“They’re accurate,” Macri said. “Except for the shots fired and the explosion.”
Puller blinked at her. “Shots and an explosion? No one mentioned that.”
“Well, maybe you didn’t ask the right questions. I’m volunteering that information in the interest of full disclosure. The shots and explosion prompted the calling in of reinforcements from the fort.”
“Did you determine the origins of the shots?”
“No.”
“And the explosion?”
Macri said, “I said explosion because that’s what it initially sounded like.”
“You were on duty?”
“Yes, I was. But many people heard the noises. They were quite distinct.”
“So it wasn’t really an explosion?”
“As I just said, it initially sounded like one. However, we found no evidence of one actually going off.”
“Then perhaps it was the same deal with the shots.”
“It probably was, because we also found no evidence of any shots fired.”
“So just sound effects, maybe?”
“Actually, that’s the only explanation that fits. As you probably know, guards do not carry weapons inside the prison. Thus no shots could have been fired by them. All prisoners were searched. No gun or contraband of any kind was found.”
“Except for the escapee. You couldn’t search him, because he was gone.”
“Correct,” conceded Macri.
“But then some device had to make those noises.”
“I agree with you. We just couldn’t find out what it was. But the investigation, as you know, is ongoing.”
“Were the guards searched?”
Macri looked blankly at him. “The guards?”
“If the prisoners didn’t cause it, maybe one of the guards?” Puller looked at her expectantly.
“Why would a guard do that?”
“Well, if they’d been searched and the device found, you could have asked that question directly.”
“I refuse to believe that one of my personnel was involved in this. It’s unthinkable.”
“Well, Captain Macri, if nothing was found on the prisoners and nothing was found in the prison and unless you’re randomly allowing folks in here to plant devices to cause a panic, it had to be one of the guards.”
She bristled at this, but said nothing.
“And the status of your CO?”
“Colonel Teague is on temporary leave.”
“Meaning he’s the fall guy for this?” said Puller.
“Meaning he’s on temporary leave.”
“Have you done an investigation of your own, Captain?”
“A preliminary one has been conducted. As you well know, there are others here currently doing their own: MI, CID other than you. Some folks from Washington. Lots of cooks in the kitchen.”
“And what did your ‘preliminary’ investigation reveal?”
Macri said, “That Robert Puller escaped in a manner as yet undetermined.”
“And the dead man?”
“What about him?”
“Has he been identified?”
“Not yet,” replied Macri.
“Anyone missing from the prison? Guards, support staff, civilians? And how about Fort Leavenworth? Everyone accounted for there?”
“A thorough accounting has been done. There are no missing personnel at either place.”
“No design is perfect. And I would imagine from this point on, cameras in the cells will also have battery backups.”
“I thought the system was set up so that if the power failed the cell doors automatically locked. And yet you had to call in the MPs. Why?”
Macri’s features were suddenly pained. “It seemed we were hacked.”
“Hacked? How?”
“As you said, our system is set up such that cell doors automatically lock when the power fails. That didn’t happen. The cell doors unlocked instead.”