Meanwhile, the Chief Engineer headed to the bridge, where the Third Officer was busy with departure documentation.
"Anish," the Chief Engineer called.
The Third Officer turned around, calm and composed, unlike before. "Yes, sir?"
"I need the updated crew list."
"Sure, sir. One moment while I print it for you." A few minutes later, he handed over the list.
The Chief Engineer scanned through it and chuckled.
"What happened, sir?" Anish asked.
"My name's Jonathan, not Jonthan," he replied with a laugh.
The Third Officer's eyes widened. "Sir, I'm so sorry! Typing mistake."
"It's alright, Anish. Just fix it. Otherwise, the captain might give you a proper scolding," Jonathan said, chuckling.
"Thank you, sir. Luckily, you caught it—or I'd be in big trouble," Anish replied, relieved.
Jonathan smiled. "Take care. I'm heading out."
As he walked away, Jonathan checked the crew list again. The name Naren Narayanan, the previous Chief Officer, caught his eye.
"This guy was all about perfection," he muttered, heading back to his cabin.
Once inside, he opened his laptop and searched Naren's name in the DG website. Everything looked legitimate—thanks to Xavier Levi, who had already set up fake IDs as per AK's strategy.
Elsewhere, Captain Abraham called the bridge. "Tell the Third Officer to come to my cabin."
Anish arrived shortly after.
"Where's the file I gave you?" the captain barked.
"Sir, it's in my cabin."
The captain exploded. "Go get it! Do I have to tell you everything like a child? It's a waste of company wages!"
Embarrassed and frustrated, the Third Officer left to retrieve the document.
Though he shared a good rapport with Chief Engineer Jonathan, his relationship with the captain was strained and unforgiving.
Who was this Third Officer, really? Why was he treated this way? What was inside that file—and why was the captain hiding it? And why did he rely on Anish to carry out his personal tasks?
The answers were buried beneath layers of deception, and AK was only beginning to uncover the truth.