Sorry Guys! This would have been up yesterday, but my computer was being mean :P Here you go! Enjoy (: Review please.
Title :: The Picture.
Disclaimer :: I own nothing.
Summary :: Neal finds out something from someone unexpected. 'The Real Reason Neal Broke Out.' Series.
Agent Peter Burke entered the FBI building, Caffrey right on his heels. The team had just finished up a case quite nicely. It wasn't that difficult, just one of those cases that got on people's nerves.
Hughes walked out of his office and onto the balcony, pointing towards both of them and then signaling them to follow towards the conference room then holding up his hand to signal five minutes.
"The double finger point, again? What did you do Neal?" Jones asked jokingly as he stood next to the pair. Neal opened his mouth in mock surprise, ready to protest but Peter made a disapproving sound once he saw the agent that was following his boss. "Who's that?" Neal asked immediately. "That is Agent Lance Soler. He's from Missing Children in the department over." Peter sounded annoyed.
Neal felt his heart skip and then beat twice as fast, no, make that three times as fast.
"Why do you think Hughes needs us?" He asked. "Who knows." Peter said as he looked around the bullpen. "Why don't you like this guy?" Jones asked. Peter shrugged. "He's just...he's not a good detective. He's not serious enough. Plus...he's just a really annoying person in general." Peter said quietly. Jones and Neal laughed silently. "I never said that." Their boss looked at them and they both put on serious faces and nodded. Neal, however, was unable to control the small smirk that popped up. Peter tapped Neal on the back of the head. He faked an offended look and Peter pointed towards the conference room. The Agent followed his consultant up the stairs and into the conference room, smiling behind him.
Once in the room, Hughes directed them to take their seats. Neal began to, then saw that Peter remained standing and he quickly stood back up. The cons eyes glanced at everyone around the room. Hughes eyes were locked on Peter, Peter's eyes were locked on Agent Soler, and Soler's eyes were locked on right back on Peter. Neal rocked uncomfortably on his heels as the silent tension in the room built.
"Caffrey, this is Agent Lance Soler. Burke...you two already know each other..." Hughes said, waving his hand in acknowledgement. "Peter." Soler nodded towards him. Peter nodded back, making it slightly obvious that he didn't want anything to do with the other Agent.
"What are you doing here Soler?" Peter asked annoyed. Neal repressed his smile at the tone, knowing it wasn't the right time. They all took their seats around the table. Lance tossed a file across the table towards Peter and Neal. Peter reached for it before Neal could. "Who is it?" he asked, opening the file and skimming over it.
"Blake Zanes." Lance said, pulling out another file. "Goes by the name of Blaze. Art forgery, breaking and entering, theft, the list goes on..." he continued.
"So, why does Missing Children have his file?" Burke asked, confused. "He was spotted two weeks ago with this boy," Lance tossed the other file towards the pair. "Now, we know about Nick Halden-Neal-and we know he has a past, about seven years ago, with Blake." Lance's eyes met Neal's.
Neal swallowed hard then smiled. "Nick? Hm...well...I don't really know-" he started, ready to defend himself as always. "Not today Caffrey. I don't give a damn what you did seven years back. What do you know?" Hughes asked. Neal shrugged, agreeing to help as he sat up and leaned against the table. "Blaze...? Well, I don't really know why he would kidnap a kid. He's not really...like that...he works fast though. If he's after something then he will do whatever he can to get it. Who's the boy?" Neal asked, he hadn't gotten the chance to look at the files yet.
"He was reported missing a year ago, name Landon Cracey." Lance said. Peter handed the black and white snapshot of Blaze and Landon to Neal to look at.
Blaze looked the same, his hair only a bit longer than the last time Neal had seen it. Neal's eyes traveled down to the boy in the photo that was next to Blaze and his muscle man. That's when his heart stopped and he could have sworn he wasn't breathing. Dark hair was a bit messy and in his blue eyes, eyes that held secrets. The smile was replaced by a look of sadness, hurt.
It was Noland.