"What type of a gun was it?"

"I don't know."

"Did you know Garry carried a gun?"

"No Janice. I did not. I only met him once before our 'trip'. And he didn't take the gun when we went to see Kate."

"As far as you know." Janice tuned in her seat to follow the boy with her eyes. Once again, he was completing laps of her office.

"Yes, as far as I know. I didn't give him a full body search or anything."

"So the first time you saw him with a gun was when you went to see Kate, after you both got out of the detention centre."

"Funny, Janice. I wasn't in the detention centre. Just visiting."

"Of course. Why didn't you leave as soon as you saw the gun?"

"I was…concerned. I wanted to know why he'd need a gun to pull a con."

"The con that Garry and Kate were working on?" Neal nodded. "Were you involved?"

"No. Garry wanted Kate to get back an item that she had stolen and then sold about three years ago. He said it was of special value to a friend of his."

"What was it?"

"It was an ancient leather bound book with early Egyptian manuscripts. Garry was quite anxious to get it back and apparently Kate knew where to find it."

"So getting back to the gun, why did Garry make you hold it?"

"I'm not sure. He wanted to teach me how to use it but I gave it straight back and then split. Told Kate I'd catch up with her later."

"Had you ever held a gun before that?"

"No, I don't like guns."

"Why not?"

"I'm not sure."

"Your dad has a gun."

"But that's for work."

"Haven't you ever been inquisitive enough to have a quick hold of it while he's not looking? I'm sure it would be a natural thing for a teenager to be curious about, especially knowing there's one in the house."

"Not me."

"Not even a slight interest."

"No Janice. Dad would kill me if he ever found me anywhere near it. Besides, I'm pretty sure he keeps it locked up somewhere while he's at home."

"Has your dad ever had to fire his gun?"

"Maybe. He doesn't talk about it."

"But you spent some time at his office while on a work experience program."

"Not a lot happened while I was around."

"There was that thing with Matthew Keller."

"Time's up Janice." The teenager spun around and turned towards the door.

"No it's not Neal."

"I want to go home now."

"You can, after you answer one more question…"

Neal reluctantly stepped closer to Janice and perched his butt on the arm rest of the couch.

"Tell me why you went after Matthew Keller."

"After I tell you I can go?"

"Yes Neal."

The young boy took a deep breath. "I had to go and see him to try and change his mind. He wanted me to keep working for him but I wanted to stop. He made some treats. He's a very bad person and I was stupid and somehow got my family involved. I thought maybe I could strike up some kind of deal and he'd leave them alone."

"Did it work, the deal?"

"I never got a chance to discuss it. Keller hurt me." Neal rubbed at the spot under his hair where he'd had the stitches.

"Then what happened?"

Neal gazed off into the distance, trying to force back memories. "Dad came and rescued me."

"How?"

"He arrested Keller and the guys who worked with him then he took me home. I was pretty out to it. Dad said Keller was going away for long time."

"He said that?"

"Yeah, something like that. He told me I'd never have to worry about him again."

"So where's Matthew Keller now?"

"Janice, I should be going. Dad is waiting and he might be getting worried."

"We wouldn't want to worry your dad now would we Neal, you'd better go. I'll see you next week."

-W-C-

Janice studied the agent sitting across on the couch. Each week he looked a little more haggard than the previous sessions. He obviously wasn't taking the relaxing pills she had prescribed for him. "Tell me about the dream."

"Nothing's changed. In it, I still don't reach him in time."

"But you did reach him, so why do you think your mind is having a hard time accepting that?"

Peter shook his head. "To be completely honest, I don't know why."

"Can I offer a possibility?"

"Of course."

"You're son always seems to be…one step ahead of you and you feel like you're always playing catch up. Can't be easy for someone who prides himself on being ahead of the game. Maybe, some part of your brain is saying, I'm too tired, I can't do this anymore, I'm giving up."

"I would never give up on Neal!" Peter appeared offended by the mere mention of that scenario,

"No, but you're not superman Peter and at some point you feel you're going to run out of steam and you're frightened you'll no longer be there to catch him when he falls."

-W-C-

"That is looking truly magnificent Neal. I have a buyer waiting in the wings for something just like this." Principal Belding gazed over the masterful work of art in progress on the painting easel.

"Not this one, Kelly. This one I'm holding onto for someone special."

"The young girl in the painting?"

"Maybe." Neal gave her his never fail smile.

