Vampire and His Pleasant Companions: Volume 4 - Part 2

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With a clattering of loud footsteps, Al half-opened his eyes. He wriggled his nose involuntarily, irritated at having been disturbed just as he was drifting into a pleasant sleep.

[“Martha wondered aloud, "Who are those people? Wearing such strange hats...”]

From the front, the flustered voice of a flight attendant could be heard.

[“Excuse me, but passengers are not allowed up there without the captain’s permission...”]

Planes have low air pressure, so alcohol hits harder. There were occasional stories about drunken passengers throwing tantrums or even becoming violent.

[“Something’s wrong.”]

The serious tone in Akira's voice was followed by the creak of a seat under strain.

[“I’ll go check it out.”]

It seemed Henry had stood up. At that moment, a high-pitched scream—[“Kyaaah!”]—echoed through the cabin. Sensing something unusual, Al crawled inside the basket, extended his claws to unlock the latch, and peeked outside.

[“Don’t move. If you move, I’ll shoot this woman.”]

Through Henry’s legs, standing in the aisle, Al saw the scene ahead. A white man, standing in the narrow passage between the galley and the lavatory near the cockpit, held a flight attendant hostage. The man was tall—likely about six and a half feet (198 cm)—wearing sneakers, a brightly colored jacket, and a balaclava. He had the flight attendant restrained from behind, pressing a gun to her temple.

The distance between Henry and the man was no more than three yards (about 2.7 meters). Though Henry had stepped into the aisle, he was frozen. The man had a gun, and he had taken a hostage. Unarmed, Henry had no advantage.

How had the man managed to bypass security and bring a gun onto the plane? The smell of gunpowder earlier—it wasn’t from the residue of a previous shot, but from the bullets he carried.

[“If you don’t want her dead, put your hands behind your head.”]

The man’s voice was calm, but its cold, matter-of-fact tone made it all the more terrifying. Slowly, Henry followed his instructions.

[“Now, back up. Don’t turn around.”]

Henry began inching backward, like a turtle, his gaze fixed on Richard. As a bodyguard, he clearly hesitated to leave his post.

[“Hurry up!”]

The man’s voice grew irritated. Richard quietly urged Henry, [“Just go.”] Even Al could tell that in this situation, with no clear idea of the man's intentions, resisting someone armed with a gun would only provoke him.

[“I’m sorry, Richard...”] Henry muttered, his face pained.

[“Stop talking and move!”]

The gun, once pressed to the flight attendant’s head, was now aimed directly at the unarmed Henry. He backed up until his body touched the curtain separating first class from economy.

[“Stop there!”]

The man ordered Henry to halt.

[“Turn around and go sit in one of the empty seats in economy. No matter what anyone asks you, do not speak. If anyone in economy causes a commotion, I’ll kill every passenger left in first class.”]

Henry slowly lifted the curtain and walked toward economy class. In first class, Richard, Martha, Akira, and a middle-aged couple who appeared to be around fifty years old remained. As soon as Henry left, the gunman began pointing his weapon at the seated passengers one by one, like a silent game of Russian roulette. The tension was palpable as all the first-class passengers held their breath.

[“Everyone, stand up.”]

Though his command was authoritative, the man wasn’t frantic. Richard was the first to rise, followed by the middle-aged couple sitting on the right side of the aisle. Martha pressed her lips tightly together, glaring at the gunman, but her body trembled. Akira wrapped an arm around Martha and stood up as well.

[“W-what exactly do you want?”]

The middle-aged man couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke up. Suddenly, another figure emerged from behind the man holding the flight attendant hostage. This one was also wearing a balaclava. It was clear from the exposed skin around his eyes and mouth that he was of African descent.

The black man walked down the aisle toward the passengers with fluid, almost magical, movements. With a flourish, he produced a gun from behind his back and aimed it at the middle-aged man’s forehead, just ten inches (about 25 cm) away. The man let out a short cry—[“Hii!”]—and the woman beside him began to shake violently.

[“Don’t speak. Obey the orders... Or do you want to die?”]

The middle-aged man gasped silently, like a fish out of water. Unable to make a sound, as he had been ordered not to speak, he struggled to breathe.

