Learning
Undisclosed Location: Military Base
Believing they were landing somewhere towards Europe, Elizabeth found herself guided off of the plane into a military establishment.
Looking around, this was a more modern and powerful army than the organization that had held her hostage. These forces had rows of military planes and fighter jets lining the airstrip, a collection of tanks in the distance, and several large barracks of soldiers in addition to a much larger main building.
"This way." Anderson and Casey guided the civilians with a military entourage.
Reaching the main building, they were divided out by a commanding officer. He instructed various soldiers to take them to destinations based on their needs. Bob and Michael were sent to the sick bay to be attended by a physician, Anderson and Casey were to report to a superior, and she was sent to the guest barracks to clean up and get fresh clothes.
Feeling nervous for being away from the familiar group, Elizabeth wasn't entirely reassured by the female officer who had accompanied her. The woman seemed polite enough and wasn't trying to be intimidating, but she wasn't familiar enough to convey the right mix of safety and friendship. Still, Elizabeth was relieved to be guided into a private room where showered and changed into more traditional clothes for what she was used to. Refreshed, she was happy when another soldier appeared to guide her to the mess hall for food.
Walking through the hallways, the establishment had the feeling of a military base. The focus was on necessity and not so much on comforts, so there wasn't a warm and friendly feeling to the atmosphere. Reaching their cafeteria, Elizabeth was shown through the processes of getting her food and directed to the table where her friends were sitting.
Taking a seat, she was glad to see that the rest of the group was all present with the exception of Casey. He was off doing some military something happy to be amongst his peers.
"The man seems to be a born soldier, at least in comparison to some I know." Anderson kind of shrugged. His injuries made it uncomfortable to complete the action, but he hinted enough for her to understand his intent.
"Are you a born agent?" She asked out of curiosity. The more she garnered from this strange friend, the more she could understand him and feel comfortable.
Almost choking, the agent recovered quickly. "Of course you would ask that. El, I wasn't born anything in particular. Then… as a child, I was told stories of heroic law enforcement and was determined to grow up to be the same. Things changed and events happened. My junior year of college I was recruited by choice, because I would have been drafted otherwise. I'm not the law enforcement I once wished to be, but I'm not the kind I dreaded to be either. Mostly my life is full of shadow wars and secrets with even my closest friends not knowing who I really am." He had paused in his eating to stare at the table, but finishing his words he resumed.
"But you do consider us some of your closest friends, even though we've missed a lot of facts and haven't always understood the reasons behind your actions?" Elizabeth probed.
Looking up at her, there seemed to be something in his expression, even covered by the hat and glasses. She knew he did consider them friends, even though he didn't verbalize it.
"You're one of our dearest too, despite all of the issues that have been going on lately." She wasn't absolutely certain, but she was sure enough to want to reassure him.
"Don't, El. You haven't figured out who I am, and there are circumstances you aren't aware of, so please, don't." There was hurt to his voice and he got up to move. His meal was finished and he still had things to do.
"Anderson." She called after him to no avail. Hanging her head, she felt the tears sting her eyes. Why would he walk away like that? Had something happened between him and Peter after her abduction? Gasping as possibilities crossed her mind, she realized that her husband might have lost his temper at losing her, but he wouldn't have actually meant anything said in a moment of anger. Would he? All she knew was that something must have transpired bad enough to make Neal withdraw not only to protect them, but to protect himself.
New York City: FBI White Collar
Work went on. The team had completed their part of the paperwork for Keller sending everything on through the justice system. With the treasure turning up in Russian possession, they were able to close the paperwork on it. Which only the missing hostages left, there wasn't much to do. They were still being shut out by the CIA and upper echelon of the FBI, so they didn't need to worry about reports beyond the initial notes of what had transpired, which had been done days before.
