His eyes moved briefly over the unfamiliar uniform.
Then he stopped.
The gold insignia on Adrian's shoulders caught his attention, but instead of checking the official appointment announcement, Derek appeared to interpret the unfamiliar face as a reason for suspicion.
Adrian placed his briefcase on the counter.
Before he could introduce himself, Derek approached.
The sergeant moved directly into his personal space, looking him up and down with an expression of open distrust.
Derek Mitchell: "Who are you supposed to be?"
Adrian looked at him without changing his expression.
Adrian Cole: "I'm here to report for duty."
Derek gave a short, dismissive laugh.
Derek Mitchell: "Report for duty? This isn't some place where you can walk in wearing a uniform and start giving orders."
Adrian glanced briefly at the sergeant's nameplate.
Then he looked back at him.
Adrian Cole: "I haven't given anyone an order."
Derek stepped closer.
Derek Mitchell: "Then explain why you're standing here."
Adrian remained composed.
He had encountered aggressive officers before. He knew that reacting emotionally could turn a minor confrontation into something much worse.
Adrian Cole: "I need to speak with the department's senior administration."
Derek looked toward the reception counter and then back at Adrian.
Derek Mitchell: "You need an appointment for that."
Adrian Cole: "My appointment is already confirmed."
For a moment, Derek appeared uncertain.
However, instead of asking for identification or contacting the administration office, he reached forward and grabbed the front of Adrian's uniform.
The sudden contact caught Adrian off guard.
Emily stopped typing.
A few officers near the hallway turned their heads.
Adrian looked down at Derek's hand gripping his chest.
His expression became noticeably colder.
Adrian Cole: "Take your hand off me."
Derek did not release him.
Derek Mitchell: "You don't tell me what to do in my station."
Adrian looked directly into his eyes.
Adrian Cole: "Your station?"
The question appeared to irritate Derek even more.
He tightened his grip and leaned forward, speaking in a louder voice.
Derek Mitchell: "You heard me. I decide who belongs here."
Adrian's briefcase remained on the wooden counter.
Inside were documents bearing the official seal of the city administration, including the appointment confirmation that would soon determine the future of everyone working in the building.
But Derek had not bothered to look.
He had not checked the badge.
He had not asked for identification.
And he had not considered that the unfamiliar man standing in front of him might have more authority than anyone else in the room.
Adrian tried to move Derek's hand away from his uniform.
The sergeant interpreted the movement as a challenge.
In a sudden burst of aggression, Derek released Adrian's chest and struck him across the face.
The blow came so unexpectedly that Adrian had almost no time to react.
His head turned sharply to one side.
He staggered backward, briefly losing his balance.
The reception area fell quiet.
Emily's hands stopped above the keyboard.
A nearby officer lowered his coffee cup.
Adrian slowly brought one hand toward his cheek, trying to understand what had just happened.
For a moment, he simply stared at Derek.
He had expected resistance.
He had expected arrogance.
He had expected that certain employees might not welcome an outsider arriving to investigate their department.
But he had not expected to be physically attacked within minutes of entering the building.
Derek stepped forward again.
Derek Mitchell: "Get out of this station!"
Adrian steadied himself.
His briefcase shifted slightly against the counter as he regained his balance.
Adrian Cole: "You need to understand what you've just done."
Derek pointed toward the entrance.
Derek Mitchell: "I don't need to understand anything. Turn around and leave."
Adrian did not move.
His expression was no longer confused.
The calmness in his eyes had become something much more serious.
Adrian Cole: "You should check my identification before making another decision."
Derek laughed.
Derek Mitchell: "You think that badge makes you somebody?"
Adrian glanced briefly toward the reception counter.
The official appointment paperwork was only a few feet away.
He could have reached for it.
He could have asked Emily to contact the administration office.
He could have identified himself immediately.
But he wanted to see whether anyone in the department would do what should have been done from the beginning.