Chapter 2

Whoever said that everything slowed down when something bad happened, was a lying bastard. Because nothing slowed down for me. Instead, it seemed that everything sped up.


Edward Pleasure threw himself over me, forming a protective shield around my body as the man pressed the button. The second he did so, there was a huge bang, and the box exploded. It was a bomb. The other passengers screamed, as the blast burned them alive. The man holding the box had been killed instantly, as the fire shot out and reached both ends of the plane. I could feel the intense heat on my bares arms and legs where Sabina's father couldn't protect, but he had taken the blow. He had taken the hit for me. And while I was still alive...


The screaming only got louder as the plane lost control, spiralling towards the earth hundreds of meters below. The blast and knocked out at least seven or eight windows, and the pressure was dropping dramatically. We were going to crash. We were going to crash and burn and I would die just like my parents did. Shut up Rider, you have to think. Ok, deep breaths. Calm down.


Forcing myself to get my head together, I shoved Edward off me and quickly got to my feet, running towards the cockpit and desperately trying to ignore the dead passengers around me.


(((How many more have to did for you?)))


The ones who weren't dead, were screaming in pain over severely burnt skin. I wasn't any better. But I kept my mouth clamped shut. Right now was NOT the time to start shouting and panicking. They'd be plenary of time for that later.


I tried the door handle to the front of the plane. It wouldn't budge. But I could hear screaming inside. Ignoring the grotesquely dead air hostess next to me.


(((The same girl who tried to get the Scorpia agent to sit down)))


I shoved my shoulder up against the door. Nothing. Using a but more force this time, I slammed myself up against the door again, trying to block out the pain that seared through my body. It still wouldn't move. Sighing in frustration, I took a step back, taking a deep breath, before running forward and spinning around, kicking the door with all my might. The lock snapped and broke, the metal handle falling to the ground at my feet. But I didn't have time to wonder about that. The door was open. That's all I needed.

I quickly shoved it open future and ran in, looking around at the sight in front of me. There were three people in the room.


Another air hostess,

(((Dead)))

the Co-Pilot,

(((Dead)))

and the Pilot,

(((Screaming... Screaming... Screaming... Dead)))


Swallowing, I forced my lunch to stay in my stomach before rushing forward and pulling the pilot off his seat where he was currently slummed over the controls, horrible burns on his neck and the back of his head. Taking his seat, I looked down frantically at all the different buttons and controls in front of me, then back up at the ground getting closer by the second. I had to do something. Ok, don't panic. I could do this. Looking down at the control panel, I quickly spotted a wheel. Well... An oddly shaped wheel. That's what steered the plane. Ok, let's see. It was shaped like a joystick... A joystick... Video games. Video games had joysticks.


This was just like a video game.

(((Except if you fuck up, everyone's going to die)))

Shut up

(((Why?)))

Because I don't listen to my conscience anymore

(((Because your afraid I'm going to be right?)))

Stupid conscience

(((I heard that)))


Slowly, I reached forward and grabbed the joystick, tilting in slightly. The plan e turned slightly to the left. Ok. This was easier than expected. Just got to tilt of forward and-. "NO NO NO. STOP. UP, GO UP" I yelled at myself as the plane went even faster towards the ground. I pulled back on the steering wheel as much as I could and the nose of the plane raised a bit. Come on, higher... Higher... Higher... A huge bang snapped me from my thoughts and I glanced out the back window. Engine 1 and 2 were down.

Gritting my teeth, I struggled to control the joystick as the plane lurched to side. Note to self: When I get out of this mess, don't become a pilot... IF I got out of this mess. It was still a possibility. I grimaced at the thought.


"What's happening up there? Captain, report" someone ordered and my head snapped to the radio. The radio. Of course.

Picking it up, I pressed the button on the side, "Listen, I need help. The planes lost control".

It was silent for a minute, before, "...Who am I speaking to?".

I sighed. This was the part I was really hoping to skip. Time to play the innocent child card

I pressed the button again, "Alex Rider. 15 year old British citizen".

"15 years old?" He asked shocked and I grimaced, "Yea. But listen, the planes going down and I don't know what to do".

"Where are my pilots?" He asked, suddenly serious again.

"Dead" I replied simply and he swore, "Both of them? What happened?".

"Suicide bomber. The blast killed them" I replied, glancing across at the dead co-pilot next to me.


(((What? Your not going to tell him bout the part where YOU were the target?)))

I warned you to shut up

(((Well guess what? If you don't listen to me anymore, why should I listen to you?)))


"Passengers?" The man asked again.

"Roughly 70 on board. At least 30 dead. The rest injured" I named off mechanically.

"And my crew?".

"From want I could see, 9 dead. The rest unknown" I replied and I heard some shuffling on the other end of the line before a new voice spoke, "Alright, listen up kid. My name is Colonel William Renner. Now you just got to remain calm, and tell me what's happening".


He was treating me like a terrified 3 year old. I rolled my eyes. If only he knew.


"Got it? Good. Ok, now what's your flights current status?" The Colonel asked and I smirked, "Lets see... There's no pilot. There's no co-pilot. There's no one else qualified as a pilot... Iv lost both Engine 1 and 2, and Engine 4 is about to pack it in. The fuel tanks got a massive hole in it and is losing more and more oil by the second. Half the controls are broken... Oh yea, and to top it all of, we're plummeting towards the earth at 100 miles per hour. Savvy?".

He swore loudly, "Fuck sakes kid, this is NOT the time to joke".

"Who's laughing?" I shot back.

"Alright. Fine. Ok, now you said there's dead passengers?".

"Around 38, maybe 39, 40, yea".

"And there's the injured?" He asked again.

"At least 20".

"And is there uninjured?" He asked and I nodded, "Only about 9 or 10 or so".

"... Who are you traveling with?" He asked suddenly and I flinched slightly, "My adoptive father".

"And which category does he fall into?".

I smiled slightly, "The dead".