Amidst the suffocating tension, the curtain between first class and economy was abruptly pulled open. A flight attendant, likely of South American descent, judging by her features, froze in place upon noticing the gunman standing there, weapon in hand. She covered her mouth with both hands in shock.

Her eyes darted around awkwardly as she realized one of her colleagues was being held hostage. Her eyes widened in horror at the reality.

[“Sh-Sharon...”]

It seemed the flight attendant being held hostage was named Sharon. The gunman, who was restraining Sharon, redirected his aim at the South American flight attendant who had just walked into this nightmare.

[“Don’t scream... If you do, I’ll shoot.”]

The South American flight attendant clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, trembling.

[“As long as you follow my instructions, no passengers will be harmed. But if you cause a commotion, I’ll start by killing this woman, who’s already my hostage. I’m going to move five people from here to the back seats. After that, don’t cross the curtain until you receive further instructions. If any passengers or crew try to come in, I’ll shoot.”]

The man holding Sharon at gunpoint calmly issued his orders. The black man pushed the middle-aged man forward, saying, [“You first.”] Stumbling, the man staggered into the aisle and wobbled toward the back seats. The South American flight attendant stepped aside to let him pass. Following him, the middle-aged woman moved as well.

[“Next, you!”] The black man pointed his gun at Richard.

Even in this critical situation, Richard remained composed. His expression was tense, but he kept his back straight as he walked toward the economy seats.

After Richard, Akira was called. He gently helped the trembling Martha to her feet and stood her in the aisle. Holding the basket containing Al, he supported Martha with one hand and walked behind her.

[“Hey!”]

Akira stopped in his tracks at the sharp voice of the Black man. He turned around.

[“Leave the baggage you're holding.”]

The barrel of the man’s gun was aimed at Akira’s forehead.

[“It'll be a hassle if you keep that with you.”]

[“I said, leave the baggage! Do you want to get killed?!”]

At the man’s angry shout, Akira tightened his jaw and placed the basket on the seat. Then, he pulled Al out of it.

[“What did you just take out of the basket?”]

The Black man didn’t miss a thing. Al instinctively held his breath.

[“It’s my pet bat. If I leave it, it might make a racket.”]

[“I said to leave everything! Do you want to die?!”]

The man’s voice was laced with anger. Akira, his hands trembling, put the bat back in the basket and shoved it under the seat. Al listened intently as Akira’s footsteps grew distant.

After the South American flight attendant moved to the economy seats, the basket suddenly shook. The lid opened, and Al found himself face to face with the Black man’s bulging eyes. After staring at Al for a moment, the man clicked his tongue.

[“What a filthy bat.”]

Rude jerk! Al fumed silently but didn’t react aggressively. His body was still injured, and he couldn’t fly properly. Acting hostile now would only get him beaten up. Instead, Al pretended to be a scared little animal, curling up quietly.

The man lifted the basket onto the seat and left the lid open, giving Al a clear view of his surroundings. There were only a few seats in first class, and Al was at the very back, with the wall separating first class from economy right behind him.

The passengers had been driven out, and now only two men—both of them hijackers—along with the hostage flight attendant, Sharon, remained in the secluded space.

[“Everyone’s moved to economy,”] the Black man said to the tall white man holding Sharon.

[“Yeah.”]

The tall man responded and released Sharon. She rubbed her throat, which had been tightly gripped, and let out a quiet breath.

Something about Sharon struck Al as odd. The terrified expression she had worn earlier was gone. Without a word to the hijackers, she briskly retreated into the galley at the front of the plane. Al, watching anxiously, thought she might get shot for walking around on her own, but the hijackers didn’t stop her.

It was strange for a hostage. Had they grown tired of watching her? Or did they think it didn’t matter if one hostage acted on their own, since the rest of the passengers were also hostages?

The two hijackers were stationed at the aisle and between the seats, aiming at the curtain separating first class from economy. Then, a loud crash came from the front of the plane.

A man in his thirties appeared from the cockpit, hands clasped behind his head. The insignia on his white shirt marked him as a pilot. Since the plane couldn’t fly without the captain, this man was likely the co-pilot, given his age.

