This was quite possibly the strangest phone call he ever made, Karl thought, and he hadn't even dialed yet. It was an official Bureau number… which seemed to confirm his theory about Mike's past. As did the admission that Mike Hamilton was not his real name. The early morning call from his friend had woke him from a pleasant dream and pulled him away from his beautiful wife. An almost panicky edge colored the usually calm voice in an unfamiliar way. It was the desperation in the man's tone that had him making the call to the New York office. He wondered why Mike didn't just make the call himself but his friend didn't seem inclined to explain that part. When his finger pressed send he waited.
"Burke."
"This is agent Karl Young," he began a bit uncertainly "and I have a message for you."
"A message… from who?" the man on the other end sounded politely detached. This is where it got a little strange.
"Dan Brooks says he's… um… he's grown a tail" Karl shook his head slightly "and that he could use a friend." Silence…he waited for the agent on the line to say something… anything to that. A sudden intake of breath said that man hadn't hung up but the silence stretched for a long moment.
"Where are you?" The man's voice sounded choked … and frightened.
"I'm in the Phoenix office… did I say something wrong?"
"No." he was getting control back now "Tell Dan, hang in there Sundance a friend is coming." He hesitated "do you have an address for Mr. Brooks?"
"I can do that but…"
"Is he…" the voice sounded strangled again "is he alright?"
"Yes… but..." Karl sighed "I don't suppose you can tell me what this all about?"
"Not really." Authority seeped into Burke's distant voice. "But I assume you know the man who sent the message."
"I do."
"Keep him safe until I get there."
"I can do that."
"Without drawing attention to him… in case they haven't positively ID'ed him yet."
"Done." Karl drew a deep breath "he has a kid with him, you know?"
"I do." Burke sounded like he smiled briefly "Both of them in one piece would be very good. About that address…"
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Peter hung up before he realized what it was he heard in the young agent's voice… there was confusion but there was also concern, deep concern. Whoever this man was Neal had definitely gotten under his skin… Peter hoped briefly that the man hadn't taken advantage of the young agent's kindness to pull off something illegal. He smiled… at this point he almost didn't care, as long as Neal came home safely.
Which led back to the troubling problem of who the leak was and how they knew how to find a protected witness in Phoenix… He sighed.
None of that mattered at the moment. He needed a flight. Stepping to the door he motioned for Jones and Diana to join him, then sank back into his chair. He was silent as the two agents moved into the office. With a glance at his face Diana turned and quietly closed the door.
"Peter?" Jones ask "what happened?"
"I just got a message from Neal." He watched them closely.
"That's great… isn't it?"
"He had an agent from the Phoenix field office call me. He's in trouble… someone is following him."
"Neal had an FBI agent in Arizona call you? Was he under arrest?" Diana sounded slightly disbelieving. Peter smiled despite himself.
"Not that Agent Young mentioned."
"So Neal just walked up to an agent and told him 'I need you to call someone in New York' doesn't exactly sound like Caffrey. Then again…"
"I'm sure it was more complicated than that."
"It always is with Neal. " Jones said quietly
"If someone is following him," Peter redirected the conversation back to the problem "that probably means Richards found him."
"Which means he's in real danger." Diana confirmed "why didn't he contact the Marshals."
"Maybe he did," Peter sighed "but he isn't going to trust them with Nathen's safety."
"You're probably right about that." Jones agreed "So what do we do now?"
"Boss?" Diana interrupted before he could answer "Did you say he contacted you from Phoenix?"
"I did… why?"
"Wasn't that where Alicia Clayton was transferred from last week…?"
"It was." Jones confirmed "and our team handled the transfer on this end…if there was something in her file…"
"Who handled the exchange… which agents?"
"I'll get a list" Diana said "and the Clayton file."
"Thank you. Pull in Williams if you need help." Peter rose then "I need to be in Arizona." Jones raised his eyebrows
"I think you mean we need to be in Arizona" he grinned
"I can't ask you to-."
"You aren't asking … but you will need back up"
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He resisted the urge to smash the small clay sculpture that was supposed to be taking shape under his hands. It would have helped if the appendages would stop trembling. He glanced at Nathen who, lost in the moment, seemed to enjoying his unexpected day off from school. The image of the dirty tear streaked little face looking up at him from the floor of that dark room filled Neal's mind. The bruise on the small pale cheek, the tears shining in huge blue eyes filled with terror, the way the child had curled into himself trying to hide with nowhere to go… "Rest assured, I will find the boy and when I do… I will kill him too." Richards' voice had been icy calm… Neal shivered at the memory. He wasn't letting the child out of his sight. It was better that he miss a few days of school than he be abducted from the playground. The cold knot in Neal's stomach tightened at the thought.
