Chapter 4: Setting Sail

June's mansion. Sunday, November 12, 2006

Neal had expected Richard would come to the strategy session with Travis but Aidan was a welcome surprise. "I thought you were arriving on Wednesday," Neal said as he greeted them.

"Keiko and I turned your wedding into a business trip," Aidan said smugly. "Scima wanted me to train at their SoHo branch and I managed to finesse it for this week. Did we succeed in surprising you?"

"Mission accomplished! Is Keiko at Sara's shower?"

Aidan nodded. "That was another reason we decided to arrive early. She's been conspiring with Angela on the details."

"Aidan and Keiko joined us for dinner last night," Richard said. "Travis happened to mention the Black Diamonds, and Aidan promptly stowed away."

"Does Keiko want to join the crew as well?" Mozzie asked.

"You know she's as much a swashbuckler as the rest of us." Aidan turned to Neal. "You remember when we visited the tunnels at MIT last spring and joked about the pirate certificate the university planned to offer? Now we're going to do the real thing!"

Neal exchanged smiles with Mozzie. The con had just been supersized. He'd already asked for Richard's help with disguises. The concept artist was teaching a course on special effects makeup at Columbia. He claimed it was primarily so he could have access to their workshop. Neal wasn't sure if they'd need disguises but Richard, who was even more enamored with pirates than he was, insisted on participating in the Black Diamonds. Neal could now put Richard's skill to good use.

"Henry's our captain," Mozzie said. "Does he know about you and Keiko sneaking on board? I wouldn't want you to have to walk the plank."

"I called him last night," Travis said. "He's inducted Aidan and Keiko into the crew and told them you and Neal are in charge of their assignments."

"I'm surprised Henry's not here," Aidan said.

"He and Eric are . . ."—Neal turned to Travis—"Where did you say they were?"

Travis rolled his eyes. "You know very well I haven't mentioned it. If I spoiled Henry's surprise, he'd hang me from the yardarm."

"Gather around the poker table," Mozzie said. "We have a con to plot, and Neal still needs to make the secret map."

Not to mention rescue Alex. Much as Neal appreciated their help, they didn't have the personal connection he did. Aidan, Richard—even Travis—were treating it as a pirate adventure. And for them, that's the way it should be. They'd all be assigned safe tasks. The stress and risk would be on his shoulders. If the con blew up, he should be the only one to suffer the fallout.

Aidan smiled expansively as he took a seat. "Man, I've missed you guys. L.A. simply can't compare."

"Then why don't you come back?" Richard challenged. "While you're here, you should talk with Ian about possibilities in New York. Perhaps you could get a transfer. The lines between films and video games have blurred so much you might still feel like you're on a movie set."

"I just may, but first things first." Aidan turned to Neal. "Where are those fabulous gems we'll salt the treasure box with?"

"I haven't seen them yet either." Neal gestured to Mozzie. "Athos is in charge of them."

Mozzie pulled out a pouch from his jacket. "Travis, I believe you have the receptacle?"

Travis placed a thin leather case on the table. "I had our lab whip this up based on the specs Mozzie gave me."

The case was lined in ivory velvet. "This is the treated fabric?" Neal asked, examining it closely.

"Yep, this is my baby," Travis said, eyeing it with all the pride of a new father. "It's fitting that you beta it since I got the idea from Mozzie's tunnel slime."

Aidan grinned. "The extraterrestrial fractal slime?"

"The very same," Travis agreed. "And the one the Slimebusters at SETI are still working on."

"And will solve in the fullness of time," Mozzie declared. "I have a new theory—"

"Which you can discuss later," Neal said firmly. "I'd like to conclude this before the women return from the shower."

Mozzie sighed but waved his hand for Travis to proceed.

"The fabric has been engineered to send a signal which can be picked up by a fractal antenna. By using fractal technology, I can mask the signal to prevent it from being picked up by standard bug detectors."

Richard turned to Neal. "What I don't understand is how will this help you."

"You soon will." Mozzie opened the pouch and dropped a ruby and a sapphire onto the velvet.

