Proving His Value
SUMMARY: When an FBI Agent criticizes having Neal on a case, the conman tries to prove that he is as capable as anyone. But things don't go as planned.
Several FBI Agents and Neal were sitting around a huge conference table. They were discussing a case that the White Collar Unit had been working on for the past six months. A man named Orin Milton was believed to be an expert counterfeiter and thief. They had had him watched around the clock and now had enough evidence to arrest him. They knew that it would be hard to do, since the man always had several bodyguards surrounding him.
"Any questions?" Peter asked, after he briefed them on what was happening.
"I have one, Agent Burke." An older man said, he was new to the White Collar Unit but not to the FBI."
"Yes, Agent Thomason?"
"Why is Caffrey coming?" He asked, giving the ex-con a distasteful look. "Aren't you afraid he'll tip Milton off?"
"And why would he do that?" Peter asked the man.
"Professional courtesy."
"Neal is one of us."
"He's not FBI."
"Caffrey is part of this team." Peter said, getting annoyed. "A very important part."
"Thank you Peter." Neal smiled, resisting the urge to stick his tongue out at Thomason.
"I believe it is a mistake having him there. He's got you fooled, that's what he's good at."
"You are new here, so I'm going to let that slide by." Peter said, giving him a hard look. "But only this one time."
Thomason wisely stopped talking, but he sent Neal another harsh look.
An hour later, the White Collar Unit were getting into position. Peter, Jones, Lauren, Neal, and Thomason were inside a van parked in front of a gentlemen's club. Milton was inside the club along with his bodyguards.
"You know the plan, Neal." Peter said. "Stick to it."
"I think it would be a better idea to send someone else in." Thomason said. "Someone trained for it."
"I am trained for it." Neal said, flashing a smile. He was getting tired of the man's insults, but tried not to show it. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction. "I've been the target of countless surveillances."
"Keep your comments to yourself, Thomason." Peter said.
"Fine, but when this goes south….." the glare from Peter shut him up.
"Remember, Neal." Peter said. "Just go in and lure Milton outside, we don't want any innocent people getting hurt during the bust."
Neal nodded, then jumped out of the van and walked towards the club. He was really angry at Thomason, but he tried to shove that to the back of his mind. He had a job to do. Neal plastered a charming smile on his face and walked into the club.
Half naked women were dancing on a large stage, and more were dancing in cages that were suspended above the stage.
"I am going to have to come back when I'm not on the clock." He said softly, as a scantly clad waitress walked by him.
"Focus, Neal." Peter's voice came through his earpiece.
Neal scanned the crowed club and saw Milton at a table near the stage, so he walked over to him.
"Mr. Milton." He said, with a smile. Five huge men instantly surrounded him. "I just want to talk." Neal said, holding up his hands in surrender.
Half an hour later, Neal was frustrated. He had tried everything he could think of to get Milton to walk outside with him, but nothing worked. And the FBI didn't want to try to arrest him inside the club, where innocent people could get hurt.
Then Neal got an idea. He walked to an empty area and whispered, "Get ready."
"Is Milton coming out?" Peter asked through his earpiece.
"No, but you can come in and get him."
"What's the plan?"
"I pull the fire alarm." Neal whispered. "Then stand by the men's room. When Milton walks by, I grab him and shove him into the bathroom. Block the door so his thugs can't get in, and wait on you."
"Bad plan, Neal." Peter said.
"Come on Peter, I can handle him. He's what, ninety pounds?"
"What if he has a gun?"
"He doesn't carry."
"We don't know that for certain."
"It'll work Peter."
"No. We'll think of something else."
"I knew Caffrey couldn't pull this off." Thomason's voice said.
Neal reached out and pulled the alarm, he'd show Thomason. He knew his plan would work.
The alarm sounded and everyone rushed towards the exits, including Milton and his goons. Neal positioned himself outside the men's room and waited.
"Damit, Neal." Peter's voice was angry. "Everyone move in!"
Milton walked by and Neal grabbed his arm and jerked him into the bathroom, then he locked the door. The bodyguards didn't have time to react. After the door was shut and locked, they started banging on it and trying to open it. But weren't having any luck.
"Who the hell are you?" Milton asked, pulling a gun from his jacket pocket.
Neal looked at the gun and froze.
"I thought you didn't carry." He said, starting to think his bright idea wasn't so bright after all.
"You thought wrong." The smaller man said. "Open the door slowly and let my men in."
"Let's talk first." Neal said, flashing his best smile. "It's the least you can do after all the trouble I went through to arrange this meeting."
"Who are you?" Milton asked again. The men stopped banging on the other side of the door.
"A man who can make you very rich." Neal replied, playing on the man's greed.
"I am already very rich."
"Richer."
"Open the door." He aimed the gun at Neal's chest. "Now."
Neal knew that Peter and the others had to be there by now, he figured that was why the bodyguards had stopped banging on the door. He slowly unlocked the door, then dove into one of the stalls.
"FBI!" He heard Peter's voice shout. "Drop the gun!" Then he heard Jones reading Milton his Miranda Rights.
Neal came out of the stall with a smile on his face, but the dark look Peter was giving him made the smile disappear.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Peter hissed.
"It all worked out." Neal said, flashing another smile.
"Go back to the office." Peter said through gritted teeth.
"Come on, Peter…."
"Now." Peter growled, glaring at the younger man. "Before I do something I will regret. And you had better be there when I get there."
Then Peter turned and stormed off, leaving a nervous Neal behind. He had never seen Peter that angry before.
Since Neal had rode to the club with Peter, he had to take a taxi back to the station. During the ride, he thought about what had happened. And he became more and more aggravated at Peter the more he thought about it.
His plan worked, they arrested Milton without anyone getting hurt. Peter should be thinking him, not growling at him.
"Driver." Neal said. "I've changed my mind about my destination." Neal gave him June's address. He knew Peter would not like it, but he didn't really care at the moment. Peter had no right talking to him like that, he had no right being mad at him. It was all Thomason's fault.
The taxi stopped in front of June's and Neal paused before getting out, wondering briefly if he was making a mistake. Wondering if he was being unreasonable.
"You getting out kid?" The driver asked, causing Neal to regain his anger. He was tired of people calling him a kid, and he was tired of being treated like a kid. Neal paid him and stepped out.
A feeling of guilt washed over him as the taxi pulled away, and that was a strange feeling for the ex-con. He had done far worse things then just disobey an FBI's orders before, and never felt guilty about it.
But Peter wasn't just an FBI agent, Peter was his partner. Peter was his friend. As Neal walked into the house he thought about all of the ways Peter had changed his life for the better.
He did miss the cons, missed the excitement and feeling of self-satisfaction. . He missed doing what he wanted when he wanted to, missed being able to go anywhere he chose. But he liked his new life, maybe even loved it.
He enjoyed his new job, he was helping a lot of people. He helped catch murderers and helped rescue a kidnapped girl. He helped people get back priceless family heirlooms, and helped them keep their family home. He was making a difference.
And he loved working with Peter, he had always admired the man. Even when he was chasing him. Peter Burke was a man of his word, a man whom you could relay on. He was a man who stuck to his principles regardless of any temptations. He was the kind of man that Neal sometimes wished he was.
Neal paused halfway up the stairs, considering going to the station and apologizing to Peter. But then the events at the club washed over him again and the anger returned. His plan had worked, they caught Milton. This time he was right, Peter was wrong. And Neal decided to wait for Peter to come to the same conclusion.
TBC
