Chapter 5:
Disclaimer: I don't own White Collar
After explaining all I wanted to Peter, he leaned back in his chair and studied me. "Why should I believe any of this, when I could easily convict you of stealing the jewels." He gestured at the backpack.
I tensed my body. "What other reason would I come here for?" I growled out. "I know where Antonio usually can be found, I just need you to find him before he finds me."
"Why didn't you just rat him out, and then sell the jewels on your own?"
I ran my fingers through my cropped hair. "I could have, but I didn't." I met his eyes, calculating my reaction. "Come on," I said, my temper rising. "Do I honestly seem that good to you? I'm freaking 15, not exactly a seasoned veteran at this sort of thing-"
"Meaning stealing?"
"Look, I pickpocket, I'll admit that. I'll never say that I don't, but I don't go for the big heists, alright? Simple, nothing but me and a target. Stealing jewels from a museum isn't exactly my forte."
"So why did you go for this one? Why did you help him?"
I stood up suddenly, but Peter didn't make a move, only straightened up. "I-I!" I tried saying I don't know, but nothing came out. "I was desperate." I answered quietly. "It's, it's, I don't know how you would describe it!"
All this time, Peter didn't say a word. He kept looking at me, head tilted slightly. My mouth was a little open, but I closed it. Slowly and reluctantly I said, "Most of my life, I've been doing what I do, alright? It's a habit, and I've been on edge lately…" I felt all my bravo deflate, so I lowered myself back into my chair. "I needed something to get my mind off of everything, so I grabbed at whatever chance I had." I glanced up at the FBI agent, "Besides, when Antonio asks you to do something, you find it hard to say no."
"Why choose you then, if he wanted to do something this big. You said it yourself, that you're not into big heists. How would he notice you?" Peter was asking all the right questions. They were just ones I didn't want to answer.
So I didn't. I just bit my lip and stayed silent.
"Katherine-"
"Just call me Kat, please." He raised an eyebrow, but continued. "If you want my help, you need to cooperate."
I let out a breath and looked to the sides, not meeting his eyes. Still looking at the ground, I said, "God sometimes I really hate Feds."
That made a corner of his mouth lift up, but he steeled himself again.
"Same way you noticed me…" I said softly.
After a moment or two, his eyes lit up in understanding. I had pickpocketed Antonio, same way I had with Peter, but this time, Antonio didn't even notice what I had done until much later, where I was far away in a park counting out the money from his wallet. Back then, I didn't return the wallet and just usually threw it in the trash. Right as I was about to toss it in the park trashcan, Antonio's guard showed up and stopped me. Antonio wanted to meet the "little rogue" who stole from him. Instead of immediately disposing of me in some way, he had just let me on my merry way. After I returned the money.
"Alright then. That's it." Peter said, lifting himself out of his chair.
"Wait!" I said, standing up as well. I reached into my pocket, grabbing the piece of paper and then handed it to Peter. "That's all of his hide-outs that I know of, and the names that I've ever heard him say. He's quite suspicious about everything, so be careful. If you can get him today, that'd be great."
"We can't just arrest someone because we get one semi-witness telling us that she thinks he stole something."
"Oh come on! I don't lie, you've got to believe me!"
"Really?"
I blew some hair away from my eyes. "Yes. I don't lie."
"You don't, or you won't?"
"I can't."
"And why should I believe you?"
"Because why else would I tell you my real name?"
"Because an FBI agent was asking you to?"
I sighed, "Listen, even if you don't arrest him for this, you can arrest him for whatever you find at one of his hideouts. I happen to know that this," I pointed at the third place on the list, "Is where he usually keeps his stolen items. Get a warrant, or whatever you need, and go there."
Peter looked like he was considering my offer.
"One last question."
I rolled my eyes.
"Why do you want to rat out Antonio?"
"Survival." I said. "Survival of the fittest out there… Besides… I've got people out there that I am rather fond of. I'd like to keep them safe."
Peter nodded solemnly, before opening the door, and calling out to Diana. I didn't hear what he said to her, because I was too busy looking at the file on his desk. I sucked in a breath when I read the name.
