"I needed to understand what the protocol would do."
Maya did not argue further. "The record will show the sequence."
A second federal agent entered carrying copies of the first records Rebecca had identified: "Agent Williams, Lieutenant Sloan provided command emails directing staff to delay external review of the technology project. There are also messages instructing personnel not to change Sloan Integrated Systems' remote access until after project closeout."
"Who sent them?"
"Chief Mercer's command account."
Mercer answered immediately: "Command accounts are used by administrative staff."
The agent continued: "Several messages are also linked to your personal authentication."
Mercer stopped speaking.
Maya looked at the technician: "We have enough preserved to revoke the contractor certificates."
"Yes. We can remove Sloan Integrated Systems without affecting normal dispatch."
"Do it."
The technician opened the administrator panel and disabled each Sloan certificate. The final status changed to: Remote administrator access revoked.
Lena watched the network traffic: "Outbound transfers stopped."
"Any route control activity?"
"None."
"Shadow server?"
"Still stable and read-only."
Maya nodded. "Keep the forensic image running."
At the federal interview location, Nathan's transport arrived without further interference. An agent called to confirm he was inside and ready to give a statement. Maya asked to speak with him briefly.
"We recovered more of the original evidence," she told him.
"Does it prove the card was planted?"
"The original recording shows it was not in your belongings during the first search. The later evidence file came from a different source sequence."
Nathan was silent. "So the official video was changed."
"The evidence supports that conclusion. We still have to establish who changed it and who introduced the card."
Nathan asked, "What happens to my case?"
"It gets reviewed from the original record, not the altered one."
"That's all I wanted from the beginning."