"Oh, Romeo," Avery cooed mockingly into the phone, "your Juliet is right here. Why don't you two share some last words before we reach our destination? Where she'll be buried alive under deep ice."
A sound like the breaking glass came through the speaker - Chris must have thrown something on the floor in fury. "Avery, I swear to God—"
Avery hurled the phone at Lily, who caught it with trembling hands. "Chris?" she whispered, her voice breaking.
"Lily, sweetheart, listen to me." His voice was rough with emotion. "You're going to be okay. I'm going to fix this."
Tears streamed down her face. "How? Chris, I'm so sorry. I was stupid and scared and—" She swallowed hard. "I love you. I should have trusted you."
There was a pause, and when Chris spoke again, his voice was thick. "Tell me that in person, okay? When I see you again."
"But what if—" Lily glanced at Avery, who was watching their exchange with sadistic delight.
Then Avery rolled her eyes dramatically. "You know what?" She stood, smoothing her designer skirt. "You still have a few minutes left to live. Keep crying to him." With a cruel smirk, she disappeared behind the cockpit door, leaving Lily alone with the phone.
"Thank you, Chris, for everything you've done for me," Lily whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
"Lily, wait," Chris interrupted urgently. "Is Avery really gone?"
"Yes, she left the cabin."
"Turn on the video call," Chris instructed, his tone shifting from gentle to focused in an instant.
Lily's fingers trembled as she switched to video. Chris's face filled the screen, his ocean-blue eyes tight with worry, his jaw clenched with tension.
"Show me around," he said softly.
Lily panned the phone slowly, giving Chris a view of the luxurious cabin.
"There's a butter knife on the table near you," Chris said. "Pick it up."
Lily's hand hovered over the small silver knife. "Chris, what can I possibly do with this? I'm not a fighter like you. I can't—"
"I know, sweetheart," Chris's voice was soothing yet firm. "Just follow my instructions. Please... do this for us."
The way he said 'us' made Lily's heart skip a beat. Despite everything, he still saw them as a team. She picked up the knife, its weight unfamiliar and slightly terrifying in her hand.
"Don't be scared," Chris continued, his tone gentle. "You're doing great, Lily. Now, I need you to put the phone in your thermal jacket's front pocket. Make sure the camera can see out."
Lily hesitated for a moment, then slipped the phone into her pocket as he instructed. "Like this?"
"Perfect," Chris's voice came through, slightly muffled but still clear. "I can see everything in front of you now."
Lily took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. "Chris, I don't know if I can do this. Whatever 'this' is."
"Listen to me, Lily," Chris's voice was warm, wrapping around her like a protective embrace. "You are stronger than you know. You've survived so much already. I believe in you, and I need you to believe in yourself right now."
Tears pricked at Lily's eyes, but for the first time since this nightmare began, they weren't tears of fear. Chris's unwavering faith in her kindled a spark of courage she didn't know she possessed.
"Okay," she whispered, gripping the butter knife tightly. "I'm ready. What do I do now?"
As Chris began to outline his plan, Lily felt a shift inside her. She might not be a fighter like Chris, but she was a survivor. And with him guiding her, maybe – just maybe – she could turn the tables on Avery.
Lily's heart raced as Chris's voice crackled through the phone. "I've hacked the plane's GPS," he said urgently. "There's just Avery, two bodyguards, and two Nyrorian pilots. You only have three people to take down, Lily."
A hysterical laugh bubbled up in Lily's throat. "Take down? Chris, I can't even handle Avery! She's so much taller than me, and those bodyguards are twice my size! It's impossible, it's illogical!"
"Lily, listen to me," Chris's voice was firm but gentle. "Logical reasoning isn't required in fighting. All you have to do is the right thing at the right time. Just do what I say. Now, take the wine glass on the table and drop it on the floor. Quick!"
With trembling hands, Lily grabbed the glass and let it fall. The sound of shattering crystal filled the cabin, followed by the ominous click of Avery's heels approaching.
"Now sit down and act scared," Chris instructed. "When she comes, tell her how sorry you are for dropping the glass."
Lily sank into the seat, her heart pounding. As Avery burst into the cabin, Lily cowered, her eyes wide with fear. "I-I'm so sorry," she stammered. "I didn't mean to drop it."
Avery's lip curled in disgust. "Pathetic," she spat. "I thought at least you will die with dignity today. But you can't stop being the same old clumsy nerd even now… you should be ashamed of yourself."
She stalked closer, her ice-blue eyes narrowing. "Wait a minute, why do you have my phone in your pocket like this?!"
As Avery reached for the phone, Chris's voice rang out, startling Lily. "Grab her hand now, Lily! And point the knife at her eye. Do it!"
Adrenaline surged through Lily's body. In one fluid motion, she seized Avery's wrist and brought the butter knife up, its tip inches from Avery's wide-eyed gaze.
"Don't move," Lily hissed, surprised by the steadiness in her voice.
Avery froze, shock written across her perfect features. For the first time, Lily saw fear flicker in those cold eyes.
"Good job, Lily," Chris's voice came through, warm with pride. "Now, listen carefully. You're going to use Avery as a shield..."
"Let me go!" Avery snarled, her body tensing.
"Lily, no matter what she does, never drop the knife from her eye level," Chris commanded. "If she moves, stab her with it."
"No!" Avery screamed, her composure cracking. "Not my eyes. I have the most beautiful eyes in the world."
"Yes," Chris replied coolly, his view clear through the phone camera. "But if you move now, you'll have just one beautiful eye, not two."
Lily's hand trembled slightly, but she kept the knife steady. A spark of hope flickered in her chest. Maybe she could do this. Chris's plan was actually working, which surprised her more than anything.
Avery's gaze dropped to the phone in Lily's pocket, a cruel smile twisting her lips. "You're very smart, Chris Eaton," she purred. "You even made this pathetic coward Lily fetch a weapon and fight. You have great charisma. I'm really impressed… no one else could have done this except you." Her smile widened. "But... I'm not alone here."
As if on cue, two hulking bodyguards appeared, their massive frames filling the cabin doorway. Lily's heart plummeted. This was the real battle, one she'd most likely lose.
"Chris," she whispered, fear threatening to overwhelm her. "Her bodyguards are here."
"I'm able to see that too, Lily. Just stay calm," Chris's voice was steady, anchoring her. "You have the upper hand. Avery is your shield."
Lily tightened her grip on Avery, pressing the knife closer. She could feel Avery's pulse racing, matching her own frantic heartbeat.
"Boys," Avery called, her voice strained. "Get this little rat off me."
The bodyguards advanced, their faces impassive. Lily felt like a mouse cornered by cats, her borrowed heart pounding so hard she thought it might burst.
"Lily, listen to me," Chris's voice cut through her panic. "You're stronger than you know. Remember what Avery did to you, how she tried to kill you. Use that anger. You can do this."
Something shifted inside Lily. Chris believed in her. He'd saved her life once, and now he was trying to save it again. She couldn't let him down.
With a deep breath, Lily steadied her hand and met the bodyguards' eyes. "Stay back," she warned, surprised by the steel in her voice. "Or your boss loses an eye."