The Billionaire's Mistake (Anya and Daniel)
MISTAKE 144

Chapter 144: Blame

Marcus said nothing, sensing Ray wasn't finished.

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"You keeping him in custody does me no good. Wherever he is, it is better for me if he is outside. He is a walking target. Ray's voice hardened. "A target I want. A target you also want."

Marcus closed his eyes, memories of a younger, more idealistic version of himself flashing through his mind. "I am not you." He had to admit, a part of him wanted Ricardo out there at the mercy of the Shaw family instead of safe in prison. But he refused to admit it. "It is best you concentrate on what you are going to say to the press. Do not worry about those that don't concern you. If you are so worried, you can go ahead and say that we have him," Day said.

"You know I wouldn't work. If you had taken him out from the start without revealing this, your family would be the first suspect. But you allowed me to sue your family name to deliver the evidence. No matter what in the eyes of the world. If you wanted to kill him, you would not have handed him to the government. You removed yourself from this matter!" Marcus said in

frustration.

"You can always try to explain it this way. I am sure someone will listen," Ray said.

"Ray, please-"

"Goodbye, Marcus. Give my best to the vultures in Parliament. I'm sure they're having a field day with this."

The line went dead.

Marcus stared at the phone in his hand for a full minute before putting it down. Chapter 144 Blame

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A soft knock at the door jolted Marcus from his thoughts. "Sir?" a tentative voice called. "The Parliament leader is asking for you. They're reconvening the emergency session." Marcus took a deep breath, composing himself. He was the Attorney General. He had a job to do, personal feelings be damned. He knew nothing about this. Ricardo was on his own. "Tell her I'll be right there," he called back.

As he straightened his tie and prepared to rejoin the chaos.

"Order!" Mario's voice rang out, somehow cutting through the din. "We will have order in this chamber!"

Gradually, the noise subsided, all eyes turning to Mario and the stone-faced Attorney General beside her.

"Members of the Parliament," Mario began. It was easy to tell she was tired. "We are now facing an unprecedented crisis. We can have all our arguments later. Attorney General Russo will now brief us on the situation and the steps being taken to resolve it." As Marcus stood to address the chamber, he had already thought things through.

"Members of the parliament," he began, his deep voice resonating through the chamber. "It may seem that the former president has disappeared on his own accord." Marcus said.

The early morning silence was shattered by the rhythmic thump of helicopter blades. Agent Vincent Reeves crouched in the open door of the Black Hawk, his eyes scanning the dense forest below. His earpiece crackled to life.

"Team Alpha, you are going for insertion. I repeat, you are going for insertion."

Chapter 144 Blame

Vincent glanced at his team, their faces set with grim determination. "You heard the lady. Let's move!"

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As one, they rappelled down into the canopy, the cool air whipping past them. The moment Vincent's boots hit the forest floor, he was moving, rifle at the ready.

"Fan out," he ordered. "The compound should be half a klick north."

They moved swiftly through the underbrush, years of training evident in their silent efficiency. As they approached a clearing, Vincent held up a fist, bringing the team to an abrupt halt.

Before them stood a seemingly abandoned cabin, but Vincent's trained eye caught the telltale signs of people. Fresh tire tracks in the mud, a faint wisp of smoke from the chimney. "Jenkins, what's the thermal reading?"

The specialist consulted his equipment. "Five heat signatures inside, boss. Clustered in the main room."

Vincent nodded, his mind racing through potential scenarios. "Alright, standby for-"

His words were cut short by a deafening explosion. The cabin erupted in a fireball, the shockwave knocking them off their feet.

"Shit!" Vincent scrambled up, ears ringing. "Move in! Secure the perimeter!"

As they rushed forward, a figure burst from the inferno, clothes smoldering. Vincent tackled him, driving them both to the ground. "Federal agent!" he shouted, struggling to subdue the man. "Stop resisting!" Chapter 144 Dame

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The suspect went limp, coughing violently. As Vincent cuffed him, he caught a glimpse of the man's face. His blood ran cold.

"Sir?" Jenkins approached, concern etched on his features. "You okay?"

Vincent stood slowly, his world tilting on its axis "It's Chambers. Deputy Director of Intelligence."

The implications hit him like a physical blow. If he was involved too...

"Secure the suspect," he ordered, his voice hollow. "I need to make a call."

Across the country, in a nondescript office building, Mary Reeves pored over financial records, her brow furrowed in concentration. The door burst open, startling her. "We got one," her colleague Alex, announced breathlessly. "Vincent's team just brought in the deputy director."

Mary's eyes widened. "The Deputy Director? Jesus..."

She grabbed her jacket, following Alex to the conference room. The atmosphere was electric, a mix of excitement and apprehension.

As they entered, Mary caught sight of her brother on one of the screens. Vincent looked haggard, his usual confident demeanor replaced by something... haunted. "Report, Agent Reeves," their superior, Director Hanson, demanded.

Vincent's voice came through, tinny but clear. "Sir, we apprehended Deputy Director

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Chambers at the suspected safehouse. Four others were... killed in an explosion prior to our entry."

A murmur ran through the assembled agents. Hanson's face darkened. "And the intel?" "Preliminary search suggests a treasure trove, sir. Financial records, communication logs, the

works. It... it seems to corroborate the Shaw evidence."

The room erupted in chaos, voices overlapping as the implications sank in. Mary tuned them

out, her eyes fixed on her brother's face. She knew that look.

"Clear the room," Hanson's voice cut through the mood. "Reeves, stay on the line."

As the others filed out, Mary lingered, catching Vincent's eye on the screen. He gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Once alone, Hanson's shoulders sagged, the weight of command evident. "How bad is it, Vincent?"

"Bad, sir. If these records are accurate... the corruption goes deep. Possibly the entire organization is compromised."

Hanson cursed under his breath. "Alright. Secure everything and get back here ASAP. We need to move on to the other locations before word gets out."

As the screen went dark, Mary approached Hanson. "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

He nodded wearily.

"We need to consider the possibility of moles within other agencies. If we're going to move on

to the other twelve, we need a team we can trust absolutely."

Chapter 144 Blame

Hanson's eyes narrowed, considering. "What do you suggest?"

Mary took a deep breath. "Let me put together a task force. Off the books. We hit all the remaining locations simultaneously, minimizing the chance of leaks."

For a long moment, Hanson was silent. Then, "Do it. But Mary? If this goes sideways..."

"I know, sir. It's on me.

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Hours later, Mary found Vincent in a quiet corner of the office, staring blankly at a cup of cold

coffee.

"Hey," she said softly, sliding into the seat across from him.

Vincent looked up, a wan smile flickering across his face. "Hey. Hell of a day, huh?"

Mary studied her brother, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the slump of his shoulders. "Want to talk about it?"

He sighed heavily. "It's just... all those years, thinking we were the good guys. And now..."

"We are the good guys, Vince. What a few corrupt officials did doesn't change that."

Vincent's laugh was bitter. "Doesn't it? God, Mary. Daniel was right. I didn't know what was really going on. None of us did."