(3 of 3)
Like sophists, Anderson the liberal Democrat and Jacobsen the Reagan Republican constantly provoke each other into arguments to keep their minds alive.
More than the others, Anderson challenges the guards, although for some reason he is beaten less frequently. He goes on a seven-day hunger strike when they suddenly ban the radio and the occasional copies of the International Herald Tribune. He does not know it, but the news blackout is imposed so he will not learn of the deaths of his father and brother back in the U.S. He does find out, however, that since his kidnaping his second daughter, Sulome, has been born.
In July 1986 Father Jenco is freed. Jacobsen goes home in November, but the public revelation of a secret U.S. arms-for-hostages deal with Iran torpedoes any further releases. Two months later, Waite the mediator is himself kidnaped.
Feeling increasingly abandoned by his government, Anderson spends much of 1987 in isolation. In December he gets a new roommate, French diplomat Marcel Fontaine (kidnaped March 22, 1985). Anderson is denied permission to send out a videotaped Christmas message to his family. The frustration becomes unbearable, and one day he walks over to a wall and beats his head against it. Blood seeps from Anderson's scalp. "Terry!" Fontaine pleads. "Think of your family!"
All the hostages find the cruelty too much to take. Sutherland, who had gone to Beirut passionately hoping to help Lebanese farmers, is treated worse than the others. He tries to kill himself by putting a nylon sack over his head. A more recent kidnap victim, Frank Reed, director of the Lebanese International School (kidnaped Sept. 9, 1986), attempts to escape but is caught. The guards beat him viciously and break his spirit, leaving him prostrate on the floor.
In 1988 Anderson and Fontaine find themselves in an apartment that has carpeting, heat and hot food. Are they being fattened up in preparation for their release? Despite the constant disappointments, Anderson is determined to think about his future. He ponders quitting journalism to take up farming. At last on May 3, after he has spent more than three years as a hostage, his time appears to have come when a guard tells him to get ready.
"You should do the same as I'm doing," Anderson says, trying to improve the Frenchman's chances. At midnight they come and take Anderson away. Two hours later, Fontaine learns that it is he who is being freed.
Fontaine remembers a conversation with Anderson. Feeling ill and more depressed than usual, he had turned to Anderson and said, "Terry, I am not afraid to die. But I don't want to die here and have them throw my body into the sea like they did with Buckley."
Anderson thought for a moment and replied, "I don't want to die anywhere."
Five months ago, Anderson's most recent videotaped message was dropped off at a Western news agency in Beirut. Signing off, he said to his family, "Kiss my daughters. Keep your spirits up, and I will try to do the same. One day soon, God willing, this will end."