The moment the supervisor saw the gold detective shield and the official law enforcement credentials, his entire demeanor shifted. The officers instantly lowered their stance, looking completely caught off guard.
“Detective Jenkins,” the supervisor said, letting out a confused breath. “We’re incredibly sorry about this, sir. The lead flight crew member specifically flagged your row, requesting an immediate emergency screening. She formally indicated to ground control that your aggressive behavior in the cabin was making the crew feel entirely unsafe to fly.” Sam stared at the supervisor, the absolute absurdity of the situation washing over him. He shook his head, explaining the exact timeline of the laptop pouch and her refusal to serve him water.
The supervisor sighed sympathetically. “Look, man, we believe you. But by law, if the in-flight crew flags a passenger as a safety risk, our hands are tied and we have to pull you. The flight has to depart without you while we log this report, but we can easily arrange another flight for you.”