Undercover - Chapter 10

from chapter 9

Once in her office, Jamie closes the door and leans on it. She's about to cry, and breathes hardly. She tries to catch her breath and closes her eyes. Then she murmurs.

Jamie - It shouldn't be so hard to hear the truth...

A lonely tear escapes and rolls on her cheek.

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Chapter 10

0932 local

Thursday

Indian Head NSWC

Harm checks at the gate.

Gate officer – Welcome, Commander. They've been expecting you.

Harm – Thank you, offcier.

Harm parks in front of a building. A Lieutenant JG welcomes him.

Lt JG, saluting – Commander Rabb ? Im' Lieutenant JG Donovan. I'm to escort you around the base.

Harm, saluting back – Thank you lieutenant. Could you find an office where I can do my interviews ?

Donovan – Of course Commander. Follow me, please.

They enter the building, get to a room. Harm puts his briefcase down on the desk.

Harm – Could you get me Master Chief Petty Officer Mattews, Chief Petty Officer Adams, Petty Offcier Jones and Lieutenant Patterson ?

Donovan – Of course, Sir.

Lt Donovan fixes to attention and returns a few minutes later with a man.

Harm – Please give me your name and rank.

SC Adams – Adams, Lionel J., Chief Petty Officer .

Harm – At ease, Chief Petty Officer. Were you on duty sunday night ?

SC Adams – Yes, Sir.

Harm – Hoes does the tour of the fence go ?

SC Adams – Well, I was with Corporal Jones. We tour the building, check locks, and if there's the slightest anomaly, we report with the Lieutenant who's on duty.

Harm – And who was on duty sunday night ?

SC Adams – Lieutenant Patterson. But there wasn't anything to report. Everything was normal.

Harm – No night exercise ?

SC Adams – No, Sir. But there was some monday night.

Harm – What kind of exercise ?

SC Adams – Helo drops, Sir.

Harm lifts his head up, interested. He scribbles on his notepad.

Harm – Thank you Petty Officer. That'll be all for the moment. Please send in Petty Officer Jones.

SC Adams – Aye Sir.

He gets up, snaps at attention and leaves. Enters a young black woman. She fixes at attention.

PO Jones – Jones, Valerie, Petty Officer 2^nd Class.

Harm – At ease, Petty Officer. Take a seat.

PO Jones – Thank you Sir.

Harm – You were on duty with Chief Adams, on sunday night.

PO Jones – Yes Sir.

Harm – Please can you tell me everything that happened that night ?

PO Jones – Well, after dinner, at 1930, we checked with Lieutenant Patterson. Then we took the K9 units, the torches and we left.

Harm – K9 ?

PO Jones – Dogs, Sir. They have better hearing and smelling capabilities. They detect problems or intruders quicker than us.

Harm – Yes, Petty Officer. I'm aware of the dogs capabilities. Please continue.

PO Jones – Sunday night was ICR pattern.

Harm – ICR ?

PO Jones – Inverse Clock Rotation. It's the code we use for the tour we make.

Harm – And how long does the tour take ?

PO Jones – The small tour, buildings and hangars is one hour and fifteen minutes. The fence tour takes about eight hours.

Harm – And do you take the fence tour often ?

PO Jones – No, Sir. The fence tour is for... initiation purposes.

Harm, smiling – For the rookies ?

PO Jones, smiling back – Yes, sir.

Harm – So during your tour of duty, you take the small tour. And how many times a night ?

PO. Jones – Three times, with a fifteen minutes pause inbetween. The rotation plan changes every time.

Harm – You have a definite order for the round ?

PO Jones – No, Sir. We decide at the moment. With the lieutenant on duty.

Harm – So Lieutenant Patterson decided what pattern you should take ?

PO Jones – Well, we checked what patterns had been used during the last few nights and we chose those which hadn't been used lately.

Harm – And how many patterns do you have ?

PO Jones – Eleven, Sir.

Harm – And you combine them in random order. Nobody knows in advance.

PO Jones – No, Sir.

Harm - Did anything seemed strange or suspect that night ?

PO Jones – Not that I can recall, Sir.

Harm – All right, Thank you Petty Officer. That will be all.

Petty Officer Jones stands up at attention and leaves the room. Harms stays silent.