The pilot’s face was pale, and he trembled as he walked slowly forward. Behind him, a short man wearing a balaclava was pressing a gun into his back. It seemed there was yet another accomplice. Judging by the skin around his eyes and mouth, this man was white.

When they reached the curtain dividing first class and economy, the short man growled in a raspy voice, [“Go,”] shoving the pilot forward. At that moment, the airplane’s intercom came on.

[“This is the captain. I have an announcement... Our plane has been hijacked.”]

The captain’s shaky voice stirred murmurs of panic throughout the cabin. The tall white man swiftly yanked the curtain open.

[“Quiet! Not a sound!”]

Instantly, the economy section fell silent, as if doused with cold water. Al had suspected they were hijackers, but hearing it confirmed made him realize just how terrible this situation really was.

[“From now on, you’ll follow our orders. If you comply, no one will get hurt. But if you shout or defy us, you’ll be shot on the spot.”]

Watching the tall man’s back as he barked orders, Al thought. If there had been only one hijacker, he might have been able to fight, even in his injured state. He could have flown at the hand holding the gun... But then Akira’s words flashed through his mind.

'Use your judgment to figure out what’s dangerous and what isn’t!'

There were three hijackers. There was no way Al could take them all on by himself. Worse, he might provoke unnecessary violence if he acted rashly. Instead of blindly charging ahead, he needed to think of a way to ensure everyone’s safety and get out of this situation alive.

[“W-why are you doing this?!”]

A voice from the economy section, likely belonging to an older man, called out. The tall man pointed his gun toward the passenger.

[“You don’t need to know our purpose... You opened your mouth without my permission.”]

[“P-please, don’t shoot!”] the older man stammered, his voice trembling. The hijacker aimed his gun at the seats for an uncomfortable moment, as if taunting them.

[“I’ll let it go this time. But if anyone speaks again without permission, they’ll be killed. If you talk to the people around you, you’ll be killed. If you want to die, go ahead, open your mouth.”]

Not even a whisper was heard after that. The only sound in the cabin was the hum of the plane’s engines.

After thoroughly intimidating the passengers, the hijackers got to work. The Black man ordered the passengers sitting by the windows to pull down the blinds. Then, he handed a large cloth bag to the flight attendants, ordering them to collect all the passengers’ mobile devices—smartphones and tablets. Before they started collecting, the tall man added, [“If we find anyone hiding a device, we’ll kill that person and everyone sitting around them.”]

Once the devices had been collected, the hijackers made sure the power was off on each one, and the tall man placed the bag at the front of the first-class cabin. They had effectively cut off any chance of communication with the outside world.

Next, they began rearranging the passengers, dividing them into groups. The men were seated in the back, the women in the middle, and mothers with children and elderly passengers in the front. They packed the seats from the back forward, leaving about nine rows empty in the front of the economy section.

The tall man stood in the aisle, watching over the passengers with his gun drawn, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation. The shorter man and the Black man retreated to first class, pulling the curtain closed behind them.

Then, from the galley, a slim man dressed in jeans, a jumper, and a balaclava emerged. He was the fourth hijacker. Cautious by nature, this man wore sunglasses over his balaclava.

[“Crow, how’s the situation in the cabin?”]

Al couldn’t believe his ears. That voice was unmistakably female. The fourth hijacker was a woman. Al started to suspect something. Could it be... that woman?

[“Everyone’s behaving themselves,”] the short white man, called Crow, replied, tucking his gun between his stomach and pants. His high-pitched yet raspy voice, like a crow’s caw, suited him perfectly.

[“Hey, Cat. Maybe it’s better if you don’t talk,”] the Black man, known as Dog, grimaced even through his balaclava.

[“You’re too paranoid, Dog. The passengers are all packed into the rear seats, right? That leaves nine empty rows at the front. With that much distance, there’s no way they can hear us,”] Cat responded.

