This Is Not a Drill!
“Get off the deck! Inside! NOW!” His voice, forged in the roar of storms and the thunder of combat, shattered the vacation haze.
People looked around, confused. A young man in flip-flops laughed, thinking it was an eccentric joke. But as Nathan leaped over a lounge chair and sprinted toward the bridge, the laughter died.
Seconds later, the first rounds of gunfire sparked against the steel hull. The celebratory music was replaced by blood-curdling screams. Chaos erupted. But Nathan didn’t panic; for him, chaos was home.
He snatched his phone and dialed Samantha. “Sam, listen to me. No questions. Grab your bag, get to the cabin, and lock the door. Move the dresser in front of it. Get in the bathtub and stay down until you hear our code word.
Do you understand?” “Nathan, what’s happening?” her voice trembled. “Sam, just do it. I love you.”