Everything Old is new Again

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Twenty-Two

Attack of the Siblings

Leaving Lilith and Albert behind, Sullivan raced down the driveway towards the back gate. "Just wanted you to know that I was never going to kill Peter. I'm not that stupid. If I killed an FBI agent, they'd be on my ass the rest of my life."

"Actually, the offer to not run was never on the table too," Neal said.

Sullivan stopped in front of the electronic gates and clicked the opener. With a groan two metal gates began sliding to the side. "I always knew that, you're a born liar, Caffrey. It's in your blood. I wouldn't believe you were dead unless I held your bloody beating heart in my hands."

"You really know how to paint an image with your words," Neal said.

Sullivan chuckled, "Yeah, it's a fucking gift. Like I told you, Peter was a fool, but not me. I'm taking you to a place where I'll make you start working for me. You're going to be making money just for me now. You know, Peter actually helped me. I was wondering how I was going to get you out of that place."

Seeing the surprised look on Neal's face he said, "Yeah, had that planned on the way here."

With the gates open, Sullivan drove past them and down a small, paved road. He tightly gripped the steering wheel. He was happy living in the mansion. He had a roof over his head, money coming in, and Lilith was not a bad lover. He wouldn't mind if it went on a lot longer. But he underestimated Peter Burke. He had no idea how he found the place so fast.

"I'll take the backroads," Sullivan said out loud. "I know just where to go, we'll lay low for a while. I still have contacts. I made lots of friends when I worked for the FBI. I'm calling in some favors."

He grinned widely as he looked at Neal. "You're going to be my asset from now on. You know how to run, I'm going to use that skill of yours. You'll know what to do to keep them from finding me." Nervously scratching the leather on the steering wheel, he softly said, "Yeah, it's gonna be fine."

Neal silently listened to Sullivan as he rambled on. This wasn't the end for him. His possibilities had opened up wide. He was out of the mansion, no guards to watch him. The threat to his friends was no longer there. He would look for his chance, and take it, he would…Neal suddenly realized that the car was sputtering and slowing down.

Noticing he was slowing down, Sullivan pressed harder on the gas pedal. When that didn't work, he looked at the dashboard. "What the fuck?" he angrily spit out. "Can this day get any worse?"

Neal glanced at the dashboard and brightly smiled. "It just got better for me. Seems you're out of gas. Guess Albert forgot to fill it up. Did you know he was having trouble with money?"

"Shut up!" Sullivan irritably shouted, as he slowly brought the car to the side. Parking the car, he angrily banged his fists on the steering wheel. "That cheap ass son of a bitch!" Getting out of the car he searched around. It was dark, the streetlights were few on this road. He could faintly see fields to each side. The wind was picking up, the lightning flashes were nearly over them. His thoughts raced as he tried to figure out his next move.

"Hey," he heard Neal shout. "Are we going to be here long? You said I knew how to run, just to let you know, this is the opposite of running."

Sullivan tightly fisted his hands. "Smart ass son of a bitch," he growled. This night was never going to end. The only plus side was seeing Peter getting his eyes scratched out by Lilith.

"Better you than me, Burke." Tiredly sighing, he went to get Neal. He was right, sitting here was not good. They had to start moving before the Marshall's found them.

Peter struggled to get Lilith off of him. He could see Sullivan had his gun at Neal's back. He violently pushed him out of the room.

"You ruined it all," Lilith screeched. Suddenly she felt arms grabbing her by the waist and pulling her off the agent.

"Lilith," Albert said. "We need to get out of here, NOW! You heard Sullivan, the Marshals are coming. If we don't leave now, you don't have to worry about buying the current fashion because you'll be wearing orange."

"I can't go to jail," Lilith sobbed. She looked at Peter. "He has to die, Albert. He saw our faces, we'll end up in prison."

"I know," Albert said. He picked up his dropped cane. "Always wanted to use this," he said, with a malevolent grin. He swiped the sharp blade back and forth. Peter quickly got up.

