At 9:15 the next morning, Colonel Carter received a call from Captain Robert Miller.
"Colonel, we have a development."
"Go ahead."
"We recovered an additional document from an archived maintenance server."
"What kind of document?"
"A spreadsheet containing inspection approval dates, aircraft identification numbers, and personnel authorization codes."
Evelyn stood immediately.
"Is it the list Michael Hayes described?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Who created it?"
"That's still being verified. However, the original file was created under an account associated with Major Whitaker's department."
Evelyn looked toward Daniel, who was standing beside her desk.
"Send me the document through the secure channel."
"Already done."
She opened the attachment.
The spreadsheet contained twelve aircraft entries.
Three matched the aircraft already under investigation.
The remaining nine required further examination.
Each entry included three columns:
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Original maintenance completion date.
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Operational readiness approval date.
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Final authorization account.
Evelyn studied the first three entries.
In several cases, the approval date preceded the documented completion date.
She scrolled farther.
Then she stopped.
One entry showed that an aircraft had been cleared for an operational exercise despite an unresolved maintenance issue.
The authorization had been entered under a senior command account.
Not Reed's.
Not Bennett's.
Someone else.
"Captain Miller, can you identify the account owner?"
"We're working on it."
"Do not contact the individual until the access history is preserved."
"Understood."
Evelyn ended the call.
Daniel looked at the spreadsheet.
"Ma'am, that's a lot more aircraft than we originally thought."
"Yes."
"Could this be an isolated administrative practice?"
"Possibly. But the repeated timing and identical approval patterns suggest coordination."
She picked up the phone again.
"Arrange a meeting with Chief Warrant Officer Bennett."
"Today?"
"Immediately."
Within thirty minutes, Bennett arrived.
He was a broad-shouldered man in his late forties. His uniform was neat, but his expression suggested he had not slept well.
He stood at attention.
"Colonel Carter."
"Please sit down, Chief."
Bennett took the chair.
Evelyn placed the spreadsheet in front of him.
"Do you recognize this document?"
He examined it.
His face became pale.
"I've seen something similar."
"Where?"
"In the maintenance coordination office."
"Who created it?"
"I don't know."
"Who maintained it?"
Bennett hesitated.
"Major Whitaker's administrative team."
Evelyn nodded.
"Did you provide information for this spreadsheet?"
"I may have provided some inspection dates."
"Did you know the approval dates were earlier than the maintenance completion dates?"
Bennett looked down.
"Some of the entries were updated later."
"That's not what I asked."
He swallowed.
"Yes, ma'am. I noticed inconsistencies."
"Did you report them?"
"No."
"Why?"
Bennett rubbed his hands together.
"Because I was told the administrative office would correct them."
"Who told you?"
"Major Whitaker."
Evelyn leaned forward.
"Did Sergeant Reed know?"
Bennett hesitated.
"Yes."
"How?"
"He was involved in the readiness documentation."
"Did he ever ask you to approve an inspection that had not been completed?"
Bennett closed his eyes briefly.
"Yes, ma'am."
The room became silent.
Daniel looked at him.
"Why did you agree?"
Bennett appeared deeply uncomfortable.
"I was told that the maintenance team would complete the work immediately afterward. I thought the documentation would be corrected."
"Did you understand that the aircraft could be released before the inspection was finished?"
"Yes."
"Then why did you approve it?"
Bennett lowered his head.
"I was afraid of losing my position."
Evelyn's expression remained composed.
"Your position does not give you permission to compromise the safety of other personnel."
"I know, ma'am."
"How many times did this happen?"
"I don't know exactly."
"Estimate."
"At least six."
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
He was writing everything down.
"Did Major Whitaker ever explain why the aircraft had to be declared ready before the inspection was complete?"
Bennett nodded.
"He said the installation was under pressure to meet readiness targets. He said delays would affect our evaluation."
"Was that pressure coming from senior command?"
Bennett hesitated.
"That's what he told us."
"Did you personally hear a senior commander issue that instruction?"
"No, ma'am."
Evelyn wrote something in her notebook.
"Did Major Whitaker ever instruct you to delete or alter original maintenance entries?"
Bennett looked uncomfortable.
"Not directly."
"What does that mean?"
"He told me to keep the reports clean."
"Explain."
"He said incomplete records created unnecessary questions. He wanted the final documentation to reflect the approved operational status."
Evelyn looked at him.
"Who approved that status?"
"Major Whitaker."
"And Sergeant Reed?"
Bennett nodded.
"Sergeant Reed handled several of the final entries."
Evelyn closed her folder.
"Chief, your cooperation is important. However, your own decisions will also be examined."
"I understand."
"Your statement will be documented. Do not discuss this interview with anyone who may be involved in the investigation."
"Yes, ma'am."
After Bennett left, Daniel looked at the colonel.
"That confirms it."
"It confirms part of it."
"But Major Whitaker is involved."
"His involvement is supported by several pieces of evidence. We still need to establish the extent of his responsibility."
Daniel glanced at the spreadsheet.
"What about the senior command account?"
Evelyn returned to her computer.
"That's what concerns me most."
She opened the final entry.
The account was associated with a retired senior officer who had previously supervised the installation.
However, the electronic access record showed that the account had been used three days earlier.
Evelyn stared at the screen.
"That's impossible."
Daniel leaned closer.
"Why, ma'am?"
"The account should have been deactivated when the officer retired."
Daniel's face tightened.
"Then someone else has been using it."
"Possibly."
She called Captain Miller.
"Captain, I need the access history for this account. Every login, every modification, every terminal."
"Yes, ma'am."
"And I want an immediate security review of all privileged accounts."
"Understood."
Evelyn ended the call.
She looked at Daniel.
"Someone may have been using a retired officer's credentials to authorize these reports."
Daniel shook his head.
"How could that happen?"
"That's exactly what we're going to find out."
Outside, the sound of a fighter jet engine echoed across the installation.
Evelyn glanced toward the hangar.
The investigation had started with a sergeant who thought he could order an unfamiliar woman out of his aircraft area.
Now it was uncovering a system that had allowed questionable safety approvals to continue for months.
And the most troubling evidence pointed toward someone who should have been protecting the entire installation.
Someone with considerably more authority than Marcus Reed.