Chapter One
Sitting at his desk reviewing the file open before him, Hughes had a lot to consider before he either approved or denied the request in front of him.
If he approved it, he could be risking the reputation of his entire department, his career, and possibly be allowing a convicted felon to learn more about law enforcement. Something the brilliant kid could use to his advantage for committing future crimes, if he stuck around long enough to learn anything useful that is.
Should he deny it though, then he could be throwing away a great resource and potential asset to the team's closure rate. The young man had proven genius at committing crimes, so it was likely he could be just as good at solving them.
Ultimately, the decision relied on the ability of his lead agent to perform as a handler and overseer to the consulting informant.
Looking down to the floor below, Hughes watched Peter get another cup of office brew. The coffee wasn't particularly great, but Peter wasn't too picky.
Chuckling, Hughes couldn't help but think back to the sheer effort it had taken trying to steal the agent away from Violent Crimes. It was a shame the other department had seen his file and snatched him up first. If only he hadn't been out sick that week, maybe he would have had the agent from the beginning?
Peter Burke had been a prime candidate for recruitment when he graduated from Quantico. The agent was competitive in combat, an excellent marksman, a determined archeologist for digging up the truth of a matter, and a known reputation for his gun instinct in field work. That wasn't even touching his puzzle solving or math skills, which were invaluable for deductive and reasoning training.
No, agents like him didn't come along every year, which was why his mentor Agent Kramer was sorry to lose him to New York, and Hughes had been sorry to see Violent Crimes get him.
The loss was something he worked to rectify though. As soon as he was back in the office and reviewed the graduating class, he tracked Peter down and made him an offer… that was refused.
As much as he hated to admit it, he respected the decision. Peter had accepted the position in violent crimes, so he should honor his decision. It would give him great experience if situations should escalate in the field regardless of division, and learning the harsher realities of the criminal world would help prevent him from getting complacent, which could save his life in field work.
Not giving up, the veteran had encouraged Peter, offered helpful advice when needed, and often brought up perks to working in White Collar. It was all a part of his plan to build a working foundation, and by reminding Peter that his department would always welcome him, offering an open door for the agent to move through when he was ready for a change.
What finally made the difference though, was when Peter's team responded to a break in. The gallery seemed like any other crime, until the agent met the assistant manager. Then everything changed.
Taking advantage of the circumstances, Hughes laid it on thick as Peter talked about his girlfriend's concerns for his safety. She was proud of him being an agent, but she didn't want to worry about him so much.
Combined, Hughes' continued effort to poach Peter mixed with his fiancé's concern eventually won him over. The young agent approached Hughes, they talked, papers were filed, and the transfer was official.
Ever since then, it had been a pleasure to watch the young man grow in experience and confidence.
There hadn't been a question as to who Hughes wanted for his second in command when the position opened up. Reviewing applications was more of a formality, because Peter was his first choice from the beginning.
Still, there was one thing Hughes questioned when it came to Peter, and that was the request to take Neal Caffrey on as a CI. Maybe it was just him, but the agent wasn't comfortable with the prospect of having such an adept criminal in his office.
Why couldn't Peter make his first recruit the choice of the probies from the recent Quantico graduates? Instead, he had picked a young con artist with all of the alleged crimes to prove how risky an undertaking he was.
Having mulled on the decision for a few days, Hughes decided to trust Peter. The agent knew the kid best, and if he was willing to risk it, then Hughes would give him his chance to prove himself.
Signing with a flourish, Hughes closed the folder and moved it to the done file. The decision had been made.
After a few weeks, Caffrey walked into the office for the first time.
He was wearing a fancy suit, rat pack by the look of it, and flipped a Fedora onto the hat stand behind his desk as Peter pointed it out. Taking his seat, the con began looking through the drawers to see what they contained, their arrangement, and to begin planning his space. Forced to focus by Peter's command, the young man watched as Peter showed him some basic points on his computer before Jones was instructed to get him set up.
Jogging up the stairs, Peter knocked briefly before entering the office. "Morning Hughes. Caffrey found himself a benefactress, a wealthy woman within his radius. It's the kid's luck. She has a million dollar view of the city, her deceased husband's old rat pack wardrobe, and a loft apartment that's worth more than my house." Peter explained the con's attire as he took a seat.
Frowning, Hughes didn't like the sound of it. If Caffrey was so fortunate to have a lavish lifestyle legally, what would he have to do in order to hold the standard in the rest of his pursuits? Peter was obviously concerned as well, or he wouldn't have been so direct in his approach. "How do you plan to handle it?"
