Behind Croft, the elderly man on the floor slowly lowered the plastic water bottle. The fragile, helpless demeanor vanished entirely. His breathing steadied, and his piercing grey eyes narrowed with sharp, undeniable authority.
Reaching inside his heavy overcoat, he pulled out a sleek black smartphone.
He pressed a single direct extension, held the receiver to his ear, and spoke with calm, icy command that cut straight through the airport noise:
"Postpone the board meeting."
He paused as the panicked voice of the executive board on the line gasped in immediate shock.
"Yes. I'm at Terminal B, Riverside International Airport."
Chapter IV: The Concourse Standoff
Croft turned around, letting out a mocking laugh. "Postpone a board meeting? Who do you think you are, calling your drinking buddies from the floor of my terminal? Security is going to throw both of you out into the rain—"
BEEP.
The airport’s priority emergency broadcast tone chimed over the main terminal speakers.