Chapter 8 - Falllout at Terminal Seven

While the high-stakes boardroom drama concluded in Manhattan, the shockwaves of Amelia's removal were tearing through Terminal Seven at JFK.
Linda Marlow was sitting in the station manager’s office, her face pale, staring across the desk at Steve Caldwell and the senior regional director who had just arrived from corporate headquarters.
"What do you mean, suspended?" Linda’s voice cracked with disbelief. "I followed standard escalation protocol for a seating discrepancy! The system flagged a manifest conflict!"
"The system did not flag a conflict, Linda," the regional director said, his voice cold and furious. "The system flagged an upgraded priority pass belonging to Ms. Amelia Clare—the lead restructuring partner of Vantage Capital Partners. The firm that is currently wiring four point two billion dollars to keep our planes in the air."
Steve swallowed hard. "We... we didn't know who she was. She was wearing a hoodie and sneakers—"
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"That is precisely the problem," the director snapped. "Your job is to verify tickets, not profile passengers based on their attire. Because of your arrogance and bias, Northstar nearly lost its entire financial lifeline today. Corporate has mandated your immediate suspension pending a formal termination hearing for gross negligence and brand damage."
As Linda sat stunned, realizing that her petty power trip over a passenger in a cashmere hoodie had just cost her career, she looked out the window at the gray tarmac where Flight 909 was scheduled to return later that afternoon. Karma had a swift, unforgiving way of balancing the scales.