Chapter 3
Fran and Bill did not talk as the plane flew on over the open water below. There was nothing to say. In the seat behind, Liz slept on still unaware of what was happening to them. They felt it best not to wake her. For, after all, what good would it do? Like the few other passengers who were now aware that the plane would land in some place other than Miami, they sat rigid in their seats and waited. The subtle, but obvious now, presence of the hijackers, led by the man who had stood and looked so long and hungrily at Fran, enforced a heavy silence on everyone in the first class section as they sat waiting tensely in their seats.
As she felt the plane begin to lose latitude, Fran peered out her window once again. Still nothing but blue water beneath. Soon the no smoking signs went on and the pilot's voice was heard over the loud speaker.
"Please fasten your safety belts and prepare for landing," they heard him say. "We do not expect any problems, but it may be a bit rough. Please remain seated until told to do otherwise."
Fran and Bill looked at each other in fearful anticipation. Fran turned and saw that Liz had been awakened by the pilot's voice.
"Some men have taken over the plane. We're not landing in Miami. But don't worry, they seem very polite and Bill thinks everything will be all right as long as we all cooperate," Fran whispered over the back of her seat to her startled younger sister.
"Did I hear what I think I just heard you say, Fran?" asked Liz leaning forward.
"That's right, Liz. They even have pistols," added Fran.
"But Al's waiting for us at the airport in Miami... " murmured Liz, frightened now.
"Well, he'll have to wait longer, because we're landing somewhere else," answered her sister. "But let's not worry until we find out what they want to do with us."
Fran looked out her window again and saw waves breaking onto a rocky coast with what looked like a flat green jungle behind. Soon she could see what appeared to be an airstrip below. It seemed to be a long slash of red dirt with the green growing close on both sides. She noticed that between the landing strip and the water there was a hill with what appeared to be a large building on it. Then the plane banked and she could see nothing but blue water below again.
The landing seemed routine, although it was slightly bumpy as the pilot had warned that it might be. The plane stopped at the end of the runway and cut its engines. For a minute there was frightened silence, but almost immediately the man who had led Bill back to his seat opened the door from the cockpit and appeared once more at the front of the aisle.
"My name is Ramon, just Ramon," the man said firmly. "Please obey me and you will not be unduly troubled. Now please leave the plane as the stewardesses direct you. Bring along what you have in the cabin here with you, and once outside just follow my men. No talking and no questions please. Everything will be explained to you in a few minutes. But remember to follow the instructions I just gave you exactly. We are all armed and we mean business."
A murmur of surprise and dismay swept the length of the plane, but everyone immediately began to get up and make their way to the exits where the stewardesses were already waiting. Fran watched the Cuban who had called himself Ramon, fascinated, as he turned and disappeared first from the plane.
Bill helped his wife and sister-in-law down the shaky wooden steps that had been pushed up against the aircraft, and once on the ground they could see nothing but the dirt runway surrounded by green vines and banana trees. The passengers ahead of them were already disappearing into the lush greenery onto a narrow trail that seemed to lead off to nowhere. There was no alternative but to follow. They noticed three or four of Ramon's men standing menacingly near the entrance to the trail.
"Oh Bill, where are they taking us?" Fran whispered in a low frightened voice.
"I don't know, honey. But it doesn't look as though we have much choice but to do what they tell us," answered her worried husband.
Liz followed her sister and brother-in-law, stunned at what was happening to her. Al was back there in Miami waiting for her! How she wished that he was here with her now.
As they approached the path that led off into the banana plantation, Fran glanced behind once more. She saw that one of the other passengers, the man who looked like a diplomat, was being hurried away separately by a heavy-set bullet-headed guard with a large German shepherd on a leash.
"What are they going to do with him," she wondered half outloud. She strangely hoped that they would not harm him.
They soon saw that the path they all were following led directly up the hill, and within minutes they found themselves in a beautiful tropical garden dominated by the large building that Fran had noticed from the air. The building appeared to be a slightly dilapidated, but luxurious, old resort hotel. Near the middle of the garden they noticed a large swimming pool, filled and clean. It looked extremely refreshing to Fran after the eventful flight and the strong sun beating down on her felt wonderful, in spite of their precarious flight.
In the garden behind the pool they could see attractive-looking cabanas spread at random through the lush flowers and tropical trees. Ahead was the main entrance to the hotel. They followed the other passengers into the wide front door and found themselves standing in a large open lobby. The hotel looked completely empty except for the group of passengers who waited fearfully with Ramon's men facing them in the middle of the lobby.
The hi-jack leader, himself, was already there. Fran saw his eyes fix on her as soon as she entered. She did not like the hungry way that he stared at her, nor did she care for her own almost sensual reaction to his gaze... afterall, she was a married woman. As soon as all the passengers and crew were assembled in the lobby, the hi-jack leader came forward, staring at them sternly, and spoke in careful English.
"We are sorry to have inconvenienced you," he began, looking more arrogant than sorry, "but it was necessary for us to do so because of one passenger who is no longer among you?you will be assigned rooms and eat as guests in our dining room. Nothing unpleasant will happen to the rest of you; we will try to make you as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, and we hope you will make the best of the situation. But I must warn you that you must not leave the grounds of the hotel for any reason! We hope you will cooperate with us and enjoy your stay." He smiled thinly and added, "My name, for those of you who were asleep when I made the announcement, is Ramon, this is my Lieutenant, Hans." He gestured toward the heavyset man holding the German Shepherd, standing at attention behind him.
Throughout his short speech, Fran felt that the hi-jack leader had been talking directly to her. She had not been able to ignore the way his eyes bored into her everytime she lifted hers. She hoped that Bill had not noticed.
Fran was uncomfortable at what was happening to her. That morning she had been firm and secure, making coffee in the modern kitchen of their comfortable home far away in Cleveland, Ohio. Now she was standing here in this strange place so very far away from all that she was accustomed to. And this handsome man was staring at her more hungrily than she could remember any man ever looking at her before in her life.
She grasped Bill's arm hard, wishing that right now they were being whisked away in her sister's boyfriend's car to their hotel in Ft. Lauderdale instead of being here, at the mercy of these awful men.
When Ramon finished, he directed everybody to the hotel desk to be assigned their rooms. Fran and Bill found that they were to be given one of the cabanas outside just beyond the pool, and that Liz would be occupying a single room adjoining. They took their keys and walked there through the quiet fragrance of the garden.
Bill opened the hand-carved wooden door gingerly and they could see immediately that at least they were going to be very comfortable. It looked as good as any hotel room in which Fran had ever stayed. Their luggage had even been brought there from the plane, for Fran could see their bags resting on carved stands waiting for them at the foot of the immense double bed. The air conditioner had even been turned up, and Fran found it pleasantly cool as she moved to Bill to give him a lingering kiss.
"Bill, darling. This is all like a dream," she said, somewhat in awe.
"More like a nightmare to me," he replied. "But then we certainly can't complain about the accommodations, can we?"
He kissed her back hard and passionately before pulling back.
"I'd better check next door to see if Liz is okay," he said.
"While you're gone, I'm going to freshen up in the shower and get out of this winter dress," Fran said.
"I'd like to freshen you up myself, honey," he countered. "Don't run away, I'll be right back."