Whitmore looked down at the tablet again.
He seemed to be searching for some way to regain control of the situation.
Then another notification appeared.
This time, the message was marked urgent.
CORPORATE COMPLIANCE β IMMEDIATE REVIEW REQUIRED.
Michael opened it.
The message instructed the crew to preserve all available records, including passenger interaction reports, cabin communications, and any relevant operational decisions made before departure.
A second line caught his attention.
CAPTAIN RICHARD WHITMORE β TEMPORARY OPERATIONAL REVIEW PENDING.
Michael looked up.
"Captain..."
Whitmore took the tablet.
He read the notification.
His expression changed again.
"Who authorized this?"
Michael replied.
"Corporate compliance."
"Call them."
"Captain, I believe they are already connecting."
A moment later, the tablet began ringing.
Michael accepted the call and placed it on speaker.
A woman's voice came through.
"Good afternoon. This is Laura Bennett from Corporate Compliance."
Daniel recognized the name.
Laura had been appointed chief compliance officer after the acquisition.
She was known for being direct, meticulous, and unwilling to accept vague explanations.
"Mr. Brooks, are you present?"
Daniel leaned slightly forward.
"Yes, Laura."
There was a brief silence.
"First, I want to apologize for what has happened."
Daniel nodded.
"Thank you."
"Are you physically safe?"
"Yes."
"Have you been threatened or physically restrained?"
"No."
"Has anyone identified a specific security concern involving your booking?"
"No."
Laura paused.
"Captain Whitmore, are you present?"
Whitmore stepped forward.
"Yes. This is Captain Whitmore."
"Captain, I need you to explain why you attempted to remove a confirmed passenger from the aircraft."
Whitmore straightened his uniform.
"As I explained earlier, I had concerns about the passenger's authorization."
"What concerns?"
"The booking information."
"Which part?"
Whitmore hesitated.
"The information presented to me appeared inconsistent."
Laura's voice remained calm.
"Was the booking confirmed in the passenger manifest?"
"Yes."
"Was the passenger's identity verified?"
"Yes."
"Was there an active security restriction?"
Whitmore did not answer immediately.
Laura repeated the question.
"Captain, was there an active security restriction?"
"No."
"Was there a safety-related incident?"
"No."
"Did the passenger refuse any crew instruction?"
Whitmore looked toward Daniel.
"No."
"Then what was the basis for your removal request?"
The captain's silence lasted several seconds.
Finally, he said, "I believed there was a concern."
Laura replied.
"Belief is not documentation. Please explain the specific facts supporting that belief."
Whitmore shifted his weight.
"I would prefer to discuss this privately."
Laura did not change her tone.
"This is an official review. You may provide a detailed written statement after the aircraft has been secured."
She then turned her attention toward Daniel.
"Mr. Brooks, I understand this is extremely uncomfortable. Would you like us to arrange a private meeting?"
Daniel shook his head.
"I appreciate the offer, but I would prefer to remain here until the crew completes its review."
"Understood."
Laura paused.
"One additional matter. Our preliminary system records indicate that the captain accessed your booking profile before approaching your seat."
Daniel looked toward Michael.
Michael checked the tablet.
"That's correct."
Laura continued.
"The access log shows that your booking was opened at 2:17 p.m., approximately six minutes before the confrontation began."
Daniel frowned slightly.
"Why was it accessed?"
Laura answered carefully.
"We are still reviewing that."
Whitmore immediately interrupted.
"I was checking the manifest."
Laura replied.
"That is understandable. We simply need to establish why the profile was selected."
The call continued.
"Captain Whitmore, please remain available for further instructions. First Officer Reyes, thank you for escalating the situation."
"Understood," Michael replied.
The call ended.
Whitmore stared at the screen.
His face had become pale.
Daniel noticed that he was now avoiding eye contact.
Something else was happening.
Something beyond a simple disagreement over a seat.
And Daniel intended to find out what it was.
He opened his briefcase and removed a thin folder.
Inside were several printed documents, a small notebook, and a copy of a corporate report.
Michael noticed the report's cover.
It bore the logo of Meridian Atlantic Airways.
"Sir, is that related to the company?"
Daniel nodded.
"It may be."
He opened the folder.
For the past three months, Daniel had been reviewing the airline's internal customer-service performance.
The review had been initiated after a series of complaints from passengers across several international routes.
Some reports described employees using inappropriate language.
Others mentioned inconsistent treatment during boarding, unexplained seat changes, and complaints being dismissed without investigation.
At first, the reports seemed unrelated.