(Chapter 2)
The foreman reluctantly sent a man into the trailer to get them both hardhats, orange vests and safety glasses. He whispered something to the man who walked back and offered to take them quickly through the site.
"We have to hurry! We have less than 20 minutes before the timed detonation. These new systems can't be reset." He hurried them along, Peter and Jones following as quickly as possible.
It didn't take long to sweep the whole building seeing most of the walls, doors and fixtures were already removed and it was easy to go up and down the levels. They made it through all three floors rapidly, only the basement remained but the crewman stopped them.
"We can't go down there. Ceiling collapsed in places and there's no stairs. It's unstable." The man started to move them along, Peter noticing fresh footprints in the dust around the opposite side of the entrance to the basement. He made a motion to Jones, the crewman looking at them.
"Some one's been here recently." Peter said and saw the crewman blink and look, noticing the footprints. He shrugged.
"Probably demolitions. They have to set explosives around the building." He pointed up at a charge of C4 or some other explosive set onto the wall with wires and a timer. Peter nodded, still curious about the footprints and the basement but he heard a different alarm now. The crewman looked nervous.
"I'm sorry but we have to go now!" He pushed them back out into the sunlight, all three of them running back towards the trailer where the foreman was.
()()()
Peter shook hands with the crewman as did Jones, standing off to the side as the foreman came back out of the trailer and barked orders into his cell. People were running in from all around, clearing the area. Peter still couldn't shake the feeling that something about those footprints at the basement entrance were significant.
The foreman looked at them curiously, walking over once the area was clear.
"Did you find what you were looking for, agents?" He didn't sound very sincere Peter thought but he shook his head. The man nodded back.
"Sorry but you'll have to leave. The blast is about to go off." He shrugged at them, another crewman coming to take the gear they borrowed and escort them off the lot. Peter was feeling peeved now but he couldn't really complain. The man did let them go through the site. Both Jones and he walked back to their cars outside the fence, the crewman closing it as they left, a hostile look on the man's face. That feeling kept nagging Peter about the footprints. He didn't know why but motioned to Jones.
"Something doesn't feel right. I just can't place my finger on it." He saw Jones nod back, both of them getting into their cars to leave but pausing as they heard the countdown. They looked up as they felt as well as saw the demolition as the building started to collapse upon itself. Dust and debris sailed up like smoke, filling the sky, the ground rumbling around them from the explosion.
Peter looked at the scene and hoped to God Neal hadn't been in there.
()()()
Neal had nodded off, despite seeing Peter on the screen. He felt a bit light headed, his mind wandering till he felt himself wake up a moment and stare at the laptop again. Time must have passed, Peter no longer showed up on the screen and the sounds were different. It had gotten quieter, the alarm having changed to a countdown sound. He shifted his weight slightly, looking at the laptop again as he sensed movement on one of the screenshots.
Peter? He saw him again but Jones was there. They were taking off hardhats and vests, handing them to a man who was rushing them off site. The foreman seemed familiar, that watch looking like one he'd seen before. Neal looked up and to the right, the explosive he had noticed earlier beeping now, loudly. He saw the timer blink on and the numbers starting to move. He struggled, realizing what was going to happen. The beeping started to get higher in pitch, faster. Neal's eyes widened, looking around and doing all he could to push himself further back into the open safe, his face turned and pressed away from the opening as much as he could.
He was going to die. He knew that before he realized what was going on. Neal wasn't even sure why he was going to die. The man had told him little except that it was some kind of revenge against Peter. It was strange. He wasn't really afraid of dying. Neal was more afraid of what Peter would think had happened to him. Maybe he thought OPR had fooled with the anklet again and he had run. He felt a few tears roll down his cheeks. Until they cleared out the debris which could take weeks, nobody would find his body here and by then even if he survived the blast, he'd die of starvation if not thirst. The tears kept falling. He thought about Mozzie and Alex... June and Elizabeth. Would they all think he ran? He couldn't stand to think of the disappointment in Peter's eyes.
The blast was sudden, the shock wave knocking his head back against the inside of the safe, stunning him. Neal slumped towards the inside of the safe, eyes closed. He was only vaguely aware of the sound of rock and stone collapsing around him. The air was warm and dusty, his lungs filling with debris as he breathed through his nose. He gave muffled coughs, strangling on the clouds of dust. It was as if he had been pushed into a giant rock crusher, the sound deafening, ground rumbling around him. He blacked out.
()()()
Peter drove off, following Jones back to the office that nagging feeling still bothering him. The foreman had seemed smug in a manner that made him think he'd been hiding something but they'd gone through the whole building minus the basement which by all obvious means was collapsed and seen no sign of Neal. If he'd been there maybe he had moved on.
"Dial US Marshalls." Peter called out to the dash, the number dialing automatically.
"US Marshall's, how may I assist you?" The male voice replied crisply from the other side.
