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Tiny got out and picked up the backpacks they’d brought with them They each put one on their shoulders and made their way to the elevator

“Where do you want to start looking for them?” Tiny asked

“If the pilots aren’t in on the torture plan, Taylor ant to keep them as far away from the cockpit as possible”

“That would be the upper deck at the rear The cockpit is on the main deck”

“So we get Eddie and Linc first, and that will double our numbers Then we take the cockpit”

Even if the pilots weren’t party to what Taylor had planned for her guests, they would resist anyone taking control of the plane At the first sign of trouble, they’d head back to Cyprus, where an ar for the intruders when they landed

But breaking into any airliner’s flight deck was extree of terrorism and hijackers The door would be hardened and bulletproof to pistol fire They couldn’t break it down, and the eency code to open it would be useless even if they could find it The pilots would activate the triple locking mechanism as soon as they suspected the plane was under attack

That’s why they had brought thererous to use to sever the bolts Not only could they injure or kill the pilots, they could also dae the instruments and controls

Instead, the charges were strips of thermite powder they could tape to the door When the nylon cords were ripped off, the therh the locks like a blowtorch

The elevator up to the passenger areas was located on the port side of the plane near the midpoint Juan would have preferred stairs, but there weren’t any Using the elevator was a perilous start to their infiltration They wouldn’t be able to tell if anyone aiting at the top of the ride

They had their weapons at the ready as the elevator slowly rose to theopen the door and rushed out, but no one was there

He checked the hallway outside, then gestured for Tiny to follow Juan could see a spiral staircase at the aft end He made his way down the hall while Tiny kept watch on their rear He stopped only long enough to check four small rooms that they passed—they all turned out to be ee

“Wait here until I call for you,” Juan whispered Tiny nodded and kept an eye on the hallway

Juan crept up the spiral stairs, the sound of his steps absorbed by the plush carpeting