“You guys ever move a plane like this before? The nose gear is sensitive.”

“We’ll be careful,” Norwalk responded, definitely sounding like he wasn’t planning on being careful at all. He spoke into a radio, and before long one of Sky Masters Inc.’s technicians came out riding an aircraft tug, accompanied by another agent. The tech scooped up the Aerostar’s nose wheel with the lifter. Meanwhile, the main hangar door opened. The plane was pushed back into the hangar beside one of the company’s DC-10 mission support/ launch/tanker aircraft.

Patrick was taken to his office in the headquarters facility. Special Agent Norwalk and another officer stayed inside with him. “Now, mind telling me what’s going on?” Patrick asked once they were seated inside.

“First, General, I advise you that you are hereby under arrest,” Norwalk began. “You have the right to remain silent; should you choose to give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have the attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you at no charge. Do you understand these rights as I’ve explained them?”

“What am I being arrested for?”

“General, do you understand your Constitutional rights as I’ve explained them to you?”

“Yes. Now can you tell me—?”

“Do you waive your right to remain silent?”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Are you willing to answer questions for me?”

“Yes. Now tell me what’s going on here.”

“Do you know where Dr. Jon Masters, Dr. Kelsey Duffield, and the Sky Masters Inc. crew members that were stationed at the Tonopah Test Range are right now, General?”

“I thought they were at Tonopah. Are they missing?”

“You’re telling me you have no idea where they are?”

“What’s going on, Norwalk? Has something happened? And why am I under arrest? Do you think I had something to do with it?”

“Did you have anything to do with Dr. Masters and Dr. Kelsey recently, say, in the past two days? Have you been in contact with them?”

“Hold it, hold it,” Patrick said, raising his hands and shaking his head in confusion. “You’re not answering any of my questions, and I’m getting confused. I feel like I’m being tricked into admitting something, and I think I should stop this questioning until I get my lawyer.”