No Return

37

“So?” Commander Forman asked.

Lars frowned for a moment, then shook his head.

“Dammit! Your job is to make this problem go away.”

Lars frowned. “I’m aware of that, sir. But-”

“Being aware of it and doing what you’ve been ordered to do are not the same thing. I expect you to deal with this problem.” He stared at Lars, then said, “I want to show you something.”

Forman picked up a remote control off his desk and popped on the TV that sat on a cabinet in the corner of the office. The screen was blank for a few moments, then video began to play. It was of the downed F-18, only minutes after it had crashed. The footage Danny DeLeon had shot. Lars watched Wes struggle to get to the cockpit, then lean over the pilot. Forman paused the image.

“A goddamn action hero,” he said. “This is the kind of stuff the media would love. Since he already works in that business, it would be easy for him to get someone interested. You need to stop this now. We’re all in the line of fire on this, but you, Lieutenant Commander, are dead center and the first to go down.”

Lars sat back. “Why me, sir?”

“Need I remind you that you are the one who wrote the protocols that were to be followed on the flight? Those protocols were a very tight map. If someone were to examine them closely, they would see that certain tests that would have been logical next steps were not included.”

“But you’re the one who instructed me to-”

“And you’re the one who signed off on them. If anything comes down, your neck will be more exposed than most. So it’s in your best interest to get this done. Am I clear?”

Lars’s mouth suddenly felt dry.

“Well?”

Lars nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll do what I can.”

“Do more.”

It was an obvious dismissal. Lars got up, but then hesitated at the door.

“Yes?” Forman asked, impatient.

“Sir, I understand that you felt it was necessary to get Wes’s computer and hard drive.”

“Is there a question?”

Lars hesitated. “Was it also necessary to break in and take them?”

The commander stared blankly at Lars. “What do you think?”

“He would have given me that material if I had asked him.”

“He gave us the material once before, but he failed to tell us about the copy. What makes you think he wouldn’t have done that again?”

“But breaking into his room?”

“Are you trying to sound like a fool? We do what we must. Now, if you will excuse me.”

This time the dismissal was final.