Thanks to Gumbycan for being an awesome beta, and adding a couple of things ;).

Characters: Harold Finch, John Reese, Bear, Agent Donnelly, Detective Carter.

Pairing: None

Status: Complete

Notes: Enjoy!

~POI~

When Reese destroyed his phone he knew it would only be seconds before the FBI would catch him. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best for Finch. Reese knew he wouldn't be able to get out of this, even with Finch's abilities. It was only a matter of time that the law caught up to them, and he was glad that it was him and not Finch being arrested.

The swat team found him and ordered him to stand up. One of them took his arm and led him to the others, but he knew it would do no good for him and he hoped Carter would be smart enough to give him up; then and there. If she made it seem like she didn't know him it would only make things worse for her in the end. All the FBI needed was his fingerprints and then they might end up questioning Carter about any failure to identify him.

They placed him under the light, which he used it to his advantage. Lowering his head down, just low enough for his eyes to be dark, not letting the agents identify him too easily. Besides himself they had two others men who had suits similar to his, while the other one had a tie, compliments of a certain shady lender. The had separated the 'tie man' from the others, and waited for the senior agents to arrive.

He heard another set of footsteps and immediately knew who was coming down. He slightly looked up, just high enough for his eyes to be seen. Agent Donnelly, Carter and a few other agents came into the room. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't signal Carter to give him up, save her professional code. Instead he just looked solemnly at her, silently begging her to save herself. When she failed to formally recognize him, he stiffened slightly. Why? Why would she deny knowing? Didn't she know that all it took was his fingerprints and he'll be thrown in jail faster than Finch could try to erase or modify all the evidence? If Donnelly found out he'd question Carter, and if he got too curious things may spiral out of control for Joss.

His chances of escape were diminished; there was no obvious other way out. All John could do was protect Finch and keep him and the machine out of this. The work they do was way too important. They handcuffed John and took him away, along with his doppelgangers.

~POI~

If the situation hadn't been so serious, she would have been laughing at the sight of not one 'Man-in-a-Suit' but four 'Man-in-a-Suits', but then Donnelly asked her if she could recognized any of them. She lied. For a second she thought she Reese looked angry with her, as if telling her it was a bad move to deny recognition and that she should have just thrown him to the sharks.

But she couldn't. Not after knowing the work that they do and the people that they help. Even if she didn't quite agree with their methods she had to admit that they were making a difference in peoples lives. Donnelly was growing frustrated now that he had four candidates to question, so he just had them all arrested.

It would only take John being fingerprinted to reveal to Donnelly who was the 'Real Man-in-a-Suit'. Maybe if she could be the one who would take the prints. It could work if Donnelly wasn't breathing down her neck when they take him to be fingerprinted. Maybe it could work?

~POI~

He saw Finch with Abby and Shayne. He tried not to look at them, fearing the Agents might take his look as a signal and reveal Finch's association with himself. Instead he tried to concentrate on Finch and the problems ahead for him dealing with the numbers, with Fusco and Bear. That alone broke his heart. Just yesterday he admitted how he was happy now and now he needed to retreat to his old cold self. Finch's face was a mixture of worry, fear, and disappointment.

But it was not directed at Reese, it was at himself. Finch was disappointed in himself. Disappointed that he couldn't do anything to help Reese, to try and create a diversion for him. Now he had to deal with the consequences of seeing his friend in handcuffs being taken away by federal agents.

Finch always had a contingency for every situation. A back-up plan, in case everything went wrong.

What was the contingency for this?

~POI~

Shadow Box. That is all….

R&R? Please?