With the first pirate boat temporarily dazed and swerving wildly in their wake, the remaining two skiffs quickly adjusted their vectors to box the sailboat in. Up at the bow, Maya cried out as the electric winch suddenly jammed under the immense pressure. The anchor and the tangled, waterlogged tree trunk had been hoisted just beneath the surface, dragging directly behind the sailboat’s keel like a hidden marine trap.
The second pirate boat accelerated aggressively, attempting to cut across the sailboat’s wake to slice off their escape route. The attackers focused entirely on the deck of the sailboat, screaming threats over the roar of their engines. They were completely unaware of the massive, invisible hazard floating just beneath the churning white foam of the vessel’s path. Maya watched in breathless anticipation, realizing the pursuers were heading in a straight line toward the exact spot where the heavy underwater debris was being dragged through the ocean swells.