Miller shook his head.
MILLER: "That wasn't an ordinary conversation."
DANIEL REED: "I know that now."
Evelyn walked toward Daniel.
EVELYN CARTER: "Listen to me carefully. You haven't done anything wrong by answering questions about your work. But from now on, if anyone approaches you about this investigation, you contact me or your authorized supervisor immediately."
DANIEL REED: "Yes, ma'am."
EVELYN CARTER: "And I want you to write down everything you remember about that person. Every detail, even if it seems insignificant."
Daniel nodded.
He looked genuinely frightened now.
DANIEL REED: "Agent Carter, do you think I'm in danger?"
Evelyn paused.
She did not want to frighten him unnecessarily.
But she also knew that giving him false reassurance would be irresponsible.
EVELYN CARTER: "I think someone has been trying to control what people know. That means we need to take every unusual interaction seriously."
Daniel swallowed.
DANIEL REED: "Understood."
Outside the office, the station telephone began ringing repeatedly.
An officer answered the first call.
Then another came through.
Within minutes, the administrative desk received a message requesting that all personnel attend an urgent briefing.
The message had been sent under Lieutenant Harris's name.
But Harris had not issued it.
When Miller checked the electronic system, he discovered that the meeting request had been created using an account belonging to a former employee.
An employee who had officially resigned eighteen months earlier.
Richard Lawson.
Evelyn examined the screen.
EVELYN CARTER: "Who has access to this account?"
MILLER: "Nobody should."
EVELYN CARTER: "But someone does."
MILLER: "Apparently."
Evelyn leaned closer.
The meeting request contained only one sentence.
ALL OFFICERS MUST REPORT TO THE MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT DISCUSS THE REASON FOR THE MEETING.
There was no explanation.
No attached document.
No contact information.
Just an instruction.
Evelyn looked at Harris.
EVELYN CARTER: "Did you authorize this?"
HARRIS: "Absolutely not."
EVELYN CARTER: "Then don't allow anyone to attend."
Harris picked up the telephone.
HARRIS: "This is Lieutenant Harris. Cancel the meeting request immediately."
He listened.
His expression changed.
HARRIS: "What do you mean you can't cancel it?"
He listened again.
HARRIS: "Who approved it?"
There was a pause.
Then he slowly lowered the receiver.
EVELYN CARTER: "What happened?"
HARRIS: "The system says the meeting has already been approved by regional administration."
Evelyn's eyes narrowed.
EVELYN CARTER: "By whom?"
Harris looked at the screen.
HARRIS: "David Mitchell."
At that exact moment, the main conference room door opened.
Officers began gathering in the hallway.
Some were carrying notebooks.
Others were discussing the unexpected meeting.
Daniel stood beside Miller, watching the crowd.
Then he noticed something unusual.
A man he had never seen before was standing near the conference room entrance.
He was wearing a black jacket.
Tall.
Dark hair.
Carrying a small folder.
Daniel's heart began beating faster.
He recognized him.
It was the same man who had asked about the visitor report.
The same man who had asked whether Daniel lived alone.
The stranger looked directly at him.
Then he smiled.
DANIEL REED: "Agent Carter..."
Evelyn turned.
DANIEL REED: "That's him."
Evelyn followed Daniel's gaze.
The stranger immediately turned away and began walking toward the stairs.
EVELYN CARTER: "Don't let him leave."
Miller moved toward the hallway.
But before anyone could reach the man, the lights in the administrative section suddenly went out.
Several officers shouted in surprise.
Someone dropped a stack of paperwork.
The emergency lighting flickered on a few seconds later.
When the hallway became visible again, the stranger was gone.
Daniel rushed toward the stairs.
DANIEL REED: "He went that way!"
MILLER: "Daniel, wait!"
But the young officer was already moving.
Evelyn followed quickly.
They reached the stairwell and looked down toward the ground floor.
The exit door was swinging slightly.
Outside, a dark vehicle was pulling away from the building.
Daniel recognized the license plate.
He had seen it before.
Not in the parking lot.
Not on an ordinary visitor record.
But on the original document concerning the Marcus Bell investigation.
DANIEL REED: "Agent Carter..."
EVELYN CARTER: "What is it?"
DANIEL REED: "I know that vehicle."
Evelyn looked toward the departing car.
DANIEL REED: "It belongs to Richard Lawson."
For several seconds, Evelyn said nothing.
Then she reached for her telephone.
EVELYN CARTER: "I need the vehicle registration checked immediately. I also want the building's external camera footage secured before anyone has an opportunity to interfere with it."
She ended the call.
Daniel was still staring at the road.
DANIEL REED: "But Agent Carter, how can that be possible?"
EVELYN CARTER: "What do you mean?"
DANIEL REED: "Richard Lawson is supposed to have left the department. Everyone said he moved away."
Evelyn looked at the empty road.
EVELYN CARTER: "Apparently, someone has been very interested in making people believe that."
Back inside, Lieutenant Harris was waiting near the main office.
When Evelyn returned, she placed the photograph on his desk again.
EVELYN CARTER: "You told me Lawson had left."
HARRIS: "That's what I was told."
EVELYN CARTER: "And you believed it?"
HARRIS: "I had no reason not to."
EVELYN CARTER: "Then explain why his vehicle just left this building."
Harris stared at her.
His face became pale.
HARRIS: "That's impossible."
EVELYN CARTER: "It appears that the impossible has become rather common around here."
Harris sat down heavily.
HARRIS: "If Lawson is still involved, then we've been looking in the wrong direction."