However, just as a fleeting sense of relief washed over him, a sudden, unexpected thud reverberated through the ship’s hull. Adam’s heart sank. He hadn’t accounted for a third boat, hidden from view. The realization hit him like a tidal wave: the pirates had outmaneuvered him.
Within moments, armed men from the third boat grappled onto the ship’s side, clambering aboard with a predatory urgency. The air thickened with tension as Captain Adam watched, knowing he had to prove his mettle and save his crew at any cost.