As the evening approached, the investigation team prepared a preliminary report for headquarters.
The report described the physical assault, the questionable maintenance certifications, the altered digital records, the unauthorized archive access, and the evidence suggesting that multiple officers had participated in the approval process.
Maya reviewed every section.
She removed statements that were not supported by evidence.
She required the investigators to distinguish between confirmed facts, witness accounts, and allegations still under review.
Then she signed the report.
Her executive officer entered the room.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Colonel, headquarters has acknowledged the preliminary findings."
MAYA BROOKS: "What is their response?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "They are authorizing an expanded investigation."
Maya nodded.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "They also want to know whether the regional command office was involved."
MAYA BROOKS: "Tell them we are preserving the relevant communications. We will report what the evidence establishes."
The executive officer hesitated.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "There's something else."
MAYA BROOKS: "Go ahead."
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Lieutenant Colonel Mercer has requested to speak with you."
Maya looked up.
MAYA BROOKS: "Through the official interview process?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Yes."
MAYA BROOKS: "Has he explained why?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "He says there is information about the readiness evaluation that has not been included in the records."
Maya closed the folder.
MAYA BROOKS: "Arrange the interview."
The executive officer nodded.
Before leaving, he added one more detail.
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Colonel, Mercer specifically asked whether you had found the private approval files."
Maya became still.
MAYA BROOKS: "Did anyone tell him about those files?"
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Not through our team."
Maya looked toward the evidence cabinet.
The private approval files had only recently been discovered.
Their existence had not been publicly announced.
If Mercer already knew about them, he might have known far more about the reporting process than he had admitted.
She turned toward the executive officer.
MAYA BROOKS: "Find out who has been communicating with Mercer since the investigation began."
EXECUTIVE OFFICER: "Understood."
Maya looked at the clock.
The investigation had entered another phase.
The documents were beginning to reveal how the maintenance reports had been altered.
But someone still appeared to be monitoring what the investigators discovered.
And that person might have access to information that had never been entered into the official system.
The following morning, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Mercer arrived for his formal interview.
He wore a neatly pressed uniform and carried a small document case.
His expression was controlled.
But when he saw Maya, he looked briefly toward the injury on her face.
MERCER: "Colonel Brooks. I understand you've had a difficult introduction to this installation."
Maya did not respond to the remark.
MAYA BROOKS: "Lieutenant Colonel Mercer, you requested this interview."
MERCER: "Yes."
MAYA BROOKS: "Then let's discuss the maintenance records."
Mercer sat down.
He placed the document case on the table.
MERCER: "I want to clarify my role in the readiness evaluation."
MAYA BROOKS: "Go ahead."
MERCER: "I was responsible for coordinating the final operational figures. I relied on the maintenance department to provide accurate certifications."
MAYA BROOKS: "Your signature appears on several approval sheets."
Mercer nodded.
MERCER: "I approved the classifications that were presented to me."
MAYA BROOKS: "Did you verify that the required inspections had been completed?"
Mercer hesitated.
MERCER: "I relied on the technical officers."
MAYA BROOKS: "Did you know that some original reports contained unresolved safety discrepancies?"
Mercer looked at the table.
MERCER: "I knew there were outstanding items."
MAYA BROOKS: "Did you know they were being classified as resolved?"
MERCER: "I was told the maintenance department had reviewed them."
Maya opened the private approval file.
She placed the scanned document in front of him.
MAYA BROOKS: "Your signature appears beneath a note instructing the department to classify this discrepancy as resolved for reporting purposes."
Mercer studied the page.
His expression changed.
MERCER: "Where did you get this?"
MAYA BROOKS: "It was recovered during the investigation."
MERCER: "That document was not supposed to be in the general archive."
Maya looked directly at him.
MAYA BROOKS: "Why not?"
Mercer hesitated.
MERCER: "It was part of an internal command review."
MAYA BROOKS: "An internal review that authorized a change to a maintenance classification?"
MERCER: "It was intended to coordinate the reporting process."
MAYA BROOKS: "Without confirming the physical inspection?"
Mercer said nothing.
Maya waited.
Finally, he spoke.
MERCER: "Colonel, you need to understand the pressure we were under."
MAYA BROOKS: "Then explain it."
Mercer looked toward the door.
MERCER: "The installation had been given a readiness target. We were expected to meet it before the evaluation."
MAYA BROOKS: "Who established the target?"
MERCER: "Regional command."
MAYA BROOKS: "Did regional command instruct you to falsify maintenance records?"
Mercer shook his head.
MERCER: "Not in those words."
MAYA BROOKS: "Then what instructions did you receive?"
Mercer opened his document case.
He removed a sealed folder.
MERCER: "That's why I came."
Maya looked at the folder.
MERCER: "These are the original communications from the readiness planning meetings."
MAYA BROOKS: "Why weren't they included in the official archive?"
Mercer hesitated.
MERCER: "Because I was told to keep them separate."
MAYA BROOKS: "By whom?"
Mercer looked down.