The flight attendants moved a Black woman from first class to the last row—then fell silent as she opened her wallet and said, “I am Dr. Simone Carter, FAA administrator.” But her title wasn’t what terrified the airline CEO most. It was the interview file she’d been called in to about thirty seconds earlier.

Janelle’s eyes filled with tears.

“This means that management believes that first class should have a certain appearance.”

Simone felt something cold settling inside her.

« Explain. »

“There are ratings. Not always obvious. Sometimes coded. ‘Positive rating.’ ‘Neutral presentation.’ ‘Sensitive to the booth.’”

“What was I?”

Janelle hesitated.

“CS.”

“What does that mean?”

Marianne said, “Janelle.”

Simone turned around abruptly.

“Let her answer.”

Janelle whispered:

“Sensitive to the cabin.”

The same system that had pushed Simone to the back of the plane could be connected to the hierarchy of routes determining where the company’s resources circulated.

Now, the story was bigger than a siege.