Gelman stood among the crowd, then spotted Kurapika standing not far away.
Kurapika was discreetly watching the hijackers, his face tense with indecision. Perhaps he was wondering whether to step in now, despite having lost both of his blades.
Trying to take down rifle-wielding thugs with his bare hands was still too much for Kurapika at the moment.
The fourteen thugs had surrounded them. Their rifles were pointed diagonally at the ground, and not one of them wore a mask. It seemed they weren't afraid of being identified.
That only made their intentions more terrifying.
Their leader was a middle-aged man with a scarred face and a thick beard. He stepped forward, looked around at the panic-stricken crowd, and coughed several times.
The sound drew everyone's attention, and they turned to look at him.
"My name is Somerset." The scar-faced man introduced himself without hesitation. "These are my brothers in arms."
"I'm sorry for hijacking this airship and choosing all of you. If I could, I'd truly wish for you to land safely and reunite with your families and friends. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
The words Somerset chose carried a veiled threat.
Many people caught the implication and began to tremble. Some of the more timid ones even started to sob quietly.
"We want to reunite with our families and friends, too. Unfortunately, we can never do that again. Once I've said what I need to say, you can call the police, write your last letters, and contact anyone you like."
"But for now, you must stay quiet. Otherwise, I won't show you that final mercy."
This time, almost every adult realized the terrifying possibility—or rather, the despairing future that awaited them.
The thugs had no intention of letting the airship land. Even if it did, it wouldn't be the