Peter Burke met the SWAT team a block away from the deserted tire factory where Neal was imprisoned. It was the best SWAT team in the whole NY area, pros in every aspect. Peter took no unnecessary risk when his friend's life was at stake.
The building had 3 different entry doors. All of them have surveillance cams installed, but no guards. The police officers cut the electricity at the junction box in the street. It took them less than 30 seconds to pick the front door locks, enter the factory hall and find the stairway to the basement. The ground floor was deserted. Thermographic cameras showed 3 persons downstairs in one room close to the stairs, plus another one further away.
The team went downstairs without making any noise. Once down in the basement, they identified the room easily where the 3 kidnappers were located. The stun grenade they threw into the room caught all three men completely by surprise. Blinded by the flash of light as well as disturbed by the intensely loud bang they were disoriented and defenseless.
When Marek, Stani and Stoyan were starting to regain sight after 5 seconds, the arrest was already in full swing. Still impaired by the afterimage of the flash as well as suffering from loss of balance, there was almost no resistance – apart from heavy swearing and angry shouting.
Once the criminals were under control and not posing a threat anymore, the SWAT team started to rescue the kidnapped person.
Peter understood that he couldn't go down with the team for the attack. Rather than being a help, he would disturb the well-orchestrated action of the seasoned SWAT team. However, he hurried downstairs as soon as news of the arrest being completed came through the radio. Even though, the procedures stipulated outsiders had to wait for the all-clear signal before they were to enter the crime scene.
Neal didn't look good, his body sunken in the restraints, face ashen and bruised. He hasn't been in the same room where the stun grenade exploded but the loud blast has still hurt his ears. Nevertheless, there was a faint - yet without any doubt mischievous - twinkle in his eyes when he caught sight of his former handler. "Peter, you came for me!"
Probably for the first time in over 24 hours, Peter Burke smiled. "You know that I will always find you! I lost count how many times I have caught you by now. Maybe I should keep an anklet on you. It was much easier to find and rescue you back in the day!"
Together with another FBI agent they freed Neal from the cuffs and supported him while he tried to stand up. After all these hours being immobilized, his muscles cramped. Therefore, he would have slumped to the ground without their support.
There was a bit of commotion on the stairs outside. The FBI agent thought the paramedics were arriving but actually, it was Sara storming downstairs. He heard Agent Jones trying to stop her, sounding quite frustrated. "Sara, you can't go in there. It is an FBI operation underway. You have to wait outside."
That suggestion didn't fall on sympathetic ears. "Oh, really? Get out of my way! I don't give a damn about your stupid regulations. I'm going to see Neal and you are not the one to stop me!"
Actually, Clinton Jones wasn't worried too much about breaking FBI rules. Instead, he had no clue in what state they had found Caffrey. He wanted to spare Sara the shock of seeing him injured or abused.
Peter decided to help him out of the awkward situation. "Sara, haven't we agreed that you stay at home and out of danger? Well, now that you are here, come in and see for yourself that Mr. Gardener, your freelance consultant, is more or less in one piece."
Truth be told, Caffrey looked worse for the wear. The redhead was shocked to see him bruised and beaten up. She wanted to kiss him, hug him, but he looked as if even the softest touch would hurt him.
Neal's speech was slurred but otherwise, he seemed to be his old cocky self. "Sara, Cupcake, you're a sight for sore eyes, as usual."
Apparently relieved that he had not lost his courage, she found back her belligerent attitude. "Honey Bear, if you dare calling me Cupcake one more time, I'll show you what these martial art lessons I took are good for!"
Of course, Caffrey wasn't cowed at all by her threat and his answer was laced with innuendo. "Ninja-Cupcake! That sounds interesting. You have to show me all the techniques you learned."
He was talking big, yet the effort to keeping up appearances was taking its toll. He dropped with exhaustion to sit on the chair again, the signs of being stressed-out clearly visible to everyone in the room. Fortunately, the paramedics arrived and took over.
Peter didn't like the pale look on Neal's face or the blueish lips. However, he managed to stay calm. While the paramedics examined the injuries and administered first aid, he made sure that the arrested criminals were taken to the police bus. His agents back in Manhattan would take care of the interrogation. Agent Jones managed the transport and would lead the final activities to close the case.
The paramedics were taking the necessary precautions to secure the patient on the stretcher to bring him to the hospital when Agent Burke returned. So far, the first diagnosis attested minor dehydration and hypothermia, superficial wounds, probably one or two cracked ribs, plus a few nasty burns. He needed medical treatment for sure but the injuries were not life-threatening.
Before they started to bring him upstairs into the waiting ambulance, he asked for a moment with Sara. "Regarding the Virgin Rainbow, you wanted me to look for a way to steal it..."
She shushed him. "Don't you worry about that! The gem is safe now. And I'm glad that you are safe as well."
Peter chopped in to calm his friend down. "Sara is right. You don't need to bother about that precious stone. It's kept well protected in the consulate's vault. I talked to them; they put up extra guards. Nothing will happen to the Virgin Rainbow."
