COMMANDER HALE: "Mr. Hayes, I need to ask you something. Why didn't you tell the security officer who you were?"
Walter looked at him.
WALTER HAYES: "Because he never asked who I was."
COMMANDER HALE: "He asked for identification, didn't he?"
WALTER HAYES: "He asked me to leave. I tried to explain that I had been instructed to deliver the envelope. He decided I was lying before I could finish."
Hale glanced at Mercer again.
COMMANDER HALE: "Is that true?"
OFFICER MERCER: "He was being evasive."
WALTER HAYES: "I was following instructions."
OFFICER MERCER: "You refused to tell me who sent you."
WALTER HAYES: "I was told not to discuss the sender in an unsecured area."
Mercer shook his head.
OFFICER MERCER: "That's ridiculous."
Walter's voice remained calm.
WALTER HAYES: "It may sound ridiculous to you. But I gave my word."
Hale leaned back slightly.
COMMANDER HALE: "Who gave you those instructions?"
Walter looked toward the envelope.
WALTER HAYES: "Someone who trusted me."
The answer did not satisfy Hale, but he understood that pressing further in the corridor might not be appropriate.
He stood and approached the table. The envelope remained exactly where he had placed it. He checked the seal again and noticed a second marking near the flap, almost invisible beneath the fold.
His expression became serious.
COMMANDER HALE: "Mr. Hayes, did anyone else know you were bringing this document?"
WALTER HAYES: "Only the person who gave it to me, and the person who was expecting it."
COMMANDER HALE: "Did you tell anyone the contents?"
WALTER HAYES: "No."
COMMANDER HALE: "Did you open it?"
WALTER HAYES: "No, sir."
Hale nodded slowly.
He was beginning to realize that the envelope might be connected to something much larger than a routine administrative delivery. The restricted marking, the direct call from Commander Tessa Vance, and Walter's insistence on keeping the sender's identity private all pointed toward a matter that required careful handling.
Meanwhile, Mercer was becoming increasingly agitated.
He had expected the situation to end with Walter being escorted out of the building. Perhaps a short report would be filed, perhaps the old man would complain to a supervisor, and perhaps nobody would remember the incident by the end of the week.
Instead, a senior commander was examining the envelope, medical assistance had been requested, and someone with a naval command position had personally called to ask about Walter's condition.
Mercer did not like the direction things were taking.
OFFICER MERCER: "Commander, I think we should take him to the security office and sort this out privately."
COMMANDER HALE: "No."
OFFICER MERCER: "Sir, that's standard procedure."
COMMANDER HALE: "Not anymore."
OFFICER MERCER: "Why?"
Hale turned toward him.
COMMANDER HALE: "Because I have reason to believe this incident may involve restricted material, and because you are directly involved in the physical confrontation."
Mercer's face stiffened.
OFFICER MERCER: "I was doing my job."
COMMANDER HALE: "Then the footage will support your account."
OFFICER MERCER: "The cameras don't show everything."
COMMANDER HALE: "That's why we're preserving all available records."
The commander reached for his radio and requested that the corridor camera footage be secured. He also instructed the security supervisor to prevent anyone from accessing or deleting the recordings.
Walter watched quietly.
He had spent enough years in the Navy to recognize the moment when an ordinary disagreement became an official matter. He knew that once a report was opened, every detail would matter: the time, the location, the people present, the words spoken, and the sequence of events.
He also knew that the truth could be uncomfortable for people who had grown accustomed to controlling the story.
A few minutes later, two medical staff members arrived with a small emergency kit. One carried a portable examination light, while the other brought gauze and antiseptic supplies.
MEDIC: "Mr. Hayes, can you tell me where you're injured?"
WALTER HAYES: "Above the left eyebrow. And my shoulder is a little sore."
MEDIC: "Did you lose consciousness?"
WALTER HAYES: "No."
MEDIC: "Any dizziness or blurred vision?"
Walter paused.
WALTER HAYES: "A little dizziness when I stood up."
The medic exchanged a glance with her colleague.
MEDIC: "We should examine you properly. You may need to be taken to the medical unit."
WALTER HAYES: "I don't want to delay anyone."
MEDIC: "Your health comes first."
Walter nodded.
As the medic began cleaning the cut, he winced slightly. Hale stood nearby, keeping the envelope within sight. Mercer remained several feet away, his arms crossed, watching the examination with an expression that had shifted from anger to unease.
The medic placed a clean dressing over Walter's eyebrow.
MEDIC: "This needs further assessment. You should avoid standing too quickly."
WALTER HAYES: "Thank you."
The commander looked at Walter.
COMMANDER HALE: "You should go with them."
WALTER HAYES: "Not until I know the envelope has reached the right person."
COMMANDER HALE: "I will take responsibility for that."
WALTER HAYES: "I appreciate it, Commander. But I promised it would be delivered personally."
Hale studied him for a moment.
COMMANDER HALE: "You have my word that it will be handled properly."
Walter considered the offer, then nodded.