The Unimaginable

by Dina Silver

  My hands were still tied, both literally and figuratively. Time seemed to be moving at a snail’s pace for the three of us, while all around us was complete pandemonium. Two of the pirates had jumped overboard in an attempt to reach the skiff and escape, but the navy had dispatched a second boat from its ship with what looked like ten armed men aboard. I watched as they fired artillery into the skiff and sank it before the two men were able to reach it. After that the gunfire stopped. Most of the other pirates were still standing on the bow with their hands behind their heads.

  I looked back at Grant, who was anxiously trying to get Quinn to say something. I swallowed the lump in my throat, knelt amidst the blood, placed my forehead on the bench cushion, and said a prayer for Quinn.

  Dear Lord,

  Please save us. Please just get the three of us off this boat alive . . .

  My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Grant’s voice.

  “Up here! Up here! He’s been shot. We need a medic now!”

  Two naval officers and a medic rushed to Quinn’s side as Grant stood and stepped away from his mate. Grant’s hand was over his mouth, and he was pacing the small bit of space at the top of the stairs. He was covered in Quinn’s blood. The medic quickly went to work, laying Quinn down and performing CPR. It looked as though he was still alive, but I couldn’t be certain. I could see the smallest movement under his eyelids, and his head was moving without being forced to do so. A third naval officer came up with a large first-aid kit and assisted in trying to stop the bleeding.

  Grant and I finally made eye contact. His hands were now behind his neck, and his expression was distraught. A second later, when he realized my hands were still tied behind me, he rushed to my side, freed my arms, and wrapped me in his.

  “Not Quinn, Jess. Not Quinn.”

  Grant squeezed me hard and broke down. His body convulsed with mine, and we wept and prayed and pleaded for Quinn’s survival.

  As our captors were being led off the boat onto the US warship, their hands secured behind them with cable ties, Grant and I went from one personal hell to another. The three naval personnel who did everything in their power to save Quinn slowly sat back and exchanged glances. Then the officer in charge turned to us. One shake of the head was all it took to convey the message. Quinn was gone.

  Chapter 25

  I sat motionless with my arms at my sides until someone spoke. “We need to get you both off this boat and get you immediate medical attention. Sir,” one of the men said to Grant, “it looks like your leg is in pretty bad shape.”

  I wiped my eyes and looked at Grant’s leg. It was a miracle he was standing. His calf was torn open, exposing muscle tissue and oozing blood. He leaned into the captain’s chair and allowed the men to put a temporary dressing on it. He didn’t care. He was void of expression, lost in his despair over Quinn, and the pain in his leg was likely nothing in comparison to the pain in his chest.

  An officer knelt beside me. “Ma’am, I need you to come with me. Can you tell me your name?”

  I turned away from Grant and looked into the eyes of our savior. My prayers were answered. Everything I’d hoped and prayed for over the last few days was now right there in front of me, gently talking to me and asking my name. I mumbled something to him.

  “Jessica?” He paused. “Jessica?” he repeated. “I’m Noah, and I’m here to take care of you, so there’s nothing to worry about. Can you stand up on your own?”

  I focused on his strong, confident face. Is there really nothing left to worry about? I thought.

  “What about Quinn?” I whispered, fighting back more tears, and pointed toward his body without looking at it.

  Noah held my gaze. “We will come back for him and take good care of him, but right now we need to get you off this boat and make sure you’re okay.”

  In that moment Bridget came to mind. She was back in Miami, counting down the days to a homecoming that would never happen. Thirty-six hours had been the longest he’d ever gone without talking to her or e-mailing her. She must’ve been worried sick. Her worst fears had been realized and her prayers had gone unanswered.

  “I need to get something,” I told him.

  He shook his head. “I can’t let you down there. Please let me get it for you. We really need to get you out of here. What is it?”

  “It’s downstairs in the forward cabin. It’s a quilt. I need to give it to Quinn. It belongs to him, and I know he would want it.”

  He studied my face for a moment, then radioed my request to someone else. Moments later one of the SEALs came up from the salon carrying the quilt Bridget had made for Quinn.

  Noah spoke again. “How about we hold onto it so it stays clean, all right?”

  I nodded and stood as he pulled my body up in one fluid motion. I looked over at Grant, who was wincing in pain. His head was hanging over the back of the chair, and his leg was being splinted.

  “Can I say good-bye to Grant?” I asked.

  “He’ll be right behind you.”

  “Okay,” I said, and followed him to where the speedboat was tied on our stern. Two men quickly came to my side and lifted me off Imagine. They covered me in warming blankets and handed me a bottle of water, which I guzzled. About five minutes later, Grant was put on a stretcher and carried onto the boat.

  A team of naval officers and medics tended to each of us once we reached the aircraft carrier, the USS Enterprise. I was separated from Grant and given a shower and food and as much water as I could drink. Next I was brought to a cabin with two twin beds and an attached bathroom. I was told that Imagine was in pretty bad shape but that the navy would send some people on board for us and do its best to try and recover any personal belongings that were not destroyed or desecrated. They also told me that they would bring back our computer and any equipment that could be salvaged.

