“Hold on,” Ryan’s voice suddenly rang out, his shout cutting through the wind and rain, snapping everyone to attention.
“Thirty seconds until we reach the highest point,” Bill’s voice was taut, tight with controlled urgency.
“The highest point is 1, 800 degrees, we’re three and a half turns away,” Ryan’s second-in-command began reporting, one after another, calm and collected as if they had already anticipated Ryan’s next move.
His confidence brought life back into the stillness that had filled the cabin.
“Last half-turn, lift the bow fully, shut down all auxiliary systems, and push the speed to the max,” Ryan said, his expression unchanged as he kept his eyes fixed on the ocean surface, where a faint light began to show.
“One and a half turns.”
“One turn.”
“Half a turn. Shut down, speed up.”
In an instant, all the auxiliary systems were switched off. The captain’s cabin, once lit with lights and other systems, was now plunged into complete darkness. All the monitoring instruments ceased to operate.
Echo, her eyes wide open, couldn’t see anything now. Shocked, she instinctively raised her arms, wrapping them tightly around Ryan’s head to shield it from harm. The darkness made it hard to see, but she could still protect him.
“Protect your body, quick!” Ryan’s voice came, sharp and urgent. His entire body was tensed, the tension in his voice matching the intensity of the moment.
As soon as Ryan finished speaking, a crushing wave of pressure and wind crashed over them, and the pitch-black sky outside began to lighten faintly.
Everyone instantly realized what was happening-they’d been propelled to the top of the whirlpool, breaking the surface. Success meant survival, but failure…well, that was certain death.
The Dark family members and Michael instinctively curled up, wrapping their arms around themselves, tense and silent, feeling their hearts pounding in their throats.
Ryan held Echo tightly, almost as if he wanted to absorb her into his own body. He gripped the control lever and pulled it back swiftly, shutting down the entire system.
At that same moment, the combined force of the whirlpool’s rotation and the battleship’s maximum speed launched them upward. Ryan’s battleship broke free from the whirlpool’s grip, reaching the critical release point he’d aimed for. With a whoosh, they were flung out of the whirlpool’s powerful pull, and the ship shot forward into the air.
The sheer force of nature was terrifying-the power that threw them out of the whirlpool was even greater than Ryan had estimated, though it was close to what he’d anticipated.
In midair, the battleship couldn’t stay level or maintain its trajectory. Although they’d escaped the whirlpool’s pull at its peak, the lingering momentum and gravitational forces made the ship spin out of control. It tumbled forward like a helpless toy, twisting in every direction.
Inside the cabin, everyone was thrown off balance, disoriented, tumbling along with the ship in a dizzying spiral. The sense of up and down vanished completely as they were spun around by centrifugal force, caught in a chaotic dance of light and dark.
Clinging to Ryan, Echo felt like she was about to die. The sensation of weightlessness, the intense, never-ending thrill of the situation, had her heart pounding so hard she could barely feel it anymore. She didn’t know if it could withstand the pressure or even keep beating, so all she could do was hold onto Ryan for dear life.
“Don’t be afraid,” A cold, almost scolding voice sounded in her ear, making Echo blink in surprise.
Amid the violent spinning, she felt Ryan’s arms wrapped tightly around her, his hands on her back, radiating a warmth that was surprisingly gentle. Yes, gentle. It was a kind of warmth she had never felt before-comfort and protection from someone so steely, it seemed out of character.
“I’m scared…” she murmured softly, almost to herself.
To say she wasn’t would be a lie; in this situation, who wouldn’t be?
No one could be so fearless, no one would claim to be ready for death.
Her quiet voice was swallowed up by the wind and rain, but Ryan, so close, heard every word.
Then, in an instant, Echo felt Ryan pull her down, his hand pressing her head lower. Before she could react, he kissed her-firm, heated, possessive, and full of something deeper she couldn’t name.
It was less a kiss and more a beast’s ravenous bite, but somehow, that raw, all-consuming ferocity made Echo’s heart, terrified to the core just moments ago, suddenly feel grounded. She clung to Ryan, returning his embrace with equal intensity, passion threaded with the fear of death but charged with a desire to intertwine their lives forever.
The battleship spun in mid-air, out of control, beyond anyone’s command. Only a god could alter its course now; they could only surrender to fate.
A massive jolt shook the ship. The impact was so powerful that it felt like the ship was breaking apart. A thunderous crash followed as they plunged into the water. The noise and the violent shock echoed through the crew’s minds, leaving them momentarily numb and disoriented.
Gradually, the soft sound of waves trickling in replaced the chaos, with a gentle sea breeze drifting in through the shattered hull, carrying the salty scent of the ocean.
Silence.
Deadly silence.
Everyone who had regained their senses looked around, wide-eyed and transfixed, saying nothing, not cheering, not even sighing in relief. Just silence, deep enough that a pin drop would have echoed.
Outside the window, the water sparkled under the setting sun, casting a rainbow of hues across the calm sea. The serene beauty wrapped the ship like a dream, waves lapping gently against it, nudging it forward.
Bill, sitting in the co-pilot’s seat, let out a long breath, turning to speak. But he paused, seeing Ryan clutching Echo in a passionate kiss. The intensity of the moment radiated from them, as if nothing else existed.
Bill couldn’t help but smile slightly before turning away. “Restart all systems,” he ordered calmly. “Contact Cobra and move full speed ahead.”
“Yes, sir.” Though the crew’s response was steady as ever, their voices held a newfound excitement, a thrill of survival that even the disciplined members of the Dark family couldn’t hide.
Sitting in the back, Michael opened his eyes, looking out at the clear blue sky above the sea. He inhaled deeply, sinking into his seat. Life and death had traded places before his eyes so quickly, faster than his heart could keep up with. Now, leaning back, he realized how precious it felt to be alive-something only those who had faced death would understand.
Everything began to settle into a rhythm. The Dark family’s training showed through as they set aside the initial exhilaration, getting back to their tasks with swift precision.
The current on the sea’s surface continued to flow in one direction, though much slower than before. The combined thrust of the whirlpool’s release and the ship’s forward speed had carried them past the whirlpool’s immediate pull, but they were still within its reach. They knew that another mistake or slip in caution could lead them back to the same brink of life and death-a risk they could not afford again.
Seated at the helm, Ryan gently loosened his hold on Echo, brushing his fingers over her lips, red and swollen from his fervent kisses, slightly bruised and even bleeding a little.
Meeting her bright gaze, Ryan lifted her chin, ignoring the others around them, and softly licked the blood from her lips, disregarding the prying eyes.
Echo slowly returned to her senses, meeting Ryan’s intense, unfathomable gaze just inches from her own. She felt his tongue tracing her lips and instinctively tilted her head toward him, craving his kiss even more, savoring every second.
With a satisfied sigh, Ryan wrapped his arms around Echo’s waist, leaning in once again to claim her sweet lips.