Chapter Two

A SWAT team followed them into the garage. Neal and Ruiz led the way to where the blueprints had said the notches were. Ruiz quickly explained the situation to the SWAT team and the hunt began. Neal looked around, seeking the placement of where the notches would be from this side of the wall. And then it struck him.

"Damnit," he muttered to himself.

But Ruiz had heard it. "What?"

"We need to look for it from inside the building too," said Neal.

"Okay," said Ruiz, keeping his calm. "Let's go."

Ruiz led the way into the building from the parking garage. They were on the third floor. Agents and SWAT were everywhere, thoroughly searching the building. Neal glanced around for a familiar face but saw none. Ruiz roughly grabbed his arm, keeping him focused on the task at hand.

"This way," said Neal, quickly going down the hall. The architecture of the halls was structured so that the notches from the blueprint lined up as columns on the wall adjacent to the parking garage.

"Great," said Ruiz. "I'm guessing those notches of yours really are stopped up."

"Not necessarily," murmured Neal, mostly to himself as he thought hard. The blocks of the columns were held together by a thick paste often seen in construction; not cement, but rather a gooey substance that could even be picked off the edges. It was closer to solid in the middle, but easily cut away with a knife and a few spare minutes. Neal fingered it and smiled. "Look for one that looks like it's been redone. It'll be whiter; fresher looking."

They went to it.

"Here," said Ruiz. Neal rushed over and eyed what he had found. There was no doubt. The block had been removed recently and replaced. "How did that bastard do this though? He had to have gotten in here with the bomb, avoiding security cameras and not to mention people."

Neal just shook his head. "I don't really care how right now. We need to get the bomb disabled first. Got a knife?"

"Like I would give you a knife," spat Ruiz. He shoved Neal over and went working on the columns. They got a few agents' attentions.

"Go tell the people outside we found the bomb," Neal told one of them. They gave him a funny look at being ordered and Neal quickly became annoyed. "Go!"

"Hey," snapped Ruiz, not looking up from his work. "Keep your cool Caffrey. Someone go get a bomb squad!" He loosened the block some and then he and Neal slipped it out of place. The column was hollow and inside sat the bomb.

Neal stared at it, finding it all kind of eerie now that they had finally found it. It was rather small, no longer than six inches. But the dynamite was atrociously present. The remote receptor made itself known with its little red light blinking away.

"Okay," said Ruiz. "Let's go Caffrey. This isn't our place now. They'll be evacuating everyone when the bomb squad comes in anyway."

Neal nodded, all too eager to get out. Suddenly, someone's radio crackled.

"Hey, the signal's back up," said someone.

Then, they all froze and looked back at the bomb. If the signal was back up, then that meant…

"Do we run," asked Neal. "Cause that's what I would do."

Ruiz looked like he might hit him, but before anyone could utter a word a voice came from the column.

"I see you found the bomb."

"It's a radio," whispered a SWAT member standing beside the column. He seemed a little awed and scared.

"No shit Sherlock," snapped Ruiz. "He has his little remote up there. What do you want Matterson?"

"Just wanted to share a little something with you," replied Matterson over his little radio.

There was a long pause. Neal looked around, finding it comical that all of them had gathered more closely to the column so that they could hear the radio. Well, it was a short-lived comedy, because then he remembered it was a bomb.

"What?" Ruiz's tone clearly stated he was beyond impatient.

"This isn't a bomb."

A few people looked at each other. Neal swore he heard someone sigh with relief.

"I don't believe a word you say," said Ruiz.

"I understand," said Matterson. "Never trust a criminal."

Neal nodded in agreement. "Definitely." Ruiz glared at him, and Neal shrugged. "I was just trying to lighten the mood."

Matterson chuckled. "I like that agent's spirit."

Ruiz opened his mouth to say that Neal was not an agent, but that would never be contradicted because just then the bomb squad showed up. The crowd parted for them, and people began to leave the scene. Ruiz lingered by the squad and Neal strayed away. It was then that he spotted Diana and Jones. They were coming out of the stairwell.

"Hey," said Diana. "How did you get in here?"

"I found the bomb," said Neal. "But the signal went out and we couldn't contact anyone. So Ruiz and I had to come inside and get ourselves."

Jones breathed deeply. "Thank God. We've been getting people out as quickly as possible ever since the signal went down. We thought it meant everything was going to hell."

"No one left up top then," asked Neal.

"Peter and a few agents," said Diana. "They were making sure everyone's gone."

The stairwell door opened up again, as more people came down.

"Well the signal's back up," said Neal. "Everyone should know now."

Ruiz bustled over, clearly annoyed. "Bomb squad says it really isn't a bomb. Just a bunch of sticks of dynamite placed next to one another with a little radio on top."

Neal frowned. "Is Matterson still on his radio?"

"It went quiet but it's still transmitting," said Ruiz. "Point is, there could still be a bomb in this building. We need to get people back in to look for it."

"No," said Neal. "Don't."

"Why?"

