Jensen went still.
Daniel watched.
There.
Fear.
Not outrage.
Fear.
Interesting.
Coleman said, “Of course we’ll preserve everything.”
Daniel looked at him.
“Will you?”
Coleman hesitated.
Wrong hesitation.
Daniel noticed.
Alana noticed too.
Her expression changed.
The confrontation had just become something else.
Daniel asked, “Richard, why did you hesitate?”
“I didn't.”
“You did.”
Coleman looked around.
Passengers.
Crew.
Phones.
He lowered his voice.
“Can we move this somewhere private?”
Daniel stared at him.
Alana said, “Now I definitely want to know.”
Coleman’s shoulders dropped.
“Mr. Harris, Dr. Harris, there have been prior complaints.”
Captain Evans turned sharply.
“What?”
Jensen went pale.
Coleman immediately regretted saying it publicly.
Daniel said, “Against whom?”
No answer.
“Richard.”
Coleman looked at Jensen.
Then Evans.
“A combination.”
The air changed again.
Alana’s voice went very quiet.
“How many?”
“I don’t have exact numbers.”
“You’re regional operations director.”
“How many?”
“Alana,” Daniel said softly.
She looked at him.
Not to stop her.
To steady her.
Coleman said, “There have been service complaints involving Mr. Jensen.”
Jensen exploded.
“This is unbelievable.”
Coleman turned.
“Mark.”
“No.”
Jensen stepped forward.
“You’re going to stand there and destroy twenty-six years because these people happen to be executives?”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
These people.
Jensen heard himself.
Too late.
Alana’s expression became almost cold enough to frost metal.
“These people.”
Jensen looked away.
Coleman said, “There have also been two complaints involving Captain Evans’s handling of passenger disputes.”
Evans stared.
“You told me those were closed.”
“They were.”
“Why?”
Coleman did not answer.
Daniel did.
“Because someone decided each event was isolated.”
Coleman looked at him.
Daniel knew that look.
He had seen it in organizations after failures.
A man realizing a stranger had just named the internal memo.
Alana asked, “Were race or class mentioned?”
Coleman swallowed.
“One complaint alleged profiling.”
Jensen threw up his hands.
“Of course it did.”
“Every angry passenger says discrimination now.”
Daniel stepped forward.
This time Evans did not raise his hand.
Daniel stopped within conversational distance.
“Mark.”
The purser looked at him.
Daniel’s voice remained controlled.
“You still think this is about our jobs.”
“It isn’t.”
“You did not become wrong when Richard recognized us.”
“You were wrong when you questioned whether two valid passengers belonged in seats they paid for.”
Jensen looked furious.
“You don't know what cabin crews deal with.”
“You’re correct.”
Daniel nodded.
“I run an aerospace corporation.”