Go time, she thought and ducked through the hatch. Once at the top of the ladder, she turned to climb the two steps to the cockpit and was greeted by the sight of a gun in the hands of … wait, “Major Toranssen, what the hell are you doing?” she exclaimed, stunned at the incongruous sight.

“I’m sorry, Jennifer, now, don’t make a sound. Just turn around and open the door to the head.” said Jack Toranssen, indicating the small on-board toilet directly behind where Jennifer Falster was standing. Jennifer’s mind raced as she tried to think of what to do. One thing she knew, there was absolutely no way she was giving this plane away. Not on her watch. No fucking way.

She spotted the tech from the missile door walking under the hatchway. The man turned and saw her standing in the small space aft of the cockpit. Jennifer raised her hands like she was being stuck-up in an old cowboy movie, hoping the tech would raise the alarm. The man paused. Good, maybe this guy would figure it out. Wait, no, shit, the tech was walking toward her. Fuck. No! Don’t come up here, you idiot. Go and get help, chock the wheels, sound the alarm you fool, but sure enough the man came over and started climbing the small ladder that folded down from the cockpit hatchway.

OK, maybe when the tech showed his head in the hatchway Jennifer could grab the gun away from the apparently deranged Major Toranssen. Maybe she would get shot doing it, but so be it. The gunshot would bring people running and then at least the plane would not be co-opted by this apparently insane ex-Captain Toranssen. But then Major Toranssen did something that Jennifer did not expect. As the tech’s head and upper body appeared through the hatchway, the major fired.

There was no bang, more of a whoosh, and Jennifer felt a stabbing pain in her neck. Fuck, I’ve been shot, the bastard shot me, her mind raced. What the hell did he do that for? What about the risk of damaging the plane? Jennifer’s hand instinctively came up to her neck to feel the wound but something was wrong. Wait, what the hell was that? She felt her vision blur as she pulled the dart out, but the dart seemed to melt away as the world began to swim and flow around her.