The crew’s commander, pilot Andrew Eddington, eventually became fed up of waiting and decided to take off regardless. “Let’s go,” he said. The commander was aware of the passenger they had on board, and he knew well what the crew could look forward to if the interpreter was discovered.
“Thanks, Commander,” said Creighton. He had been frozen stiff with anxiety as they awaited permission to take off.
They increased power to the engines and the roar grew stronger. None of the crew were aware that right then, vehicles sent from base command were driving across the airfield at high speed. One was a small, nimble jeep carrying officers from SMERSH along with Communist Party officials, while the other was a Studebaker truck, soldiers with weapons in hand sitting on the benches on either side of
