" We will go to the airport soon .sx When they are not suspicious .sx I hope we do not get any orders from Moscow in that time .sx " Myeloski slid his chair away and lit a cigarette .sx After a few puffs , he said :sx " You are privileged , you know .sx " .sx " Why ?sx " .sx " Because Sverdlovsk is off-limits to foreigners .sx " .sx Duncan was surprised .sx " I didn't know that still went on .sx " .sx " Oh yes .sx It is a closed city .sx No non-communist has ever visited there .sx You will be the first .sx You can put that in your memoirs , if you live that long .sx " .sx " Why is it closed to foreigners ?sx " .sx " I don't know .sx I suppose , if that's where the family were killed , that it would be a tourist attraction for the wrong reasons .sx It's not something the Government would want to be reminded of .sx Now , or in the past .sx " .sx Eventually , after two nervous hours , and one large , gruesome and soggy meal , Myeloski told the commissioner that they would be going for a drive to look at the local countryside and would then return to the hotel .sx He explained that he had already booked out , but would be returning there for the night by 7 p.m. The commissioner , a local policeman , had accepted Myeloski's statement as a matter of course .sx He understood that waiting for fresh orders from Moscow was boring .sx Might as well be out driving than sitting in a cold room waiting .sx Once they had left the police station and driven round the corner , Myeloski slammed his foot down on the accelerator and sped off towards the airport .sx That's when they found there were no flights until the next day .sx While Duncan waited in the passenger area , Myeloski went off to quiz the air-traffic controller as to the availability of any military or other flights to Sverdlovsk .sx And that's when Duncan saw the Antonov AN-2 land and taxi in to park on the far side of the two Migs .sx The AN-2 first appeared in 1947 and became the workhorse of Russian airspace .sx It fulfilled the same role as the DC3 , the Dakota .sx But , unlike the DC3 , the AN-2 has only one engine and is a biplane .sx The earlier models were powered by a Shvetsov radial engine , although the modern versions have a turboprop unit up front .sx The plane Duncan saw was of an early variety .sx Although primarily a cargo-plane , the AN-2 could seat up to sixteen passengers .sx With a top cruising speed of 115 miles per hour and a ceiling of 14,000 feet , the plane became a legend in the Russian outback .sx It could take off on a grass strip of only 600 feet and was as solid as a London double-decker bus , and about as comfortable .sx With a stall speed under 50 miles per hour , the aircraft seemed to hover over the end of runways like a helicopter before landing .sx The plane parked at Tobolsk airport was a freighter , and the two pilots climbed out through the side-door .sx They were followed by a man in a white coat and a nurse .sx The pilots opened the freight-doors and climbed back into the plane as an ambulance drove out to them .sx Through the wheels of the Mig undercarriage Duncan saw a stretcher being unloaded and put in the back of the ambulance .sx The man in white , obviously a doctor , and a nurse climbed into the back of the ambulance , the pilot in front with the ambulance crew .sx The vehicle left the ramp as the other pilot closed the freight-doors .sx Behind him , Myeloski pushed through the crowd and sat down next to Duncan .sx " No flights at all .sx And no trains , not until tomorrow .sx I think we'll have to take the car .sx " .sx " That'll take forever .sx Can't Moscow help ?sx " .sx " Not unless we want to get stuck with the KGB .sx I know Yashkin .sx We have worked together for many years .sx He will not want me to call him .sx " .sx " It's over five hundred kilometres .sx We wouldn't get there till lunch-time tomorrow .sx That's if we left now .sx " .sx Myeloski puffed up his cheeks and let the breath noisily escape from his clenched lips .sx He stared ahead , at the Mig which was now being refuelled .sx " It's a pity we haven't got one of those , " he said , indicating the fighter .sx Behind the jet , a bowser had arrived to refuel the AN-2 .sx " No harm in asking , is there ?sx " Duncan stood up .sx After all , we've nothing to lose .sx " .sx " The Mig - I suppose you can fly it also .sx But it only has two seats .sx " .sx " Come on .sx And bring your police warrant-card with you .sx " .sx Duncan set off towards a side-door , carrying his small case .sx Myeloski jumped up and followed him .sx A guard barred their way to the apron , Duncan stopped and indicated Myeloski , who pulled out his warrant-card and showed it to the guard .sx " Police business .sx " Myeloski fell into his role , his voice dismissive and gruff .sx The guard checked his credentials and then stepped back , opening the door for them .sx He was about to end his shift and wanted to get home .sx If he detained them , he would only have to wait for a senior officer to turn up .sx And that could take a long time .sx As they moved on to the apron , Myeloski fell in beside Duncan .sx " We cannot steal a Mig .sx However important it is .sx " .sx " But you can commandeer that one .sx " Duncan pointed at the AN-2 .sx Myeloski stopped dead and stared at the old biplane .sx His fear of the skies took hold again .sx " It's been used as an ambulance flight .sx When they've finished refuelling , just order him to fly us to Sverdlovsk .sx You said you could open doors , remember ?sx " .sx Myeloski slowly and painfully came to terms with the situation .sx He knew the Englishman was right .sx This was their one chance to keep up with the kidnappers .sx He walked forward , towards the plane that was being refuelled and up to the pilot .sx The pilot was of the old school , a grizzled war veteran in his sixties who had never flown the airlines but knew the Siberian terrain like the back of his