“Captain.”
Steven turned.
“What?”
She was pale.
“I found something.”
She held up a tablet.
“Passenger manifest.”
Steven took it.
There were thirty-eight passengers.
But one seat number had no name.
1B.
Steven frowned.
“Seat 1B is empty.”
Maya nodded.
“It shouldn't be.”
“What do you mean?”
“The reservation system says it was occupied.”
“By whom?”
“Malcolm Reed.”
Malcolm stepped closer.
“That isn't possible.”
Maya shook her head.
“The original reservation was for 1B.”
Steven looked at Malcolm.
“Did you change seats?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Why?”
“Northstar changed my ticket.”
Steven looked at the manifest.
“Then why does the system still show you in 1B?”
Malcolm's expression hardened.
“Because someone wanted my movements to be tracked.”
Steven understood.
The seat assignment wasn't a mistake.
It was a marker.
Someone had been tracking Malcolm.
And someone aboard the aircraft had access to the reservation system.
Daniel suddenly looked at the navigation display.
“Captain.”
“What?”
“We're receiving an external message.”
Steven walked over.
“What does it say?”
Daniel read it.
“LAND AT LONDON. DO NOT CONTACT AUTHORITIES.”
Steven stared.
“Who sent it?”
“Unknown.”
Malcolm looked at him.
“That's impossible.”
“What?”
“They can't know we've discovered the breach.”
Steven looked at Malcolm.
“Unless they are listening to us.”
Malcolm nodded.
“Exactly.”
Maya whispered:
“Then who can hear us?”
Nobody answered.
Suddenly the cabin lights returned.
The woman who had held the device was gone.
Steven looked toward her seat.
Empty.
“How?”
Maya stared.
“I was watching her.”
“Where did she go?”
Nobody knew.
Steven looked at the rear galley.
Then the lavatory.
Nothing.
Malcolm walked toward the aisle.
He noticed a service panel.
Open.
“Captain.”
Steven approached.
Malcolm pointed.
“There.”
Inside the panel was a small transmitter.
Steven stared at it.
“That's how they were listening.”
Malcolm removed it.
Then another voice came from behind them.
“You shouldn't have found that.”
Everyone turned.
The man from seat 2C stood in the aisle.
Thomas Gray—or whoever he really was.
He held a small knife.
Maya stepped backward.
Steven moved between him and the passengers.
“Put it down.”
The man smiled.
“You still think you're in control, Captain?”
Steven's voice became cold.
“I am.”
The man laughed.
“No.”
He pointed toward Malcolm.
“He is.”
Malcolm stared at him.
The man continued.
“And that's exactly why he has to die.”
The cabin froze.
Then Steven moved.
Chapter 7 — The Wrong Man to Threaten
Steven had trained for emergencies.
Not hostage situations.
Not corporate espionage.
Not armed passengers at thirty-seven thousand feet.
But training had taught him one thing:
When someone threatens a passenger, hesitation creates danger.
He stepped forward.
“Drop the knife.”
The man raised it.
“Stay back.”
Steven didn't.
The man moved.
Steven grabbed his wrist.
They struggled in the narrow aisle.
A passenger screamed.
Maya pulled two passengers behind the seats.
Malcolm remained still.
He watched.
Steven twisted the man's arm.
The knife fell.
Daniel rushed from the cockpit.
Together they forced the man to the floor.
Within seconds, he was restrained.
Steven breathed heavily.
“Who are you?”
The man laughed.
“You don't understand.”
Steven tightened the restraint.
“Then explain.”
“You're already finished.”
“Why?”
“Because the company wants Reed dead.”
Silence.
Malcolm looked at him.
“Which company?”
The man smiled.
“You know.”
“No.”
“You built Northstar.”
“Yes.”
“You think that makes it yours?”
Malcolm's eyes hardened.
“No.”
“You don't understand how much money is involved.”
“I understand exactly.”
The man looked toward Steven.
“You think this is about security?”
Steven said nothing.
“This is about control.”
Malcolm crouched beside him.
“Who is controlling this operation?”
The man refused to answer.
Malcolm stood.
Then Maya spoke.
“Mr. Reed.”
He turned.
“I found another message.”
She showed him her tablet.
A message had been sent to the crew.
CAPTAIN PARKER IS COMPROMISED.
Steven read it.
Then another message appeared.
DO NOT TRUST HIM.
Steven looked at Malcolm.
Malcolm looked back.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Malcolm said:
“They're trying to turn us against each other.”
Steven nodded.
“They want the crew to think I'm involved.”
“Yes.”
“And they want me to think you're the threat.”
“Yes.”
Steven took a deep breath.
“Then we're going to disappoint them.”
Malcolm smiled.
“For once, I agree with you.”
Daniel returned to the cockpit.
“Captain.”
Steven followed.
“What?”
“We have a new problem.”
“What now?”
“The aircraft has lost secondary communications.”
Steven's face tightened.
“Can we land?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“London.”
“Good.”
Daniel hesitated.
“There's something else.”
“What?”
“Someone altered the flight plan.”
Steven looked at him.
“To where?”
Daniel showed him the screen.
A destination code appeared.
Not London.
Not any airport.
A remote military airfield.
Steven's blood ran cold.
“Who entered that?”
“Unknown.”
“Can you override it?”
“I can.”
“Do it.”
Daniel began typing.
Steven looked back toward Malcolm.
Malcolm stood in first class.
Their eyes met.
Then Malcolm's phone rang.
He answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
“Mr. Reed.”
“Who is this?”
“You know who I am.”
Malcolm's expression changed.
“Elena?”
“Yes.”
Steven stepped closer.
Malcolm put the phone on speaker.