He ran back towards the terminal building because there were stacks of cargo just inside a large, open roller door. There was no time to look over his shoulder for one of the ASIO agents chasing him. He had to lose them both so he quickly scrambled up the back of one of the stacks, noting the direction of a distant doorway as he gained height. From there he could jump to another stack, keeping low as he moved over the canvas strapping. He thought he might even be able to hide under one of the heavy, green canvas covers.
Agent Kirstin called out to her partner across the tarmac. "Leave him for now, Russell," just as he arrived at the large roller door. She knew if they gave chase they would create a commotion in the air freight area, which could easily ring out across the entire airport's alarm system. She snatched up her device from the back seat of the hire car.
"What are you doing?" asked Russell as he arrived back, a bit puffed from running. "You can't just let him run amok in the hanger."
"We have to.." she explained, "..otherwise we'll create an official incident."
"We've lost him, Kirstin." He continued, "We've got to find him."
Kirstin turned from Russell and started speaking to the device. "One-one-five, one-one, Kirstin." Her check in code passed immediately and a voice at ASIO Headquarters replied. The code advised HQ that she was agent 11, her rank, while 1-1-5 described her unit and its daily check-in time of 11:50am. So the agent at the other end knew immediately that the matter was urgent because it was now 4:45pm, not Unit 1-1-5's usual contact period of the day.
Another voice came on to the secure phone line. Kirstin nodded, listening intently then adding, "Yes, Mascot Airport international terminal tarmac, by aerial five parked at Gate 23." She listened to instructions, glancing around a bit tensely to see if she and Russell had attracted any unwanted attention. "Subject is a code four, around Customs Holding warehouse number 7." She nodded again, finishing with, "Yes sir, 1-1-5-1-1 over."
She took the device from her ear, clicking a button on its edge and shoving it into her pocket. It was now monitoring sound and HQ knew that the boy had escaped on foot in that area of the airport.
In less than one minute, two agents and three senior Customs supervisors were in position, scanning for the boy. Between the main entrance and exit, in the CCTV monitoring room, inside the terminal building for gates 20 to 36, on the highest rooftop close to the terminal building and at the metro rail station. The basic assumption was that the boy would attempt to leave the airport and try to get home.
At about 8pm, Ahrou Hussein was doing homework at his computer in his second floor bedroom at one of the King's School's boarding student buildings. He was startled by a sudden tapping on his window glass and lurched back in his chair, away from the dark pane. As he strained cautiously to investigate, he saw his brother's face.
"Ahreed, what are you doing, fool?!" Hissed Ahrou. He quickly got up and went to the window, unlatching its lock.
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