Clare read her own words twice. The original message was there. Celeste leaned back. It appears you invented an exercise to justify targeting two children. Clare looked at her with open shock.
The woman she obeyed had prepared to place the entire blame on her. Officer Hayes asked Clare what the deleted instruction said. It claimed Simone Brooks had hidden stolen passenger data in the twins file. Celeste said the replica would open it so the airline could remove the material safely. And the theft accusation, she said no one could know an internal investigation was taking place.
Nia's eyes hardened. So you decided everyone could believe we were thieves instead. Clare lowered the tablet. Yes. It was the first answer she gave without protecting herself.
The jet bridge moved toward the aircraft. Through the small door window, Officer Mercer saw the woman with the crescent-shaped mark standing behind two airport police officers. The masked man wearing Peter's identity stood beside her. Neither appeared afraid. They expected the court order to protect them.
Hayes contacted the ground supervisor again. Have those two people placed their identification against the door camera. The woman complied. Her credential identified her as Rebecca Shaw, state child protection officer. Ask for the verification phrase, Peter said.
What phrase? Every emergency guardian transfer involving an unaccompanied minor requires a spoken phrase selected by the family. Hayes checked the twins original documents. The phrase field was blank. Nia touched the stitches on Mr. Buttons.
Mom would not leave it blank. Zuri examined the yellow pouch under the reading light. The false label covered more than their names. Its lower edge concealed a thin strip of handwriting. She peeled it back.
Seven across, four down, seven back. Under the numbers, Simone had written, "Ask them which sister was born first." Officer Hayes transmitted the question. The woman outside looked through the window at the twins. "Zuri," she answered. Nia almost spoke, but Zuri squeezed her hand.
Neither sister was born first. They had been delivered by emergency surgery at the same recorded minute. Their mother used the question because anyone reading a normal family profile would assume one twin had to be older. "Wrong," Zuri said. The woman outside stopped smiling.
The masked man stepped away from the door. Airport police finally moved between them and the aircraft. The woman struck one officer in the throat and ran down the jet bridge. The masked man threw his false identification, vaulted over a baggage barrier, and disappeared toward the service stairs. Ground officers pursued both.
For the first time since landing, the twins timers stopped. Nia exhaled. "They know we caught them." "No," Peter said. They know we stopped this handoff. That is not the same thing.
The screen changed. Subjects rejected transfer. Activate secondary recovery. Officer Mercer locked the aircraft door manually. Captain Cole ordered ground crews to keep all service panels closed.
Then the cargo door warning illuminated. Someone beneath the plane had opened it. The aircraft was surrounded by airport staff, police vehicles, and cameras. Still, an authorized ground worker had reached the cargo hold during the confusion. Peter looked toward Mr. Buttons.
They are not trying to enter the cabin. Then what do they want? Zuri asked. The original travel archive is stored in the checked case Simone registered for you. Zuri shook her head.