The air hostess hesitated for a moment, her body tense as she looked at the captain. Her blue eyes flickered with uncertainty, and her hands gripped the back of the chair tightly. "I don't know, Captain," she said softly, her voice shaking.
The captain leaned forward slightly in his seat, his expression calm but thoughtful. "Alright," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought. "What if we shake the plane a little? Those terrorists don't have seatbelts on. If we create some turbulence, they might lose their balance. That could give the passengers a chance to overpower them."
The co-pilot, his brow furrowed, turned toward the captain. "But, Captain, what if they don't fall? We'd be putting the passengers in danger. Sudden turbulence could cause injuries."
The captain sighed, running a hand through his short gray hair. "You're right," he admitted after a pause. "Let's not take that step yet. First, contact the headquarters and inform them about the situation. Then we'll decide what to do."
The co-pilot nodded as both he and the captain turned back toward the controls. Their focus shifted entirely to the communication panel as the co-pilot adjusted the radio frequency, his hands moving swiftly over the dials and switches. Soon, the crackling sound of the line opening filled the cabin.
"Headquarters, this is Flight 528," the captain said, leaning toward the microphone. "We have an emergency situation onboard."
The voice of an operator came through, calm but focused. "Flight 528, please clarify. What is the nature of your emergency?"
The captain spoke firmly. "There are terrorists onboard. Three of them were armed with guns. One has been taken down by a passenger, but two are still active. The cabin is in chaos. The situation is tense, but we still have control of the cabin. We need immediate assistance and clearance to land."
The operator's voice grew sharper. "Terrorists onboard? Armed with firearms?"
"Yes," the captain confirmed. "The passenger who took one of them down has their gun, but we're not sure how much longer the situation can be controlled. We need to act quickly."
"Understood, Flight 528. Please hold while I connect you to emergency management."
There was a brief pause, followed by a click as a more authoritative voice came on the line. "This is the emergency response manager. Please confirm the situation."
The captain repeated the details, his voice steady. "Three terrorists onboard, two still active. The cabin is unstable. The passenger who fought back has armed himself but is outnumbered. We need to know if we should attempt an emergency landing or wait for further instructions."
The manager's voice was calm but decisive. "You can land at the nearest airport. We'll coordinate with ground authorities and inform them of the situation. If the terrorists try to communicate, we'll manage the negotiations. But if the passengers are able to fight back, it would save lives and resolve the situation faster."
The captain hesitated. "One idea we've discussed is to shake the plane slightly, creating turbulence. Without seatbelts, the terrorists might lose their balance, making it easier for the passengers to act. What are your thoughts?"
The manager paused briefly before answering. "It's a risky plan, but it might work. If the passengers are prepared to act, a coordinated effort could overpower them. Do you think there are more passengers like the one who already fought back?"
"We don't know, Sir, but we can give it a try," the captain said, his voice steady but with an underlying edge of uncertainty. "Okay, then do it. If it works, contact us back. Meanwhile, we'll try to communicate with the government."
The captain gave a firm nod, his face tense with concentration as he turned to the radio. After a brief moment, he spoke into the microphone again, "We'll contact you shortly with an update." The line crackled as the communication ended, and the captain slowly turned toward the flight attendant.
"You should hold onto something tightly," the captain said, his voice low but serious. "We're about to make this ride a bit more... interesting."
The air hostess nodded quickly, her eyes wide with tension. "Understood, Captain," she said, gripping the edge of the door frame tightly.
Realizing the turbulence would make it harder to stay steady, she quickly slipped off her shoes. She pressed her heel against the frame to loosen one shoe, then bent down to pull it off and set it aside. The second followed with a quick tug. Now barefoot, she shifted her stance, planting her feet firmly on the cockpit floor for better balance. Her hands remained tightly on the door frame as she braced herself for what was to come.
"I'm ready, Captain," she said, her voice calm despite the tension in her posture.
The captain's eyes flicked toward the co-pilot, who was already adjusting the plane's controls with quick movements. With a sharp twist of his wrist, the captain grabbed the yoke — that controls the plane direction — and pulled it toward him with a force. His hands tightened around the sturdy, metallic handles, the grip familiar and comforting amidst the chaos. The yoke moved with a creaking sound as he manipulated it, sending a ripple of tension through the cockpit.
Then, without further warning, the plane began to shake. The sudden jerking motions were abrupt and violent, the plane shuddering as though it were a beast tossed around in a storm.
Her body swayed with the motion, her legs bracing instinctively as the turbulence worsened. Each sudden tilt sent her skirt shifting against her thighs, her uniform tight against her frame as she adjusted to stay balanced.
The force of the shaking caused her head to snap slightly with the movement, her hair bouncing lightly against her shoulders. Her chest moved up and down, the shaking movement of plane motion causing her to press harder into the metal handle for support. Her breath came in sharp, quick bursts as she focused on moving with the unpredictable rhythm of the plane.
The captain said in a loud voice "I'm going to turn the plane upside down. Hold on tight."