Aidan's mouth dropped. "Are those genuine?"

Mozzie shook his head. "No, but they're top-quality synthetics. Only an expert could detect their true nature, and we already know Buzek isn't one. Burma is famous for its rubies and sapphires. These gems will have Buzek licking his lips."

Neal pulled out a loupe and scrutinized the ruby. Even under magnification, it looked surprisingly authentic although the telltale signs of a manmade stone revealed themselves to the careful appraiser.

Aidan's brow furrowed. "Travis told me Sara is playing the part of a gem smuggler. She'll offer these to Buzek. I don't understand why you need to track them. Are you worried he'll make off with them?"

"No," Neal said. "The standard procedure is for Buzek to provide a check as a down payment. Sara will arrange for a mutually convenient time to return after he's had them appraised."

"Which will be after the con has already ended," Richard supplied with a knowing smile.

Neal nodded. "Exactly, but Travis's fabric will supply me with the exact location of where Buzek stores them. Given enough time, I'd eventually discover it on my own, but time will be in short supply."

Aidan's eyes widened. "You're going to break into his safe to retrieve the music box?"

"Nothing as straightforward as that. If I stole the music box, Buzek wouldn't have any reason to keep Alex alive. Henry will string him along, making him eager to take us on as partners."

"I suspect that's what Alex is trying to do as well," Mozzie mused. "In the past, she attempted to establish a working relationship with Adler. She won't let a little thing like being held a prisoner keep her from bargaining."

"How can Keiko and I help?" Aidan asked.

Neal smiled at Mozzie. "A Phoebe Cates could be useful."

"Especially if the suits are as predictable as we believe they are," Mozzie agreed.

"Time out," Aidan declared. "Who's Phoebe? Another Black Diamond?"

"She's a what not a who," Neal explained. "It's a con where you distract the mark, and both you and Keiko are ideal for it." He nodded at Richard. "With the appropriate disguises, of course."

#

"I thought we were going to Janet's warehouse," Sara said, puzzled by the route the driver had selected.

June was acting very mysterious. She'd turned down Sara's offer to drive them in June's Jaguar, insisting on taking a taxi instead. When their ride arrived, the cabbie already knew the destination. He drove straight past the garment district and took a left turn toward the Lower East Side.

Janet knew that Sara and Neal had stipulated no gifts on the wedding invitations. They'd asked anyone wanting to do something to make a donation in their name to their favorite nonprofit. So, when Janet told her about the shower, Sara wasn't sure what to expect. All Janet had said was that it would be an experience, and if Sara was very clever she could find out the honeymoon destination.

That was an increasingly sensitive subject. When Sara had initially told Neal to surprise her, she hadn't stipulated for how long. Now they were due to leave in less than a week, and she didn't know what to pack.

"Why did you think we'd go to her warehouse?" June asked.

"Janet knows how much I love costumes. We're not having gifts. I thought we might wander through some of the Broadway collections."

June shrugged. "That doesn't sound like much of a special experience. Janet would be happy to give you a tour anytime."

"True, but she mentioned I could discover where we'll spend our honeymoon."

"That would be helpful," June agreed. "The Baltimore contingent is arriving on Wednesday. I'm sure your aunt Celeste, Noelle, and her mother would love to help you shop, as would I. You'll be on vacation then." She patted Sara's hand. "We'll just have to hope for the best." She glanced out the window. "We're almost there."

Sara's eyes widened. They were in a dense area of housing projects and low-income neighborhoods. Her confusion turned to happiness when the taxi pulled up in front of the Lower Eastside Girls Club. She'd heard about the organization, the only one of its kind in Manhattan, but she didn't realize Janet was involved with the group. This was one experience she couldn't wait to start.

The Girls Club worked with disadvantaged middle and high school girls. Sara had seen the organization featured on a news show and had been impressed by the range of ethnicities represented. The club offered classes in a wide range of subjects, with STEM classes among the most popular. Sara had a moment of panic. Surely Janet wouldn't ask her to tutor chemistry. She'd be doomed.

