9B: Unmasked

Entering the conference room, they found Hughes sitting at a table with a shorter red-headed woman dressed in a military uniform.

Gesturing for them to take seats, Hughes waited to start until they were comfortable. "This is General Diane Beckman. She is here to represent the other agencies while I've been caught up on the part Brooks has played in these operations."

Hughes used a mixture of memory and the folders in front of him to tell the story.

Peter listened with keen interest.

"The short of it is that we're dealing with identical triplets. NSA Agent Carson began playing the character of Neal Caffrey when he was eighteen and was put into government operations to help find his father's associates. He kept up his military operations and wasn't always able to keep the face. So, his next younger brother Brooks was contracted as a consultant and created the bonds by orders to seal his identity as Neal Caffrey. His job was to play face when Carson couldn't. A few years later their youngest brother joined the CIA and picked up a more international role for the character. When both agents were pulled into other operations the consultant Brooks was arrested and spent four years keeping the alias alive in prison. Now he continues his role here in our offices while his brothers switch places with him as they can."

Sliding the folders away, Hughes looked up to frown at Neal. "I assume we have Brooks here with us today?"

Nodding, Neal, Brooks, acknowledged which triplet he was. "I'm Danny Brooks, a consultant to the NSA and FBI."

Staring at Brooks, Peter was trying to organize what this meant. Neal wasn't an agent, but two agents and their consultant brother. Brooks hadn't actually committed the crimes so he didn't need to be on the anklet. Could this mean…? "Can we have him?"

Peter didn't even know what he was interrupting as the words tumbled out. It was silent when he refocused on his surroundings.

"I already consult for you, Peter," Brooks seemed amused but he wasn't Peter's main focus.

Peter was looking at the bosses. Could they really have Neal on their team, either as a consultant or as an agent if he wanted to get official training? Now he worked for them and the NSA so his work was mixed. However, Brooks was capable of going all the way if he wanted to, and being an agent seemed to run in the family.

Unless, did Brooks not want to be an agent? Turning towards the consultant, Peter tried to gauge the answer from Brook's eyes.

Brooks went from amused to slowly falling towards incredulous. "You've got to be kidding? Me, an agent? No one's ever seriously asked that before! My brothers are the agents in the family!"

"Why not? Do you not want to be an agent; is it not possible for some reason?" Peter pushed.

Spluttering, Brooks was at a loss for an answer. "I don't know, it's just never come up. When we were kids I'm the one who trained to be a cop, but after learning about Dad it didn't seem like an option. He's a thief and a murderer, how could I ever be like him?"

Dropping his tone to a soothing one, Peter knew with certainty, "You aren't him. Whether you choose to be an FBI agent, remain a consultant, become an artist full-time, or something else, you aren't your father. What you do is up to you. However, I think you could do it if you wanted to and I'd be proud to have you on the team."

"Is that something you would like to do, Brooks?" The general asked and she seemed willing to help make the arrangements.

"Would it even be possible?" Brooks seemed like a kid at a loss. An old dream was becoming possible, but he didn't trust it.

Leaning back in his chair, Hughes was deliberate with his words as to what could be. "I think it could. The NSA has kept a record of which agent has performed which part while your involvement is noted as the face of the operation since nearly the beginning. That invalidates the criminal record since Danny Brooks is a clean consultant. It isn't up to me, but I agree with Peter when it comes down to it."

"You don't have to say yes or no right now, how about you think about it while Hughes and the general test the waters as to what it would take? Then, if it's possible and you want it, the rest can be worked out later." Peter threw a lifeline to the kid.

Nodding, Brooks accepted the offer and the rest agreed that it was a good approach. There was no sense going too far before they knew if it would be possible or not.

It also ended the original topic of conversation. Since they didn't know what Brooks' future would be, they couldn't plan on how to handle the reveal. Instead, everything was shelved and the bosses would do additional research before deciding on what to do.

Dismissed, Peter suggested a cup of good coffee to the kid and then he hauled Brooks out for a break to get his head back in the game.

While they walked, Peter asked him, "So, Danny, were you expecting to be pulled from the operation?"

"Huh?" Danny looked at him blankly for a moment before his mind caught up. "Yeah, if anyone figures out that my brothers are agents they might try to use me against them. That was something I suspected was possible after those agents came after me last week. I don't want to go though."

Smiling, Peter was glad to hear that. "Good, I'd rather you hung around too. Why Neal Caffrey though, is that some random alias your brother was assigned?"

"No, my brother picked it and that's always puzzled me too. My birth name is Neal, not his. Is that coincidence because I grew up under Danny, or is it somehow attributed to me? I know you can't answer that, but neither can I."

"You're the reason I accepted the operation to play Neal Caffrey, so I named Neal after you and Caffrey after Mom." Another man identical to Neal swung in to join the conversation. He was wearing jeans, a tee shirt, and a hoodie to help hide his face from others but Peter had seen him when he joined them.