Sighing, Peter didn't have much he could do. "Watch and see, I guess." He shrugged. "She is aware of our agreement, so I have to take the forms for her to sign this evening, but she also doesn't seem to find a problem with him having made poor decisions in his past. On one side, it means she can be supportive and help him find his feet, but on the other, she might encourage the wrong behavior causing him to be imprisoned again."
That was the rub of it, there was no guarantee their experiment would be successful, and anyone who got too close could be burned in the end. "You said she is familiar with the agreement, and her husband was a felon, so she must be aware of the risk and willing to take the chances. There is nothing else that can be done except forbidding the agreement and forcing him to move back to the hotel. Do you think it will be necessary?"
Thoughtful, Peter took a few moments to weigh the good against the bad. Coming to a decision, he answered. "No, I think she could be good for him. Her husband reformed for her and their children, so she would be familiar with the challenges he faces, and she is accepting of him which will help him get a start in civilian life. Should that change, then we can take action according to the circumstances."
Seeing the concern reduced in Peter's expression, Hughes knew the agent had worked through what was bothering him. Wrapping up their impromptu meeting, he sent the agent on his way as there was plenty of paperwork yet to be completed for setting Caffrey up while working on their case against the Dutchman.
It only took a week before the young con man cut anklet, which was actually longer than Hughes had expected.
When Peter called in the report and mobilized the team, Hughes began filling out the paperwork for the con's transfer back to prison. Once Peter caught him, the agreement would be over.
To his surprise, the call came through a few hours later indicating that Caffrey hadn't voluntarily run with the intent of escape, but had gotten too creative with the book on warrant law. Now there was something entirely unexpected. A con artist who risked prison for the chance to continue working with law enforcement?
Granted, if he had returned to prison the deal would have been off, but running would have only added to his sentence, so there was something more at stake than simply the difference between a prison cell and his two mile radius. Perhaps Peter was right in his theory that Caffrey was looking for Kate? The young woman had dropped off the radar again, so perhaps there was something to Caffrey's concern, but more than likely, she was simply avoiding him.
Scrapping the forms, Hughes found himself relieved. Although he wasn't fond of the con, and he still questioned the decision to take him on in the first place, there was something about the man that was almost endearing. It was something to watch carefully, because the quality was what made him such a good con man.
Having Caffrey on the team meant it didn't take long before the outrageous plans started rolling in.
Hughes knew they were pursuing Ghovat, but he didn't expect Peter to bring Caffrey into his office with the suggestion of throwing a party to draw the criminal out. What were they going to do? Send a digital invite through the social media and watch for a Ghost plus one to accept?
The part that was particularly surprising was Peter's willingness to go along with the crazy suggestion.
Focusing on Peter, he tried to ignore the excited expression on Caffrey's face. Of course the kid liked the idea of throwing a party, and what better excuse than a case?
"Looking at his M. O., he has a thing for models." Peter's reason for agreeing wasn't inspiring, but at least he had the decency to look like he was trying to make it work without the childish excitement his CI was displaying.
Although his sarcasm was mild, it was the best response Hughes could come up with. "Yeah? Well, me too." Seeing Jones pass by, he decided to get the young agent's opinion. "Hey, Jones, you like models?"
"Love them." The agent added in passing.
"Jones likes them too. Is there a plan in here somewhere? Call me when one shows up." Peter should have known better than to present the idea with such limited reasoning.
Walking away, he was disappointed in his favorite agent. If Caffrey was going to continue having such a bad influence, it wouldn't take long for him to regret the decision in taking him on. He was never overly for it in the first place.
Hearing Peter following him, Hughes turned around to see what else his agent had to say.
"Look, Caffrey, Ghovat, these guys are cut from the same cloth. Neal's convinced that our ghost will show up. I say we trust his instincts on this one." Then he said the line that was the most convincing. "We've never been this close to Ghovat."
Considering the point, Hughes was more willing to risk it on the chance of getting Ghovat, than he was for the single case or the consultant who suggested it.
Waiving the con man over, Hughes watched as Caffrey startled before joining them while Peter had the hint of a smile. Ignoring their reactions, he had come to a decision. "I'll authorize five grand for this party."
How they would manage it was up to them, and based on the suggestions flying, they would come up with a way; especially since Elizabeth had been volunteered.
Rolling his eyes as he walked away, Hughes wasn't going to listen to the argument erupting behind him. However, he didn't miss the sound of Caffrey's excited hit to Peter's chest, or Peter's directive "Don't hit me." Apparently Caffrey was feeling more comfortable crossing the lines, but Peter was still trying to keep them. That was good news.