June led her to an empty classroom where Janet, Angela, Diana, Christie, El, Tricia, and Maggie Feng were waiting for her. Seeing Keiko there was a delightful surprise.

"I've been mentoring here for years," Janet explained. "The fashion design classes are very popular. I've gotten other designers to help as well. We also donate surplus fabrics. For this afternoon, I have something unique in mind. Each of us will work with a team consisting of one girl from the fashion design class, one girl from the martial arts group, one from the dance group, and one from the drama class."

Sara glanced around the room. "And you're all part of the conspiracy?"

"So much so, we all signed up to volunteer afterward," Tricia said. "I'd love to see a Girls Club in Brooklyn."

"And the Upper West Side is in desperate need of one," June added. "Girls come from all over the city to attend this club, but there's not enough space for everyone."

Janet brought in their teammates. Sara would be working with a girl from Haiti, a Latina, and two Asian girls. They ranged in age from twelve to fourteen.

Once everyone was assembled, Janet explained their challenge. "Our bride-to-be Sara is our inspiration. She's a girl who loves to travel and craves adventures. Each team will need to dream up an adventure for her to go on and design an outfit to wear. I've assembled stacks of fabrics. We won't have enough time to make the outfits but the fashion designer on each team will sketch what it will look like and pick the fabrics. You can place your adventure in the past, present, or future. It can be any place on Earth or another planet or outer space. When I call time, each team will need to describe their concept. Any invented dances or martial arts techniques are welcome. Finally—and this is key— each team except Sara's will display a letter of the alphabet on the outfit. Sara will need to solve the anagram to know where her honeymoon will be. We'll have two hours with plenty of time for snacks provided by Elizabeth. After we've made the presentation, we'll continue the party at Pomona's Garden."

That restaurant was part of a new chain of organic garden-style restaurants. Sara was as eager as the girls to go there.

To the accompaniment of much giggling, they got started.

#

"You couldn't have picked a better location for our honeymoon!" Sara exclaimed happily.

Neal grinned at her enthusiasm. He'd known in advance she'd love it since some of their favorite restaurants featured its cuisine. Sara had spent several minutes regaling him with stories of her afternoon. They'd lit candles in the loft so the clutter would be less noticeable.

When Sara returned home, he gave her the complete honeymoon itinerary. "I know of several women who will arrive in New York in a few days and would love to help you shop."

"And I'll be delighted for their company, but I may not buy that much so we can shop locally. I think they'd also like to visit the girls club. I didn't realize that Diana and Maggie are already mentoring the martial arts class. El was interested in the cooking school."

The "Born to be Wild" ringtone on Neal's cell phone interrupted her. That meant it was Peter. "You better take it," she said.

"Are you free to talk?" Peter asked.

"Sure. What's up?" Neal said, smiling in anticipation.

"Jones called me a little while ago. He got a report from an informant that Alex Hunter is in the city."

"Really? Any specifics?"

"No, Jones wondered if I'd heard anything about it. Neal, is she one of the wedding guests?"

Neal winked at Sara. "We didn't invite her. She's a wanted fugitive, after all."

"Under rather dubious circumstances," Peter reminded him. "The jewelry was never confirmed to be in her possession, and all the pieces were recovered. The Vermeer she thought she was stealing was actually a painting you'd forged, and you never pressed charges."

"True, but she did flee from custody. As I recall that's a crime."

Peter exhaled. Neal knew he yearned to swat him down. "Since you're so knowledgeable about the legal justice system, do you have any advice on how to handle it?"

"I assume Jones will try to apprehend her," Neal said blandly. "He knows how slippery Alex was in past encounters. He'll probably want to take Diana along. But hey, I'm not in charge of White Collar. I can't tell him what to do."

"Why do I get the feeling you're playing us?" Peter demanded, his exasperation on prominent display.

"Peter, I'm wounded. Wouldn't it be a feather in Jones's cap to capture her?"

