Better Protect Your King
by Noelani618
Tag to White Collar 2x14: "Payback"
Summary: Keller hears some rumors and plans for the next chess game with Neal.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's Jeff Eastin's creation and I'm just borrowing. I'm also not a chess player so please forgive any errors.
This is not beta'd so all mistakes are mine.
He kept his ear to the ground, constantly listening for chatter of Neal Caffrey's activities. Matthew Keller hated losing. He fully intended to beat Caffrey in the second round. And to do that he needed to learn all he could about the younger man's activities as a leashed convict working for the FBI. So he asked around, put out feelers, and information slowly started trickling in. Caffrey had apparently worked out a deal of some kind with a dirty OPR agent and had tried to leave New York. Only the plane he was to leave on exploded. Kate had been on board. Keller briefly felt a pinch of sadness that the lovely woman was dead. She had been rather exquisite, and far from the angel Caffrey imagined her to be. But there were more women in the world, and Keller didn't concern himself anymore with Caffrey's fool girl.
The only reason Caffrey had not died with her was thanks to the interference of special agent Peter Burke. Burke, on suspension for clocking the dirty FBI agent, tracked Caffrey down at the hanger and had been trying to convince Caffrey to stay when the plane exploded. Keller scoffed. Caffrey was weak and had no doubt been torn. He remembered the way the young con had gone and stood next to the agent in Grace Quinn's wine cellar. There was something between the agent and con, something Keller could now work to his advantage. Neal actually trusted the FBI agent. It went against everything Neal Caffrey stood for as a forger and con man. Trusting law enforcement was a one-way ticket to prison. Yet it was different between Agent Burke and Neal Caffrey.
So he did his homework and really looked into Special Agent Peter Burke. That had been one of his biggest mistakes during the last game. He had taken a preliminary look into the agent's record and had been unsurprised to learn that the man was a good agent with a high closure record. He'd caught Neal Caffrey after all. Nothing new to see there. Just another lawman for Keller to tweak. And Keller had worked the man's devotion to the law to his advantage, until Caffrey and Burke turned the tables on him.
It was there on the helicopter pad when he was arrested Keller realized he'd mistaken a king for a pawn.
Peter Burke made his moves carefully and one at a time. He never moved recklessly or into a position that would lead to his "capture". Burke was initially weak, useless even, until the endgame when the man proved dangerous in his own right. He shot that OPR agent when he drew a gun on one of Burke's people, Keller heard, even when he was suspended. The OPR agent had been wearing a vest, however, and survived the shooting only to disappear into the underworld after being turned over to the Washington authorities. That incident alone told Keller that Burke was far more dangerous then his initial impression. The agent was a natural leader and there was no mistaking the authority the man carried, even when he acted non-assuming. His sources informed him Burke rarely exercised it to the full extent, unless he was keeping Caffrey out of prison. For the most part Burke seemed content to let his pet con move on his own, offering guidance when he felt it was needed.
As it were, Caffrey had been sent back to prison after the plane explosion, but Burke had managed to get him back out on his two-mile leash. From his sources, Keller heard Caffrey had also lost control several months later when he chased down the dirty OPR agent he believed responsible for Kate's death. But again, Burke stepped in and saved him. That was when Keller knew for sure.
A king was better at defending his knights and pawns; he was more effective then a bishop when he attacked. And that was why Keller would set a trap from Peter Burke that would allow him to beat Caffrey.
Capture the king and the game was over. And Keller knew who the king was now. The queen had been eliminated and soon the king would follow.
Keller smirked as he set up his chessboard for his new game.
"You'd better protect your king, Caffrey. Because I'm coming for him."
Its far from perfect, but I wanted to post this before the season finale. =) So what do you guys think? I have a second part planned in my head based on Neal's POV but I don't think it will be done by Tuesday night. Would anybody be interested in reading a second part?
Happy Monday! Its almost Tuesday! =D