My aunt called while I was in the middle of conditioning drills on base. "The trust addendum—you have to meet Brecken Keller. If you don't, your share defaults next year." "Just go through the motions. I already booked your flight." The day I left, the base security officer reminded me my federal clearance required full encryption on all civilian travel records. I arrived exactly on time. I was checking in at the priority boarding lane when someone yanked me backward by the shoulder. A handful of hundred-dollar bills landed on the counter. She didn't even look at me. She just lifted her chin at the agent. "Tell her I'm taking this spot. She gets the cash. She gets lost." I wasn't angry. I was just genuinely baffled. I looked her up and down, slow. "What, you strapped with a bomb? Just saved the planet? No? Then get back where you belong. The line." She laughed in my face. "On what grounds? I work for Mr. Keller. His time is worth more than you'll earn in your entire life." "Forget a boarding lane. The Kellers could take the whole runway if they wanted it." I stood there for a second. Then I pulled out my phone and dialed the number my aunt gave me for Brecken Keller. "I heard the Keller family can move heaven and earth. That true?" The call connected. I got exactly one sentence out. A robotic voice came through the speaker. "Hello, I am currently unavailable to take your call." I did not see that coming. "Oh, you're putting on a show now? Let me see who you called—" The woman in front of me snatched my phone the second she heard the recording. She looked at the screen. Her laugh got louder. "Voicemail? God, you're a terrible liar." "You can't even get Mr. Keller's private number to ring. Who do you think you're talking to?" She tossed my phone back at my chest, still grinning, and shoved her boarding pass at the trembling gate agent. "Check me in now. If you hold up Mr. Keller's business, your entire ground crew is out of a job tomorrow." The agent's hands were shaking. She looked at me. She looked at Kinsley. Her voice nearly cracked. "Ms. Kinsley, this passenger's priority access is registered with the FAA. We can't just—" "Can't?" Kinsley slammed her palm against the counter. "You know how much Keller Group pours into your airline every year?" "You can't handle one simple thing? Want me to call your regional manager right now?" I watched this woman bully a staff member over her own convenience. My patience snapped. I grabbed her finger before she could jab it in the agent's face. "Friend. You know what kind of people use this lane? You're the first person stupid enough to steal my spot." "Oh, honey!" She doubled over, clutching her stomach, cackling. "Cargo pants and you think you're military. Too much fast food rots the brain. Get a new diet." "And I'm not your friend. I'm Mr. Keller's personal secretary. My circle does not include people who walk around in tactical pants like a costume." I nearly laughed out loud. All this drama. I thought she was someone important. She's a secretary. A crowd was gathering now. Murmurs started drifting toward me. "Is she insane? Kinsley is Keller's golden girl." "Last month a TSA agent flagged her bag for inspection. Got transferred to graveyard shift the next day." So she's a repeat offender. Uses her boss's name like a weapon. The irony was almost funny. I bled for my clearance. Earned the highest trust this country gives. And now some secretary waving her boss's name around wants to step on me. I let out a cold breath and hit back. "If the Kellers are really as powerful as you say, how come they never taught you basic manners?" Kinsley's face went purple. "Who are you calling an errand girl? I'll show you manners!" She swung her bag at my head. I sidestepped. Caught her wrist. Twisted. The crack of joints echoed with her scream. Kinsley, who'd been strutting a second ago, was now hopping in place, howling. "Let go! God, stop!" "Hurts now?" I leaned in close to her twisted face. "Your mouth was working fine a second ago." She was still gritting her teeth in pain. But I'd already pulled my strength way back. If I actually wanted to hurt her, she wouldn't have time to scream. The crowd was getting bigger. A few uniformed airport security guards started jogging toward us. Kinsley used the distraction to yank herself free. She clutched her wrist, breathing hard. "Keep pretending. When I tell Mr. Keller about this, you'll see what happens." I crossed my arms and smiled. "Sure. I'll wait."
Behind the security guards came the terminal manager on duty. A middle-aged man with slicked-back hair and a suit jacket straining over his gut. The second he spotted Kinsley, his face shifted into professional bootlicking mode. "Ms. Kinsley! What happened? Who was stupid enough to bother you?" He jogged over, bobbing his head, fawning. He ignored me completely. Great. Another man who chooses sides based on the price tag. Kinsley, basking in the attention, found her footing again. She shook out her wrist and shot me a sideways glance. "Gary. Is your airline letting just anyone use the priority lane now? This woman wouldn't move. Then she put her hands on me." Gary dropped the fawning face instantly. He spun toward me. "Ma'am. Priority lanes are for people of status. A regular passenger like you needs to get in the back. Stop causing problems." I narrowed my eyes. "How do you know I'm not someone important? I suggest you verify with headquarters before you say another word." "Verify?" Gary snorted. His eyes crawled over my outfit. "I've been here for years. I know what matters when I see it. That outfit? You probably don't make enough in a month to cover her hair appointment." "Ms. Kinsley is a Keller Group executive. If you delay her schedule, can you afford the consequences?" I let out a short laugh. "So money and power mean you can steal someone's spot? That's your airline's policy?" "Enough. Stop making a scene." Gary rolled his eyes and waved his hand like he was shooing a fly. "Ms. Kinsley is offering to pay for your lane. That's her being generous. Take the money and walk away. Don't embarrass yourself." Kinsley waved the cash in front of me, smug. "You heard him. The manager agrees. Stop fighting it. Take the money. Keep what's left of your dignity." The two of them, playing off each other. A perfect pair. I looked at their faces and let out a cold laugh. "So this is your airline's idea of customer service. I'm truly impressed." "Customer service? Please." Kinsley didn't wait for Gary to answer. She stepped forward and jabbed her finger into my shoulder with every word. "Listen closely. Keller people get top priority everywhere. And when you grabbed me, my watch hit the counter. Limited edition. Fifty thousand dollars in damage. I know you can't pay. But Mr. Keller's legal team will teach you what consequences mean." Well. That's new. No one's ever tried to shake me down before. I smiled and nodded. Her expression flickered with confusion. "Fine. But you'd better think hard about whether you can hold onto that money." Kinsley's face darkened. She slammed her hand on the counter. "Are you threatening me?" Gary rushed to get between us. But he was clearly aiming his words at me. "Ma'am. I suggest you apologize and end this. Offending Ms. Kinsley means offending Mr. Keller. You won't have a place left on the East Coast." I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? I'd like to see what the Kellers can do to me." That was the last straw. Kinsley snapped. She lunged up, arm swinging at my face. A cold male voice cut through the noise. "Kinsley. Stop."
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