(Chapter 7)
Neal wasn't looking forward to working closely with Angus Morgan again, much more undercover. The man had no scruples about using underhanded means not just on the mark but his own associates from what he could see. The fact the man was willing to sell out his old contacts to Kramer told more than enough for Neal to know he didn't trust the man further than he could throw him.
"Yes... we're going to wire him up now."
His attention went back to the agents around him, Angus out in the hallway with Kramer talking low. Neal wondered what it was they were discussing, the con turning to smile with those slightly yellowed teeth at him as Kramer glanced up at him and waved him over. Neal hesitated only for an agent to swipe him out into the hallway. He had already changed into street clothes appropriate for the group he was going to meet up with. Angus was going to be the contact person getting him inside to figure out who it was did the actual forgeries. It should be easy with his background to get through any interviews since he knew art.
"Caffrey. You know this case is important. Just follow the script and Angus' lead, ok?"
He stiffened slightly at the thought of having to rely on that man for anything but Neal didn't show his discomfort as he smiled and nodded as naturally as he could. Kramer took him at his expression but Peter would have pulled him aside asking what the matter was. He was wishing his friend was here but he'd have to just go with the flow and hope he could deal with whatever came up on his own. Angus smiled almost ferally back at him when Kramer turned away a moment, Neal doing his best not to show he was uncomfortable as another agent came up and attached a small tracker to him under his shirt to his tee. They did the same with Angus who seemed used to the drill as they were finally ready to roll. Kramer put an arm around Neal like a father but it felt more insidious and unnatural which made him uncomfortable and tense when he needed to be calm and thinking about the operation.
"We need this one, Caffrey. Help us bring in these crooks Neal and I'll see what I can do about you visiting with your friends in New York."
Neal stopped walking, eyes meeting with the agent's, curious if he really meant what he said. If he could see Peter... El... Mozzie... He had at least gotten the mac address for Kramer's iPad out in a moment of convenience. A not so seasoned agent had lent him their phone when he asked as he pretended to admire it. He sent a text as he distracted them and the info for Mozzie with it. He deleted the same info afterward with the person none the smarter. It had been a rare moment of ingenuity on his part when one of his shadows was distracted by work. Mozzie just needed to get the info to Sally so she could hack the device. Maybe they would find out where all the copies were and once they were gone, Neal would run for it.
"That would be nice, Sir."
He kept himself at a distance from the man while acting contrite enough as if trying to win back the agent's good graces. It hadn't been too long since his return off the reservation but he could try to act the part of being loyal. He had to do something to get Kramer off his back.
"Good... So, shall we go?"
()()()
Peter worried about Neal, Mozzie's statement about the con not contacting him when he should have made him nervous. His gut told him something was rotten but Stan had acted like Neal... well there had more to his "I guess he's alright" comment than words could say. It was almost as if the agent wanted to tell him more but couldn't. Being on leave was making him antsy, much more not hearing any news about Neal made him more tense. He'd come to visit him while he was hurt and Peter hadn't been there for him. Some part of him felt guilty for that and yet he had heard his friend's voice in the darkness. There had been a loneliness there he never knew his friend to have since Kate's death and Mozzie's shooting. Nobody knew how Kramer was treating the con and he couldn't very well ask Hughes. He had tried contact the first month and been nearly suspended for what little digging the did. Reese had warned him off and for the meanwhile he had stayed away from his usual searching to concentrate on work and other means of helping his friend.
"Hun... why are you grinding your teeth?"
He turned his head as El walked into their bedroom in her fuzzy sky blue robe and walked over to the bed, laying beside him. They cuddled, her arm around him as he shrugged and tried to think of happier things.
"Sorry hun. Just thinking about... Neal. If Mozzie's worried, something must be wrong. My gut is kicking me on why Agent Efran was worried about Neal and yet seemed almost uncertain about him despite their having worked together. Doesn't feel right."
El nodded, hugging him close as she gently caressed his hair. He started to relax but the worry didn't leave his mind.
