Now he simply stared at the floor.
Across from him sat Colonel Hayes.
Lieutenant Mitchell stood near the door, holding a tablet.
Staff Sergeant Michael Turner had been escorted to a separate room to provide his statement.
Hayes placed the original maintenance report on the table.
“Let's begin again.”
Walker didn't look up.
“I've already told you everything.”
“No, Sergeant. You've told me that you were following orders.”
“That's the truth.”
“Then give me a name.”
Silence.
Hayes opened the report.
“On October 14, Staff Sergeant Turner submitted a written report identifying a hydraulic failure in aircraft 6021. The aircraft was immediately marked as unsafe for deployment.”
She turned the document toward Walker.
“On October 15, someone changed the status to operational.”
Walker stared at the paper.
“That's not my signature.”
“I haven't said it was.”
Hayes placed a second document beside it.
“On October 16, the aircraft was assigned to a restricted transport mission.”
A third document followed.
“On October 17, the aircraft disappeared from the base's official flight schedule.”
Walker finally looked up.
“That's classified.”
Hayes nodded.
“It was.”
She paused.
“Until someone falsified the records.”
Walker leaned back.
“Ma'am, with all due respect, you don't know how this base operates.”
Hayes's eyes narrowed.
“Then educate me.”
“Some missions don't go through normal channels.”
“I'm aware.”
“Some orders come from people above the base commander.”
“I'm aware of that, too.”
“Then you should understand that I couldn't refuse.”