Author's Note: Here is the overdue update! Sorry about the wait guys but school, stress, and tiredness made it impossible for me to write! Blame the school its all the school's fault. Anyways, Enjoy!
The lone car made its way through the winding roads and tall buildings as it continued on its mission. Its precious cargo sat in the middle of the backseat staring at the armrest in front of him with an apprehensive expression. There was a knot twisting in Neal's stomach as he saw the all-to-familiar prison looming up in the distance. When they reached the security gate Neal Caffrey couldn't help but see it as the gateway to hell.
The person at the gate looked crabby and annoyed at having to open the gate to admit the car. Neal sighed and shivered slightly as the car pulled up to the entrance and got out of the car reluctantly. He wished Peter was here, if the agent had been with him right now it wouldn't seem quite as bad. An orange jumpsuit was pushed into his hands and he was ordered to go get changed. He knew that they would treat him like a normal prisoner and he wasn't expecting any favors.
He stepped out of the changing room and followed the prison guards to a large group cell. Inmates lined the bars along both side of the corridor and there were hushed whispers and gawking. Neal could hear his name being said in an alarming amount of different tones and voices.
Shit, was the only thought that he could muster as he stepped into his assigned cell. He could tell which way the mission was going to be headed already and didn't like it one bit.
Five Days Later
Peter Burke sighed absentmindedly as he stared out of his office window at the empty desk. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed the energetic ex-con artist and the silence was pressing down on him. Within one day of Neal's absence at the office all of the fun and energy seemed to have been sucked out of the building and the team itself. Jones was dragging his feet to get things done, Diana rarely smiled and Peter felt downright miserable without his best friend.
The five longs days had come and gone and the cases had moved even slower. Now that Neal was unable to assist them with their cases, it was obvious how much the younger man had added to the team. It was true that at times he made it so that they all wanted to strangle him, but the younger man had grown on them all. Even if Diana and Jones wouldn't admit it, Neal had grown to become like a younger brother to them. And for Peter, Neal was an advisor, a friend, and a younger brother.
There were times when Peter would look at the empty desk and he would imagine Neal sitting there playing with the fedora or attempting to read a case file without getting distracted. He smirked when he remembered the time Neal had been bugging the entire team as he tried to get one of them to take him to an art exhibit that outside of his two miles.
Shaking his head Peter wondered how his partner was faring and he turned back to the case file in his hand. The case baffled him, he didn't have a clue as to how the criminal had pulled it off but now one of the art pieces in the local museum was missing and reeked of a white collar criminal acting behind it. Come on Neal, just find whatever it is they want from you and get your butt back here. We need you.
The man in the office was dressed in a white suit with a red tie. There was a gold tie clip that held the tie in place and he puffed out a breath. The smoke from the cigar wafted through the air and he watched it absentmindedly. He nodded in agreement to what the man sitting across from him was saying.
The man in the expensive suit grinned the sharp incisors making him appear all the more predatory. His fingers rapped the solid oak desk and the big ring around his finger made a dull clank every time it hit the wood. The smoke curled around his face as he puffed out again.
There was a thick manila folder lying open on the desk and the second man began to page through it. There were quite a few photographs and sketches of two men but focused mainly on the younger one. A woman stepped out of the corner and peered over the second man's shoulder curiously.
She beamed when she recognized the men in the photographs and she raised her eyes questioningly up at the boss man. The white-suited figure nodded once in confirmation to the unspoken question.
The white-suited man got up and held out his arm to the lady and she took it with another wide grin. The accomplice hastily dropped the folder onto the desk and scurried after them. None of them noticed the picture of a dark haired, blue eyed and attractive young man flutter out of the folder. The face with the charming smile continued to beam from its resting spot on the floor.
Neal Caffrey woke up with a start and jerked away from the man in front of him out of confusion.
"Are you ready?" The voice hissed, not wanting to be overheard by the guards.
Neal nodded and he grinned at the other man. "Always have been."
The other man grinned in acknowledgement and pulled Caffrey to his feet. "Then let's get going. Time's wasting and he wants us to get it done now."
"I know." Neal snapped moodily as he peered through the prison cell's bars. There was one guard currently monitoring the hallway. "It'll work."
The taller man simply grunted a reply as he moved off into one of the more shadowy parts of the cell.
Neal moved to the front of the cell and dog whistled loudly. The guard turned around with a startled jerk and started walking over to the con man.
"What?" The question was barked in irritation.
"Can I go to the bathroom?" Neal whined, sounding like a little kid.
"I don't know can you?"
"Perve."
The last comment drew a puzzled look from the guard but the other man didn't comment.
"So can I?" Neal potty-danced to prove his point.
"Fine." The guard grouched as he unlocked the door and grabbed Neal before quickly shutting it and looking the cell once more.
Neal's eyes followed the key as the man slipped it back onto the ring. He was prodded forward and Neal allowed the man to escort him to the bathroom. When he was finished with his business Neal complacently went down the hallway. The man unlocked the cell door with a different key and that was when Neal realized that all of the keys on the chain were the same.
The con artist pretended to trip and his flailing hand reached out, using the guard as a support as he righted himself. "Sorry," he mumbled as he walked into the cell. The guard didn't reply, instead he just shut and locked the door after Neal before walking off.
Neal grinned at his cell mates and held up a key. "Think he's going to miss this?"
The other men shook their heads in exasperation as Neal handed the key over to Danchien.
If Peter knew what I was doing he would beat me silly, Neal groused as he backed away from Danchien nervously. The man had a glint in his eyes that the young con artist wasn't very fond of.
He had been doing whatever it was Danchien had wanted him to do for the past week as an attempt to get back into the other criminal's good graces and until this very second it had seemed as though it was working. Neal was almost certain that someone had tipped his old enemy off and dreaded what was going to come next.
The rest of the convicts that shared the cell with him had formed a circle and Neal glanced around at them with a confused expression. Danchien moved forward and Neal automatically flinched back.
If Danchien noticed the movement he didn't acknowledge it. "How am I supposed to believe that you aren't here to snitch on us? Hmm?" The older man hissed as he circled the younger felon.
Neal swallowed and forced himself to keep from turning to watch him. Crap, crap, crap and crap.
The younger man knew that now that Danchien had used him to get the key he probably wouldn't have anything else that he would need Neal for.
Author's Note: I don't think I've ever done this many chapters without beating Neal up! Dun dun dun... cliff hanger! Remember the more you review the more motivated I am to type and update! ~~~And motivation is in short supply right now folks~~~
Soooo, please leave a review!