Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Badge
Marcus read the sentence on the back of the photograph again.
*THE FOURTH LIE IS ABOUT WHO YOU’RE TRUSTING RIGHT NOW.*
For the first time since arriving at the courthouse, the cold he felt had nothing to do with the weather.
He looked at Jamal.
Jamal looked back.
Neither man spoke.
The empty stairwell seemed to amplify every breath.
"Give me the photograph," Marcus said.
Jamal handed it over.
Marcus studied the handwriting.
Fresh.
The ink had not fully dried.
Someone had written the message while they were standing in the hallway.
Which meant someone had been close enough to touch the photograph.
Close enough to watch them.
Close enough to know exactly where their attention would go.
Marcus slowly turned toward Evelyn.
She stood halfway inside room 316, one hand pressed against the wall.
"What?"" she asked.
"Who knew we were coming?""
She shook her head.
"You did.""
Marcus's eyes hardened.
"That's not an answer.""
"You told Jamal to drive us here.""
"After we left the gas station.""
"Then somebody followed us.""
Jamal looked toward the stairwell.
"I didn't see another vehicle.""
"Neither did I.""
Marcus reached for his radio.
"District, this is Lieutenant Hale. Officer down. Captain David Benton possibly wounded at the old courthouse. Request emergency medical and additional units.""
Static answered.
Marcus frowned.
"District, respond.""
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Jamal looked at his radio.
"Mine's dead too.""
Marcus pulled his phone from his pocket.
No signal.
Evelyn looked at the ceiling.
"They're blocking everything.""
"Who?""
"The people who use this building.""
Marcus stared at her.
"You said they were police.""
"Some of them are.""
"Names.""
She swallowed.
"I don't have all the names.""
"Then give me the ones you know.""
She hesitated.
Marcus stepped closer.
"Evelyn.""
"Frank Mercer.""
"He's supposed to be dead.""
"I told you. The records lie.""
"Who else?""
Her eyes shifted toward the hallway.
"David Benton.""
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Benton was just shot.""
"Maybe.""
"What does that mean?""
"It means you shouldn't assume anyone is dead just because you see blood.""
Jamal stared at her.
"What the hell are you saying?""
Evelyn lowered her voice.
"Somebody taught these people a long time ago that fear works better when you leave room for doubt.""
A metallic bang echoed from the floor below.
All three froze.
Then came footsteps.
Multiple.
Fast.
Jamal drew his weapon.
Marcus motioned toward the room.
"Back inside.""
They moved quickly.
Marcus shut the steel door and locked it.
The footsteps climbed.
One floor.
Then another.
The sound became clearer.
Three people.
Maybe four.
Heavy shoes against stone.
Jamal whispered, "What do we do?""
Marcus looked around the room.
One steel chair.
One table.
One concealed compartment.
No windows.
No second exit.
He scanned the ceiling.
There.
An old maintenance hatch.
Too small for a normal adult.
Maybe not.
Marcus climbed onto the table and pushed it.
The hatch opened with a groan.
"Jamal, take Evelyn.""
Jamal understood immediately.
He helped Evelyn onto the table.
"There's no way she's fitting.""
"I'm fitting.""
Evelyn climbed into the opening with surprising speed.
Jamal followed.
Marcus climbed last.
Just as he pulled himself into the narrow shaft, the door to room 316 exploded inward.
Someone shouted.
"Check the room!""
Marcus pulled the hatch closed above them.
Darkness surrounded them.
He pressed his body against the metal duct wall.
Below, boots crossed the concrete floor.
"He's gone.""
"Find the lieutenant.""
A second voice answered.
"He's with the woman.""
Marcus recognized that voice.
He stopped breathing.
Detective Raymond Cole.
Jamal's eyes widened.
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Cole spoke again.
"Don't fire unless you see him.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
The fourth lie.
He had trusted Cole.
Cole had warned him.
Cole had brought him here.
