Magazine covers.
The private island rumor.
She mentioned an engineering failure from five years ago.
“We didn’t cancel it,” he said.
“We buried it after the delamination tests failed.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“The delamination tests failed because your bonding layer was designed for uniform heat distribution, but the leading edge stress wasn’t uniform.”
Andrew stared at her.
“What did you say?”
Amara seemed to realize she had spoken too boldly.
“Nothing.”
“No. Say it again.”
She adjusted her backpack strap.
“I read the public report.”
“The public report did not include leading edge thermal mapping.”
“It included enough.”
Andrew leaned forward.
“Enough for what?”
“To guess where the mistake was.”
The first-class cabin had gone quiet again, but this time for a different reason.
Andrew Carter was no longer talking to a girl who had soothed his baby.
He was talking to someone who had casually identified a technical flaw that his best engineers had debated for months.
“Amara,” he said slowly, “what exactly is in your fellowship project?”
She clutched the backpack strap.
“Nothing finished.”
“Show me.”
“No.”
The answer was immediate.
Andrew paused.
“No?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because adults like you take things.”
The bluntness hit him harder than insult.
“Adults like me?”
“Rich ones. Important ones. The ones who say they want to help.”