  I was sitting on one of the beds, alone for a rare moment, when a female officer named Audrey came in with a handful of fresh towels.

  “Where is Quinn?” I asked her.

  “I believe he’s in surgery. His leg needed stitches.”

  “No, no, that’s Grant. Quinn was with us too. He didn’t make it.” I paused and covered my mouth for a moment. “Can you tell me if he’s off the boat?”

  She smiled apologetically. “Let me see what I can find out.”

  Alone again, I moved over to the small window. Imagine was on the other side of the boat, so all I could see was the vast, beautiful ocean that’d held so much promise and excitement for us only days ago. I grabbed one of the small washcloths that Audrey had left and wept silently for Quinn and thought about my mom. How her whole life she’d kept the faith and gone to church and prayed for God to protect the people she loved. How she’d invested so much time and energy in worship, even at the expense of her own family. Where was He this week? How does something like this happen to someone like Quinn? How could God allow that to happen to Quinn? I ached, thinking about Grant’s failed attempt to save his friend. His manufactured enthusiasm in those last few minutes, pulling out all the stops, talking about the navy’s presence and about our imminent rescue . . . about Bridget. So eager for Quinn to hear him and climb out of the black hole he was slipping into. Where was God then?

  I jumped when there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” I said after catching my breath.

  The door opened, and it was Noah. “Pardon the interruption, ma’am, but I wanted to check in on you and bring you this.”

  He held the quilt in his hand. I choked out a small thank you.

  “Please call me Jessica.” My voice was shaking.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  He sat down on the bed opposite me and respectfully placed the quilt beside him. He let me cry until I was ready to stop. His presence brought me comfort, and I owed him my life.

  “Did you capture any of them?” My stomach turned just picturing their faces, both dead and alive.

  “Yes, ma’am, we did.”

  “Where are th
ey?”

  “They’ll be taken down to the brig.”

  I curled my lips inward. “And then what?”

  “And then they will stay there until we’re told where to transport them to. After that they’ll be held and then likely brought to trial for what they’ve done.”

  I shook my head. Whatever would happen to them would never bring justice to Quinn and his family, would never bring comfort to anyone.

  Noah sat with me in silence, making no attempt to spur conversation.

  “Thank you,” I whispered.

  “You’re very welcome,” he said. “When you’re ready, we’d like to get a full account of what happened to you and Mr. Flynn.” His voice was gentle and kind. “And to Quinn.”

  I nodded. “Could I e-mail my sister first?”

  “You can call her if you’d like.”

  I was relieved to hear that. “Thank you,” I said, and closed my eyes for a second, and sighed. “What about Quinn’s family and his girlfriend? Who is going to call them?”

  He scratched his neck. “However you and Mr. Flynn would like to handle it is fine with us. I know it’s not an easy call to make.”

  I imagined he did know that. I also figured that Grant would like to speak to Quinn’s family and to Bridget.

  “What will happen to his body?”

  “He will be paid his respects right here on the aircraft and his body will be placed in a casket. Then, dependent on the family’s wishes, we can bury him at sea or fly the body back to his hometown.”

  I glanced at the floor. Quinn didn’t deserve to arrive home in a casket. He was so much more than a body. He was the light of so many lives. I wanted to explain to Noah how much fun it was to be around Quinn. How he made every woman feel beautiful and every man like he was one of the cool crowd. He never passed judgment on people, just wanted everyone to have a good time and be happy. How could someone who loved life be deprived of it so quickly?

  He stood. “Would you like to come with me now and call your sister?”

  “Noah?” I looked up.

  “Yes.”

  “Could you please get this quilt back to Quinn?” I asked and handed the blanket back to him.

  He nodded. “Of course. I will make sure that it is with him at all times.”

  “Thank you.”

  Chapter 26

  I stood in a windowless room behind an officer wearing a green shirt sitting in front of thousands of buttons and switches and various dials. He looked way too young to have lived enough years to learn how to function each of those controls. Also in front of him were five phones. I gave him my sister’s phone number and waited. Moments later he spoke into his headset.

  “Good afternoon, ma’am, this is Petty Officer Harris with the United States Navy. We have your sister Jessica here with us, and she would like to speak with you,” he said, and I could hear Caroline scream on the other end.

  Officer Harris pressed a button, then lifted one of the five handsets off the console and handed it to me. Tears were flowing down my cheeks before I could get one word out.

  “Caroline?” I choked.

  “Jessica! Oh my God! Where are you? Who was that? Are you all right? I’ve been worried sick.”

  I placed my hand over my mouth and sniffed. Hearing her voice was both comforting and difficult. “I’m okay. I’m safe now. We had a terrible thing happen to us.”

  “What happened? Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m sure. We’re with the navy now, aboard an aircraft carrier somewhere off the coast of Oman I think. Our boat was attacked.” I’d shared very little with her about the threat from Somalian pirates before we left because I didn’t want to worry her, but she was no idiot. She’d told me she’d done her own research and had begged me to reconsider.

  She gasped on the other end of the phone and then began to cry.

