Chapter Two

After the plane had reached 30,000 feet, and five hours into the flight, Jeffrey and his father were controlling the plane by driving it. They were both together in the cockpit talking to each other as they were driving the plane. There are over 250 passengers on the flight. Jeffrey was still nervous. Jeffrey sighed as he was focusing on driving the plane.

Jeffrey (while driving the plane) heard one of the flight attendants named Yolanda Rodriguez walking into the cockpit and she asked if Jeffrey or his father wanted anything to eat or drink. "Oh, I'm good. I am too nervous to eat," says Jeffrey. "I'll have water, and a sandwich," says Gus. Yolanda nods her head and she steps out of the cockpit. Jeffrey took another deep breath and he said, "Mom would be so proud of me right now," says Jeffrey.

"Jeff, let's not talk about your mom right now," answered Gus.

Jeffrey (as he was sitting in his seat and driving the plane) didn't say another word. He looked at his father and Jeffrey sighed. Gus wasn't looking at Jeffrey. Jeffrey just decided not say another word even if he wanted to. So Jeffrey faces the windshield of the plane.

"I am sorry Jeff. I didn't mean to get on to you like that," says Gus.

"It's fine," says Jeff, in a furious tone of voice.

Jeffrey knew that if he talked about his mother to Gus, it would hurt Gus. But Jeffrey wanted to talk about his mother. Jeffrey wished his mother had not left him and his father when Jeff was only fifteen years old. As Jeff had been trying to get his father to tell him why his mother left him and Gus, he would understand. Jeffrey and Gus were about to go through turbulence.

So Jeffrey spoke into the radio and had to warn the passengers to fasten their safety belts and to be seated. In order to reassure passengers that the situation is being handled safely, pilots like Jeffrey usually use the intercom to tell passengers to "fasten your seatbelts" and may also provide information about how long the turbulence is expected to last.

They also explain that they are modifying the aircraft's speed or altitude to navigate the turbulent air. Jeffrey can communicate with controllers while in flight using a communication system that uses Very High Frequency (VHF) radio waves to connect radios on airplanes to air traffic control (ATC) facilities on the ground. For long-distance communications, pilots may also use High Frequency (HF) radio systems.

Jeffrey continued to drive the plane and he was looking straight at the window. Then the turbulence began and the plane started to shake. Jeffrey was doing everything he could to keep the plane in control. They'd hit a few clouds while he and his father were driving the plane. Jeffrey continued to control the plane. His heart was beating faster this time. Jeffrey was talking to himself, trying to get himself to calm down. Gus looked at Jeffrey and asked him if he was talking to himself.

"It helps my nerves. I've been that way for years," says Jeffrey.

Gus nods his head. After the turbulence had stopped, Jeffrey sighed. Jeffrey clears his throat. Gus had looked at his son and he asked him if he was okay.

"I am fine, Dad, I am just nervous," says Jeffrey.

Jeffrey exhaled. He turned off the seatbelt sign. In order to notify passengers that it is safe to move around the cabin, pilots like Jefffey usually turn off the "Seatbelt" sign, which is a bright light that is typically placed above the overhead bins. Once the light has been extinguished, Jeffrey may also announce verbally over the intercom that passengers are now free to move around the cabin.

"I have to use the restroom," says Jeffrey. "Can someone take over my spot?" wondered Jeffrey.

"Yeah. I will have Barbin take over. He is a purser, so he can. take your spot for a few minutes," answered Gus.

"Uh, Barbin!" says Gus.

Barbin walks into the cockpit. "Yeah?" Gus says, "Can you take over, my son needs a few minutes' break," says Gus.

"Okay," answered Barbin.

Jeffrey stands up from his seat and he lets Barbin take over. After Barbin sat down in the seat, Jeffrey walked out of the cockpit to use the restroom. After Jeffrey used the restroom, he sighed. Some of the passengers saw Jeffrey come out of the restroom. Jeffrey (after stepping out of the restroom) walks to Yolanda and he asks her if he could take water with him before heading back into the cockpit.

