Inside were reference materials and independent records necessary for comparing the competing claims.
Priya examined the documented material.
Then frowned.
“That's interesting.”
I looked toward her.
“What?”
She pointed toward one of the records.
“Some of the disputed anomalies weren't present in the earlier independent checks.”
I leaned closer.
“Could that be explained by timing?”
“Possibly.”
She paused.
“But the sequence suggests the alarms became more severe after the initial assessments had already begun.”
I looked toward the display.
“Which team issued the later update?”
Priya checked the record.
Then answered.
“A program coordination office.”
I frowned.
“Who approved it?”
She hesitated.
“Evan Rourke.”
The name struck me.
Evan was a senior operations coordinator who had worked in several cross-agency planning roles.
He was intelligent.
Well connected.
And unusually good at getting difficult meetings organized on short notice.
I had worked with him for four years.
He knew my schedule.
My preferences.
And the process used to summon senior officials during an emergency.
I looked toward the door.
“Where is he?”
Priya checked.
“He was here earlier.”
“And now?”
“His office says he's dealing with an external coordination issue.”
I took a slow breath.
The roadside stop returned to my mind.
Mara's warning about an unscheduled location inquiry.
The communications incident.
The attempt to open my briefing case.
I looked toward Priya.
“Get me the complete authorization trail for that update.”
She nodded.
Then I added, “And preserve the communications associated with the request for my travel location.”
Colonel Bell looked surprised.
“Your travel location?”
I turned toward him.
“There was an incident on the road.”
He glanced at my dress.
Then toward my wrists.
His expression changed.
“What kind of incident?”
I answered briefly.
“A county officer detained me, discarded my credentials, and attempted to access a secured briefing case.”
The room went silent.
One analyst slowly lowered his pen.
Colonel Bell stared.
“What?”
I held up one hand.
“The federal and state authorities are documenting it. We need to continue the technical response.”
Priya's face hardened.
“Ma'am, that's not a coincidence.”
I looked toward her.
“Possibly not.”
She shook her head.
“An urgent review. A recommendation to transfer functions to an outside provider. Then somebody interfering with the official bringing independent records to the meeting?”
I took a breath.
“I agree the timing is concerning. But concern isn't proof.”