Watching as the case progressed; he had to admit that Caffrey gave them Ghovat's face, so the party was successful.
It wasn't until later when the case spiraled out of control that Hughes took a more involved role in the operation.
Summarizing what was at stake, he expected Peter to approach him about the model. "We're putting this girl's life at risk."
"We could put the entire monetary system of Europe at risk. Guess who wins?" Although he felt for the girl, the case had more at stake than one person.
Continuing to give orders, he was surprised at Caffrey's enthusiasm. Ordering him to put his hand down repeatedly, he told him what his job in the operation would be. "A coffee run. You're not even supposed to be here."
With that in mind, it shouldn't have been such a surprise when Caffrey showed up at the sting.
Dragging the kid into the van, he didn't want him exposing their field base of operations. Although Ghovat knew they would be around, pointing out where wasn't helpful.
Focusing on the case, there were more important things than the con. That is, until the con pulled out his phone and took over the operation. Then he proved rather helpful by jamming the phone to prevent the bomb going off and distracting Ghovat long enough for Agent Cruz to cuff him.
Closing the case, Hughes had to admit, it was another win, and Caffrey was instrumental in making it happen.
Their first real trial of trust was a case with an odd beginning.
The suspect, Bareli, brought them another case when a prayer Bible was stolen from his church.
Pursuing Caffrey's lead of a 'true believer' they managed to pick up the crumb trail leading them to the suspect who was last known to be in possession of the missing artifact. Unfortunately, finding him was made easy because he was a corpse.
Standing on the pier with Agents Burke and Ruiz, Hughes had to play referee. The two agents didn't get along. A lot of it was because Peter was smart, and Ruiz… wasn't as smart. Reminding Peter that Ruiz was the leader of Organized Crime because he refused the promotion every year worked marginally in calming him down with only an eye roll for response.
However, bringing up the lack of trust in his favorite con didn't help matters. "He's not comfortable sharing intel while Caffrey's with you." He explained Ruiz's particular reluctance to cooperate. This wasn't just a case of rivalry between divisions.
"Oh, come on." Peter turned defensively. He was growing rather comfortable with the criminal himself, and apparently forgetting how others weren't so fond.
"He's a convicted felon, Peter." The reminder seemed to be necessary. Lines between the con and Fed were heading in the direction of blurring. "And Ruiz isn't the only one with reservations." Caffrey worked well, but he was still a risk.
Taking a deep breath when he shared his opinion of Caffrey, Peter wasn't thrilled, but he wasn't going to push it.
Clapping the younger agent on the shoulder, he reminded him that he had other cases to pursue with the advice to let Ruiz take the case without a fuss.
Later he learned that having Caffrey around the office also made for other interesting discoveries, like when Peter updated him on their investigation into Maria Fiametta. She hadn't even been on the radar last he knew, so obviously Caffrey had been working his so called magic.
What made it a test of faith, was when Caffrey was allowed to go off anklet for the first time. He had a suspected criminal and murderer mixed with a quarter million for a good start towards funding a getaway.
There was also the risk of the kid ending up dead, so they were trusting his skills for evading danger too. Peter was worried about his CI, but Ruiz wouldn't 'lose any sleep' should anything happen.
It turned out that they were both right. Caffrey was shot at, but he was unscathed and the Bible was returned to its rightful owners. There was a moment of concern, but everything turned out fine.
When an agent went missing, he was more willing to risk their CI than Peter was. He even had to argue with the younger agent in order to convince him it was the best way to go.
Peter was expressive of his doubts. "Neal is White Collar and non violent. Wouldn't an agent from Violent or Organized Crimes be more suited?" He tried to protect his consultant.
Holding his ground, Hughes insisted. "We need somebody who understands money laundering. If Lao Shen found a way to blow Agent Costa's cover, then someone who isn't an agent would stand a better chance of infiltrating his organization. This is the life of an agent who maybe waiting for rescue, there isn't time to waste training an agent when we have a CI with the necessary skills."
Giving in, Peter had to admit Caffrey was good at working through a pinch, and that could be what would make the difference between him and the agent. "At least give him as much warning as possible. I don't want him to disappear too."
Moving out onto the landing, Hughes waved Caffrey up to join them in the conference room.
Taking a seat, Caffrey listened as they caught him up on the case. Playing with the Dominos, he lined them up after he looked each one over.
