“Perfect.”
She removed her phone.
“Call operations.”
The Pilot laughed.
“Gladly.”
“Tell them the woman who owns this jet is replacing its captain.”
The laughter stopped.
The Wealthy Passenger stared.
The cabin attendant froze near the galley.
The Pilot blinked.
Then he actually smiled.
Not because he believed her.
Because he thought he had finally caught her lying.
“You own the aircraft?”
“Yes.”
“This Gulfstream?”
“Yes.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
The Woman unlocked her phone.
“I expect you to verify it.”
The Pilot crossed his arms.
“Show me.”
She looked up.
“You aren't entitled to inspect my corporate records.”
“You just claimed ownership.”
“And you just threatened to remove your employer from her own aircraft.”
The Wealthy Passenger laughed nervously.
“This is ridiculous.”
The Woman turned toward her.
“You may want to sit down.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“That was advice, not an order.”
The Pilot grabbed his radio.
“Operations, Odyssey Seven requesting passenger verification.”
Static.
Then a dispatcher answered.
“Go ahead, Odyssey Seven.”
The Pilot stared at the Woman.
“I have a passenger claiming ownership of the aircraft.”
There was a pause.
A longer one than expected.
“Repeat?”
The Pilot spoke slower.
“Passenger claims she owns this aircraft.”
The dispatcher asked, “Passenger name?”
The Woman answered before the Pilot could.
She gave her name.
Silence came through the radio.
The Pilot waited.
“Operations?”
Nothing.
Then another voice came onto the frequency.
Different person.
Older.
More controlled.
“Captain, this is Operations Director.”
The Pilot's posture changed.
“Sir.”
“Step into the galley.”
The Pilot glanced toward the passengers.
“I can speak here.”
“No.”
The director's voice hardened.
“Step into the galley. Now.”
The Pilot walked several feet away.
The Woman could still hear enough.
“Have you verified passenger identity?”
“No, sir.”
“Have you checked the ownership transition briefing issued yesterday?”
The Pilot stopped moving.
“What briefing?”
“The acquisition memorandum.”
“I haven’t read it.”
“Clearly.”
The Pilot's face lost color.
The director continued.
“The passenger sitting in the forward cabin is the controlling owner of SW Holdings.”
The Pilot said nothing.
“That company completed the acquisition of Ascendia Global Charter fourteen days ago.”
The Wealthy Passenger slowly lowered herself into a seat.
The Operations Director continued.
“And yes, Captain, the aircraft you are currently standing inside is registered to the operating subsidiary now controlled by her company.”
The Pilot turned toward the Woman.
She was reopening her book.
“Operations…”
“Stand by.”
The radio went quiet again.
The Pilot walked back toward her.
His entire manner had changed.
“Ma’am.”
She looked up.
“I believe there’s been a misunderstanding.”