"You're right!" Mitchell yelled from the curb. "Ask for her CAC card, Officer. I bet she doesn't even know what that is."
Finch held up a hand to silence Mitchell, but his eyes never left Alicia. "All right, Colonel. If you're who you say you are, this should be real easy. Hand over your military ID."
Alicia stood her ground. As a citizen and as a high-ranking officer who knew the law intimately, she recognized exactly what was happening. Virginia is not a stop-and-identify state unless an officer has reasonable, articulable suspicion that a crime has been, is being, or is about to be committed. Pumping gas while wearing a uniform was not a crime, and complying with an unlawful demand driven by a civilian's racist and sexist assumptions set a dangerous precedent.
"Officer," Alicia glanced at his name tag, "Finch, under what legal authority are you demanding my identification? What crime am I suspected of committing?"
Finch's jaw tightened. He wasn't used to people, especially suspects, calmly questioning his legal authority. "I'm investigating a report of fraud. Now, you can hand over your ID or I can detain you for obstruction."
"You are investigating a baseless phone call from a man who harassed me," Alicia corrected him, her voice dropping a register, becoming colder, sharper. "I am an active-duty officer en route to a military installation. I have committed no crime. I have broken no laws, and I am not required to present my identification simply because that man's fragile ego couldn't handle my presence."
"Last warning, lady," Finch snapped, his face flushing. He was losing control of the interaction, and he knew it.
Several people at the neighboring pumps had pulled out their phones and started recording. The flashing lights of the cruiser made the whole scene look incredibly dramatic.
"I am leaving," Alicia said calmly. She turned to open her car door.
"Hey!" Finch yelled.
Before Alicia could even touch the handle, Finch lunged forward. He grabbed her left arm, his fingers digging harshly into the fabric of her OCP sleeve, directly over her unit patch. He yanked her backward with excessive force, spinning her away from the car.