Under Scrutiny
This is number 13 in the series. I haven't written on this series for awhile frankly because I didn't have any ideas. But I have a pretty good one, thanks to reading 'Criminal' By Lacadiva. I'm going to use part of the idea and insert some Winchesters into the mix.
I have no Beta, so all mistakes are mine. Feel free to PM me if you see something I've missed. Thanks.
And thank you, in advance, for your alerts, favorites and reviews.
"That's him, I'm telling you." Sam insisted, even though he was looking from across the street and a half a block down.
Sam started down the street. Dean had no choice but to follow, or he would be looking for his brother too.
"It is him. And that's Elizabeth Burke." Sam said as he watched Neal Caffrey enter Midtown Jewelers. El entered just a few moments later.
Dean nodded and he eyed the coffee shop on the same side of the street. They both crossed the street when they noticed something strange in happening in front of the store.
"Sam!" Dean said, stopping in his tracks. "They are going to rob that store!" He saw one of the men trying to casually check his weapon.
Sam looked at his brother then at the store, scared for Neal's and El's safety.
They took a moment to strategize. There were two guys outside and two inside the store. They would get rid of those guys outside first. And they had to be quick and quiet about it. So the ones inside wouldn't get spooked. Then they would take care of whatever was happening inside.
Dean stuck his gun in the lookout's face and clicked off the safety. "The boss said that your services are no longer needed."
The man opened his mouth to protest, that is until he saw the look on Dean's face. "I'm getting my money. I'm getting paid for this!" He said as he ran off.
Sam sneaked up on the driver easily enough. He jerked the door open on the surprised man, grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him out of the vehicle. Sam lifted the guy,s wallet in the confusion. He would give Neal the ID to help them catch the guy later. And Sam would help himself to the cash. The man had no time to reach for his weapon. And by the time he was able to Sam had his own gun squarely in the man's face.
"Thanks for your time, Buddy. Check's in the mail." Sam said as the man took one look at Sam and then took off.
They met on the sidewalk in front of the store, looking inside to see what was happening. They had to act quickly. One guy was cleaning out the jewels as the other one was corralling the customers, both with their backs to the door. Dean shook his head as he and Sam approached from the outside, warning the hostages, so that no one inside would call attention to them.
Dean and Sam went in. The two men turned. They did not expect what greeted them.
"Get Out!" Dean Winchester said, brandishing his gun.
"Who are you?" One man said, irritated. "Find your own jewelry store to rob!"
"Nobody's robbing anything today. Get the Hell Out!" Dean yelled, still pointing his gun.
Dean nodded to Sam. They needed to get the 'hostages' out.
"Look…this is our heist." The other guy said. "And we ain't goin' nowhere."
Sam huffed out a breath and walked over to the shorter of the two men, using his height to intimidate him. "These people weren't aware a part of your plan. Let them….
They all stopped when the heard the wail of the siren.
"They're close." Dean replied. "And half your crew is missing."
The men looked at each other and then outside. They slowly begin to back out of the place. They re-holster their guns, after realizing that they wouldn't win the fight and then hurried out into the sidewalk traffic.
Sam and Dean put their guns away and then helped the female customers and employees up off the floor where the robbers had told them to sit.
"You both need to go." Neal replied, looking out onto the street, watching for the police.
Both Sam and Dean nodded.
"Thank you." El stated. "And please be careful." She said as they left.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
The NYPD arrived on the scene, thanks to the silent alarm set off by the store clerk. They questioned everyone extensively, not allowing anyone to leave the store or call anyone until they were satisfied they had everything.
Moments later the NYPD had downloaded a copy of the surveillance video and sent it to White Collar, discovering that one of the hostages was the wife of an agent. The officer didn't want the FBI to accuse the NYPD of waiting too long or sitting on the evidence. He addressed the evidence to the White Collar division, care of Diana Berrigan and sent it via a secure courier.
NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS
Diana rounded the corner. "This was marked urgent. I haven't seen it yet." She said sticking the flash drive into the computer in the conference room and bringing up a video on the TV screen. She showed him the envelope. It wasn't unusual for Diana to accept Peter's mail. She sometimes opened things that were somewhat generic. She just used her best judgment in cases such as this.
"…courtesy of Midtown Jewelers." Diana said, having read the short note that came with the evidence. Peter and Diana watched as the store's surveillance tape caught Neal walking into the store, followed a few moments later by El.
Peter stared at the screen. He had no idea why either would be at a jewelry store. He was not making the connection that his and El's anniversary was in a few days. He, Diana, and Jones watched the events unfold as Neal and El spoke to the lady behind the counter. She reached under and brought out something for closer inspection. The footage is too grainy, the resolution too poor to make out much detail. Neal and El seem to be discussing something as their attention is suddenly drawn to the door. Neal immediately positioned himself in front of El as the two men who had just entered brandished weapons. The first ordered the clerk behind the counter to hand over the jewelry as the second man commanded all the customers and other employees over to the corner of the room. He watched the hostages as the other man continued taking as many gems and jewelry as he could.
Peter's gut churned as he continued to watch the video. He didn't want to watch it, considering the subject. He was desperate to turn away. He didn't want to see his wife, or his C.I., get shot. But it was like seeing that car wreck at the side of the road. You are unable to turn away.
"What the…where did they come from?" Peter said, leaning closer to make sure that his eyes were not fooling him as Sam and Dean Winchester appeared on screen.
They all kind of leaned closer to the screen to see, for sure, who it was. Several more agents had joined them. They had heard about Neal and El. They gasped when they realized they were looking at the Winchesters. A bad situation, in their minds, just got impossibly worse.
Everyone in the room held their breath as they watched to see what Sam and Dean would do. They were shocked to see that the Winchesters appeared to be holding up the robbers. They can see Dean talking to the men. He looked to be yelling. But the video had no audio, so they could only guess what Dean said.
They figured it must have been effective, however, since both men left the store moments later. The agents were in for even more surprises as the Winchesters helped the 'hostages' up off the floor. Everyone then turned and looked at the door at the same time. Neal seemed to have said something to Sam and Dean, as did El. Then Sam and Dean exited the store.
Peter stood to go to his office and get his jacket. He needed to find his wife and his C.I.
Diana stopped him. "Let me call and find out exactly where they are first." She offered.
Peter stopped in his tracks when he saw who had just entered the department. "That won't be necessary, Diana. I know just where they are."
Peter did his finger wave to them, and both El and Neal came up the stairs to Peter's office. Neal and El looked at one another. They could both tell that something was going on. Was it possible that White Collar already knew about the hold up?
Neal knew that the store had cameras. That was standard fair these days. El had mentioned Peter. So maybe the NYPD had sent the camera footage…. Neal shuddered at the thought. He hoped Sam and Dean would have had time to get away. He knew both the NYPD and the FBI would have put out BOLOs.
The majority of the agents left the conference room as Peter left to get his coat to go find his wife and C.I., only Diana and Jones stayed behind. Now he motioned for Neal to close the door after he and El were inside.
Peter held his wife for a moment as he talked to them both.
"You've seen the video?" Neal asked.
Peter nodded. "There was no audio. Probably a good thing given you two were talking to Sam and Dean. That could have been interpreted as you knowing them." Besides the fact Sam and Dean let the robbers get away. NYPD estimated they got about 5 million in jewels." And estimate Peter thought would probably be low because it was the preliminary one that the officer wrote on the note that was with the hard drive.
Neal shook his head. "Sam gave me this." Neal produced a driver's license.
Peter grinned as he looked at the driver's license. It was a New Jersey license for a man named Juan Barlow. He had Diana run the name.
"Who is this guy?" Peter asked.
"I'm guessing he was the getaway-car driver. Sam hauled him out of the car." El spoke up. "Sam said something to the guy. Then the guy just looked at him for a second and ran off."
"There was another guy, the lookout outside the store. We watched Dean put his gun in the guy's face. He ran off." Neal said.
Peter looked at them both. He was very relieved that they were okay. He knew it wouldn't be long until this guy was brought in. And since he probably wouldn't get paid for his services, he would be even more likely to roll on the other three. But Peter had a question. "What were you two doing in there anyway?"
More Adventures to Come!
END NOTES: I'm not answering that last question here because a wife should not have to remind her husband about the important dates in their married life, and vice versa.