Caliph
4

American Airlines, Flight 11, September 11, 2001

It was a morning flight, but the plane had almost full. Many people had to fly this morning. They went to their business destination as their busy day was beginning.

Andrew Cole, one of the passengers, smiled back at the flight attendant who greeted him. Andrew sat in the cabin and the flight attendant immediately offered him a hot drink and a newspaper.

“Yes, please, thank you,” replied Cole.

“Of course, sir.” Said the flight attendant while not stopping smiling.

The stewardess was beautiful and looked very young. Andrew couldn’t stop staring at the woman. Suddenly he felt an elbow in his arm.

“Relax, my friend.” Said the person who followed him.

Carlos, Andrew’s friend who had elbowed him, smiled mockingly.

“Ah, you hypocrite.” Andrew scoffed back.

“At least I’m not as obvious as you were looking at that flight attendant,” Andrew replied.

“Admit it, you’re interested too, right?”

“Yeah, who wouldn’t be interested? That woman is so beautiful and young.”

“Then there’s no need to be nosy.”

“At least give me a chance.”

“Remember your wife”

“Hey, look who’s talking!”

A few moments later, Andrew again called the flight attendant earlier.

“Yes sir? Is there anything I can help with?” asked the flight attendant.

“Can I have a cup of coffee, please?” Andrew asked.

“Of course, sir. Please wait a moment.” The flight attendant replied with a smile, then walked off to the cabin kitchen.

“You never give up, do you?” Carlos said.

“How do you think I can beat girls?” said Andrew.

“You didn’t forget a gift for your wife?”

“Will never. He will be very happy.”

“If only he knew what you were doing here.”

“You’re no better than me either.”

The flight attendant came with Andrew’s coffee.

“Thank you, Miss,” Andrew said.

“No problem, sir. If you need anything else, please call me.” The flight attendant replied.

“Sure, that’s for sure.”

The flight attendant never stopped smiling.

“Hey, look buddy!” Carlos interrupted, pointing at the newspaper he was reading.

“What?” Andrew looks annoyed that his attempts to seduce the flight attendant are interrupted by Carlos.

“Look, you must be interested in this.” Carlos insisted.

“What?” Andrew repeated.

“The Composite Stock Price Index continues to skyrocket. We’ll be rich, mate!”

“Oh yes?” Andrew became interested.

The two of them then looked at the news in the newspaper, then laughed a moment later.

“Hey,” Carlos said a moment later.

They had long since stopped reading the paper and laughing.

“What?” said Andrew.

“You feel weird, don’t you?”

“Do you? Why?”

“Since then no more flight attendants are walking here anymore.”

“So what?”

“Usually, flight attendants never stop pacing during flights.”

“Ah, don’t think too much about it.”

“But it still feels weird.”

Not long after, Carlos’ suspicions began to be proven. Indeed, this time people were walking back and forth.

But they do not walk around to offer or serve the passengers. They seemed to be watching everyone who was sitting.

And they weren’t flight attendants either, but Arab-looking men.

Andrew looked around. He wondered what was going on. But none of the Arab-looking men made a sound. Other passengers did not seem to understand what was going on at this time.

“What’s this actually about?” asked Carl.

“Are you seriously asking me?” Andrew asked back.

“Usually you’re the one who knows when something weird happens.”

“Forget it, I don’t even know what’s going on right now.”

“Hey, Andrew.”

“What?”

“Either this is just how I feel, or you feel that way too.”

“So what?”

“Looks like this plane is changing direction.”

Andrew was silent for a moment. He tried to understand Carlos’ words. It wasn’t long before he felt the same way and agreed with Carlos’ words.

“Yeah, I feel that way too.”

“What is going on?”

“I share the same question!”

“Should we call someone?”

“Call who?”

“I don’t know, anyone who knows the situation here?”

“I don’t see any flight attendant in here.”

“Can we go to the cockpit?”

“What? Are you insane?”

“At least we can see the pilot in there.”

“Maybe you are right. But…”

“But what?”

“Is it just we or does everyone think the same?”

“About this plane changing direction? Yes, for sure! I’m sure that everyone thinks the same!”

Andrew rose from his seat. He did that after several times pressing the button to call the flight attendant but there was no response. He looked around to replace someone to ask. But no flight attendants around there. Not even a flight crew. Andrew saw other passengers start to talk to each other. He’s sure that they feel the same with him.

“Master, return to your seat.” Said one of the Arab-looking men.

“Who are you?” Andrew asked.

“I’m in charge of this plane.” The Arab answered.

