Eleanor’s eyes, however, remained locked on Victoria, unyielding and unwavering. Her next move was as smooth as it was unexpected. She reached into her dampened lap and extracted a small black wallet. In one fluid motion, she flipped it open to reveal a badge that gleamed with authority and significance.
The badge belonged to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The air in the cabin seemed to change, charged with a new tension. Those who had previously been annoyed were now intrigued, and those who had pitied Eleanor felt a shift in the power dynamic. Eleanor was not just an elegant older woman; she was a figure of authority—someone with the power to change the course of things, literally.
