Chapter 10

Two nights later, Kieran Ryker easily slipped into the art museum. It helped that Bryce had given him the specifications of the security and the guards' rounds.

"I can't believe you can pick locks," Bryce complained through the comm, "Mozzie had to teach you that!"

Ryker snorted. He remembered Mozzie's lessons. Mozzie had run him through criminal lessons; like picking locks and picking pockets, so that he could play Neal Caffrey for a sting. He had purposely made beginner's mistakes and not focused so that he wouldn't appear proficient at any of it. While not as good as Neal Caffrey, he still knew the basics of lock picking and could pick a pocket in his sleep. They were part of the basic spy skill-set.

But, they weren't part of FBI agents' skill-set and faking the lack of skill and been more tiring than he expected.

"It should be in the East Wing," Sarah explained, "Chuck, you still behind him?"

"Yeah," Chuck whispered and the only reason Ryker could hear him was because of the comm. Chuck was supposed to stay hidden as his backup inside the museum.

"Try not to get caught," Bryce reminded him in concern, "the CIA signed off on this op, but it won't do your cover any good if you're caught breaking in."

"Is this another version of the 'be careful speech'?" Ryker quietly quipped, putting a slightly offended edge to his voice.

"I didn't say 'be careful'. Did you hear the words 'be careful'?" Bryce responded in a very Neal-like way. Over the past few days, it appeared that they had decided to keep using their cover personalities around each other.

It was certainly easier than trying to figure out exactly what Kieran Ryker and Bryce Larkin were supposed to be like, especially when working with each other.

Ryker stepped quietly into the East Wing. He mindlessly slid past the paintings adorning the walls as he already knew what he was here for.

"Why couldn't I do this?" Bryce sighed, his voice travelling through the comm. He already knew the reason but, Sarah felt that she needed to remind him.

"We don't know what information Ward has stolen in relation to this painting. He might already know what you look like. And he might also know what I look like. Peter's the only one who has a rogue history."

Ryker's eyebrows rose at the sound of his name. It was surprising to hear it come out of Sarah's mouth. He thought she hated him.

"'Peter'?" Bryce asked her.

"If you marry under a name, then it's yours," Sarah explained abstractly.

"I don't think it works like that," Bryce said slowly.

"Sh!" Ryker hissed into the comm. He sensed movement.

He paused and waited, watching a man step out of the hall and walk towards the painting. He was broad-shouldered and didn't appear too muscular. Put a pair of glasses on him and he could pass for a professor or something. Ryker figured he could take the guy in a fight.

But that wasn't his mission. He emerged from the shadows.

"Hey. That's the painting I have my eye on," he said in a level voice which El often told him sounded 'gravelly'.

Sidney Ward, Chuck confirmed the guy's identity with a nod, paused before turning to face him.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a low tone, like some kind of disgruntled accountant.

"Actually, you can," Ryker said, "step away from my painting."

"My painting," Bryce grumbled through the comm.

"You didn't paint this," Ward said. It appeared that the decision to not have Bryce do this was a good one.

"I didn't say that," Ryker responded, "but I'm going to take it and that makes it mine."

Ward snorted and shook his head.

"What?" Ryker questioned, "you think you're better for it?"

He moved forward as Ward pulled out a gun, jumping out of the way of his first shot. He grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it and jabbed a hand into his stomach as his other hand moved to grab his arm. He twirled and kicked the man behind the knees, sending him sprawling on the ground.

"My painting," he growled victoriously into Ward's ear as he pinned him to the ground. "Now, give me one good reason why I shouldn't knock you out and leave you for the guards to find? They'd pin this on you and I'll be out of the country before the day's over."

"My client will pay you double whatever you think you can get for it," Ward said.

Ryker paused, as if considering this.

"Triple," he said.

"Double or nothing," Ward responded, "you're not going to find a better offer."

"Oooh, now that sounds logical but, we'll see." He pressed a card to the man's forehead. "Call me if you want to deal." He pulled out zip ties and tied Ward's hand to the leg of the nearest chair. The man fought him every step of the way, but Ryker was stronger than he looked and didn't get up off Ward's chest, didn't allow the man to get a proper breath, and the nearest chair was actually right next to them so that it gave a good display of the paintings to whomever sat in it.

With that done and Ward spitting curses at him, Ryker took the painting off the wall and walked out. He did leave Ward a knife to cut himself free, just within his reach as long as he stretched.

Bryce's mouth was hanging open from the display. He had painted a forgery of his own painting and Sarah had used CIA resources to arrange a display for it. The idea was that Sidney Ward would see it and wonder if the painting he had was a fake. Either way, they were betting on him having to check as there was no one qualified to authenticate the painting, except Bryce himself. Bryce's knowledge and experience as Neal allowed them to come up with this plan because, as Neal, he would steal the second painting just to make sure. Allegedly.

He also added that his authenticating skills were good enough that he could tell if something he took was real or not so he had never needed to do that.

But, wow. He had never seen Peter act so immoral before, not even when he had posed as 'Neal Caffrey'. Although, Peter didn't have to go undercover as criminals since he had Neal Caffrey working for him so, maybe Bryce just hadn't the chance to see it.

"I'm going to tail Ward when he leaves," Sarah said. Bryce nodded his acknowledgement.

"Remember to check in," he said. She gave him a disgruntled look; she knew how to do her job, before jumping out of the van and melting into shadows. She was really standing down the street, leaning on a tree and looking like she was fiddling with her phone.

"So, what did you think?" Ryker asked as he jumped into the van with Chuck climbing into the driving seat.

"I could have done better," Bryce said.

"That's because you don't use violence," Ryker responded, placing the bag holding the painting down on the floor. "We needed to scare him."

"If you have a good enough con, then you don't need to scare people," Bryce pointed out.

"Yeah, well, we couldn't use our good con," Ryker reminded him in a light tone, "he went and made himself famous by painting the painting in the first place. And, besides, I know you've used violence before."

"Huh?" Bryce questioned.

"You shot Keller, remember?" Ryker pointed out. Interestingly enough, it was just a statement and he didn't sound angry about it.

Bryce just made a noise of agreement and turned away to check the equipment.