(Chapter 8)
Neal slept in the front seat of he car while Elizabeth sat in the back with Satchmo. Peter drove quickly, getting out of the city as soon as possible. They hit the outskirts of town after about thirty minutes to an hour, stopping briefly at a convenience store to get some food and snacks for the trip along with a small cooler and some ice. Once back on the road, it took another hour before Peter turned the car onto a small dirt road and pulled up to a rustic looking cabin framed by several huge trees and a lake in the background. Satchmo barked in excitement, waking up both Elizabeth and Neal, the latter a bit more sluggish.
"We're here." Peter nudged his partner who nodded sleepily, unhooking his seat-belt and opening up the door. They started to unload the vehicle, Peter walking up ahead of the them with a few bags, unlocking the door to the cabin. Elizabeth walked up with her case and some grocery bags, Neal taking Satchmo's lead and his own bag as they entered the cabin.
"Still looks the way I remember it." Elizabeth smiled, placing their personal bag by the door but taking the food from the convenience store and cooler into a small kitchen in the far corner.
Neal took a look around the cabin, taking it all in as he tried to feel a little less panicky. It was a fairly large room, a den with wooden rafters overhead, tapestries with Indian designs on them hanging on the walls, some framed personal photos as well as framed prints of hunting or fishing scenes. The hearth had a roughly hewn looking mantle with various knickknacks on it. Peter was already poking around the fire place as Neal continued to inspect the cabin. He felt a nudge as Elizabeth moved up and pointed down to a small hallway.
"Let me show you your room, ok?" She smiled at him, Neal nodding as he helped her with the bags and they headed down the small hallway where two doors sat at opposite ends of the hallway. She pushed open the one on the left.
"This room is yours, Neal. Let me know if you need anything. I'll find some linens." She moved away as he entered and crossed to the other room, opening it up and dropping the other bags there. Satchmo followed Neal into his room sniffing around a bit before leaving and following Elizabeth. Neal sighed softly, trying to fight his continued fears and started to set out what little items he had. He noticed his room had it's own bathroom, a small closet with a narrow shower, sink and toilet. He heard a sound by the door and started slightly, seeing Peter staring in at him.
"Hey, it's just me. Want to help me get some firewood for the hearth?" Peter was matter of fact, smiling. Neal nodded, moving over to the door and following his partner as Peter called out through the other bedroom.
"El, we're going to get some wood. Be right back!"
()()()
By evening, they had a nice fire going and everyone had changed into something more comfortable. It had worked out as a front had blown in, the rain pattering on the roof, wind howling as it rattled the windows. Neal curled up on a large roomy recliner while Peter and El were on the sofa. Peter had already called Hughes about what was going on but Jones was still absent probably because of the weather. They were far enough away from things, nobody could find them without personal knowledge of the place. It wasn't the kind of location that was on many maps, being a personal residence. Peter inherited the cabin from his grandfather some years ago but had little time to actually visit with his job. Neal had been fascinated to discover the place had been built by Peter's grandfather. It was a fairly modern home despite the rustic look and feel. It had electricity and had been outfitted for comfort in case of bad weather.
Neal stared into the fire, quiet music playing in the background from a small radio Elizabeth had brought along. The flames drew his mind into a sort of trance-like state, his blue eyes flickering green in the orange glow.
Images flashed through the young man's mind, his blank expression as his pupils grew smaller in response to his reaction. He was lost in thought, hearing things in his head. Voices spoke to him in quiet tones, his face twitching ever so slightly.
"You're not safe. We will find you."
The voices whispered darkly to him, Neal staring blankly at the fire.
"You can't run from your past."
Neal continued to stare into the fire without blinking, a shadowy form blocking his view.
"Hey... Neal. Neal wake up." Someone was talking to him but all he saw was the shadow in the flames of the fire, a different voice speaking to him in a strange distorted tone. Neal twitched ever so slightly, his hands turning to fists as he lay back in the recliner.
"Neal?" The shadow moved towards him, reaching to touch his shoulder, the young man feeling that fear and panic wash over him till his eyes focused and he could see Peter's face.
"Hey, you ok?" Peter's voice sounded concerned. Neal snapping out of his daze and glancing up at his friend with a slow nod.
"Yeah. Guess I'm a little more tired than I thought." He glanced around his friend at the fire then back up at Peter, the agent looking at him curiously. Elizabeth gave a little yawn from the sofa, standing up and moving over to Peter's side.
"We should get a good night's sleep. Jones will hopefully be here by morning. This storm sounds like it's going to howl for a bit." Peter's voice sounded a bit sleepy, El pulling him away but not before giving Neal a small hug.
"Sleep well, Neal." She smiled at him as he continued to sit on the recliner.
"Thanks. I'll put the fire out in a few minutes. I'm going to sit here a while longer." He saw them both nod and walk down the hallway and disappear, the sound of a door opening and closing. Neal leaned back in the recliner and closed his eyes, listening to the crackling of the fire as well as the storm blowing outside. After a bit he fell asleep, face relaxing as he slept a dreamless sleep.
()()()
Neal woke feeling groggy, a lingering scent of something sweet in the air. He moved to sit up but found he was already sitting stiffly in a chair, arms pulled back tightly and bound. He tried to make a sound but there was something stuffed in his mouth, tape over his lips. He thought maybe he was dreaming till he saw three more figures bound but unconscious laying on the floor of the cabin. Neal made muffled noises, trying to move but someone held the chair in place. He turned to see a man dressed in black with a white mask on. Neal's eyes widened in fear as he realized what was going on. He struggled but saw the man holding the chair pull their fist back and slug him hard across the chin. Neal reeled, the masked figure whispering to him.
