Jonathan Reed.
And Victor Hale.
Standing together.
Behind them was an aircraft.
Malcolm's hands tightened.
“My brother didn't disappear.”
“No,” Steven said.
“He changed his identity.”
“And became a maintenance contractor.”
Malcolm stared at the photograph.
Then he remembered something.
His father's final investigation.
A missing component.
A falsified report.
A name he had seen once as a child.
Jonathan.
Malcolm closed his eyes.
“He blamed my father.”
“For what?”
“He believed my father covered up the accident that killed our mother.”
Steven looked shocked.
“Your mother died too?”
“Yes.”
Malcolm's voice became quiet.
“She was on the aircraft.”
Steven understood.
The conspiracy suddenly made sense.
Jonathan had spent years building a network inside the company.
Not simply to steal money.
To destroy Northstar.
And Malcolm.
The final target was Flight 718.
But why?
Malcolm suddenly remembered the folder.
He opened it.
The maintenance records.
The aircraft registration.
The route.
Then he froze.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“This flight isn't random.”
Steven leaned over.
Malcolm pointed to the destination.
“Northstar's headquarters.”
Steven stared.
“Why would that matter?”
“Because tomorrow is the annual shareholder meeting.”
Steven's eyes widened.
“All senior executives will be there.”
“Yes.”
“And this aircraft…”
“Was supposed to carry the board.”
Silence.
Malcolm slowly closed the folder.
“This was never about one aircraft.”
Steven understood.
“It was about the entire company.”
A security alarm sounded.
The room lights went dark.
Someone screamed in the hallway.
Steven grabbed Malcolm's arm.
“Stay close.”
A gunshot echoed somewhere in the building.
Mina ducked behind the table.
Steven pushed Malcolm toward the emergency exit.
“Move!”
They ran.
Another shot.
Glass shattered.
Malcolm looked back.
A man stood at the end of the hallway.
Jonathan Reed.
He stared directly at Malcolm.
For several seconds, neither brother moved.
Then Jonathan said:
“You should have stayed out of it.”
Malcolm stepped forward.
“You killed people.”
Jonathan shook his head.
“No.”
He looked at Steven.
“People died because men like him followed orders.”
Steven stepped forward.
“You're done.”
Jonathan smiled.
“Captain Parker.”
Steven stopped.
“You don't understand.”
Jonathan pointed toward the airport.
“The real aircraft is already moving.”
Steven's face went pale.
“What?”
Jonathan disappeared into the darkness.
Malcolm grabbed Steven.
“Flight 718 wasn't the target.”
Steven understood.
“The board's aircraft.”
They ran.
The Last Decision
The second aircraft had already left the gate.
It carried twelve executives.
Among them was the Northstar board.
Steven reached the operations center.
“Stop that aircraft.”
The controller turned.
“Captain, it's already airborne.”
“How long?”
“Seven minutes.”
Malcolm stepped forward.
“What is its registration?”
The controller gave it.
Malcolm's face changed.
“That aircraft had the same maintenance discrepancy.”
Steven looked at him.
“Hydraulics?”
“Yes.”
“Then we have a problem.”
The controller looked nervous.
“What kind?”
Malcolm pointed toward the radar.
“The aircraft is flying directly into severe weather.”
Steven stared.
“Why?”
“Because the flight plan was altered.”
Steven grabbed the headset.
“Contact them.”
The controller tried.
No response.
Again.
Nothing.
Then a weak transmission came through.
“This is Northstar 402…”
Static.
Steven leaned toward the microphone.
“Northstar 402, this is Captain Parker. Respond.”
A voice answered.
“Captain?”
Steven recognized it.
Daniel Hayes.
“Daniel!”
“Listen carefully.”
Steven's eyes closed.
“Are you flying?”
“Yes.”
“Is the aircraft damaged?”
“Yes.”
“How bad?”
“Hydraulic pressure is dropping.”
Malcolm looked at the radar.
“Can you divert?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“The controls are becoming unstable.”
Steven looked at the weather map.
“Daniel, you need to turn south.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“The autopilot won't disengage.”
Steven went silent.
Someone had locked the system.
Malcolm grabbed the microphone.
“Daniel, this is Malcolm Reed.”
Static.
Then:
“Malcolm?”
“Yes.”
“I knew you'd find it.”
“What?”
“The maintenance issue.”
Malcolm looked at Steven.
Daniel continued.
“Jonathan is on board.”
Everyone froze.
“What?”
“He boarded under another name.”
Malcolm's heart stopped.
“Where?”
“First-class.”
Steven asked:
“Is he controlling the aircraft?”
“No.”
“Then what is he doing?”
A long pause.
“He has explosives.”
Malcolm's face went cold.
“How much time?”
“Twenty minutes.”
The operations center erupted.
Security teams moved.
But Malcolm remained still.
Steven looked at him.
“What are you thinking?”