Melissa faltered, realizing for the first time that this situation was beyond her understanding.
Before she could gather herself, two airport security officers appeared. Their entrance added the weight of authority. The murmur in the room thickened. Travelers instinctively stood straighter. What had started as a minor rules dispute had now escalated to official scrutiny.
And then, as if the room itself were holding its breath, a third figure entered.
A man in a crisp, dark naval uniform, older, exuding command with each measured step. His eyes swept the room, scanning for threats or disorder, but when they landed on Grayson, something changed. Recognition flickered. Respect, deep and immediate, radiated in the set of his shoulders.
He stopped in front of Grayson. Saluted.
