Reese parked in the underground parking structure of the Waldorf-Astoria. Finch used the hacked garage feeds from last night to locate Starks car in order for Reese break in and see if any evidence presented itself. Unfortunately, it yielded nothing, so Harold waited, while John went in to locate Stark.

Reese positioned himself in the lobby with a full view of the elevators and stairs. He relaxed into a chair, holding some newspaper, and played the part of the carefree hotel guest in wait.

"Mr. Reese, Stark has her 9:00 in-house, spa appointment. If she is on time, she should be passing by any second. I'm heading up now."

John looked at his watch. Five to nine. "No Finch, wait until I have eyes on her. I don't want you crossing paths." But as expected, Sandra Stark exited the elevator just then. With not so much as a glance from his paper, Reese cloned her phone and made sure she was heading for the spa.

She was only wearing sweat pants and a T-shirt, but she was pretty, with a lean, athletic body and moved with a purposeful confidence. Her hair was blond, shoulder length and uncomplicated, but went with her natural beauty. She carried herself with the certainty and ease of someone that knew they could mop the floor with you, but honestly couldn't spar the time. "Stark just went into the spa. You're clear. She had not bags, so any laptop should still in her room. You have the phone signal?"

Finch checked his phone as he hurriedly made his way through the hotel. "I do, yes."

"Okay, she should be safe for now. I'm going to head after Erinson. Be careful Finch, she's experienced and alert. Don't cut things too close. Anything happens... just get out."

"I'll be fine Mr. Reese. This won't take but a few minutes."

John had to smile at Finch's new found bravado. He just hoped it wouldn't carry over into taking excessive chances.

Finch moved through the halls, nervous about any on lookers, but no one gave him so much as a second glance. He had always had the ability to fade into the, 'dismissed,' crowd when it suited him, and yet blend just as seamlessly into the elite circles of the powerful. Funny, how he never felt a true part of either. He realized.

Remembering Reese's warning to stay extra vigilante, Finch looked around before checking his computer. Stark's signal was indeed still down stairs.

Of all the places he'd had to break into, since starting his more involved 'field work' with Mr. Reese, this was at least one of the more appealing. He'd stayed here on numerous occasions, so navigating the halls and looping each camera just ahead of his path, was easy.

He paused at the end of the hall, waiting for a rather, romantically, enthusiastic couple to enter their room. He took the moment to program is door card before approaching the room. The door's entry light flashed a welcoming green, after Finch slide his bypass card through. "Mr. Reese, I'm in." As expected, the laptop was diligently locked in the safe, but with the master override, he easily retrieved it and set to work.

Just as a precaution, he checked Stark's GPS signal once again. This time, his pulse jumped with the sudden discovery that she had left the spa and was moving back toward the room. Had she forgotten something? Had he triggered some unseen alarm? Regardless he estimated he had less than five minutes. Not enough time.

Erinson moved down the street, using his six foot four frame to easily part the flowing people as he appeared to take in the sites. Reese studied his target. For all the world, Erinson looked like any typical tourist, from his, 'I love New York' sweat shirt, to the thick wad of brochures stuffed into his pants pockets.

He honestly appeared to be enjoying himself.

Maybe he was, but it didn't mean he wasn't up to something. The broad smile and carefree attitude reminded Reese of his ex-CIA partner - Kara Stanton. That exact smile only appeared on her face when she was about to do something dangerously intense.

Reese invisibly slipped through the crowd, as individual faces bled into one mass and swallowed him into blurred obscurity. Blending had become an art form, and one he'd mastered early on. Even with Erinson's habitual back glances, he had no idea he was being followed and that his phone had just been jacked.

The familiar chirp of John's earpiece had him ducking into a nearby sandwich shop while Erinson stopped at a magazine stand. "How's it going Finch?"

"Mr. Reese, I have the laptop, but it seems Miss Stark has changed her mind about a massage."

"Are you clear?"

"No, I only need a few more minutes.. Depending."

"Depending? On what, Harold?"

Finch continued his search of the laptop. "Her safety protocols and security measures are considerable, but I expected that."

"Ok, so what didn't you expect?" Reese pushed, getting more frustrated and concerned as he glanced around the corner at Erinson reading.

"There was a tamper alert sent to her phone. I rerouted the signal and am sure I intercepted it in time. Since our phones are paired, it would have trigger on mine as well - thankfully, it did not."

"Good..? So what's the problem, Harold?"

"She's on her way up and I've hit another snag."

"What! Don't chance it. Get out of there!"

"I found the Key, but it's designed to destroy itself if copied or transferred; so I'll only be able to use it here. Unfortunately, that will considerably complicated our work."

"Finch, we'll figure it out. Now - you - need - to - get - out. I'm across town."

"Just another couple seconds... to finish decrypting... there." Once more he checked Stark's location and fear spiked thought his body. She was in the elevator! Finch tried to rein in his alarm and focus, "Mr. Reese, it's an invitation." Without hesitation he snapped a photo and read the decrypted email.

Annual W.A.R. Event

Bringing You Tomorrow - Today.

Jan 11th - 22:00

JKF Red Garage Zone C

Code: SSTARK#005

Black tie affair

"So our numbers could all be here for this event... Okay, now Harold... get out of there!"

Finch checked the GPS. He wasn't going to make. Quickly he opened his laptop and sent an override order to stop the elevator one floor down. He hoped that would give him the time he needed to get her computer locked back up and get out.

He limped as fast as his unyielding body would allow and was just to the door when the signal started moving again... She was in the stairs!

"Finch, are you clear? Are you out?" Reese had an intense wash of panic when he got no response. "Harold?"

The silence was deafening as the weighed seconds drug with eternal slowness. "Harold, can hear me?"

John was aggressively weaving his way back toward his Ducati when a breathless pant penetrated through his fear. "Now... you know.. how I feel..." Harold responded. "I managed... to make it around the corner... and down the service stairs. I'm heading to the garage now."

Reese came to a melting halt, closing his eyes with relief. "That was too close Finch."

"At least I now know how to access the Key and can direct you, should we gain access to any of the other's computers." Though his voice may have sounded normal, he felt far from it as his heart continued to race.

Despite the close call, John couldn't help feel a sense of pride for how far his reclusive friend had ventured from the safety of his computer screens. "Well..., good job Finch, I think you may have a promising career as a cat burglar should the machine ever run out of batteries."

Finch nervously chuckled. "I doubt that Mr. Reese; I believe I'll leave the cat and mouse routine to you."

John smiled. "I'm sending you some pictures. Erinson wasn't just sightseeing, he just met someone. He'd getting into a black sedan now. I'm going to stay with him."