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Chapter Four

Life in prison is anything but pleasant. It's a life that instills fear and dread for the next day and what it may unfold in one's life. There is a cruel and unusual structure to the prison hierarchy, one you never want to find yourself at the bottom of. But sadly that's where you start on arrival at the prison. It's through your own strengths and might that you work your way up to the top, and it always comes at a price.

Neal feared what his price would be. His anxiety haunted him, chasing his sleep away, night after painstaking night. As the days passed his tired eyes lost their sparkle, his sly spirit dulled to a dim shadow of the man he once was. His debonair smile faded to a glum aura, and his willpower began to weaken. He slowly became as a ghost of Neal Caffrey. He spent his nights lying awake staring at the top bunk, he often simply picked at his food in the cafeteria, eating little if anything at all. In the rec. yard he simply sat alone to himself staring at the ground, giving little response to Rocco when he attempted to press him for some type of action. He knew he would never have a chance with Rocco's three body guards always close by.

Levi witnessed his cell mates resolve being eaten away by the corrosion of prison life. He had seen it happen enough times to recognize the sign's when a man was close to his breaking point. The empty gazes, the dark circles under the eyes, the lack of appetite, the absence of sleep, and even the emotionless responses to questions. Neal had them all. He was close to giving in. Levi attempted to ignore the signs. It was not his problem to deal with, and if Neal was going to give in that easily, he felt he deserved it. Levi was the type of man that fought to the bitter end, endured the torture both mental and physical. If it broke you, you were weak, and you deserved to be broken.

But Neal was strong. He was much stronger than he had ever been given credit for. People often viewed him as weak, and he used that to his advantage. This time was no different. He allowed himself to appear like he was losing the battle, like the prison chaos was crushing his determination. But it was doing the opposite. He was doing what he does best, pulling a con. That's what he did, he conned people, and criminals where no different, there where after all still people.

One afternoon in the rec. yard, Levi was busy playing basketball with fellow cons, Neal sat silently on a bench nearby staring at the ground. Rocco approached as he often did, ready and prepared to hurl insults in his attempts to get a rise out of the conman.

"Hello there, Lovely. You know, I am getting tired of waiting for you to accept your fate. Maybe it's time my waiting ended."

Neal sat motionless without response. His eyes cast down to the ground.

Rocco leaned down and positioned his mouth against Neal's ear. "I knew eventually you're fight would wear down. Patience is a virtue."

Neal slowly closed his eyes and he let his body relax, releasing his tense muscles. His eyes looked defeated. He glanced up at Rocco and slowly nodded his head, "I'm done fighting."

Rocco's sickly smile stretched across his lips, "Good, let's make a visit back to my block." He reached down and gripped Neal by the arm and pulled him to his feet. Neal did not fight him, he stood and allowed Rocco to push him back into the GenPop area.

Levi was watching. He felt sick when he saw Neal surrender so easily. How could anyone give up without at least trying to fight. He felt anger that the man he thought Neal was, was a lie. He was not the sly conman that evaded the FBI for so long. Not anymore.

Rocco pushed Neal into his cell. Neal stepped backwards a couple of steps as Rocco crowded towards him. The smile of satisfaction on Rocco's face made Neal want to hurl. He clenched his teeth and quickly looked down at the floor.

Rocco slowly began to unbuckle the belt around his waist. He licked his lips, "You really are a pretty thing."

Neal refused to look into his eyes. He took another step back.

"Now don't be shy." Rocco's slick words sent chills down Neal's spine.

"I'm not shy." Neal spoke in a low tone.

Rocco stepped closer and leaned in trying to capture Neal's gaze, "No? Then what are you boy?"

Neal slowly raised his head and his eye's met with Rocco's, but the weak look that was present moments ago was now gone, it was replaced with anger and vengeance. Rocco suddenly felt threatened and he stumbled backwards. Before he could take more than two steps Neal's hand was around his throat, his thumb was pressed deeply into Rocco's collar bone.

