Nina appeared in a plain office room, wearing a blue blouse with her dark hair tied behind her head.
She looked exhausted.
Eleanor introduced us.
Nina glanced toward me.
For a moment, she seemed surprised.
“Mr. Cole?”
“Adrian is fine.”
She nodded nervously.
“I didn't expect you to join.”
I smiled gently.
“These issues matter to our investment decision. I wanted to hear your concerns directly, with counsel present.”
She looked toward Eleanor.
Then took a breath.
“Okay.”
For nearly an hour, Nina described what she had observed.
She didn't claim every airplane was unsafe.
Didn't claim the entire airline was corrupt.
And didn't pretend to know what executives discussed in meetings she never attended.
She described the data she handled.
The reports she prepared.
The changes she was asked to make.
And the questions that remained unanswered.
I asked her why she contacted our firm rather than waiting for the airline's internal review.
She looked down.
For several seconds, she remained silent.
Then whispered, “Because the internal review was sent back to the people I was complaining about.”
Eleanor leaned forward.
“Can you explain?”
Nina nodded.
She described submitting a concern through an internal channel and later being instructed to discuss it with a manager reporting to Pike.
She felt the process didn't provide a meaningful independent review.
I listened.
Then asked, “What would you want to happen?”
She looked surprised.
“What?”
“Assuming the process is handled properly, what outcome are you hoping for?”
Nina's eyes filled.
For a moment, she couldn't speak.
Then she whispered, “I want the reports to be accurate.”
I waited.
She continued.
“My husband thinks I should quit. He's worried about our mortgage. But I keep thinking about the people who rely on those reports.”
She looked directly into the camera.
“Mechanics. Crews. Passengers. Investors. People making decisions who don't know the information has been changed.”
My throat tightened.
For a moment, I thought about my father.
His hands covered in grease.
His insistence that a maintenance record meant something because somebody might depend on it.
I looked toward Nina.
“That's a legitimate concern.”
She nodded.
Then asked something I wasn't expecting.
“Are you still going to give them the money?”
I was silent for a moment.
Then answered carefully.