The four am call to the Marshals had not inspired his confidence. The polite but slightly disinterested voice on the line had asked for his identification number… clicked a few buttons… listened half- heartedly as he explained about his tail… assured him the agency would investigate the situation and if a threat was determined to exist he and Nathen would be relocated… a Marshal would be by later to obtain details of what he actually saw. Translation, Neal thought grimly, you are being paranoid but we will look into it and just in case you aren't crazy… we will move you, assuming you aren't dead by then. He really didn't trust the marshals…
His six o'clock call to Karl had been more comforting, even though he couldn't tell him everything. The agent had agreed to put in his call to New York without hesitation… had even offered to come over and provide what protection he could. While the thought of an armed FBI agent as a guard never sounded so good, Neal had no intention of pulling Karl any farther into this mess. He would not be responsible for endangering his life… one agent was already dead because of Richards' vendetta, he wasn't going risk losing a friend to it. "Then why did you have him call, Peter?" a nagging little voice in the back of his mind asked repeatedly. He closed his eyes. His left ankle twinged with the memory of the blows that shattered his anklet… and the bone underneath. The feeling of helplessness he felt hanging alone in that basement came back to him… taking his breath away. It wasn't the pain of that hour that haunted his dreams… it was the knowledge that he was going to die… alone…
That's what it boiled down to… he didn't really care if Richards killed him… he probably deserved it… but he wanted Peter here, so he would not be alone at the end, so he would know someone cared.
Neal jumped… the pounding on the front door struck him like a blow.
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Karl smiled… while his conversation with Burke hadn't been exactly enlightening on the details of Mike's past… it had confirmed a few things. He felt like he was finally cracking the shell that surrounded his friend. He was extremely curious about the man that lay underneath that protection…
He stepped out of his car and hurried up the walk. Mike told him to stay away… Burke told him to keep Mike and Bobby safe… not Mike, he thought suddenly, Dan… Dan Brooks was the name the man gave him to tell Burke. Karl grinned as he pounded on the door, but when his eyes fell on a new unfamiliar car two houses up the street, his grin faded quickly… someone was definitely watching the house. It suddenly seemed to take too long for the door to swing open.
"Hey." Worried blue eyes looked him up and down before continuing, the young man coiled like a spring. "I thought I told you didn't have to come."
"Yeah well…" Karl shrugged "your friend in New York told me to keep you in one piece."
"You made the call." Mike… Dan's relief was tangible. "What did he say?"
"He said." Karl stepped into the room and closed the door with one last dark look at the car up the street. Mike locked both locks hastily. "Tell you to 'hang on Sundance a friend is coming." He was surprised by the brilliant easy grin that spread across the young man's face. The look was almost delighted laugher and such relief…
"Thank you, Karl" he moved slowly leaning heavily on the crutches though he tried to hide the exhaustion that seemed to hit him then. "Now not to be rude but… go home."
"Not happening." Karl glanced at him sideways…he seemed… more than tired. "You know there is someone watching your house right now?"
"Yeah I know."
"You have a weapon? This could get ugly."
"Not a big fan of guns." The look was rueful and slightly sharp as he sank into the couch. "Bobby…" he called "come in here."
"What's wrong, Ph̀x?" the small boy appeared.
"Remember the ladder in your room?" the boy nodded. "I want you to go upstairs and get it ready to use… don't use it yet… but I want you to stay in your room and if you hear anything… scary or disturbing… you lock your bedroom door and go down the ladder. Run to Mrs. Faueng Fung and call the police… got it?"
"Yes Ph̀x" the child sounded suddenly terrified. "He's coming isn't he?"
"I think so." Mike hugged the little boy close "It will be ok, Nate, I promise" Karl tried not to notice the slip on the name.
"What about you?" he pulled away from his father "he'll hurt you again."
"That is why you're going to call the police… alright?" the kid nodded and smiled tentatively.
"Alright." He whispered and Karl got the impression he didn't quite believe it would be that easy, but he disappeared upstairs anyway. Mike watched him go until he was out of sight as though he was afraid it would be the last time he saw the little boy. Then his eyes rested on Karl
"I suppose I can't talk you into leaving."
"Like I said your friend told me to take care of you…" he shrugged "besides you're my friend…. Dan"
"Sorry about the deception." Karl didn't think he sounded terribly sorry
"It's ok… I understand." He studied those blue eyes "WITSEC?" the other man didn't answer but his eyes said plenty. An awkward silence fell between them for a long moment… "Have you called…?
"They are investigating…" he stood on shaky legs, leaning heavily on the crutches… "Coffee?"
"Sure." The silence was back as the young man shuffled into the kitchen. Karl followed him when he realized it would be difficult for his friend to carry the cups…
Time slipped past with an uncertain air… minutes turning to hours as the two men waited… the pounding on the door caused them to jump slightly. A moment of silence fell as they exchanged looks…
"U.S. Marshal's!" a voice called through the door. Mike rolled his eyes at the loud announcement as he struggled to stand. Karl waved him back down and drawing his weapon he moved to the door.
"FBI" he said quietly though the door… the last thing they needed was a misunderstanding.
"Understood" the voice responded in a more appropriate decibel. "Open up" Karl did… gun still at the ready in his hand. The Marshal was young… inexperienced obviously. He glanced around the room slightly nervous.
"Marshal McFerrin… I'm here to get the details of your concerns…"the young man addressed Mike, then he looked around "is the boy here?"
"Up stairs" Mike nodded toward the banister.
"I see…" he looked pointedly at Karl "you called the FBI as well."
"Karl is a friend… he was just about to leave…" Karl opened his mouth to protest
The door practically flew off its hinges with the force of the blow, bursting inward with the force of an explosion. Two weapons swung up to meet the three armed men the rushed into the room. A gunshot echoed violently through the room.