Falling at 30,000 feets

"Mom," Jenny said quickly, tugging frantically at Rosa's sleeve, her voice lowered but urgent enough to carry across the quiet lounge. "We're family. I still have to work with Jane... let's at least save her some face. It'll be easier for everyone if we just leave now."

Jane heard every word.

She didn't respond. She simply looked away-her gaze drifting to the framed flight maps on the wall-then let out a soft, amused scoff that made Jenny's cheeks burn with shame.

Rosa's face hardened immediately. "Save face?" she repeated, her voice rising with incredulity. "You're thinking about her dignity, but look at how she's treating you-a captain?"

She emphasized the last word proudly, as if it were a title Jenny had earned through years of hard work rather than borrowed prestige.

"You only got into this company because of Jenny's boyfriend," the grandmother added sharply, lifting her leather purse and pointing it at Jane like it were a weapon. "He pulled strings for you when no one else would. And now you dare act superior to the very person who made your career possible?"

Her voice rose with each word, drawing the attention of the bar attendant who'd been trying to disappear into the background.

"We are going into that cockpit today," she declared, her voice ringing with finality. "And you cannot stop us. Not when our Jenny has already given us permission."

Silence followed-heavy and tense, broken only by the distant roar of engines on the tarmac.

Then-

"Jenny."

Jane's voice cut through the quiet like a switchblade, calm but carrying a weight that made everyone freeze.

"They don't understand the consequences," she said, her eyes locking onto Jenny's, holding her gaze with an intensity that left no room for evasion. "But you should. You've been with Aurelia long enough to know better."

Jenny stiffened, her shoulders squaring defensively even as her eyes darted away.

"Bringing unauthorized personnel into a cockpit," Jane continued, her tone measured and precise, as if reciting safety protocols she'd memorized years ago. "Can result in disciplinary action-salary cuts, public reprimand, suspension from duty..."

She took a step closer, her voice dropping slightly but losing none of its sharpness.

"At worst-termination. And compensation for your entire training may be demanded by the airline. Every dollar Aurelia invested in teaching you to fly-you'd have to pay it all back."

Jenny's face visibly changed. The pale flush of embarrassment gave way to genuine fear, her confident facade cracking like ice under pressure.

She lowered her head slightly, her fingers fidgeting with the zipper of her jacket.

A beat of silence stretched between them as Rosa processed this, her earlier boldness wavering for the first time.

"Jenny..." she said, her voice softer now, tinged with worry. "Is it really that serious?

Jenny hesitated, scratching the back of her neck as she avoided everyone's eyes. "...Maybe we should just go."

"Go home?" Lucia snapped immediately, her face twisting with annoyance as she crossed her arms over her chest. "No way! We drove two hours to get here. After this, we can go back to the neighborhood and proudly say we've seen real airplanes up close-sat in a real cockpit!"

"Exactly," the grandmother agreed, her resolve returning as she straightened her back. "Jenny is the captain here. What's wrong with showing us her workplace? It's not like we're going to steal anything."

Her eyes flicked toward Jane with open disdain.

"I think you're just overreacting. Trying to make yourself look important by stopping us."

Jane inhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling in a deliberate rhythm as she maintained control. She'd dealt with difficult passengers, mechanical failures, and severe turbulence-but nothing tested her patience like this.

"Auntie," she said evenly, her voice carrying clear across the room. "I can show you other areas. The maintenance hangar, the passenger boarding bridges, even the training simulators-all areas that are safe for visitors. But the cockpit is strictly off-limits to outsiders."

"What outsiders?" Rosa snapped again, her earlier hesitation gone as she planted her feet firmly on the marble floor. "We are family! Family isn't 'outsiders'!"

She waved her hands dismissively, her voice rising with indignation. "We just want a quick look. Five minutes tops. We won't touch anything-we'll just stand there and admire it."

Her tone shifted suddenly to mock concern, her eyes wide with false innocence.

"Would we sabotage you? Hurt you? We're your own flesh and blood!"

Jane didn't answer. She just looked at Rosa, her expression calm but her eyes cold as winter.

"Jane," Jenny said, stepping forward now, trying to reclaim control of the situation. "Stay out of this."

She pulled out her phone and lifted it slightly, angling the screen so Jane could see what was on it.

"I already got approval," she said, her voice steadier now that she had something to hide behind. "Reuben secured me a special access pass. It's all above board."

Jane glanced at the screen briefly-saw a blurry photo of what might have been a pass, but no official stamps or authorization codes.

Then looked back at her.

Cold.

"Reuben has no authority over my crew operations," she said flatly.

Her voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper.

"Leave. Before I have to make you."

The word landed heavily in the quiet room.

Rosa let out a short, bitter laugh, stepping forward boldly as she squared off against Jane.

"I'm going in," she said, her chin raised defiantly. "Let's see if you'll really throw your own family out in front of everyone here. Let's see if your precious airline will support you when you embarrass your blood relatives."

Before Jane could move to block her-

Rosa shoved past her, her shoulder hitting Jane's arm hard enough to make her stumble slightly.

"Out of the way," she snapped, heading for the door that led to the tarmac and the waiting aircraft.

Lucia followed immediately, calling out over her shoulder. "We're coming! Don't go in without us!"

The grandmother trailed behind, muttering under her breath about "ungrateful children" as she hurried to keep up.

Jenny froze for a second-her eyes darting between Jane's furious face and her family's retreating backs. Then, with visible hesitation, she followed them inside, casting one last worried glance over her shoulder before disappearing through the door.

The cockpit door shut behind them with a soft but final click.

Silence.

Jane stood still, her jaw tight enough to grind teeth, her fingers curling slightly at her sides until her knuckles blazed white. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest-furious at their recklessness, worried about the consequences, and deeply hurt that her own family would choose lies over safety.

Then-

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.

No hesitation now. Her movements were deliberate, precise-like she was preparing for an emergency landing.

She dialed a number, holding the phone to her ear as it rang once, twice.

"Chief Pilot's office," a calm voice answered on the third ring.

Jane's voice was calm-but edged with steel, sharp and unyielding.

"This is Captain Jane Harley."

A brief pause on the other end-recognition, then concern.

"I'm reporting a security breach," she continued, her eyes fixed on the closed cockpit door down the corridor. "Unauthorized personnel have gained access to aircraft GC2711. I repeat-security breach in progress."