"Tell Reese what you know. Maybe he can get something over the wire."
She stared at him with curious blue eyes but he saw her own worry for their friend as he nodded and kissed her. He might have to tell his boss about his own trip off the reservation to save his wife. What would he say? Neal had risked seeing him, maybe Peter needed to do more to save his friend.
()()()
Three days ago:
Neal didn't know what had hit him when someone clubbed him across the back of the head, vision going gray before focusing up at a yellowing smile. Angus grinned back as he pinned something to his jacket without the others seeing. The man turned back with an innocent concerned look to several other blurry figures poking and pointing back at him.
"He's got a tracker! I told you he was no good!"
Angus was turning him over to the gangsters? His head swirled as did his vision, nausea threatening but he was lifted up and pushed against the brick wall of the small courtyard jarring his already injured head. He felt his arms pulled back and tied with zip-ties, tape pulled over his mouth as he was flipped back around and saw Angus and his goons smiling coldly back.
"Good thing you warned us, Morgan. Now... what do we do with this no good snitch? I can cut his throat..."
Neal felt cold metal pressed against his Adam's apple before someone clucked their tongue and the knife was removed.
"I have a better idea. It will drive his associates... mad trying to find him. Make sure he's out. Don't want to ruin the surprise, boys."
Angus started to walk away, Neal pulling some against his captors when a rag was pushed against his face and finally a pungent scent wiped consciousness away.
()()()
Neal wasn't sure how long he'd been out when he heard the quiet beeping near him. It was a low steady sound which drew him up from the darkness with curiosity as to what was making the noise. At first he wasn't able to see much at all, the light too dim for that but finally he shifted around, eyes becoming used to the darkness as faint outlines of what appeared to be a trunk came into sight. What was he doing in a... trunk?
His head ached, throbbing some from the faint hint of something still lurking about: Chloroform. That's right... now he remembered that Angus had turned him into his friends. He glanced down to see something flashing back up at him as Neal blinked in surprise to see it but was glad it lit up the space if even a little. He was bound but not for long, cuff-links on his jacket freeing him after a bit as he pulled out a small razor and cut himself loose of the zip-ties. The air was thin in the trunk as he pulled the tape from his lips and took in a deep breath then grabbed up the blinking item.
"IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU PICKED UP!"
Kramer's voice screamed back at him from the other end of the cell, the indicator saying it was down to the last two bars of power and barely enough signal to get through. Neal pulled the device from his ear, hearing the man just fine without the speaker. The agent was chewing him out and threatening him with prison. Right now he didn't care what Kramer did to him as he tried to figure out how to escape from this place he was trapped in.
"Angus told us you ran, Caffrey. I have every last marshal on your tail! Don't worry about calling your friends in New York! Your ass is going back to jail! I have no need for a two-timing con like yourself!"
He hung up the phone without answering, calling a different number as he felt around in the dimly lit space and tried to find something, anything that would help him escape. Angus had set him up and now he had to escape and run or figure out what it was the con had done to him. Why hadn't he just turned him into Kramer directly? What game was he playing?
"Answer me these questions three..."
Neal rolled his eyes but smiled in the darkness as he sighed in relief, coughing some as the air felt like it was thinning even more. He had a bad feeling but for now he had to get help.
"Mozz... it's me. I need help."
His voice was sounding reedy but he just did the best he could, breathing in and out slowly as he held the cell to his ear with one hand and felt around with the other. Finally he found what he needed and started to dig through to what he hoped would be freedom. He heard a cough on the other end.
"Neal? Where are you? My GPS... what are you doing in a scrapyard in New Jersey? Neal?"
The con blinked uncertain what he'd just heard as he squeezed through the space he found and ended up in the backseat of a sedan. This area was darker but with the light from the cell he could see enough. The windows were blacked out but that didn't seem to be the worse of it as he moved to unlock a door and found them jammed shut. He crawled into the front as he continued to look for a way out, finally answering his friend after he turned on the overhead light to get a better view.