“Excuse me?” Andrew didn’t get it.

“I ask you to return to your seat.”

“And who you are to give me command like that?”

“As I said, I’m in charge.”

“Sorry, I need a flight attendant’s help,” Andrew replied.

“At the moment the flight attendants are unable to help you.” Answered the Arab face in English mixed with a Middle Eastern accent.

“Why? Is there any problem?”

“Once again, I ask that you return to your seats.”

“Or what?” Andrew stepped forward to challenge the Arab face.

Unexpectedly, another Arab ambushed Andrew and knocked him down. Andrew was locked motionless on the floor by the Arab’s martial arts technique.

Some of the passengers reacted and got up from their seats to attack the Arabs. But they soon found a similar fate with Andrew.

“Listen, for the good of all of you, it’s best if you don’t do something you’ll regret.” An Arab gave his ultimatum to all passengers.

“What’s this? Who are you guys? What is going on?” asked a female passenger, hysterically.

“Also not allowed to ask. Now all of you shut up in your seats, or we will have to take further action. Trust me, you wouldn’t want us to do that.” replied the Arab.

All the passengers groaned, but they had no choice but to follow the Arab’s words. Some of them looked outside the windows. They found out that the plane didn’t go to their destination.

United Airlines Flight 175, September 11, 2001

The plane started its flight with no one predicting what will happen next. They just sit and hoped to go to their destination. But the situation fifteen minutes after the take-off changed everything. The passengers were in panic. The plane was taken from the pilot. The person who took over the plane gave the announcement from the cockpit.

“Dear passengers, this is your captain speaking. Your previous captain has withdrawn from this flight. I am in charge now and I want to announce to you that this plane must change its direction. We will go to New York. You will help us to do a crucial mission. It will be a holy mission for us all. Maybe you don’t realize it, but you are all full of sin. Today, you must pay for all of your sins. You will pay for all you did in Iraq. It is a chance for you to erase your sin. Maybe Allah will forgive you after this. Or maybe not. But this is your destiny. You can’t escape. It’s the consequence because of you and your government. We will go together to a better place for us, but maybe not for you.”

The passengers looked at each other. They tried to understand what happened.

“Is this a joke?” asked a passenger.

“I hope so. But it’s not funny.” Another passenger replied.

“I think so. Maybe it’s a kind of a TV show.”

“Yes, a reality show to make us panic. They hide some cameras around here.”

“But planes do not have cameras. It can disturb the plane system.”

In the middle of their conversation, someone pointed at the window.

“Are we changing direction?” he asked.

All of them looked out the window. After a moment, they realized that the plane changed its direction. Panic screams spread through the plane.

The plane was in chaos. Some passengers have made phone calls via the plane’s telephone service to let the outside world know that some people have hijacked their plane. But no network or services can be accessed.

Some Arab-faced men appeared. They came without any weapons. Just their bare hands.

“It’s them, stop them!” said a passenger.

Some men attacked the Arabs.

Some other passengers even sprayed pepper spray or tear gas on the hijackers. But unfortunately, they got a stab in their body. The Arabs used knives which used for a meal on the plane.

The hijackers looked very well trained. They carried multifunctional hand tools as well as various kinds of knives and daggers.

The bodies of the passengers lying on the ground looked helpless. Meanwhile, none of the other passengers dared to put up a fight anymore. They surrendered.

The hijackers have warned that fighting back is futile and foolish.

Meanwhile, the passengers felt their plane had turned around.

There was nothing they could do. They were waiting for help, but they doubted it will come soon. Even whether it will come or not.

That was a plane hijack. How come help can come? They were far away in the sky.

They feel their plane flying by reducing altitude. It’s getting lower and lower.

Several passengers looked out the window. It seemed they had entered a city. A city that almost all American know.

While the plane had flown lower.

Where is this?

New York huh?

Why did they bring us here?

So, what’s in front of it?

Seen from the airplane window is a burning tower at the top.

What tower is that?

It looked so familiar.

That tower is… the World Trade Center!

Yes, it is!

And we’re headed there!

All the passengers noticed it immediately. They were flying toward one of the towers of the World Trade Center.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!”

“WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO???”

“LET US GO!!!!”

“WE DON’T KNOW YOU!!!!”

“WHAT’S OUR FAULT????”

Meanwhile, the plane was still at high speed towards the World Trade Center tower.

There was nothing they could do to prevent it. All they can do is pray that this is all just a bad dream.

Some of them regretted why they had to get on this plane this morning.