Assignment pending.

The two words repeated themselves in Neal's mind.

The case was a good one. True to Diana's claim, they had also gotten the best locations to investigate. After an hour in Peter's office going through their assignment, he had to admit he was looking forward to it. There was a chance to get out of the city, to work side by side with Peter, and a chance to really prove himself. He was feeling positive anticipation for the first time in a while.

But then there were the contingencies preceding the case.

He realized 'assignment pending' could have been an empty threat. Maybe nothing to worry about. The anklet would eventually be back. Peter often made lots of empty threats.

Neal considered that for a moment, feeling slightly more optimistic, but then once again changed his assessment. There were plenty of times that Peter followed through with his threats as well. He seemed pretty adamant this time that being on the case meant no loose strings on the anklet.

He considered that he could make the argument that this missing anklet and its delayed return couldn't directly be attributable to him…

Wouldn't work. He knew that.

Neal sighed as he drummed his fingers across his desk. At eleven thirty, he was starting to feel just a little bit uneasy. He hadn't heard from Mozzie since he'd called him from Peter's office earlier that morning before the briefing on the case. He was hesitant to reach out again, knowing his friend already knew he needed the anklet back at noon and would let him know if there was risk of that not happening. He also felt like if he reached out, he might possibly hear something he didn't want to hear, and he wanted to avoid that as long as possible.

He'd taken a handful of files from Peter's office when they finished talking. Location write-ups, coordinates, pictures, and other details. While Diana and Peter had alluded to a lot being done on the case in the last twenty-four hours, he knew he was not part of that contribution and was anxious to catch-up.

Talking with Peter one-on-one about the case had been good. He felt like he was back to a clean slate. He was looking forward to working closely with the older man, and heading to an alternate site. That excitement lasted until they ended the conversation, closing comments offered by Peter before he had to take a meeting with Hughes. Those comments loomed in Neal's mind now; there had been yet another reference to the missing anklet accompanied by a look that meant business. Neal had refrained from any verbal response (what good would it do?) and had simply nodded before leaving his handler's office.

He had then resigned himself to his desk, focused on the case files, ankle slightly aching and eyes incessantly tempted to glance at the clock.

After a few minutes of staring at the same paragraph of the page in front of him multiple times, he paused and looked up at Peter's office from his desk. The noon deadline was nearing. He was slightly surprised (but relieved) that Peter didn't seem similarly focused on the clock. Had he been, putting pressure on the narrowing timeline, Neal was prepared to unabashedly assure him that it wasn't noon yetwith an air of assurance and feigned annoyance at Peter's premature inquiry.

That didn't happen.

At eleven forty five, as he started to debate potentially reaching out to his friend or developing a better justification on why his case involvement should be unpaired from this missing anklet, his phone started to buzz.

He answered it on half a ring. "Moz."

"Neal," came the even tone over the line. "I'm here. Come downstairs."

"Do you have it?"

"Alfa. Tango. Sierra."

Neal rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair with a smirk. "What, Moz – you don't want to come up?"

"Are you kidding me? Alfa. Tango. Sierra," Mozzie responded back, nearly in a hiss.

"They don't bite, Moz."

Mozzie's tone grew exasperated. "That's not exactly what you said a week ago. Do you want this thing or not, Neal? Honestly, to me this device is just as good in the trash, and the longer I risk standing this close to a federal building—."

"Fine, fine. Moz, calm down. I'm coming."

"Thought so... And you only, Neal. No federal sidekicks. I'll wait five minutes."

"Sidekicks?" Neal couldn't help but repeat with sarcasm.

The phone line went dead.

Neal sighed. Typical Mozzie.

He pushed himself up from his desk, brushing aside the case files he'd been reviewing. Alfa Tango Sierra was Mozzie's covert way of providing the letters 'ATS' to Neal. The military alphabet was simple enough to understand. Fortunately, he was used to Mozzie, and his code - it meant nothing more than that Mozzie was across (A) the (T) street (S). Normally Neal would tease Mozzie a little over his need for such clandestine measures in otherwise benign situations, though the paranoia was a somewhat charming quality of his oldest friend. Given his earlier faux pas in putting Mozzie on speaker phone, he wasn't exactly surprised as the extra measure of caution, despite the lack of necessity.

On his way to the exit doors, Neal glanced once at his watch and then up at his handler's office before leaving the floor.

