Under Cover

Neal stepped away from the group. He followed the faint noise he heard into the next room. He spotted them almost immediately. "Get out of here, you two! Right now! Go!" He said in a harsh whisper, ushering Sam and Dean Winchester out of the back of the museum. "Go down the back stairs, they'll take you to the alley."

"Neal?!" Dean started.

"The FBI is here. We're checking security for a new exhibit. Go!" Neal said, pushing them towards the stairway.

"We need the huge scarab in the corner." Sam said, pointing to probably the biggest scarab Neal had ever seen.

Neal nodded. "I'll get it." Neal stated. He watched Sam and Dean leave.

Neal crossed the room to the display case. He looked around. Peter and the other agents were in the next room over. It was stupid to do this, he knew. But as far as the timing, it was perfect. This would be one of the few times that the security system and cameras would be off. Neal lifted the glass display case and took the item he wanted. He then rearranged the rest of the display to make it look as if nothing was taken. He replaced the glass case and quickly rejoined the agents in the other room. No one noticed his absence.

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"Do you have it?" Sam asked. He and Dean were waiting for Neal when he got off work.

"What…why do you need it?" Neal asked, taking it out of his pocket. He laid it on the table. "I've never seen a scarab that big."

"Scarabs like this one, typically belonged to pharaohs. And the size of this one means the pharaoh was well known, well liked, or well feared. At any rate, the scarab is said to hold power. We need that power to perform cleansing and healing rituals. We won't destroy it. We'll return it as soon as we're done." Dean explained.

Neal nodded. He knew better than to ask questions about the rituals. And his mind was already working.

"Will it be missed before we can get it back?" Sam asked.

"It depends." Neal replied. "I think that that was one of the displays that was going into storage to make room for the new display. If the museum doesn't inventory the contents until they get ready to display the items again, it's no problem. If they inventory before they store the pieces…."

Both Sam and Dean nodded.

"How long are you going to need the scarab?" Neal asked.

A couple, three days, at most." Dean replied. He and Sam left with the scarab in hand a few moments later.

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"Where is it, Neal?" Peter said as soon as he entered Neal's apartment. "Where is it?"

Two days had passed since the exhibits had been switched out. And, of course, a very astute museum curator noticed an item missing from the Ancient Egypt Scarab exhibit. They called and informed the FBI of the theft as soon as it was discovered.

"I know you have, or had, it, Neal. I know you did, and I know Mozzie fenced it for you. What do Ancient Egyptian Scarabs go for these days?"

"Peter, I don't have the scarab." Neal explained. "I was with you and the other agents when the curator was going over security for the new exhibit. I was right there. Did you see me leave?"

Peter paced the floor. He looked at Neal. "I know…. It's gone Neal. It's gone and it just happened to…get gone when an international thief and conman was around? What are the odds?"

Neal replied. "The odds are pretty damned good that I don't have it and that neither I nor Mozzie fenced it."

Peter glared at Neal, hands on hips.

"Look, I don't have it, and Mozzie didn't fence it." Neal repeated, backing up, hands up in surrender. "Look around if you don't believe me."

Peter looked at Neal, hard, for just a moment, trying to decide if he should search the place. Peter shook his head.

"No, this is your home. And I won't violate that. But, if I ever think you're hiding anything from me again. I will go through this place." He paused. "And I will check everything." He warned.

Neal didn't exhale until he heard Peter storming down the staircase moments later.

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"So, Peter was pissed?" Dean asked as he handed the scarab to Neal.

"He was beyond pissed." Neal said, taking the item. "And why is it you can't return this?" He asked, really wanting nothing more to do with the item.

"We got spotted outside a deli in Manhattan." Sam explained. "We think we lost them, but we…we just can't take any chances."

"We know this is a huge risk for you, Neal." Dean replied. "And we can't thank you enough."

Neal nodded. He was already formulating a plan. He would have to sit on the scarab for another day. That was a huge risk. But that was when this traveling exhibit would leave. All he had to do was come in as part of the regular cleaning crew. He would then 'misplace' the scarab in the storage box for another exhibit. The museum would find it when they did their inventory before they returned the previous exhibits to the floor. And the FBI would get a call that all was well.

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Peter was just hanging up his phone as Neal entered his office, returning from his lunch break.

Peter looked up at Neal. "It seems that the museum misplaced the item in question."

"See." Neal smiled sweetly. "And you didn't trust me."

"They did say, however, that there was a member on the regular cleaning crew that they didn't recognize." Peter replied, watching Neal's reaction carefully.

Neal waved his hands. "High turnover in that occupation, hard work and long hours for little money…must be a revolving door for companies like that."

"Yeah, must be." Peter said, eyeing his C.I.

THE END

END NOTES: Hey everybody, just a few things here. I don't know the history of the scarab, though I do believe it is Ancient Egypt. I could have done the research and probably should have done it. But I have just come down with a case of Terminal Laziness today. Hope you enjoyed! Jackie