Chapter 2

AN: I have never been on a cruise before, so I am not sure how they check the tickets. However, if the scenario I presented is true, it makes what I said seem plausible.

Two Days Earlier:

"I can do this!" Neal pleaded with Hughes. "Let me do this!"

"It's…it's dangerous, Caffrey." Hughes said, pleased by the young man's desire to help Peter, but concerned about the huge holes in his plan. "We have no guarantee you can…there are too many uncertainties here." He shook his head.

"I can get James to talk, and he wouldn't find the hidden mike." Neal said, reassuring Hughes, Jones and Diana his plan would work.

"You don't even know where to look Neal." Jones replied. "You don't even know if he is still in the country."

"The easiest way to get out of the country and not leave a trail is aboard a cruise ship." Neal replied. "They only do spot checks for tickets because everyone books ahead of time. No reservation, no room." Neal explained. "They rarely have problems with stowaways. And it's easy to blend in with the stuff. It changes from cruise to cruise."

Hughes, Jones and Diana nodded their understanding.

"So, you're gonna find James, and he is just going to open up to you?" Diana asked.

"James feels like he got away. He feels like he's free." Neal paused. "He doesn't give a damn about me, Diana. He's proud he pulled a fast one on me. He'll brag about it. He can't help himself."

Diana didn't miss the fleeting look of hurt in Neal's eyes when he said James didn't give a damn about him. She shook her head. "Neal…?"

"I got Peter into this." Neal pleaded. "Let me get him out."

WC WC WC WC WC

Everybody in the van froze in disbelief when they heard the shot ring out. They all looked at each other before Agent Barrigan started yelling orders.

"Man Down! Repeat! We have a man down!" Agent Torrance yelled into his mike as he ran. He had been acting as a passenger. He broke his cover, dropped his empty bags and took off running. He was mere yards away from the action.

Several other agents, posing as passengers, broke their covers and ran to the scene. They began to search, frantically, for James Bennett in the crowd of, now confused, passengers. The passengers had all heard the shot and panicked. Some had witnessed the whole thing and were traumatized. They had been surprised to see the gun as the intended victim. Most passengers ducked and stayed down, making the search for the gunman easier. But a few panicked and choose to run, which slowed the agents in their pursuit.

Diana quickly exited the van. All the agents with her ran to the scene, just about 50 feet away. She cursed, under her breath, for ever agreeing to help with Neal's plan to begin with. She prayed Neal was still alive.

Diana was at Neal's side in record time, joining the other agents who were already there. Agent Torrance had reached Neal first and was applying pressure to his chest wound. Anther agent had called 9-1-1 while still others were doing crowd control, questioning witness or searching for James.

Neal looked up at Diana when she came into his vision. She knelt down beside him. She was disturbed by the amount of blood on his shirt and the thin line of blood that was coming out of his mouth.

"…got…it." Neal managed to say through the pain and the blood. He was indicating the hidden mike he had used to record his father. In this case, it was a pen that they had used on many occasions. And it was in one of his inside jacket pockets.

Diana nodded, tears coming to her eyes. She hated to see her friend in pain. She hated him, at the moment, for putting himself in such danger. And she hated herself for agreeing to it all.

Neal squeezed Diana's hand as she retrieved the pen and replayed the evidence. She smiled, glad they had something. Her smile soon turned to a look of panic when Neal started to cough. She then realized he was no longer holding her hand, and his lips had turned blue.

"Breathe, Neal!" Diana ordered. "Come on, breathe!" She pulled him into her arms and turned his head in an attempt to clear his airway. She heaved a sigh of relief when she heard him take one small, shaky breath, and then another. Neal opened his eyes.

"Hey." Diana said, getting Neal's attention. "You only get the scare me like that once. And that was your once."

"You'll get…help Peter?" Neal asked, clearly exhausted and hurting. He closed his eyes and his body relaxed in Diana's arms. He already knew what her answer would be.

Diana nodded anyway, her eyes wet. And she was very relieved that she was hearing a siren in the distance.

TBC