The Master Sergeant was looking at Evelyn.
THOMAS: "Ma'am, are you all right?"
Evelyn gently touched the back of her head, where Kyle had grabbed her hair.
EVELYN: "I'll be fine."
THOMAS: "I sincerely apologize for what just happened."
EVELYN: "You don't need to apologize for someone else's decisions, Master Sergeant. But you do need to make sure nobody interferes with this inspection."
Thomas immediately nodded.
THOMAS: "Understood."
Kyle finally found his voice.
KYLE: "Chairwoman, I think there's been a misunderstanding."
Evelyn turned toward him.
EVELYN: "A misunderstanding?"
KYLE: "Yes, ma'am. I wasn't aware of your position."
EVELYN: "And would that have made a difference?"
Kyle hesitated.
KYLE: "Of course, ma'am."
Evelyn looked directly into his eyes.
EVELYN: "So your behavior depends on someone's title?"
KYLE: "That's not what I meant."
EVELYN: "Then explain what you meant."
He opened his mouth, but no answer came.
The second officer stepped forward.
SECOND OFFICER: "Ma'am, should I contact the command office?"
EVELYN: "Yes. But before you do, I want the security footage from this hangar preserved."
SECOND OFFICER: "All available footage?"
EVELYN: "Every camera. Every angle. Starting thirty minutes before I entered this building."
SECOND OFFICER: "Understood."
EVELYN: "Nobody is to delete, modify, transfer, or overwrite any recording."
SECOND OFFICER: "I'll make sure of it."
Evelyn then turned toward Thomas.
EVELYN: "I also want the complete maintenance history of the aircraft behind us."
Thomas glanced toward the fighter jet.
THOMAS: "The entire maintenance history?"
EVELYN: "Every inspection, every repair, every authorization, and every person who signed off on its operational status."
THOMAS: "I can arrange that."
EVELYN: "Not tomorrow. Now."
THOMAS: "Yes, ma'am."
Kyle shifted uneasily.
He could feel the attention of everyone in the hangar turning toward him.
For years, he had been the person who asked questions.
He had been the one who demanded explanations.
Now, for the first time, he was standing on the opposite side.
KYLE: "Chairwoman, I think we should discuss this privately."
Evelyn did not immediately respond.
Instead, she looked toward the technicians who had witnessed the confrontation.
EVELYN: "Why privately?"
KYLE: "Because this is a personnel matter."
EVELYN: "No, Sergeant. It became a personnel matter when you decided that your position gave you permission to put your hands on someone."
KYLE: "I was trying to maintain order."
EVELYN: "Order does not require intimidation."
KYLE: "She was interfering with a restricted operation."
EVELYN: "I was examining an aircraft that had been incorrectly approved for service."
KYLE: "You don't have the full information."
EVELYN: "Then this is your opportunity to provide it."
Kyle looked toward the maintenance workstation.
His expression became increasingly tense.
KYLE: "I don't have every document here."
EVELYN: "You should."
KYLE: "Some of those records are stored in the administrative office."
EVELYN: "Then we'll go there."
Thomas glanced at Evelyn.
THOMAS: "Ma'am, would you prefer that we bring the records here?"
EVELYN: "No. I want to see where they're maintained."
The second officer contacted the command office through his radio.
SECOND OFFICER: "Falcon Ridge Command, this is Hangar Four. We require immediate preservation of all security recordings and maintenance documentation."
A brief burst of static followed.
COMMAND VOICE: "Identify the reason for the request."
SECOND OFFICER: "An official inspection is underway. The Chairwoman is present."
There was a pause.
COMMAND VOICE: "Repeat that."
SECOND OFFICER: "The Chairwoman is physically present in Hangar Four."
Another pause.
COMMAND VOICE: "Understood. Stand by."
Evelyn watched the radio officer.
She knew that once the command office received confirmation of her presence, the atmosphere throughout the installation would change.
But that was not her immediate concern.
The documents were.
She turned toward the nearest maintenance technician.
EVELYN: "What's your name?"
The technician straightened immediately.
TECHNICIAN: "Daniel Mercer, ma'am."
EVELYN: "How long have you worked in this hangar?"
DANIEL: "Almost four years."
EVELYN: "Were you involved in the last inspection of this aircraft?"
Daniel glanced toward Kyle.
KYLE: "Answer the question."
Evelyn turned her head slightly.
EVELYN: "I asked him, Sergeant."
Kyle closed his mouth.
Daniel took a breath.
DANIEL: "Yes, ma'am. I assisted with the inspection."
EVELYN: "Did you personally verify the component shown in this photograph?"
Daniel looked at the image.
His expression changed.
DANIEL: "Yes, ma'am. I remember that inspection."
EVELYN: "Was the component installed in the same configuration?"
Daniel hesitated.
DANIEL: "No, ma'am."
Kyle immediately stepped forward.
KYLE: "That's not relevant."
Evelyn raised one hand.
EVELYN: "Let him finish."
Daniel swallowed.
DANIEL: "The original inspection identified an issue. We were told to wait for a replacement component before signing off."
EVELYN: "Who told you that?"