“Of course.”
He turned to the nearest flight attendant.
“Please bring the first-aid kit and inform the captain that we have a passenger assault involving the assigned federal inspector. Tell him I’ll provide the initial facts as soon as I’ve secured the area.”
The flight attendant’s expression tightened.
“Yes, Daniel.”
Morgan interrupted.
“Don’t exaggerate this. She’s perfectly fine.”
Daniel faced her.
“You do not determine another passenger’s medical condition.”
“She’s making this into something it isn’t.”
“Step back and remain seated.”
Morgan stared at him.
“I paid for this seat.”
“And you are expected to comply with crew instructions.”
The words were calm, but there was no ambiguity in them.
Daniel guided Elena to an open seat nearby, away from the spilled coffee. A flight attendant placed absorbent towels on the floor and began cleaning the area, taking care not to disturb any items that might be relevant to the report.
Elena sat down.
Her cheek had begun to warm and swell slightly. She could feel the pressure of the blow in her jaw, but she was more concerned with the sequence of events and the crew’s response.
She opened her notebook.
Daniel noticed.
“Ms. Brooks, you don’t need to document this yourself while we’re handling it.”
“I’m documenting my own observations.”
“Understood.”
Elena wrote down the time, the location, the sequence of physical contact, the names visible on crew badges, and the initial witness statements she had heard.
She did not write an emotional description.
She recorded facts.
That habit had served her well throughout her career. In safety work, precision was not a cold alternative to compassion. It was a way of ensuring that the truth survived pressure.
Morgan watched her writing.
“You’re really going to do this?”
Elena did not look up.
“Yes.”
“You have no idea who I am.”
Elena closed the notebook.
“I don’t need to.”
Morgan leaned forward.
“You should find out.”
“I’m not interested in your status.”
Morgan gave a tight smile.
“Everyone is interested in my status.”
Elena looked at her for a long moment.
“That may be why you thought you could behave this way.”
The remark drew a quiet reaction from several passengers.
Morgan’s face hardened.