* * *
Karen sat in shock with her head pressed against the back of the seat as her heart pounded from an intense adrenalin rush. Grabbing her chest she forced herself to take deep breaths and let them out slow.
“What’s going on!” the pilot shouted again.
Karen didn’t respond. Overcome with the terror she had just witnessed, she could only sit with her eyes closed tightly, trying to force the chilling images from her mind. She didn’t care what happened next. Nothing mattered. Even so, she was struggling to fully grasp what she had just witnessed. Tears turned to uncontrollable sobbing as the cold wind and rain continued to penetrate the cabin through the open door.
Eyes still closed, she sat gripping her shoulder restraint, unaware of someone struggling to climb back inside. Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder. With a start, she lurched then stared into the soaked and bloodied face of her husband.
Completely exhausted from his ordeal, Frank leaned over to kiss her before managing to close the door. With sheer joy she clutched his hand tightly as tears flowed.
“Daniel!” the pilot called out. “Everything okay back there?”
Frank picked up Daniel’s gun from the floor and reached over the back of the pilot’s seat. “No!” he shouted fiercely putting the gun to the pilot’s head. “Put this damn thing down!”