Then Nina described a set of payments to a consulting vendor called Asteron Aviation Services.
The company was supposed to provide fleet transition planning and operational efficiency analysis.
Its invoices were substantial.
The work descriptions were vague.
And Nina had never seen the detailed reports supposedly produced for several of the payments.
When she asked her supervisor, he told her Pike's office approved the invoices.
When she asked Pike's office, she was told the documentation was commercially sensitive.
Then her access was reduced.
Helen listened.
For several seconds, she looked toward the independent accountants.
One asked Nina whether she knew who owned Asteron.
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Do you know whether the services were performed?”
“I don't know. I can only tell you which supporting records I couldn't locate.”
The accountant nodded.
“That distinction is important.”
Nina looked relieved.
Then she continued.
“I wasn't trying to accuse anyone. I wanted the information to match the reports.”
For a moment, Helen looked toward the window.
Then back at the analyst.
“Thank you.”
Nina's eyes filled.
Nobody had thanked her for asking those questions in months.
Meanwhile, Emma Sullivan had returned to the crew hotel after Flight 408.
She was exhausted.
The cabin incident had consumed most of the morning.
Several passengers asked questions during the flight.
Some expressed support.
Others complained about the delay.
And one person accused the airline of deliberately humiliating a Black passenger to make room for a white executive's friend.
Emma answered only what she was authorized to say.
But she knew the video existed.
She knew the reservation had been changed manually.
And she knew that the incident report she submitted might become uncomfortable for people above her.
That evening, Melissa Crane called.
“Emma, we need to discuss your report.”
Emma sat on the edge of the hotel bed.
“Okay.”
Melissa took a breath.
“Corporate legal is handling the matter. You need to remove any personal recordings and stop distributing unverified information.”
Emma stared.
“I haven't distributed anything publicly.”
“Do you have a video?”
There was a pause.
Emma answered.
“Yes.”
Melissa's voice hardened.
“Delete it.”
Emma felt her stomach tighten.
She looked toward the phone in her hand.
Then toward the window.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Finally, she said, “No.”
Melissa seemed stunned.
“Excuse me?”