Al was certain now. This woman was cautious about her voice being heard. After all, the economy section didn’t just have passengers; it also housed the co-pilot and other flight attendants. Even with her face and eyes hidden by a balaclava and sunglasses, her voice could give her away. There was no doubt. The woman called Cat was none other than Sharon, the flight attendant who had initially been a hostage.

[“How many passengers are there in total?”] Crow asked Cat.

[“According to the manifest, there are exactly eighty. Add the flight attendants, the captain, and the co-pilot, and it’s eighty-six. So, what about the boss?”]

[“He’s in the cockpit. With just the captain in there, the boss can handle it on his own. I’ll check in regularly, and if anything happens, we’ll get notified by intercom.”]

From their conversation, it seemed there was another person—the boss—among the hijackers.

[“So, as planned, we’re heading to Guyana?”]

[“Yeah, that’s right.”]

Al’s ears perked up. Their original destination had been Los Angeles. If they were really heading to Guyana, a small country in South America, it meant the hijackers had changed the plane’s course. Were they planning to defect? But if that were the case, they could just travel to Guyana legally. What exactly were these hijackers after?

[“I’ll go check on the cockpit.”]

With that, Crow muttered, [“Peace Angel,”] and hooked his index finger into a claw shape. Cat repeated, [“Peace Angel,”] doing the same gesture and hooking her finger with Crow’s. The Black man, Dog, also joined in, linking his finger with theirs. It seemed to be a signal between them.

After Crow left for the cockpit, the tall man, who had been on guard, pulled back the curtain.

[“Dog, come help. Someone needs to use the bathroom, and I can’t keep an eye on them alone.”]

Dog responded, [“Okay, Giraffe,”] and headed out of the curtain. Al was somewhat relieved to hear that passengers were being allowed to use the bathroom. For adults, the thought of wetting themselves would be mentally unbearable.

Al mentally reviewed the hijackers and their code names. There was the unseen boss, the woman called Cat, the Black man Dog, the short, raspy-voiced Crow, and the tall, composed Giraffe. There were at least five of them. Judging by their voices and the parts of their faces Al had glimpsed, he guessed Cat and Dog were likely in their early twenties, while Crow and Giraffe seemed older, possibly in their thirties, given their calm demeanor.

Would the passengers really be released once they reached Guyana? The fact that they were allowing bathroom breaks suggested a possibility. Still, Al couldn’t help but feel anxious about when, or if, they’d ever be freed.

It was fine while the sun was up, but what if they ended up stuck on the plane for an unexpectedly long time? When night fell, if Al transformed from a bat back into a human, it would undoubtedly cause a massive commotion.

As the sun began to set, Al realized he’d need to find a secluded spot to hide before his transformation. In such a confined space as an airplane, the only places he could hide were the galley or the bathroom. But even those weren’t foolproof. The galley was shielded only by a curtain, and anyone could walk into the bathroom at any moment.

Just then, the door to the cockpit creaked open. Someone stepped out—a burly man in a balaclava. It was the first time Al had seen him. This had to be the fifth hijacker, the boss. He was about six feet tall (183 cm) and appeared to be a white man in his fifties, judging by the look of his eyes and mouth.

[“Boss, how are the negotiations going?”] Cat hurried over to him.

The boss sighed lightly and crossed his arms.

[“No word yet on either the release of Angel or our asylum in Guyana. They’re stalling, hoping we’ll wear out and give in. But I’m not going to let this drag out. I told them if we don’t get a response within the hour, we’ll start killing five passengers for every ten minutes they delay.”]

Angel was the cult leader currently making headlines after being sentenced to death. This hijacking was meant to secure Angel’s release. That meant all the hijackers here were likely followers of the cult as well.

Al shuddered. The cult in question had committed multiple murders. Angel had been arrested for murder, and his followers were likely just as capable of killing. These weren’t idle threats—they might actually start killing people.

The boss glanced at his watch.

[“Forty minutes left until the deadline.”]

[“Now we just wait... Boss, don’t I get a gun?”] Cat asked.

The boss nodded.

[“We only have four guns. That’s all we could fit in the wheelchair. If there are only a few, it’s better they’re with those who know how to use them. I’ll lend you this.”]

The boss pulled a small knife from his jacket.

