Adam Hall - Quiller Solitaire

Silence for a bit. They were putting their heads together, Shatner, Croder, perhaps Loman, I didn't know how many of them were in the Signals room now but there'd presumably be quite a few because it wouldn't go down terribly well with the Portuguese government if I wrote off their sea-girt real estate.

'Listen,' I said, 'there's nothing -'

Oh Jesus Christ.

I'm ordering you to land your airplane in Ponta Delgada.

It wasn't London. There was a US Air Force F- I5 right alongside, sleek and pointed and with the moonlight flashing on its wings.

This is Major J. F. Franklin of the United States Air Force. If you wish to avoid attack, you must land your airplane immediately.

There was another one sliding up on the port side. I was flying in formation. They'd picked up my radio call to London and they'd heard me say that the White House had been the target and they'd got off the ground in the Azores or they'd been on night-flying exercise from Spain and they were up here to start a war.

'I can't do that,' I said. 'I've had no training with this aircraft. If -'

I will give you one minute to alter your course for the Azores. Your failure to do this will bring an immediate attack.

Hadn't believed me, thought I was playing for time.

'Major,' I said, let me give you a little advice. If you attack this aircraft you'll blow yourself out of the sky. I'm carrying the equivalent of a small nuclear bomb.'

I could see his helmet through the cockpit cover; his face was turned towards me.

You will alter course immediately for the Azores.

Had the White House on his mind, I could quite understand. He -

Major Franklin – London – this is the British Foreign Office. Good-morning. We can vouch for the identity of the person flying the Pan American plane. This is the flight that has been missing since early last evening from Berlin, Flight 907. The pilot has seized control from Iranian terrorists, but has not flown this type of plane before. The British government would be most grateful for your assistance in any way possible.

I think he said a bit more but I went into another coughing fit, clearing the last of the blood out of my throat. It was nice to have company up here with me but there wasn't anything they could do. They were pall-bearers, that was all.

Please identify yourself.

'What? Oh. Name's Locke.'

I couldn't think how it would help, could have said I was Moses.

London was quiet, waiting for some kind of answer from Major Franklin.

I watched the instrument panel. We were still at 3000 feet, airspeed 350, heading un-changed.

Shut my eyes for a bit. I knew what I'd got to do and I wanted to do it and get it over. The radio was quiet; I suppose they were both thinking things out, the US pilot and London. Then another voice came on.

This is Walter J. Cummins, the American ambassador in London. Can you hear me, Major Franklin?

Yes, sir.

Now that had been very fast work. Control had told someone at his elbow to get the ambassador on the phone as soon as he'd started talking to the US pilot, in case he refused to accept the authority of the British FO. They'd got him on the phone at his bedside and told him the brief position and patched him in through the Signals room amplifiers: he sounded as if he was speaking into a bucket.

I can vouch for the authenticity of the gentleman speaking to you from the British Foreign Office. You may therefore accept what he has just told you about the person at the controls of the Pan American airplane. I'm not completely clear about the situation apart from that. Is there any assistance you can give Mr Locke at this time?

The US pilot still had his head turned to watch me. OK, sir, I guess it's over to him. What are your intentions, Mr Locke?

I told him I'd got to ditch.

I understand you're not familiar with this type of airplane. We could try talking you down into Ponta Delgada.

The display lights had begun swinging again, and I braced the control column in my arms. The sound of the jets had started to fade. I said, 'Look, you'd better stand off a bit in case I let things slip. We don't – we don't want any collisions. Tell – tell your friend too.'

What kind of shape are you in?

'Bit snuffed. Listen -' then it started again, and the whole thing blacked out.

… Mr Locke? Can you hear me?

'Yes. I think -'

Why are you losing altitude?

I looked at the instruments. We were down to 2000 feet and the needle was still falling. Pulled the control column back, overdid it, felt the plane shuddering. There was a ringing sound from the cabin behind me: the cylinders had started shifting under the vibration.

Knock two of these things together a bit too hard and we're gonners, kerbooom.

The US pilot had asked me something about altitude but it wasn't important. The important thing was to stay conscious for long enough to put this thing down, get it out of the air, out of harm's way.

'Look,' I said, 'I'm going to ditch now. You'd better keep your distance.'

I could talk you down into the Azores. I think we should do that, Mr Locke. It's not all that tough, if you've flown a jet before. We -

This is Air Traffic Control, Ponta Delgada. You are not permitted to land at this airport. Please acknowledge.

There was something I should be thinking about.

Please acknowledge.

He had a thick accent.

'Would you repeat that?'

Yes. You are not permitted to land at this airport. Please acknowledge.

They'd picked up the stuff about the explosives.

'Right. I can't land at your airport.'

I ought to be thinking about what Major Franklin had said, not to be taken lightly, perhaps. About talking me down. I mean if I was going to put this thing in the sea, maybe we could do it gently, take the thousandth chance.

We regret . Azores. There is risk of damage because of the explosives. But we have despatched two air-sea rescue helicopters and we would like to know your present position, altitude and heading.

I checked the panel and told them.

Okay, Mr Locke, so we'll talk you down onto the sea.

The major.

I kept the control column braced in my arms. The sound of the jets had faded again, but I realised it was because the two Air Force planes had done what I'd said, moved away a bit in case of accidents. Through the windscreen I watched the Atlantic below me, not far away, black and endless, glittering in the moonlight, flecked with crests.

Not hospitable.

Mr Locke, can you hear me?

'Yes. Thinking.'

The ringing from the cabin back there was still going on, like the bells of a temple in Tibet.

Blood in the mouth, I couldn't get the taste of it out.

Black water below.

We were at 1500 feet. I'd been letting the control column go.

I said, 'Yes, all right. Much obliged.'

Okay, this is going to be a gear-up, flaps-down landing. Leave -

'Look, when I hit the sea, you'd better keep your distance. I'd make it at least a couple of miles.'

Will do. Thank you for your concern. Now get your flaps down.

I saw the two fighters sliding away on both sides, becoming small, becoming silhouettes.

This is Ponta Delgada. Your position, please.

Gave it to them.

That is good. Heading, altitude, airspeed, please.

Gave it to them. The sea was close now, lines of white crests across black water. The starfields dipped and rose in the windscreen, I suppose there was a wind blowing, perhaps a gale, I couldn't find the instrument that would give me the windspeed.