White Collar: The Eye of Sita
Chapter Eighteen
"Neal?" Sara asked nervously. "What are you doing?"
Neal didn't answer or even look up at her. He was sitting at the small bar that separated the kitchenette from the living room in Sara's hotel room. Neal had all of the pieces of Peter's weapon that Daniel had dismantled laid out in front of him. Inspecting each part he easily reassembled it and checked it over for working condition.
"I thought you didn't like guns, where did you learn to do that?" Sara asked. "I mean when you broke into my apartment to 'assassinate' me, you made me fire the gun to fake my own death."
"I didn't make you, I let you." Neal corrected with a growl.
"What?"
"I didn't want to press my luck with you that night by reaching for the loaded weapon considering you still had a gun in your hand and had already threatened to shoot me."
"You broke into my house dressed up like you were going to an audition for 'Grease' with a high powered handgun." Sara replied defensively.
"And in doing so I saved your life."
Ending the conversation by getting to his feet and walking away Neal went over to the wall safe. Without asking for the combination he tried three combinations before the safe opened. Sara came over with a look of surprise on her face.
"How did you do that?"
"It's a Guardian 230 safe, only four digits in the combination."
"With zero through nine digits that's still ten thousand possible combinations."
"You always use simple geometric shapes on the keypad for your combinations. You should probably stop doing that."
"Clearly."
Neal took Sara's gun out of the safe and checked to ensure that it was loaded. To Neal's surprise he discovered that it wasn't. He gave Sara an irritated questioning look.
"What can I say?" Sara said with a flush of embarrassment. "My bark is worse than my bite."
"Has this ever been loaded?" Neal demanded.
"No." Sara admitted. "The gun is a bluff, I don't think I could ever actually shoot someone."
"Great." Neal sighed.
"Neal, you really starting to scare me. Why are you suddenly interested in arming up for a last stand?"
Still not answering many of Sara's questions Neal handed her the gun. He went over to the couch where Peter was sleeping. Neal lifted up the ice pack that they had put on his throat to see if it was helping. Now along with the redness a deep purple line had developed where Daniel had cut off Peter's air. Peter stirred and opened his eyes to look up at Neal questioningly.
"We're at Sara's hotel, we're safe here." Neal informed calmly. "She'll letting us stay here tonight."
Still in too much pain to talk Peter just nodded slightly.
"Are you sure you don't want me to call this in to Diana? Daniel assaulted a Federal Agent, the last time I checked that was still a felony."
Peter shook his head.
"Do you really believe him about having a son?"
Peter didn't hesitate to nod.
"Okay. Get some rest, hopefully we can talk about it in the morning."
Narrowing his eyes Peter glanced at Neal's anklet.
"Don't worry, I'm not going after him." Neal replied to Peter's silent question. "I wouldn't even know how to start looking for him. He could be anywhere and I don't have any contacts to help me in D.C."
Peter's expression was still distrustful. Neal sighed heavily, he picked up Peter's jacket from the coffee table and fished his cell phone out of it. Daniel had hid Peter's keys and cell phone in the trunk of his car to keep him from calling in when he woke up. Knowing Daniel well it was the first place Neal had looked for them. Neal handed over the phone. Peter didn't seem to understand.
"If you don't trust me to not go after Daniel tonight go ahead and tighten my leash." Neal offered. "You can tie me to the phone, I don't mind as long as it gives you enough piece of mind to get some sleep."
Peter gave Neal a 'do you seriously think I'm that stupid' look.
"What?" Neal asked innocently.
Trying to talk Peter grimaced in pain. Neal watched as Peter started typing into his phone. Seconds after Peter was done Neal's phone buzzed at him. He took it out of his pocket and saw that he had a text message from Peter.
"'You'll just take the phone with you...'." Neal read out loud with a smile.
Peter glared at Neal.
"I honestly hadn't thought of that, Peter, thanks for the tip."
Peter rolled his eyes, but didn't have the strength to argue further at the moment. Putting the phone down he reached up and pressed the ice pack harder against his throat. Neal could hear his raspy breathing from the painful swelling the trauma had caused. Peter wasn't in any immediate danger, but he certainly wasn't comfortable.
"Just get some sleep. Sara will keep an eye on me."
