White Collar AU Siegel

Chicago: Perpetual Sentencing

Hunter Ruin sat in the interrogation room with his head in his hands as he'd done so many times before. Agent Siegel would no doubt be entering the room soon enough and pull the reasons why out of his chest even though he already knew them better than did Hunter. This time there would be no, "Thank you for telling me. Wait here; I'll come back for you in another hour. Do not get up from this seat." There would be no, "Unfortunately, Mr. Ruin, this infraction is particularly serious. I am transitioning your work release to intermittent for the next three months. Please come with me. I will take you to your apartment to pack bag. All the time you are not with me or another agent, you will spend in lock-up downstairs." No, this time, he had pushed past what his handler could possibly convince his superiors he was capable of disciplining within his current sentence. It was over; Agent Siegel had been very clear from the beginning that he would never permit any CI of his to remain in contract with him if his sentence were extended and he would see to it that no other agent took him up…some nonsense about making sure no one took advantage of a vulnerable adult. Why couldn't Siegel see that he would be better off in this particular situation if the FBI did take advantage of him. His life here working with the Chicago White Collar division was pretty good. He enjoyed working with Siegel and people didn't normally turn him into their personal back account. The worst of it was that it wasn't really the lottery tickets themselves that were going to force Siegel's hand. And yet, he was weary; perhaps it would be better to just go.

Three months prior

Agent David Siegel sat inside the judge's chambers willing his heart to beat slower. "The contents of these files are enough to lead to several deaths if they get into the wrong hands, agent," his Honorable George Celeborn mused, "You are telling me that no fewer than 17 criminal informants on work releases are being set up and blackmailed into committing new crimes so that their sentences are perpetually extended." In all his years of knowing him, Judge Celeborn had been nothing less than honorable. Agent Siegel was aware of his turning down at least two bribes, which was in his favor. Siegel hoped he had not judged the man wrongly.

"Yes, Your Honor, they are trapped in a vicious cycle. At first, a small mistake is capitalized upon, leading to a coerced crime, which is used for more blackmail. Then, a portion of the originally blackmailed crime is "uncovered," which extends the sentence but not by as much as if the entire incident were brought to light. They find themselves pinioned where the only way out is finishing a much longer sentence in prison. Given their status as former criminal informants, they would not be safe in the general population. Most likely each of them would serve most or all of their time in isolation."

"Unless they continue to play the game until they are too old to be useful, and then…"

"Isolation unit for their own protection."

"I cannot let that happen," the old judge said, "flawed but loyal men and women used up like Boxer. Then instead of the knackery, shipped off to a concrete box for possibly a decade or more. Their years of service will not be repaid by breaking them beyond repair. I have no idea how to take down the major players in this, maybe you can figure that out someday, but you have enough for each of these 17 at least that it should be very clear to anyone who reads one of their files that were trapped. I have contacts around the country. I will see to it they are treated fairly."

"How?" asked Siegel, "the law clearly requires they pay for these crimes. It is not fair to them to keep them as CIs, at risk for more coercion. Nor is it fair for them to be sent to prison where they will end up in solitary. It seems to me it is simply a matter of choosing the least unfair option, if one exists"

"I have an idea and we both have resources," the judge began. He spoke on and, Agent Siegel's eyes widened and sparkled as Celeborn's plan took shape in the agent's mind.

"That could work."

Before he left the office to see Celeborn, Agent Siegel had told Hunter he could return to his desk whenever he was ready. Nevertheless, upon his return, Siegel found him still in the interrogation room with his head in his hands. "Mr. Ruin, I just saw Judge Celeborn. We have enough on Crowder that to keep your sentence from being extended. We are going to take him down, but I'm afraid it will be extremely difficult to tease out who specifically was behind him. I can't let them reach you again. I need to transition your work release to intermittent until we catch them or your sentence expires in 13 months. I know it's difficult, but we do care about you here at White Collar. I promise we will keep you in good company after hours. We won't leave you alone down there to break."

"I'm already broken," Hunter said with a weak voice. "Please take down Crowder. Do it for me because I can't anymore. It's time for me to go back." Agent Siegel clinched his fists and opened them slowly while regarding his hunched over CI. Four times it had been. Four times over five years Mr. Ruin had been offered an early release only to have it snatched away following some incident, always a very traumatic incident. Each time, Agent Siegel had managed to show the judge extenuating circumstances sufficient to keep him from racking up new sentences on top of the original. Still, the damage was done, and there he was cowering at the table like an animal that has been in the shelter for too long. The agent exhaled slowly before speaking, giving silent thanks that Celeborn's plan from three months ago had taken shape so quickly. While not ideal, it was better than the alternative Hunter was suggesting.

"I won't try to convince you to stay; I understand. There is a place where you can be housed with other former CIs from all over the country. You are not the only CI who has been crushed over the past few years." Hunter lifted his head and turned his glazed eyes over to Siegel.

"Others," he said, "then it is the FBI behind it all?"

"Maybe, they are at least heavily involved, but it's interagency. I don't know who is doing it yet, but I will find out." Hunter put his head back in his hands and his shoulders shook. The agent placed his hand on his CI's shoulder and growled softly, "Hunter, when I do, they will pay."