"Boom!"
Bonnie followed the emergency protocol to open the plane's front left door, then pulled the lever under the door. The inflatable emergency slide quickly deployed and extended to the ground. Due to the broken front landing gear, the plane's nose was closer to the ground than usual, and the co-pilot, who appeared to be of Asian descent, demonstrated how to use the slide by being the first to exit the plane. He then assisted passengers as they exited.
"Sit down, cross your arms over your chest, and slide down like him," Bonnie instructed each passenger at the door.
Meanwhile, Jack and Jennie struggled with the tree trunk. The prisoner, Louis Gaspare, a burly man with a thick beard, was pinned between the trunk and his seat. The tree trunk, as thick as an average person's arm, had impaled the international police officer, piercing through his chest and pinning him to the cabin wall. If Gaspare hadn't been leaning forward with his arms braced on the seat in front, he might have lost his arms.
Carefully, Jack removed the trunk from the wall, laying the officer's body, still impaled, in the aisle. He had no tools to cut through the fresh wood, and removing it from the body would only cause more damage.
Gaspare, now calm, nodded to Jack and Jennie, expressing his thanks before heading towards the exit.
"Wait," Jack called, tossing him a set of keys taken from the officer's belt. "Unlock your handcuffs before going down. Don't cause panic among the passengers, and keep a low profile. Understand?"
Gaspare nodded solemnly, "Thank you for your trust. I will repay you."
Jack didn't respond, knowing little about the man. For now, an extra pair of hands could be valuable, especially in the challenging environment of a tropical rainforest.
Gaspare's arm tattoo, partially covered by his clothes, caught Jack's eye. It was the emblem of the French Foreign Legion, the "Hand of Danjou," with the number 2, indicating he was from the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment. Such a person could be invaluable compared to panicked passengers.
As Gaspare exited the plane, Jack checked the deceased officer's body and found a Glock 17, likely the only weapon on board. Since 9/11, armed air marshals were common on domestic flights, but international flights often didn't have such measures. Preparing for Singapore, Jack hadn't even brought a Swiss Army knife to avoid any trouble at customs.
Jack handed the Glock 17 to Jennie, suggesting she keep it for self-defense. He also found two spare magazines in the officer's bag and handed them over.
It wasn't that Jack distrusted Jennie's skills; it was just that her combat ability seemed lacking. Despite FBI training, her performance in the gym suggested she was only slightly above average.
"Hey, I think I need your help," said the pilot, Captain Randy Torrance, as he approached Jack and Jennie.
The passengers were mostly off the plane, with the crew members disembarking last.
"You're the captain. We're here to help. We haven't thanked you properly for saving us," Jack replied politely, although he felt little gratitude. Had he known who the pilot was, he might never have boarded.
"Let's talk outside. Although we dumped the fuel before landing, there's still a risk," Torrance continued, introducing himself.
Captain Torrance looked much older and heavier than in the film "Olympus Has Fallen," still showing some military demeanor but clearly out of shape.
Jack and Jennie introduced themselves and followed Torrance off the plane.
"A female passenger fainted from shock but has recovered. She's being cared for by her husband. Other injuries are minor cuts and bruises, manageable with our onboard medical supplies," Bonnie reported, her eyes still red but professional.
Torrance nodded, then gently addressed her, "Bonnie, I'm sorry about Isabella."
Isabella was presumably the deceased flight attendant. Bonnie nodded, about to leave when Jennie stopped her.
"Perhaps we should gather the crew and discuss our situation. We should also keep our identities hidden to avoid alarming the passengers," Jennie suggested, mindful of the potential panic if their FBI status were revealed.
Soon, the crew gathered. Jennie, under a false identity, suggested they present themselves as LAPD officers willing to help, ensuring a unified narrative. They then discussed their predicament.
The plane was beyond repair, severely damaged by the lightning strike, which also fried the avionics. The pilots needed time to assess the damage, but hopes were low. Jack offered to help, though his skills were limited to basic repairs, not miracles.
There was no cell signal. Everyone, including the crew, had checked their phones, and no one had a satellite phone, eliminating the possibility of immediate rescue. After the lightning strike forced their emergency landing, Captain Torrance estimated the search area to be over 10,000 square miles, given the loss of contact and the time it took to land.
They couldn't even confirm their exact location, somewhere within the Sulu Archipelago of the southern Philippines, surrounded by numerous small islands.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter