44
“But this is impossible.”
“Miranda,” Susan tried her most calming voice. “That was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff requesting your presence at the meeting. You can’t say no to that.”
“No.”
“Whichno?You can’t refuse or you can’t go?”
“This investigation is incomplete. There is more information that is essential to fully understand what occurred.” Miranda’s protest still hadn’t answered the question.
This is what Susan was paid to do, make sure that her superior’s communication occurred clearlyandwas listened to.
“I’m sure that General Nason has taken that all into consideration before pulling you from the investigation.”
“I should be investigating the KC-46 Pegasus crash,” her voice was almost dreamy. “That’s what should have been done next. I haven’t finished my review of the preliminary report.”
“Yes you did,” Susan assured her. Miranda had, hadn’t she? “And…” she searched her memory through the confusion of the last nineteen hours since she’d reached the team. Or negative forty-three hours for crossing the International Date Line. She did her best to clear her head and tried again. “And…yes, you told Andi to send it.”
“But did she? I didn’t follow up. So much has happened. What if I missed something when you grabbed the report from me? I don’t know. I simply don’t know.” She pulled her tablet computer out of its vest pocket but seemed to lose focus and didn’t turn it on.
Before Susan could think of a new tactic to convince Miranda they were going to Brunei, Elevator 4 engaged loudly on the other side of the hangar. It whined its way down from the Flight Deck level. As big as a basketball court and capable of moving sixty tons of aircraft, it took fifteen long seconds to descend the three stories.
Once it lowered into view, she could see the Seahawk helicopter parked in the exact center. Andi and the other pilot were still going through shutdown procedures. Beside it, Holly sat at the controls of a mobile crane, from which dangled the crumpled tail section of an F-35. Mike stood by two airmen carrying a battered and scuffed acrylic canopy.
When Susan turned back to look at her, Miranda didn’t move an inch.
Mike scanned between the two of them, but didn’t seem to notice anything out of the ordinary to cause more than a concerned second look at Miranda’s unmoving figure.
No one disturbed her, though it added more complication and delay doing tight maneuvering to place the pieces in their proper locations around her, especially the awkward and badly battered tail.
Everyone backed off once the tail and canopy were in place to Holly’s specs.
Miranda continued her statue thing.
Four long minutes this time by Susan’s watch.
“It’s still not enough,” Miranda’s voice started as a whisper but fast rose to a wail of pain. “It’s here, it must be here. But I can’t see it. I can’t do this alone. I—” She went to her knees in the midst of all the wreckage.
Susan went to move forward, but Andi brushed by and wrapped Miranda in her arms.
Miranda’s phone rang.
Miranda shrieked, scrabbling at her pocket.
Andi snagged it and heaved it to Susan. She caught it against her chest.
Taz.
With Miranda’s shrieks climbing louder than the echoing power tools as somewhere forward the crew continued their efforts to keep theTheodore Rooseveltrunning, Susan couldn’t remember who Taz was.
Mike, too, had surged forward, but Holly had grabbed him, finally knocking him to the deck.
“Commander Piazza here.”
“Where’s Miranda?” Taz was a woman. “What thehellis that noise?”
Miranda had impossibly folded up even smaller. Sadie scampered forward and disappeared into the huddle somewhere.