The heavy Boeing 777 accelerated down the runway, its massive engines roaring as it lifted smoothly into the night sky over New York. As the plane climbed through the clouds, the cabin crew remained strapped into their jumpseats, waiting for the altitude chime. Leo sat across from Sarah in the forward galley area, calmly reviewing flight details on his tablet. From his seat, Leo heard the distinct, heavy thud of Suite 1A’s sliding privacy door being pulled shut the exact second the wheels left the tarmac.
Julian had clearly lost no time securing their stolen cocoon of luxury, locking out the rest of the world to enjoy their ill-gotten first-class experience in total privacy. Leo exchanged a subtle, knowing glance with Sarah across the aisle. Julian and Beatrice undoubtedly thought they had successfully outsmarted the boarding process, intimidated the crew with name-dropping, and outmaneuvered a tired traveler. But as the climbing engines settled into a steady hum, Leo knew their quiet victory was going to be very short-lived.