Falling at 30,000 feets

The roar of departing engines thundered across the tarmac, shaking the ground beneath their feet as Jenny, Rosa, Lucia, and their grandmother stood just beyond a marked yellow safety line, craning their necks to watch a Boeing 787 ascend into the clear blue sky. Jet exhaust billowed behind it, creating a white cloud that caught the morning sun.

Lucia clapped her hands like a child on her birthday, bouncing slightly on her toes. "Ahh! It's so impressive! I've never been this close to a plane before!"

"Shoo, shoo," the grandmother said, waving her hand dismissively while smiling with pride, her face crinkling into a thousand lines. "Our Jenny does this every day. She could fly one of those giants if she wanted to."

Rosa lifted her chin, her chest swelling with pride as she adjusted her bright purple jacket. "This is nothing for her," she said, glancing at Jenny with an expression that demanded admiration. "She practically owns this place-everyone knows her name here."

Jenny forced a smile, her fingers tightening slightly at her sides until her knuckles turned white. She'd managed to sneak them past the first security checkpoint by pretending they were part of a maintenance crew-but she knew they couldn't keep pushing their luck like this.

Lucia turned suddenly, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she spotted a set of glass doors marked "AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY." "I heard there's a private captain's lounge here-luxurious, like a hotel suite. Take us there! I want to see where you relax before flights."

Jenny hesitated, her gaze darting toward the security cameras mounted near the ceiling. "I don't know if that's a good idea-"

But Rosa stepped in immediately, placing a firm hand on Jenny's shoulder. "Of course it is. Let's go. Our Jenny is a captain now-today, we go anywhere we want. Show them what you're worth."

She gave Jenny a look-sharp, commanding, leaving no room for argument.

Jenny swallowed hard, her throat dry with anxiety. "...Right. Stay close to me. Don't wander off, and don't touch anything. Security is strict here."

"No worries!" Lucia said-already wandering toward a nearby service door, peering through the window with curiosity.

Jenny's anxiety spiked as she hurried after her, Rosa and the grandmother following proudly behind, their voices carrying loudly across the quiet tarmac.

The private lounge doors slid open with a soft whoosh, revealing a space that looked more like a high-end club than an airline facility. Polished marble floors gleamed under warm recessed lighting, reflecting the plush leather chairs and glass-topped tables arranged around the room. Original artwork hung on the walls, and a fully stocked bar sat in the corner, tended by a uniformed attendant who looked up in surprise as the group burst in.

Lucia gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "This place is beautiful! Look at those chairs-they must cost a fortune!"

The grandmother ran her hand along the arm of a leather chair, her eyes wide with wonder. "So soft...! I've never felt anything like this in my life."

Rosa turned to Jenny, her eyes shining with satisfaction. "Go on. Show them everything. The bar, the flight planning area-whatever captains get to see."

Jenny opened her mouth to protest-

But before she could speak-

The door burst open with a sharp bang against the wall.

"Jenny Burrows."

Jane's voice cut through the room like a blade, clear and sharp and impossible to ignore.

All heads turned.

Jane stood at the entrance, her uniform crisp and immaculate, her captain's bars gleaming on her shoulders. Her expression was sharp, her eyes scanning the scene in disbelief-taking in the four unauthorized visitors, the way they were touching everything in sight, the attendant standing frozen behind the bar.

Jenny's face drained of color, leaving her pale as paper. She'd known this was coming-but not this fast, not by Jane's hand.

"Don't you know aviation regulations," Jane continued, stepping forward with deliberate grace, "forbid unauthorized personnel in operational areas? This lounge is restricted to active crew only-no exceptions."

Rosa scoffed immediately, placing her hands on her hips as she stepped forward to confront Jane. "Watch your tone, little girl. You're speaking to your elders."

Jane didn't look at her. Her eyes remained fixed on Jenny, watching the way her cousin shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

Rosa stepped forward anyway, her voice rising with indignation. "You're incompetent, yet you speak like this to our Jenny? She's a captain-has more authority here than you ever will. And we are family-this is just a tour. What harm could it do?"