Cole had given him information about the cameras.
And now Cole was hunting him.
Marcus motioned for silence.
The men below moved around the room.
One pulled the steel chair.
It scraped across the floor.
Another voice spoke.
"What about Benton?""
Cole answered.
"He got what he deserved.""
Jamal's expression twisted with anger.
Marcus held up a hand.
Not yet.
They waited.
The footsteps eventually faded.
A door slammed.
Silence returned.
Marcus crawled forward through the ventilation shaft.
The metal was cold and wet beneath his palms.
Evelyn followed.
After nearly fifty feet, the duct opened into a forgotten maintenance room.
Marcus dropped first.
Jamal helped Evelyn down.
The room was barely large enough for the three of them.
Old electrical equipment lined the walls.
A single emergency bulb flickered overhead.
Marcus checked his phone.
Still no signal.
Jamal whispered, "Cole.""
Marcus nodded.
"I know.""
"How long has he been working with them?""
"I don't know.""
Evelyn stepped toward the far wall.
"There.""
A faded map was pinned above a workbench.
Marcus recognized the courthouse floor plan.
But it showed something missing from the public version.
A lower level.
And at the bottom of the page was a handwritten note.
*ARCHIVE B*
Evelyn touched it.
"That's where they kept the ledger.""
Marcus looked at her.
"What ledger?""
"The one Benton mentioned.""
"The ledger that listed people?""
She nodded.
"Names. Payments. Transfers.""
"Transfers of what?""
"People.""
Marcus stared at her.
"You keep saying that word.""
"Because they called it that.""
Jamal looked sick.
"You're telling me cops were trafficking people?""
"I'm telling you that's what Daniel discovered.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Who were the people?""
Evelyn looked at him.
"Some were suspects.""
Marcus frowned.
"Suspects?""
"Some were witnesses.""
She paused.
"Some were officers.""
The room went silent.
Marcus thought about Thomas Reed.
Jamal's father.
The name on the wall.
The date.
"What happened to my father?""
Evelyn looked at Jamal.
"He found the ledger.""
Jamal stared at her.
"How do you know?""
"Daniel told me.""
"Then why didn't he tell us?""
"Because Daniel was trying to stay alive.""
Jamal shook his head.
"My father died in an accident.""
Evelyn's expression softened.
"No.""
Jamal stepped toward her.
"Don't.""
"Your father was in a car that lost its brakes.""
Jamal went still.
Evelyn continued.
"Daniel told me he believed the brakes had been cut.""
Marcus looked at Jamal.
Jamal's face had lost all color.
"Who was responsible?""
"We don't know.""
Marcus noticed something near the workbench.
A red light.
A small camera.
He raised his weapon.
"Down.""
They ducked.
The camera lens rotated.
Marcus fired once.
The lens shattered.
A siren sounded somewhere beneath the building.
Not police sirens.
An alarm.
Evelyn grabbed Marcus's arm.
"We have to move.""
"Where?""
"Archive B.""
Marcus looked at the floor plan.
"How?""
She pointed toward a narrow staircase behind the electrical panels.
They moved.
The staircase descended beneath the courthouse.
Each step seemed to take them farther from the city.
The air became damp.
The smell changed from mildew to something metallic.
At the bottom was a reinforced door.
No number.
No handle.
Evelyn reached inside her coat.
Marcus stopped her.
"Another key?""
She nodded.
"How many keys do you carry?""
"My brother gave me three.""
"This is the second.""
"The third is for somewhere else.""
Marcus watched her unlock the door.
It swung open.
Rows of metal filing cabinets stretched into darkness.
Hundreds of them.
Maybe thousands.
Each drawer had a number.
Jamal moved slowly.
"What is this?""
Evelyn whispered.
"Archive B.""
Marcus walked toward the nearest cabinet.