Another moment of silence on the other end as Peter probably counted to ten. "All right, if this is the way you want to play it. Jones called me as a courtesy. If you're involved in something with Alex, now's the time to speak up."

"So soon before my wedding? I'm a bit busy now."

"Right."

Sara looked troubled as Neal ended the call. "Peter's frustration is showing. I wish we could fill him in."

"So do I, but we can't let him know about Alex's attempt to steal the music box. Plus, the actions I'm planning are illegal. If I told Peter, his ethical dilemma would make a mockery out of his current frustration. On the other hand, if we keep the Bureau completely out of the loop, Buzek could escape. He's guilty of extortion and kidnapping not to mention a long history of crimes for which there hasn't been sufficient evidence."

"Buzek could be responsible for Conte's death. He may still have the mobster's jewelry collection. Recovering them legally will require Bureau assistance." She winced. "I just hope Peter won't be angry with us."

"Me too," Neal said. "Two more days, and we'll have it behind us."

#

Peter called Jones while waiting for El to return home. "Neal said he didn't invite Alex to the wedding. He laid it on thick about how you should go ahead and arrest her."

Jones snorted. "In other words, we've become part of his crew. I wonder what kind of scam he's running."

"I wish I knew. Didn't I once mention how much more I enjoyed running with him than after him? Luckily for me, this is your area now."

"Not entirely," Jones retorted. "Remember this started with Caffrey giving you a heads up about the Lorimer Crew. "

"That could be unrelated to Alex's reappearance."

"Do you really believe that?" Jones asked skeptically.

"No," Peter admitted. "Have you ever asked Rusty about Mozzie?"

"Yeah, I did. Even showed him a photo I'd taken without his knowledge. Rusty claims not to know him. That convinces me he does. Mozzie has to be a known entity to all local fences."

Meaning Mozzie could have planted the information with Rusty. "So how do you want to handle it?" Peter asked.

"Go along with what they want. Both Neal and Mozzie are good friends. They wouldn't be doing this to harm us. I expect we'll wind up thanking them in the end. I appreciate you letting me talk this through."

"You're welcome. I've found it helpful as well. We could wind up in the showdown together."

"You think that's where we're heading?"

Peter hesitated only a moment. "We're being handed a lot of breadcrumbs. Do you see any other interpretation?"

"Not really. Normally, I'd run this through Diana, but she's so close to Mozzie, I don't know how she'd take it."

"It's a common problem. It's difficult to maintain objectivity with those two. I like your strategy," Peter added, not that Jones had voiced it but he needed a little encouragement.

Jones chuckled. "I'm starting to feel like a character in a video game, where the game's presenting me a set of options to choose from."

"Maybe it's time for us to seize control and create our own options," Peter suggested.

"You know I beat Mozzie several times when we played Silent Hunter. I'm gonna give Diana a call."

What wild scheme had Neal cooked up? Would it make Peter's work at Organized Crime seem dull in comparison? Honestly, hadn't it already done so? The people working for him were by and large fine agents—teams he was proud to work with. But imagination and creativity weren't qualities the assistant director encouraged.

#

Neal crossed his arms behind his head. "Just like old times. You and me in a surveillance van."

Travis chuckled. "Except Mozzie's the driver. Where'd he get this heap?"

Neal shrugged. "The usual—friend of a friend. It's better than the usual vehicle he borrows. The seats are much more comfortable." They were in what appeared to be a contractor's van. Mozzie was outside while Travis and Neal listened to the conversation going on in Daniel's penthouse. The leader of the Lorimer Crew lived in a 30-story high-rise complex in Brooklyn with magnificent views of the East River. The complex consisted of three towers of equal height.

In the morning, Sara and Raquel were at center stage. This afternoon, it would be his and Henry's turn. Neal gazed up to the roof. He couldn't wait for his high-wire act.

Sara and Raquel were both bugged. Normally, they wouldn't be able to use bugs since a man like Buzek would inevitably employ bug detectors. But Travis had developed uber-bugs that masked their signals from standard detectors through fractal technology.

