Rescuing a ghost

Distractions

That evening Elizabeth noticed how distracted Peter was.

While he ate dinner, Peter simply stared off into space and didn't seem to hear a word of what she was saying.

"…and so the pink elephant went walking down 5th avenue. When it came upon the purple hippo they decided to have a party in the middle of traffic." Her random story didn't get a reaction so Elizabeth decided to question him. "What is going on Peter? I spun a whole tale about a pink elephant and you didn't even notice."

"Huh, I'm sorry hon. There is another subject that has me distracted." Rubbing his hands through his hair, he decided to tackle the topic despite how much Elizabeth didn't like it. "First, Diana said some weird things the other day which has had me noticing some… coincidences."

Based on his hesitancy to go into detail, Elizabeth figured that she wasn't going to like it. "What coincidences?"

"Diana said that the lead agent for this operation is someone that we all know, but not as well as we thought. That he was known by our consultants in California… and, well several other little hints and clues. Then she teased me about Caffrey."

Sighing, Elizabeth wasn't happy to hear Caffrey coming up again. "She has always teased you about Caffrey. Why was this any different?"

Knowing that she really wasn't going to like this, Peter mentioned the next part of it. "She talked about blaming him for teaching Neal to do things that we don't like… but she said it like he was alive and she knew it for a fact. Like, we could expect him to teach Neal in the future."

Elizabeth didn't know what to say about that.

"That isn't all. Today I got to meet our consultants for the first time. When Carmichael was in my office, he recognized Neal's picture and after his team went to leave he stayed behind to talk. Apparently, he wasn't the least bit surprised to hear that Neal had died and he didn't seem worried at all. Instead he grinned from the moment that he saw the picture on."

Seeing that Elizabeth didn't like the idea of him getting caught up in Caffrey again only to get his hopes crushed, he tried to down play the situation.

"I know that Neal is dead El. The sight of him lying on that table still pops up in my dreams from time to time. Still, there is something about all of this that has me feeling like I'm missing something."

"Why didn't Diana explain what she was talking about?" Elizabeth wanted to know why she didn't just tell him instead of yanking his emotions around like this.

Running his hand through his hair again, Peter explained. "She said that she can't and that neither can he for the moment, but that he wished to. In addition, she said that she looked into all of his information that she could but that he came up as a complete mystery in the system. From what she said, it sounded like I will be told more when it's possible… until then, she did the best she could to prepare me."

There were a lot of holes in the information, but Elizabeth almost dreaded what that could entail. "Do you think it is coincidental that your brother, this mystery person, and talk about Neal could all be coming up at the same time?"

"I don't know… and that is why it is all so distracting."

They didn't talk much the rest of the evening as there were too many things on their minds.

Information

When Chuck and the team left their meeting, they were feeling rather optimistic. Their contact had some very interesting information pertaining to the operation… information that meant they could take the enemy down early.

With the new information, Chuck took the team back to their hotel and began a strategic meeting with the directors of the agencies involved to determine what action needed to be taken next.

"So you have everything that we need to take the organization down?" Beckman questioned. "Have you verified the authenticity of this information?"

"Yes, the Intersect data and the undercover agent's reports confirm everything." Chuck was pleased to respond.

After some more conferring, the board came to a decision.

"Colonel Casey, you will lead the take down on the International scale and the DC office of the FBI will lead the national take down. Carmichael, your team will provide back up for the New York office while you rescue the undercover agent." It was concise and to the point, just like government officials like to keep their orders.

With a beaming grin, Chuck agreed to be a part of the rescue team.

Suspecting that he knew, Beckman acknowledged his expression. "I suspect that you know who he is…"

Unable to hide his pleasure, Chuck bobbed his head. "And I know his real name so I am happy that he will finally be getting his own family."

Rolling her eyes, Beckman dismissed them. "You know what to do." And with that, she was gone.

Continuing to smile, Chuck was happy with the situation. "Now we get to rescue Bryce, clear his name of being a criminal, and reunite him with his family for the first time since he was a toddler. That's not even mentioning taking down another international enemy…"

Sarah smiled when Chuck put it that way. "You feel like you're finally able to repay him a little bit after everything that he has done for you and your family."

"Yeah. He has been dead to everyone for some time now… several years for us, a year for them, and even more to anyone else. That means that he has been alone for a long time and has not had any support system while he has been fighting enemy after enemy." He paused. "It's about time he got something instead of losing everything all of the time."

Chuck was determined, and Sarah loved him all the more for it.

Painting

While the teams were busy arranging the take down of the enemies, Bryce was busy playing his character.

The enemies had placed him in a room with a closed door but no locks. There wasn't a reason to lock the door as their prisoner couldn't escape anyway.

His job was to listen to the people around him and gather as much information as possible before painting it into his art for the teams to collect.

As he stood painting his latest image, he knew that he needed to tell his location. So with particular care, he hid the map and instructions into the layers of the image.

