Chapter 6 - The Hatch
The deafening sound of the smoke alarm sent the hijackers into a frenzy.
Thick, white smoke began billowing out from underneath the forward lavatory door.
The flight attendant had cleverly used a chemical fire extinguisher to create the illusion of a massive fire.
"Put that out before it damages the forward wiring!" the leader screamed at his men.
All three hijackers sprinted toward the front of the aircraft to assess the fake emergency.
This was my only chance.
I kept my head down and ran as fast as I could toward the rear galley.
The plane was still descending rapidly, making it incredibly difficult to keep my balance.
I practically dove into the small space between the two rear bathrooms.
My hands frantically tore at the edges of the dark blue carpet.
I found the heavy metal seam my mother had described and pulled the concealed latch.
The square hatch popped open, revealing a dark, freezing tunnel that dropped beneath the floorboards.
I squeezed my shoulders through the narrow opening and lowered myself into the belly of the plane.
The noise of the rushing wind outside was deafening down here.
I landed on a narrow metal catwalk surrounded by bundles of thick, colorful wires and glowing computer servers.
The air was incredibly cold, biting through my thin sweater instantly.
I carefully crawled forward along the catwalk, using the dim emergency lights to guide my path.
About thirty feet ahead, I saw a man sitting on a small folding stool.
He was typing furiously on a rugged military laptop connected directly to the plane's primary server rack.
He wore noise-canceling headphones, which meant he had not heard me drop into the bay.
I crept closer, looking for anything I could use as a weapon.
My foot accidentally kicked a loose metal wrench lying on the catwalk.
It clattered loudly against the aluminum grating.
The saboteur froze instantly.
He slowly took off his headphones and turned around to face me.
He did not look surprised or afraid.
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He simply reached into his tool bag and pulled out a heavy steel crowbar.
"You really should have stayed in your seat, kid," he said with a wicked grin.