"Pay back!" He recognized that voice as Thomas' once his senses came back. Thomas pinched the young man's nostrils closed, Neal struggling to breath when someone coughed. Another man in a mask walked over with a cool air of confidence.
"Leave him be, Thomas. We need him for the heist and his friends here should be enough to convince him that he should do this if not for himself for their welfare." Gordon's voice was muffled beneath the mask, causing a chill of fear to slip up and down his spine. Thomas let go, Gordon pulling the tape and rags from his mouth. Neal gasped for air before answering.
"Let them go!" Neal pulled against his bonds looking down at the unconscious forms of Peter, El and Agent Jones. Now he knew why Jones hadn't shown up. He was wondering about Hughes now although Gordon would probably play that card through without letting Hughes in on anything. Neal continued to struggle, Thomas holding the chair in place. Gordon clucked his tongue.
"Such spirit. You still owe me a heist or did you forget?" Gordon crouched before the young man and removed his mask.
"You don't want your friend's to suffer do you Caffrey?" He made a motion to one of the masked men and they walked over and lifted Peter from the floor, clearing off the coffee table, placing him on top. The man pulled out a pistol and held it to the unconscious agent's chest, cocking the gun.
"Jared isn't very happy about what you did and he wants payback like Thomas. He'll shoot your friend in the heart unless you finish what we started. What do you say, Caffrey?" Gordon was smiling coldly, staring with those hazel eyes, their color almost amber in the firelight. Neal looked between the agent and his friends and nodded.
"But I want your guarantee you won't harm any of them." Neal stared at the man despite his fear, blue eyes glaring. He was terrified but he was more afraid of losing Peter, El and Jones. Gordon blinked at the young man, chuckling.
"Such naivety. You'll do what you're told and hope you live after wards!" Gordon smacked him across the face, the gold ring on his finger cutting his cheek. Neal glared up at the man, Gordon smirking back.
Gordon made a motion, Jared moving away from Peter and towards Neal, pulling something out of his jacket pocket. It was a syringe. Jared tapped the needle as Thomas pulled Neal's head back and bared his neck. Neal struggled but the needle stung as it pushed through and he felt that familiar warmth as the drug went into this system. It only took a moment for it to take effect his head lolling backwards against the chair and then forward, his chin resting on his chest as he lost control, his body going limp. Gordon grasped his chin in his hand, raising his head till they were eye to eye.
"When you wake up, be prepared for the heist, Caffrey. Think about your friends here and choose wisely." Neal felt his eyes grow heavy and everything went black.
()()()
Peter left with El to their room but he left reluctantly, wanting to be sure that Neal was ok. He had seen the way he was staring into the fire as if in a trance. Something was up still he didn't want to crowd Neal so they said their good nights and left him alone in the den. El wrapped her arm around his waist and they walked back to their room, closing the door. El started to change into her pajamas, Peter looking back at the door as he slowly undressed, his mind on Neal's well-being. He felt someone helping him remove his shirt, turning to see El smiling.
"Honey, he'll be ok. Jones will come tomorrow and Hughes will have some men check on what you told him." She dropped his shirt next to her own small pile of clothes, Peter finishing changing into his own Pajamas as they climbed into bed. It was a cool night with the storm blowing outside and the sound of rain hitting the cabin like pebbles. It took a while but finally Peter found himself dropping into a light sleep, his arms wrapped around his wife as she curled up beside him.
He wasn't sure what time it was when he heard the noise. It was soft at first and then he heard footsteps, quiet footsteps creaking the floor boards as he opened up his eyes and saw a man with a white mask in black clothes looking down at him. It was too quick as they pushed a cloth over his nose and mouth another one doing the same to El who was still sleeping. She didn't rouse, and Peter had been taken off guard and soon passed into a light unconsciousness as they pulled both him and El from the bed, binding and gagging them with duct tape. He couldn't move but he was aware of what was going on, eyes partially open. He felt himself dragged along the floor into the den where he saw Neal bound to a chair. They dumped him and El on the floor and a third figure was dragged in: Jones. Peter now understood why Jones had taken so long to show up. He cursed inwardly unable to respond to anything under the drug's influence.
"So what now?" He heard a man speaking, a familiar voice like one he'd heard recently but with the masks he couldn't tell who spoke. Another man stood behind Neal, pulling the young man's head back by the hair harshly. Neal slumped without response.
"It won't be long. Once he's waken up, we can start the heist in earnest. He'll do it to save his friends or at least alleviate his guilt for thinking he might save them." The man laughed, the voice definitely familiar. It was Alistair Gordon's. He was certain of it but they all wore masks and he could only guess who else was there. Peter wished he could call for help or move but they were helpless.
"Is he awake?" Someone poked Peter in the ribs but he didn't respond, eyes staring blankly ahead to fool them. The man shook his head.
"Fool! He's out cold. Besides, we can wake him up for the fun part later. He's the one that Neal will have the most affection for. The man is his mentor. They have a certain bond and I know that bond will be what will make him do the heist. Then... bang! Unfortunate hunting accident in the woods. Such a shame..."
Peter heard a muffled groan, eyes turning to see when he knew nobody was looking. He could see Neal rousing, brow furrowing as he started to wake up. He watched the masked men taunt him, one slugging the young man in the face before Gordon confronted him with the heist, using Peter and the rest as the bargaining chip.
Neal looked tortured at the thought of his friends getting hurt but did he know the man was lying about letting them go? He didn't have time to think hard about that as he was dragged to the coffee table and stretched over it on his back. He saw as well as felt a gun pressed against his chest as he lay there helpless but totally aware of everything. He heard Neal protest then the slap from Gordon, a small cut where the metal of the FBI ring had cut the young man's cheek. Peter felt rage filling him but he was unable to do anything in his current state, watching and waiting, seeing his friend drugged again and then carried away.