Note: This is a special chapter as it is coming to you all from the heart of the White Collar world. I'm spending the next few days here in breathtaking New York City. Where my tour guide and travel companion are demanding I write after a long grueling day seeing the sights.
Chapter twenty-seven
"If you are going to protect Peter you need to be more careful with who you trust, Neal." Taylor warned.
"Thanks for the lesson." Neal replied dryly. "Now cut me free."
Standing in the doorway with a large kitchen knife in his hand Taylor looked down on Neal who was still on the floor. Neal had heard Taylor and Peter talking briefly, but with their hushed tone he'd only been able to pick out a few words that didn't have much meaning out of context. Peter had sounded bitter, and Neal couldn't blame for that. Taylor had admitted to Neal about the morphine and let him know that he had left some oral pain medication on the table that Peter might be more willing to take since it wasn't as strong and wouldn't steal his inhibitions the way the IV drugs did.
As irritated as he was with Taylor for 'testing' him Neal was far more angry with the vet for drugging Peter against his will. For someone who claimed to only want to help Neal feared he'd done more harm than good. The last thing Peter needed right now was to be forced into anything by anyone. With his mind being the only thing that Peter could even pretend to own Neal could understand him not wanting it taken or even just clouded by drugs despite the benefits.
Neal knew he should be using this opportunity to learn more about Animula from Taylor, but at the moment he just wanted the treacherous vet out of his home. Taylor took a step closer to cut his captive free, but thought twice about it when Neal tensed slightly. Neal hadn't meant to flinch, but he couldn't hide the fact that his instincts didn't like being approached by a relative stranger with a knife no matter what his intentions were. Neal forced himself to relax to encourage Taylor to come closer realizing that his fear could easily have been misinterpreted as preparing himself to attack. Taylor took a step back through the door way into the living room and put the knife on the floor at his feet.
"What are you doing?" Neal asked warily.
"I'm just going to leave this here."
"You have *got* to be kidding me."
"You seem resourceful, I'm sure you'll get yourself free." Taylor chuckled. "If not Peter will be awake in a few hours."
"What? No, let me go right now. I passed your deranged test..."
"And I fully trust you not to hurt Peter, but you still look fairly pissed at me."
"Imagine that." Neal said sourly. "You know this isn't helping my attitude towards you."
"Duly noted." Taylor nodded. He looked over to where Peter was sleeping fitfully in a haze of morphine before turning back to Neal with a warm smile. "I'm glad he found you, Neal. I don't think you understand how rare it is to find a human that is even willing to accept the idea that Animula have souls worth saving."
"If you treat everyone who might be on your side the way you're treating me it's no small wonder that you haven't had better luck recruiting people to your cause."
"I have friends on my side, others who want to see Animula free, but I've never had to test anyone the way I did you."
"What makes me so special?"
"None of the others have ever been Masters." Taylor replied simply. "It's easy to trust in sheep, it's harder to let wolf into your fold."
"I'm the wolf?" Neal asked insulted. "Where did you get your training? I can't imagine an Animula vet not being at least sanctioned by the Market."
"I told you I wasn't innocent."
"I'm starting to think you're insane."
"I left behind friends, family, and a six figure a year career to fight a cause that probably can't be won. I'm definitely crazy."
"Taylor..."
"I won't drug or tie you up next time we met, I swear. If you or Peter need anything, you have my number." Taylor gave Neal a shallow bow before turning and leaving.
"Taylor..." Neal called angrily. "Taylor get back here!"
Neal ground his teeth and growled in frustration as he heard the front door open and close. He yanked uselessly at the strong silk around his wrists for a moment before relaxing for a moment to regroup his thoughts. Having fought against the knots had drawn then tighter to the point where he was starting to lose feeling in his hands, but it had also given him a little more play in the space between his wrists. Trying to get his hands out from behind his back again he pulled his knees up to his chest once more.
It took a few minutes of concentrated effort but eventually he slipped through and ended up with his hands in a more workable position in the front. Rolling onto his side he was able to stretched out and reach the knife, Once he had the blade it was just a matter of cutting through one of his favorite ties to free his ankles. It was a little more awkward to cut his own wrists free, but he managed.
Getting to his feet he rushed out into the living room to check on Peter. Locked in an unnatural sleep he was breathing easily. Taylor had changed the dressing across his shoulders as well as placed a new IV line into the back of Peter's hand. Neal touched the back of his hand against Peter's forehead and was relieved to find his fever had broken. Neal pulled away when Peter slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at Neal with a mixture of confusion and concern.
"You're safe." Neal assured. "Taylor and I worked out most of our differences."
Peter seemed satisfied with the statement and closed his eyes again. Although clearly still weak he looked far healthier than he had just twelve hours ago. He wasn't struggling for breath or looking the same pale color as the sheets he was laying on. With the additional antibiotic Taylor had left behind Neal had hope that Peter would truly turn the corner health wise soon. Once they got that far they could worry about what they would do next.
Exhausted himself from the stressful encounter with Taylor Neal wandered back over to the couch and sat down. It was just past noon and Neal was just starting to think about hauling himself up to get something to eat when his cell phone started vibrating on the coffee table where he'd left it. Picking up the phone Neal felt a flash of guilt when the number came up as 'blocked' which usually meant it was Mozzie. He had meant to try calling his friend again, but had gotten distracted.
"Mozzie." Neal greeted. "I wa..."
"How are you and Golden Eyes getting along?" Mozzie asked darkly.
"Just fine."
"Are you going to tell me about that cozy little scene I walked in on?"
"I'd rather not get into that right now." Neal said wearily.
"Fine, it's not like I'm your best friend or anything like that."
Neal sighed heavily at Mozzie's hurt tone. However he suddenly realized that jealousy might actually play a large role in Mozzie's instant dislike in Peter. Ever since Kate had been killed Mozzie had grown very used to being the only person in Neal's life. Much like Neal himself the list of people Mozzie actually labeled as a true friend boiled down to just one person.
"Mozzie, you know that Peter doesn't change anything between you and I, right?"
"It will, when you get caught harboring an unregistered Animula."
"I'm in no greater danger of getting caught for this than any of the other multitudes of crimes I've committed."
"That's just the FBI that's after you for that stuff. Now you're messing with the Market and they handle their problems the way the mafia does. When all is said and done the Market is more corrupt and powerful than the government."
"That I'm starting to believe that."
"You are in over your head with this one Neal."
"Mozzie, you've always been cautious, but you're becoming down right cowardly. You have such respect for life, why can't you respect Peter's?"
"It's not that I don't..." Mozzie became flustered for a moment. "Neal, I just value your safety over his, is that such a bad thing?"
"Yeah, it kind of is." Neal chastised. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself in this world, Peter is basically defenseless."
"...you have a point." Mozzie conceded after a pause. "I still don't like or trust him."
"Are you at least willing to give him a chance?"
"I'll think about it." Mozzie replied in a tone that suggested he was already slowly coming around.
"Thank you," Neal smiled "and for the record I do appreciate your concern for me, misplaced as it is."
"I just hate seeing you get into a fight you can't win."
"I'm not trying to change the world, Moz, I'm just trying to help one man."
"Neal, that's how changing the world starts."