At that word-captain-Jane's gaze snapped to Jenny, her eyes narrowing slightly. A long silence stretched across the room, heavy with unspoken understanding.

They both knew the truth.

Jenny's fingers curled slightly into fists at her sides. She leaned toward Jane quickly, lowering her voice to a frantic whisper. "Do me a favor," she muttered, her eyes darting toward her family. "They want to see the cockpit. Your flight is off-duty for the next few hours, right? Just let them look for five minutes-then I'll get them out of here."

Jane pulled her arm away instantly, her expression cold with disgust. "Why would I agree to that? You know the rules-no unauthorized personnel in the cockpit, ever. It's a safety violation that could get us both fired."

Jenny's expression tightened, then she raised her voice, trying to turn the tables. "They're your relatives too, Jane. Don't you care about family?"

"Exactly," Jane replied coldly, her voice carrying clearly across the quiet room. "That's why I won't allow it. I won't put their lives-or the lives of every passenger who flies this plane-in danger just to feed your ego."

She stepped closer, her voice steady but cutting as she looked directly at Jenny.

"If something happens-if they accidentally touch a control, if they disrupt the systems-can you take responsibility? Can you explain to the FAA why you brought untrained civilians into a restricted area?"

"What could possibly happen?" Jenny shot back, folding her arms defensively. "They just want to look. They won't touch anything. I'll make sure of it."

"No."

Jane pointed firmly toward the exit, her finger steady and unyielding.

"They leave. Now. Before I call security and have them escorted off the premises."

Rosa stepped in, shoving Jenny slightly aside as she moved to stand between Jane and her daughter. "Why are you asking her? You're the captain-you can do whatever you want. She's just an errand girl, running around doing your dirty work."

Silence.

Then-

Jane laughed.

Soft at first, a quiet sound that made everyone freeze. Then sharper, more bitter, echoing off the marble floors.

She turned slowly toward them, her eyes landing on Jenny with an expression that was part amusement, part pity.

"She told you I'm an errand girl?"

"Yes," the grandmother said without hesitation, leaning forward slightly as if sharing a secret. "Otherwise, you would've helped Lucia's son get that job. Our Jenny is the capable one. A real captain. She arranges everything for us-jobs, flights, whatever we need."

Rosa nodded proudly, wrapping an arm around Jenny's shoulders and pulling her close. "That's right. She's the one with influence here-not some hothead who got lucky with a promotion."

Jenny smiled stiffly, her discomfort growing as she felt Jane's eyes on her. She wanted to shrink into the floor, to disappear-but there was nowhere to go.

Jane's gaze darkened, the amusement fading from her face as she stepped forward again, her voice now low-and dangerous.

"You placed people in my crew?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Jenny. "You told them you could arrange positions for family members on my flights?"

A beat. The room was so quiet you could hear the hum of the air conditioning.

"I reject it," Jane continued, her voice clear and final. "Any applications submitted under false pretenses will be immediately denied. I won't compromise my crew's integrity for anyone."

"Don't yell at Jenny!" Rosa snapped, stepping closer until she was nearly face-to-face with Jane. "You ungrateful wretch. She helps this family while you sit up on your high horse and refuse to lift a finger. She's done more for us than you ever will."

Jenny nudged her mother urgently, her voice low and frantic. "Mom-stop-you don't know what you're saying-"

But Rosa continued, stepping closer, her tone turning hostile as she jabbed a finger toward Jane's chest.

"So who are you to say anything?-she has connections you can only dream of."

Silence fell. The attendant behind the bar had stopped breathing, watching the confrontation with wide eyes.

Then-

Jane smiled.

Amused.

"...Oh?" she said, her voice light but carrying an edge that made Rosa step back slightly. "Is that what she told you? That she could have my job? That she has more authority here than I do?"

She turned to Jenny, her expression now completely calm-but her eyes burned with a fire that made Jenny's knees weak.