by Tom Carroll
“Mr. Secretary,” Carissa asked Colt when he returned from his bedroom, “how are you feeling after your close call yesterday during the air show? And what did you think of your son’s performance as a pilot?”
“I feel much better now that I’ve had a shower and a few hour’s rest,” Colt said. “That was a pretty stressful experience, one I hope I’ll never have to repeat. Regarding my son’s performance as a pilot, I’ve always known Dan was an exceptional aviator and that he’s had the best training in the world. But I also believe that most if not all of the air wing’s pilots could have done what Dan did. And that is not meant to minimize Dan’s exceptional skills, but to underscore how excellent our training programs are.”
“But Mr. Secretary, the entire ship is buzzing regarding the exceptional airmanship that Dan displayed. Don’t tell me you’re not proud of him!”
“Of course, I am! Speaking as a father, I couldn’t be more proud!”
“Okay, sir, I’ll leave it at that. Now, what can you tell us about the cause of the aircraft’s malfunction? What if anything have you learned about what and why it happened?”
“Well, all I can tell you right now is that the mishap is the subject of an ongoing investigation. It’s going to take some time to sort out exactly what happened, whether or not it was an intentional, malicious act, and how to prevent it from happening again. We do suspect this is an isolated incident, and that’s why there has been no decision as of yet to ground all the Navy’s Growlers.”
“Intentional act? Is there anything that would suggest the mishap may have been an attempt on your life? It’s certainly a bit suspect that the one and only aircraft that had problems yesterday was the one that you were in.”
“I suspect that it was just a coincidence, but again, I really can’t comment any further on the incident or the investigation at this point. I’m afraid we’ll all have to wait for the experts to find the answer.”
“Mr. Secretary, there are rumors that some of the Reagan’s aircraft may have been involved in recent activities involving South Korea. The White House just released a statement saying those missing biological warheads from back in 1991 were not stolen — something about an inventory error. You previously mentioned that you traveled to Seoul just a few days ago to talk with the South Koreans about those same weapons, which were still missing at the time. Were you or this ship involved in any way with the resolution of that issue?”
“I’ll have to refer you to the White House for any comments regarding South Korea or the warheads. Personally, I’m pleased to know the weapons were not stolen so we can now move forward with our negotiations with North Korea and, hopefully, the reunification of the peninsula. I spoke with Secretary of State Unger yesterday, and he’s very optimistic that real progress can be made this year.”
“Let’s shift now, Mr. Secretary, to your immediate future, if we may. When are you planning to return to Washington, and do you think the president will nominate you to permanently succeed the late Secretary O’Kane?”
“Len Wilson and I will be leaving the Reagan tomorrow. We’ll be flying to Tokyo, where we plan to catch a plane back to D.C. and the Pentagon. Regarding a permanent nomination as secretary of defense, again, I’m afraid you’ll have to ask the president,” Colt added with a slight grin.
“And with that, we thank you, Mr. Secretary, for talking with us. Travel safely, and we hope to catch up with you soon in Washington. I’m Carissa Curtis, on the USS Ronald Reagan in the western Pacific Ocean.” Carissa then turned around to her cameraman. “That’s it,” she said.
As the cameraman collected his equipment, Carissa removed Colt’s microphone. “I do hope you have a great flight home. And now, I’m off to find that son of yours to get some footage of him in front of his plane. He is quite the hero right now to a lot of people, and it will be great to have a feel-good story for a change to share on the evening news.”
Suddenly, an inspired thought occurred to Colt. As he got up from his chair and started walking Carissa to the door, he said, “I wonder if I could ask a small favor of you.”
Carissa stopped walking and looked up at Colt. “That depends on the favor,” she answered.
NCIS Offices, the Reagan
Anna and Kevin had been working almost non-stop since the aircraft incident, trying to determine whether it was an accident or an intentional act. Despite talking with every expert Boeing provided, including the embarked tech rep Malcolm Simpson, the investigation had thus far revealed nothing. The software responsible for the Growler’s flight systems was clearly different from the version provided by Boeing for comparison, but the company’s experts couldn’t agree regarding the possibility of sabotage.
