“Mr. Mercer?”
“Yes.”
“This is Eleanor Vance.”
Caleb sat up.
He glanced at the clock again.
“Early for jokes.”
Silence.
Then:
“The aircraft failed again.”
Caleb closed his eyes.
“Did you replace the other modules?”
No answer.
He already knew.
“Eleanor.”
“No.”
“How bad?”
“Flight-control computers went offline during ground testing.”
“Engines?”
“Fine.”
“Damage?”
“Two control interface units burned.”
Caleb swung his feet onto the floor.
“Were passengers aboard?”
“No.”
“Good.”
“It was supposed to fly at eight.”
“Then you got lucky.”
Her voice became smaller.
“I need you here.”
Caleb looked down the hallway toward Noah’s room.
“No.”
She went silent.
“What?”
“I said no.”
“Caleb, I’m asking professionally.”
“And I'm answering.”
“I will pay whatever you want.”
“That isn't the problem.”
Another silence.
Then Eleanor said:
“The Meridian contract is being reviewed this afternoon.”
Caleb rubbed his face.
“I’m sorry.”
“We could lose it.”
“I told your technical director what to replace.”
“Yes.”
“He ignored it.”
“Yes.”
“So talk to him.”
“I fired him.”
That woke Caleb fully.
“What?”
“Not because of this morning.”
“What happened?”
She hesitated.
“I found maintenance reports.”
Caleb waited.
“What reports?”
“Reports I was never shown.”
The tone in her voice had changed.
No arrogance.
No polished CEO certainty.
Fear.
“Three engineers warned about the sensor batch six months ago.”
Caleb stood.
“Three?”
“Yes.”
“Written?”
“Yes.”
“What did Finch do?”
“He categorized the issue as noncritical pending additional data.”
Caleb looked toward the window.
Morning darkness outside.
“Why?”
“I don't know.”
“You know enough to call me before sunrise.”
Eleanor exhaled.
“Please come.”
Caleb looked toward Noah’s room again.
“I have to get my son to school.”
“I’ll send a car.”
“No.”
“Caleb—”
“I’m taking my son to school.”
Silence.
Then:
“When can you come?”
“After nine.”
“We may not have—”
“Then call somebody else.”
She stopped.
Caleb hated the hardness in his voice.
But boundaries mattered.
His son had spent enough years being second to emergencies.
Eleanor finally said:
“Nine.”
Caleb hung up.
When he turned, Noah was standing in the hallway.