[“Stay here as much as possible. Let the others handle the details. Even in disguise, your voice might give you away.”]

The boss made the “Peace Angel” gesture again, and Cat hooked her finger with his before taking the knife.

The boss returned to the cockpit, and Crow, with his raspy voice, re-emerged into the cabin. It seemed the boss and Crow were taking turns watching over the captain.

Watching Crow’s gun, haphazardly tucked into the waistband of his jeans, Al recalled Martha and Henry’s conversation before the flight. They had mentioned a strange-looking wheelchair being brought onto the plane. If the boss’s words about the guns being hidden in the wheelchair were true, the hijackers must have posed as wheelchair athletes to smuggle the weapons on board.

Security at the airport is tight. There are visible police officers everywhere, and baggage inspections are thorough. Even if they hid the guns in the wheelchair, how could they have gotten past all that? But the fact that the guns were brought onboard means they managed to do it.

The tall Giraffe returned to first class. It seemed that Giraffe and the Black man, Dog, were taking turns guarding the passengers. Giraffe sat down in one of the spacious first-class seats, right next to Al’s basket.

[“Hey, Giraffe, make sure to tell Dog not to waste any bullets. Ammunition is precious,”] said Cat.

[“I’m sure he already knows that without needing to be told,”] Giraffe responded, his voice tired as he looked up.

[“But he tends to get reckless sometimes, and it worries me.”]

After a brief silence, Giraffe suddenly asked, [“What happened to Rabbit and Bird?”] Those were animal-related code names. Al wondered if there were even more hijackers onboard with those names, separate from the five he had already identified.

[“After they got what we needed through the security checkpoint, they claimed they weren't feeling well and left early,”] Cat shrugged.

[“Wouldn’t that just make them look suspicious?”]

[“It won't take long to find out who was working at that security checkpoint. Better to get away quickly.”]

It was now clear that an airport insider had helped the hijackers smuggle the gun-concealing wheelchair onto the plane. No matter how strict security was, such insider assistance would render it useless.

[“I thought it would be much harder to get the guns onboard,”] Giraffe muttered.

[“We had an ally among the security staff. Otherwise, it would've been impossible. It's a good thing we planted someone back when Angel was arrested, just in case,”] Cat explained.

Giraffe fell silent again, and Cat didn't continue the conversation. About ten minutes later, Dog called for Giraffe, who got up and walked toward the economy section. Once Giraffe disappeared behind the curtain, Crow called out to Cat.

[“That guy's still as unreadable as ever, huh?”] Crow whispered, careful not to be overheard.

[“He's just quiet, that's all,”] Cat responded.

[“And yet, he's Angel's man and the third in command of the cult?”] Crow sneered.

[“Don't be crude. He's Angel's 'vessel,'”] Cat replied, clearly annoyed.

Despite Cat's displeasure, Crow continued bad-mouthing Giraffe. He ranted about how Giraffe didn't properly understand Angel's teachings, how his posture was disrespectful during sermons, and how it was unfair that Giraffe received special treatment just because of his looks and his status as Angel's 'vessel.' Crow's complaints flowed endlessly, like water from a broken faucet.

When it was time for his shift change, Crow headed for the cockpit, leaving Cat to sigh dramatically. As soon as Crow was out of sight, she muttered under her breath, [“That's why you'll always be just a 'foot soldier.'”]

The boss, now swapping shifts with Crow, came into first class. Dog returned as well, having finished his turn.

The boss looked stern as he entered. Cat stood up from her seat and asked anxiously, [“What's the response from them?”]

[“They've agreed to release Angel. But Guyana has refused to let us enter. They don't want another Jim Jones situation. It infuriates me that they'd compare us to those fanatics,” the boss said, visibly angry.

Jim Jones was the infamous leader of a cult that led his followers to a mass suicide in the jungles of Guyana. The mention of Jones triggered a memory for Al. Jones had established his own kingdom in Guyana, which became the setting for a horrific mass suicide .

To Al, there wasn't much difference between Jim Jones and Angel, but it seemed the boss saw things differently.

[“But we already have followers in Guyana, ready to welcome Angel. If only we could land the plane... Is there no way around this?”] Cat pressed.

