Chapter 3: Hurt and Broken
Neal helps Peter to stand, he doubts the agent will be able to do so himself. Their eyes met and the silent question in Peter´s eyes get his answer. "I will shift and you have to lift me up to the window. I should be small enough to fit through the bars. I don´t know how long I will be able to hold it so hurry up. I will find help and get you out."
Peter nods, still in disbelieve what will happen soon and Neal takes all his courage to focus on his ability. He hadn't done this in twenty years. Fining this one point in his body that he needs to transform to change his from.
There it is. Like a little feather that had landed on the ground. Resting in a dark room waiting for someone to pick it up and let it free. Neal picks it up and feels his body change. The familiar pain returns but Neal ignores it. He needs to get Peter out of here. Get him back to Elizabeth.
Neal opens his eyes, he hadn't notice that he closed them and stares up at Peter who is looking at a bird where his CI had stood moments ago. Not just a bird a peregrine falcon. It seems as if Peter remembers his task as he carefully lifts Neal up to the window. His wings all hanging off him in the wrong angle, they are in the way but Neal manage to squeeze through the bars and fall a few centimetres to the ground.
The second he was free Neal shifts back and looks through the window. "I will get help, don´t worry." Neal doesn't wait for an answer. He stands up on shaking legs and walk through the industrial area until he finds something out of the past, a phone booth. He opens the door and presses the right numbers to get Diana on the phone.
She sounds worried and through the pain Neal makes sure she gets all the information she needs. Peter´s need of an ambulance, the address, how many men they have and everything else his pain clouded mind can provide before he falls into the dark. Sliding down into the horror filled world of his living nightmares.
Peter had watched animal-shifter transform before. Big ones that think a bear or a wolf would be better suited to fight against the FBI. He had seen small animal-shifter change to escape. What fascinated Peter most is that bird-shifter always transform mid-air. Having their wings ready to keep them flying. But not Neal. As the young man shifted into his falcon form, he kept his feet on the ground. It took him a second to understand why. Both of his wings look horrible broken and bend in different direction. Clearly unable to fly in any way. No wonder Neal needed him to help him out of the window.
The pain in his friend's voice as he turned back was clearly there. Like on the day Peter had dared to ask him what animal he can become. Peter just hopes that Neal would get away and get help. Everything else they can figure out later. Exhausted form standing Peter falls back to the ground, waiting for help or death. There was nothing else he could do.