Chapter 2
Chapter 2
The stranger suddenly pointed toward me. “That girl caused this?” Marcus glanced at me, then back at him. “No, sir. You caused this when you decided her ticket was less valid than your assumptions.” A few passengers quietly exchanged looks.
I stood near the galley, holding my burgundy handbag against my side. I didn’t feel victorious. I felt strangely sad. My father had taught me that money could open doors, but it could never give anyone the right to decide another person’s worth.
The man picked up his briefcase. “Who exactly is your father?” he demanded. I looked at him calmly. “Daniel Carter.” His expression froze. Marcus added quietly, “Daniel Carter owns Carter Aviation Group. This aircraft, this route, and the operating company you just threatened are all under his controlling interest.”
The man’s confidence disappeared completely. He looked toward the flight attendant. “I didn’t know.” She answered politely, “You were given several opportunities to verify her ticket, sir.” Nobody laughed. Nobody celebrated. The silence itself seemed to say enough.
Then my phone rang. Dad was calling. I answered immediately. “Ava, are you okay?” I smiled. “I’m fine, Dad.” He paused before saying, “Good. Because there’s something else you need to know.”
My smile disappeared. “What?” His voice became quieter. “That man wasn’t supposed to be on your flight at all.” I looked toward the security officers now standing near the aircraft door.
Marcus heard my father through the phone and suddenly stiffened. “Mr. Carter?” he asked. Dad replied through the speaker, “Marcus, check the briefcase before he leaves.”
The stranger’s face went pale. “You have no right to open that.” One of the ground officials stepped forward. Marcus looked directly at him. “Then you should have nothing to worry about.”
The briefcase clicked open.
And what they found inside made Marcus immediately call airport security.
PART 3: The briefcase clicked open, and everyone leaned forward without realizing it. Inside were several folders, a black tablet, and a sealed envelope bearing the Carter Aviation Group logo. Marcus Bennett stared at the envelope for several seconds before looking at the stranger. “Where did you get this?” he asked. The man said nothing.
One of the security officers carefully removed the envelope and examined it. My father’s signature was printed across the bottom, but the signature had been copied from an old corporate document. Marcus immediately understood what he was looking at. “This is confidential company material,” he said. “You were never authorized to have any of this.”
The stranger finally lost his composure. “You’re making a mistake.” Marcus shook his head. “No, sir. The mistake was thinking nobody would notice.” The tablet was switched on, revealing a series of files connected to an upcoming aircraft acquisition.
I watched from a few steps away, barely understanding what was happening. Dad came through my phone again. “Ava, stay with Marcus and do exactly what he tells you.” I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. “Dad, why was he carrying Carter Aviation documents?”
There was a long pause. “Because someone inside my company has been leaking information.” My stomach tightened. “And you think he’s involved?” Dad answered carefully. “I think the evidence needs to be handled properly before anyone makes an accusation.” That was exactly how my father operated—calm, precise, and never reckless.
The wealthy stranger suddenly looked at me. “You knew about this?” I shook my head. “No.” He lowered his voice. “Then your father used you as bait.” Marcus immediately stepped between us. “Watch your words.” The man looked away, realizing he had crossed another line.
Then Marcus opened the final folder. Inside was a photograph of a man standing beside one of Carter Aviation’s private hangars. I recognized the building immediately. It was the hangar my father had told me never to enter without him.
Marcus stared at the photograph. “This was taken yesterday.” He turned another page and found a handwritten schedule. One flight number had been circled in red. It was our flight number. Suddenly, the reason for the stranger taking my seat no longer seemed like simple arrogance.
The security officers escorted him toward the aircraft door. Before leaving, he stopped and looked back at me. “You have no idea what your father is protecting.” I didn’t answer. I simply watched him disappear through the doorway while Marcus remained beside me.
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A few minutes later, Dad called again. “Ava, listen carefully,” he said. “The man they just removed from your flight was only the messenger.” I stared at Marcus as another security officer hurried into the cabin holding a second envelope. “The person who sent him,” Dad continued, “is someone you’ve met before.”
The jet engine hum died away completely, leaving an eerie silence across the entire cabin. Passengers murmured behind cupped hands, watching Marcus Bennett hold the second envelope with visibly shaking fingers.