Now, sitting together in their shared office, Anna turned to Kevin with another idea. “You know, the control systems lead at Boeing seemed a little ill at ease when you asked if he thought someone could have remotely accessed the software and modified the code, but there were several others with him during that video call. I wonder if he would be any more candid if we talked with him alone, without any others on the call with us?”
Kevin rubbed his eyes and took a sip from his coffee cup. “You never know. It can’t hurt. Let’s give it a shot.”
Anna entered a series of numbers into her laptop, and within a few seconds, the image of the Boeing software engineer appeared on her screen. “Hey, Jessie, its NCIS agents Anna DeSantis and Kevin Orr from the Reagan. Sorry to bother you again, but we have a few more questions we want to ask you. Do you have a few minutes you can talk with us?”
Jessie Hughes adjusted the video camera on his workstation. “Sure,” he said. “The Reagan’s mishap is a top priority of ours right now.”
Kevin asked the first question. “Jessie, I’d like to go back to something I asked you about earlier. I noticed a weird look on your face when I asked you if the software could possibly have been modified remotely. Do you remember that?”
Jessie stood up from his desk and closed his office door. “As a matter of fact,” he said, lowering his voice, ”when you asked me that question, I did think of something we hadn’t discussed. That software was modified in a highly-skilled, very specific way. Without getting into too much detail right now, we’re fairly certain that the code was not damaged in a random way. We believe it was deliberately altered.”
Kevin sighed. “I know Jessie, we already covered that . . .”
“Let me finish,” Jessie interrupted. “There’s no way that code can be altered remotely because it’s specifically designed to prevent that very thing. There are several people on board the Reagan who we know have the technical ability to make those modifications. Let me ask you a question: Have either of you ever written software code? Even just in a college course?”
“Sure,” said Anna. “I’ve done some programming in Java, Python, and C++. Why?”
Jessie removed his glasses and used his necktie to clean the lenses. “Did you learn in your classes that there are several ways to write a program that all provide the exact same results? Stuff like how to use loops and other techniques? What I’m getting at here is that I’ve seen this particular style of coding before. I recognize it, in fact.”
“Do you mean you may know who modified the code on that aircraft?” asked Kevin as he and Anna looked at each other wide-eyed.
“I do know who modified the code,” Jessie answered. “It was Malcolm Simpson.”
The Flight Deck, the Reagan
The wind had been gusting steadily, but just as Carissa Curtis and her cameraman completed their set-up for the interview, it died down just enough to allow the microphones to work properly. Lieutenant Dan Garrett, dressed in a green flight suit and brown flight boots, stood in front of Growler 501 as Carissa began the interview.
“I’m on board USS Ronald Reagan with Navy Lieutenant Dan Garrett, a pilot assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 132, the Scorpions. It was Lieutenant Garrett who skillfully landed a critically malfunctioning plane yesterday, s
aving not only himself and his aircraft, but also the life of his father, who happens to be the new, acting secretary of defense, Colton Garrett. Dan, is this the plane that you flew and landed yesterday?”
“No,” Dan answered. “That plane is down below on the hangar deck, cordoned off for an accident investigation, but this is exactly the same model of aircraft, an EA-18G Growler.”
“Dan, can you explain to us what happened during the flight?” Carissa asked.
“Well, I had just completed my pre-landing checklist and was on the final glideslope, or path to the carrier, when I lost elevator control.”
“Can you explain what that means to those of us who aren’t pilots?”
“Sure. Loss of elevator control means I couldn’t safely adjust the airplane’s landing angle, or how it’s positioned in the air.”
Dan used his hands to mimic a plane flying through the air.
“When I pulled back on the control stick, instead of angling up like it’s supposed to, the airplane’s nose went down. And when I pushed the stick forward, the plane climbed. In other words, the controls were reversed,” said Dan.
