Three state patrol vehicles with lights and sirens arrived at the scene, parking at the top of the embankment as a fourth unmarked car arrived shortly behind them. The officers got out of their squad cars and started towards the Denali as Sterling leisurely exited his vehicle.
As the officers approached Drake got back on his feet, while Nate maintained his position a slight distance from him, The lead state patrol agent flashed his badge at the two men as he approached, flanked by three other officers behind him. "Mr. Drake," he addressed the suspect. "You're under arrest for reckless endangerment, conspiring to commit a crime, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder."
Drake had assumed the police would show up for a welfare check since his truck was in the ditch, but he was taken aback by the unforeseen turn. "What? Where the hell did you come up with those ridiculous charges?!" He wasn't the type to fall for law enforcement's bluff tactics, and he knew the police hadn't seen or heard anything. After all, he'd always been careful not to discuss 'sensitive' matters in public or on the phone.
At that moment Sterling approached, a smug look plastered on his face as he chimed in on the conversation. "We heard every single word you've said since you left the hotel," he informed Drake. "Thanks to the bug in your vehicle."
*Flashback*
Sophie held the phone the hacker had given her up to Drake's vehicle, while Hardison hit a few keys to unlock it. Once she heard the click of success she quickly opened the driver's door and retrieved the gun from the glove box, emptying out the bullets before placing it back exactly where she'd found it. After throwing the bullets into a nearby trashcan, she tossed Sterling's bug under the driver's seat and closed the door.
*End flashback*
"You don't have a warrant to bug my truck," Drake argued, reminding the officers of his rights. "None of this is going to be admissible in court."
"Oh but it will," Sterling replied, deciding to spell it out for the hapless man. "You see, the license plates on your vehicle are registered to a man named Eliot Spencer, a wanted criminal that Interpol's been hunting for years. Just a few days ago I hired a confidential informant plant a bug in Spencer's truck, but apparently the young chap didn't notice that some prankster must've switched the plates with yours. How unfortunate."
*Flashback*
"Alright guys," Nate said, turning to the team. "We need to take care of this tonight. Eliot, I need the license plates from your truck."
.
.
.
Sophie was kneeling behind Drake's SUV in the parking lot, using a small screwdriver to remove the license plates from it. She tossed them underneath a neighboring car, and then proceeded to put Eliot's plates on instead.
*End flashback*
Drake glanced at the front plate on his Denali, a dumbfounded look crossing his face as he read BIGBLOK. Sterling motioned to the officer next to him to cuff the suspect before continuing. "But, thanks to the good-faith exception, it looks like everything here's going to be admissible in court."
The officer cuffed Drake and proceeded to check for weapons, pulling a flash drive out of his pocket and handing it to the Interpol agent. "He's clean, but this may be of interest to you."
"Well well well," Sterling said. "What have we here?" He flipped it over, smiling as he saw the silver SenTech lettering on the other side. "Aren't you quite the over-achiever. Looks like we can add industrial espionage to the list, too."
*Flashback*
Seeing that his threats weren't making even the slightest impression on him, Drake changed his tactics. "Or, maybe I'll find that pretty little blonde of yours –"
Before he could add another word to that sentence Nate grabbed him and threw him hard up against the Denali, Parker's near-miss still fresh on his mind. Drake hit his head on the windshield in the process, but being pinned against the vehicle by the throat was far more concerning to him at the moment.
At the same time that he went for Drake, Nate grabbed the flash drive out of his pocket with his other hand and slipped it into Drake's jacket.
*End flashback*
"Wait a second," Drake exclaimed, starting to realize he was being set-up. "That's his! He must've planted it on me!"
Another officer turned to Nate, keeping a hand on her duty weapon. "And who might you be?"
"Tom Baker," Nate answered, not missing a beat. "I was driving behind them when I saw the blowout. I just stopped to make sure everyone was alright, but by the time I got out they were all fighting about who's fault the accident was. Guess they must've knocked each other out."
"That's bullshit," Drake told her. "His name is Nathan Ford. His buddy shot out our tire, ran us off the road."
Nate looked around, seeking the imaginary friend Drake mentioned. "I don't know what he's talking about," the mastermind said, giving the officer a slightly confused look. "I was just out for a nice weekend cruise. I like having some alone time every once in a while, it helps refresh the soul."
Her gaze went back to Drake. "So where is the man you say shot out your tire?"
"He got picked up by some black guy in the car we were..." He started before trailing off, not wanting to admit they were chasing the Prius in front of the officers.
When he didn't continue his sentence Sterling jumped in to summarize. "So you're saying they ran you off of the road, planted the flash drive on you, and then the other guy just so happened to hitchhike his way out of here mere moments before we arrived?"
Drake hesitated, realizing how ridiculous the story sounded when Sterling laid it out like that. "Yeah," he said hesitantly. "That's what I'm saying."
Sterling gestured to Nate and the Tesla. "Officer, run the car and verify his identity."
She nodded and turned to Nate, ushering him to his vehicle. "License and registration, sir."
Nate nodded before walking up to the Roadster, opening the driver's door and then the glove box to grab the requested paperwork. He pulled his driver's license out of his wallet and handed everything to the deputy. "Here you go, officer."
She glanced at the photo on the license and then at Nate's face before stepping back to her car to radio the information to dispatch. The mastermind leaned casually against his car and waited, thankful once again for Hardison's skilled and expedient hacking of the DMV.
She returned a few minutes later and handed the papers and license back to Nate. "Thank you Mr. Baker, everything seems to be in order here. You're free to go."
"Actually, I'd like to get a statement from you about the accident. If you don't mind," Sterling said to the mastermind.
"Of course, happy to help," Nate replied. Sterling gestured him to the side, giving the police more space to deal with their unconscious suspects as Drake was taken away.
The two of them watched the arrests for a few moments before Sterling turned to Nate. "You look like shit. You know that, right?"
"Yeah, well, it's been a long weekend," the mastermind replied. "You know how it is, I'm sure."
Sterling leaned in close, keeping his voice low. "Well played, by the way. And you know, you didn't have to send Eliot off. I told you I wouldn't arrest him. Not today, anyway."
Nate smiled for a second before meeting Sterling's gaze. "It's not Eliot I was worried about." After a few moments of silence between them, the mastermind turned around to walk back to his car.
"One more thing, Tom, just to satisfy my curiosity," Sterling called to him. He walked up to Nate as the mastermind turned around to listen. "Yesterday. How'd you do it? And please don't say you escaped through the sewer like a pack of rats. You know I'd hate to have to station men down there as well, next time we get to play this little game."
"Parking lot," Nate answered. "After all, you aren't the only one who knows how to hide in the trunk of a car."
The Interpol agent narrowed his eyes. "You're lying. We checked the trunk, backseat, and cargo area of every vehicle that left that damn place. Hell, towards the end we even started looking under the hoods just to be sure."
"Sounds like you had a merry old time," Nate chuckled, his tone becoming more serious as he continued. "But you didn't check every car, did you Sterling?"
"Of course we did," he argued. "It look hours to –" At that moment he stopped short, suddenly realizing exactly what the mastermind meant. "You son-of-a..."