Airport Examination

The orderly queue had slowly but surely descended into a jostling chaotic snake of passengers. The normal Western reserve had begun to crumble as more and more military vehicles appeared on the airport tarmac and outside the entrance hall. The military coup had come so quickly that even the international news agencies were only just getting the first patchy information. The presidential palace had been stormed and although the world carried on around them things had changed. Everyone in the queue felt the sword of Damocles over their head as if any moment their freedom would be snatched from their grips.

Zoë and Jonathan had arrived just in time. As an engineer working on the great dam Jonathan had somehow been tipped the nod by sympathetic colleagues; revolution was in the air and he and his wife should get out while they could. The roads were almost completely blocked by now, but with the tip off they had managed to get here early enough for a ticket on a plane out.

The pass port control continued its shambolic attempt at security and visa examination acting oblivious to the worried passengers and the flurry of armed soldiers racing to and thro. The military were seizing the complex around them but the two airport staff acted as if this was an everyday occurrence and eyeballed each passenger with suspicion as if to say why should I let you leave today?

“Oh shit” Jonathan said a little radio to his ear. “The news says that they’ve restricted the airspace no more planes in.”

Zoë looked out of the window at their airliner sat on the shimmering runway the pilot no doubt as eager to leave as his queuing passengers. She thanked God they had a ticket. They had been guests of the outgoing regime, here to construct and improve, but technically they were government employees.

“Jon, ” she asked nervously, as out of the corner of her eyes she saw two soldiers dragging a blood covered official.”

“They’ve already started their purges, ” he replied under his breath

One of many that they would round up today no doubt. She surmised.

“Just keep moving forward, ” Jonathan whispered in her ear, the passport check in getting closer and closer.

To the right of them a door opened and a big African man in camouflage uniform appeared. He had guards and what looked like an airport official next to him; and as he stood arms folded Zoë and Jon turned their heads and looked to the ground.

The man looked up and down the queue. These fucking westerners running like rats. So typical! His orders had been to seize the airport. No more no less; but the civilian clothed man next to him had suggested that chaos and mob rule does not come around everyday. The smaller man was a secret police traitor. He had betrayed many of his old colleagues for the sake of the glorious uprising, and now high on fear and adrenaline he wanted to take whatever opportunity arose in this bedlam.

“Explain again?” Said the gruff rebel officer; the smaller older man nodding and pointing.

“There, ” he replied, “I would suggest those two.”

The soldier followed the finger towards a tall late twenties white woman. She was dressed in a gold one piece dress the fabric clinging to her thin frame. She was blonde with shoulder length straight hair, slight black roots under her peroxide tint. She had small tits with a fabulous lithe figure, those long shapely legs down to heeled sandals. Her dark lashed eyes with small deep black pupils had blue massacre framing the sexy piercing stare.

Zoë looked across and caught the return gaze of the soldier and his acquaintance.

“Oh shit” She said looking down again. “What are they doing?”

The officer approached two troopers at his side.

“Miss, Sir, ” he said bowing his head in deference. “Please I need you to come with me.”

“Why? Er we’re due to…”

The officer had already snapped his fingers his guards closing hands on the triggers of their AK 47’s.

The couple began to stutter as the soldiers directed them towards the nearby room. The guards made it clear they would have to move and as passengers looked ominously on the couple were casually but firmly escorted out of the queue.

Once inside the side room they closed the door letting the couple stand there the heat and official attention claustrophobic.

Jon handed over their passports and then carefully but quickly answered their questions.

“Married, yes”

“The dam, we’ve been here 6 months.”

“No I’m not an official of the president, I’m a private contractor.”

The smaller man wiped his brow but did not speak allowing the officer to do the questioning.

Now Zoë had to answer questions.

“No I’ve never met the president, “

“No I know nothing about that.”

“Yes, yes I would like to leave, so would my husband.”

The smaller man suddenly interrupted with his own question.

There was a pause from the bemused couple.

“What?” She replied.

Zoë thought she miss heard, “I don’t…”

He repeated, enunciating clearly.

“Are you a bitch?”

Zoë looked at her husband her feet a little fidgety as she stood in her heels.

“Please we just…” She added trying to negotiate.

“You look like a bitch, ” he added getting up walking towards her.

“Now I’ve jus…” Jon was about to protest when suddenly he was gripped by the two guards. They began to scuffle with him the officer barring the door the smaller man gripping Zoë’s wrist as she screamed.

“Slap!”

She coughed and spluttered the wind momentarily knocked out of her. Her husband was been pushed into a chair his hands bound behind his back. Jon was struggling but the two rebel soldiers had tied him tightly to the chair and then gagged him with a neckerchief. Zoë backed away to the corner hand over her mouth in shock. She didn’t know what to do she had no way of forcing her way out.

Once her husband was secure the officer gave an order and both his troops took position outside the door. Zoë caught a glimpse of worried faces as passengers looked in for a mere second before the door slammed shut again.

“I, I, I demand…” Zoë was cut short.

“Please, please miss there is no need for all this unpleasantness.” The big officer raised his hands to calm her down. “You’re plane is still here, though I think it will be the only one leaving for some time.”

The sinister little man opened a note book as if in thought.

“We are rounding up all presidential associates for interview; your husband will have to stay.”

“He’s nothing to do with the president, ” she shouted again, her eyes wide and ferocious.

“I think he is!” Shouted the officer in reply; his deep black skin glistening with sweat.

The secret police man was now the one to raise his hand to diffuse the situation.

“Look we can have all this sorted and you and your husband on the aircraft.” He paused, “the last aircraft out of here.”

Zoë looked to her husband tied to a chair gag in his mouth his eyes looking frantic. She could hear voices outside, the whole world seemed to want to leave but she was trapped inside this windowless room. The little man saw her confusing and continued.

“Which brings me back to my question? Are you a bitch?”

Zoë just looked at him nervously her face perplexed then eyes searching the walls as if to find the answer.

“What does he want me to say?” She thought her head swimming. So she just stood there open mouthed looking dumb.

The two men looked at each other then back to her. She was very pretty. Her golden straight cut hair framed a high cheek boned slim face.