Chapter 2 - The Galley Ambush
“Morgan!” Vanessa’s voice sliced through the hum of the twin jet engines like a razor blade.
Grace visibly stiffened. She gave Richard a hurried, apologetic nod, pulled her hands back, and turned toward the galley. Richard quietly placed his hand on the armrest, waiting, listening intently. The heavy curtain muffled their voices, but he could clearly hear the venom dripping from Vanessa’s words.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Vanessa hissed. “Did I tell you to serve him premium china? Did I give you permission to waste our limited first-class reserves on a freeloader?”
“He asked for tea, Vanessa,” Grace answered, her voice trembling but steady. “He has a confirmed first-class ticket. We have plenty of tea in the forward storage. Denying a passenger a basic beverage isn't just rude, it's against company protocol.”
“Don’t you dare quote protocol to me, you little temp!” Vanessa snarled. “You’ve been on this line for four months. I’ve been flying with David Collins for twelve years! Look at him! He’s wearing a coat from a thrift store and shoes that look thirty years old. He probably used an employee discount pass he bought off the dark web or an expired voucher from some dead relative. People like that ruin the brand. High-paying clients don’t pay four thousand dollars a seat to sit next to a derelict!”
“That doesn’t matter! We don’t judge people by their clothes!” Grace protested, tears creeping into the edge of her voice. “The passenger handbook explicitly states—”
“The handbook is written by suit-and-tie idiots in the corporate tower who have never dealt with real passengers!” The deeper, gravelly voice belonged to David Collins. The purser had stepped into the galley, his tone heavy with intimidation. “Listen to me carefully, Morgan. Vanessa runs this cabin service. You take orders from her, and you take orders from me. If you want your six-month evaluation to pass through my desk with a passing grade, you will shut your mouth, go to the rear galley, and stay there until we touch down at O’Hare.”
“David, please,” Grace pleaded. “That man hasn’t caused a single problem. Why are you treating him like a criminal?”
“Because he’s an eyesore,” Collins stated flatly. “And I’ve already got a solution for him. Senator Bradley’s chief of staff is currently sitting back in economy, seat 14B. He was bumped due to an overbooking error in Boston. That’s a real man with real political leverage who can help this airline. I’m not going to let some wandering vagrant hold a prime seat while an influential VIP sits next to the lavatory.”
Richard’s hands tightened around his porcelain cup. The audacity was breathtaking. For years, executive summaries had landed on his mahogany desk in Dallas detailing glowing customer satisfaction ratings from the Chicago hub. Every report signed by David Collins painted an idyllic picture of smooth flights and exemplary professionalism. Nina Alvarez’s whistleblowing letter had warned him that Collins ran a syndicate of intimidation, selling off premium upgrades under the table, expelling ordinary passengers under false pretenses, and terrorizing any junior flight attendant who dared to speak up. Now, Richard was living it.
Collins pulled back the curtain and stepped into the aisle, his uniform crisp, four gold stripes shining proudly on his cuff. He strode toward seat 2A with an air of absolute, unquestioned authority.
“Mr. Harrison,” Collins said, standing over Richard and crossing his arms.
Richard took a slow sip of his tea, savored the bergamot flavor, and gently set the cup down. “Yes, Mr. Collins?”
“We have an operational necessity. Due to weight and balance regulations and an urgent crew restructuring, I need you to gather your personal belongings. We are reassigning you to seat 27E in the main cabin.”
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Richard leaned back against the plush leather. His eyes were calm, but his gaze was as piercing as an eagle’s. “Seat 27E? A middle seat in the back of the aircraft?”
“That is correct,” Collins said without blinking. “You will comply immediately, or I will be forced to log your behavior as non-compliant with crew safety directives.”