Sara smiled nervously as Peter looked over to her. He clearly didn't trust her to keep Neal in check. However he didn't have much choice. Exhausted from the day's events Peter was forced to close his eyes once more. Neal sat on the coffee table and watched Peter to make sure he was sleeping soundly once more.
With Peter fast asleep Neal got up and went back over to Sara. She was still standing by the wall safe with her gun in hand. Neal picked up Peter's weapon off the bar and after double checking the safety he tucked it into the back of his waistband. Smiling apologetically Neal walked over and pulled her into a comforting embrace. She remained tense despite the gentle contact.
Neal took her by the wrist and lead her over to the bedroom to lay down with her. He put the gun on the end table and laid down on his back. Although it wasn't loaded Sara put her own revolver under her pillow. Not bothering with getting undressed Neal closed his eyes and settled in.
"You're really going to stay here tonight?" Sara asked.
"I told Peter I would."
"You just seemed so angry, I figured you put the gun back together to go after Daniel."
"Daniel is psychotic." Neal whispered. "I just wanted to be sure that I could protect us if I needed too."
"Do you think he'll come after us here?"
"I don't know, but I am going to be prepared if he does."
"Who is this guy?"
"An old partner in crime."
"What is it with your old partners wanting you dead?" Sara asked only half jokingly.
"My relationships don't tend to last."
Neal fell into a stony silence that Sara didn't dare break at this point. She curled up on her side next to him with her head on his chest. Only pretending to be tired Neal consciously slowed his breathing so that Sara would think he'd fallen asleep. It took her a while to trust that he wasn't going anywhere and drift off to sleep herself.
Moving very slowly Neal slipped out from under Sara, putting his pillow under her head in his place. Retrieving the gun off the night stand Neal went out to the coffee table where Peter's jacket was still laying. He fished out the shoulder harness and slipped it on. Securing the weapon in the harness Neal went through Peter's pockets and took the standard issue handcuffs and put them in his back pocket.
Neal found Peter's keys, but the small key to his anklet wasn't among them. Unable to get out of the anklet Neal did the next best thing and turned the ringer off on Peter's cell phone and put it in his pocket. He wasn't sure if Peter had set it while he'd been texting or not, this way he'd be safe either way.
Having left his own jacket at Sara's last time Neal put it on to hide the weapon he was carrying. He had absolutely no intention of just sitting back and waiting for Daniel to attack someone else important to him. After one last glance around Neal headed out. He hadn't lied about not knowing where to look for Daniel, however he had an idea for possibly flushing him out.
It was nearly eleven at night when Neal stepped out of the hotel and out onto the streets. He wasn't very familiar with the D.C area, but he was fairly certain that if he headed in any one direction long enough he'd find what he was looking for. With his hands in his pockets Neal wandered away from the more well know tourist attractions and into the actual city of D.C.
It was past midnight when Neal finally came to a more promising looking area. Walking a few blocks back from the high class restaurants and shops Neal came to the gritty back alleys of D.C. He walked past an open door way where a young woman with more make up on than clothing gave a quick whistle to get his attention.
"Hey, Baby, you buying or selling?"
"Neither at the moment." Neal replied politely.
"Well come back when you are, Sugar."
"Actually, there is something you can do for me."
"Whatever you want, if the price is right."
"I'm looking for this man." Neal reached into his back pocket and pulled out the print out of Daniel and showed the woman. "Old friend of mine."
"Can't say that I've seen him, but the photo's not much to go on."
"Thanks for you time anyway."
Neal purposefully made a show of pulling out his money clip, which was actually Peter's money clip, and peeling off a hundred dollars before putting the rest back in his pocket. The woman kept her eyes on the money like a dog staring at a table scrap. Neal gave her the hundred and thanked her again before leaving.
Walking away he could hear her wait a few seconds before going inside and closing the door. If everything was going according to plan she was busy right now calling someone to let them know an easy mark was wandering the back alleys asking to be mugged. With one hand in his pocket Neal kept on the same dirty back street, making sure to stay close to the buildings.
