Chapter 3

The next morning. The airline's crew briefing room.

It was a big day. Not just Reid's captain upgrade checkride—the FAA had sent Inspector Caldwell himself to oversee the evaluation in person.

Reid walked in looking like he'd already won. Uniform pressed, posture straight, that easy confidence he wore when he thought the world was lining up for him. A cluster of first officers trailed behind him, falling over each other. Ivy was there too, working today's flight as cabin crew, hovering at his side like she belonged there.

When he spotted me at the medical screening station in my white coat, something flickered in his eyes. Satisfaction.

He strolled over and dropped his voice. "Couldn't stay away, huh? Ran out last night like it meant something—and here you are, right back where I need you." A pause. "Apologize now. Give me the notes. I'll think about forgiving you."

I looked at him and held out a sample cup. "Save it. Standard pre-flight drug screening."

Reid scoffed. "Fine by me. Nothing to hide."

He took the cup and headed for the restroom.

Ten minutes later, the testing unit's red light started flashing. The alarm was sharp and loud, cutting straight through the room.

Everything stopped. Every head turned.

Inspector Caldwell crossed the room, brow furrowed. "What's going on?"

I read the values off the display, voice flat and clear. "Inspector Caldwell. Reid Calloway's urine sample has come back positive. Ephedrine levels are significantly above the threshold. Suspected ingestion of a prohibited substance."

The room erupted.

Reid came out of the restroom and walked straight into it. The color left his face.

"That's impossible." He shoved through to the station and ripped the report out of my hands. "What the hell are you saying? I didn't take anything!"

"The equipment belongs to the FAA. The results are generated automatically." I looked at him the way you look at something that's already over. "Reid, you're looking at a serious violation of federal aviation safety regulations."

"No—this isn't real—it's you." He jabbed a finger at me, eyes red, voice cracking into something between a shout and a plea. "It has to be you. You're doing this because I didn't come after you last night. You tampered with my sample. You did this."

Ivy rushed over and grabbed my sleeve, tears already falling. "Sloane, how could you do this? Do you have any idea how hard he's worked for today? How could you—"

I pulled my arm free.

Inspector Caldwell's expression had gone completely dark. He cut Reid off mid-shout. "Enough. Calloway. This is not the place. A positive test is a positive test. That's not up for debate."

Reid kept struggling, kept staring at me. "You set me up. Why didn't you warn me? Why didn't you say something was wrong with that drink?"

I looked down at him.

"First Officer Calloway." My voice was calm. "You're a pilot. You didn't know what you were putting in your own body. What exactly makes you think you're qualified to fly?"

Inspector Caldwell had already turned away. His voice came down like something final.

"Evaluation cancelled. Grounded with immediate effect. Take him in for formal investigation."

Two security officers stepped forward and took Reid by the shoulders.

The confidence drained out of him all at once. He went slack, like something had been cut loose inside him, and let himself be walked out of the room.

His captain's dream.

Gone.