Panic Button

Eighteen

Jo fought back her tears. The jet engines droned on outside amidst the howling storm. She replayed everything that had led her up to this moment, fast-forwarded it in her mind’s eye like one of Alligator’s sick video recordings. She saw herself kissing Sophie through the window of the big black car, saw herself toasting the others with champagne, then poisoning poor Max, or whatever his real name was, she’d probably never know now, the man she’d killed. It had all led here, to this point in time. Her, alone in this cabin.

And only one thing mattered to her, only one thing in the whole wide world.

“Sophie… is she alive?”

The words felt like an open wound to her. She waited for Alligator’s reply, unable to breathe. He didn’t make her wait long.

“I’m afraid not. I took out her pretty eyes. That is your punishment. She cried out for you Jo, I never thought she’d stop…”

Jo screamed through her tears. “I don’t fucking believe you!”

But Jo did believe him, and that was the most terrible thing for her to admit. For the duration of the nightmare flight, Jo had felt she couldn’t believe a word of what Alligator said. He’d taken lives when he could have spared them. He’d taunted and turned each passenger against the other. And he’d manipulated Callahan into destroying everything for the lie that his family would be spared. Until now, everything that had come out of Alligator’s mouth had seemed to be a lie, or a threat hidden in a promise. She believed only one thing now; that all hope was lost — Alligator’s corrupt gospel of despair. Jo felt it consuming her like a black void.

“I have a family too Jo, just like you did. We’ve been ever so busy. Busy little bees.”

“You,” Jo snarled, “are a fucking monster.”

She looked at the death and destruction all around her, at Alligator’s empire of smashed technology, broken bodies and ruined lives.

“This is how you honour your daughter’s memory? Did you ever stop to wonder why your daughter killed herself you sick bastard? With a father like you — who wouldn’t?”

The touch screen crackled with digital noise. Jo could almost feel Alligator’s rage at the other end of the webcam. A tangible, spiteful presence trying desperately to break through.

“Six minutes to impact,” Alligator said.

Jo’s eyes burned with defiant anger. Her hatred for Alligator had become pathological — and her rage at what he had done was all consuming. She looked up the aisle toward the cockpit door and knew now what she had to do.

For Sophie, for her Mother, and for all those poor people on the ground.

It took seconds for Jo to reach the main door of the plane.

It was her only option, she knew that now, clear as day. She looked down at the curved door panel and saw the transparent Perspex covering, emblazoned with the words ‘EMERGENCY DOOR RELEASE’.

Alligator’s voice quaked through the cabin. “What are you doing, little woman?”

“This ends now, you bastard.”

She lifted the plastic cover, grabbed the door release lever.

“You hear me? It’s OVER!”

Jo wrenched the lever with all her might.

It did not budge. She tried again, with both hands this time, but it was stuck fast. Jo slammed her fist against the door in frustration.

“Five minutes. Goodbye Jo.”