hand .sx While Myeloski spoke to him , Duncan kept back , in the shadows .sx He surveyed the Mig , appreciating its powerful and clean lines .sx They had finished refuelling , and the bowser and ground crew moved away .sx The twin jet engines whined as they started to turn and then surged into a thunderous roar as the igniters sparked the fuel that exploded through the turbines .sx Duncan put his hands over his ears and turned away , back towards Myeloski and the pilot .sx The policeman was shouting above the roar , holding his warrant-card up for the pilot to see .sx The Mig bounced on its brakes as the pilots released the plane , turning it away from the ramp .sx It taxied towards the runway , its canopy still open .sx Myeloski walked towards Duncan .sx " OK .sx He will take us .sx But he wants to wait for his co-pilot .sx They are part of the air ambulance service .sx I told him that you were a pilot and that it was important we go now .sx " .sx " What did you threaten him with ?sx " .sx " Prison .sx What else ?sx " .sx So much for perestroika .sx Duncan walked with him back to the AN-2 .sx The bowser-man had refuelled the plane and was disconnecting the fuel-lines .sx " I need to get a flight-plan .sx From the tower .sx " The pilot spoke to Myeloski , who looked at Duncan for help .sx " Do it over the radio .sx Say we have received an emergency and need to go now .sx " The pilot watched Duncan as he spoke , realizing he was a foreigner .sx " They will not accept it .sx " .sx " Yes , they will .sx " Duncan moved between the pilot and the fuel - truck .sx He pulled his jacket back , and the pilot saw the Coonan Magnum .sx Its shape was brutal in the dusk of the day .sx Duncan smiled at him .sx " On the radio .sx " .sx Myeloski , now knowing that they were committed to a new course , came closer to the pilot .sx As he spoke , he looked away from the refueller , so as not to be heard .sx " Comrade , we are not enemies of the State , or spies .sx We are here on government business that is of a secret nature .sx We need your plane .sx If you are not going to help us , then my friend will shoot you .sx Have no doubt of that .sx " He saw that the pilot believed him , not by his words , but because of the look on Duncan's face .sx " He is also a pilot and will fly this plane if you do not .sx " .sx The refueller came towards them , waving a sheet of paper .sx " I need your signature for the fuel , " he shouted .sx Duncan stepped back , his jacket closed .sx The pilot took the sheet from the lineman and read through it , checking the contents , taking his time .sx The Mig on the runway turned on full power as it started its take-off run .sx " We must hurry , comrade .sx We must get to the patient quickly .sx " Myeloski spoke up , taking the pilot by the arm .sx The pilot took the pen offered to him by the refueller and signed the sheet .sx He was then given the top copy , and the refueller returned to his bowser .sx He stopped to look at the Mig , its lights blazing , reach the halfway point on the runway .sx " Wouldn't you rather be flying one of those ?sx " he shouted across the engine roar .sx The Mig swung its nose up , lifted off the ground and seemed suspended in time and stillness for a moment .sx Then the wheels tucked up , the nose lifted sharply skyward and the jet roared into the air , its ear-shattering blast shaking the ramp and the small terminal building .sx The fighter pilots were giving the spectators a show , and the refueller saw some of the waiting passengers by the windows applauding the take-off .sx He grinned and turned to the others , but they were gone .sx He saw the small side-door of the aircraft close .sx He shrugged .sx Bloody pilots , always in a hurry .sx Then he got into his bowser and drove away .sx Inside the plane , Duncan slid into the right seat , next to the pilot .sx Myeloski was busy strapping himself into a small tubular-steel seat in the fuselage .sx Both men in the front put on their headsets .sx " Call up the tower ; say we're going south , to Tiumen .sx That it is an emergency .sx Tell them you are refuelled and that you are taxiing out whilst waiting for them to get your clearance .sx Start the engines first .sx " .sx " It is most irregular .sx I always get clearance from the tower first .sx " .sx " Not this time .sx Just do as I've told you .sx " .sx Duncan picked up the map that lay next to the pilot and attempted to identify the landmarks .sx It was a topographical map , and he found Tobolsk marked on it .sx At the same time , he watched the pilot go through the start-up procedures .sx He saw the battery-switch , the magnetos and the fuel-cock .sx In essence , that was all he needed to know in case he had to start the plane at some future date .sx The pilot primed the engine , still warm from its previous flight , then applied the starter .sx As the big radial spluttered and came alive , he fed in the fuel and then applied the throttle .sx The engine rattled for a few more seconds as fuel was fed into each cylinder and finally exploded into life .sx The pilot pulled the throttle back to idle and turned on the radios .sx In the tower , the controller was surprised to see the AN-2 start its engine .sx He was even more surprised to hear the pilot ask for taxi instructions and for a clearance .sx It was most irregular , but he had only been stationed here for a short time and accepted that it was an emergency .sx He cleared the AN-2 to taxi for the runway .sx Myeloski sat quietly in the dark of the fuselage .sx He had tightened when the giant Shetsov radial had burst into life , sending a metallic shudder through the cabin .sx As they started to taxi , the fuselage had groaned , its age very apparent .sx The policeman shut his eyes , bowed his head and prayed to his God .sx The biplane turned on its tailwheel and taxied to the runway .sx " Line up , " ordered Duncan when they reached the end .sx