"Why did I inspire you to accept the role?" Danny questioned his brother while the three men continued to walk.

"Growing up, I watched you train to be a cop. You wanted to do the right thing like she encouraged, to right the wrongs that happen in the world. Then when you learned about Dad and tore up your application to the academy, it struck me like something was wrong. That something changed what should have been." Carson shrugged but his words gave Peter the impression of encouragement towards Danny being an agent. "I guess Neal Caffrey is catching those that are a threat to our family, our generation righting the wrongs of our father because we're going after them rather than joining them."

"Why Caffrey after your mother?" Peter questioned, he was curious to learn more of Carson's perspective behind the creation of the character.

Turning towards him, Carson answered. "You've heard of taking the mother's maiden name to restore honor to the family after the father shames his name? That's pretty much what Neal Caffrey is doing. He's righting wrongs and bringing honor to the family again."

Danny seemed to be absorbing the conversation until they reached the coffee shop. Then his brother continued on his way leaving with a parting word that sounded like code because it wasn't English or a language Peter had ever heard.

Smiling, Danny turned towards Peter before his expression changed to a smirk. "You aren't going to understand that, it's a secret language we created as kids."

Grunting, Peter wasn't worried about it. Brothers did things like that, and identical triplets as smart as Danny were bound to get more complicated.

Moving in general companionship, they ordered their coffees and thought about recent events until they had their orders and were walking back.

This time it was a man wearing a beanie, sunglasses, and running clothes who slowed from a jog to join them. "I think you should take Burke's offer. You'd be good as an agent and the team would watch your back. Also, having him and Hughes know about the rest of us means they can better protect you should anything happen. Not to mention reducing how much Junior and I have to worry about you since you'd be better able to defend yourself."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence. I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult." Danny rolled his eyes while he commented with some snark in his voice.

"Hey, I know you've gotten through some tight situations on your own, and without advanced training, she taught you well growing up, but having more training means you could handle more in a better fashion. It's not a knock on your skills Danny, it's more the numbers and means of those that might come after you that are a problem." Larkin clarified while bumping shoulders with Danny in a playful fashion.

"I agree with him, you are very good at handling situations, but you'd handle more if you had official training. You rely on the team and me now, and I'm happy to keep watching your back, but I'd also sleep better at night if you could defend yourself as well as possible. The more you can do, the less we have to worry about you." Peter clapped Danny on the shoulder from the other side as they continued walking. He didn't want Danny to feel insulted, but an agent could do more than a consultant in a hostile situation.

Sighing, Danny seemed to feel like he was being pressured, "I'll think about it."

"That's all we ask. You've got to do what you feel is best, but you know where we stand." Larkin slapped his shoulder before taking off into a jog again. He quickly disappeared as he wove off into the crowds of pedestrians.

"You don't have to change anything, we're just talking options, but your brothers have given me an idea. Neal Caffrey is inspired by the goal of righting wrongs and bringing honor to your family. What if you remained Neal Caffrey? If the FBI took the lead on the operation instead of the NSA, then you would remain the face of the operation and continue to play the role whether you chose to be an agent or consultant, but if you were an agent then you could make the arrest when the time comes. You wouldn't be your father's son following in his footsteps; you'd be his son doing what he should have done." Peter turned to observe Danny's reaction. The idea seemed to appeal to him, but it wasn't certain if it was possible let alone accepted.

Arriving back at the bureau, Peter went through a normal entrance but it felt entirely different. It wasn't Neal that he was heading for the office with, it was Danny.

"What?" Danny asked as they rode the elevator up.

"A lot has happened in the last hour. Nothing has changed, yet everything has." Peter smiled over at Danny.

Danny looked like he was thinking something similar, but wasn't sure what to say. His mind was probably a whirl of thoughts.

"Take your time; it's a life-changing decision so you shouldn't rush into it." Peter addressed the obvious reason for Danny's silence as the kid thought about what else could change in the future.

They divided at Neal's desk so Danny went back to work while Peter headed on up to his office. The team looked at them curiously, but neither divulged anything of what had happened.

The performance resumed with Peter party to its existence. Instead of watching Neal Caffrey go about his work, Peter watched Danny perform as Neal Caffrey. Things were different.

Peter didn't worry about Neal getting into legal trouble, at least not nearly so much as before. Neal was now either an agent or ultimately receiving orders from the NSA while his situation was being reviewed. All of them took advantage of Peter's awareness to ask him for advice or assistance in processing the warrants without the team knowing. This was a great relief.

One particular time Peter enjoyed being in the know, Neal was suspected of having slipped in through the back at a bust and stolen a small painting. Pulling him aside, Peter asked him about it.

