A House in the Sky

Lindhout describes the harrowing moment she and Nigel are kidnapped in Somalia. Earlier suspicions that they are being watched at their hotel turn out to be true, as their presence and movements are noted by local militants.

On the morning of their kidnapping, their day starts with a cancellation of a planned visit with Ugandan minesweeping units due to nearby mortar attacks. They therefore plan instead to interview Dr. Hawa Abdi at a camp outside Mogadishu, which requires them to switch security personnel beyond the city limits due to jurisdictional issues of their government-assigned guards.

The kidnapping occurs swiftly as they transition into less secure, militia-controlled areas. Armed men surround their vehicle, forcibly removing them and commandeering the car. Amidst the chaos, Lindhout tries to humanize herself to the kidnappers by engaging in conversation, attempting to use her experience in Muslim countries to find common ground. Her efforts to communicate, however, do not alleviate the reality of their captivity.

The chapter closes with Lindhout and Nigel being driven away to an unknown location, with Ahmed, one of the kidnappers, suggesting that money might be a motive.