“I don’t need both of us unemployed.”
Ronan looked at him.
Neither said anything.
Caleb added the Christmas ornament.
Closed the box.
Then walked.
That was when thirty-seven people followed him outside.
Graham Voss came out less than three minutes later.
He was not calm anymore.
“What is this?”
Nobody answered.
The employees stood in the parking lot outside Hangar One.
Cold December wind moved across the tarmac.
Caleb still held the box.
Graham looked at Ronan.
“You’re scheduled.”
Ronan nodded.
“I was.”
“Get back inside.”
“No.”
Graham looked at everyone.
“This is abandonment of duty.”
Marissa spoke.
“No aircraft is unattended in an unsafe condition.”
“That isn’t the point.”
“It should be.”
Graham’s face reddened.
“If you walk off scheduled shifts, there will be consequences.”
Ronan stepped forward.
“You already showed us the consequences of doing our jobs.”
Graham stared.
“This has nothing to do with Mercer.”
Everyone looked at him.
Even Graham seemed to realize how absurd that sounded.
Ronan shook his head.
“You fire the guy who grounded Meridian’s jet two weeks after he was proven right, and you think thirty-seven maintenance people don’t understand what you’re saying?”
Graham’s eyes moved toward Caleb.
“You started this?”
Caleb’s face hardened.
“No.”
“I think you need to be careful.”
“I think you do.”
That was Marissa.
Graham looked toward her.
She continued.
“If Caleb gets fired for refusing to sign an unsafe aircraft, what exactly are we supposed to do the next time?”
“It wasn’t unsafe.”
Ronan laughed.
“The removed hydraulic assembly is still tagged in quarantine.”
“Ronan.”
“Want me to bring it out?”
Graham lowered his voice.
“This conversation will happen inside.”
“No.”
Ronan shook his head.
“It happens here.”
By now phones were out.
Not recording Caleb.
Recording Graham.
Graham noticed.
That changed him.
His tone softened.
“Everyone needs to understand that personnel decisions involve information you may not have.”
Marissa replied, “Then tell us.”
“I cannot discuss confidential employee matters.”
“Convenient.”
“Marissa.”
She crossed her arms.
Caleb stepped between them.
“Stop.”
Everyone looked at him.
He set the cardboard box on the hood of his truck.
“I appreciate what you’re doing.”
Ronan began to speak.
Caleb raised a hand.
“But I don’t want thirty-seven people losing jobs because of me.”
Ronan looked at him.
“You still don’t get it.”
“What?”
“It isn’t because of you.”
Caleb frowned.
Ronan pointed toward the hangar.
“It’s because tomorrow that could be me.”
He pointed toward Marissa.
“Or her.”
Then Devon.
“Or him.”
Ronan’s voice remained calm.
“If management can punish the guy who says an airplane isn’t safe, then none of our signatures mean anything anymore.”
Nobody spoke.
“That’s why we’re standing here.”
Caleb looked around at them.
Kelly Ames.
Marcus.
Marissa.
Devon.
Technicians he had trained.
People he had covered for.
People who had loaned him tools.
People who had brought casseroles after Carolyn died.
Thirty-seven.
Caleb swallowed.
Graham finally said, “Return to work now, and we will address concerns through appropriate channels.”
Ronan shook his head.
“We tried channels.”
“You never came to me.”