It was exactly the wrong thing to say. Dr. Naomi Brooks stared at him with the cold precision of a surgeon preparing to make an incision. "Captain Cain, you told me I didn't look like a distinguished physician. You said I clearly didn't fit the profile."
"You refused to check documentation. You threatened me with federal charges. And when pressed, you admitted you were judging based on what you could see. What exactly did you see that made you so certain I couldn't be Dr. Brooks?"
Cain's mouth opened and closed silently. There was no answer that wouldn't damn him completely. Jessica Rivera, sensing the total collapse of any defensible position, decided to go on the attack. "Dr. Brooks, with all due respect, you have to understand our position."
"Private aviation deals with security threats every day. We have protocols."
"Ms. Rivera," Naomi interrupted. "You're the ground operations supervisor. You're responsible for ensuring crew members follow actual protocols, not made-up justifications for discrimination."
"Did you verify my identity before supporting your crew's refusal?"
"We were informed by the crew."
"Did you personally verify my identity?"
"No, but—"
"Did you check the aircraft registration?"
"The crew said—"