Breaking down the story to the main points, Peter and Hughes told Caffrey about Agent Costa's cover as a drug dealer working with the Chinese money launderer Lao Shen. The last reports had indicated they were making a brief stop in New York before Shen would return to China. Since the agent had then gone missing, it was assumed his cover was blown causing him to be killed or forcing him to lay low until it was safe enough to return to the Bureau.
"So, why you telling me this?" Caffrey pulled an innocent expression.
"Nicholas Halden." Although his tone could be taken as a question, Hughes knew Caffrey had created the alias.
"Who?" Considering the crimes the character was allegedly involved in, there were plenty of reasons for the consultant to be careful of what he admitted to.
Running through a brief summary of the alias, Peter asked Caffrey if it rang 'any bells.'
Slanting a knowing glance at Hughes, Peter passed the question about immunity on up the ladder.
Returning the expression, it wasn't an unexpected request. If Caffrey admitted to being Halden without that on the table, he could add to his prison sentence with more charges for crimes committed. Agreeing, it was ultimately about rescuing an agent over pursuing a captured criminal. "Done."
Talking through the game, they discussed Pai Gow as a Chinese form of poker played with Dominos.
Keeping his promise, Hughes warned the kid. "I'm not gonna lie to you. This is a dangerous one, Caffrey."
Turning as the Dominos fell, it was unnerving, like the first had already fallen and they were experiencing the chain reaction of falling tiles. Would it end in a fallen mess, or would there be justice served to make the mess worthwhile?
As the last one seemed to slam onto the table, even Peter turned with a nervous twitch.
"High stakes. I'm in." Caffrey's calm was a contradiction to the nerves the two agents were displaying. He didn't seem intimidated by the weight being placed on his shoulders.
Having stood watching him, Hughes found that interesting. He expected the con to show nerves, to be worried about such a dangerous assignment. Was his strength a mask, or was he more comfortable with high stakes situations than they expected?
The case didn't provide a certain answer, but it did cause his opinion to lean towards the belief that Caffrey was more experienced than they were being led to believe with his White Collar persona.
Getting an unwanted visit, it was never a good thing when OPR showed up. Keeping the agent occupied while he was waiting for Agent Burke and their consultant Caffrey to return, Hughes' conversation with Agent Fowler indicated that Caffrey was up to something, and it wasn't looking like it would bode well for the rest of the team.
Considering the agent had Burke's file with the pretense of a standard review, Peter was at risk for getting burned by his favorite consultant, turning friend.
Watching Peter through the interview, Hughes tried to gather as much information as possible. Peter knew Caffrey better than anyone, and he was the lead agent on the case, so he was the best one to provide answers.
Although Fowler seemed surprised at Burke's ability to state what was going on before it had been revealed, he wasn't. It was standard operating procedure where Peter was concerned.
"This whole thing is a waste of time. Caffrey didn't do it." Peter was confident.
His stance was the most revealing when the missing tracking data was brought up. Peter was certain it was impossible for Caffrey to tamper with the anklet. Instead, he suggested looking into the Marshalls as the agency responsible for monitoring it.
Stepping in, he corrected Peter's assumption. "Caffrey belongs to the bureau. That makes him our problem." Unfortunately, the situation couldn't be passed off to the Marshalls, instead, it was more certainly placed before them.
Allowing Burke to take the lead, he trusted him to get to the bottom of the situation. Going archeologist, Peter pulled Caffrey's old work, visited Adrian Tulane, and did his best to ensure the right person went down for the crime.
Despite his efforts, he was present when Jones rushed into the conference room with the warning before Fowler could announce that Caffrey was under arrest.
Based on the expression Caffrey was wearing, the kid was extremely surprised and feeling betrayed. If he didn't know better, he would consider his innocence.
Remaining quietly to the side, he reviewed the evidence and watched the procession as Caffrey was guided out of the office. Watching the disappointed looks floating through the team, he realized that he was disappointed too. Somewhere along the way, he had come to like the kid.
Caffrey shot some questions through the FBI the next day when his lawyer won the request for Open Discovery. The Bureau was required by law to turn over every piece of paper they had on Neal Caffrey.
Telling Peter the news had an unexpected effect, the agent actually looked cheerful at the prospect. He smiled. The knowledge that Caffrey was fighting was a good indication of him being up to something, but the evidence was still stacked against him.
Unable to do anything, the team was forced to pick up the crumb trail and try to figure out what Caffrey was up to. The puzzles included what he expected to find in a truckload of paperwork, the purchase of a Bakery, and the question of why Caffrey moved his arraignment to the Judge's chambers preceded the concern of his escape.
Arriving on the scene, it was interesting to see the spark return to Peter for the first time since he had arrested Caffrey for the third time. The thrill of the chase was on.
