The other three have shredded documents and wiped computer systems. We're looking at catastrophic evidence loss. The words hit Marcus like physical blows. Two years of careful investigation. Hundreds of hours of surveillance.
Financial records that had taken months to trace. All disappearing while he stood in his wedding tuxedo. "The scheduled raids are now pointless. " Dalton continued quietly. We might salvage some peripheral evidence, but the core financial conspiracy is gone. For the first time since 30 badges had risen in the ballroom, Marcus felt like he was losing.
Pike had played a deeper game than anyone realized. The wedding interruption hadn't been desperation. It had been the trigger for a planned destruction of evidence. Pike stepped closer to Marcus, his voice barely audible above the murmur of concerned agents throughout the room. "You exposed the leak too early, Federal Boy," Pike said with quiet satisfaction.
"By proving I was feeding information to those businesses. You may have just destroyed your own case. " Two federal supervisors entered the ballroom with the authority of storm clouds. Their badges hung from chains around their necks and their faces carried the hard expression of people who had been pulled away from quiet Sunday evenings to deal with a crisis. Special agent Dalton, the taller supervisor, called out as he approached, ""I'm Deputy Director Harrison from District Command. We need immediate control of this situation. "" Dalton stepped forward, relief visible in her posture.
Sir, we have multiple violations here. Captain Pike appears to be connected to information leaks that compromised our investigation. Harrison's eyes swept the room, taking in the scattered wedding guests, the federal agents still standing at alert positions, and Pike near the center of it all. "Captain Pike, you need to surrender your command phone immediately. " We are treating this as a potential breach of federal operational security. Pike's confident demeanor flickered for just a moment.
"On what authority? " The authority of a federal investigation that your department was supposed to support, not sabotage, Harrison replied coldly. The phone now. The room held its breath as Pike reached slowly into his jacket pocket. His movements were deliberate, almost theatrical, as if he wanted everyone to see his reluctance. Finally, he pulled out a department-issued smartphone and held it toward Harrison.
"This is harassment," Pike said as he placed the device in Harrison's palm. "You'll find nothing incriminating because there's nothing to find. " Harrison handed the phone to a younger agent who immediately began examining it. ""We'll let the evidence speak for itself. "" Marcus felt someone working at the handcuffs behind his back. One of Brigg's officers, not Briggs himself, who remained near the entrance under the watchful eyes of two federal agents, was finally removing the restraints that had held Marcus since he was dragged from the altar. The metal cuffs fell away from his wrists with a quiet click. Marcus brought his hands forward, flexing his fingers and rotating his wrists to restore circulation.
Dark red marks circled both wrists where the metal had bitten into his skin during the struggle. Elena appeared at his side immediately, her gentle fingers examining the bruises with the careful attention of someone who understood exactly how much damage those marks represented. "They're going to be worse tomorrow," she said quietly, her voice tight with controlled anger. Marcus looked down at the evidence of his humiliation. Physical proof that he had been dragged away from his own wedding altar in front of nearly 100 guests.
The marks would fade, but the memory would remain permanent. "It was worth it," Marcus replied, watching Pike across the room. "We exposed him. " Dalton approached them, her expression lighter than it had been since the crisis began. "The statements are almost complete. We have body camera footage, hotel security video, dispatch records, and witness testimony from the ceremony.