"Sure," answered Yolanda.

Jeffrey as he was standing there behind the cockpit waiting for his water, another flight attendant named Alexis Morne, was checking the overhead compartment to be sure passengers were following the luggage protocol. Alexis will occasionally glance at them and may need to access them if necessary to address issues like improperly secured luggage, misplaced items, or to ensure passengers are following safety guidelines regarding baggage placement.

After Alexis had asked a passenger to check their luggage due to being secured, the man named Sawn Hunts, and nobody knows he is a criminal. Everyone thinks that Sawn is just a normal passenger like everyone else. Until Jeffrey heard all the passengers scream. Jeffrey immediately walks down the aisle in the middle of the plane.

"Bomb! The guy is wearing a bomb!," shouted one passenger.

All the passengers were all scared. Jeffrey was in shock at what he was seeing. Sawn was standing in the aisle pointing a gun at Alexis. Jeffrey doesn't know how in the world Sawn had been able to bring a bomb on the plane. Including the handgun he was carrying. Jeffrey was trying not to panic. Jeffrey was really scared. Jeffrey was telling the passengers in a gentle tone of voice to calm down, and that everything's gonna be okay. Jeffrey felt this weird sensation in his stomach due to the nerves. Jeffrey swallowed nervously as he heard himself gulp. He took a deep breath and he closed his eyes for a minute and thought that once he opened that all of this was just a dream.

But after Jeffrey opened his eyes, he knew he was in danger, and that it was not a dream. Once Jeffrey had noticed the bomb on Sawn's chest, the countdown of the bomb was going down really fast, and Jeffrey was trying to calm himself. Sawn was angry. Jeffrey was gently talking to Sawn telling him that everything's gonna be okay. Sawn had the gun pointing at Jeffrey.

"Get away from me!" shouted Sawn in an angry tone of voice.

Jeffrey took another deep breath. He could not believe what he was witnessing.

"What is your name?" asked Jeffrey.

"Sawn. Sawn Hunts," answered Sawn.

"Okay Sawn, I am Jeffrey. I am the pilot on this plane. Ca-can you tell me why you're doing this?" says Jeffrey.

"Because I know all about you and your father," answered Sawn, angrily. 

Jeffrey continues to be scared and he slowly walks back down the aisle. Sawn continued pointing his gun at Jeffrey. "What are you doing?" wondered Sawn. Jeffrey stops walking. "I am not gonna do anything," answered Jeffrey. Sawn was angry. Sawn then pointed the gun at Alexis and Alexis screamed, begging Sawn not shoot her. Sawn was not facing Jeffrey this time. Jeffrey then slowly took a few steps back and he quietly turned around, and slowly. Jeffrey then slowly opened the door of the cockpit, and he immediately walked into the cockpit.

"Dad! DAD!" shouted Jeffrey.

"What?" says Gus. Gus was facing the window of the airplane.

"Dad? I'd just witnessed a passenger with a bomb," says Jeffrey.

Gus turned around in shock, facing Jeffrey.

"What?!" says Gus, furiously.

Jeffrey nods his head.

"Yeah. A bomb. He's wearing a bomb vest," answered Jeffrey.

"How in the world was he able to wear a bomb vest on this plane? asked Gus.

"He also has a gun," answered Jeffrey.

Gus sighed. "Okay. How about Barbin here who goes to talk to him. What is his name," says Gus.

"Sawn," answered Jeffrey.

"Sawn? Sawn Hunts?" wondered Gus.

"Yeah," answered Jeffrey.

"Okay. Okay." Gus began to get nervous.

"Sawn Hunts? He was accused of bombing an elementary school six months ago, in Connecticut. The FBI was never able to find him," says Barbin.

Jeffrey swallows nervously. "Dad? Sawn says he knows you and me," says Jeffrey. "Does he know us?" wondered Gus. "Yeah," answered Jeffrey. "Okay," says Gus. Until Sawn walked up to Jeffrey and pointed the gun behind his head where Jeffrey heard the gun cock. Jeffrey lifted his hands slowly and Sawn sighed. "You'd better go in there, and drive the plane, Jeffrey, I will have your father here to explain to me why he killed my wife," says Sawn. Jeffrey swallowed nervously once again. Jeffrey was praying he wouldn't get shot. He closes his eyes and opens them.

