6 - All In
"Do you have the account number?" Meilin asked as they stepped into the elevator.
Neal tapped the side of his head and nodded.
"And you're ready for this?"
He turned off the transmitter in his watch.
"Ready".
As the elevator began to rise, Meilin turned to him.
"I'm gonna give you a new account number to use… One the FBI can't trace. 131278871. Got it?"
He nodded.
"Repeat it to me".
"I got it".
"Relax, Neal. It's almost over".
Easy for her to say.
Stepping into the well-lit apartment, he was immediately stopped by two bodyguards who began to pat him down.
Lao saw him and smiled, "I apologize for the scene the other night. As you know, you can never be too careful".
"Oh, I completely understand" He replied easily, "I think you'll find this to be the beginning of a very rewarding relationship for both of us".
"I hope so" He replied, "Meilin speaks very highly of you, Mr Halden".
He gestured at the table and Neal obediently followed, respectfully bowing at the man with the laptop.
"The account number, if you please".
A quick glance at Meilin, and he knew what he had to do. Leaning forward under the pretence of watching the computer screen, he subtly slid two of the Pai Gow pieces off of the table and into his pockets.
"131278871".
The loading bar went up and up and up and-
Transaction Complete.
"And just like that, we are partners. We'll contact you in two weeks with your money, minus the 10% fee, of course".
"Of course" He nodded.
Lao gave him a suspicious look as he walked away with Meilin.
"All right, I did what you wanted" He muttered, "Now tell me who has Kate".
A USB stick was slipped into his pocket.
"It's all in there".
He studied her carefully.
"Hey, Lao. We never got to finish our game".
The man glanced up, somewhat annoyed but curious, and Meilin gave him a panicked look.
"I'll make it worth your while" He promised, "An extra 10% if you win".
"... Very well" He gestured at the table, "Come. Lose your money".
"What are you doing?" She hissed, and Neal couldn't help but smirk.
"Oh, I already transferred the money from your account" He taunted, "Doesn't matter what happens now, right?"
"One more hand and I'll have all of your money" Lao said, "Are you certain you want to go again?"
Neal made a show of looking panicked, before pulling off his watch and holding it up.
"Just to keep things interesting… My watch for yours".
He looked unconvinced.
"Come on, Lao. What's life without a little risk?"
"... Why not?"
He quickly pressed the transmitter button, and then gathered up the game pieces.
"You look worried".
He forced himself to remain expressionless.
"Do I?"
Neal picked up his glass, "Yung sing".
"Yung sing".
Laying out his tiles, Lao smirked.
"Some days, the tiles don't fall the way we want".
"Some days they do" He replied simply, "At least I lost my watch to a worthy adversary".
Meilin picked up the watch and studied it, before turning to him.
"It appears luck was not on your side today".
Sliding it onto Lao's wrist, he fought back a smirk, wondering just what the man would do if he found out the truth.
"Yes, luck has indeed deserted you".
Neal frowned, catching something… odd in his tone.
"Not only have you lost your money, but you have also lost your watch".
"Like I said, you were a worthy opponent".
"In more ways than one" Lao replied, "Mr Caffrey".
Jones frowned as there was an audible *click* and the mic went dead.
"He cut the signal".
Peter nodded, "What's important is when he turns it back on".
He fought back the worry in his chest and turned to Lauren, "Keep an eye on the bank account".
Ten minutes later, and that anxiety was only increasing.
"Any movement on the account?"
Cruz shook her head, "Nothing".
He checked his watch.
"Come on, Neal".
He hadn't been happy letting the ex-con go back into the field after what he told him about the Interpol agent. The other agency just wanted their money, and he was afraid that they wouldn't hesitate to step on him to do so. Between that, and Meilin's so-called "information" on Kate…
He just hoped that Neal wouldn't end up hurt.
"The signal's back" Jones announced, and Peter quickly turned to him as there was a clacking sound.
"What is that?"
He frowned.
"That sounds like... dominoes".
Just as he was about to ask what the hell their CI was doing, his voice came over the speakers crystal clear.
"Just to keep things interesting… My watch for yours".
Peter felt a grin slowly coming over his face.
If Lao took the bet, they'd have him.
… He did.
"Good work, Neal" He breathed, turning back to Lauren, "Any change in the account?"
"None" She replied, "But from the way they're talking, it's almost like Lao's already gotten his money".
"Faulty equipment?"
She shook her head, "Nothing wrong with it that I can see… Are you sure you gave Caffrey the right account number?"
"Of course".
"Maybe he just remembered it wrong?"
He scoffed, "The only time Neal remembers something wrong, is when he wants to, on purpose".
"Peter…" Jones sounded concerned, "You should hear this".
"-indeed deserted you" Lao was saying, "Not only have you lost your money, but you have also lost your watch".
Did he sound… threatening?
"Like I said, you were a worthy opponent".
Neal's voice was even, but somewhat tense.
"In more ways than one. Mr Caffrey".
Jones immediately pulled off his headset, "Do we go in?"
Peter hesitated.
One one hand, Lao wasn't exactly known for being lenient to his enemies.
But on the other… Neal had salvaged similar operations in the past.
"Peter? Do we go in?!"
"... No" He finally replied, "Let's wait awhile, give him time. We don't have what we need yet, and Neal knows it".
Jones remained unconvinced looking, but reluctantly picked back up the headset.
"-knew something was off about you".
"I don't know what you're talking about" Neal replied calmly, "I didn't bring the cops that night".
"So you said".
"I swear it! If I were working for them, then why did I try and escape? Why did I let Meilin bring me to that hotel room?"
"For precisely this reason!" Lao snapped, "Plausible deniability, is it not?"
