Thanks to all you who are following the story and especially thanks for the reviews. They make my day and make my work days much more pleasant. Next Chapter will post on Wednesday.
Of course, I own nothing but the mistakes, for which I accept all responsibility.
Chapter Three
There was nothing to be done once the helicopter had left the rooftop.
"We can track him boss" Jones told him "but we are going to be deaf as soon as he is out of range."
Peter put a call through to the Marshals, explaining the situation to Agent Galloway. Neal was on an undercover operation and he had cut the anklet to preserve his cover. The Marshals would still release bolos to the local law enforcement; if anyone looked, it had to appear that Neal had indeed escaped custody.
"How long?" Galloway asked, "How long will Caffrey be off anklet?'
"I don't know, but he is wearing a one way transmitter with a GPS in his watch."
"A watch isn't the same as an anklet," Galloway said. "He could just leave it as a tip for a waiter and you'd never be the wiser."
"I am well aware," Peter snapped back. He was still taking in the offer Teagan had extended to Neal. It was one thing to have Neal off anklet with cash; it was an entirely different scenario to have him off anklet with cash, a new identity and a ticket out of the country. One impulsive act could lead to Neal gone for good. He chose to keep the latest development to himself. If he was freaking out about it Galloway would have a coronary.
"He is undercover, Galloway, working a case. Cut him some slack. You know he's done this many times." He added more firmly than he felt "I trust him."
"If you say so, Burke," Galloway sighed, "but he better keep his head down. If he is spotted by local leos, he will be handled like an escaped felon."
"Teagan is taking him to a secondary location to hold him until the job is completed," Peter told the man. "We will set up surveillance to get a target and time. Once the job goes down, we will move in, make our arrests and put a new anklet on Caffrey."
"I wonder if anklets can be bought in bulk?" Agent Galloway said jokingly. "The way your boy goes through them, it might save your department a few dollars."
"Why don't you just check into that for me?" Peter answered with the same sarcastic tone, and hung up.
After the call, Peter returned to the van.
"Teagan offered him a pretty good deal," Jones said, looking at Peter questioningly. "He sounded really convincing, you know, happy even, when he accepted the job."
"Of course he did, Jones," Peter said, trying to push is own feelings of unease away, "that is why we sent him in there; to be convincing. We need Teagan to think he has taken the job."
"It's just hard to imagine Caffrey not tempted by a wad of cash, a fake ID and a ticket to an island with no extradition." When Peter didn't immediately answer Jones continued, "No anklet. All he has to do is take off that watch and toss it out of the helicopter and he is free and clear."
"He won't do that," Peter said with a confidence he wanted to feel but wasn't sure he did. "He has a life here. He has had chances to run before and he hasn't taken them."
If Neal had wanted to go, Peter told himself, he would have left during the U-boat mess. He had ample opportunity and he was angry at Peter for wrongly accusing him. But he hadn't gone then, even with pressure from Mozzie. So, Peter reasoned, he wouldn't go now. Especially since they were getting along again. But still, it was quite an offer Teagan had extended. It had been unexpected and the way Neal's voice had sounded…..
He couldn't just sit here and wait, hope and worry.
"Jones," Peter said, moving toward the door of the van "Call me when he settles somewhere."
"Will do, Boss," Jones answered, then "So you aren't worried about Caffrey running, not even a little?"
"Nope, not even a little."
"I'm worried," Peter said. He was sitting at the dining room table with Elizabeth. He was tense; it had been forty minutes since Neal had flown off with Don Teagan. Until his GPS settled down at a location, there would be no surveillance. He was waiting to hear from Jones who was monitoring the signal.
"About Neal?" Elizabeth asked the question but knew the answer. Of course it would be about Neal.
"I am afraid he might do something stupid," Peter said, "Like take this opportunity to run." How many times had she heard Peter say those exact words I am afraid Neal might do something stupid?
"If he wanted to take the man's offer he could have easily have done so." she reminded him. "He could have just met the man on his own. You said the meet was within his radius. He didn't have to come to you."
"I know he didn't," he admitted, "and I was pleasantly surprised that instead of jumping at the opportunity he used his brain and came to me instead, but…"
"But what?"
"That was before he got the details," Peter explained, "Teagan offered him a sweet deal. Money and a way to disappear. A million dollars isn't all that to Neal, he probably has five times that amount squirreled away. And if he wanted to go I know he could do it on his own. But just to have it offered like that? Neal is impulsive and there it is: a way to disappear. That's different," he said. "I know Neal; he's tempted."
"I am sure he's been tempted before, Peter," Elizabeth reminded him, "Mozzie offered him that U-boat treasure and the chance to run and he didn't take it." Peter was pleased that his earlier attempt to convince himself to have confidence in Neal had been justified. Even Elizabeth realized that if Neal was going to run, he would have done it then. Why hadn't he done it? Because he had a life here.