When he finished, he handed the painting off to his guard in order for it to be circulated on the black market.

Since the job was done, all he had left to do was keep his head low, do his other paintings, and survive until the cavalry came.

Plans

Peter was working in his office when the Carmichael team came back in. Looking up from the file he noticed that they were all beaming this time… in their own ways that is because the big guy didn't seem to be smiling at all even though he seemed to be giving off a happy vibe too.

Walking out onto the landing he smiled down at them curiously. "I take it that meeting of yours went well?"

Chuck continued to smile as he answered. "That it did. Now we have everything we need to finish the case, I know who our lead agent is, and our orders are to help you rescue him from his cover position."

The entire office stopped at those words.

Jones stepped forwards. "Is he the person Diana seems to be hinting at him to be?"

With a cryptic smile, Chuck refused to answer clearly. "I don't know who Diana seems to be hinting at him to be. Besides, I'm not allowed to say who he is yet, but his identity will be obvious soon enough… well, for the identity that you know anyway."

Sighing, the team shook their heads while Peter directed everyone into the conference room for their meeting.

As everyone took their seats, Chuck went to work on explaining what they had found and the plans to complete the case

When he finished, Peter brought up the difficult question. "How do we know where to rescue the agent from as we have only been picking up on his paintings after they have been in circulation for a while?"

"He is sending us his location in his next painting so unfortunately we have to wait while the others begin their take downs."

That wasn't a plan that the others liked overly well, but with no other means of proceeding, they would have to deal with it.

Busts

Diana was happy to hear that they were going to be rescuing Neal soon. It was even better to learn that his friends from New York and California were assigned to be the rescuing team.

With a smile, she wished she could see their faces when they saw that he was alive after all. Being in DC though, she wasn't going to be able to be there, but at least she knew that Neal was alive and she had done all that she could to prepare Peter without actually telling him.

Since she was assigned to the team in charge of taking down the organization, she did have some fun to look forward to which would have to do as her consolation prize.

Coordinating with a Colonel Casey, the DC team went to work on planning the take downs. Each team got their warrants, strategic plans, and their people in place.

Once they were ready, both teams initiated their take downs arresting all but the people who were holding the lead agent prisoner.

Conversations

"So, how did you meet Neal?" Peter was trying once again to see what he could get out of Chuck.

Side stepping the inquiry, Chuck ingeniously avoided giving a direct answer while still telling the truth. "He started the conversation based on what I was doing. How did you meet him?"

"When he approached me and picked up a conversation with me about the conversation he had just overheard. You didn't really answer my question." Peter could play that game. If working with Neal taught him nothing else, it taught him how to use his words wisely.

Enjoying the banter, Chuck played along. "We met at school. I was using my real name and he was using another part of his real name. What were you doing?"

"Investigating his crimes. What do you mean that he was using another part of his real name? Isn't Neal his real name?" He wasn't expecting that so he was concerned and curious at the same time.

Having successfully diverted the conversation, Chuck was going to do some more work towards preparing Peter for what was to come. "Neal is a part of his real name, but it isn't his first. The name I know him by turns out to be his first."

Looking relieved to at least know something real about his friend, Peter continued to wonder. "What is his first name?"

Smirking playfully, Chuck wagged a finger at him. "Now that would be telling agent Burke. Aren't you supposed to be seeing what you can get out of me without directly asking the big questions like that? I can't answer those, so the point is to tease you with what I can so that it won't be a complete surprise when everything is revealed."

Tired of everyone in the know withholding the answers, Peter vented some of his frustration. "Why does everyone feel the need to prepare me for this with teasing hints? Wouldn't it be easier for me to just learn whatever it is that you're hiding when it can be revealed?"

Understanding his feelings, but still feeling the need to do something, Chuck explained a little bit. "When I was in school, Neal seemed to betray me." Chuckling at the memory he was able to see it in a more clear perspective with the passing of time and understanding. "Eventually, I learned the truth about him which is what I am trying to prepare you for. You want to know why Diana and I seem to keep toying with your emotions and I can't blame you, but the problem is that I can't directly tell you what you want to know either. The best that I can do is to ask for you to trust a complete stranger and a friend with the promise that we are trying our best to prepare you for some of the best surprises of your life."

Thinking for a moment, there was a core point to all of that hidden behind the distraction of the promise of surprises. "What is the truth about Neal that you are trying to prepare me for?"

Sighing, Chuck shook his head. "And there is another reason why he chose you to work with." Lifting his head to meet the agent's gaze, he smiled. "You're brilliant, a good agent, one of his best friends… I think that you have already learned that truth. Let me ask you a question."

Peter nodded his head compliantly.

"If Neal walked up to you, pulled out a gun, said some comment about being done working as your CI, pulled the trigger, and walked away without looking back, what would you think as you dealt with the wound?"

