East

Chapter 22

June 04

At 00:30, Sora started paying more attention to landing aircraft.  After a few minutes a bright light appeared to the south. As it got closer it dissolved in to several lights. This was a large aircraft and she thought that the wheels hanging below it really did make it look like a bird ready to grab on to a wire and rest.

Was this her way out? Surely it would be something smaller. How many people would something like that carry? A lot, she was sure. A picture came to mind of her walking on to the aircraft and hundreds of people looking to see who had interrupted their journey.

Regardless of any future embarrassment, it was time for her contact to appear. Putting the pack on her back she moved closer to the rendezvous point and waited.

***

When they had slowed to a crawl and the end of the runway was in sight, Paul swung the aircraft nose to the left and then turned the beast to the right to head down the adjacent runway. This was their ideal scenario. Once they got to the south end of the runway they would be very close to the perimeter wall that was between them and their passenger.

"One zero three, hold at the south end of the runway and advise if you require assistance."

"One zero three," acknowledged the co-pilot.

They continued slowly south, with Bob craning to see the wall out of the window.

"Cargo ties?" suggested Paul.

Bob agreed and disappeared to gather a couple of the straps used to secure cargo. Straps over his shoulder, he took a handheld radio that they used to communicate on the ground amongst the crew. He descended to the main deck and found the panel in the floor that gave access to the aircraft radios and electronics below. With the panel opened, he dropped the straps in to the darkness and followed them down using ladder attached to the wall. At the bottom of the ladder he moved to the center of the aircraft and stood next to a hatch in the floor. He clipped the radio to his belt and put the ear-piece in his left ear. 

"Paul, this is Bob. I'm ready."

"Standby. Thirty seconds. Be careful."

Steadying himself against the rack of equipment, he waited.

He felt the aircraft slowing to a stop and then felt the lack of forward motion.

"Bob. Go, go, go."

"On my way."

He knelt and opened the hatch. Below him he saw the concrete of Seoungnam. As the aircraft taxi lights were extinguished, he pushed the straps out and lowered the ladder, then climbed down, dropping the last few feet to the ground. The aircraft was facing to the south and he saw the wall to his left. Where was the door? He scooped the straps over his shoulder again and moved toward the wall. At the wall he decided to move to his right. He followed the wall and it didn't take long to see where the material changed and had replaced the old gate. He saw the door.

Try the obvious first, he told himself. He looked for a handle and any devices that might signal his presence to the authorities. He didn't see any electronics, but he did see a large chain and padlocks securing the door. He would have to use the straps.

The wall was about ten feet tall and the straps were twelve feet long. He fastened the ends of two straps together. Coiling one end, he started to windmill his arm to put some force behind the throw and lofted the strap over the wall.

***

Sora watched as the aircraft she had seen land disappeared behind the wall and away from her. Two minutes later she heard a noise getting louder and saw the top of the aircraft reappear, this time toward her. It stopped, facing in her direction. This had to be for her, she thought. Another two minutes and an object appeared over the top of the wall. What was it? A rope?