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Chapter Eighteen: The Hijacking

For one long, terrible second...
time itself seemed to stop.
Tom stared at the opened package lying on the floor.
Rows of carefully sealed chemical containers stared back at him.
His stomach dropped.
The stranger slowly drew the handgun from beneath his jacket.
The cold black barrel pointed directly at Tom's chest.
"So..."
The man smiled,
"...now you know."
Tom's mouth became dry.
With trembling hands he hurriedly gathered the scattered chemical containers and carefully placed every one back inside the package.
"I didn't know," he stammered.
"I swear... I didn't know."
The stranger chuckled.
"I believe you."
He cocked the pistol.
"But it doesn't matter now."
Tom's mind raced.
He spun around and bolted.
There was nowhere to go.

The aircraft gave another gentle shudder.
Most passengers barely noticed.
A smiling stewardess appeared in the aisle, pushing the refreshments trolley directly into Tom's path.
"Excuse me, sir..."
Before she could finish...
The gunman lunged forward.
He wrapped one arm around her neck and jammed the pistol against her temple.
The drinks trolley crashed sideways.
Coffee exploded across the aisle.
Plastic cups rolled beneath the seats.
Someone screamed.
Then...
absolute silence.
The dreadful silence born only from terror.
"Ladies and gentlemen..."
the gunman shouted,
"Nobody moves!"
Children burst into tears.
Passengers instinctively ducked behind their seats.
Several reached for their mobile phones before freezing.
The stewardess shook uncontrollably, tears pouring down her cheeks.
Using her as a human shield, the gunman slowly dragged her into the centre aisle.
His frantic eyes searched every row.
Then he roared,
"TOM!"
The name echoed from the walls of the cabin.
"TOM!"
"You've got something that belongs to me!"
Tom's heart almost stopped.
The gunman screamed again.
"THOMAS HARRISON!"
"I know you're here, you snake!"
"Show your bloody face!"
Passengers turned in every direction.
Fearful eyes settled upon Tom's hiding place.
He crouched lower behind the seat.
Barely breathing.

Within the unseen realm...
The frog-eyed demons danced with savage delight.
"The fear..."
one hissed.
"It feeds them."
Another laughed wickedly.
"Our master's plan unfolds perfectly."
Around them stood Heaven's faithful host.
Archto moved silently beside Tom.
Archdan stepped into the aisle.
Archsi placed himself between several frightened children.
Invisible to every human eye...
The battle for Flight 0718 had already begun.

The gunman shoved the stewardess forward.
She stumbled helplessly.
He followed close behind, keeping the pistol pressed against her back.
Every few steps he shouted again.
"TOM!"
"You've got my package!"
"I know you're here!"
"Where are you?"
Passengers buried their faces.
Some whispered desperate prayers.
Others simply wept.
No one dared move.

Several rows ahead...
Rachel suddenly froze.
That voice.
No...
Surely not.
Years had changed it.
Made it rougher.
Harder.
But she knew that voice.
Her lips trembled.
Almost beneath her breath she whispered,
"Toni..."
Her heart sank.
The man she had once loved.
The man who had introduced her to crack cocaine.
The man she had nearly sacrificed everything for.
The man who vanished when her world collapsed.
Now...
he stood only metres away...
holding a gun.
Memories flooded her mind.
Dirty apartments.
Sleepless nights.
Broken promises.
Violence.
Drugs.
His endless promises.
"One last job."
"One last deal."
"Then we'll start again."
Tomorrow...
that tomorrow...
had never come.

Far beneath Paris...
Satan watched with satisfaction.
The great black triangle pulsed violently.
Legions of fallen spirits continued pouring into its dark interior.
"The fear grows."
"Our invasion draws nearer."
"Soon..."
the serpent whispered,
"...the world will no longer look upward for God."
"They will look upward..."
"...for us."

Back aboard Flight 0718...
Toni reached the middle of the cabin.
His pupils were huge.
Sweat streamed down his face.
The demons surrounding him whispered relentlessly.
"Find Tom."
"Complete the mission."
"The visitors are coming."
"History depends upon you."
He screamed again.
"TOM!"
"You've got the second compound!"
"Where are you?"
Tom slowly stood.
Every eye in the cabin followed him.
His legs trembled.
Everything inside him screamed to hide.
To lie.
To survive.
That was the man he had always been.
But not today.
Holding the package tightly against his chest, he stepped into the aisle.
"Here I am."
Silence filled the aircraft.
Toni smiled.
"There you are."
He shoved the stewardess aside.
She collapsed sobbing into another crew member's arms.
The pistol never left Tom.
"Bring me the package."
Tom looked down at it.
Then back at Toni.
"No."
Toni frowned.
"What?"
"I said no."
"They lied to me."
"They said it was just another delivery."
" But you're going to kill everyone on this plane."
Toni's face twisted with anger.
"You don't understand!"
"We're changing the world!"
"They're coming!"
"They've chosen us!"
"They'll finally reveal themselves!"
Tom slowly shook his head.
"No..."
"They're using you."
"They're using both of us."
Toni raised the pistol.
"The chemicals!"
"Hand them over!"
"They complete the mixture!"
"We're about to change history!"
"No," Tom replied quietly.
"You're about to murder innocent people."