"New Jersey? How the hell did I... never mind. Can you contact Peter. Kramer keeps trying to call me, this phone is nearly dead and I don't have much of a signal. Why is this car so hard to open?"
He cursed the last part to himself, finally picking out a small emergency hammer from the glove-box and using it to smash a window. Neal cursed, his heart sinking as he realized why it was so dark.
"Neal... let me call you back. I'm going to contact Peter, ok?"
He wanted to cry, hands reaching through the broken window to feel the hard yet rough gray material that seemed to have molded to the very car itself. Angus didn't play around when he wanted people gone. If he had expected him to disappear, this was definitely a good way to make someone vanish.
"Neal? Did you hear me?"
It took him a moment as he glanced at the phone and saw the battery was down to one bar now.
"I did... hurry, Mozzie. Bring jack hammers. You're going to need them."
He hung up the phone and started to feel a bit claustrophobic. How was anyone supposed to rescue him? What game was Angus playing? Neal didn't know what to think as he considered how much cement must be covering this vehicle. How long had he been out that it was solid? The air inside of the sedan felt so much thinner as he curled up on the front seat and thought this must be the end, his eyes on the dim light of the cell as he lowered it more to conserve battery. He hoped Mozzie would call him back soon, his body relaxing as he fell into a light sleep.
()()()
Peter didn't know what to say as he entered the bullpen for the White Collar department. Jones and Diana were absent, possibly on a call or lunch as it was around noon. He saw Hughes up in his office on the phone and looking less than happy as he glanced out and blinked in surprise at Peter. He paused wondering if he could go through with this but there was really no choice if he wanted to help Neal and keep his promise. He took in a deep breath and walked towards his boss' office and waited until he was given the OK and entered. Reese looked more pissed than usual, aggravated more than anything as he nodded at the phone and finally slammed it down in irritation. Peter jumped but that didn't scare him half as much as Reese' look at him.
"Are you here to tell me something unpleasant, Burke?"
Crap! Did he know about the video then? Had Kramer turned him in for some reason to screw with Neal or was there something else going on. He would play it cool until he had it figured out.
"Unfortunately sir... yes I do."
Hughes stood, slamming his hand onto the desk in anger as he moved to close the door then stood over the tense agent. It was worse than he thought then.
"Why didn't you just let me know before all of this hit the fan, Peter? Of all the hare brained schemes... Where the hell is he?"
Reese was leaning over him, breath that smelled of mints and something else he couldn't name hitting him as he tried to think straight. A moment of confusion hit him as he tried to figure out what his boss meant.
"Where is who, Reese? Who are you talking about?"
He had seen his boss and friend angry but this was just beyond anything he'd experienced in his time working with Reese Hughes.
"Who do you think, Peter... Caffrey! Kramer claims he ran while on a case and you have him stashed away somewhere. You have bad news so Caffrey must be involved. Just turn him over so we can clear this up already!"
The agent didn't even ask please which meant he was at the end of his rope despite their past. Peter stood up and held his head up high, a look of defiance on his face.
"Good for Neal! Reese, if you knew what I did about how Kramer convinced him to go to D.C. you'd be happy he ran too. And for everyone's information, I do NOT have him stashed away. I had no idea he had run until you told me, Sir. That's the truth."
Reese seemed to be sizing him up until he finally threw up his hands and just grunted.
"How am I supposed to believe that, Burke. After everything in the past... And what is this about Kramer's methods."
Peter hadn't had a chance to talk to his boss about how they'd railroaded Neal into his current position but he started to. He told him everything that Kramer had told him but Reese just shook his head.
"Hearsay... that's all it is! He said... You said... I need more proof than theoretical conversations, Peter. Now... why are you here if you don't have Caffrey hidden away."
His boss was still uncertain he was being truthful but if Peter was going to show he was telling the truth, he had to do what was necessary. He pulled out his phone, pushing in the card Stan had given him and queued up the surveillance footage. Once it was up he showed it to Reese.
"This is Neal and Keller... I saw this and showed it to you, Peter. Why are you showing it to me again?"