After an impatient elevator ride down to the street level, Neal walked out onto the sidewalk and readily spotted Mozzie across the street near a newsstand. He looked both ways before quickly crossing the street to reach his friend.

"Alfa, tango, sierra," Neal confirmed with a smile as Mozzie gave him an edgy stare. "Found you."

"So you did." Adjusting his glasses, Mozzie regarded him without returning the smile. "While I appreciate the invitation upstairs, Neal, I think I'll avoid setting foot into any federal building if possible. Not to mention that I've had enough time with the Suit this week already. Unscheduled no less."

Neal recalled Mozzie's quick exit from his apartment the evening before and gave him a look. "Yeah. Right. Thanks for ditching me when he showed up, by the way."

"Ditching you?" Mozzie retorted. "You seemed in good hands."

"I bet that's what you thought," Neal replied. He dismissed the thoughts of the earlier night. "So where is it?"

Mozzie held up a brown paper lunch bag in his hand. "Voila."

"And it's in one piece?" Neal asked, reaching to take the bag from him. Once in his possession he peered into the bag skeptically.

"What do you take me for?" Mozzie responded sarcastically. "Of course it's in one piece. Wouldn't want the Feds getting their panties in a wad."

Neal rolled his eyes. But then he spoke sincerely. "Thanks, Moz. I appreciate it." He paused, debating his next words before speaking. He looked up from the paper bag to meet his friend's eye. "And I don't suppose he had enough time to actually take a look at it, and discover any ways out of this thing, right?"

Mozzie raised his eyebrows. "So now you expect that in the truncated timeline that you provided that he did a full workup and recon analysis of it? Come on, Neal. You can't have your cake and eat it too." He shook his head. "He barely had time to lookat it from the outside before I asked for it back."

Neal nodded; the response was consistent with his expectations, and he knew he shouldn't have bothered with the wishful thinking or question, but he couldn't help but feel a slight bit disappointed. "Okay."

Mozzie studied his friend. "Maybe we'll get a chance another time," he responded softly. "They're sloppy once, they'll get sloppy again." He glanced behind Neal up at the federal office building. "On that note… I think my proximity to the Feds is wearing too thin."

"Thanks again," Neal said earnestly. "But one thing before you go…"

Mozzie looked at him curiously. "Yes?"

"Peter and I are probably going to be headed out of town," Neal responded. He wasn't sure why he was saying 'probably' when it was an actuality as soon as the next morning arrived, especially since he was now returning the infamous anklet on time. He supposed he wanted to gauge his friend's opinion of the idea before admitting to the certainty of it.

"Why?" Mozzie seemed skeptical. "And where?"

"Not every case is in the five boroughs, Moz."

"Clearly, Neal. But he's taking you?"

Neal tilted his head at the comment, frowning slightly. "Yeah. Why not?"

Mozzie seemed to reconsider his answer before replying. "Well, then again… I suppose if you go with him, he doesn't have to speculate about what you're up to without him. I guess that makes sense. Smart actually."

Neal reflected on that, digesting the statement with mixed feelings. Was that why he was paired with Peter on the case? Was that the reason that Peter would take him with him? Versus genuinely wanting him on this case for his input? Because leaving him behind was more of a liability? Because he didn't trust him?

Before he could question his friend's perspective, the man was voicing his exit strategy once again.

"Listen, Neal. I've got to go." Mozzie's eyes were glancing back up towards the federal building again. "Let me know where you're headed when you find out. I'll make sure we have eyes there."

Neal nodded, once again not verbalizing a response at then end of a discussion. Mozzie simply gave him a nod before disappearing into the crowd.

Neal stayed stationary for a moment. He looked down at the bag in his hands again and then back behind him at the office building.

Peter was deep into the details of coordinating their trip, mapping out the sequencing of events. He was realizing the larger than on the surface task ahead of them, and the whole team, to orchestrate what they needed to over the next few days.

It was five minutes to noon when Neal walked through his office door and dropped a paper bag on his desk. It landed with a loud thud against the wood, a pen spinning out of its way upon impact.

Peter caught the pen before it rolled off his desk. He looked first at the package and then up towards Neal, who looked pleased.

"Lunch is served," Neal said with a smile.

"Clever," Peter muttered, reaching for the bag. He took it by the bottom edge and held it upside down, letting the anklet fall onto the desk by itself.

