“Mr. Daniels?” he said.
The old man started. “It’s you! I recognize your voice. Can’t see no more, but I recognize voices. Get the hell out of here.”
“You can either answer our questions, or other people will come here and ask them.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass. Get out!”
“Part of your military service record was redacted. Classified.”
“Well, hell, I told you that.”
“But you didn’t say why.”
“I can’t, dumbass. That’s sort of the point of it beingclassified.”
“More people have been killed,” said Decker. “Several more. Something big is being planned. We need you to help us understand what that could be.”
“I only have your word for that and I don’t believe you. You’re not pulling the wool over my eyes. For all I know, you’re spies.”
“We can show you our credentials,” offered Jamison.
“Can’t see ’em. I told you that.”
Decker sat on the edge of the bed. “Is there anything youcantell us about your time at London AFS?”
“No.”
“We’ve been there. We’ve seen the radar array.”
“So?”
“It’s funny.”
“What is?”
“They have an identical facility near Grand Forks, North Dakota.”
A hint of a smile crept across Daniels’s features. “Is that right?”
“But you knew that, didn’t you?”
The smile vanished. “Who says?”
“It was discovered that the facility was being used for another purpose just recently. Not an eye in the sky, but something totally different.”
“Who cares?”
“Your help could be vital to the national security interests of this country.”
“Again, says you. You’re not tricking me. I gave an oath.”
“You’ve been out of uniform a long time.”
“An oath is an oath. Take it to my grave. Just how it’s done.”
Decker looked at Jamison in frustration.
“Is there anything we can say to make you change your mind?” said Jamison.