That was it. He threatened Karen.
I rolled the window up.
«Frank, open this window!» Derek pounded on the glass. «I’m talking to you! You take the deal or I ruin you!»
I looked him dead in the eye through the glass, pointed at the container, and shook my head. No deal.
Derek kicked my tire in frustration and stormed off toward the gate, his phone out again. He was running out of time. Thanks to gravity, he had nowhere to run.
The rain started 10 minutes later—a cold, miserable drizzle that slicked the asphalt and made the flashing lights of the police cruisers shatter into a million blue shards. I sat in the truck watching the tableau unfold.
Derek was now arguing with two men in reflective vests who had just arrived in the state vehicle marked Commercial Enforcement. They had clipboards. Derek was blocking their path to the container, his arms waving wildly. I couldn’t hear the words, but the body language was universal panic.
My phone buzzed again.
«August?»
«I’m at the gate,» he said. «They won’t let me in. The whole port is locked down. I see the flashing lights at the entrance.»
«I said, what now?»
«Check your email,» August said. «I just sent you a file.»
«What file?»
«Did you know the new Liebherr cranes have internal cabin telemetry?» August asked, a hint of smugness in his voice. «They record audio and video for training and insurance purposes. It uploads to the cloud every 30 minutes.»
My eyes widened. I knew about the sensors, but I didn’t know they recorded audio inside the cab.
«You hacked the crane?»
«I accessed the publicly available maintenance server using a default password that nobody bothered to change,» August corrected. «Download the clip from 4:15 PM. The firing. The order to bypass safety. It’s all there.»
I opened my email. There was a video file attached. I clicked play. On the small screen of my phone, a grainy fisheye view of the crane cab appeared. I saw myself, looking tired but focused.
Then, Derek’s voice came through the speaker, tinny but unmistakable.
«I need you to bypass the load sway dampener. Just swing it and drop it. I didn’t ask for your opinion, Mercer. I gave you a direct order.»
And then, the kicker.
«I already called the Union Hall. Told them you were operating under the influence. Erratic behavior. I’m pulling you off the chair immediately.»
It was perfect. It was proof of the coercion, the safety violation order, and the premeditated lie about my sobriety that proved malice.
«You beautiful genius,» I whispered.
«Show that to Officer Davis,» August said. «And Frank? The DA contact is with me. We’re walking in. Tell the cops at the gate to let legal counsel through.»
I climbed out of the truck. The rain soaked my jacket instantly, but I didn’t care. I walked straight toward the argument by the container.
Derek saw me coming and pointed a finger. «Officer! Get him back in his vehicle! He’s interfering with an investigation!»
«Officer Davis,» I said, raising my voice over the rain. «Before you let Mr. Walker explain why we can’t open that container, I think you should hear this.»
I held up my phone and pressed play. Maximum volume. Derek’s voice rang out in the wet air.
«Bypass the load sway dampener. Swing it and drop it.»
Derek froze. The color didn’t just drain from his face; it vanished, leaving him looking like a wax figure. The two enforcement officers stopped writing on their clipboards.
Officer Davis turned slowly to look at Derek.
«That sounds like a direct order to violate federal safety regulations, Mr. Walker,» Davis said.
«And,» I added, letting the video play to the part about the fake DUI charge, «it sounds like filing a false police report, too.»
Derek stammered, backing away. «That’s doctored. Deepfake. You can’t trust that.»
«It’s from the crane’s own server,» I said. «Time-stamped and encrypted.»
Davis took the phone from my hand, his face grim. «Mr. Walker, I’m going to ask you to step away from the container. Now.»
«You can’t do this!» Derek screamed, his composure finally shattering completely. «My uncle owns this site! You work for me!»
«I work for the Port Authority,» Davis said, putting a hand on his holster—not drawing, just resting it there. A clear warning. «Step away.»
Just then, a black sedan rolled past the blockade, escorted by a confused patrol officer. August Clark stepped out. He moved with a distinct limp, leaning on a cane, but he wore a suit that looked like it cost more than Derek’s car.
Beside him was a woman I didn’t recognize—sharp features, trench coat, holding a briefcase.
«August,» I nodded.
«Iron,» he replied. He turned to Davis. «August Clark, representing Mr. Mercer, and this is Assistant District Attorney Reynolds. We have reason to believe that the container currently blocking federal transit is evidence of grand larceny and insurance fraud.»
Derek looked like he was about to faint. «Fraud? That’s insane. It’s scrap metal.»
«If it’s scrap,» ADA Reynolds said, her voice cutting through the rain, «then you won’t mind if we verify the contents. Officer, please open the doors.»
«No!» Derek lunged forward, actually trying to physically block the enforcement officers.
Davis grabbed him. It wasn’t gentle. He spun Derek around and slammed him against the side of the police cruiser.
«Derek Walker, you are detained for obstruction of justice. Stay down.»