"You're gonna die because of what your father did to my beautiful Anna," says Sawn.

Jeffrey immediately went into the cockpit after Sawn had pointed the gun behind his head. Barbin had to move from his seat to let Jeffrey sit in his seat. "You," says Sawn as he points his gun at Barbin. "Come with me," says Sawn. Barbin walked up to Sawn and Sawn grabbed Barbin by his arm and pulled him out of the cockpit.

Sawn made Barbin sit down in one of the empty passenger seats in the front of the plane. Jeffrey had to drive the plane while feeling scared because he was under pressure trying to make sure his passengers were protected by this guy who had a bomb on him and a gun. Gus was also driving the plane.

"Dad?" says Jeffrey. Gus looked at Jeffrey. "What did he mean that you hurt his wife," says Jeffrey, looking at the window paying attention to him driving the plane. Gus takes a deep breath and says, "I don't know," says Gus.

Sawn came back into the cockpit and he pointed the gun at Gus and Gus noticed the timer on Sawn's explosive belt, as he turned his head a bit, and then faced the window of the plane. Jeffrey was trying to breathe and making sure that he didn't make things worse for himself, his father, and his passengers. Jeffrey took a deep breath and exhaled his breath.

"You are gonna pay for what you did to Anna. My beautiful Anna. She was the light of my life," says Sawn, continuing to point his gun at Gus.

"Sawn, I don't know what you're talking about," says Gus.

"You sure do. Do not lie to yourself and you know what you did," answered Sawn.

Sawn's breath was shaking. "Okay. Sawn, I don't know what happened to your wife, but I am not the one who hurt her," says Gus.

Jeffrey was trying to find a way to speak into the radio to alert the air traffic control about the bomb. Jeffrey kept looking down at the radio and he kept overhearing Gus talking to Sawn about how he didn't know his wife and wouldn't hurt her. "You killed my Anna," says Sawn, in a shaky voice. Jeffrey wonders why his father wouldn't tell Sawn the truth. "Dad. Just tell him the truth," says Jeffrey. "What do you mean?" says Gus. Sawn pointed the gun at Jeffrey then back at Gus. "I think you know what he is talking about, Dad. I think you know what he is talking about," says Jeffrey.

"I don't know, I swear," says Gus, looking at Sawn after he looked at Jeffrey.

Jeffrey took another deep breath and he quietly and softly exhaled. "You've got two hours until this bomb goes off. And in the meantime, you can talk to me when you're ready to tell me why you killed my wife. Gus. Or otherwise, you and your son and all your precious passengers are going to die," says Sawn.

Gus didn't know what to say after that. Sawn walks out of the cockpit, and he shuts the door. Jeffrey said to his father why he wouldn't tell Sawn the truth. "Because I don't know what he is talking about, Jeffrey. I don't remember being with his wife," says Gus. "Okay. I'm gonna go ahead and talk to the air traffic control. I have to alert them that there is a bomb on the plane," says Jeffrey.

Gus continued looking at the window and driving the plane. "Okay," answered Gus. Jeffrey nervously grabbed the two-way radio and spoke to air traffic control. "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is Flight 5525 we have a bomb on board, we need immediate assistance," says Jeffrey.

Nobody says anything. Static electricity was being sounded on the radio. "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, this is flight 5525, do you copy?" says Jeffrey. Nobody says a word once again.

"They're not answering," says Jeffrey, putting away the two-way radio. Jeffrey sighed.

"We need to figure out a way to find a solution to this," says Jeffrey.

"I know. And we're gonna have to do it fast," says Gus.

Jeffrey nods his head. "Yeah. But if the Air Traffic Control isn't responding. All I hear is static on the radio," says Jeffrey.

Gus sighed. "Okay. We just need to figure out where to land," says Gus.