Puzzled by such a strange question, Peter glared at Chuck for even suggesting such a circumstance. "I'd think that he had better have a good reason for shooting me, and then I would worry what kind of danger was severe enough to lead him to taking such actions."

Nodding along with him, Chuck asked another question. "So it would never cross your mind that he was done working as your CI to a point that he might want you dead?"

Growing increasingly angry, Peter answer with a growl to his tone. "No, Neal was my friend and a nonviolent criminal. He would never do anything like that!"

"Not unless there was something extremely wrong, but that is my point. You would clearly see him shoot you and hear his words, but you would be looking for the cause to be something more honorable." Seeing that Peter wasn't getting his point he continued. "The obvious would be that a con was tired of working for the FBI so he tried to kill his handler, while you would be looking for the hidden cause like saving your life from some villain that wanted you dead."

Suddenly understanding, Peter summarized his point. "Nothing is ever as it appears when it comes to Neal. Yeah, I learned that a long time ago, but that wasn't always so. Sometimes things are exactly as they seem."

With a distant look, Chuck denied the validity of that statement. "Neal still tends to have an exceptional talent for being more than he seems."

Poking into Chuck's information, Peter tried to follow that angle further. "You sound like you learned that from experience."

Coming back to the present, Chuck smirked. "I've been around him longer than any of you… when you think he has reached his limit of surprises, he just comes out with something bigger." Shaking his head Chuck showed some of his surprise. "Some days I wonder if there is anything that man couldn't accomplish."

Fighting the hope that was once again rising in his chest, Peter changed the course of the conversation. "What do you do when you're not consulting for us?"

Seeing that he had pushed far enough and that Peter was fighting the truth for his own emotional well being, Chuck allowed the conversation change. "Well, I also do contract work for my own agency, do freelance work with my own company, and own a second company besides…"

While they waited for the painting to show up, Peter and Chuck continued to spend time trying to get to know each other while also trying to hint at or solve the mysteries of the undercover agent and Neal.

Visiting

When the DC and International busts were completed, Casey returned to New York in case he was needed while Diana decided to come for a visit in the hopes of being around when Neal came home.

Walking into the office, Diana was greeted by the old team and introduced to the consultants.

Shaking hands with Chuck she couldn't help but ask. "Have you figured it out?"

Smiling, he answered. "Everything."

"Everything? How do you know everything, I looked up everything that he told me and couldn't find anything about him. All I know is from the identity I worked with and a few hints he has dropped since I have been seeing him around in DC." She was flabbergasted.

With a shrug Chuck explained a little bit. "I have known him for a long time so I know the name that he goes by in the field, since being here I have put together the identity you know, and with my access to… certain government resources I learned the rest of it too. He made sure that, under the right circumstances, I would learn all of this to be able to do what he did for me."

"Which is…?" Diana questioned.

"Protecting his family no matter the cost and provided the opportunity, helping his family learn the truth of him so that maybe they can build something of a relationship." Taking it all in stride he continued. "He saved my life, protected my father in the field for years, saved my entire family when we needed him, and did his best to ensure that I would learn why my parents left when I was a child. It's about time he let me help him in return."

"Does that mean the rest of us are going to get filled in soon?" She asked.

"According to the powers that be, the basics will be revealed soon. Part of it will be obvious when we rescue him while the rest will be revealed shortly after." Chuck glanced over at the front desk that he had commandeered, which was formerly Neal's. "And I have something else to pay him back with." He was smirking playfully so the others figured it would be some kind of a joke.

"You're not the only one who has some things to settle with him." Diana smirked at him.

With the secrets building, the group settled in to work and conversations.

Rescue

When the picture was finally found, Peter was excited to finally be able to understand the secret that so many were keeping.

It didn't seem to take long for the teams to arrange a joint take down and for the action to be underway.

As they walked through the building, the agents took down the few people running this portion of the operation and, soon enough, they just had to find the captive agent.

Walking through a door, Peter felt his heart beat faster as he recognized the familiar figure standing at an easel.

Turning around with a smile, Neal greeted everyone. "Long time no see everybody." Then with a bow and a pretend flourish with an absent hat, he continued. "I'm obviously not dead, but there are three reasons for me to at least pretend for a while. First, the Panthers kill all those associated with anyone who defies them. Second, the FBI was done with the case I was contracted for and with certain agents endeavoring to keep me, it was a good way for me to leave with my cover intact. Finally, my agency had a series of dangerous assignments waiting for me where it was best that I didn't… anyway, there were no guarantees."

Peter didn't know what to say. So they had been hinting that Neal was alive. Still, facing his best friend came as quite a shock to him. "Neal...?"

Thank you everyone for reading, reviewing/commenting, leaving kudos, following, and choosing to favorite :D

There is one more chapter to this story and then we are up for a new tale. Per usual, I keep my completed work listed on my profile page with titles, descriptions, lengths, and other basic details. If anyone is willing to choose, my next post will be whichever story that is chosen by reader demand.