He did not want her caught between them.
Emily swallowed and remained beside her workstation, her hands hovering near the desk.
EMILY CARTER: "Someone needs to intervene."
Ryan gave a short, dismissive laugh.
RYAN MITCHELL: "Nobody asked for your opinion."
The remark made Emily's expression harden.
She had worked in the station long enough to know that silence could sometimes be mistaken for agreement. People avoided confrontation because they feared becoming the next target, because they did not want trouble with their colleagues, or because they believed someone else would eventually take responsibility.
But she could not pretend she had not seen what happened.
Daniel was standing in front of her with blood on his face, and Ryan was still behaving as though he had done nothing wrong.
She looked toward the other officers.
EMILY CARTER: "Are you all just going to stand there?"
One of the officers shifted his weight.
Another looked away.
Nobody answered her.
That silence seemed to anger Ryan even more. He turned back toward Daniel and stepped closer, trying to reclaim the sense of control he had lost when the others began watching him.
RYAN MITCHELL: "You should have listened when I told you to back off."
DANIEL BROOKS: "You never gave me a lawful reason to do anything."
RYAN MITCHELL: "You want to make this a problem?"
DANIEL BROOKS: "You already made it one."
The words were quiet, but they landed with unmistakable force.
Ryan's face tightened again.
For a moment, it looked as though he might strike Daniel a second time. His right hand flexed at his side, and his gaze moved between Daniel's face and the scattered papers on the floor.
Daniel remained still.
He was aware of the blood on his cheek, the pressure in his jaw, and the growing tension in the room. He was also aware that every movement was being observed, even by those who pretended not to care.
He would not give Ryan an excuse to claim that he had started the fight.
DANIEL BROOKS: "Step away from me."
RYAN MITCHELL: "Make me."
The challenge hung between them.
Emily felt a chill run down her spine.
She had never seen Ryan behave quite like this. She knew he could be rude, impatient, and difficult to work with, but the anger in his face now seemed to have overwhelmed his ability to think clearly.
Daniel's expression changed only slightly.
The pain had not disappeared, but his eyes had become more focused. He was no longer trying to persuade Ryan to behave reasonably. He was watching him carefully, waiting for the next movement.
A telephone rang behind Emily.
She glanced toward it, then back at the two men.
The caller could wait a few seconds.
The situation in front of her could not.
EMILY CARTER: "Ryan, please. This has gone far enough."
RYAN MITCHELL: "You want to take his side? Fine. Remember that when you need someone to back you up."
EMILY CARTER: "This isn't about taking sides. You hit him."
RYAN MITCHELL: "You saw what you wanted to see."
Emily stared at him.
EMILY CARTER: "I saw you punch him in the face."
Ryan's mouth tightened. He looked around the room, searching the faces of the officers who had witnessed the incident.
Some avoided his gaze.
Others watched with expressions that were difficult to read.
He seemed to realize that the confrontation was no longer a private exchange between two people. Too many witnesses had seen the punch. Too many had noticed the blood.
Yet he continued to stand his ground.
RYAN MITCHELL: "He came at me with an attitude."
DANIEL BROOKS: "I was standing here when you grabbed me."
RYAN MITCHELL: "You were disrespecting me."
DANIEL BROOKS: "You don't get to hit someone because you feel disrespected."
For the first time, Ryan appeared to have no immediate answer.
Daniel's voice had not risen. He had not threatened Ryan, insulted him, or tried to provoke another physical response. The contrast between the two men was becoming impossible to ignore.
Ryan had used force.
Daniel had asked him to stop.
And everyone in the room knew it.
Emily reached toward the desk and picked up the small radio beside her keyboard. She did not want the situation to escalate further, but she also did not want to wait until someone was seriously injured before asking for help.
Before she could press the button, Ryan noticed the movement.
RYAN MITCHELL: "Put that down."
Emily froze.
EMILY CARTER: "I'm calling a supervisor."