Download the Book - Islam and Science Fiction
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second, choose a victim who will evoke <strong>the</strong> greatest emotion, <strong>and</strong><br />
make <strong>the</strong>ir utter helplessness plain to <strong>the</strong>m. He looked his captives<br />
over.<br />
The girl in engineering was already teetering on <strong>the</strong> edge of<br />
helplessness, he judged. He checked his watch impatiently, waiting<br />
for <strong>the</strong> ten minutes to pass, <strong>and</strong> letting her think. It was important that<br />
she think. Rashness wouldn't do. She had to accept that Shahid made<br />
<strong>the</strong> rules, <strong>and</strong> that she must comply to save her friends.<br />
< --- ><br />
Jan pulled a drawer open <strong>and</strong> found a box of killer grapes. She<br />
stared at <strong>the</strong>m for a moment, uncertain of why <strong>the</strong>y held her attention.<br />
"Hussein, did you tell me once that <strong>the</strong>re was some link between killer<br />
grapes <strong>and</strong> explosive bolts?"<br />
"Yeah," Hussein shouted back from across <strong>the</strong> lab. "Same<br />
voltage inverter as we use to set <strong>the</strong>m off. Why?"<br />
"Don't ask, just go find me half a dozen nice big exploding<br />
bolts."<br />
Hussein launched himself from <strong>the</strong> lab as Mike looked up from<br />
his search. "Got an idea?"<br />
Jan nodded as she examined one of <strong>the</strong> orbs. "Cruise grapes. I<br />
had to cut up one of those bolts once. The detonator is tiny, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
explosive is like putty. I think I can rig <strong>the</strong>se things as little bombs."<br />
"I didn't know you were an explosives expert."<br />
"Sure," Jan chuckled. "My uncle used <strong>the</strong>m in construction.<br />
Told me all about <strong>the</strong>m. A couple of times."<br />
"Great," Mike replied dubiously. He glanced at his watch. "And<br />
not much time. No way you could do it before <strong>the</strong>y kill someone.<br />
The bridge crew’s training is to sit tight <strong>and</strong> wait for us to take action,<br />
unless we signal o<strong>the</strong>rwise or fail to signal at all."<br />
Jan slammed her fist against <strong>the</strong> bench. "Jesus, now I know how<br />
Churchill felt when he let <strong>the</strong> Nazis bomb Coventry! If we try to gas<br />
<strong>the</strong> bridge, those bozos will just put on <strong>the</strong>ir masks <strong>and</strong> kill<br />
everybody. Signal our guys to rush <strong>the</strong> hijackers, <strong>and</strong> we’ll lose half,<br />
minimum. Our option is letting <strong>the</strong>m kill a friend while I work on a<br />
new trick. God help me, it's a real clear choice."<br />
"Given any thought to how you'll aim <strong>the</strong>m?" Mike asked.<br />
"One of <strong>the</strong>m, evidently <strong>the</strong> leader, is kind enough to have<br />
himself on an intercom camera," Jan answered. "We try to take him<br />
out, <strong>and</strong> set off a few more charges as distractions. Maybe <strong>the</strong> bridge<br />
crew can take care of <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> problem <strong>the</strong>mselves. Signal to<br />
hang tight <strong>and</strong> stay ready."<br />
< --- ><br />
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