(Chapter 2)

Peter shuddered in the corner of the room, arms still bound behind him. He gave a strangled cough as his breath came in wheezy gasps. He wondered who this man was and why he was doing this to them. Peter felt anger, although he was too weak to do anything at the moment, but he wanted to hurt the person behind this. If they touched a hair on Neal's head...

He noticed the shadows of waves from the pool in the center of the room dancing against the walls and ceiling. It was slightly hypnotic as he tried to blinked away the effects of being electrocuted with the manacle. He heard voices and footsteps nearing and lifted his head to look.

"Ah... the two partners reunited. How touching." Peter glanced up weakly from where he lay and saw the masked man standing there with Neal in front of him. The con was unfettered but he looked a bit ragged around the edges. Peter fought to sit up but with his arms strapped behind him, it was impossible. His eyes met with Neal's and the young man made a move towards him. The cocking of a gun caused the young man to pause and turn back towards the masked figure.

"Uh uh uh... no conferring before the game." The man waved Neal over to the side and what appeared to be a pair of lead boots.

"If you will, please put those boots on your feet, Mr. Caffrey." Neal glanced over at Peter laying on the ground and then back at the man in the mask. Reluctantly he walked towards the metal boots and started to push his feet into them. He noticed a retractable chain in the middle of them of maybe 6 inches give or take. Neal heard an audible click and felt a pressure around his ankles as something locked into place inside the boot. He saw the masked man had the remote in this hand again. Another masked figure appeared from behind Peter and started to untie the man, lifting him up to his feet roughly and dragged him over to a similar pair of boots. The agent slumped in the man's grasp, his feet manually inserted into the boots and then the same clicking sound as something locked into place. The first man smiled.

"Now we are all ready for the game of trust to begin. Let's see how good you are at figuring out the rules." Neal saw the man with the gun motion for him to walk towards him and the large pool in the center of the room. The con shuffled with a loud scraping sound as he tried to walk in the boots. They were not just heavy but the 6 inches of chain made it harder to walk quickly. He noticed the other masked man drawing Peter closer to the pool's edge as well.

"So whom shall we start with?" The man started to sing in the most condescending manner.

"Inny... Minny... Minnee... MO!" On the last syllable, Neal saw Peter pushed into the pool. The man sank like a rock in the lead boots. Neal made a clumsy move forwards but heard the cocking of the gun behind his ear and instinctively paused.

"You think he trusts that you'll leap in after him? Do you take a chance I might shoot you if you try?" Neal turned and glared at the man, blue eyes flashing at him with a cold fire. Neal didn't even think about it as he took a few clumsy steps backwards and fell into the pool with a loud splash. It must have been a good 20 feet or more to the bottom as he sunk like a rock and hit the bottom with a jarring shudder.

The water was freezing as he looked around in the dimly lit pool and could just make out the figure of his friend a few yards ahead. He saw a small stream of bubbles coming from the agent's lips. Neal started to walk, pulling as hard as he could at the boots and slowly, painfully making his way towards Peter. It was like walking in quicksand or molasses with the boots stuck to his feet but he kept moving, his muscles and chest burning with effort. He could feel himself running out of air but he didn't care. He had to get to Peter and pull him out if he could.

After what seemed forever, Neal had made it to his friend and nudged him. Peter looked up at him with glassy eyes, barely conscious, a few small bubbles of air escaping from his nose and lips. Neal squeezed Peter's nose shut and pushed his lips against his blowing as much air as he could into the man's mouth. He felt a bit of tension then saw Peter perk up a little and look at him with a bit more focus. The agent smiled slightly pointing up. Neal nodded as they did their best to pull at the boots and release themselves from their grip.

Neal started to feel a bit light-headed after a moment, his chest burning from giving up what little air he had left to Peter but he pressed on. He heard an audible "click" underwater and saw Peter start to rise to the surface, reaching out for the young man's hand. Neal stretched out his hand but Peter was floating away from him and his air was finally running out. Everything started to fade to black, one last bubble escaping his lips. He thought he saw Peter keep floating up without him as he passed out.