Travis held up a hand. "They entered the penthouse."

Sara was wearing what she affectionately called her Thai assassin disguise. Richard had enhanced it with makeup. If Neal didn't know better, he would have sworn Sara was multiracial.

Raquel had called Buzek the previous afternoon. She told Neal getting an appointment wasn't difficult. These days, gemstones were one of the most popular tools for money laundering. Based on the mobster's profile, he wouldn't be able to resist the gems Mozzie had supplied.

So far, their conversation was proceeding without a hitch. As planned, Raquel was doing most of the talking. Sara's role was to maintain an aloof, exotic demeanor. Neal loved the slight foreign accent she used. It was impossible to know exactly which language it was based on, but it gave her character an added layer of mysterious intrigue. He hoped she'd use it more often. It was giving him ideas for their honeymoon.

"What happens if Buzek doesn't agree to the down payment?" Travis asked.

"He will," Neal said confidently. "He's built up a business relationship with Raquel. He needs her assistance with money laundering. He won't cheat her on the payment." Neal was counting on that payment as a consolation prize for Raquel and Alex. Raquel should be able to negotiate a handsome price for the ruby and sapphire.

Travis whistled soundlessly when Buzek agreed to pay fifty grand for the down payment. Buzek performed as expected. He said he'd notify them when the appraisal was done. Mozzie would intercept the call to the appraiser. With the help of a voice-altering device, he'd claim he was getting over a wisdom tooth extraction. The earliest he'd be available would be tomorrow afternoon—soon enough that Buzek wouldn't reach out to someone else but providing enough of a cushion to complete the con.

When Raquel and Sara left the penthouse, Neal watched the monitor with rapt attention. The little dot that represented the jewelry case moved through the floorplan into the main bedroom as Neal expected. It then stopped at an interior wall. He now knew the location of the safe. He expected that Buzek would have an expertly concealed cutting-edge system. Now Neal wouldn't have to spend much time searching for the location.

Travis handed him a small electronic wafer. "Treat this carefully," he warned. "It's the only model in existence, and I'm supposed to demonstrate it to the CIA later this week."

"I will," Neal promised. "And so will Mozzie. He's the one who will retrieve it."

"Will he need help getting into the penthouse?"

"No, he already has his scenario outlined. Can you take off from work this afternoon?"

Travis grinned. "For the filming of a live-action sequence? I wouldn't miss it. Richard's calling it a vacation day too. Aidan informed Scima that he needs to work on a Root32 project. Scima's been very tolerant of his moonlighting. Our company has helped them out with so much anti-malware that they view Aidan's work at Root32 as part of his responsibilities with Scima."

Neal heard an iambic pentameter knock on the driver's door. It was quickly followed by Mozzie slipping into the seat. "Did our jewel fences have success?"

Neal nodded. "It went exactly as we hoped. They got fifty grand."

"Not bad," Mozzie said. "I would have been back earlier but I needed to determine the scope of the infestation."

"What infestation?" Travis asked.

"Suits," he said smugly. "One surveillance van. I listened to their chatter for a while. They're with Organized Crime. They mentioned how their section head had reopened an old murder case brought against Daniel Buzek."

Travis looked at Neal inquisitively. "Had you planned this?"

Neal shrugged. "I'd hoped for something similar."

Travis's expression lightened. "This explains the filming."

Neal smiled. "Now you know why I was so pleased that Aidan offered to help."

"I'd thought we were simply keeping an eye out for cops."

"That too, but we expected Peter would respond in the way we hoped."

"They may spot you," Mozzie cautioned. "Their position is close to where you'll arrive."

"Not a problem," Neal assured him. This is one time he wouldn't mind being recorded. In fact, he'd like to have a copy.


Notes: I planted a few Easter eggs to canon stories in this chapter. Neal's interest in rubies from Burma was referenced in "Forging Bonds" and "What Happens in Burma . . ." The Phoebe Cates con was used in "On Guard." Mozzie's friend Rusty appeared in "Countdown."