Then he looked back at the officer.
"Officer, I don't want any trouble. This money is important to me."
Vance gave a short, dismissive laugh.
"Then you should have stayed home with it."
Walter's expression tightened.
He had worked with police officers many times during his years maintaining city infrastructure.
Most had treated him with respect.
Some had even helped him carry equipment through the station.
This man's attitude was different.
Walter began feeling uneasy.
"I need to catch my train."
He attempted to step around Vance.
But the officer moved sideways and blocked him again.
"WE'RE NOT FINISHED."
Walter stopped.
"Please, officer. I haven't done anything."
Vance pointed toward the envelope.
"PUT IT IN MY HAND."
Walter looked down at the money.
Then he looked at the officer.
"Can you tell me what law I've broken?"
The question appeared to irritate Vance.
He moved forward and grabbed Walter's wrist.
"YOU DON'T GET TO QUESTION ME."
Walter instinctively pulled his arm back.
The envelope remained in his other hand.
"Please don't grab me."
Vance tightened his grip.
"THEN STOP RESISTING."
"I'm not resisting. You're hurting my arm."
Several commuters had now begun watching.
A woman near the ticket machine stopped typing on her phone.
A man carrying a backpack slowed his pace.
But nobody intervened.
Vance looked toward the people watching.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Do you want to make this difficult?"
Walter shook his head.
"No."
"Then give me the envelope."
Walter hesitated.
His hands were beginning to tremble.
He had never been physically intimidated by an officer before.
He was seventy-four years old.
His knees were not as strong as they had once been.
His right shoulder had been injured several years earlier.
He knew that struggling with a younger, stronger man could end badly.
Reluctantly, Walter loosened his grip.
Vance immediately snatched the brown envelope.
He opened it slightly.
His eyes widened when he saw the amount inside.
Walter stared at him.
"Officer, that's my pension."
Vance did not answer.
Instead, he folded the envelope and pushed it into the front section of his tactical vest.
Walter's face changed.
"Excuse me?"
Vance adjusted the vest.
"YOU NEED TO STEP BACK."
Walter stared at the place where his money had disappeared.
"That's my money."
Vance looked at him coldly.
"YOU'RE GOING TO COME WITH ME."
Walter took one small step forward.
"Please give it back."
Vance raised his hand.
"BACK UP!"
Walter stopped.
He looked at the officer's vest again.
The brown envelope was partially visible between two equipment pouches.
"Officer, you cannot just take my pension."
Vance moved toward him.
"DO YOU WANT TO BE ARRESTED?"
Walter's voice became unsteady.
"I haven't stolen anything. That money belongs to me."
Vance suddenly placed both hands against Walter's upper chest and shoved him backward.
The elderly man lost his balance.
His shoes slipped against the smooth concrete floor.
His arms moved instinctively as he tried to regain his footing.
But he was already falling.
His back struck the floor.
His head hit the concrete with a painful impact.
The small black device attached beneath his jacket shifted against his chest.
Walter grimaced.
One hand moved toward his ribs.
The other reached toward the floor.
Several people gasped.
A woman near the ticket machine covered her mouth.
The man with the backpack immediately turned around.
"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Vance looked at the fallen man.
"HE REFUSED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS."
Walter tried to sit up.
His face was pale.
"YOU TOOK MY MONEY..."
Vance adjusted his vest.
"STAY DOWN."
Walter looked at him in disbelief.
"That's my pension."
Vance leaned forward.
"IF YOU MOVE AGAIN, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS WORSE."
The elderly man slowly raised his head.
His eyes were filled with pain and confusion.
Then something unexpected happened.
Walter reached beneath the edge of his jacket.
He touched a small black emergency transmitter secured inside his clothing.
He pressed one button.
A faint electronic vibration confirmed that the signal had been activated.
Vance did not notice.
He was too busy adjusting the envelope inside his vest.
Walter lowered his hand.
He remained on the ground.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then the station radio system crackled.
A dispatcher began transmitting a message.
"ALL AVAILABLE UNITS, STAND BY FOR AN EMERGENCY PRIORITY ALERT."
Vance looked toward his shoulder radio.
He frowned.
The dispatcher continued.
"PRIORITY ALERT. OFFICER-INVOLVED INCIDENT REPORTED AT CENTRAL TRANSIT STATION. IDENTIFICATION CODE ROW NINETY-FOUR HAS BEEN ACTIVATED."
Vance froze.
His eyes moved toward Walter.