New York's White Collar Division of the FBI was full of hustling agents and shuffling papers. The unit was preparing to close a very high profile case today; some rich kid had a few very expensive paints stolen and was throwing a fit until he got them back. So who better to take the case than the agent with the best closing rate? Now Special Agent Peter Burke's entire unit was running about checking warrants, securing raid gear, looking at blue prints of their target location. Every single person in the office was focused on their current task at hand, all but one certain CI consultant.
"Come on, Peter. I'll stay right behind you and won't cause any problems," Neal Caffrey pleaded from his seat across from Peter's desk.
"No, Neal. You are not going on this raid. That's final." Peter Burke looked up from his final preparation paper work. As lead agent, Peter was in-charge of most everything going on with the raid. After days of searching and questions, Peter, and Neal, had located the warehouse and the time the thief was planning to fence his stolen merchandise.
"But Peter, you need me to verify the paintings anyway. Why can't I just go with the raid team?" Neal persisted. Which was true, Peter thought. Hughes wanted the case over and done with as quickly as possible. Taking Neal with them on the raid to verify the authenticity of the paintings at the warehouse excluded quite a few steps from traditional lab test verifications. But Neal is Neal. And trouble is trouble. And the two like to go hand in hand, was what Peter's infamous 'Gut' was telling him.
Peter stood with a very loud sigh, grabbing search and arrest warrants in hand as he walked out of his glass walled office. Neal quickly stood and moved to follow Peter out when the agent paused in the office door way.
"Neal, do you remember the last raid you were on?" the seasoned agent questioned with that look. A look Neal knew all too well. That look said ' I'm going to try get my point across, hopefully you well listen.' Neal barely suppressed a grin; he never listens.
"Yes, Peter. I remember the raid," he said, all innocence and such. Oh, Neal did remember that raid, all too well. But hopefully Peter would get to the point fast and let Neal go if he stayed quiet and listened.
Peter's hand went up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "And do you remember what I said right before the raid?" Neal nodded his head yes. Peter looked straight at the con-man. "What exactly did I say?"
"You said to stay with Diana," Neal replied, recalling the conversation, much like this one, that he and Peter had before said the last raid.
Peter dropped his hand, shook his head, and let out another long, loud sigh. Neal just shifted his wait, wondering what was taking so long. "No, Neal. I explicitly stated that you stay in the VAN while the raid is going on. Then you were to stay with Diana AFTER the raid was over." The agent knew well enough that Neal knew exactly what Peter had said. But Neal wanted to go with the raid team, so Neal only heard what Neal wanted to hear.
Neal just placed a look of surprise on his face, as if he had not heard that last part. "Ah, see, that last part. Didn't hear that bit."
It took everything in Peter to not place his palm to his face. The senior agent turned to walk down the small flight of stair towards the bullpen, Neal in tow. "No, you heard it. You just ignored it. Had you listened you wouldn't have scared that probie by coming out of nowhere right behind Diana." Peter passed to collected two bullet-proof vest from the stack of raid gear.
"That kid shot me, scared or not," Neal exclaimed in mock horror. "Honestly, you should train your new guys better." Neal nodded as he accepted the vest passed to him by Peter.
"The kid shot the vest I gave you just in case our suspects managed to get away from us and decide to hijack the van. Which you were suppose to stay in." Peter turned to face the whole floor, arms up and moving to catch attention. "Alright guys, twenty minutes before we move out. Collect raid gear, warrants and firearms and proceed down stairs," Peter command in a booming voice. He turned to face Neal again, "Neal, had you stayed in the van, Josef wouldn't have shot you. You were impulsive and it almost cost ya. The only way you are going with this raid team is if I handcuff you twice," Peter raised two fingers to emphasize his point," to the chair in the van and Jones stays with you. At all times."
Neal just nodded, once of his famous Caffrey grins firmly in place. At least now he is going with the raid and not stuck at the office solving cold cases or mortgage fraud cases. Neal reached forward as they approached the glass doors leading to the elevators, holding one door open for Peter.
"I promise, Peter. I'll stay in the van 'til the official gun carrying part of the raid is over," Neal said happily, holding three fingers up. "Scout's honor."
Again, Peter just shook his head. "Neal, you were never a scout." The lead agent looked up to spot the junior agent he was looking for. "Jones!" he called out to grab the young man's attention. "Come here a second."
The younger agent briskly walked over to is senior agent and friend. "Yeah, Boss?"
"Jones, you are gonna stay and watch Neal in the van. Just to make sure he doesn't do something he's gonna regret or that I'm gonna regret." Jones nodded with his understanding. "I'll radio you to bring Caffrey in once the raid area is secure and the paintings are in our custody," ordered Peter as Neal stood behind him rolling his eyes.
"Sure thing, Boss." Jones nodded once again and moved to adjust the gear he had for what his new situation would require.
Peter turned to look at his consultant, still holding the door for him and very large grin still in place. "Don't look so happy. You're still staying in the van." Peter stated as he walked passed.
"I can deal with that," Neal replied as he followed Peter in to the elevator.
Alright, so this little idea of a story has been lurking around since like the beginning of October. I was gonna be a short Halloween special, couldn't nail the story down. Then it was gonna be my NaNoWriMo project, but school got in the way. It has finally driven me nuts and taken on a life of its own and demanded to be put in writing. So here it is. Hopefully you all loved it and will leave nice reviews. Maybe someone will guess what's gonna happen to our favourite ex-con and FBI agent.
Also, I haven't forgotten my other projects. This thing has just taken over all functioning story writing parts of my brain for like the past four months or so. It's nuts.