He flashed his ID and told the officer in charge that he was the negotiator. The police said they hadn’t called a negotiator yet as no demands had been issued. The ex-government agent said he was here anyway. Stand aside.

147

“This is quite a day for the TWA,” said my brother.

“Quite a day indeed,” said Ali.

“Perhaps a landmark day?”

“Well perhaps.”

“How has the struggle been?”

“Fine.”

“I heard you on the radio and I came straight down.”

“So I see.”

“Is this helping?”

“Well . . .”

“Just tell me how you want to play it and I’m right there.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“My pleasure. You’re the boss.”

“I see. I was wondering if maybe you’d like to hand the gun over?”

“Hand it over? To you?”

“If you like.”

“Do you want to shoot someone?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘want’ exactly.”

“Forced to out of necessity?”

“Something like that perhaps.”

“Is it going to be the magic guy?”

“Hey!” said the magic guy.

“Is he the target?” said Edward.

“No.”

“Have you ever fired a gun before?” asked Edward.

“No,” said Ali.

“I think I’d better keep hold of it then, for now.”

146

Dan said he didn’t have any phobias.

Beth pressed him.

Dan said okay, if pushed he hated poems. But he couldn’t call it a phobia.

“Metrophobia,” said Beth. “Next one.”

“Fear of philosophy,” said Dan.

“Philosophobia.”

“Fear of God.”

“Theophobia.”

“Fear of looking up.”

“Anablephobia.”

“Fear of stars and celestial space.”

“Astrophobia.”

“Fear of persons with amputations.”

“Apotemnophobia.”

“Fear of imaginary crime.”

“Peccatophobia.”

“Fear of clowns.”

“Coulrophobia.”

“Fear of heaven.”

“Uranophobia.”

“Fear of dreams.”

“Oneirophobia.”

“Are these real?” asked Dan.

Beth shrugged. “Why are you afraid of dreams?” she asked.

“I don’t have them. Or I don’t remember them. I think when they do come they’ll be terrible.”

“Don’t you remember any?”

“No.”

Beth said she dreamt all the time.

Dan asked her to describe some of them.

Beth said no. She said she didn’t do that. Telling someone a dream was like telling them a bad story.

Dan was secretly glad. But he didn’t want to be secretive so he said he was glad out loud.

Beth was glad too. If he’d actually wanted to hear her dreams she’d have gone off him a bit.

145

“I wish I knew your name,” said Ali. “It’s very hard to speak to you like this.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea to say our names over the air?”

“Well, it makes it easier to talk together.”

“Is that what today’s about? Are we talking? I thought there might be action.”

“Well, there might be action too.”

Penny looked alarmed. She didn’t think Ali should be encouraging him to take action.

“You can call me Edward.”

“Edward? Really?”

“Do you like it?”

“It’s very . . .”

“Dignified?”

“Dignified. Yes.”

“Activist Edward.”

“It’s very catchy.”

144