Rocco felt his legs buckle beneath him, Neal shoved him down on to the bottom bunk, his hand never leaving Rocco's throat. He dropped his head close to Rocco's face and a cunning smile took its place on his face. "I have blocked the blood flow to your brain. The first thing you will experience is paralysis, next will be the loss of vision, followed by the inability to breathe on your own. You see, you only thought I was breaking down, but I was just allowing you to let your guard down. And that is where you made your mistake, you did not view me as a threat so you stopped approaching me with your thugs to back you up. Now you know what I am capable of. I am going to let go in a few minutes just before your breathing stops. But if you ever, come after me again, you will learn what suffocation feels like." Neal released his grip on Rocco's throat and stood to his feet. He stared down at the man who tried to shake off the odd sensation that Neal had inflicted upon him.

Rocco looked up and snarled with his lip, he attempted to talk but his words were hoarse and difficult for him to get out, "You…..pay….for…..this."

Neal leaned down again and raised his hand as if he were going for Rocco's throat again. Rocco quickly dodged away from him. Neal smiled, "This was just the beginning, Rocco. You will pay for every wrong you have ever committed against another inmate. I swear to you on that." Neal stood and walked back into the GenPop room. The prisoners were beginning to flood inside as the end of the Rec yard time had let up.

Neal headed back to his block. As he walked in Levi was sitting on the top bunk, he frowned at Neal as he walked in. "I'm disappointed in you Picasso."

Neal furrowed his brow and looked at Levi, "Disappointed? For what?"

"For caving. Yeah, I saw you just give it up to Rocco."

"Give it up?"

"You let him get to you. I thought you might have been tougher than that. Guess I was wrong."

"I didn't cave."

"Whatever." Levi kicked his feet up onto the bed as he laid down. He crossed his arms behind his head and grumbled something in Spanish under his breath.

"Levi, I played him. I needed him to see me as no threat to him. That way he would stop brining his goons around when he made his attempt."

Levi raised up onto one elbow so he could look at Neal, "Why?"

"So I could make my point."

"Oh, and what point might that be Picasso? You're easy? Cause that's what everyone in the yard saw today."

"I needed him to know what I am capable of."

"You could never take on Rocco. The guy weighs twice as much as you. So what could you possibly be capable of?" Levi sarcastically snarled.

"Get down."

Levi glared skeptically at Neal, he hesitated for a few seconds but eventually complied and slipped back onto the floor. He stood in front of Neal and rolled his eyes, "Okay, show me capable. But know this, I can and will take you down."

Neal looked down at the floor as if he were having second thoughts, "You're right. You can beat me."

"That's what I thought." Levi turned to pull himself back onto the top bunk, but Neal's hand was around his Neck, his thumb dug into his collar bone. Levi felt weakness in his lower body and his began to fall to the ground. Neal reached around his waist and gentle eased him back onto the bottom bed. He released his hold on his neck and smiled. "It's not always about brute force or strength. Sometimes, it's just knowing where to hit the right spot."

Levi fluttered his eyes, he felt stunned by the unexpected silent assault. He quickly looked up at Neal, his eyes burned with anger. Neal's smile gradually weakened and he took a step backwards. He held his hand up to try and calm his cell mate, "Whoa, I was just showing you what I did. I didn't mean…"

Levi's furrowed brow began to dissipate, his lips spread into a smile, "Shit, Picasso."

Neal smiled and felt his tension leave his body.

"You did that to Rocco?"

"Yeah, only I held on longer so I could get my message across."

"What makes you think he took that as a real threat?"

"Well I told him that the next time I would hold on until he stopped breathing."

"That crap will make you stop breathing?"

"Well no, not really. But he doesn't know that."

"You bluffed?"

"I did. But that's what I'm good at. Bluffing."

"You got some serious huevos, Picasso."

Neal smiled and sat down on the bed beside Levi. "Well that was just the beginning."

"The beginning?"

"Now I'm a threat to him. He's planning on his revenge."

"So what's your next move?"

"Icey."