"Your call, Darl. "Don't forget the Barkers who purchased 'Christmas Lake' are keen to obtain a matching pair at some point."

"Haven't forgotten Kelly. Just want to finish this one for someone's birthday."

"Well, you've painted it with love, she's sure to treasure it forever. I…" Kelly's praise trailed off as her attention was taken by the two newcomers in the room. Neal put his paint brush down when he also registered the presence of Diana and Clinton, and how out of place they looked in his school.

Diana came over to Kelly while Clinton scouted the perimeter of the room. "Ms Belding, I'm Agent Berrigan."

"What's going on Diana?" Neal butted in before Kelly had a chance.

"Sorry to interrupt your class Ms Belding, but Agent Burke asked us to come here and collect Neal. There's been a lead into a case were working on and we need to ask Neal a few questions."

"Of course." Kelly put a hand on Neal's shoulder. "Take care, Darl. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah." That might depend. What had his dad so upset that he'd sent two agents down to pull him from school? It could be any one of a number of things and Neal had no idea which one he'd been caught out with.

-W-C-

Agent Burke grabbed the young boy as he meandered through the door to his office and shoved him into a chair. "What's going on Dad?"

Peter gave no response. Instead he walked back to his desk drawer and removed a clear plastic evidence bag. He held it up to reveal a revolver. Neal was confused. "It's a gun?"

Peter placed the evidence back in the draw and sat across from his son. "Yes, it's a gun. Well done. Care to tell me how it has your prints all over it?"

Neal's heart skipped a beat as he shook his head playing the ignorance card.

Peter glared at the young boy. "Start talking Neal or I'm taking you home right now. And it won't be for popcorn and a movie."

Neal gulped, "I may have held it for a bit but I gave it back."

"Start from the beginning." Peter pointed a finger across the table. "And let me make it very clear. Do not leave anything out!"

"No Dad. I went to see Kate and Garry." Neal waited. He knew that admission right there would spell trouble for his butt.

"Should I write them all down Neal, make a list? Cause in one statement alone, that's two blatant acts of disobedience. You broke your grounding and you went to see Kate." Peter was having a difficult time controlling his anger. One short week after having to punish the boy he was going to have to go through it all again. Add that to the fact he'd spent a very draining seven days sorting through the mess of Kate's escape with Lauren Cruz and the Marshalls. He'd been able to keep the wolves at bay by pointing out that Neal had not walked out with Garry and Kate, had only pulled a childish prank within the visitor centre and also that he was just a child. Peter knew it was a load of bullshit but apart from a select few, most accepted it as plausable. After all, Neal was technically a child.

Neal ignored the rhetorical questions and continued knowing that his dad was in no mood for anything less. "They were planning a con. Garry had a gun and wanted to show me how to use it but I handed it straight back and I haven't seen either one of them since. That's the truth, I swear."

"Let me guess, they were planning to steal some very old Egyptian Manuscripts?"

"Yes, how did you know?" Neal was genuinely surprised.

"Guess where we found the gun. Your friend is setting you up Neal."

"It wasn't Kate's gun!"

"I'm talking about Garry."

"He's not my friend."

"Well you did lend him your mom's car so you must have something going on." Peter replied sarcastically.

"When were the manuscripts taken?"

"Yesterday. Why?"

"No reason."

"Wondering if Bonnie and Clyde have had time to pack up and leave yet?"

"They're not a couple Dad."

"We'll see Neal. In the meantime, you will not leave my side and so help me if I have to cuff you to my wrist I will."

-W-C-

For the next three hours, Neal sat at a table in the corner of Peter's office, drawing. True to his word, the agent never left his side and when Neal asked to go the bathroom, he was escorted by his father. Peter used the time to chase up leads on Garry Fowler. They pointed to a very dangerous man, a shady criminal with a wrap sheet a mile long. Peter wasn't going to be able to sleep until the crook was behind bars. "Time to go home, Neal." Peter grabbed his jacket and keys.

"We heading home for popcorn and a movie, Dad?" the kid asked smartly.

Peter bit his lip and didn't trust himself to speak. Instead he grabbed the shoulder strap of Neal's satchel and half dragged the kid to the parking garage.

-W-C-

"We were halfway home when Neal got the text." Peter stood up to stretch his legs.

The doctor questioned sympathetically, "You'd forgotten to confiscate the phone?"

"Yes. Add that to the list. And in retrospect, wouldn't that have made all the difference in the world."