"I've got a connection in Seattle."
She nodded.
"I understand."
He folded his arms.
"So how long is this going to take?"
The CEO looked toward the podium.
"I don't know yet. Operations needs to verify the records."
He sighed.
Then moved away.
Several passengers continued filming.
A young Black American woman wearing a gray business suit stepped closer.
She had witnessed the captain's comments.
Her expression was serious.
"Ma'am?"
The CEO turned.
The younger woman held up her phone.
"I recorded what he said."
The captain immediately looked toward her.
"Delete that."
She stared.
"What?"
He stepped closer.
"I don't authorize you to record me."
The CEO raised one hand.
"Captain, stop."
He turned toward her.
For a moment, his old arrogance returned.
"You're not in charge here."
The CEO held his gaze.
"You're not entitled to order passengers to erase evidence of a public interaction."
The captain's cheeks reddened.
He looked toward the younger woman.
Then back at the CEO.
"Who exactly do you think you are?"
The CEO took a slow breath.
Then answered.
"The chief executive of Horizon Crest Airways."
The captain laughed.
A short, unbelieving sound.
"Right."
She did not react.
He looked toward the crowd.
"Of course you are."
The CEO remained calm.
Then her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
The caller was the airline's Chief Operating Officer.
She answered.
"Go ahead."
A man's voice spoke urgently.
"Ma'am, we've confirmed your identity through corporate security. The operational hold is active."
The captain's expression changed.
The CEO listened.
The COO continued.
"The seat-change history is being preserved. The current manifest shows your original first-class reservation was displaced through an unauthorized crew-companion exception."
She looked toward the captain.
"Who entered it?"
The COO paused.
"The request originated from the captain's crew profile. The station supervisor approved it locally."
The CEO remained still.
"And the safety note?"
The voice became more serious.