Of course he had ran later, but only because Peter had told him to. Peter recalled the look on Neal's face when he had given him the signal. Neal was disappointed and upset. He didn't want to run, but he followed Peter's lead and did so anyway.
"I know that's true but I still worry, you know?" Peter tried to explain "As much as a part of him wants to stay here, likes his life here, there is another part of him, too, there's a part that wants to fly." He paused. "He's tempted, I could hear it in his voice."
"He may always be tempted, Peter, he's Neal" She said, "But being tempted isn't wrong. You can only judge him on what he actually goes through with."
"I know," Peter said, "But when that helicopter took off….he knows all we have is the GPS in his watch. He could toss that in the river and end up anywhere."
Elizabeth could hear the strain in Peter's voice. She knew it wasn't just the possibility of losing a CI, or having a criminal on work release escape his custody that was bothering him. Sure, there would be hell to pay but that wasn't the source of the pain in his voice. He didn't want to lose Neal. The thoughts of the young man disappearing from his life was the true cause of his distress. Partner, friend, younger brother, son….his feelings toward Neal were complicated to say the least. But one thing was sure; Peter wanted him in his life. And from what she could tell, the feeling was mutual.
"There is nothing to stop him if he chooses to run," Peter said, shaking his head. "With a new identity, he could get out of the country and I wouldn't be able to get him back. He'd be gone, El."
She squeezed his arm, "Being tempted isn't wrong," she reminded him, "I don't think Neal wants to disappear or he would have before now. Have faith in him, Peter."
Where there isn't trust; there is faith, Peter thought to himself. "I am trying to."
It was an hour later that his phone rang. Caller ID alerted him it was Jones.
"Burke," he answered on the first ring.
"The eagle has landed," he said. "Chopper sat down at the East 34th Street Heliport. Caffrey's signal is parked in a 5 star luxury hotel near by. We are on our way there now."
"Good," Peter said. "I will meet you there."
"Is it Neal?" Elizabeth asked, "Have they found him?"
"They've found his watch," Peter grabbed his coat and kissed Elizabeth as he went for the door. "Now lets just hope it's Neal that is wearing it."
Jones had said Caffrey's signal; not Caffrey. He, like Peter, had heard the lift in Neal's voice at the mention of the additional perks of this job, the excitement at the prospect of flying away in the helicopter, and the almost gleeful 'by all means snip snip' when the anklet was cut. Peter would feel much better once he heard Neal's voice through the surveillance feed. Neal's voice; not the voice of some waiter taking an order in the hotel bar.
Jones gave him a smile and a thumbs up sign the minute he opened the door to the van, and Peter felt a surge of relief. Jones pulled out the headphones so Peter could hear the conversation that was transpiring inside the hotel:
Teagan: When this is over I want you to come back to Italy with me.
Neal: That is a little fast for me; I haven't even finished my dinner yet.
Teagan: Don't flatter yourself. I have a very profitable business enterprise with opportunities for expansion. I could use someone like to you take on some of the more sensitive projects. I could make it more than worth your while.
Neal: I haven't even completed the first job and you are offering me permanent employment? That is quite a vote of confidence.
Teagan: Yes, it is. And I do not extend the offer lightly, Mr. Caffrey.
Neal: Let me think about it. Its a lot to take in.
Teagan: Yes it is. By conclusion of our business Friday, I will need your answer."
Neal: Very well. By conclusion of business Friday I will have one.
Teagan (voice distant) I am just across the hall but my associates will be outside your door. (pause) I suggest you keep to your room, Mr. Caffrey. Until the completion of our business, I must insist you stay out of sight.
Neal: Considering that legions of federal agents are combing the city for me, staying out of sight is exactly what I plan to do.
Teagan: And out of touch, too. I don't want you reaching out to anyone.
Neal: Well you took my phone and I haven't seen a carrier pigeon so you have nothing to worry about. (The sound of a door closing)
Neal: You guys get all that? Zenith Building 5:30 pm Friday. And yet another job offer. In Italy, no less. Who knew my mad skills were so widely in demand?
Peter smiled, shaking his head. Neal hadn't run and was still on task with the operation. No one could have stopped him; he had stopped himself.
Being tempted wasn't wrong, after all, its what a person actually did that mattered.
"What else did you get?" Peter asked Jones, motioning at the notepad.
"We've had him on for about forty minutes. Got the target. They need him to get them in past some high security locking system, I wrote it down." He handed Peter the notepad. "Neal spouted off specs like he designed the thing or something. They already have equipment for him; he makes the key cards tomorrow, the break in is scheduled for Friday after closing."
He paused, "You were right, boss. He didn't toss the watch and run." He looked at Peter with a smile, "I guess you are the expert on Neal Caffrey after all."