A paper label read:
*WITNESS DISAPPEARANCES*
The next:
*INTERNAL AFFAIRS*
Another:
*SEALED HOMICIDES*
Jamal opened one.
Inside were photographs.
Dozens.
He pulled out the top one.
His hands started shaking.
Marcus looked over.
A younger Thomas Reed stared back at him.
Alive.
Wearing his uniform.
Standing beside a police vehicle.
On the back was a date.
Three days before his alleged accident.
Jamal looked at Marcus.
"My father was here.""
Marcus nodded.
Then something fell from the photograph.
A small strip of paper.
Jamal picked it up.
Four words.
*HE DIDN'T WORK ALONE.*
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
She was staring at another cabinet.
One marked with a name.
*HALE, MARCUS.*
His heartbeat stopped.
He crossed the room.
"Evelyn.""
She didn't answer.
Marcus pulled open the drawer.
Inside were reports dating back fourteen years.
His academy record.
His first arrest.
His first promotion.
His marriage.
His divorce.
Every major case he had worked.
Even private details that had never appeared in official personnel files.
Jamal stared.
"They've been watching you for years.""
Marcus found a sealed envelope.
His name was typed across it.
He opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A much younger Marcus stood beside a police academy instructor.
Marcus recognized the instructor.
Frank Mercer.
On the back:
*SUBJECT APPROVED FOR INDUCTION — JUNE 2009*
Marcus frowned.
"What is induction?""
Evelyn stepped closer.
"That's what Daniel said.""
"What did he say?""
"He said some officers aren't recruited after joining the department.""
Marcus looked at her.
"They're recruited before.""
Jamal whispered, "Recruited for what?""
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
"To protect the system.""
A sudden sound came from behind them.
A drawer slammed shut.
Marcus spun.
Nobody.
Then another drawer opened.
Then another.
One after another.
Across the archive.
Metal scraping against metal.
Jamal raised his weapon.
"Someone's here.""
Marcus moved between Evelyn and the aisle.
"Show yourself!""
No answer.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
"You finally found it.""
Marcus knew the voice.
Cole.
He stepped into view.
His gun was aimed directly at Jamal.
Marcus raised his own weapon.
"Drop it.""
Cole smiled sadly.
"I was hoping you'd understand before we got here.""
"What happened to Benton?""
"Alive.""
"Where?""
"Doesn't matter.""
Marcus tightened his grip.
"You betrayed us.""
Cole shook his head.
"No.""
He looked around the archive.
"I protected you.""
"By hunting us?""
"By keeping you alive.""
Jamal stepped forward.
"You shot at us.""
"I fired at the wall.""
Marcus stared at him.
"The bullet hit the concrete beside my head.""
"I needed you to run.""
"Why?""
Cole's expression changed.
"Because they were coming.""
Marcus looked behind him.
The stairwell door opened.
Several silhouettes appeared.
Cole lowered his gun.
Marcus realized the trap.
Cole hadn't brought them to Archive B.
He had followed them there.
Or perhaps he had led them there from the beginning.
Cole looked at Marcus one last time.
"You want to know the fourth lie?""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
Cole said quietly:
"It's not that you trusted the wrong man.""
He looked toward Jamal.
"It's that you never noticed the right one.""
Jamal stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Cole didn't answer.
One of the men in the doorway stepped forward.
The emergency light flickered across his face.
Marcus recognized him.
Captain Benton.
Alive.
Blood on his shirt.
Gun in hand.
But standing beside Benton was another man.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Calm.
Frank Mercer.
Marcus felt the room disappear around him.
Mercer smiled.
"Lieutenant Hale.""
He lifted a folder.
"How long did you think it would take you to find your own file?""
Marcus stared at him.
Mercer opened the folder.
Inside was a photograph of Marcus from 2009.
And beneath it, a single line:
May you like
*SUBJECT 316 — ACTIVATION PENDING.*
For the first time in his career, Marcus had no idea what the badge on his chest actually meant.
