“But the woman’s father is there. Can’t he fly the plane?”

“His life hangs by a thread in Allah’s hands.” Sungmin said very sombrely.

“Will he die?”

“Who can say?” Leeteuk snapped irritably. “I would appreciate it if both of you would return to the computers and work on this problem further this evening.”

“Have you any idea how many possible password there are in the English language?” Kyuhyun complained. “Experience tell that any good code is usually the simplest and easiest to remember. In order to put limits on your search and rule out the obvious, I suggest you begin with phrases English and Arabic have in common.

“I’ve been working on this for two solid days,” Kyuhyun groaned.

“Is it important?” Leeteuk asked him.

“Well, yes,” Kyuhyun admitted. “But it is more likely Father has taken a car and is driving across the border, as we speak.

“We cannot know that for certain,” Sungmin countered.

“And in the meantime,” Leeteuk said “we must allow no opportunity to ensure Father’s safety to escape us. The smaller plane will be to land on any salt flat in the desert. That might make the difference between life and death. I know you are tired, Kyuhyun. We all are. Accomplish what you can then get some rest. We’ve had little of that in the past few days.”

“Will you try to get the lady to tell you the password in your own way?” he said sullenly.

Leeteuk did not grace his impertinent question with an answer. He retired to his study to make many necessary international calls. Shortly after midnight, the sound of his helicopter rising above the desert as heard throughout the palace.