Disclaimer: Blood is red bruises are blue, I don't own, you don't sue.
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Collectable
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Chapter five
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Peter hears screaming coming from the speakers, though it doesn't sound like Neal it still makes Peter's blood curdle.
"Neal! Neal what was that screaming? That's it; we're coming in for you." Peter's voice sounds frantic to his own ears, but then again, it is. He NEEDS to get Neal out of there!
"No, Peter, no, Look… I don't know what's going on here. Whatever it is, it isn't good. The place is booby trapped and locked down tighter than fort Knox. You can't see the trip wires from outside because they are all inside, placed differently over each window and door. If you send someone in they will be killed and I still won't be out. Look, I-Ill find a way out" Neal is lying. Peter can always tell when Neal is lying, but God, this time he wants so much not to know that. "I always weasel my way out of sticky situations." And Peter wants to believe, he wants to believe those words so bad it hurts.
"Neal…" Peter is pleading, he knows he is, but how can Neal deny him the right to try and save him? Making him sit here and do nothing seems far too cruel a punishment and Peter wonders what he has done to deserve it.
"No, Peter, I won't let you kill of good agents on a hopeless suicide mission, besides, I'm the only one slick enough to get me out of this place." Peter knows that Neal is trying to make light of the situation, in true Neal, deflection form. It isn't working but Peter can still see the truth in his words and he has to agree, even as it breaks his heart to do so. He cannot allow his emotions to rule his decisions, and he knows if it where any other agent in the same predicament Peter would have to let them get themselves out of there. He can't, in good conscience, send other agents to certain death to try and rescue another. Cost analyses just won't allow it. He can't act differently now because it is Neal in there. Especially because it is Neal in there, and oh he hates that!
It's the hardest thing he has ever had to say, and he doesn't want to say it, but the looks from Jones and Cruz, the ones who would most likely be risking their lives to save Neal's, both still looking more than ready to go in, helps him force the words out…
"Okay, Neal." Peter's throat is tight with tears that he will not allow himself to shed, and he wonders if this is goodbye.
He looks at his agents; neither of them looks relieved by his choice, instead they both look immeasurably sad. He realizes that he works with some very good people, not just good agents, no, he always knew they were good agents, but now he can see they are good people, very good people. And he wonders why he is just seeing, how good; now.
He listens intently to Neal's breathing, through the speakers. It will have to be enough, for now, to just know that he is still alive.
Still, Peter can't calm his jittery nerves. Sitting out in the surveillance van, knowing there is something going on yet there is nothing he can do is the worst kind of purgatory.
When he hears Neal scream, it is almost his undoing. He jumps up and heads to the door of the van, he is going to find a way into that house!
A hand on his shoulder stops him.
Jones…
"Peter, don't." Jones says looking at him with wide eyes which convey the fact that this is just as hard for him as it is for Peter. The look at least tells Peter he is not alone, that Neal has more people that care about him than just Peter. It's a kind of solidarity with his agent that he had never had before.
"I know you want to save him but think of El. You heard him, its suicide." Knowing that Jones is as upset about not being able to save Neal as he is makes listening to him a lot easier, and he is right. He has to think of El.
Peter nods and sits back down putting his head in his hands only to jump a moment later when a loud crashing, shattering sound plays along the speakers before fading into white noise, and Peter knows, whatever just happened to Neal has caused them to lose their audio.
Peter quickly realizes that not being able to hear Neal's screams doesn't make it any easier. He can't even hear him breath anymore to know that he is alive.
Peter is agenized to find himself now blind and deaf…