"Alright, Kath-" Peter turned around, but the thief wasn't anywhere to be found. She had slipped out the other door in his office, went into the conference room, and was already walking out towards the elevators. He caught a glimpse of her grey shirt right before she entered the elevator.
Sighing, he grabbed the phone, to call security. He couldn't just let her walk away, especially since she might be in danger. Antonio, otherwise known as Arnold Fredickson, had been on their radar for the last two weeks or so. They've suspected him of several felonies, but haven't had any concrete evidence to prove it.
And then here comes Katherine Rider, a 15 year old pickpocketer, who just drops the jewels that were stolen yesterday from on its way to a museum here in New York on his desk, with a story that seemed half-lies, half truth.
Peter opened his mouth to tell Security to pick up Katherine after she got off the elevators and-
He paused, seeing that the file that was on his desk, missing.
The voice on the phone said his name twice before Peter answered. "Uh, yes, um I'm going to have to call you back." He should have left the file somewhere else, or at least put it away before letting Katherine into his office. It was his stupid mistake. He shouldn't even had been looking at that file.
~!~
On second thought, stealing a file from the FBI building, right under their noses, probably wasn't the smartest idea.
I stared at the plain brown folder that was lying on my pillow. Very carefully, I sat criss cross on my bed, and moved the file onto my lap. I opened it and started to read.
Katherine Sydney Rider
Age: 35 years old
Birthdate: March 17th-
I didn't get any further. A tear blurred the year of her birthdate and I sniffed. I slowly wiped away the tear and then continued reading.
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Blue
I immediately touch my face, my own eyes were not blue, they were brown. I had gotten them from my father.
Height: 5"6
Weight: 130 lbs
I skipped ahead.
Current Address: 1832 Fal-
I slammed the file shut. I shoved it under my bed, beneath a pair of shoes that were too small for me. Tears watered up in my eyes, I didn't bother to wipe them away. Instead, I let the tears fall. Slowly, I laid down my head on my pillow, and closed my eyes. Before I even knew it, I was curled up in a ball, silent sobs moving throughout my entire body.
A hand rested on my back. It started to move in small, soothing circles, and I leaned towards the person. The woman simply held me in her arms as I cried, not saying a word, but mearly lending me her shoulder to cry on.
After who knows how long, Mrs. Tate picked up my head from her lap, and started to wipe my cheeks with a handkerchief. She didn't say anything, but when my eyes met hers, she clucked her tongue. "Sometimes the truth hurts, Kat."
I leaned back, my body tired and my eyes red. "Sometimes I hate the truth." I whispered. "Sometimes I want to lie."
Mrs. Tate removed herself from my bed and stood up. "Dinner's downstairs, I do insist that you come and eat something."
Normally, I would resist, say no, or just ignore her. But I decided, that maybe, just maybe, I could behave like a normal orphan would.
Because that's what I was. I was an orphan. A parentless child. I had no father. And I had no mother. "I do not have a mother." I said firmly. And so, I didn't have a mom.
It didn't surprise me when Peter came to the orphanage after that day. What surprised me was that he didn't come alone. Elizabeth came along with him. I saw them approach from the window and I immediately grabbed the file. I hadn't read anymore of it, but I kept it by my side.
Something inside of me refused to read it, to find out where she was, but the other half wanted to find out the truth. I wanted to know why she didn't-
"Kat?" Lucy called out, standing in the doorway. "There's a couple here for you!" Her eyes were wide and I felt the other's around me gasp in shock. They thought that a couple was here to adopt or foster me. How laughable.
I walked downstairs, straightening my shirt and dusting off my gym shorts. My stomach felt a little quirky. When I jumped off the last of the stairs, Franklin was there.
"Are you leaving now too?"
I scoffed, patted his head and moved on. Peter and Elizabeth were talking to Mrs. Tate in the front hallway. I froze when I saw Elizabeth. She looked like she hadn't changed at all. I was taken back to when we first met, and I remember the comfort I felt when she had patched my hands. It felt a bit like… a home.