  “Please don’t get upset,” I said. “I’m so sorry I gave you such a scare.”

  Her breaths were loud. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you. I’ve been frantically checking my e-mail every five minutes. I can’t begin to tell you what a relief it is to hear your voice. I’m just so thankful you’re okay. You promise me you’re okay?”

  “Yes,” I promised. “But I can’t say the same for Quinn.” My throat went tight as I tried to get the words out.

  “Oh no,” she said. “What happened?”

  I couldn’t speak. Just shook my head and rubbed my eyes.

  “Jessica?”

  “They killed him! Minutes before our rescue. Quinn is gone. Just gone. Oh my God, Caroline.” My stomach was in knots. Would I ever be able to say those words without falling apart?

  “I’m so sorry,” she said slowly, and then paused. “That is unbearable. I’m so sorry you had to see that. What about Grant?”

  Noah handed me some tissues, and I wiped my face. “He’s okay I think. He was shot in the leg, and I haven’t seen him in a few hours, but he’s alive. He did everything he could to save Quinn. Everyone did.” My voice was raised at the end like I was trying to convince her of something.

  “Oh my God, Jessica. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. Please come home. I need to see your face. When can you come home?”

  I looked over at Noah, who was still with me. “I don’t know what the plan is.”

  “I want you out of there as soon as possible. Enough of these reckless antics. It’s time you come home now.”

  “I will call you as soon as I know anything.”

  We said our good-byes, and I was glad to have finally brought her some relief. Afterward, I asked to call Sophie.

  “Jessica, my God! We heard the name of the boat on the telly,” Sophie said. “Are you hurt?”

  I began to cry again.

  “Oh darling,” she said in a softer voice. “Oh my dear, are you all right? I’m just so glad to hear your voice.”

  I took a deep breath. “Grant and I are all right, but Quinn . . . he’s . . .”

  “No.”

  We sat in silence on the phone for a moment. “I can’t talk about it now. I’m so sorry; it’s been really hard.”

  “Shh. Oh God, it’s okay, love.” She was sniffling.

  “Sophie, can you please go to the Knights’ house for me and tell them I’m okay and tell them I’ll call them as soon as I can? Can you go today and do that for me?”

  “I’m on my way. Consider it done. When are you coming back here?”

  “I don’t know yet. We have to bring Quinn home first.”

  “I miss you, love. Please be safe.”

  “I miss you too. And Niran!” I was smiling now through the tears, laughing almost. “Please give him a kiss and a squeeze for me.”

  “You can bet I will.”

  As soon as I handed the phone back to Officer Harris, I asked to see Grant.

  Noah led me up an interior stairwell, up two flights of stairs, to the infirmary. He rapped twice on a gray metal door and was greeted by a medic. They exchanged a few words and then moved aside, allowing me to enter.

  Grant’s attention was already on the door when I walked through it. I paused for a moment and then ran to him. He was lying on a hospital bed with his leg elevated but all else intact. I buried my head in his chest, and he stroked my hair. As soon as I caught my breath, I lifted myself up and bent over to kiss him. I placed one hand on the side of his face and savored the warmth of his lips.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  He nodded.

  “I’m so glad.”

  Grant reached out to hold my hand, and Noah brought me a chair and then left.

  “How about you?” Grant said.

  “I’m fine. I spoke to my sister. They let me call her. She was worried sick, obviously, and very, very glad to hear from me.”

  “That’s great.”

  I rubbed Grant’s hand with my thumb and stared at our intertwined fingers. We sat silent for a moment before I spoke. “We need to call Brid
get.”

  Grant furrowed his brow. “Yes,” he said, managing to sound in control.

  “It’s so awful, Grant.” My voice cracked.

  “I know it is.”

  “He didn’t deserve to die.”

  “No, he didn’t. None of us deserved what happened. I wish I could fix it all—rewind and start over and take it all back—but I can’t. I’ve done nothing in the past twenty-four hours besides think of you and Quinn. I have no words to express how terrible I feel for putting both of you in this position.”

  Our eyes met, and I squeezed his hand.

  “But we need to move on,” he continued. “We need to get you home, and take care of Quinn and his funeral and his family.”

  “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay with you.”

  He cocked his head to the side, his eyes downturned. “Your sister and your family deserve to have you back with them. And safe.”

  “My sister needed to know that I was all right, and now that she does she’ll be okay. I’m not leaving you.”

  Noah walked in with two officers behind him. “Excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt, but we do want to talk with you both as soon as possible. A report needs to be filed, and Quinn’s next of kin should be contacted.”

  “Yes, of course,” Grant said, then turned to me. “Let’s discuss this later.”

  Noah pushed a wheelchair next to the bed and helped Grant into it. We all left the room and went to an elevator, which took us back to the communications room, where I had called Caroline and Sophie. Noah asked Grant for Quinn’s last name.

  “Asner. Quinn Asner. He’s from Miami. He lived with his girlfriend.”

  “Bridget,” I added.

  Noah nodded. “We’d like to see if we could reach his parents or family first. Would you agree?”