~ Island – pacific ~
All the bodies of those prisoners who had died fighting were carried down to the beach, where they were placed next to each other on top of a large bonfire. Everyone who wasn’t too injured was gathered around the pyre watching mournfully; some were weeping. Martin had been elected to be the one to light it. He stepped forwards carrying a large burning stick and gently placed it in the centre, setting it ablaze. They all stood in silence for a minute. After the minutes silence Stan and another man, who was a commercial air pilot, departed and made their way to the planes. Two people were to be flying with them, the two who were most in need of medical attention; Rose and Ben. Rose was unconscious and unaware of her surroundings. Stan needed Ben so that he could force him to confess that he was the mole. He was Stan’s insurance in case the company didn’t believe him.
Sitting themselves in two of the planes, Stan signalled to the other pilot, he taxied out onto the runway facing the complex and accelerated, the plane’s appearance betrayed its engine, and the plane was extremely fast. Within moments he was in the air, banking to the left and aligning to his destination in New York. It was going to be a long flight and he hoped he had enough fuel. Checking behind him, he saw the other pilot had hit the skies just as quickly as he had. Switching on his radio, Stan spoke through his mike on his headset.
‘Do you copy me Lionel?’
‘Loud and clear Stanley.’ The rockets hadn’t reached their targets yet, there might still be hope.
‘Right, then take it from here, you know the way home, I’ll follow your course.’
‘Roger that sir. Over and out.’
Stan slowed down ever so slightly, and waited for Lionel’s plane to shoot past his. He then picked up speed and the two planes shot off into the blue sky, the sun glinting brightly off their cockpit housing.
Unnoticed by everyone else a third plane wheeled its way onto the runway. It paused, expectantly. Inside the cockpit Martin fixed his head set in place, flicked a switch, his father’s last word’s ringing in his ears. “Go to Canada, find your uncle.” He would do as they asked and with that he accelerated down the runway. His plane took to the skies and headed off on a different bearing to the others.
***