Once we verify the contents of Pike's phone, we should be able to restore order here. Elena smoothed Marcus'ss jacket, straightening the torn boutonniere that still hung crookedly from his lapel. "Maybe we can still finish this ceremony tonight. " For the first time in over an hour, Marcus allowed himself to believe the nightmare was ending. Pike stood isolated in the center of the room while federal agents processed evidence around him. Briggs remained separated from his team, looking increasingly worried as his captain's situation deteriorated.
The wedding guests were beginning to settle back into their seats. Then, the younger agent examining Pike's phone looked up with alarm. "Deputy Director," he called urgently. The device has been completely wiped. All data, messages, call logs, contacts.
Everything's been erased remotely. The words cut through the room's cautious optimism like a blade. Harrison's face darkened as he took the phone back. When did this happen? Based on the system logs.
Approximately 15 minutes ago, right around the time we secured the scene. Marcus felt his stomach drop. Pike had maintained connection to his network, even while surrounded by federal agents. Someone outside the hotel was still coordinating the coverup. Before anyone could respond, Dalton's phone erupted with an urgent ringtone.
She answered immediately, stepping away from the group for privacy. Marcus watched her face transform as she listened to whoever was calling. Her expression shifted from concern to alarm to something approaching horror. She ended the call and turned back to the room with devastating news written across her features. Multiple targets connected to our money laundering investigation have just disappeared," she announced to the assembled agents.
"Business owners, financial contacts, document custodians, they've all vanished from known locations within the last 20 minutes. The ballroom erupted in urgent conversations as agents began checking their own phones and coordinating with teams throughout the city. Pike's smile returned with vengeance. "Interesting timing," he said loudly enough for everyone to hear. But you still can't prove I warned anyone about anything.
Marcus stared at the man who had destroyed his wedding and potentially crippled a federal investigation that had consumed two years of his life. Pike was right. They had evidence of misconduct at the wedding, but no direct proof connecting him to the systematic destruction of evidence happening across the city. Briggs stepped closer to Pike, his voice low but audible to nearby agents. "Captain, what's happening?
How did they know to run? " Pike ignored him completely, focusing his attention on Deputy Director Harrison instead. "I believe you have my property, Director. " Since you can't prove any connection between me and whatever's happening elsewhere in the city, I'd like my phone back. The arrogance in Pike's voice made Marcus want to put his fist through the nearest wall. The man had orchestrated a masterpiece of corruption and evidence destruction, all while maintaining the thinnest veneer of plausible deniability. Briggs's face showed growing panic as he realized Pike might escape consequences while leaving him exposed to federal charges for the wedding assault.
Then Marcus remembered something that made his pulse quicken. The task force had prepared for exactly this scenario. Marcus stepped closer to Dalton, his voice cutting through the noise of urgent phone conversations around the ballroom. "The phone never mattered. " Pike's confident expression wavered slightly as he registered Marcus'ss words. "What are you talking about? " Pike demanded, his voice sharp with sudden concern.