"Look, I don't know who you've talked to, or what you've heard, but my name is Nick Halden and I don't work for the police".
"You're right, you don't".
Peter let out a sigh of relief.
"But you work for the FBI as Neal Caffrey".
From behind him, Lauren began suiting up, grabbing her jacket, holster, and weapon.
There was a brief silence over the comms, before a pained grunt, a startled yell, and the sudden sound of a body hitting the floor.
Peter froze, heart pounding in his ears.
"The strange thing is" Lao began, "even though my profits are one hundredfold in business, a victory with the tiles is supremely more satisfying".
"The American had no talent".
That was the voice of one of his bodyguards.
Peter tried not to dwell too much on the past tense of 'had'.
"They rarely do".
"The outstanding parcels have been delivered".
Lao hummed, "And the body?"
Not Neals not Neals not Neals not-
"Disposed of, sir".
"Good. A dirty business. It will be a relief to be home".
There was a clinking of tiles, the scrape of a chair, and then-
"What do you want me to do with Caffrey?"
"... Kill him" Lao said, "Bury him with the other agent".
They had him.
"Alright move in, move in!" Peter ordered, "We have enough to arrest him, so go! Go! Go!"
Kicking in the door to the bare apartment, they rushed in as one, shouts of "FBI!" "Lower your weapons!" "Hands where we can see them!" echoing throughout the concrete room.
Lao immediately jumped to his feet, his bodyguards drawing their guns, but a warning shot from Agent Cruz had them quickly surrendering, even as their boss made a run for it and Jones put a bullet in his knee.
Peter began reading them their rights automatically, eyes searching around the room frantically trying to find Neal. There was a kitchen island counter across from him, and as the men were arrested one by one and the general ruckus died down, he could hear voices from behind it. Keeping his weapon raised, he cautiously made his way around, steps silent on white tiles.
The first thing he saw, was Meilin kneeling on the cold floor, her hair askew and her cream qipao partly ripped.
The next thing he saw, was Neal.
Propped up against the kitchen counter, his tie was wrinkled, his suit jacket rumbled, and his shirt collar was drenched in red. The entire left side of his face was covered in blood.
"Jones! Get paramedics up here, now!" He yelled, quickly holstering his weapon and rushing over.
"What happened? Neal? Neal!"
The man groaned but his eyes remained shut.
"Lao knew he was FBI" Meilin explained, "One of his men pistol whipped him and he fell. I dragged him behind here when you kicked the door down".
He reluctantly gave her a grateful nod. As much as he hated the Interpol agent, she had just potentially saved Neal's life.
He ran a hand through the younger man's hair, trying to find the wound. His hands became red and sticky, but he'd already lost three shirts to Neal's injury prone nature before, so what was one more?
"Ambulance is on the way" Lauren reported, walking around the counter to them, "Is he…?"
"Conscious" He said, "But just barely".
She nodded, "I'll check the bathroom for a first aid kit".
"It's behind the mirror!" Meilin called after her.
Peter pressed his hands against the wound, and tried to block out Neal's pained whimper in response.
"How do you always manage to end up in these situations?" He muttered, "At least Lauren wasn't here, this time. You're twice as much trouble when she's around".
"I tried to stop-"
"Don't" He interrupted, refusing to even look at Meilin, "You used him for your own gain".
"And what you're doing is so different?"
"Yes!" He snapped, "I'm not leading him on a- a wild goose chase! I'm trying to help him get over her, to move on, to- to change his life around".
"Once a criminal, always a criminal".
He shook his head, "Not Neal… That's not Neal".
"Peter".
He turned as Cruz returned, a red first aid box in her hands.
Meilin quickly moved out of the way for her.
"I'll be in contact. Lao was still our man".
"Lao was and is our arrest" He shot back, "And once I explain to Interpol just how you allowed our undercover man to get sent to hospital… Well. I think they'll be glad to let us have him, don't you?"
She gave him a dirty look, but said no more before storming off.
Lauren gave him a knowing look, "Allowed, boss?"
"... So I may have stretched the truth a little" He admitted, "But it was still negligence, worst case scenario!"
She smiled to herself, and ripped open the gauze patch to press against Neal's head.
"This makes it concussion number three, right?"
"Same amount of times that I caught him".
There was a pained snort.
"Liar".
They both turned, only to find glassy blue eyes staring back at him.
"How am I lying?" Peter demanded, "I put you in prison, I put you back in prison-"
"Because I let you".
"Because you- I caught you, fair and square!"
"Really?" He smirked tiredly, "Peter, checking the suspect's apartment is, like, step number one. It was hardly a chase".
"Not my fault you didn't run".
He rolled his eyes at him, and then immediately winced.
"What's number three?" He asked.
"Hagen's warehouse".
"Oh, come on! I led you there!"
"Still caught you".
Lauren cleared her throat pointedly.
"Ah, boys? As much as I love hearing you two bicker back and forth all day, he is kind of bleeding out here".
"'M not bleeding out" He groaned, closing his eyes again, "Heads wounds just… bleed a lot".
"A lot a lot" She corrected, "And Jones just texted that the paramedics are outside".
Helping him to his feet, Peter kept an arm around Neal's waist as he immediately stumbled again, and he saw Cruz do the same on his other side. He was beyond grateful for the elevator, not knowing how he'd have managed to carry the conman down all those flights of stairs, and before too long, there were men and women in white taking him off of them.
Loading him into the back of the ambulance, Neal suddenly reached out and caught his wrist.
"Lao?"
"Jones has him" Peter replied, "That trick with the watch worked".
"Oh yea?" He grinned, lazily, pain meds already making there way through his system.
"Anything good on the radio?"
