Inside the police station, the atmosphere buzzed with restless energy that had nothing to do with routine weekend cases.
It was Saturday night, yet the main hall was crowded far beyond normal. Uniformed officers moved back and forth with clipped steps, radios crackling intermittently at their shoulders. The fluorescent lights hummed faintly overhead, casting a pale, unforgiving glow over polished floors and metal benches. The smell of rain clung to coats and hair, mixed with cigarette smoke and stale alcohol clinging to those waiting to be processed.
Two officers stood near the reception desk, pretending to review paperwork while clearly distracted by the unusual crowd.
One of them leaned closer to the other and lowered his voice. "What's going on? Why are all the higher-ups here tonight?"
