Daniel looked through the rear window.
His silver sedan remained on the shoulder.
Its headlights were still on.
The highway stretched behind it.
Then something unexpected happened.
A black SUV appeared in the distance.
Its headlights approached rapidly.
The SUV slowed near Daniel's abandoned car.
Daniel couldn't see who was inside.
The cruiser continued forward.
Daniel turned back.
He was trying to understand what was happening.
The officer had claimed the car was stolen.
But if that were true, why had the officer not called for a tow truck?
Why hadn't another unit arrived?
Why had the officer avoided answering basic questions?
And most importantly—
Why had he tried to hide the badge?
Daniel leaned back against the seat.
He remembered his father's words.
Authority means nothing if people cannot trust the person holding it.
For years, Daniel had believed that corruption was obvious.
He had been wrong.
Sometimes corruption didn't look like a dramatic criminal conspiracy.
Sometimes it looked like a small lie.
A missing explanation.
A false report.
A badge hidden beneath a shoe.
Daniel closed his eyes.
He knew what he needed to do.
Stay calm.
Remember everything.
And survive long enough to uncover the truth.
The police station was nearly empty when Officer Reed brought Daniel inside.
The building looked different from the headquarters Daniel knew.
Smaller.
Older.
Less organized.
Reed led him down a hallway.
Daniel noticed the security cameras.
One above the entrance.
One near the booking desk.
Another in the corridor.
Good.
There would be evidence.
Reed removed the handcuffs.
"Sit."
Daniel sat.
Another officer approached.
She was a woman in her thirties.
"What's the charge?"
"Vehicle theft."
She looked at Daniel.
Then at Reed.
"His vehicle?"
Reed nodded.
She looked confused.
"Where's the owner?"
Reed replied:
"That's what we're determining."
Daniel almost spoke.
Instead, he waited.
The woman entered something into the computer.
Then she stopped.
Her eyes moved toward Daniel.
She looked at the screen again.
Then at Reed.
"Are you sure?"
Reed's face hardened.
"Just process him."
The woman hesitated.
"His driver's license matches the vehicle registration."
"I said process him."
She looked at Daniel.