"Because I think he wants that," said Neal. "What if he wants to hurt law enforcement? I heard about this guy. He works for organized crime. If he could hurt law enforcement that would certainly help them wouldn't it?"

"What about those hostages," asked Ruiz. "We can't just leave them."

"There has to be another way," said Neal. He looked to Diana and Jones for anything, but both looked resigned.

Then, the radio in Ruiz's hand crackled to life.

"Neal? You there?"

It was Peter, most likely just realizing that he had a radio signal again.

"It's Ruiz. I've got Caffrey with me. We found a fake bomb."

"Well I've got news too."

The way he said it convinced everyone within earshot that they were not going to like this.

"There aren't any hostages."

Neal threw them all an I-told-you-so look.

"What," asked Ruiz.

"The hostages are fake. I'm on the fourth floor, looking at Matterson right now. I was evacuating the guys on this floor and one of the 'hostages' just tipped over. It's a dummy. They're all fake. He wants us."

"What are you saying Burke?"

"I'm locked in a room with a bomb. There's four minutes left on it."

Neal's jaw dropped. Ruiz spun around and ordered everyone out immediately. Peter's words floated across all the F.B.I.'s radio waves. In no less than thirty seconds, there were just three people left on the third floor: Ruiz, Jones, and Diana.

"Where's Caffrey," asked Ruiz. "Did he leave?"

Diana shook his head. "He went after Peter." She was staring at the stairwell door that had just slammed shut.

"We can't wait up for him," said Jones, grabbing her arm. "We can't wait up for either of them."

Diana was appaled. "This is Peter and Neal we're talking about!"

"Think about it," countered Jones quickly. "Peter is locked in that room. Neal is the only one that can break him out of there. There's no way a bomb squad is getting up there to dismantle that bomb in time, not to mention that Matterson is still up there. We offer them no help by putting another two people in danger. Neal will get Peter out. They have enough time."

Diana nodded, knowing Jones was right. Ruiz looked at both of them. "You ready?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here," said Diana, pushing past both of them.

She couldn't help but think that they had barely enough time.

()()()()()()

Peter was sitting in a long conference room. He was sitting on the side of the table closest to the door that wouldn't budge. There were not any windows on the stupid door. It was a tall, thick, solid oak door. Bullet impacts near the hinges and handle had done nothing to help him. Scuff marks where he had tried to kick through it also evidenced his initial panic at being locked in with the bomb. He had found it with eight minutes to go, no radio signal. The conference room was adjacent to an executive office, where Matterson was. The office had blinds, but they were pulled up.

The bomb was actually in the executive office with Matterson. The very large I.E.D. was hooked up to an air conditioning unit. Peter could tell just by its size that when it went off, there was going to be significant damage. At least, the blast would be so hard and fast, he probably wouldn't feel a thing.

Now, Matterson was taking turns staring at Peter and the bomb. On the table in front of Peter lie his weapon, his helmet, the radio and his wallet. The radio was transmitting still, so Peter could hear everyone being evacuated. He could hear Ruiz explaining the situation to Hughes. He could hear Diana and Jones searching for options. They were trying to contact him, but he did not answer. His wallet was opened, displaying a picture of Elizabeth. Peter was staring at the picture and the bomb.

3:30...3:29...3:28...

He knew the procedure right now.

3:27...3:26...3:25...3:24

There were not any hostages.

3:23...3:22...3:21...3:20...

Only one life lost.

3:19...3:18...3:17...3:16...

Two if you actually counted Matterson.

3:15...3:14...3:13...3:12...

In all, the scenario had turned out better than it could have.

3:11...3:10...3:09...3:08

No civilians killed. That was always their goal.

3:07...3:06...3:05...3:04

He wondered what would happen to Neal.

3:03...3:02...

He wished he could have spoken to Elizabeth at least one more time.

3:01...3:00...

BANG!

Peter jumped and spun around. Someone was trying to come through the door.

"Peter! Peter! Are you there?"

Neal?

"Neal! What the hell are you doing? Get out of here now!"

"I'm picking the lock you idiot!"

Peter was momentarily speechless. He turned around and grabbed his wallet. He then grabbed the radio.

"Neal is here!" He could not hide the anger in his voice. He was accusing them. Two of them weren't supposed to die!

"He went after you," said Ruiz. "Can he get the door unlocked?"

"He's trying," said Peter.

"How much time," asked Hughes.

Peter looked at the bomb, noting the startled look on Matterson's face.

"2:30."

There was no response to that, and Peter knew what they were thinking: you're a dead man.

"Neal?"

"He did something to the lock," shouted Neal. "I'm trying Peter. I'm trying!"

Peter wanted to tell him it's okay. Just get out of here. But his mouth had gone parched dry as a funny feeling of resignation came over. He was going to die, wasn't he?

"I'm trying Peter! Just hold on!"

No, Peter told himself. There was a chance. A slim one, but it was there. He might yet get that talk with Elizabeth.

The door busted open.

"Peter!"

Peter dropped the radio and they both ran for it. They charged into the stairwell and practically jumped down the steps.

2:00...1:59...1:58...1:57...