Caffrey looked proud and contrite at the same time. "Actually, it's not well protected in the consulate."
Sara was confused. "I don't understand! The FBI arrested the criminals. There will be no heist."
Neal tried to reach into his pockets but failed since he was secured with straps to the stretcher for the transport already and too exhausted for his usual tricks. "You need to help me here... Reach into my pocket!"
All of a sudden, Peter's face took a pained expression. "No! You didn't! Tell me you didn't steal the Virgin Rainbow!"
He stared at Sara in disbelief who fetched something out of Neal's pants' pocket and then opened her hand to reveal the sparkling gem.
Peter was obviously gobsmacked. "He took the bloody Virgin Rainbow."
Sara gaped at her boyfriend. "You had the gem in your pocket and didn't say a word? Why all this drama if you could have given them what they were after?"
The FBI agent understood exactly why his friend kept that detail to himself. "As long as they needed him to get the prey, he was safe. Once they'd got hold of it, he'd become a dispensable burden. I get that. But haven't they searched you?"
Neal cracked a lopsided smile. "I guess I was just lucky. They took my wallet and phone but didn't search me. I must have given a convincing impression of a sweet-tempered gem expert from Down Under."
Sara promised to return the Virgin Rainbow to the rightful owner and Caffrey was finally stretchered to the ambulance. Peter followed the ambulance to the hospital in his own car, all along the way trying to wrap his mind around the events of the past few days and how to keep Neal Caffrey's name out of the FBI reports.
It was way past midnight when they arrived at the hospital. The medical examination took a while as well. So, it was 2:30 am before Peter finally talked to a doctor. Josh Gardener had to stay at least a day or two at the hospital. The fractured ribs were close to his lungs. Therefore, he had to take care for a while, no heavy lifting. But all in all, he was alright.
Neal has been brought to a hospital room. He got pain medication and was humming half asleep when his friend checked on him. Next, he started to recite a poem all to himself
I held a Jewel in my fingers -
And went to sleep -
The day was warm, and winds were prosy -
I said "'Twill keep" -
I woke - and chid my honest fingers,
The Gem was gone -
And now, an Amethyst remembrance
Is all I own -
Caffrey noticed that Peter was in the room. "It wasn't an amethyst, you know? Emily Dickinson was sooo wrong. It was an opal, but it's gone now."
Peter Burke sighed. Apparently, Neal was under the influence of the painkillers; more precisely, he was stoned out of his head. Any serious talk would have to wait until tomorrow. Which was okay. In fact, the agent just wanted to see for himself that Caffrey was feeling alright before he went home. "What is this with you and gems that you can't keep your fingers off if you see one?"
Neal beamed. "You must love opals, too. They are opalised fossils. South Australia's inland sea was a breeding ground for plesiosaurs. As poor plesiosaurs died their bodies sank to the bottom of the sea with some of their skeletons eventually becoming opalised fossils. You like dinosaurs. So you have to like this Virgin Rainbow!"
Peter smiled at his friend. "Okay, I like dinosaurs. Just for the records, that's not a reason to steal a precious gem. But now it's time to sleep. No more poems, or stories about gems, or humming. Close your eyes and sleep!"
Neal grumbled protest but closed his eyes to comply with the command. Before he dozed away he opened one eye, looking at Peter. "Thank you for... you know!"
The older man sat down on the uncomfortable chair next to the bed and watched his sleeping ex-consultant. The last few days have been turbulent - which wasn't surprising. Whenever Neal has been around, life has taken a dramatic turn.
All those years ago, when Agent Burke has set his mind on catching the mastermind who forged the Atlantic bonds, he had no idea that the same criminal would become his best friend. The decision to take Neal Caffrey as a consultant was supposed to change the felon's life. But apparently, it changed the agent's life just as much. Now, he was outright glad that the latest adventure turned out well.
Peter understood completely why Neal had staged his death and moved to a different continent. Yet still, he missed being close to him, missed that whirlwind stirring up the daily grind, full of crazy ideas, unpredictable, too smart and bold for his own good, but loyal to the bone.
In French, you don't really say "I miss you", you say "Tu me manques" which means "You are missing from me". That's how Peter felt when Neal was an ocean away. Life wasn't complete without the handsome nuisance.
There was a wisdom of the head and a wisdom of the heart. Peter had never had issues with the first. But it was Neal who has taught him the latter.
AN:
The story is almost done. One short chapter is yet to come, the epilogue. I hope you like it so far. Somehow, it seems that I my stories are revolving around bringing Peter, Neal and the rest of the team back together. I'm not happy with the idea of them being separated for good.
The Virgin Rainbow is a real thing. Mesmerizing beauty of a gem. However, it's still waiting to be stolen by Neal Caffrey. Just like me ...
The poem Neal recites is from Emily Dickinson. It's called 'I held a Jewel in my fingers'