Peter swallowed hard before he moved to the next clip and played it for his superior and friend... if they would still be such after this. Reese took the phone from his hand and watched the screen, replaying it several times and then looking up at him.
"Peter... what did you do? I... don't understand..."
Reese looked upset, more upset than he'd seen him but it was almost father disappointment which he'd hoped to never see. This man had trusted and befriended him more than Kramer had and to show him that footage had hurt Peter too. He had hoped to get around it but Mozzie had yet to get back on him with his own plans. This was all he had to help his friend.
"I... The Bureau never negotiates with kidnappers but it was my wife. It was Elizabeth! It's not an excuse but it's my reason."
He waited to hear more chiding and cursing but the man he'd come to call boss and friend more so than Kramer ever had been nodded with an almost softened understanding look. He saw the old man's shoulders sag and nod to him.
"Tell me what happened, Peter. If I'm going to help you and Caffrey, I need to hear everything that occurred."
Reese's voice was more normal now, calmer it seemed despite what he must be feeling. Peter was surprised when his boss removed his shield and dropped it into his drawer, locking it. He was giving him immunity, Peter trying to think how to word this to make everything work out.
"Keller had the treasure... he wanted Neal to help him move it for part of the stash but he refused. He wanted no part of it but then my wife was taken and he had no choice but to help. That's the truth, Reese."
He kept it simple changing out Mozzie's name for Keller's and keeping the story enough out of order but truthful to make it sound believable. He hated lying more than anything but he had learned how to twist the truth so eloquently as of late and he hoped he wouldn't have to do it again.
"That's it then... you were coerced into doing this for your wife's sake. I think that will stick. Let me... see what I can do, Peter. I have a few favors to call in. Thank you for being honest with me."
()()()
It was hours later Peter realized he had his phone on silent and several messages were pending. It was almost 5 PM, Elizabeth still out with a client working on an event as he listened to the messages on his cell.
"Hi, hun. I didn't think this meeting would take this long. I left you some roast in the fridge. Just warm it in the oven or microwave. Love you."
"Don't think you can protect him forever, Petey. He will be back in D.C. by the end of..."
He killed the message from Kramer early, his mind still trying to figure out what Neal had done if he had really run. Diana and Jones promised to keep him in the loop about any news. Mozzie wasn't answering and he had hoped to have heard something by now but perhaps the two cons had run off without letting him know. He hoped he was wrong but all proof was pointing towards the two mean leaving without a word. It...
"Suit... why aren't you picking up? Fine... Soon as you get this message you need to go to the address I texted you. It's an emergency. Bring the Lady and Jr Suit if you have to. Neal's life depends on it."
Peter paused, replaying the last message and then checking for an unread text. There was one with an address in New Jersey. What was Neal doing there? He also noticed a list of items needed including one jackhammer. What was going on that they required paving equipment? Something felt off, his gut wrenching as he replied back.
Jackhammer? Should I also bring my personal blasting kit?
He sent the message off uncertain what to expect when a text answered immediately.
If you have one. And a construction crew. (Wait are you being sarcastic?)
Peter rolled his eyes but the fact Mozzie took him seriously meant something for once. He texted back.
Where exactly IS Neal?
He waited, getting up to go warm up some food although he was feeling all that particularly hungry. He had come home and done a bit of research into where Neal might have gone as well as sending a message off to Stan who hadn't answered him back yet. Then he had crashed on the sofa and now he was back where he had started, worrying about his partner and friend and what he was up to. The phone buzzed after a moment and he brought up the new text.
Underground... Literally. Think, gangsters and cement.
Peter stared at the message a moment before a horrible thought filled his mind. If Neal had been gotten rid of, why was Kramer calling him about stealing the young man back? What had he gotten Neal involved with that caused him to be taken out in New Jersey? Something stunk here as he went back to his missed messages and saw the number for his old mentor's office in D.C.
"It's about time you called me back. Where is he?"
He held his tongue despite the feeling he should just let loose on the man. If it wasn't for Reese trying to help him out with the video...