I discarded that thought immediately, and approached the trio. "Am I needed?" I asked, tilting my head at Mrs. Tate. I tried not to look at Elizabeth or Peter.
I wondered why she was here.
"Special Agent Burke was telling me how you were instructmental in one of his cases." Mrs. Tate gave me an odd look. "Apparently, you helped identify someone that they've been looking for."
So, then. 'Special Agent Burke' didn't tell my care worker about how I had also originally been apart of a con.
I shifted my weight, wondering how I could add to the conversation. "You said there was a couple here to see me?" I inquired, still not looking at the Burkes.
"Well, Katherine, after much, much thought,"
This couldn't go anywhere good. I crossed my fingers and hoped that I wasn't going to get arrested. I looked up at Peter while he continued.
"The White Collar unit decided that while we had gotten our main guy, we didn't get every single one of his partners. So until it has been deemed safe, we would like to move you to a different location."
All the air left my body. I was beginning to get an idea on why Elizabeth was there. I shoved down that feeling of hope, and tried to breathe easy. "What different location?" I asked.
That's where Elizabeth chimed in, "At our house."
I replied back instantly, "Lies." I took a step back. "Are you actually serious?" My voice was weak. "Why the hell-"
"Katherine!" Mrs. Tate tsk-ed me. "Show some respect, please."
My eyes met Peter's. "You're not lying, are you?"
He shook his head. "No," He began. "Arnold has been apprehended, and so have most of his lackeys. But a couple are still out there, and while we're not sure that they know about you, we don't want to take any chances."
"So why your house then?" I asked, sounding a little bit angry.
"There was a lot of debate about that-" Elizabeth cut him off. She smiled at me, and I felt a little part of me smaile back, despite my stony exterior not changing.
"How about you go and pack up all your things?" She suggested. "We can go home and you can help me with dinner! Since last time, you couldn't stay long."
My cheeks grew red, and I looked down, ashamed. Meekly, I nodded and hurried back up the stairs. If it had been anyone but Elizabeth.
"You're actually leaving?"
I was faced by an older kid of the orphanage. Sam, his name was. "You're actually doing this? Going with that cop?" He scoffed, looking down at me, despite me being taller than him. "I can't wait until they shove you back here. They won't keep you, you know? And how exactly did you 'identify' a criminal? I knew you were a thief, but I didn't realize that you were a-"
"Shut it Sam. Before I shut it for you." I growled.
He didn't take a step back, nor get out of my way. "'Until deemed safe', right? How funny! I bet you last a week, before getting kicked out."
He suddenly stopped talking when I punched his stomach. Shaking out my fist, trying not to wince, I said, "I've always wanted to do that."
He gaped at me and I moved on past him. I grabbed an old canvas bag and started to stuff my things into it. There wasn't much I was going to keep. I filled it with all of my clothes, my other pair of shoes, and a couple of trinkets. After a small debate, I slipped the file into the canvas bag as well. I put on my jacket, despite it not being that chilly, and slipped on my shoes.
It hit me as I left the room, that I was leaving. For a while, anyway. I waved goodbye to Lucy and Franklin and the others, pausing briefly to give hugs. I didn't answer their questions, but kept going on until I left them behind.
I didn't know what to think right now. My heart was racing, wanting to find out more about this possible life I was going to get a glimpse of. My body was nervous, shaking and I felt my eyes tearing up. My mind, it was going crazy, calculating all the things that could go wrong, how long I was going to stay, etc.
I had no idea on what could happen.
I was actually leaving this place. The place that Kaiden and Suzy and I had been dreaming of leaving behind since as long as I could remember. I was leaving.
The question is though, when would I come back?
END OF CHAPTER
Reviews:
chicca01: As you can see, I did not make you wait long until the next update. I jumped right into writing the next chapter. It's nice and long for you fans as well. Thanks for your review!
Man, I read the most amazing White Collar Story that pushed me to update this so soon. I love WC. And Neal. Anyway, please review! The story is called "Jade", by CoolCoke. I think that's the author's name anyway. I might be wrong.
With that out of the way, its time to say-
-GP2 OUT!