It didn't take more than ten minutes for Neal to get ambushed while walking past a cross alley. Grabbed from behind the lone attacker yanked Neal into the narrow alley and forced him against the concrete wall face first. Neal crossed his left arm against his chest with his palm against the wall to make sure that he could push away from it if he needed to. Acting submissive to the attack Neal slipped his right hand into his jacket and unsnapped the small leather strap that kept Peter's gun in the holster just in case he needed it. Neal stayed calm as the man leaned against him to hold in him still and pressed a knife point behind his ear to ensure that he had his attention.
"Good evening, Pretty Boy."
"I...I don't want any trouble," Neal stuttered "I'm just looking for my friend."
"Well you certainly haven't found that."
"I don't have any money or drugs."
"That would be a real shame, around here it's either cash, Glass, or blood donations."
"Please don't hurt me, I don't have anything of value."
"Hell, with a face like that I might be able to sell you." The man chuckled. "Let's get a better look."
Neal had not counted on the mugger grabbing a hold of the collar of his jacket and yanking it off his shoulders. With the back strap of the shoulder harness he was wearing revealed the opportunist small time criminal realized he was dealing with something more than a lost tourist. Surprised to find his prey armed he took a fatal step back.
Having brought a knife to a gun fight the attacker had two options: lash out and strike first, or just run. Neal stepped to the side in time to avoid getting a blade sunk into his kidney. Fearing that his plan had backfired Neal reached for the gun to scare off the attacker. Before he got the chance to even turn around someone grabbed his attacker and drove him head first into the side of a near by dumpster. Moaning in senseless pain the man stayed down on the filthy alley.
Acting quickly Neal pushed himself off the wall and spun around to face his rescuer. Daniel was already trying to flee. Neal lashed out with Peter's handcuffs that he'd put in his back pocket. He caught Daniel's wrist and closed the other one around his own wrist. Digging his heels into the street Neal leaned back and forced Daniel to stop and turn around.
Not understanding at first that he was cuffed to Neal Daniel fought to free his wrist. When he finally realized what Neal had done he stopped and stood peacefully trapped. Neal stared at Daniel in disbelieve, even with him standing right in front of him it still didn't feel real. Daniel forced a sad smile and reached out with his free hand to touch Neal's face. Neal jerked back as far as the cuffs around their wrists would allow.
Daniel allowed Neal to keep his distance as they both stood with their cuffed arm out stretched. A heavy silence fell over them that seemed to drown out even the city noise. Neal had rehearsed in his mind a thousand times what he'd say to Daniel if he ever got the chance, but now all words failed him. About to speak Daniel suddenly tensed and looked over his shoulder as he heard a distant cop siren quickly approaching. He turned back to Neal with a cornered animal look in his eyes.
"Neal?" Daniel asked nervously.
"I dialed 911 in my pocket right as soon as I walked away from the woman."
"Very clever." Daniel admitted sadly. "You realize they're going to arrest you too, right?"
"Anything to get you off the street."
"Neal, please, I went to Peter for help."
"Help? He's in so much pain he can't even speak."
"If you want to talk about it, fine, we'll talk." Daniel gave in as the sirens grew louder. "But not here, I can't get arrested."
"You should have thought of that before you throttled my partner!"
"Neal, don't make me do this."
"I'm not letting yo..."
Neal was cut off as Daniel suddenly jerked him closer using the handcuffs. Yanked off balance Neal fell forward. Daniel used Neal's momentum to help him deliver a powerful blow to his stomach with his knee. Knocked breathless Neal dropped to his knees and bowed his head as he tried to keep from being sick. The position gave Daniel access to the back of his head where he quickly struck him hard enough to knock him unconscious.
Daniel caught Neal before he collapsed. He slung Neal's arm over his shoulder, keeping a hold of his wrist so that the metal cuff didn't cut into it. Only knocked out for a few seconds Neal started to come to, but he was highly disoriented. Barely staying awake Neal stumbled along as Daniel guided him quickly away from the crime scene.
"Not fair..." Neal complained drunkenly.
"It's not my fault you've never learned to fight, Neal."
"Daniel...why now?" Neal panted as he fought to remain conscious. "All these years..."
"I didn't want to cause you any more pain."
"Daniel...I've had to live with believing that I'm a murderer."
"Neal..."
"Wha...what could be more painful than that?"