With nothing else to do, the team had returned to their usual work load and life seemed to almost have an air of normality. There were exceptions of course, like Peter's continued residence in his office and Chuck joining him by nearly living at Neal's desk. The two were often seen either doing their work in the office, or disappearing to spar down in the gym. Continuing to grow closer, everyone knew they had become friends, and the more time they spent together the stronger that friendship became.
The rest of the team was friendlier with Chuck for Peter's sake, but many of them were more interested in gathering information about the mysterious spy. Many of them had researched him spreading rumors of what little information they had gathered while others made up theories to try to explain why such an agent was being left to twiddle his thumbs amongst them instead of being out in the field helping to bring Mrs. Burke and Caffrey home.
Laughing as he entered the office, the entire office paused to take a second look at Peter by Chuck's side. The agent was actually smiling a little bit, something no one had seen in a while.
"Oh, Neal has some explaining to do when he gets back. That is a story… I wouldn't have associated with him." Peter commented.
Shrugging, Chuck reduced his humor down to a smile. "I've already been reprimanded for my big mouth, so I might as well give you something else to smile about until they get back."
Stopping in his tracks, Peter caught Chuck's arm. "You've been reprimanded?"
Softening his smile, Chuck appreciated the concern the older agent was showing. "Don't worry about it, Peter. My boss has long since learned that I'm going my own way on some things, no matter what she says. This, this is something about our mutual friend. Although Neal might not be thrilled I've told you so much, he will be thrilled to have your friendship back. He knows I like to fix things, and after the ways he has fixed things in my life, this is tame in comparison."
"Why would Neal be upset?" Peter frowned at the comment. Following Chuck's direction that their conversation would be better had in the privacy of his office, he began walking again.
Looking thoughtful, Chuck tried to find the right words until they were enclosed in the office above. "Neal, he is more prone to follow the rules on some things than I am, as contradictory to his recent behavior as that may seem. The man knows how to balance when to do as he is told, and when to go off script. He likes to keep anything about himself that might endanger others private, even if it means he is lonely with no one to lean on. According to the records I've recently been allowed to see, he is used to handling things on his own and keeping everyone at a distance."
"What could be dangerous about him?" Peter was even more puzzled as he took his seat. That didn't fit with the person he knew, other than the potential risk of an old enemy. "Is there someone from his past that could be a threat?"
Leaning on a chair before sitting as well, Chuck answered calmly. "Neal and I are both second generation. However, he is more used to the possibility of danger coming from the criminal world or corrupt law enforcement. He wasn't as protected from it as I was, so he bore the brunt sooner and it shaped him differently. Posing as Caffrey, it bears the risk of his father's problems finding him." It wasn't a detailed warning, but it meant Peter might be able to help Neal should anyone bite the bait he presented himself as.
Sitting back into his seat as he absorbed that, Peter tapped his fingers together in thought. "So, Neal keeps secrets about himself for his own protection and in the hopes of keeping anyone who might go after him from taking us down with him. He is an idiot!" Peter huffed in frustration.
Laughing again, Chuck agreed. "He is an idiot sometimes. I think that comes from his lack of support growing up, he doesn't like to put his problems onto other people."
"I take it this is another incidence of you opening your big mouth to say something Neal and your bosses won't like?" Peter had the suspicion that more trouble would come in the future.
Running his finger alongside his nose as a common signal, Chuck answered with a smile. "Neal has always been in danger, every day he lives as Neal there is a risk of them coming after him. Although he hopes to find the persons posing a threat to his family, it increases the odds of something happening to him someday. You knowing he inherited trouble that could attack through any means will be helpful to all of you."
Nodding, Peter was glad to know a little more about his friends, and grateful for the warning. "We'll do our best to help him if they do come. Thanks for the warning."
"Anytime." Chuck said as he got up and headed for the door. Then pausing with his hand on the knob as he stood in the doorway, Chuck turned to say one more thing. "Oh, and another thing you should know about Neal. There are many ways that Neal is more himself with you than even I've seen since before some events that transpired in school. You're a healing safe haven for him, remember that."
