"No."
"Was he attempting to enter the cockpit or interfere with a secured area?"
"No, but business class-"
"Business class is not a security zone."
Hendricks looked at Elijah, then at the red marks.
His jaw tightened.
"Ms. Morrison, you're relieved of passenger-contact duties for the remainder of this flight pending review. Marcus, escort her to the rear galley and remain there until I reassign coverage."
Rebecca stared at him.
"Captain, I've been flying longer than he has."
"This is not a debate."
"You're humiliating me in front of everyone."
Naomi looked at her son.
Elijah was standing beside his grandmother, trying to smooth a bent page in his book.
"You should think very carefully before using the word humiliation right now," Naomi said.
Rebecca's eyes filled with tears.
For one second, Naomi felt the pull of a familiar trap: the transformation of accountability into cruelty the moment the person being held accountable became distressed.
She did not take the bait.
"Marcus," Hendricks said.
"This way, please."
Marcus did not touch Rebecca. He gestured toward the rear.
She walked.
As she passed the rows where passengers had recorded her, nobody jeered. Nobody applauded. The silence was worse.
Paige remained near the galley curtain.
Naomi turned toward her.
The younger flight attendant's eyes dropped immediately.
"You saw Rebecca holding my son."
"Yes."
"You heard him say she was hurting him."
Paige's eyes filled.
"Yes."
"And you left."
"She told me to."
"I know."
"Rebecca has friends in management. Everyone knows it. People who've challenged her get bad routes, bad evaluations, schedule problems. I thought if I pushed back she'd make it look like I was insubordinate."
Naomi listened.
That answer mattered.
It did not excuse the failure, but it widened the problem beyond one person's prejudice.
"You had a duty to intervene or escalate."
Paige nodded.
"I know."
"Were you afraid of her or afraid of management?"
Paige wiped one eye.
"Both."
Naomi looked at Hendricks.
"That needs to be documented. Not just as her failure, but as evidence of a retaliation problem."
He nodded.
"Agreed."
Naomi took out her phone and called Skyward's operations center.
"This is Richardson. Activate Code Seven for Flight 2447. Chicago arrival. Medical evaluation for a minor passenger, station security, local supervisor, legal preservation notice, and corporate ethics contact. Do not notify the subject of any historical complaint review beyond what is necessary for safe operations."