Hath No Fury: Chapter Two
Disclaimer: Usual... don't own 'em.
Author Note: Thanks to januarysunshine13 for being my first reviewer for this story. And as requested a more detail description of Alanna.
Neal froze. He looked up to see a part of vivid violet eyes, sun kissed skin, petite body, fully chest, and signature dark red locks with streaks of gold. A face he hadn't seen in over six years. A past carefully locked away.
For the first time Peter saw his consultant speechless. Neal always had something to say. It was what made him into the best con-men Peter had come across. He could talk his way out of almost anything. But the appearance of this woman hand rendered his consultant mute. Admittedly the red head was gorgeous, but that had never stopped Neal. Peter was use to beautiful woman falling at Neal's feet. Before either man could speak the red head turned from glaring at Mozzie to glare a Neal. If looks could kill, Neal would be six feet under.
"Of course. I should've known. You two are as think as thieves. I don't even know why I'm surprised. Arg, Alanna you knew this was coming, why didn't you just go with your gut. I swear..." she muttered the last part to herself.
"Alanna?" Mozzie said.
"No Moz. What ever harebrained scheme you've got. No. I won't do it. Find someone else." Giving Mozzie one last glare she turned to Elizabeth an apologetic look crossing her face. "Mrs. Burke, thank you for the coffee and the company. It was a pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry I can't stay longer. We should have lunch the next time your in the city." Turning to Peter she smiled, albeit it was a bit forced. "Agent Burke, you have a lovely home. Best of luck what ever case your currently working on." With that she gathered her things and moved to the door. A gentle but firm hand restrained her.
"Lanna."
The underwritten sadness made her pause. But the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. No he would not do this to her. He couldn't con her. Neal was very gifted, but she wouldn't let him manipulated. In another time, in another place, it would have been different. It was all about being able to one up each other. After all the mark of a good conman was the ability to con other conmen.
"No, Caffery." She hissed.
At the use of his last name he felt a stab of pain. "Lanna, please."
"You don't get to call me Lanna. For all your concerned, I'm dead. I'm not like other women, you don't get to bat those baby blues at me and expect me to fall at your feet. I know who you are. I know your past better than anyone else. I owe you nothing."
At her "I'm dead." comment Neal flinched. Peter and Elizabeth looked at him in concern. Mozzie looked slightly confused.
"Alanna," Mozzie started. "Please just hear me out. You might not owe Neal anything, but you still owe me a few favors."
Alanna looked at Mozzie. She sighed angrily. "Your lucky I still like you Haversham, although your skating on thin ice."
"Why don't we all sit down. I'll make more coffee. Peter come help me." El said.
"But..." Peter started to protest. He wanted to know about this woman standing in his living room, drinking coffee with his wife. She could be dangerous. Besides she knew Neal's past. In all his research about Neal, he'd never come across her. To be honest, Neal's pass was pretty empty. No mention of him before he turned 18.
"Now Dear." El commanded.
The husband and wife left, leaving the three friends alone in the dining room. Alanna stood there, not really wanting to spend another second in the same room as Neal Caffery.
"Spill Mozzie. I take it this has to do with that cryptic message you left on my voice mail?"
"Yes, well you see, a few months ago Kate..."
Alanna's eye widened and then narrowed."KATE? Seriously? You want me to help Kate. Let me guess. Kate's gotten herself in too deep and she needs you and boy wonder over here to bail her out. Well, the answer is no. Capital N, Capital O. Contrary to popular belief, I am not a glutton for punishment. Enough is enough. You two can help Kate on your own, besides you have the freakin' FBI, I'm sure they could help. Good Bye."
Peter who was not paying any attention to his wife stood as close to the kitchen door as he could, trying to figure out who the new guest was. El realized her husband was not listening to her and slapped him on the shoulder.
"Peter!" She whisper yelled.
Peter looked slightly bashful.
"Alanna we need you." Neal said.
"There are plenty of hitters out there who could help."
"We don't... we don't need a hitter Alanna, we need a ha...a technician. This isn't about Kate" Neal said stuttering. "Well, not entirely."
"Of course it's about Kate, Caffery. She was always getting you into trouble. Always pushing you to take more risks. It's always about Kate. Count me out. Find someone else who can hack the gps anklet your currently sporting. You know what I know a few people. I'll give you the names Mozzie and they'll probably help you."
"My gps can't be hacked." Neal said quietly.
"Then you've been talking to the wrong people. If it has a cpu it can be hacked." Alanna bit back.
"We wouldn't trust them and they don't have the same...they don't work within the same boundaries as we do." Mozzie explained. "Besides...
"Mozzie, what the hell are you talking about. Money talks. Pay someone enought for their silence you won't have a problem."
"Well, funds aren't quite that easy to come across..." Mozzie tried to explain.
"I have no idea what you are talking about. You know what, I don't even want to know."
"Alanna, Kate's dead. She died in an airplane explosion six months ago." Neal explained in anguish. He looked down, ringing his hands together.
"She's dead..." Alanna said incredulously. "Well I find that hard to believe, seeing as how I saw her off the coast of Argentina."
"You saw her in Argentina?" Neal said eyes wide. "No you couldn't have. I saw the plane explode. I know she died. She would have contact me if she had made it out. She loves me."
Alanna locked away at the end of Neal's declaration. "Yes, I did Neal. I saw her with my own two eyes. I have perfect vision. I know what I saw. And it was definitely Kate Moreau lying on the deck of some rich dude's yacht, eating oysters and drinking champagne."
"You were far away, maybe the girl just looked like Kate." Neal tried to rationalize.
"I guess if you call four feet away, far. I was on the damn boat. And she was wearing that necklace she loved some much. She looked pretty relax to me, not a care in the world."
Neal looked torn. Kate was alive? But why hadn't she contacted him. Maybe he missed something in the mail? His mind was going a million miles a second, he was trying to wrap his head around the possibility that Kate was alive.
When Peter heard Alanna mention Kate and alive in the same sentence he glanced at El and entered the dining room.
"Kate's alive and in Argentina." Peter asked.
"Well, she was a few days ago, But she's probably gone. I overheard a conversation about a needing to pick up a package and needing to meet someone guy? Victor? Virgil?"
"Vincent?" Peter asked.
"Yes, Vincent. That's the name. Anyway she was suppose to meet Vincent somewhere. I didn't hear the rest of the conversation."
"Well this is certainly news."
"Is it possible?" Neal asked Peter quietly. "Could she have survived the explosion?"
"We never recovered a body Neal. I'd say its entirely possible."
Neal couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit of hope bubbling in his chest. But why hadn't she contacted him? And what was she doing with Vincent Adler?
"Neal, you know you can't go chasing after Kate. Besides Argentina is a little outside your radius."