"Get back to your station!"
Marching toward them with an angry scowl was Greg Simmons, the Terminal 3 Shift Operations Director. Dressed in a pressed grey shirt, burgundy tie, and carrying a clipboard, Simmons prided himself on ruthless efficiency and zero tolerance for schedule delays.
"He needs help!" Toby shouted back, refusing to abandon the elderly traveler.
Toby quickly fetched an airport transport wheelchair from the nearby customer kiosk, carefully lifting the frail man into the seat. He knelt beside him, unscrewed a fresh bottle of mineral water, and gently held it to the old man's trembling lips.
"Thank you, son... thank you," the elderly man rasped, his color slowly returning as he sipped the water.
Chapter II: The Immediate Termination
Simmons arrived at the wheelchair, glaring at Toby with pure contempt.
"You abandoned your transport assignment during peak transit hours," Simmons snapped, pointing an accusatory pen at Toby's chest. "You violated direct operational protocol. You're fired. Hand over your badge and clear out your locker."
Toby stood up, his jaw set firm, meeting his supervisor’s hostile glare with quiet dignity.
"I couldn't leave him lying on the floor, Mr. Simmons. He was fainting."
"I don't care about your excuses," Simmons sneered. "Our contract with the airport authority demands strict compliance with turnaround times. You're done."