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“I’ve never set eyes on you in my life,” Fly
“What? No! No of course not. I didn’t do this! There was another man, a German!”
Fly
They looked around the tiny room, as if someone could somehow have hidden away, and shook their heads.
“Mr Noah, you are a murderer. Your fate is not for me to decide though. Men, hold onto him.”
Fly
“Ladies and gentlemen, as if we were not already in dark times, we have experienced a true atrocity here. But we must not let these actions stand in the way of democracy. We need a leader now more than ever before.” A thousand people were hanging on Fly
Silence.
Of the thousand or so passengers and former crew packed into the theatre, not one moved.
“Anyone? Please?” Fly
“Why don’t you do it?” someone called out.
“Yeah! You’re already up there!” another voice shrilled.
There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd.
“I wouldn’t consider myself the man for the job,” Fly
Several people shouted in response to that.
“You’re a bloody hero mate!”
“You’re clearly a born leader!”
“You’ve been in charge all evening, why not keep going?”
“Captain Fly
That prompted cries of encouragement. The mood in the room was changing. The sense of panic and fear had been replaced by a feeling of anticipation, almost excitement. There were more cries of “Captain Fly
“Captain Fly
They reached fever pitch, Fly
Fly
“Well, I don’t know what to say right now.”
“Say yes!” someone called out from near the front. There was nervous laughter, but the silence quickly reestablished itself.
“I’m just a regular guy, who believes in doing the right thing. I came here this evening to help facilitate a democratic process. It seems that fate, in some very strange and twisted way, has seen to it that the people have been able to have their say. Not in the way any of us expected, and not in the way any of us would have wanted. But if the last three days have taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. If nobody else is willing to stand, and if this truly is the will of the people gathered here, then I must accept that the hand of destiny has touched me tonight. So it is my humble duty to accept your wishes. I will take the captain’s chair, and I will do my best, with the advice of those who are willing to give it, and with the Lord’s help, to lead us all to safety.”
His last word hung in the air for a second. And then, explosive, rapturous applause. Anyone who was seated, stood. The chant started up once more.
“Captain Fly
On the stage, Fly
“Now, let’s get these doors open. Someone get through that back window and unlock the doors from the outside. If there’s a a doctor or nurse present, I could really use some help with my shoulder here,” he pulled his hand away, blood dripped from it onto the stage. “And you two heroes who stopped ex-Captain Noah, bring him to the bridge so we can decide his fate. I believe it is located on deck ten. The crew member who recognised can show you the way.”
Forty-Eight
THE TWO MEN hustled Jake out of the room and towards a staircase. He felt immensely grateful that the other doors to the theatre were still locked, meaning there was no risk of being mobbed by an angry crowd. Martin had climbed through the window, and he exited the control room and took the lead without looking once at Jake.
“Martin, listen to me. I didn’t do this, you have to believe me. Why would I? I willingly gave up the captain’s seat. You were there! You saw me go, freely. It makes no sense for me to kill Melvin!”
“Shut it,” one of the heavies grunted.
“I’ve been set up Martin! They’ve taken Lucya!”
At the mention of her name, Martin paused, looked round.
“Where is she? Where’s Lucya?”
“I don’t know, that’s what I’m telling you. They took her. She left my cabin, someone took her, and then they came for me.”
“I said shut it, or I will shut it for you.”
Martin considered Jake’s plea. “She was in your cabin? What was she doing there? Were you plotting this together?”
“No! We were…I mean, she came to see me and…They took her Martin, to set me up!”
The man restraining his left arm turned towards Jake.
“I said it twice, you must be a bit thick.” He swung a huge fist into the side of Jake’s face. The blow knocked him off balance and he tumbled to the floor.
The heavy bent down, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him back to his feet.
“You,” he pointed at Martin. “You’re done with the questions, now piss off back to wherever you come from.”
“What about the bridge?” Martin looked affronted.
“We’ll manage.”
The two men set off up the stairs, leaving Martin somewhat confused at the bottom. Jake remained silent the whole way, he didn’t want to feel the force of either man’s firsts again.
They reached the bridge without getting lost or making any mistakes in direction, which Jake found odd. The route to was not obvious, a deliberate design to discourage passengers from trotting up there and making a nuisance of themselves. One of the men knocked on the door. It swung open and the three of them went inside.
The captain’s chair was empty, as were the other posts. There were people present though. Four men. Jake recognised them. Two had been on the bridge with Fly