Nonstop (Open Skies #3) - Becca Jameson Page 0,54

to know if there’s a pilot on board.”

The noise level went up as people’s panic increased. No one acknowledged her while everyone twisted their heads around to see if she would get a taker. Nothing.

The plane had leveled out at least and Bex dropped the handset to enter the cockpit. “No pilots.” She went straight for the captain who was gripping his arm and assessed the damage. “What can I do?”

He winced. “I’m okay. I can at least direct.”

Her gaze jerked to Bracken who was flipping several controls. He had the co-pilot’s headset on, and he was speaking to someone on the ground. “Got it. No. There doesn’t seem to be another pilot on board. You’re stuck with me.”

The captain winced again.

Bex grabbed the first aid kit and found a roll of gauze. “Can you move your hand? I’ll try to wrap your arm.”

The captain shook his head. “Bleeding too badly.”

“Then let me apply pressure, sir.” She yanked open the gauze and unrolled a long strip of it, folding it several times before returning to his side. “Move your hand. I’ll hold it. I won’t let go. I promise.”

The captain looked up at her, his brows drawn together. Finally, he nodded and pulled his hand away.

She quickly covered the wound with the gauze and held it tight. He was right. An artery had been hit. “We need a tourniquet.”

She jerked her gaze back to find Raeann leaning into the cockpit. “I’ll see what I can find.”

“A belt would be great,” Bex suggested.

Raeann disappeared.

Bex turned her attention back to Bracken. “Can you land this?” she murmured.

He glanced at her. “Yep. Won’t be as pretty as someone else, but I can do it.”

She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, probably for half an hour.

Bracken resumed talking to someone on the ground.

“How does he know what he’s doing?” the Captain murmured, not necessarily to Bex.

She responded anyway. “He’s retired Army special forces. He knows a lot of things.”

“Thank God.” The captain twisted his head to look up at Bex, wincing. “You know him?”

“Yes.”

The captain nodded and sighed in relief as Raeann returned with a belt.

Bex kept her hands on the captain’s wound while Raeann wrapped the belt around his upper arm and secured it as tight as possible.

Bex didn’t let go of her grip though. She continued to hold the gauze in place while the captain used his free hand to assist any way he could. He began instructing Bracken on what to do, and Bex breathed easier.

Bracken exuded full confidence. He never hesitated for an instant. And Bex was so proud of him at this moment that she had to hold back her tears. She had a good man. An amazing man. She hoped she could somehow be deserving of him.

Bex turned her head to find that Shayla and Raeann were walking up and down the aisles, calming the passengers, reassuring them that everything was going to be okay.

Bracken glanced at Bex. “Make sure everyone is seated and buckled in, okay? You too.”

She nodded.

The captain reached to replace her hand and hold the gauze himself.

Bex left the cockpit to grab the handset and make the announcement. Luckily, everyone onboard complied without causing further disturbance. There was always the chance that someone panicked in these situations and made everything worse.

Bex made sure Raeann and Shayla were buckled in and then took her seat on the front row. She could see into the cockpit from here. Bracken’s arm was moving around, and he was speaking into the headset, occasionally glancing at the captain and nodding too.

Shayla was in the seat next to the intercom, so she held the handset and waited for instructions from Bracken. After a few minutes, during which most of the passengers seemed to hold a collective breath, she made the announcement. “Brace yourselves please.”

Bex grabbed the armrest and closed her eyes for a moment. She wasn’t worried though. She knew Bracken could land this.

And he did. It was a little bumpy, but honestly, she’d had worse landings.

She continued to sit there, breathing deeply while everyone onboard shouted with joy. It was over. She’d maintained her composure under pressure.

This was obviously a bad omen though. Surely she was the only flight attendant in the history of flying who’d been involved in two hostage situations. Six weeks apart no less.

It would seem her counseling would have to start over now. It didn’t matter though. She was beyond certain she would never go back to work as a flight attendant,