The Running Man
by Stephen King
Contents
…Minus 025 and COUNTING… The two troopers on roadblock duty a
Overview
Richards's hijacked jet successfully takes off, confirming that his bluff and coercion have carried him past the immediate ground blockade. From the roadblock, two troopers reveal mixed public sympathy for Richards and contempt for McCone, while also anticipating that the escape may end in catastrophe.
Summary
As Ben Richards's commandeered jet races down the runway, two troopers stationed at the eastern jetport roadblock watch it gather speed in the dark. The aircraft lifts off steeply, its lights receding and its engines flattening into a distant roar.
The troopers react with disbelief that Richards has actually gotten airborne. One wonders whether Richards truly has what he claimed to have, while the other admits ignorance but expresses satisfaction that McCone is trapped aboard with Richards.
As the sound of the jet fades, one trooper asks whether the other wants Richards to succeed. After a long silence, the answer is yes, though the trooper doubts the escape will end cleanly and predicts a major explosion.
Who Appears
- Ben RichardsFugitive contestant whose commandeered jet successfully lifts off from the jetport.
- McConeNetwork security figure trapped aboard the jet; hated by at least one watching trooper.
- First trooperRoadblock guard who watches the takeoff, hopes Richards succeeds, and predicts a boom.
- Second trooperRoadblock guard who questions Richards’s chances and prompts the first trooper’s admission.