Getting an update on how the escape had occurred, he soon found himself playing referee as Fowler and Burke began to argue.
"Burke, find him again." He knew Peter was the best person for it. No one had a better track record for the job or understanding of the con.
"I'm not comfortable with Agent Burke running this operation." Fowler tried to undermine Peter's position.
Waving his concern aside, he wasn't going to fall for it. Something about the situation wasn't settling well with him, so putting his best agent forward was the wisest decision.
"Now get to work." He ordered the agents to get their job done and walked away.
Leaving them to work through the case, he had his own instincts to follow. Pulling out his phone as soon as he was alone, he dialed a number he rarely called. "Colonel, we need to meet. Something is brewing here and I need to be prepared before it explodes."
The rest of the case was a series of updates pertaining to the search, the real perpetrator being arrested, and Caffrey returning to the office proven innocent of at least one crime. As expected, Burke was successful at getting justice served.
Still, despite the appearance of resolution, he couldn't help but feel like the trouble was only beginning.
While Peter and Caffrey were busy pursuing a Boiler Room scam that had been transferred to them from Texas, Hughes was otherwise occupied.
Sliding into the table at a random coffee shop, he sipped his cup while the large man acrossed from him flipped the newspaper in between them. Opening it to the pre arranged page, he turned the pictures around. The image of Peter was on top, and it didn't cause much of a reaction. Mostly just a grunt before he flicked it aside. However, Neal Caffrey's picture caused him to stop breathing for a fraction of a second before he frowned deeply.
"Something bothering you?" Hughes questioned his contact.
"He maybe one of the good guys, but he is a royal pain." The picture was set aside with a low growl.
"Who is he?" Hughes was extremely interested. If Caffrey wasn't who he pretended to be, and he was someone the colonel knew, then that could change everything.
"Above your pay grade." It wasn't out of his reach though, and the colonel's attitude indicated he was going to be keeping an eye on the man.
"Is he the person drawing all of this attention?" Hughes wanted to know if his team was taking the heat from whatever 'Caffrey' was up to.
"If history has anything to say, then whatever he is doing will likely draw a lot of trouble. Then again, no one can handle trouble the way he does." The colonel muttered again.
Although it was frustrating, Hughes knew it was the business. You never shared everything you knew, and you certainly didn't share it with someone who wasn't in the right circle. At least he had somewhere to start. Caffrey wasn't the con he presented himself as.
"I'll see what I can dig up." The big guy slid out of his seat and walked away with the newspaper in hand and the pictures contained inside.
Remaining in his seat, Hughes continued to slowly work through his coffee. Thinking through everything he had seen since Caffrey had been brought into the office, he had to admit Caffrey fit it better than any CI he had ever seen before. And, in twenty five years, he had seen many consultants come and go.
When the coffee ran dry, he slid out of the booth and walked for the door. Tossing the cup, he pulled out his phone as he hit the street. Calling in another favor, he started working on his own research.
Arriving back in the office, he asked Peter for an update and learned they were playing a risky game with Caffrey performing as a corporate spy. Listening as Peter described the events of their operation, his frown grew deeper.
Based on what Peter said, Caffrey was comfortable with guns, skilled at performing in an espionage role, and not the most trusting. Although the tension between the partners wasn't mentioned, it was obvious in how they had been acting around each other. Since he had been watching them, Hughes had picked up on the body language. Caffrey was wary of Peter, and seemed worried about something, while Peter was concerned what his problem was.
Combining the new information he had gathered over lunch with the observations he had made in the office, he assumed Caffrey was working on something in relation to Kate Moreau, and for some reason, he was having a problem with Peter. Considering what kind of an agent Peter was, whatever the issue was would blow over, but it didn't bode well for the partnership in the short run.
"Be careful. We both know that something has Caffrey upset, but don't let it get in the way of your current case. Playing both sides against each other is a dangerous game, and you are in the middle as much as he is." Hughes warned. According to the colonel, Caffrey could take care of himself, and Peter was a brilliant agent, but there were still unknown elements that could prove disastrous.
Watching from his perch, Hughes was able to observe Caffrey working at his desk at any point. It gave him an advantage. Researching the man's secrets, while being able to keep an eye on him, provided double the information gathering. The search was slow going, but Hughes was an old hand at patiently pursuing his suspect, or researching the man who might be the undercover spy on his team.
Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, following, and choosing to favorite :D
This story is my birthday present to Quinis for her upcoming day :D It is four chapters and I will be posting a chapter a day ending on Sunday.