"We are like five hours in, is it possible we can find somewhere to land," says Jeffrey, panicking.

"Jeffrey. It's alright. Just try to stay calm. The more you panic, the worse this will get. We will find a way to stop this," says Gus.

"Dad. The bomb goes off in two hours," says Jeffrey.

"I know." Gus sighed. "Barbin is sitting in the passenger's seat, and the guy won't let him come out of his seat. But I think..." until Sawn comes into the cockpit once again and interrupts Gus's conversation with Jeffrey. Jeffrey exhales his breath.

"Aw. You look scared, son," says Sawn to Jeffrey. "What's the matter? Are you scared, son? Do not be scared. I am doing everyone a favor," says Sawn. Jeffrey doesn't say anything back to Sawn. Just about an hour after the plane departed, Sawn somehow brought a bomb onto the plane. Jeffrey is hoping to survive this nightmare. Jeffrey was paying attention to him controlling the plane by driving it. Jeffrey asked himself over and over again how Sawn brought a bomb onto the plane. Sawn was sitting on the floor in the cockpit with his gun lying next to him and he was talking to Jeffrey and Gus about how much Anna meant to him before she died.

Gus still doesn't understand who Anna was and what Sawn meant about Gus having hurt her. But Gus was trying to stay calm through the whole thing. Jeffrey was trying to figure out where to make an emergency landing. Jeffrey sighed. He was still scared. Gus decided to talk to Sawn about Anna. Until Sawn told him to be quiet. Jeffrey then knew that his life was about to be ruined. But praying to God, he, his father, and other innocent passengers will land safely.

But Jeffrey could not find anywhere to land. They were over the Atlantic Ocean, where water was only seen. Jeffrey knew that he was in the middle of nowhere, and how he would be able to get a hold of traffic control if they are need of an emergency.

So after Sawn went back inside the cockpit, Jeffrey tried to get a hold of traffic control, he sighed and he felt even more scared. He has lots of passengers to deal with. Sawn hints that Jeffrey's father played a role in Anna's death, or at least knows more than he is letting on. He might not have been her killer but could have covered up the crime or profited from her death. This new information could create conflict between Jeffrey and his father, forcing Jeffrey to confront his father in a deeply emotional and desperate situation.

In accordance with standard protocol, Jeffrey would initially attempt to diagnose the radio malfunction, switch frequencies, and reach out to nearby aircraft. Jeffrey would switch through various radio channels, including the emergency frequency 121.5 MHz, to see if he could reach anyone. He will broadcast his aircraft's identification, location, the nature of the emergency, and intentions, broadcasting "in the blind" if necessary. Jeffrey will immediately set the plane's transponder code to 7500. This is the international distress code for unlawful interference, and it will trigger an alert at any radar facility that can detect the aircraft, letting them know the plane has been hijacked even if radio contact isn't established. 

If Jeffrey suspects a catastrophic systems failure has taken out all ground communication, he will prepare for a military fighter jet interception. He will follow standard interception signals, such as rocking the wings, to acknowledge the interceptor and signal his compliance with their instructions. And the steps go on from there. Jeffrey knew what he had to do. So after Jeffrey tried to get a hold of everyone—no luck. It is a race against time. So Sawn continues to argue with Gus who asked him over and over again why he killed his wife. Gus was wondering who Sawn may think he's the one who killed his wife and not anyone else. Jeffrey as he was trying to get a hold of traffic control once again while speaking into the radio, still had no signal from the traffic control department, and Jeffrey sighed. Jeffrey was trying to be really quiet and careful.

"Why did you kill my wife, Gus?!" Sawn asked. He had his gun pointed at Gus once again. "Look, I know you're angry. Let's just talk and we will figure it out." Gus said. Jeffrey looked at his dad and he could tell he had something on his mind. "Dad," Jeff said. "Jeff, it's okay. We will just do whatever he wants us to do. Okay?" Gus said, quietly. Jeffrey looked at Sawn and he nodded his head after looking back at his father. Jeffrey told himself no matter what, he's going to find a way to get help. Everyone is in danger, including his father and himself.