The officer beside the desk pressed his lips together, attempting to conceal a reaction.
Miller noticed.
"What is so amusing?" he demanded.
"Nothing, Sergeant."
"Then pay attention to your work."
The younger officer immediately returned to his computer.
The exchange had revealed something that everyone in the room already understood but rarely acknowledged openly. Miller's authority extended beyond his ability to direct an investigation. He could make an ordinary workplace uncomfortable simply by treating disagreement as disloyalty.
That atmosphere had taught his colleagues to measure their words carefully.
It had also encouraged Miller to believe that the absence of objections meant the presence of agreement.
He returned to Hayes and folded his arms.
"Where did you get that badge?"
Hayes did not answer immediately.
He considered the question, then looked at the sergeant.
"It was issued to me through the appropriate federal agency."
Miller gave a short, dismissive laugh.
"That is not an answer."
"It is the answer to your question."
"You expect me to believe that?"
"I expect you to verify it."
The sergeant's jaw tightened.
He had now asked essentially the same question several times, yet the conversation had produced no new information. Hayes had explained that his credentials were official and repeatedly invited Miller to check them. Miller had responded by treating the invitation itself as suspicious.
The pattern was becoming difficult to ignore.
Marcus Reed shifted his weight behind the chair. He had remained silent because he understood that an unnecessary interruption could make the situation worse, but even he could see that Miller was no longer conducting a straightforward inquiry.
The sergeant seemed to be trying to force Hayes into admitting something that had never been established.
"Do you have any idea how many people walk into places like this pretending to be somebody important?" Miller asked.
Hayes looked directly at him.
"Probably more than you would like."
Miller narrowed his eyes.
"And you think you are different?"
"I know what my assignment is."
"That still does not prove anything."
"No," Hayes agreed. "Verification would."
The simplicity of the answer appeared to frustrate Miller more than an argument would have.
The sergeant turned toward the desk again.
"Get me his information," he ordered.
The younger officer looked up.
"What information, Sergeant?"
"Whatever you need to establish who he is."
The officer hesitated, then glanced at Hayes.
"Do you have identification on you, sir?"
Miller immediately interrupted.
"Do not call him sir."
The younger officer froze.
For a second, nobody moved.
Hayes remained seated, his hands still restrained. He did not look offended by the officer's question, nor did he appear interested in turning the exchange into another confrontation.
Miller, however, had reacted as though the use of a polite form of address were a personal betrayal.
The younger officer cleared his throat.
"Do you have identification we can verify?"
Hayes nodded slightly.
"My identification is available for inspection."
"Then where is it?"
"In my jacket."
Miller stepped forward before the officer could respond.
"Do not move."
Hayes stopped moving entirely.
The sergeant stared at him, apparently satisfied that he had regained control of the immediate situation.
"See? That is how this works," Miller said. "You wait until I tell you what happens next."
Hayes looked at him.
"I was answering the question."
"And now you are going to wait."
The agent said nothing more.
Miller glanced toward the younger officer and made a small gesture toward Hayes's jacket. The officer approached cautiously, clearly aware that the circumstances required care. He did not reach into the garment immediately. Instead, he looked toward the sergeant for further instructions.
Miller's impatience became visible.
"What are you waiting for?"
"I want to make sure we handle the identification correctly."
The response was professional, but it was enough to make Miller's expression darken.
"Are you questioning my instructions?"
"No, Sergeant. I am making sure I follow procedure."
Miller stared at him for several seconds.
The officer held his position.
It was a small act of professional caution, but inside that room it carried more significance than it should have. Someone had finally expressed a concern without immediately withdrawing it.
Miller's attention shifted between the officer and Hayes.
He could sense that the atmosphere had begun to move away from him. The people around him were still following his instructions, but their expressions suggested that they were no longer accepting his interpretation of the situation without question.