Preston.
“Grant?”
“Unknown.”
Camille asked Arthur.
He nodded.
“Grant knew about utilization.”
“Plate swaps?”
“I don’t know.”
“Everett?”
“No.”
That surprised Camille.
Arthur continued:
“He knows event side.”
“Member management.”
“Not technical.”
“So he humiliated me without even being part of cover-up.”
Arthur looked embarrassed.
“That isn’t better.”
“No.”
It wasn’t.
Camille stood.
“Stay here.”
She and Daniel left.
Outside, the event had begun collapsing.
Guests clustered.
Staff whispered.
Everett stood near Hangar Two entrance fielding questions.
“Technical delay.”
“For how long?”
“Why are we not boarding?”
“Is my aircraft affected?”
A man in a cream dinner jacket noticed Camille.
“Who is she?”
Everett did not answer.
Camille walked past.
One woman whispered:
“That’s Vaughn.”
Someone recognized finally.
Phones rose.
Camille kept moving.
At aircraft four, two mechanics stood beside open panel.
Daniel introduced.
“Luis Ortega.”
“Ben Carter.”
Both looked nervous.
Camille said:
“Thank you for not touching anything.”
Luis nodded.
Ben said:
“Ms. Vaughn, we were told the plate replacement was authorized.”
“By whom?”
“Arthur.”
“Who told Arthur?”
“He said executive maintenance directive.”
“Did you question?”
Luis answered.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“He said Sovereign Arc legal cleared.”
“Did you see clearance?”
“No.”
Camille looked at him.
“Why proceed?”
His face tightened.
“Because I wanted job.”
There.
Again.
Power.
Not excuse.
Fact.
Camille asked:
“Would you do it again?”
“No.”
“That answer is easy now.”
Luis looked down.
“Yes.”
She appreciated.
Daniel said:
“I refused.”
Ben looked at him.
“You’re corporate.”
Daniel snapped:
“I’m engineer.”
Camille touched Daniel’s arm lightly.
He stopped.
She looked at Luis.
“No one is being fired tonight.”
His eyes rose.
“That is not promise for later.”
“But tonight we preserve facts.”
“Tell truth.”
“That is your best option.”