As promised, hopefully, a short time away! Keep in mind I start these things then get side track and finish them later so idk whats going to happen now. Thanks to all who reviewed and responded! I love you all!
As Peter read off a general description of crimes that Neal had supposedly committed, Neal was busy picking the handcuffs. Just as Peter told Jones to get him out of there, Neal thrust his elbow into Jones' stomach. As the agent doubled over, Neal took the gun out of the holster inside the jacket, got behind Jones and pressed the gun to his head.
That's where Neal got surprised. The gun felt… different.
"Don't add threatening a federal agent to the list of crimes, Caffery!" Peter yelled at him, his own gun out and pointing at Neal.
"Now a few things before you guys arrest me." Neal said, backing up slowly with Jones. "One, all those things I am accused of, I admit to nothing. Two, I'm going to leave here peacefully, no shots fired." By now, Neal's back was at the window. He could see the scared and amazed looks on his classmate's faces. "And three. How stupid do you think I am! I know a fake gun when I hold one."
And with that, Neal pushed Jones forward, and jumped out the window. He landed on his backpack, which probably decreased some of the value of the paintings in his safe, but he didn't care. He had left the portfolio in the classroom, but all the work in that was no more than halfway done, nothing could really be pinned on him.
Neal scrambled off the bushes. He heard Peter yelling for people to follow him. That's when he sprinted towards the front gate. He could hear the FBI agents storming out of the building. He ran through the courtyard in the center of the school and joined the hustle and bustle of New York where he literally ran into Mozzie.
"Neal! What's wrong?" The bald man asked, noticing his young friend was out of breath, frantic, and early.
"Feds." Neal breathed out, catching his breath. "Here take this." Neal handed Mozzie the backpack. "I'll meet you at Wednesday. GO!"
Mozzie shouldered the backpack and calmly stepped into the foot walk that made a great cover. Neal turned and entered the foot traffic himself, disappearing in the city that never sleeps.
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Peter was beyond pissed. They had Bennett, no - Caffery, cornered, then he slipped through their fingertips. He was back at the office, going through the portfolio the kid left behind in his mad escape attempt, half of the agents in his office were using every possible way to find the kid, while the other half were processing the many calls from Europe about art that had been discovered as fakes. That damn kid.
Peter had to admit, as he was looking at the half done artwork in the portfolio, the kid was crazy talented. There was just one picture that stood out. It wasn't a half done copy of any known art, so it seemed to be an original. The drawing was of silver handcuffs, lying next to a beer bottle that was so well drawn it made Peter want to grab it and relax on the couch as he watched a Yankees game.
"Peter." He heard Jones say behind him. "You busy?"
"I'm trying to figure this kid out." Peter said, running his hand under his chin and turning towards Jones. "He is a gifted artist, a straight A student, a pretty damn good thief, he doesn't seem to have any friends according to the classmates, but he was pretty popular with that ladies. The address he gave the school led to an apartment that had been completely wiped clean. Like the kid knew we were coming and moved everything, or it was a fake address."
"Well, we did get something." Jones said, stepping towards Peter with a folder in his hand. "We checked the school security cameras, and Caffery wasn't working alone. He gave his backpack to a bald guy, then both disappeared. We didn't get any visual on the guys face, but we know that Caffery isn't working alone."
"Good Jones. Thanks. Keep digging." Peter ordered. Jones nodded and left the conference room. Peter turned towards the windows.
"If I were the kid with his brains, where would I go?" Peter murmured to himself.
Thanks to all who reviewed. I know it's a shorter chapter, but I have a surprise! I'm updating the next one tonight. I welcome all suggestions and reviews!