“I would imagine that made landing the plane extremely challenging, and yet you brought it aboard safely!”
“Yes, and thank you, but before you give me too much credit, remember there were many other people responsible for that successful landing. Lots of people on the ship, and even some experts back home at Boeing. We’re all trained for these types of emergencies. I’m just happy now that everything turned out fine.”
“As I mentioned, your father was in the back seat for the flight. Did having him with you during an emergency make it even more stressful for you?”
Dan thought for a moment. “I would definitely have been more comfortable having HURRICANE, I mean Lieutenant Pierce, my NFO, back there. We’ve trained together for these emergencies, and we’ve been flying together for a few years. But to directly answer your question, I think having my dad with me probably helped to keep me calm.”
“Lieutenant Garrett, I understand you are coming up for orders. Where do you see yourself heading for your next assignment?”
Dan was surprised by the question and paused for a moment to think about his answer. “I hope to attend test pilot school, but I don’t have the required engineering degree. So, I’m just waiting to see where the Navy’s going to send me.”
Carissa turned to face the camera. “Well, if you ask me or anyone else on this ship, we’d say Lieutenant Garrett has definitely the right stuff to be a great test pilot. This is Carissa Curtis on board USS Ronald Reagan in the western Pacific.”
The Brig, the Reagan
“I am Kevin Orr, a special agent of the U.S. Navy Criminal Investigations Service. I am investigating the alleged offenses of the attempted murder of the United States Secretary of Defense, the Honorable Colton Garrett, and Navy Lieutenant Daniel Garrett, of which you are suspected. I advise you that under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, you have the right to remain silent, that is, to say nothing at all. Any statements you make, oral or written, may be used as evidence against you in a trial or in other judicial or administrative proceedings. You have the right to consult with a lawyer and to have a lawyer present during this interview. You may obtain a civilian lawyer of your own choosing, at your own expense. If you cannot afford a lawyer and want one, one will be appointed for you by civilian authorities before any questioning begins. You may request a lawyer at any time during this interview. If you do decide to answer questions, you may stop the questioning at any time. Do you understand your rights?”
Malcolm Simpson was sitting on a cold metal chair in the Reagan’s brig, a secure facility onboard the carrier designed to hold people who had been charged with committing a crime. The small jail included two isolation cells plus a large bunkroom that could sleep eight prisoners. The brig was currently empty, except for Anna DeSantis, Kevin Orr, Malcolm, and Commander Steve Lingenbrink, the Navy Judge Advocate General, or JAG, attorney, assigned to the admiral’s staff. The senior JAG officer’s jobs were to provide guidance regarding rules of engagement and to assist any Sailor or Marine who might run afoul of local law enforcement during a foreign port visit. He had been summoned to the brig now to serve as defense counsel should Malcolm request his services, and ensure that the interrogation of the civilian was done according to the law.
Malcolm crossed his arms over his chest. “This is bullshit,” he said. “You have no authority over me. I’m a civilian, and besides, I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Actually, Malcolm, both Special Agent DeSantis and I are fully credentialed federal law enforcement officers, with authority to investigate any felony that impacts the United States Navy. So, let me ask you again: Do you understand your rights?”
“Yes, I understand them.”
Kevin looked at Steve Lingenbrink, who nodded and made a note on his pad.
“Malcolm,” Kevin continued, “do you want a lawyer? Commander Lingenbrink is the admiral’s JAG officer, and he can represent you. After we pull into port, you can then request a civilian lawyer if you wish.”
Malcolm looked across the table directly at the commander and said, “You mean, you’ll work for me, and you can’t share anything I tell you?”
“That’s correct, Mr. Simpson,” said Commander Lingenbrink. “I’d be representing you, and the attorney-client privilege applies to whatever you tell me.”
Malcolm said, “Okay, then, you can be my lawyer.”
Kevin Orr continued on. “Are you willing to answer questions, Malcolm? I mean, you have nothing to hide, correct?”
