Steven stared at it.
Then he looked toward the aircraft.
“Someone is trying to frighten us.”
“No.”
Malcolm's voice was quiet.
“They're trying to stop us.”
At that moment, the airport security chief approached.
“Captain Parker.”
“Yes?”
“We found something.”
“What?”
He handed Steven a sealed plastic bag.
Inside was a small metal component.
Steven immediately recognized it.
“That's from the hydraulic system.”
The security chief nodded.
“It was found inside an access panel.”
Steven looked at Malcolm.
Malcolm didn't look surprised.
“Was it damaged?”
“No.”
Steven frowned.
“Then why was it removed?”
The security chief shook his head.
“We don't know.”
Malcolm looked at the component.
“Because someone wanted the aircraft to fail after takeoff.”
Steven's face went pale.
Daniel approached.
“Captain?”
Steven turned.
“Cancel the flight.”
Daniel nodded.
But before he could move, the airport alarm sounded.
People began running through the terminal.
A security officer shouted:
“Evacuate Gate 14!”
Smoke began rising from the aircraft.
Steven froze.
“Fire?”
The security chief grabbed his radio.
“No flames.”
“Then what is that?”
“Electrical smoke.”
Malcolm looked at the aircraft.
Then at Steven.
“Someone is sending us a message.”
Steven stared at the smoke.
“What message?”
Malcolm's answer was immediate.
“Stop looking.”
The Name on the List
The investigation moved quickly.
The aircraft was isolated.
Maintenance records were seized.
Security footage was reviewed.
But the most disturbing discovery came from the airport surveillance room.
A technician froze a frame.
A man wearing a maintenance uniform was standing beside Flight 718 two hours before boarding.
Steven leaned toward the monitor.
“That's not one of ours.”
The technician enlarged the image.
The uniform looked authentic.
The identification badge did not.
Malcolm studied the photograph.
“Can you zoom in?”
The technician did.
A name appeared.
RICHARD VALE.
Steven frowned.
“Who is that?”
Malcolm went silent.
“You know him?”
Malcolm nodded.
“He was one of our former security contractors.”
“What happened to him?”
“He was fired.”
“Why?”
“Unauthorized access.”
Steven looked at him.
“What did he access?”
“Maintenance databases.”
The room became quiet.
Malcolm continued.
“He was caught downloading internal records.”
Steven stared at the screen.
“Why would he be involved in this?”
“Because he wasn't working alone.”
Malcolm pulled another document from his folder.
A list of names.
Several were circled.
Steven scanned them.
Then stopped.
One name was familiar.
Victor Hale.
Steven looked at Malcolm.
“You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I didn't know whom I could trust.”
Steven looked offended.
“You thought I was involved?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because whoever is doing this has access to internal information.”
Steven stared at the list.
“Flight schedules.”
“Yes.”
“Maintenance records.”
“Yes.”
“Crew assignments.”
“Yes.”
Malcolm nodded.
“They knew I would be on this flight.”
Steven slowly understood.
“So this wasn't an attack on the aircraft.”
“No.”
“It was an attack on you.”
Malcolm looked at him.
“Possibly.”
“Why?”
“Because I was close to finding the truth.”
Steven looked again at the names.
“What's the truth?”
Malcolm closed the folder.
“Someone has been buying defective aircraft components, installing cheaper substitutes, and falsifying inspection records.”
Steven's face tightened.
“That's criminal.”
“Yes.”
“And dangerous.”
“Extremely.”
“Who profits?”
Malcolm didn't answer.
Steven understood.
“Victor Hale.”
“Maybe.”
At that moment, the door opened.
Victor Hale entered.
He was tall, silver-haired, perfectly dressed.
“Captain Parker.”
Steven looked at him.
“Victor.”
Hale turned toward Malcolm.
“Mr. Reed.”
Malcolm nodded.
“You're not supposed to be here.”
Hale smiled.
“Neither are you.”
Steven looked between them.
Hale's expression remained calm.
“I understand there has been an unfortunate incident.”
“Three incidents,” Malcolm said.
Hale's smile disappeared.
Malcolm continued.
“Three aircraft.”
“Maintenance anomalies happen.”
“Not when the same parts are missing.”
Hale looked at Steven.
“Captain, you should not be participating in this investigation.”
Steven crossed his arms.
“Why?”
“Because you are the operating captain.”
“And?”
“And your responsibility is to fly.”
Steven looked at Malcolm.
Then at Hale.
“No.”
Hale frowned.
“No?”
“I won't fly an aircraft if I don't trust its maintenance.”
Hale's voice hardened.
“Be careful.”
Steven smiled.
“I'm always careful.”
Hale turned toward Malcolm.
“This ends today.”
Malcolm's expression didn't change.