She had 800 hours in this aircraft type. She had never in her life flown one alone through a hydraulic failure over open ocean, and she could feel the airplane trying to die underneath her hands. Ray, talk to me. Come on, stay with me. Captain Doyle's lips moved barely.
Ray, I need you. I can't. The number two's surging. I've got a hydraulic caution. I can't do this alone, Ray.
Kalin. A whisper. Wet, struggling. Listen to me. I'm listening.
I'm right here. You can't hold her alone. His hand fumbled for hers cold. When she goes full failure, you won't have the strength physically. You need two sets of hands or one set.
That's been in it before. There's nobody, Ray. There's nobody. His eyes found hers. And there was something terrible and clear in them.
The clarity that comes to men at the very end. Cabin, he breathed. Asked the cabin. Somebody always Somebody's been in it before. His grip tightened for one second, mustering everything.
Call a combat vet, Kalin. Somebody trained for when the systems quit. Ray, call a combat vet. His hand slid off hers. His chest stopped moving.
Kayn Brookke screamed once, a short animal sound, then swallowed it whole because the airplane didn't care that her captain had just died in the seat beside her. The airplane was still trying to fall. She grabbed the intercom. Her hand was shaking so hard she missed the button twice. In the cabin, Delaney's voice came again, and this time there was no pretending it was fine.
Ladies and gentlemen, a breath, a sob swallowed. I need I need to ask something. And I need you to listen very carefully. We have a medical emergency in the cockpit. And we Another breath.
If there is anyone on board, anyone with flight experience. Military commercial combat training. If there is a combat trained pilot on this aircraft, please please identify yourself immediately. This is not a drill. We need you now.
The cabin went absolutely silent for one full second. Then it detonated. People turned in their seats looking wildly at each other. A pilot? Is there a pilot?