Unknown to Toni...
Seat 18A quietly became empty.
A middle-aged passenger calmly removed his glasses.
Beneath his jacket rested a police badge.
He was an undercover counter-terrorism detective.
He had waited.
Watched.
Calculated.
One chance.
No mistakes.

Then...
Rachel stood.
"Toni."
The name pierced through every scream.
Everything stopped.
Toni slowly turned.
His face changed instantly.
Confusion.
Recognition.
Disbelief.
"...Rachel?"
She nodded.
Tears filled her eyes.
"It's me."
He stared at her.
"I thought..."
"I thought I would never see you again."
"So did I."
Silence.
"You left me."
His eyes dropped.
"I know."
"You chose the drugs."
"I know."
"You chose the gangs."
"I know."
"You chose this life."
"I know..."
His voice cracked.
"I never wanted this."
Rachel slowly walked one careful step closer.
"I hated you for a long time."
"I blamed you for everything."
"I wanted God to punish you."
Toni looked at her.
"But he didn't."
She gently shook her head.
"He forgave me."
"And then He asked me to forgive you."
Toni looked completely lost.
"I've done too much."
"No."
"You've believed too many lies."
He laughed bitterly.
"You don't understand."
"They're coming."
"They chose me."
"They told me I'd help save humanity."
Rachel's heart sank.
"They lied to you, Toni."
"No!"
"They showed me signs!"
"They showed me wonders!"
"They promised a new world!"
Rachel slowly lifted her Bible.
"So does the Bible."
"But it says Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light."
For the first time...
fear entered Toni's eyes.
The demons shrieked around him.
"Don't listen!"
"Finish it!"
"Kill them!"
His grip weakened.
Rachel stretched out her hand.
"You once told me we could start again."
He nodded slowly.
"You were right."
"We can."
"But only with Jesus."
"Come home, Toni."
"I don't know how."
"You don't have to."
"He does."
A tear rolled down Toni's cheek.
The pistol slowly lowered.
Around him the darkness flickered violently.
Archrac stepped beside Rachel.
Archto stood beside Tom.
Archdan and Archsi moved into the aisle.
The light of Heaven pushed back the darkness.
For one precious moment...
Toni looked like the frightened young man Rachel had once known.

The detective moved.
In one explosive burst he launched himself across the aisle.
His shoulder smashed into Toni's chest.
The pistol discharged harmlessly into the ceiling.
Passengers screamed.
The detective wrestled Toni to the floor.
Within seconds two off-duty armed officers rushed forward.
Handcuffs snapped shut.
The gun slid harmlessly beneath a seat.
The cabin erupted into sobbing and applause.
The stewardess collapsed into another crew member's embrace.
She was safe.
Pinned to the floor...
Toni looked only at Rachel.
Tears streamed down his face.
"I'm sorry..."
Rachel knelt beside him.
"So am I."
She gently placed her hand upon his shoulder.
"I'll come and see you."
"You won't face this alone."
For the first time in years...
hope flickered within Toni's eyes.

Far beneath Paris...
the floating triangle shuddered.
Its black surface flickered violently.
Satan's roar shook the depths of his palace.
The frog-eyed generals threw themselves to the ground.
"Our Lord"...
"Silence!"
The serpent's voice screamed.
The deception had not failed.
But one soul had slipped from his grasp.
And Satan never surrendered what he believed belonged to him.

Hours later...
Airbus 0718 touched safely down at Los Angeles International Airport.
Emergency vehicles surrounded the aircraft.
FBI.
Homeland Security.
California Highway Patrol.
Special Operations units.
Passengers slowly disembarked.
Many kissed the ground.
Many embraced complete strangers.
Toni...
now wearing handcuffs...
was escorted down the aircraft steps by heavily armed tactical officers.
Just before entering the waiting vehicle...
he turned once more.
Rachel stood quietly watching.
She placed one hand over her heart.
Then simply mouthed one word.
"Jesus."
Toni lowered his head.
For the first time in many years...
he silently wondered if perhaps...
there really was still hope for him.