"The NSA wants this as a matter of national security. I'm Carson by the way." Then he winked before putting on his show. "I didn't take it, Peter." He was the image of Neal Caffrey, a perfect performance of hurt disappointment.

Twitching his lip in amusement, Peter was glad he could let the NSA handle their actions while he only had to play disappointed. "I'd better not find any evidence to contradict that." He put his hands on his hips and tilted his head away from the watching agents so that they wouldn't see his eyes. They were his window to communicating his real question.

"You won't!" Carson confirmed that he'd covered his tracks. Rumor and suspicion were the only things pointing toward Caffrey.

He was right. No one could ever explain what happened to the other painting and it was an open case destined to go cold.

Eventually, Hughes and Beckman were able to make the arrangements for it to be possible for Danny to become an agent and remain Neal Caffrey if he wanted to.

It was time for Danny to make his decision.

"Do you want to be an agent?" They assembled in the conference room again and Danny was faced with the official question, would he accept, or not?

"Yes, I accept the offer and would like to become an agent." Danny stood calmly and firmly, he'd thought it through and was comfortable with his decision.

Grinning broadly, Peter was thrilled. His best friend was going to join him in agency work!

The rest of the conversation was official details because he wasn't going to take a traditional route. Danny couldn't retain his cover while publically becoming an agent. Instead, he was allegedly going to prison under suspicion of having tampered with government operations while being trained. Then he would be cleared and return when it was time for him to go into fieldwork.

Since the team couldn't see them, Peter shook Danny's hand and then pulled him into a hug and spoke softly in his ear, "Keep in touch, I'm going to miss you."

"You can count on it; I'll have a lot of questions for you." Danny smiled as he pulled back from the hug. Then he put his hands out for Peter to cuff him, he was being arrested for a show after all.

Although it smacked as unfair, Peter knew there was more to it so he put the cuffs on and proceeded to lead Neal Caffrey out the door for their final performance as agent and consultant.

The team gasped and looked disappointed, but some also looked like they questioned Neal's guilt. They sense that something was off even though none of them had an idea why.

Getting on the elevator and signaling with his hand out of range for the security camera, Peter congratulated Danny on his performance.

They kept it up until they were alone in Peter's car, then Danny slid the cuffs off in a Caffreyesque manner, "Thanks, Peter. I'm looking forward to being your real partner, as an agent instead of a consultant."

"You are my real partner, and we've done good work together, but I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do when you're fully trained." Peter smiled into the rearview mirror as he drove.

When he dropped Danny off at the prison, Peter knew the charade was being carried through all the way and he wouldn't see his friend for some time. "Take care of yourself, Danny."

"You too, my brothers will be in touch if you need them." Danny nodded before disappearing with the agents creating the cover.

Time passed slowly and yet in a blink. Then one night, Peter heard a knock on the door and opened it to find an FBI badge being held up in front of a face.

"Danny?" He guessed based on the triplet and badge despite the dark shadows of the entryway. The triplets were still involved in his life so he knew them even when they tried to hide.

"I'm official and will be put through the transition back to the office tomorrow!" Came Danny's excited voice as the badge was passed to him.

Taking it and giving the man a hug, Peter could wait to look at the badge, he saw those every day, but he had missed his friend. "Congratulations, it's good to see you again!"

Elizabeth came up behind them curious about the source of the noise. "Peter?" Then she gasped, "Neal? Did you escape from prison again?"

Smiling, Danny glanced at Peter before turning to Elizabeth. "Hi, El. No, I didn't break out, it was just a cover for my FBI training. Instead of being the face for my brothers' operation, I'm now the agent leading the undercover role under the supervision of one Agent Peter Burke."

Urging the younger agent in, Peter had a lot of questions and knew Elizabeth would want to be caught up so they settled in for a long conversation.

As planned, Neal was released and resumed his role-playing Neal Caffrey the next day in the quickest change Peter had seen. Still, he was glad things were processed fast because it meant the sooner things could get back to a new semblance of normal working with his best friend. His consultant Neal Caffrey was back to working on his team, but his probie Danny Brooks was also working with him to learn the finer points of being an agent. Peter wouldn't have it any other way!

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

First, I forgot to put a note last week, but the vet figures that Ranger has just been so itchy with the fungus that he literally scratched his own fur out. We switched to a lime solution treatment so he stinks like a rotten egg once a week, but we've got the fungus clearing, his fur is finally growing back, and things are progressing in a positive direction :D

Second, work has continued to drop my hours, and might be dropping them further. I've only been working a couple of shifts a week with many shifts being shortened and my next schedule doesn't seem to be coming through giving rise to the consideration that I might not be scheduled at all the week after next. Needless to say, this doesn't pay the bills, not even the portion of the bills that's my responsibility to contribute. So, I'm looking at options and most likely job hunting again, but also hoping to get a better position... Meaning, not one for a giant corporation where I'm a tool with an employee number that can be messed with at will.