"Shut up and listen, Philip! What kind of case did you have Caffrey working on before he vanished?"
There was silence on the line a moment before he was blasted back by a string of curses and threats about losing his job and letting Caffrey ruin him. He just let it fly over his head before he finally cut in again.
"I SAID SHUT UP PHIL! What case where you working on? Tell me or I will have to find out how you got a copy of surveillance of myself helping Caffrey and Keller with that stash and used it to blackmail him into going to D.C. with you. I think OPR will be interested why you didn't turn me in."
He heard silence again and finally a deep sigh before the sound of a door shutting and more sighing.
"I never... Peter... it wasn't supposed to come out. I never... It was for both of your own goods. He's a criminal and always will be and you were going to get ruined by him. Now... well now you know why I was protecting you."
The voice sounded contrite and yet it was false enough Peter wanted to reach through and strangle the man speaking. Still, he had to remain calm and hope he could find out exactly why he was going to New Jersey to literally blast his friend out of a concrete structure.
"Philip... I showed the film to Hughes. Whatever you meant to do with it..."
He couldn't say anything else thinking his career might be over but he had to help Caffrey before he was forced to give up his badge. He heard another deep sigh.
"I only have the one copy on the server... I deleted the one on my iPad a few days ago in anticipation of having Caffrey back. It was only meant to be an incentive... He didn't like working here but he seemed keen on this current case. Art forgery. I had one of my other CI's working with him."
There was a moment of pause before his old mentor spoke again.
"He ran Petey. Caffrey can't be trusted to stay in one place. If he didn't go back to you, he was never your friend. I'm sorry you found out this way but the truth is the truth."
Peter heard the man's false attempt to be friendly with him and ground his teeth but he ended up yelling anyway. When he was done the line was still quiet but he heard breathing.
"Tell me who this other man was, Phil. Do you trust him any more than you trusted Caffrey?"
The silence seemed to run deep until he heard the squeak of an office chair.
"Angus MacHaunessy Morgan. Irish Mob member who's been in prison a while now. Good contacts in D.C. He told me Caffrey ran before they reached the meeting. He tried to stop him but returned alone. I trust him at his word, Petey. HE came back."
There was the tone again like Kramer knew best. He had always found it anything but annoying until now, now that he knew exactly what his mentor was.
"Good-bye, Phil."
He started to hang up as he heard one last word from the man.
"I'll fix this. I'm deleting the file, Peter. I never meant you any harm."
()()()
Neal found himself dreaming of New York, June's and getting off the elevator on the 21st floor. He felt happy if only while he dreamed. Something buzzed near his cheek but he couldn't wake, his body feeling more tired than it should and a slight feeling of tightness in his chest. The buzzing continued until he found himself awake in the darkness, a very deep nearly Stygian gloom. Only a faint glow escaped near his eyes as he saw a small reddish light piercing the dark. What was it? His mind felt dumb... fuzzy as if he couldn't think straight as he gasped slightly. The object kept buzzing as he finally relented and fumbled for it in the darkness, a brighter glow coming off of it and revealing a screen with a name on it.
"He... Hel... lo?"
His sounded voice tired and weak, eyes heavy as he felt an aching in his head. He wheezed ever so slightly as he tried to listen to the voice.
"Neal... Neal are you there?"
The voice was familiar but his mind couldn't wrap itself around who it was speaking as he nodded slightly.
"Who... who's this?"
He continued to lay there in the front seat of what appeared to be some kind of sedan, eyes partially open as he glanced at the cell and listened to the man speaking.
"I need you to push some buttons, Neal. Can you do that?"
Neal nodded to the disembodied voice, doing as he was told. He noticed the bars for the power go up a bit, eyes widening some before he spoke back.
"Bat... tery went... up. Magic?"
His mind wasn't working at full capacity, everything feeling fuzzy as he wheezed a bit more and felt his lungs collapsing. What was wrong with him? He just wanted to sleep... sleep was... good...
"Neal... listen to me. We're going to dig you out. Neal..."