The boss crossed his arms and closed his eyes, deep in thought.

[“We'll keep negotiating, but it might take time for Guyana to give us permission. In the meantime, we'll land at a Texas airport... and we'll make it clear that we'll convey our will through death,”] the boss declared solemnly. It was obvious that the deaths he referred to would not be their own but the passengers'.

[“Who are we going to kill first?”] Dog eagerly leaned forward.

[“It doesn't matter... As long as they're not followers of Peaceful House, everyone else is expendable.”]

[“Can I pick who to kill then?”] Dog asked, sounding as if he was ready to rush into the economy section and start shooting.

The boss held him back. [“Wait. There's an order to things. Those who don't understand Angel's teachings will come at us like vermin. Angel was captured because of those vermin. We need to handle this carefully, without provoking them.”]

The boss pulled out a Polaroid photo from his jacket's breast pocket. Al couldn't see what it depicted, but Dog leaned in and let out a small gasp.

[“Nicely done, isn’t it?”] Cat said, looking pleased with herself.

[“We've got it saved as data too, but that can be traced. Using an analog method like this is safer,”] the boss said, rummaging through the bag of collected devices. He pulled out an old flip phone, which was now a rare sight. Al realized why the boss had chosen it—it was an older model, and many of its owners likely didn't bother to set a lock on it. Even a stranger could use it if it wasn't locked.

Sure enough, the phone didn't have a lock. The boss turned it on and used his camera to take a picture of the Polaroid.

[“Once we land, I'll send this photo to the airport authorities. They'll panic over the fake, and we'll be able to get what we want. We'll have the upper hand.”]

It wasn't clear what exactly they were plotting with the photo, but the boss was clearly scheming something. He pocketed the phone and checked his watch.

[“We'll be landing in about fifteen minutes,”] he announced before returning to the cockpit. Dog also left, saying he was going to inform Giraffe. Cat sat down opposite the seat where the bag of phones was stored, moved close to the window, and opened the blinds just a crack to peek outside. After a moment, she adjusted her position, sat back down, and fastened her seatbelt.

[“This is the captain speaking. We will be landing in approximately ten minutes. Please fasten your seatbelts,”] a tense male voice came over the intercom.

After the short announcement, the cabin buzzed with murmurs of anticipation.

[“Everyone, put on your seatbelts!”]

At Dog's command, the sound of seatbelts clicking into place filled the cabin. Soon after, the descent of the plane became noticeable, and the aircraft began to shake. Al curled up tightly in the bottom of his basket. Suddenly, there was a loud thud. The basket bounced, and Al's body was thrown up and down. Gravity pulled violently, tipping the basket over, and Al was flung out, rolling under the seat and crashing into a nearby wall.

The intense shaking rattled his head and internal organs, and the impact re-fractured bones that had just begun to heal. Al let out a soft whimper, but the roar of the reverse thrust drowned out the sound, making it impossible for Cat, seated at the front, to hear him.

As tears welled up in his eyes from the pain, the plane grew quiet. The engine noise ceased. The aircraft had fully landed at the Texas airport.

There was a metallic click as Cat, seated in the front row, stood up. She walked toward the economy section and peeked through a gap in the curtain to check on the situation. Apparently reassured by what she saw, she returned to her seat with a sigh of relief.

The plane had been hijacked shortly after leaving Chicago. Although the destination was supposed to be Guyana, they had been forced to land at a Texas airport after being refused entry into Guyana. Distance-wise, Texas was closer than Los Angeles, the original destination. Without a watch, it was hard to tell the time, but based on a rough estimate, it was likely around 3 PM. That meant there were about three and a half hours left until sunset—three and a half hours before Al's transformation. Would everyone be released by then? Everything hinged on whether Guyana would accept the hijackers' demands.

In case negotiations dragged on past sunset, Al realized he needed to move to the back of the plane and hide, either in the galley or one of the rear bathrooms. Dog and Giraffe were guarding the economy section. They had already checked the galley and bathrooms for people earlier, so they were unlikely to recheck multiple times. If he was lucky, he might avoid being discovered.

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