"Now, Albert," Peter said, as he moved his hands in a calming motion. "You don't want to do this. I'm an Agent for the FBI. If you kill me, they'd never stop searching for you."

"I'll take my chances. No one knows what we look like but you. My father saw to that. That's why I have to do this." Albert's mad grin turned crazier, "Always wanted to know what it felt like killing a man with this. I hear it's very personal."

"Hurry," Lilith hissed. "Get it over with, we need to get out of here."

As Albert approach Peter, Peter started backing up. He searched the room for something he could use to protect himself. He was about to grab the small table to throw it at Albert when a shot rang out.

The bullet hit Albert's hand, gasping he dropped his sword and gripped his hand. "You idiot!" Albert hissed. "You work for us."

Peter saw Nolano slowly stand up. Panting hard, he held his hand to his chest. His gun was pointed at Albert. "No longer. You have gone too far, I will not allow you to kill Mr. Caffrey's friend."

"Mr. Caffrey?" Lilith shouted. "You showed more respect for him than us."

"He earned it, you are beneath him, Lilith. I saw it, and your father knew it."

"Nolano," Peter said. "You don't have to kill them. I give you my word that I'll prosecute them to the full letter of the law."

Nolano weakly said, "Not to worry, Mr. Burke. I'm not going to kill them, but you need to get Mr. Caffrey back from Sullivan."

"It's too late," Peter said. "They have a head start. I've no idea where he took him."

Nolano shook his head, "Mr. Caffrey can help you."

"Nolano, I warn you, do not help him," Lilith said.

Nolano leaned on the couch. Lilith moved towards the door, Nolano shot his gun, the bullet whizzed past her. "Stand next to Albert or the next bullet will be in an arm or a leg," Nolano told her.

She slunk back to stand by Albert.

Peter could see Sullivan shot him in the chest. He had no idea how bad it was, but Nolano was right. He needed to go after Neal now before Sullivan went too far. "How is Neal going to help me?" Peter really had no idea how he was going to catch up with Sullivan. He was a smart man, he'd go underground with Neal.

He saw Nolano pull out a small black box from his pocket. "Albert put a tracker inside of him," he panted.

"Yes, Neal told me about it," Peter said.

"Damn you, Nolano," Albert angrily hissed. "You are going to pay for this betrayal."

"Shut the fuck up!" Nolano furiously shouted, as he handed the box to Peter. "Mr. Burke, with this you can find him." He covered Peter's hands in his large hand. "When Le Peintre knew he was dying, he had me give my word that once he was gone to protect Neal. He knew what his children would do to him once he died. He told me to use whatever it took to stop them."

"Stupid old man," Lilith said. "If it wasn't for the money, I would have ended his life long ago."

Nolano sadly shook his head, "He always knew what you thought of him, the only reason why he allowed you to live here was because you were his blood. I wanted to leave the day he died, but I stayed, for Neal. Please tell him I'm sorry, so sorry. I was weak. I was eager to have another artist in the house again, another Peintre. So, I helped them bring him back. I thought he would be happy to be here again. To paint again. But then I saw the sadness in Mr. Caffrey's eyes.

I taught him everything I knew about cards and picking pockets. It didn't take him long to surpass me. Please tell him that Peintre was very proud of how he turned out, Mr. Burke." Gulping, Nolano said, "Tell Neal I am also very proud of the man he grew up to be." He pushed Peter's hand away. "Now go, find him, save him." He kept his gun trained on Albert and Lilith. "I will make sure they are here when the Marshals arrive."

"I promise, Nolano," Peter said, "I'll find him and bring him back."

"You are a good friend, Mr. Burke."

"So are you, Nolano."

Peter took one last look at Nolano before he sprinted into the hallway. Jogging in the corridor he turned on the device. He saw a map come up. As he reduced the size, he saw a moving light blinking. "Got you, Neal, I'm on my way."