"FBI Agent Peter Burke requesting details on tracker 9305 Alpha. Neal Caffrey." He waited while they typed in the information. He replied almost immediately.
"Tracker 9305 Alpha is located at the corner of fourth and Roosevelt. It appears to be an abandoned building, Agent Burke. Did you need some assistance?" His voice was still professional but Peter shook his head, that nagging feeling making his breakfast want to come up.
"No. Thanks." He hung up and spoke to the dash again.
"Call Jones." He heard the phone dial and could see his colleague turn slightly in the car ahead.
"Peter? What's up?" Jones sounded like he knew what was going to be said. Peter swallowed, his mouth feeling dry suddenly.
"I called and the tracker still says that Neal is at the site. I need to do some digging. Tell Hughes I needed to take some time." He watched Jones nod from ahead before Peter turned off to the right and headed down another road.
()()()
It was blindingly dark when Neal finally came to. How long had he been out? His body ached worse than before, the feeling of rock pressed against his chest. The air felt thin, his mouth dry, swallowing despite the tightness in his throat. He gave a muffled cough through the gag feeling himself sneeze out dust through his nose.
Hard... to breathe...
He felt his chest growing tight, his body seizing up as he started to hyperventilate. He shuddered and twitched in the darkness, trying to breathe normally but it was hard as he felt himself panicking.
Breathe...
He blinked in the darkness.
Peter?
Breathe...
Neal heard his friend's voice in his head, the memory of the vault coming back. The air had been thin there and he had passed out till Peter helped him. He felt his breathing start to calm, his chest loosening up as his body relaxed and he slumped back. Once his breathing went back to normal, he did the only thing he could think of to free himself.
There was a loud pop as his left arm pulled from it's socket. Neal gave a muffled scream, slumping back more but now he was able to pull his right arm free from the rope, slipping it with some effort through the manacle. He felt skin tear, his wrist and finger joints popping out of sockets to free himself finally. He went entirely by touch, the darkness thicker than pitch as he had his right arm free and loosened his left. Both arms and hands were tingling, his left hurting the most. He pulled the tape from his mouth and spit out the rags, coughing and hacking.
It took him a minute to catch his breath, the pain unbearable but he had to free his legs. He felt with his right and managed to free himself after a while. Wasn't like he was going anywhere, the rock and stone still pressing against him even when he managed to adjust his body to a better position. He was squished inside the safe which only had enough room for him to fit. Neal felt the flow of blood return to his legs if only a bit, curling up inside the small space, his back towards what he thought was the opening where the rock was.
He coughed, body shivering from exhaustion and the ordeal he'd gone through. It wasn't over yet. He was trapped inside a safe at the bottom of a demolished building. The air would disappear soon and then he would pass out and before anyone found him he'd be dead from lack of oxygen if not from lack of food and water. He felt himself passing out already, body giving in when he felt a buzzing in his pocket. It startled him, his right hand reaching in gingerly. He had dislocated a few fingers he knew when freeing himself, his left arm still hanging loosely across his chest. He felt around till he had the cell in his hand and flipped it open. He heard a voice on the other end, the dim light showing him his small cell.
"Neal? Neal are you there?" The voice was familiar, a sense of comfort overcoming his fear for a moment.
"Mozzie?" His voice was raspy and hoarse as he spoke into the phone. He shifted slightly, slipping off his shoes so his feet were more comfortable. The voice on the other end sounded relieved.
"The Suit was looking for you. Where are you? They think you ran. I won't rat you out if you did. Just let me know you're ok." Mozzie was rambling now, his nervousness taking over. Neal felt himself smile despite everything.
"Peter? He was here but he didn't know I was here." He mumbled, brain was starting to feel oddly and he felt like laughing for strange reason but he didn't, stifling the urge.
"Neal? What are you talking about? Where are you? I'll come get you." Mozzie sounded more worried than he ever had, Neal feeling a warmth coming over him although he was shivering.
"Bring a lot of shovels, Mozzie. Better yet, bring flowers. I think this is my grave. Ashes to ashes... dust to dust..." He mumbled again, tongue feeling dry and a little too thick. He swallowed, licking at his lips and tasting salty dirt and rock dust.
"Neal... I'm going to track you ok? Keep the phone on." Mozzie was moving in the background the sound loud enough to make him think it was nearby in the quiet of the small space.
"Sure... marco..." Neal sounded delirious now, his eyes starting to grow heavy. He panted, his chest feeling tight again. He loosened his tie, removing it and made a sling for his left arm out of it as best he could in the dim light of the phone. He also removed his jacket, draping it over himself as he sat squished in the small space shivering.
"Neal, it says you're in an abandoned building near Roosevelt and fourth. Does that sound right? Neal?" Mozzie sounded more worried than ever but Neal didn't think he cared anymore, his eyes heavier as he tried to roll over and fall asleep.
