The conference room door stood partially open.
Agent Bennett approached it carefully, her hand resting near the inside pocket of her jacket. Commander Collins followed, breathing heavily.
The chair where Mercer had been sitting was pushed backward.
His coffee cup remained on the table.
His radio was gone.
"Officer Mercer?" Collins called.
No response.
Bennett entered first.
She checked the adjoining storage area, then the small corridor leading to the administrative offices.
Nothing.
"Lock down the internal stairwells," she instructed through her phone. "I need his current location, last confirmed sighting, and every access point he could have used."
A federal agent answered.
"Understood."
Collins looked deeply troubled.
"He knows this building better than anyone."
"That's precisely why we need to locate him."
The commander rubbed his forehead.
"Agent Bennett, I should tell you something."
She turned toward him.
"Go ahead."
"Six months ago, I approved a temporary transfer of several evidence files. The request came through the department's internal compliance office."
"Who submitted it?"
"Mercer."
"Why did you approve it?"
"He told me the original archive was being reorganized after a system failure. The paperwork appeared legitimate."
"Did you personally verify the destination?"
"No."
Bennett studied him.
"Commander, how many files were transferred?"
"Twenty-three."
"How many were returned?"
Collins said nothing.
Bennett understood.
"None?"
"Not officially."
The words seemed to weigh heavily on him.
She opened her folder and removed a printed list.
"Those twenty-three files are connected to an investigation into a criminal organization suspected of bribing public officials, manipulating property contracts, and laundering millions through private security companies."
Collins looked shocked.
"You're saying the evidence disappeared into the hands of that organization?"
"I'm saying that's one possibility we're investigating."
She pointed to one entry.
"Detective Mitchell was assigned to the original case. He discovered that several seized storage devices contained records that contradicted the official reports."
"Why wasn't I informed?"
"Because somebody believed information was being leaked from inside this station."
Collins looked toward the empty doorway.
"Mercer."
"Possibly."
A sudden noise came from the corridor.
Both turned.
Olivia stood there, pale and visibly shaken.
"Agent Bennett, you need to see this."
She held a tablet.
"The camera system recorded Officer Mercer leaving Conference Room B."
Bennett took the tablet.
The footage showed Mercer walking through the hallway at 9:28. He looked toward the reception desk, adjusted something on his utility belt, and entered a restricted corridor.
The next camera showed him approaching the administrative elevator.
Then the footage abruptly ended.
Bennett replayed the final seconds.
"Why does the recording stop here?"
Olivia shook her head.
"That's what I don't understand. The camera was working normally before he arrived."
Collins leaned closer.
"Can you restore it?"
"I can try."
Bennett studied the timestamp.
"Don't attempt any changes on the original system. Make a forensic copy first."
Olivia nodded.
The federal agent's phone rang.
"Agent Bennett."
A male voice answered.
"This is Special Agent Thomas Miller. We're outside."
"Come through the north entrance. Bring the digital forensics team."
"Already on our way. What's happening?"
"We have a compromised surveillance network, missing evidence, and a police officer who has disappeared inside a locked building."
Miller paused.
"Is the officer armed?"
"Yes."
"Do you consider him dangerous?"
Bennett looked at the empty chair.
"I consider him unpredictable."
Within minutes, four federal agents entered the building.
Special Agent Miller was a broad-shouldered man in his forties, wearing a dark suit and carrying a secure equipment case. He greeted Bennett with a brief nod.
"What's the situation?"
She handed him the access register.
"Start with these entries. Someone used the commander's credentials to authorize three unauthorized evidence-room visits."
Miller read the page.
His expression tightened.
"Mercer?"
"His name appears on all three."
"Where is he?"
"Missing."
Miller looked toward Collins.
"Commander, I need you to understand that this building is now part of a federal evidence-preservation operation."
Collins nodded.
"I understand."
A federal technician approached with a laptop.
"Agent Bennett, we recovered a partial network log."
"Show me."
The technician turned the screen toward her.
Three entries appeared.
The first showed a login at 2:14 a.m.
The second showed a file transfer at 2:19 a.m.
The third showed a successful deletion command at 2:23 a.m.
Bennett leaned closer.
"Who authorized the deletion?"
The technician enlarged the account information.
A name appeared.
RICHARD COLLINS β COMMANDER ACCESS.
Collins stepped backward.
"That wasn't me."
Bennett looked at him.
"Are you certain?"
"Absolutely."
"Then somebody has access to your credentials."
Miller closed the laptop.
"Agent, we may have a bigger problem than Officer Mercer."
Bennett nodded slowly.
Because the person who had compromised the system had not merely entered the evidence archive.
They had made it appear that the commander himself was responsible.
And whoever had done it had known exactly how to make the investigation turn against the wrong man.