Chapter 10 - The Weight of Authority
The silence that followed Arthur's confession was heavier than any argument or threat.
Robert Sterling sat motionless in his chair, his gaze fixed on the mahogany table as if he could physically dissolve the wood with sheer will. The corporate lobbyists near the door had quietly stepped backward into the hallway, distancing themselves from a liability that could no longer be managed with PR spin or legal maneuvering.
"The emergency grounding order for the forty affected regional aircraft goes into effect at noon today," Lucy said, her voice steady and absolute. "The Department of Justice has already been notified of the badge log discrepancy and the falsified compliance records. Arthur, you're welcome to cooperate with federal investigators now, or you can retain your own counsel separate from Apex's corporate defense team."
Arthur looked up, his eyes bloodshot and defeated. He didn't say a word; he simply stood up, grabbed his leather folio, and walked out of the conference room without looking at Sterling.
Attorney Miller packed his briefcase with mechanical precision, his professional arrogance entirely gone. He looked at Lucy once, a silent acknowledgment of defeat, before following Arthur out the door and pulling the heavy glass doors shut behind them.
Only Robert Sterling remained seated at the end of the long table. He looked older now, the sharp lines of executive power replaced by the weary realization of a man whose empire had just cracked down the middle.
"You realize what this does to the Trans-Global merger, don't you?" Sterling asked quietly, not looking up. "Thousands of jobs. Millions in market capitalization. Wiped out before sunset."
"Planes don't fly on market capitalization, Robert," Lucy said, standing firm. "They fly on trust. And you and your board spent years trading passenger safety for stock value."
Sterling let out a dry, mirthless laugh. He stood up slowly, buttoning his suit jacket. "You think this stops with Apex, Lucy? You think every other regional carrier isn't playing the exact same game right now, pushing parts limits and praying the audit cycle misses them?"
"Then it's a good thing I have a very thorough inspection team," Lucy replied.
Sterling nodded once, a grim, acknowledging gesture, and walked out of the room, leaving the door open to the bright hallway outside.
David Garza let out a long breath, slumping into a chair. "Well. That's the merger dead. And the congressional transport committee is going to summon us for hearings by Tuesday morning."
"Let them," Lucy said, walking over to her desk and picking up her coffee mug.
She looked out the window once more. The city of Washington was moving in its endless, restless rhythm, unaware of the quiet earthquake that had just shaken the aviation industry from the inside out.
Her phone began to buzz on the desk—a direct call from the Secretary of Transportation's office.
May you like
Lucy let it ring once, listening to the steady, familiar tone, before she reached out and picked up the receiver.
"Director Morgan," she said, her voice calm and steady, ready for whatever came next.