(Out of Breath)

Peter broke the water's surface and gasped for air. His chest was burning but he was alive. He fought to catch his breath, drawing it in slowly but surely as he looked around and didn't see Neal with him. He heard a clapping sound from the side of the pool and turned. The masked man had the gun pointed at him and was smiling.

"Congratulations! You lived, Agent Burke. I guess that proves your pet con truly cares for you." Peter spat in the man's direction but didn't say anything, trying to fill his lungs with air as he dove back into the cold water and made his way downward. He could just make out the slumped figure of Neal, eyes partially open, arms outstretched as he stood there still and stark. Peter nudged the young man, squeezing the young man's nose and pushing his lips to Neal's. He pushed in as much air as he could but Neal didn't move. After a moment he started to fiddle with the boots in an attempt to free the young man but the mechanism was obviously controlled by other means.

Peter's air was running low so he reluctantly went back to the surface and caught his breath again. He turned and cursed at the man.

"Let him go! He's drowning!" Peter's voice was angry as he shouted but the man just stared at him silently with that smirk on his face. Finally the agent swam to the side of the pool and grabbed at the man's ankles, his face desperate.

"Please... let him go. Shoot me if you want but let him go... I don't know what it is you're trying to prove here but... please... let him go." Peter lay his head against the pool's edge and just leaned there weakly, his eyes turning after a moment to the shadowy figure below the surface. He thought about Neal giving him his air when he had so little to give and then... What had they done to deserve this?

He heard the cocking of the gun over his head and waited for the bullet. Instead, he heard another quiet clicking sound. Peter looked up and saw the man had pushed something on the small remote. The agent turned and saw the shadowy form of Neal below the water rise slightly. He took in one deep breath and dove back into the water quickly. He took the limp form of Neal in his arms and started for the surface. The young man was pale and ashen, his lips ringed in blue. Peter wanted to cry but he pushed the young man up onto to the edge of the pool and then pulled himself out with some effort.

Neal looked like a rag doll, eyes staring glassily up at the ceiling, the shadows of the pool like some kind of weird ghostly aura around them. Peter cleared the young man's air way and turn his head to the side as he pumped hard on his chest.

"Come on, Neal... come on! Breathe... dammit! Breathe!" It seemed an endless amount of water flowed from the con's chest but he didn't move. Peter pinched Neal's nose and then started to breath for him. He kept up with the compressions and then breathing but the young man didn't respond. Peter didn't stop even when he heard the cocking of a gun over his head again.

"You broke his trust. He's dead because of you." Peter briefly turned his head to the man and looked ready to jump the figure. His brown eyes were burning with anger but he turned away and continued CPR on the young man not ready to give up.

"Neal... wake up... Neal!" He pounded on the con's chest and breathed all he had into the young man's mouth when he felt a hand grasp his arm and squeeze tight. He saw Neal's right hand grip his arm tightly, his body shuddering. Suddenly water bubbled up out of the young man's mouth and he gurgled loudly, eyes still staring glassily upwards. Peter looked down at his friend and shook him gently.

"Neal... Neal?" He saw those blue eyes turn and look at him a moment before they closed and the hand went limp. Peter pushed his head to the young man's chest and was relieved to hear a slow but steady beat. He felt a shallow breath from the man's nose and mouth and a strong pulse at his neck. Neal continued to cough up water although he appeared be unconscious otherwise. Peter spoke to him softly, gently squeezing his shoulder and brushing damp hair from his face.

"Thank you, Neal." He hugged the young man gently. Someone pulled him away after a moment, the gun pushed up against his temple.

"Such a touching moment. This means the game can continue." Peter glared at the man, pulling away but stopping as the gun cocked behind his ear.

"What is it that you want from us? Who are you?" He swore under his breath and the man cuffed him with the pistol handle and dropped him to the floor.

"Mr. Anillo* sends his regards." Peter looked up at the man before passing out.

*(look up Anillo online for a clue)