Meeting Chuck's eyes, Peter felt worse at first. He hadn't been much of a healing safe haven recently, but then he decided to do a better job when Neal returned. Rising to the challenge, his expression promised to help Neal settle back in when he returned.
Finishing the silent conversation, Chuck closed the door after stepping through the rest of the way. Then he went down to Neal's desk and took his seat to work on some investigating for the agency.
Undisclosed Location: Mountain Fortress
Infiltrating yet another location, Anderson sweated his way through the climb. Considering how hard these locations were to access, he could understand why it had taken time, but wondered if he was truly the only one capable of pulling this series of missions off. With a last grunt of exertion, he hefted himself up over the top of the ridge and rested for a moment. Unable to remain in the open for long or risk discovery he moved to crawl his way to the rocks where he could crouch for faster progress. Then he got behind a higher ridge where he could physically run. Reaching the corner of the fortress, he had one last obstacle to hurtle before he would be inside the target.
Sighing softly, he pulled out a few spikes and began the grueling climb up the rock face. It was harder for the pain of his skin stretching against the stitches in his back, but he had to keep going in order to complete the mission, and there was a ticking clock for him to complete the destruction of the organization before they could regroup and retaliate.
Peaking over the top, he took a moment to locate the patrolling guard before he slipped over the wall in the shadows. Hugging the fortification, he snuck along the shadows to the lookout tower before descending behind the guard to the compound below. Continuing to sneak along, he made it to the supply shed where he was able to discard his protective gear and reveal his matching uniform.
Moving back out without being noticed, he joined the general ranks of the soldiers and entered the main building for the morning change of the guard. Giving a basic report, he played off his role based on the local observations and was sent to the barracks.
Diverting away from the soldiers, he paused in a shadowed to watch the change of the guard until there was a gap for him to do his job.
When it was quiet again with the predawn lull, he moved to upload his worm into their computer system. Then he went to the armory to begin sabotaging their weapons. Moving through their defenses, he made sure the fortress would not be able to defend itself adequately.
On his way back towards the wall to leave, he heard a soldier comment about a new weapons system the organization had illegally purchased. Considering the magnitude of the explosives mentioned, he chose to remain longer in order to learn about the purchases. Fortunately, they were mostly at locations he hadn't reached yet, but their presence was something to be noted.
With his work done and the extra information gathered, he slipped back out through a side gate as was his custom. Muttering to himself about their weaknesses in security, he started the long climb back down the ridge until he could be picked up.
New York City: FBI White Collar
Sitting around the office and working on their cases, the team was surprised when Hughes called Peter out of his office and rallied the team around the televisions. Turning on some international news, he showed a report about the desert fortress being taken down by the Russians.
As the agents watched, they saw information depicting an old desert fortress built of stone and sand bricks reinforced with wood and modern day steel. It had been manned by a military organization formed of immigrants and the local militants they had recruited.
What they found particularly interesting, was that the personnel had either been asleep, knocked out by a concoction, or distracted by their failing technological infrastructure. No one had put up much of a fight, and the few wall guards aware of the invasion had been weakened by sabotaged weaponry.
The reporter had briefly touched the alleged presence of hostages being held in the fortress, but no one had been found. Showing various clips, they didn't dwell on the mystery for long.
Cheering, the office understood that this was indication of the enemy who had held Neal and Elizabeth being defeated, at least in part.
Settling down to hear what had happened to the treasure, the office smiled to listen to excited soldiers tell about finding piles of loot stolen from their people. Transitioning to the happy stories, the reporter put a heavier focus on the families crying over their lost belongings. It was a happy story, and distracted the viewers from the mystery of why the fortress had been so easily taken.
Watching the report with the rest of them, Peter had a different expression as he watched the footage show prison cells and the discovery of a blood stained suit filled with holes. He worried about what the situation had put his wife and friend through. While the others cheered for their freedom, he focused on what their captivity entailed.
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