He sat at the faded linoleum counter… twisting the bar stool slightly trying to ignore the dull ache in his hips. Glancing around the room, blue eyes observing everyone who came and went as he nursed his third cup of strong bitter truck stop coffee. Waiting had never been his favorite thing especially if it involved sitting still. His eyes traveled to the bank of windows beyond the semis and tourists and huge black top parking lot… the sun was rising, brilliant and golden in a flaming red and impossibly blue sky, it peaked over jagged indigo shadowed mountains. Neal smiled… he would miss the dessert sunrises… sunsets too, and there was just something about the golden fury of a sandstorm swiping across the sky and land that captured his artist's imagination. Hard to believe that in just three months he had become rather fond of the harsh landscape… not the heat though… definitely not the heat, he thought as the door opened allowing a bit of the oven tempuratured wind whip inside. He waited for a slim dark haired man in faded designer jeans and western cut shirt to cross the diner and sink into a booth near the back. Neal grinned as his eyes caught a glimpse of Gabriel's shoes. Worn and ragged cross off brand cross trainers… definitely not an example of his work. Neal had only known Gabe about a month but… he already knew the kid had a deep seated respect for life and that was what he needed right now.

Neal slid into his chair casually a few minutes later and joined him at the booth.

"How's the business?"

"Be better if the feds would stop sniffing around." The young man shrugged his brown eyes resigned "you said you might have a way to make that happen."

"I might." Neal let it hang a moment watching the kid… "I understand your mother worked in a factory… before you were born."

"Factory!" the man hissed "it was a prison… practically slave labor! To call it a factory would be like calling … that man kept her locked up in his sweat shop for three years. Only a monster would run a place like that!"

"I thought you might feel that way." Neal grinned "Yeah Gabe I think I have a way to get the Feds off your back… and get a lot of people out of a place like that…"

"What do you want me to do?"

"You are a business man aren't you? Those designer shoes don't make themselves, do they?"

"No they don't? What are you hinting at? If you think I would ever…"

"Maybe you should. Maybe you want to expand your business… maybe you want to talk to a specific Coyote and arrange to "borrow" some of his cargo…"

"I would rather die than do that… the very thought of it makes me sick! Gabe glared at him but Neal's grin just widened.

"Did I forget to mention the part where you wear an FBI wire…?"

"You're a Fed?" brown eyes blazed at him and Neal raised his hands to placate.

"I'm not…" he kept his eyes steady "but I have a friend who is. He is extremely interested in taking down this sweat shop and Gabe he is willing… to ensure the FBI forgets everything they ever knew about your shoe business if you will do this."

"Yeah… he'll stick by that deal." The sarcasm oozed from the words

"He will, I'll personally guarantee it." Neal leaned back and allowed Gabe to consider his options…

"How can you promise?"

"Why don't they get an agent to handle this?"

"Because FBI agents don't blend into our world as smoothly as they think they do…" the kid sighed.

"I'll think about it."

"Give me a call when you decide."

"I will" the younger man downed his coffee and rose to leave

Neal knew he had won. Now about that other thing… he looked around the room until he found a trucker sipping coffee and moved to join him…

"Excuse me sir could you do me a favor?"

"Depends on what it is, son." Wariness tinted the words

"I want you to send this package for me? Not today… but wherever you are at noon two days from now…" the older man eyed the box doubtfully. "It's nothing dangerous… I've already paid for the postage and I'll give you forty dollars for your trouble."

The man considered a moment then nodded

"If that thing blows up…"

"It won't"

"Fine."

"Thank you so much!"

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

She held her breath… waiting. Waiting for the door to fly open… waiting for the man who murdered her partner to step into her sights. Waited for him to notice her… turn and fire. Jennifer held her breath trembling fingers clutching her weapon tightly, picturing Lenny's face as the life left him. The urge to kill Richards roaring in her ears, she shifted her grip on her handgun and waited. Time seemed frozen. Her eyes never left the door but it didn't open. Behind her she heard a commotion car doors slamming and running footsteps. A dozen agents moving into view. She caught sight of Valdez, giving her a look of disbelieving annoyance before turning her attention back to the young agent at her elbow who managed a look of absolute distain for Jennifer despite his nervous demeanor.

Peter was beside her now smiling tightly before the door was slammed open and they rushed inside… the echoing cavernous factory appeared empty, no sign of Richards or his son. Jennifer felt her cheeks burn as Valdez glared at her

"You were removed from this case for a reason Williams. You are obsessed and you wasted valuable bureau resources today."

"But Richards was here." Jennifer asserted

"I don't care what you thought you saw… I have an investigation to conduct." Valdez turned to flounce away.

"Agent Valdez!" Jennifer called her back "I have pictures."

"What?"

"I have pictures of Johnny Richards and his son Kevin… here… today." She held out her phone.

"Let me see that!" Valdez snatched the phone flicking through the shots with a grunt. "Huh… so he was here. How did he know we were coming?" She studied Jennifer suspiciously "did you do something to tip him off?"

"He got a call just before everyone ran. I hoped he would come out the same door he went in but… obviously not." She sighed.

"Are you implying that someone intentionally tipped him off?"

"I am…"

"Who?"

"I have no idea who." She dropped her defiant chin slightly.

"So you have no proof… that is a pretty serious allegation without evidence."

"It may not be conclusive but there is definitely circumstantial evidence." Agent Jones broke in.

"There is?"

"He gets a call and splits just in time… not only today, but the day Neal was hurt the same thing happened." Jones's face was calm and thoughtful "can't be a coincidence…" Valdez considered that her expression hardening at the mention of Caffrey but her eyes quickly became thoughtful.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(

Neal lifted his eyebrow when his doorbell rang at eleven thirty that night. He knew who would be standing there and he moved to let him in. Karl grinned at him brightly

"We did it… we caught Alicia!" Karl beamed "we followed your tip to watch some of the high end female fences in town! It worked… went off without a hitch… she never even had time to pull her weapon before we had the cuffs on her."

"That's great!" Neal watched him "you did keep my name out of the paper work, right?"

"That is the deal we made?"

"Thanks" he could see the unasked questions in the other man's eyes, but he couldn't risk answering him.

"I don't renege on a deal." He smiled a Neal and the young man met his eyes… for long moment there was silence.

"I talked to my friend this morning…"

"What did he say? Do we have our undercover operative?"

"He just called about an hour ago…" He paused dramatically "He'll do it. Gabe's in"

"That is great!" Karl flashed a bright smile beaming his excitement… in many ways Karl reminded him of Peter… a younger… much less experienced Peter but… he was caring dependable and smart. That earned him a few points with Neal.

"He's perfect for the roll"

"Ok so what is Gabe's last name?"

"I can't tell you that… he trusts me. I will not burn that bridge" he watched the agent sigh and then straighten.

"Fine… its fine" Karl's smile widened "I'll persuade him to tell me himself.

Moving toward the door Karl glanced back and stopped

"Thanks" even spoken over his shoulder it brought Neal's smile rising up to his eyes, for a brief moment.