“Then you’ll decide your internal system may also have been compromised.”
Rebecca opened the door.
“Sit down.”
Maya entered.
The room was intentionally plain.
Gray walls.
A fixed table.
Three chairs.
A camera dome in one corner.
Maya sat with her hands resting on the tabletop.
Rebecca closed the door.
She did not lock it physically, but from Maya’s side the difference did not matter much.
Back at the front desk, Ben was staring at the two halves of the federal credential.
He had never seen Rebecca destroy evidence before.
He was not ready to call the credential evidence yet.
But something in his stomach told him he should.
Rebecca returned.
“Run the identification sequence through our internal administrative-access system.”
Ben looked at her.
“We already got a valid return.”
“Different system.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He entered the identification number from the broken card.
The internal system took longer.
Five seconds.
Eight.
Ten.
Then another green notification appeared.
VALID FEDERAL ACCESS EVENT.
CREDENTIAL AUTHENTICATION CONFIRMED.
Ben felt his pulse increase.
“It’s valid.”
Rebecca leaned toward the monitor.
She read the result herself.
“It says the event is valid.”
“That’s two confirmations.”
“Two systems can share the same compromised source.”
Ben looked at her.
“We should call the validation number.”
“No.”
“Lieutenant—”
“I said no.”
Ben stared at the screen.
“If this really is federal access—”
Rebecca cut him off.
“Until I know whether the system itself has been compromised, nothing leaves this station and nobody gets access to evidence.”
“What if the system isn’t compromised?”
Rebecca did not answer.
She walked back toward interview room two.
Maya was exactly where Rebecca had left her.
Hands on the table.
Coat still buttoned.
Nothing moved.
Rebecca entered.
“You knew the internal system would confirm it.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because the credential is legitimate.”
“Then tell me who you work for.”
“Complete validation.”
Rebecca pulled out the chair opposite her but did not sit.
“You seem very comfortable giving orders.”
“I haven’t given you an order.”
“You walked into my station demanding access.”
“I presented authorization.”
“To restricted evidence.”
“Yes.”
“Without warning.”
“Yes.”
“With a locked electronic case.”
“Yes.”
“And you expect me not to be suspicious?”
Maya looked directly at her.
“I expected you to be suspicious.”
Rebecca appeared momentarily thrown by the answer.
Maya continued.
“Suspicion is not the problem. Procedures exist because suspicion exists. Your first system verified me. Your internal system verified me. The next step is a phone call.”
Rebecca remained standing.
“You don’t control procedure here.”
“I am asking you to follow the procedure your department already has.”
Rebecca left.
This time she closed the door harder.
Ben was still at the front desk.
“Lieutenant.”
“Not now.”
“You need to make that call.”
Rebecca lowered her voice.
“Officer Carter, there are people who spend their careers learning how to manipulate access systems. A green screen is not magic.”