"I gave you my name."
"That's not identification."
Adrian looked around.
Several officers were watching.
"Do you have a supervisor?"
Marcus laughed.
"I am the supervisor here."
"Of this entrance?"
"Of the officers on this shift."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Then you should know better."
Marcus stared at him.
"Know better than what?"
"Escalating an ordinary conversation."
That sentence landed badly.
Marcus had heard versions of it thousands of times.
You should know better.
Don't talk to me like that.
I know my rights.
He took another step.
"Put your hands where I can see them."
Adrian sighed.
"Sergeant, I have no intention of fighting you."
"Good."
"But I also have no intention of being treated like a criminal because you don't recognize me."
Marcus's face tightened.
"Who exactly do you expect me to recognize?"
Adrian looked toward the headquarters.
"The person I'm here to meet."
"Who?"
Adrian didn't answer.
Marcus looked at his watch.
8:21.
The morning briefing began at 8:30.
There was a new police chief scheduled to be sworn in that morning.
Everyone in the building had been talking about it for weeks.
But Marcus hadn't met the new chief.
The previous chief had retired unexpectedly six weeks earlier.
The city council had kept the identity of the replacement quiet until the official announcement.
Marcus had never cared much about administrative politics.
He had worked under seven chiefs.
They came.
They made promises.
They left.
The officers stayed.
He looked at Adrian again.
Expensive suit.
Calm voice.
No visible identification.
Something didn't fit.
"Who sent you?"
Adrian answered quietly.
"The mayor's office."
Marcus immediately noticed the officers around them.
Some were whispering.
He didn't want to lose control of the situation in front of his subordinates.
"Then call them."
Adrian took out his phone.
Marcus stopped him.
"Don't reach into your pocket."
Adrian slowly raised both hands.
"You're making this much harder than it needs to be."
Marcus stepped closer.
"Turn around."
Adrian shook his head.
"No."
Marcus stared.
"Excuse me?"
"I said no."
A silence spread across the entrance.
Officer Lena Brooks felt her stomach tighten.
She knew Marcus.
She had seen him calm down violent suspects.
She had seen him talk down armed men.
But she had also seen what happened when someone challenged him publicly.
His pride became involved.
And once that happened, reason became secondary.
Marcus lowered his voice.
"You have ten seconds to cooperate."
Adrian looked at him.
"Or?"
Marcus didn't answer.
Adrian's eyes moved toward the security cameras.
"You're being recorded."
Marcus glanced upward.
"I know."
"Good."
Adrian nodded.
"Then we won't have to argue about what happened."
That irritated Marcus even more.
He reached toward Adrian's jacket.
Adrian stepped back.
"Don't."
Marcus stopped.
For one second, the two men simply stared at each other.
Then a voice came from behind the glass doors.
"Sergeant?"
Marcus turned.
Lieutenant Carla Moreno stood inside.
She looked nervous.
Very nervous.
Marcus frowned.
"What?"
Carla glanced at Adrian.
Then back at Marcus.
"Can I speak with you?"
"Not right now."
Carla swallowed.
"It really should be now."
Marcus looked at Adrian again.
The stranger remained perfectly still.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Marcus walked several steps toward Carla.
"What is it?"
Carla lowered her voice.
"Do you know who that is?"
Marcus glanced over his shoulder.
"The guy refusing to identify himself."
Carla stared at him.
"That's Adrian Cole."
"I know his name."
"No."
Carla's face had gone pale.
"You don't understand."
Marcus waited.
Carla looked toward the cameras.
Then toward the other officers.
"He's the new chief."
Marcus froze.
For a moment, he thought he had misheard her.
"What?"
"The new police chief."
Marcus looked back.
Adrian stood beside the entrance with his hands relaxed at his sides.