Chapter 178: Another Scapegoat

Watching the car drive away, William finally felt truly relieved. He opened a portal and returned to the conference room at the National Archives. Lying on the floor, he waited quietly.

On the other side, Sedes, the Special Services director, and Church, excitedly thought they had found a lead. They led a group of over ten agents, following the small truck eastward.

However, the further they followed, the more uncertain they became. After four hours of tracking, they were nearing the coast. The puzzled agents followed for another half hour, arriving at a small pier by the sea.

The driver finally stopped. It was now 7 AM. Sedes and Church parked their cars 200 meters away, hiding among the greenery and other vehicles, hoping to catch their target. After a few minutes, a man in black, wearing a hat and keeping his head down, got out of the car.

The man in black covered his face with his hand and waved towards Sedes and his team before turning and rushing towards the pier.

"Damn, he spotted us! Catch him, don't let him get away!" Sedes yelled, grabbing his radio.

The agents immediately shifted gears and sped towards the man in black. Before they could get 100 meters, the small truck burst into flames.

Sedes recognized it was a gasoline fire and his heart sank. He knew they had been played. The man in black had deliberately led them there. Before they could reach the pier, a speedboat dashed out from the dock.

Furious, Sedes threw his jacket to the ground, cursing loudly. The surrounding agents were equally frustrated, except for Church, who remained calm, lost in thought.

Considering that the lead was Church's idea, Sedes asked hopefully, "Church, have you thought of something?"

Church nodded, "I'm thinking about why they led us here. To dispose of the truck, they didn't need to be in such a hurry. The truck had already been checked by our people; there was nothing suspicious inside. They could have waited a few days until we lost interest and had a thief or homeless person deal with it. Why go to all this trouble?"

The team immediately understood. They wondered what the real purpose was.

Suddenly, Sedes' phone rang. Seeing it was Agent Lily, his heart sank. Something must have gone wrong.

With a trembling hand, Sedes pulled Church aside and pressed the speaker button. Lily's anxious voice came through, "Sir, we've been played. I checked the cameras outside the archive and saw a shadow. After enhancement by our tech team, though blurry, it was clear that at 3:30 AM, a person in black with a hood left the archive carrying a drawing tube and disappeared in the parking lot.

The Declaration of Independence never left the National Archives. It has been there all along. My God, these people are meticulous. The one Bill Gates stole is likely a fake. What do we do now, sir?"

Sedes and Church immediately understood why the car had been parked there. It was a distraction. While the Special Services focused on the car, the real thief slipped out of the archive.

Church quickly asked, "Didn't the archive's surveillance catch the man in black?"

Lily replied helplessly, "No, I've rechecked the footage with my colleagues. There's nothing suspicious. The thief might have been hiding in the archive until you chased the car, then slipped out. If not for the street cameras, we wouldn't have known the Declaration was still in the archive."

Furious, Sedes shouted, "Damn it, there must be an insider at the archive. They couldn't have known so much otherwise. Lily, check everyone associated with the archive. Anyone connected is a suspect. Find the mole."

"Understood, sir."

Sedes hung up and leaned against the car, feeling dejected. "This is a mess. Given their methods, there's no way we'll find the Declaration in three days. Church, I need a favor."

Church understood that the Declaration might disappear forever. He nodded, "No problem, Sedes. We've known each other for over 20 years. I'll help however I can."

Sedes forced a grim smile. "I'm definitely taking the fall for this. With such a disgraceful exit, my family might be targeted. Church, I'll hand over all my resources to you, including undercover agents. I'll have my family hide in New York for a while and then move to Switzerland after things calm down."

Church thought for a moment and nodded. "I can help protect them for a year or two. But Sedes, it's not over yet. You can retire and join your family in Switzerland."

"It's no use, Church. You know the case. We know there are multiple groups after the Declaration, and who knows how many more in the shadows. Now I truly believe in the treasure's existence. Once the higher-ups find out, many will want me dead. I won't get through this. You should go back to New York. I don't want to drag you into this."

Church tried to comfort him. "There's still hope, Sedes. Don't give up until the end."

Sedes smiled. "No need to comfort me. I'll fight until the end. I called you as a last resort. I'm almost 60; it's time to plan an exit. Go back to New York, don't get involved. Staying here might make you a scapegoat too. Leave now."

Church, realizing the risk, hugged Sedes. "Take care, Sedes."

"You too. Remember what I told you. I'll leave those things in the underground maintenance room at New York's train station, in the locker we used before. The password is xxxxx."

Church nodded. He knew the locker. "Got it. I'll wait for your word. If things go south, I'll ensure your family is safe."

Sedes thanked him. "Thanks. Take care, Church."

"You too." Church then drove back to New York.

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