"Nolano," Albert pleaded. "Please let us go. You've known us since we were children."

Nolano struggled to hold his hand up, the gun seemed to be getting heavier. He felt a coldness deep inside. The bullet went clean through his chest. It was getting hard for him to breathe.

"Yes, I have, that is what makes me so sad." He started violently coughing. "To see how the both of you grew up to be so heartless….I am afraid that you will use the law to your advantage." He took in a deep breath, he felt a flush of fear, that was painful so painful.

"You will find a way to stay out of jail and then exact your revenge on Mr. Caffrey. He will never be safe as long as the both of you are alive." Nolano cocked his gun. "I'm sorry, but this has to end, it has to end now. I made a promise to protect Neal. I cannot allow you to ever hurt him again."

Peter ran though the hallways towards the front door. He suddenly stopped when he heard four shots echo through the corridor. He sadly shook his head, he knew what Nolano had done. He resumed sprinting down the corridor. The agent in him told him to go back, but his concern for a friend told him he needed to keep going.

Running outside he was immediately drenched. Rain was falling hard, flashes of lightening streaked across the night sky. Peter saw a car racing down the road. Jogging to the driveway, the car skidded to a stop next to him, it was Mozzie. The window slid down. "What happened?" Mozzie shouted to be heard above the thunder. "I saw the gates open and people fleeing like rats from a sinking ship. Did you find Neal?"

Peter opened the door and jumped into the car. He wiped the rain from his face. "I found him, Mozzie, but Sullivan received a phone call from someone telling him the Marshals were coming. He grabbed Neal and took off with him."

"Then we lost Neal again?" Mozzie gasped.

"No, we didn't." He held the box Nolano gave him. "They put a tracker in Neal. We'll be able to find him with this."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mozzie excitedly shouted. "Which way?"

Peter checked the blinking light on the box. He pointed ahead, "That way, Mozzie."

Mozzie slammed his foot on the gas. "Just tell me where to go, Suit. We're not losing him this time."

Sullivan dragged Neal out of the car. "Let's go."

"We're walking? In this?" Neal said, as he pulled him down the road. He looked up at the sky, it seemed to open up, he was soaked to the skin.

Sullivan glanced back, "Hopefully not for long. I'll find a place where I can steal a car. Then we'll be back on track." Sullivan was hopeful, this time Peter would have no idea how to find him.

Peter stared at the box as Mozzie drove down the road. "The back," Peter told him. "He's in that direction." They came upon open gates in the back of the estate. Mozzie sped up the car, it was a single lane road. He hoped they would be able to catch up to them. Suddenly Peter shouted. "STOP!"

"What's wrong?" Mozzie said, as he slammed on the brakes. The car skidded on the slick road.

Peter studied the box. "They stopped." The blinking light on the box was not moving. Mozzie stared at the black box. He saw the blinking light twitch. "It's moving, Suit. Just really slow."

"They must be on foot," Peter said.

Mozzie slowly drove the car down the road. He came to a stop next to a car on the side of the road.

"They took the red corvette," Mozzie said.

Peter jumped out of the car, he checked the corvette. Getting back in he said, "They ran out of gas. That's why they're on foot." He worriedly stared ahead. "I don't have my gun, but Sullivan has his. We need to figure this out carefully."

"I can pretend to be driving down the road and pick them up," Mozzie suggested.

Peter shook his head. "Sullivan knows what you look like. Neal showed me a folder with our pictures."

Mozzie thumbed behind him. "Suit, I came prepared. I have disguises in my suitcase in the trunk. He'll never know its me."

Peter looked back, "How big is the trunk?"

Mozzie winked at him, "I got you, Suit. I think some of Neal may have rubbed off on you."

Grinning, Peter said, "I'd like to think some of me rubbed off on him. Come on, let's hurry. I don't want them to get to far ahead."