17
Escapology
I woke up with a sticky back, flying about 2000 feet above the sea, I could hear the engines roaring, we were going slowly it seemed, but we were definitely on the move and now my ears were ringing. I crawled over to the window, pulled myself up on a bar and all I could see was what looked like a range of mountains. It certainly didn’t feel as cold as winter but there again I was inside an aeroplane. I felt as though we were going down when my stomach felt as though it was getting heavy.
“We’re approaching Salzburg control. This is Hurricane George requesting permission to land.” the Captain requested.
I looked around for somewhere to hide; I started to push myself down the stairs when I heard the landing gear go down. I knew it was only a few moments before Harry Howler came through the door of the cockpit. I got in to the black sack with my arms free to haul myself back under the spiral staircase and into the cold steel box. I heard a clatter of feet coming down the staircase. The next thing was that Harry Howler picked me up in the sack and carried me down the aircraft slope at the rear of the Belfast. A Hummer limo was waiting expectantly on the airfield. I was thrown in the back of the limo. I saw through the hole in the bag a man who looked vaguely familiar. There were two more people sitting on the other side of the limo, one was apparently called Hugo the other Theo.
“Harry when are we going to get paid?” asked the one called Theo.
“Soon.” Harry replied.
I could only see half the driver; Harry H then got out his handgun, there was a huge bang as the helium erupted out of the bullet into Theo burning his insides.
“Theo nice to have known you.” Harry exclaimed.
I couldn’t really believe my eyes as the bullet hit Theo he simply shrivelled. Then Harry pointed a handgun and shot Hugo as well.
“You in the bag, get over here and sit next to me like a good boy!”
They had definitely got the wrong boy but I wasn’t going to say anything. Harry Howler was in his forties, bald and he had three ear piercings in one of his ears, he looked light enough, I thought that I could probably take him on or at least give him a good run for his money. I whistled to try and lure him closer to me - he kicked me over the head. I found myself feeling like I wanted to burst I was so angry, but as Karen my personal trainer had once said to me “when you rush you lose.” I slowly crept up behind Harry and grabbed his legs straight into a leg lock. In the excitement he managed to struggle away and tried to strangle me. It seemed to take forever for me to get him off me. Fortunately my friend Greg had started Judo lessons, he taught me five of the most painful moves in Judo, luckily we would practise the moves all the time. After I disarmed Harry I started looking around the airfield trying to get my bearings, it had a watchtower with four huts, then someone shouted -
“Oi you! Get on the floor.”
Then a man came into view driving a golf buggy - it was Mario with two suitcases one on his lap and one in the boot of the golf buggy, which had some skis in the roof rack. I was wondering what would happen next as Mario got closer, he almost had me in his reach when he was distracted by Harry Howler’s shouts as he was regaining conscious
ness. Mario went over to Harry, offering him his hand to help him up. When Mario’s hand touched Harry’s Mario immediately dropped to the ground. He was out cold as soon as his hands connected with Harry’s. It seemed that Harry had injected him with some kind of instant anaesthetic. Mario had completed his assigned mission. Harry Howler then started approaching me.
“I suppose you’re going to kill me now.” I asked.
“No but I do want you to phone for an ambulance on 112.”
I had been given a mobile phone by Keith it was a special edition flip phone. It had built in to it an electric security shock wave which paralyzes the user if they don’t enter the correct code. Finally it also had a mini remote control camera plane which I’m a bit sceptical about but looking forward to using. It also had the usual games. I switched on my phone, dialled my code in and dialled 112 the emergency number for Austria.
“Guten tag.” The operator said.
“Hello.” I replied.
“Hold on one moment please.”
There was a pause for about three seconds. She must have been finding somebody who spoke English.
“Hello, this is the Austrian 112 number which service can I provide?”
“Can I have an ambulance at Salzburg airport please?”
“What has happened?”
“Someone was messing around with security equipment and someone’s been hurt, I’ve got to go now!”
I heard the siren blaring out along with another following closely behind. As the sirens got louder Harry was getting more frustrated. As the paramedics drove into one of the airport’s parking slots they got out and asked one of the two security guards –
“What’s happening with your equipment?”
“Nothing as far as the equipment is concerned huh?” in a confused tone
“We’ve had a call out by 112.” Said the Austrian paramedic
“We made a mistake.”
“Wait we’re just receiving something - there has been an accident but its airside, there has been shouting. Is that right?”
No sooner had one of the ambulances arrived, Harry Howler pushed the driver out of the way, got himself into the driver’s seat and put the keys into the ignition.
“How do you want to do this, the easy way or the hard way Mattie?”
“Well I’m not fussed.” I replied.
“Alright smart Alec I’ll make your mind up for you shall I?”
“I don’t see why not.”
“We’re going!”
I’d already started making a weapon out of the two seat belts that were next to me to try and make a release mechanism for my harpoon that I had fashioned from my parker pen, a length of rope and the seat belt releasers. I checked to see if Harry was still concentrating on the road ahead. I fired but I missed. Harry twisted round and started to swear at me. He tried to move quickly, I hadn’t realised I had hit something. He had fallen into my trap the harpoon may have missed Harry but it had gone into the upholstery on his right and ricocheted into the seat belt holster on his left side. Confining him, as Harry turned around with a handgun in his left hand.
“Get out! I want you to act as if you’re my son and if anyone asks we’re a normal family coming back from a holiday in England.” As Harry found himself foiled again by a twelve year old boy, Harry was harpooned into his chair by my contraption.