Madison stared at the screen.
"Okay."
Daniel closed it.
"Okay?"
"I apologize."
Naomi looked at her.
The apology sounded mechanical.
No regret.
No recognition of what had happened.
Just damage control.
Naomi shook her head.
"Let's just board."
Madison stepped aside.
Naomi climbed the stairs.
Carlos remained below.
As she reached the top, she turned.
She saw him.
"What's your name?"
Carlos straightened.
"Carlos Mendez, ma'am."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For noticing."
Carlos didn't understand.
Naomi did.
She had seen his phone.
She had seen the way he watched.
She knew he had recognized that something was wrong.
She entered the cabin.
The door closed.
Carlos stood alone on the tarmac.
His phone vibrated.
The recording was still there.
And he had no idea that within twenty-four hours, thousands of people would be watching it.
Takeoff
The jet lifted into the winter sky at 4:18 p.m.
Naomi sat alone in the rear cabin.
She had changed into soft clothes.
Her medical bag rested beside her.
She poured water instead of wine.
Her hands were trembling slightly.
Not from fear.
From exhaustion.
She closed her eyes.
Then heard a knock.
Madison entered.
"Would you like anything?"
"No, thank you."
Madison smiled.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
She hesitated.
"About earlier..."
Naomi opened her eyes.
"Yes?"
"I was doing my job."
Naomi studied her.
"I understand."
Madison smiled.
"Good."
She turned.
Then stopped.
"You know, sometimes wealthy passengers assume everyone should recognize them."
Naomi looked at her.
"I don't expect anyone to recognize me."
Madison nodded.
"That's good."
Naomi's voice remained calm.
"I expect people to do their jobs."
Madison's smile disappeared.
She left.
Naomi leaned back.
She thought the matter was over.
It wasn't.
Because Madison had a phone too.
And before the aircraft had even reached cruising altitude, she had already sent a message to a friend.
Crazy passenger today. You won't believe this one.
She attached a photograph.
It was Naomi.
Walking toward the aircraft.
The caption read:
"Claims she owns the jet. Couldn't prove it."
The image went into a private group.
Then another.
Then another.
By dinner, someone had posted it publicly.
By midnight, the story had changed.
Now Naomi wasn't merely a woman whose ownership required verification.
She was supposedly an arrogant passenger.
Then she was supposedly impersonating an aircraft owner.
Then she was supposedly caught trying to board a jet she didn't own.
The internet did what it always did.
It filled gaps with imagination.
But one person had the complete video.
Carlos Mendez.
And he had not posted it.
Yet.