She wanted an ordinary life. That was why she had chosen seat 8A. Window seat.
Little conversation. Overnight flight. No questions. Then the captain’s voice returned.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the captain. We are experiencing a technical issue that requires immediate assistance.”
A pause followed. “If anyone on board has experience as a fighter pilot, please identify yourself to a flight attendant immediately.”
A heavy silence settled over the cabin. A mother pulled her baby closer.
An elderly couple held hands. Passengers began looking around. Confused.
Afraid. Why would a commercial airliner need a fighter pilot? Rachel slowly opened her eyes.
She immediately recognized the tone. Controlled urgency. Suppressed fear.
A pilot trying to sound calm while something serious was happening behind the cockpit door.
A flight attendant hurried down the aisle. Her expression confirmed it.
This was not a routine technical problem. Rachel closed her eyes again.
No. She had left that world behind. She was not the person who had to solve emergencies anymore.
Then the flight attendant stopped beside her row. “Excuse me, ma’am… do you happen to know if anyone near you has military flight experience?”
“The captain is urgently looking for a military pilot.” Rachel looked around the cabin.
Children. Families. People trapped miles above the Atlantic with no control over what was happening.