The man continued to talk, his voice a bit on the nasally side but somewhere he knew the man had spoken to him before. Who was it?
"Dig... it... Mozz."
The humor was lost on him as he closed his eyes and felt the phone laying there beside him. It was his last vestige of contact but he was too sleepy to care or notice as he started to drift off.
"NEAL!"
Mozzie... that's who it was... they were talking to him but he was trying to sleep.
"Sleepy... call back... later."
He started to drift off again, his imagery with the 21st floor and the White Collar offices coming to light again. He was passing through the glass doors to his desk near the door. He saw Jones and Diana already hard at work as he sat down and pulled out a file from the inbox on his desk. Peter must be here if he had a case already. The phone rang beside him and he picked it up.
"Neal... I need you to listen to me."
Peter was talking to him as if they already had a conversation going but had just arrived at work. There was a certain confusion to the tone of his friend and partner as he nodded, eyes glancing over to the office to his right.
"Sure, Peter... what... what do you need?"
He stuttered but didn't understand why as he felt the phone starting to fade from his hand, the rest of the scene too going to gray. The voice continued.
"Neal... stay with us. We're going to get you some air. Someone's boring a hole down to you. Ok buddy?"
Peter's voice sounded odd, muted almost as he started to come to and found himself back in the darkness of what appeared to be a car. His eyes glanced around the interior, vision blurring in and out as he tried to figure out what was going on.
"Neal?"
The voice spoke to him, softer now, another sound drowning it out despite the cell being under his ear. It was a very insidious sound like a drill muted by something solid, the car shaking slightly with the noise. He sat up some, looking around and thinking he saw a faint hint of light off to his right where he had broken the window. Neal moved aside to the driver's seat as a bit of dust and debris met him, making him cough.
"Neal?"
His eyes went down to the phone on the seat, the screen dimly lit as he lifted it up and held it to his ear.
"Peter?"
He felt a little more awake now as the noise continued and he coughed as more dust appeared and then vanished. He felt a faint hint of cool air from that side and moved closer to check.
"Neal... that's the drill. We're going to find a way to dig you out but we wanted to be sure... sure you had air."
His friend's voice was hesitant and now that he was more awake he knew why.
"I'm ok. Little light headed but I feel a breeze now... Thanks."
They were silent a moment, his eyes looking down at the faintly glowing screen before him as he watched the bars tick down again. This extra time on the battery wouldn't last long but the car battery was working when he thought back to turning on the overhead light. How much more could he stay down here? He heard his stomach growl and wondered if there was any food in here.
"Neal... I know why you left."
Peter's voice was full of guilt but he wasn't sure why when he tried to think what he meant, his mind still a bit fuzzy.
"I saw the video."
His eyes widened and guilt washed over him like a tidal wave. Peter saw? Did that mean that Kramer went through with his threat? He wasn't sure if he was feeling guilt, anger or sadness as it all seemed to overwhelm him at once.
"Peter... I wanted to tell you but he threatened to have you fired. I couldn't take that chance."
He was interrupted, Peter's voice kindly despite the topic.
"I showed it to Hughes. I wanted to help you. Kramer knows I know and I told him plainly. When this is over, hopefully... hopefully you'll be coming back to work with the Bureau."
The last part sounded odd. Bureau? Not him? Did he think... Peter was willing to give up his position to help him. That's what he was trying to avoid when he went to D.C. Dammit!
"No... Peter... don't mess things up for me. Just tell them it's not real. Leave me down here and tell them I ran."
He was feeling down on himself, upset that things didn't work out but now they'd both be in trouble. He'd rather die down here then have to face the truth of his actions. Peter sighed as if he were next to him and for a moment he turned hoping he was.
"I'm not leaving you to the wolves and not in a huge cement coffin! Get it in your head, Neal! I'm going to help you despite the consequences! You did it for me... why not expect the same back?"
oOoOoOo
Author's Note: And so the roller coaster goes up the steep end and down the other with a chorus of screams! Yup... it's a bumpy ride again. Hope you're enjoying it. :)