He hadn't been too concerned about the deadline. Telling Neal his participation in the case was directly linked to that deadline was simply to ensure he got the old anklet back as soon as he could. It made him nervous the longer Mozzie had the damn thing, but if there was a delay, he was resigned not to worry until he got the sense it wasn't coming at all.

It looked intact. "Anything to know about?" He looked up at his CI curiously.

Neal shrugged earnestly and shook his head. "I don't think so, Peter. It should be in exactly the same condition as when you had it last night."

"Better be…" Peter responded thoughtfully, eyeing the device critically. He couldn't tell. The last thing he needed was an accusation that someone had tampered with the thing beyond the strap being severed. He wanted to tell Neal that – that this could all reflect on him and his sentence if there was even a hint of tampering, but he refrained. He didn't feel like having that discussion. He hoped it wasn't the case. "I'll give it to Jones to get back to them." He looked up again, and this time caught Neal glancing backwards towards the door with that posture he'd learned to know meant the other man was distracted. "What else, Neal?"

"Huh?" Neal turned back, standing with his weight shifted to one side. He met his handler's eye. "Nothing. Just thinking about the case."

Peter wondered if the stance was related to the injured ankle or was simply a change in position. "Good. You have any thoughts from the files you've been through so far?" There were some leads highlighted in the materials he'd handed over to Neal, but he was curious what take the younger man might have. Neal had a unique way of assessing cases.

"I think I need more time to go through it," Neal replied a little vaguely. He paused and then shifted his weight yet again. "Peter… Why are you bringing me along with you instead of Diana?"

"Because I need someone here that I trust to stay back and coordinate with everyone," Peter said without hesitation at the question. He shrugged as if there was no other alternative answer. "That's clearly Diana."

Neal nodded slowly. "Okay. And Jones?"

"Jones already has an assignment on this case nearby. He just couldn't make the briefing this morning. Why?"

"Just wondering," Neal replied. He cleared his throat and then slowly added, "We've never really gone anywhere outside the city together. I mean, not more than like an hour away anyway."

Peter chuckled. "That's not completely true, Neal… We have."

Neal frowned for a brief second, as though puzzled by the response, but then immediately gave a small smile, eyes conveying mischief. "Peter… What you're referring to doesn't count. I was several steps ahead of you those times..."

"Very funny," Peter answered.

"Several," Neal repeated and gave him a look. "I'm serious. Across different borders even."

"Well, I guarantee this time we'll both be within the same border, Neal," Peter responded. "But back to your original statement – Why are you pointing that out? Don't you want to come with me?"

"I do," Neal affirmed. He masked any indication of otherwise. "Just making an observation."

"Okay, well I need more observations related to the case," Peter responded. "Get back to those files and see what else you can make out."

Neal began to turn to leave and then suddenly turned back. "What about the anklet?"

Peter reached for the returned, defunct anklet on on his desk, lifting it and raising his eyebrows. "What about it?" he asked.

"No, Peter. Not that one. This one." Neal gestured down at his feet.

"That one stays on," Peter replied.

"You said you'd—"

"I said I'd think about it, and I did think about it," Peter interjected, a little brusquely. "And I spoke to Hughes. It stays on."

Neal pressed his lips together, facial expression flashing a hint of frustration for a second before turning back into a nonchalant mask. He then let out an unemotional response of, "Okay."

"Doesn't mean anything," Peter persisted, "except following protocol. Radius can easily be changed or turned off and on again. There's no reason not to keep it on you."

Neal nodded, as though accepting this. "So you'll change the radius…. Or turn it off?"

Peter frowned at him. "Neal," he said. "Just know it stays on. That's all you have to worry about."

"Got it," Neal answered.

Peter scrutinized him slightly but then just nodded towards the door. "Go finish going through those files, Neal. We've got one more briefing to get through and an early morning tomorrow."

Neal nodded. He stepped further towards the door of the office, but then slowly asked, "Are the places in the files you gave me where we're going?" Neal asked. "There's more than a few."

"Yes, I told you that earlier, Neal."

"You did…. But did you know one of them is only accessible by helicopter?"

Peter smiled and leaned forward, resting his arms on his desk. "Yes, I knew that."

Neal looked a little bit more inquisitive. "You didn't mention that earlier."

Peter shrugged. "I suggest you finish going through the files, Neal."

He watched his CI smile. The younger man then turned to leave his office. Once he left, Peter sighed, glancing down at the paperwork on his desk. It was going to be a packed next few days.