The Phantom Surgeon's Revenge
"I'm sorry, but this flight is overbooked. We're going to compensate you twenty dollars. Please deplane immediately."
The head flight attendant had my suitcase in a death grip. Her tone wasn't a request—it was an order.
I gave her a cold look, then turned my gaze to the man beside us, who had just been escorted onto the plane, draped in designer labels.
"Why does he get to board after showing up late, while I—who paid full price—am being forced off?"
She let out a mocking laugh and lowered her voice to taunt me. "Because he's the son of a top-tier medical conglomerate in Scallow City. He's rushing there to beg an elusive miracle doctor—the famous Phantom Surgeon—to save his life.
"No matter how urgent your business is, can it really compare to a human life? If you delay Mr. Stafford, ten lives couldn't pay for it. Now get off."
Several security guards dragged me off the plane by force as I watched the cabin doors close.
I laughed in sheer disbelief.
The "Mr. Stafford" she was talking about was William Stafford, and he was terminally ill.
What she didn't know was that I was the very "Phantom Surgeon" his entire family had been on their knees begging for three months—pleading with me to fly to Scallow City and perform his surgery today.
Since they threw me off the plane, I won't be doing that operation.
As for William, he can go ahead and wait for death.