"Yeah... there used to be a building there but they... they... it's dust now. Boom! All go... ne..." His voice faded as he slumped, the phone falling to his lap.
"Neal? Neal... keep talking to me... Neal!"
()()()
Peter found nothing about Neal's whereabouts other than he had vanished into thin air since seeing Mozzie. June had seen neither hide nor hair of the young man since he'd gone out the other night. Peter sighed, heading home as he felt his stomach grumbling. Maybe Neal had stopped there or left a message. He could only hope.
"Call from Elizabeth..." The dash spoke, Peter blinking as he told it to pick up.
"Hey El, what's up?" I was just heading back..." She interrupted him as he heard noise behind her. Someone was talking or maybe muttering. He wasn't sure.
"Honey... Aren't you supposed to be at work?" She sounded confused, the voice in the background still muttering.
"I've been looking for Neal. He's vanished. Who's there with you, El?" He was concerned till she told him who.
"Mozzie. He's been muttering about Neal but I can't get him to calm down. Please say you're almost here." She sounded worried and he nodded to the dash.
"Yes, just around the corner. Give him tea or something. I'll be right there."
()()()
When Peter showed up, Mozzie was pacing the dining area, his voice mumbling low about something. He seemed to perk up as the agent walked in, El giving her husband a hug as he whispered to her.
"You ok?" He watched her nod, kissing her on the cheek and hugging her before he turned to Mozzie.
"Mozz..." He didn't get beyond that when Mozzie pushed his phone into his hand. Peter blinked, the little guy usually very private with his cell, picking it up and noticing it was in a call already.
"Speak Suit..." Mozzie wasn't pushy, just asking. Peter nodded, lifting the phone to his ear and listening. He didn't hear anything at first then a slight gasp. He started, looking surprised as he finally found his voice.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" He had no idea what was going on till he heard it.
"Pe... ter? Is... that... you?" He heard Neal's voice weak and coughing on the other side. The young man sounded poorly, his breath panting in the background. Peter felt a pang in his chest, walking over to a chair and sitting. Elizabeth was by his side, hands wrapped around his shoulders as she stood behind him.
"Neal? Where are you? I went to look for you today." Peter waited, the panting sound mixed with a couple of wheezy gasps before he heard Neal's voice again.
"Buil... ding... demo... molished." Neal sounded weak, voice barely audible. Peter felt that pain in his chest spread till he felt knots in his stomach and neck. Elizabeth seemed to sense his distress, taking the phone and listening.
"Neal? Are you hurt?" She saw Peter's shoulders tighten as he stood and paced a bit, his eyes never leaving the phone.
"El?" Neal sounded lost, tired like a little boy. She looked about to cry so Peter took the phone back.
"Neal... your tracker says you were at an abandoned building. What were you doing there?" Peter had gone into father mode, his voice almost chiding. He saw El glaring at him slightly. He blushed, looking guilty as he heard Neal shifting on the other side.
"Kid...napped. Some... thing about... you? Watch... expensive." Neal's voice was sounding like he was fading, his voice breathy as he seemed to fight to speak. Peter was worrying now, not sure how to help the young man. He was looking around in a panic trying to think...
"Neal... don't sleep. Ok? Talk to El." He handed the phone to her and she nodded uncertainly, Peter walking over to the corner and grabbing up his own cell, dialing.
"Hughes... Burke? Jones told me you didn't find Caffrey and you're taking time. What's up?" He didn't sound mad so much as concerned. Peter didn't care really just hoping for help.
"I need another warrant for that site, Reese. Neal's trapped there beneath the rubble." He was trying to keep his voice calm and wasn't sure how successful he was being under the circumstances. He saw El looking watery eyed as she spoke to Neal on Mozzie's cell.
"What happened with the first one?" Hughes sounded curious now.
"They let us look if a bit reluctantly but we only had limited time and we couldn't get to the basement. We didn't find Caffrey so I thought maybe it had been a mistake and his tracker was broken but he's calling us on another cell. He's in the rubble. We have to get him out before he runs out of air!" He was feeling an anger at the situation, remembering the foreman.
"Fine. I can get you one but you need to let me know what's going on. I can't just get people out there to dig up a site if Neal's not there." Hughes was only slightly irritated but it didn't seem directed at Peter. He sighed and nodded.
"He says he was kidnapped. Someone took him there and I think I know who. Neal mentioned a watch... the foreman had a very unusual timepiece." Hughes interrupted him.
"We can't arrest someone because they have a unique watch. Anything else you can think of, Peter? They're going to think we're harassing them by getting a second warrant. I want to be sure this is by the book."
Peter thought a moment.
"That case on Farrold... This property is owned by him. He's threatened to have my badge taken in the past when I investigated him on legitimate charges. Does that work?"
He heard Hughes grunt and a sound like someone walking inside the office.
"Jones is here. I'll send him over to your house with the warrant and you can head over there. I'll also get some of our emergency crews to help with the extraction and meet you there."