By the window.’

      ‘I see. Thank you very much.’ Carl smiled back at the air hostess. She was young and pretty. Just like my daughter, he thought.

      He put his bag under his seat and sat down. His friend Harald sat beside him. They watched the other passengers coming onto the plane. Harald looked at his watch.

      ‘9.30 p.m.,’ he said. ‘Good. We’re on time.’

      Carl agreed. ‘And in three hours we’ll be home,’ he said. ‘That’s good. We’ve been away for a long time. You’ll be pleased to see your family, won’t you, Harald?’