“This certainly won’t be a negotiation.” Holmberg looked out the window.
“They’re here to kill you and all of us along with you? Because you’re just a small part of their operation. You played your role, and it’s over?”
“As opposed to what exactly?”
Ramon leaned forward. “Tell me what I need to know about them. Tell me how to destroyDominatusnow, once and for all.I’ll transmit that information to people who will do it. They’ll see this through to the end, and you’ll die knowing you did something good for once.”
“You know nothing about me.”
“I know you don’t want to die. That you’d choose instead to live and go back to your life. That you like things the way they are.” Ramon didn’t know where that came from, but he decided to just go with it. “It isn’t your choice to be traded like this and murdered along with the rest of us. How about, just this once, you defy everything you were taught and step out of line? Take a stand against them.”
“How noble.”
Ramon said, “When death is staring you in the face, maybe nobility is all you have to cling to. Knowing your life meant something, and that you stood for something good. That you saved lives instead of destroying them.”
Holmberg stared at him. Then he looked out the window.
“Think fast. Time is running out.”
At least, that was the impression he was getting.
Ramon glanced at Bear. “How far are we from where we’re going?”
“Not far. Twenty minutes, maybe.”
“Can we outrun these guys?” Dumb question, but it was out of his mouth now. In the space of a few breaths, he’d been wise and stupid.
Maybe he should take his own advice and get his life on the right footing before it ended. Stand for good, and admit that everything Kenna had said about God, sin, and salvation was true.
The airplane shuddered.
Ramon asked Bear, “Turbulence?”
“Only a matter of time before they shoot us down.”
Ramon leaned over and peered out the window. “Those planes are closer now.” Too close for his liking, actually. Would they bump this plane and force it down? “Do we know what they want?”
Bear looked at his phone. “The reply came in.Send a picture of Holmberg dead, and we’ll leave you alone.”
The Norwegian whipped around in his seat. “You lie.”
“See for yourself.” Bear handed over the phone. Holmberg took it awkwardly between his bound hands, and Ramon ended up holding it for him. Which gave him a look at the screen.
Bear had been truthful about the reply.
“They want you dead.” Ramon let Holmberg see the screen for a few moments longer, then tossed the phone back to Bear. “Care to stick it to them in your final moments?”
Let the guy think they planned to agree in order to save themselves.
“You’re going to do it.” Holmberg looked around, his expression pleading. “You’re going to kill me?”
Bear shrugged. “Decide quickly, but I’m not lettingDominatustake any more of my men from me.”
Holmberg glanced across the aisle, at the other guys that Ramon couldn’t see unless he twisted all the way around. His jaw set. His eyes went dark with the knowledge that this was it—decision time. He was facing the end.
But did he go down like a lamb being slaughtered, or did he fight to the end?
“Tell us what we need to know,” Ramon said. “Before we’re all killed.” Sure, it was self-serving, but it was also real life. “We can work something out. Get us all out of this.”