Commander Lingenbrink rested his hand on Malcolm’s shoulder and said, “Hold it, Mr. Simpson. You are not required to answer any questions, and that decision can have no impact on a finding of your innocence or guilt. In my opinion, you should not answer any questions or make any statement.”
Looking at the two NCIS agents sitting at the table, Malcolm was certain he was smarter than they were. “It’s okay, Commander,” he said. “I’ll answer their questions. I just want to get this over with so I can get back to doing my job. And I don’t have anything to hide.”
Kevin thought, Well, okay then! He produced a document from his briefcase and asked Malcolm to indicate with his signature that he was waiving his right to remain silent and had retained legal counsel. Commander Lingenbrink witnessed the signing, and the questioning began.
Kevin opened his briefcase again and removed a large, thick file folder which he placed on the table. “Before we ask any questions, I’d like to share with you what we have so far.” As he handed each document to Malcolm, he briefly explained what it was. “First, this is a sworn statement from Mr. Jessie Hughes of Boeing Defense, saying first, that he is familiar with and recognizes your software coding techniques, and second, that he believes you are the person who altered the control system software in Growler 505. Attached are examples of your coding techniques from your training at Boeing, as well as a sample of the altered code in Growler 505. Next is a warrant to search your stateroom and your workspaces, including both of your personal computers. This is a screenshot of your computer showing your screen name as Geoffrey, along with some in-game coded messaging between you and someone named VADIM, whom we are quite certain is also on this ship. This is a photocopy of a series of in-game communications between yourself and two persons who are not on this ship. They have been identified by the FBI as military intelligence officers of the Russian Federation. This is an affidavit that describes surveillance video evidence that we have of you making modifications to equipment onboard Growler 505. This set of documents details your personal bank accounts, showing balances totaling more than two million dollars, against an annual salary of $110,000. Malcolm, all this combined evidence will be used to charge you with several counts of espionage as well as the attempted murder of Colton and Daniel Garrett.”
Malcolm sat silently as Kevin went through each document and set each one in front of h
im on the table.
“Oh, and one other thing. Last night we partially broke another in-game communication from VADIM to the Russian Federation blaming you for the failed attempt on Secretary Garrett’s life. Malcom, it seems that you are quickly running out of friends.”
Malcolm silently looked through each document on the table and then looked at Commander Lingenbrink.
"How about this, Malcolm?” asked Kevin. “We’ll give you and your lawyer a few minutes to consider your situation,” and the two NCIS agents left the brig and waited in the passageway to give Commander Lingenbrink and his new client some privacy.
Thirty minutes later, Commander Lingenbrink walked out of the bring. “Mr. Simpson has a question he would like to ask.” Anna and Kevin followed the JAG lawyer back into the brig to find Malcolm seated at the table. The software engineer looked up at Kevin and asked, “Perhaps it’s time to discuss a deal?”
Kevin looked at the software engineer and said, “All of this evidence points directly at you, Malcolm. What could you possibly have would be of any interest or value? Espionage and attempted murder are capital offenses. At the very least, I’d say you’re going to be making little rocks out of big rocks at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.”
“Hold on!” exclaimed Malcolm. “You don’t seriously think I did this on my own? I’ve been removing classified material from the ship for months. How do you think I did that without a courier card?”
Anna looked at Kevin, and in unison, they said, “Defense Courier Service.” Anna pressed a series of numbers on the phone. “Master Chief, this is Special Agent DeSantis. I need you to tell me who on this ship has a courier card.” As she waited, a bad feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach as she recalled seeing a certain officer carrying a black courier satchel on several occasions. Anna listened to the phone as she carefully wrote down a list of five names on the tablet in front of her, underlining the last name. While turning the pad so that Kevin could see the list, Anna spoke to Malcolm. “Tell us why you have been meeting in the ship’s library with Commander Abrams. Father O’Brian told me he has seen you talking with her. What have you two been discussing?”