Martinez examined the cards carefully. The Centurion card was real. He'd seen enough fake ones to know the difference. The driver's license matched the name on the card.
But he wasn't an aviation expert, and the crew seemed so certain. "Ma'am, these show your name, but they don't prove you own this specific aircraft," Martinez said diplomatically.
"Check the registration," Naomi suggested. "Tail number N847NB, registered to Neurocure Inc., which I own."
Martinez looked at Cain, Tyler, Madison, and Jessica. Four aviation professionals all insisting this woman was wrong. Then he looked at Naomi, calm and specific in her details. "Captain, can you check the aircraft registration?" Martinez asked.
Cain's jaw tightened. "Officer, I don't need to check anything. I know who our client is, and this isn't her."
"Just humor me," Martinez pressed. "Check the paperwork."
That's when everything started to fall apart. Cain realized he'd never actually read the detailed passenger manifest. He'd been told Dr. N. Brooks and assumed it was a man, never bothering to verify.
Tyler had made the same assumption. Madison had relied on Cain's judgment. Jessica had trusted her crew. None of them had done their actual job.
"The paperwork is in the cockpit," Cain said weakly.
"Go get it," Martinez said.
It wasn't a request. As Cain reluctantly climbed back into the aircraft, Carlos Mendez's live stream hit 500 viewers. Comments were flooding in from around the world. "This is about to get good," Carlos whispered to his phone.