moments earlier. “Thanks. I’m OK. I’m needed at the front,” she said calmly before holding out her hand to Amy.
Amy nodded, but when she tried to lift her feet, the steep incline caused her to stumble down once more.
Nicole scanned her brain for what to do. She could feel the veins in her eyes pulsating, and the room appeared redder than before.
“Let go of the seats. We’ll fall some, but it’ll get us there faster.”
Without hesitation, Amy released her grip on the seat and let her body slide down.
After a second’s delay, Nicole opened her own clenching hands and felt herself fall forward toward the front of the plane. Past the business aisles they slid, all the while hearing the unmistakable moan of the plane on its descent.
Are You Freaking Kidding Me?
A s Amy and Nicole tumbled to the front of the cabin, the off-duty pilot grabbed both girls and helped them to their feet.
“Before you try to stop us, you need to know that we can help,” Nicole pleaded, locking eye contact with the man.
Raymond moved his hands in a calming, up-and-down motion. “Girls, please. We got this,” he declared.
“So what’s your brilliant plan? Storm the cockpit like a bunch of meatheads?” Amy asked.
Raymond, getting frustrated, pointed at the cockpit door. “You got a better plan? Can you make a miracle happen here and now to fix all this?”
Nicole nodded without hesitation. “If you can get me in that cockpit, damn right I can deliver a miracle.”
Raymond looked at Amy as if to confirm he’d heard what he thought he’d heard. Amy pointed to Nicole enthusiastically in agreement. “She can do it.”
Confused by Nicole’s proposition and flustered because of the lack of time, Raymond just mustered an awkward smile in return. “Fine. Whatever. That’s Plan B. But we’re doing Plan A first. Plan A is my original plan, OK? Because I don’t really feel like dying today while waiting for this miracle thing to occur. So, let us go in first. But if Plan A falls apart, I guess you can do whatever it is you need to do.”
“Thanks,” Nicole offered, out of breath. She cast her eyes around. “Where’s Ben?”
“Here! It’s ready!” Ben shouted, popping up from behind a seat and brandishing the printed knife.
Amy squared herself in front of Ben, put her hand on his shoulders and spoke to him like a first-grade teacher speaking to a student. “OK. Can you use the knife? To try to unlock the door?”
But before Ben could answer, Raymond interrupted. “Oh, I can do better than that.” He stepped forward, pushed through the group, and flicked aside a concealed panel, revealing the security-code keypad on the door.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Drake screamed. He grabbed Raymond and pushed him against the locked airplane serving carts. The severity of the impact caused the wall behind the carts to rattle. Everyone stepped back, shocked to hear Drake get so angry — everyone except for Amy, who let a small grin slip out. She enjoyed this primitive display of aggression, though she would never admit that to anybody. “You mean you could’ve opened the door with a code this whole time we’ve been trying to break it down?” Drake demanded.
“Sorry. I know we’re all on the same team here,” Raymond retorted. “Look, it’s pretty clear the pilot is no longer in control. We have to act now. Also, there’s another thing you may not have noticed.” He pointed toward the window of the cabin door. “We’re not alone.”
Outside, two fighter jets armed with several missiles visible beneath each of their wings were escorting Flight 91.
“Raymond, enough talking. Just open the damn door before we get shot down!” Nicole urged.
Everyone nodded and seemed to instinctively assume their roles.
“One, two, three — go!” Nicole shouted.
In a split second, Raymond punched in the code to the door, and Drake flung it open.
What they encountered rushing into the cabin was one of the worst
Amy nodded, but when she tried to lift her feet, the steep incline caused her to stumble down once more.
Nicole scanned her brain for what to do. She could feel the veins in her eyes pulsating, and the room appeared redder than before.
“Let go of the seats. We’ll fall some, but it’ll get us there faster.”
Without hesitation, Amy released her grip on the seat and let her body slide down.
After a second’s delay, Nicole opened her own clenching hands and felt herself fall forward toward the front of the plane. Past the business aisles they slid, all the while hearing the unmistakable moan of the plane on its descent.
Are You Freaking Kidding Me?
A s Amy and Nicole tumbled to the front of the cabin, the off-duty pilot grabbed both girls and helped them to their feet.
“Before you try to stop us, you need to know that we can help,” Nicole pleaded, locking eye contact with the man.
Raymond moved his hands in a calming, up-and-down motion. “Girls, please. We got this,” he declared.
“So what’s your brilliant plan? Storm the cockpit like a bunch of meatheads?” Amy asked.
Raymond, getting frustrated, pointed at the cockpit door. “You got a better plan? Can you make a miracle happen here and now to fix all this?”
Nicole nodded without hesitation. “If you can get me in that cockpit, damn right I can deliver a miracle.”
Raymond looked at Amy as if to confirm he’d heard what he thought he’d heard. Amy pointed to Nicole enthusiastically in agreement. “She can do it.”
Confused by Nicole’s proposition and flustered because of the lack of time, Raymond just mustered an awkward smile in return. “Fine. Whatever. That’s Plan B. But we’re doing Plan A first. Plan A is my original plan, OK? Because I don’t really feel like dying today while waiting for this miracle thing to occur. So, let us go in first. But if Plan A falls apart, I guess you can do whatever it is you need to do.”
“Thanks,” Nicole offered, out of breath. She cast her eyes around. “Where’s Ben?”
“Here! It’s ready!” Ben shouted, popping up from behind a seat and brandishing the printed knife.
Amy squared herself in front of Ben, put her hand on his shoulders and spoke to him like a first-grade teacher speaking to a student. “OK. Can you use the knife? To try to unlock the door?”
But before Ben could answer, Raymond interrupted. “Oh, I can do better than that.” He stepped forward, pushed through the group, and flicked aside a concealed panel, revealing the security-code keypad on the door.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” Drake screamed. He grabbed Raymond and pushed him against the locked airplane serving carts. The severity of the impact caused the wall behind the carts to rattle. Everyone stepped back, shocked to hear Drake get so angry — everyone except for Amy, who let a small grin slip out. She enjoyed this primitive display of aggression, though she would never admit that to anybody. “You mean you could’ve opened the door with a code this whole time we’ve been trying to break it down?” Drake demanded.
“Sorry. I know we’re all on the same team here,” Raymond retorted. “Look, it’s pretty clear the pilot is no longer in control. We have to act now. Also, there’s another thing you may not have noticed.” He pointed toward the window of the cabin door. “We’re not alone.”
Outside, two fighter jets armed with several missiles visible beneath each of their wings were escorting Flight 91.
“Raymond, enough talking. Just open the damn door before we get shot down!” Nicole urged.
Everyone nodded and seemed to instinctively assume their roles.
“One, two, three — go!” Nicole shouted.
In a split second, Raymond punched in the code to the door, and Drake flung it open.
What they encountered rushing into the cabin was one of the worst
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