WC BIG BANG: False Pretenses - Chapter 12
(Chapter 12)
It was still so strange for Peter, memories of being another person fresh in his mind yet slowly fading away. He felt mentally exhausted as if all the memories returning were like waves smashing against his skull, wearing him out. He was feeling stronger but it was taking time as he napped more than normal, Amy there to take care of him as was Mozzie. Neal had seemed more upset than usual but he knew why as they talked off and on before he left. His memories of exactly what happened were still fuzzy but he now knew the face of his attacker. Mozzie had showed him a picture of the suspects, files for their plan that Neal had come up with. They had helped to jar his memory and Martin’s face had stuck out.
“Suit?”
Mozzie’s voice broke through his thoughts, Peter turning his head to look up at the little guy who was peering down at him curiously. The agent had been resting, staring up at the ceiling thinking about things. Neal had told him about his plan, talking to Diana and Jones first. They had thrown it past Hughes and Agent Realti who was helping. Angelo was one of the few men in OPR that Peter trusted mostly because Reese had suggested they use his expertise when their first plan was being put together. They had both been suspect, holding off on involving the outside agent but now he regretted that decision. Hopefully this new operation would turn out as the first one was meant to.
“What is it, Mozzie?”
He was sleepy but they were going to have to leave soon to help with Neal’s plan. Diana was texting them off and on with updates, Mozzie keeping track. It wasn’t his idea but at the moment it was all he could do considering his phone, badge and other belongings were currently with forensics. They thought he was dead because Martin had left him as such and taken his belongings. He didn’t remember leaving the building or his exact arrival at Amy and Jake’s clinic. It was a miracle he had been upright once he’d heard of his head trauma from Amy herself. He wanted to go home but El didn’t know he was ok yet. They were trying to keep her safe from prying eyes and ears.
“Lady Suit texted that Neal just gave them the address. We have to go.”
For once the con’s voice was rather gentle, less annoying and pushy as it had been in the past. He nodded back, sitting up with a quiet groan of pain. His body still ached as did his head but Mozzie gave him a hand and soon he was upright and putting on his jacket and shoes.
“Let’s get this over so I can go home to my wife and Neal can go home to June’s.”
()()()
Martin went to the site Caffrey had given them with Jones and other agents, excusing himself to take a call. When nobody was looking he snuck around the back of a nearby crumbling brick building where he saw a certain sign. The con had said he hid the body in a structure next to an image of a viking shield. Sure enough he saw it as the rest of the team moved off to other locations nearby. He had left that detail to himself, pulling that part of the paper off. Jones didn’t even notice so he was making sure this remained between himself and Malik. He liked the agent and trusted him but this was their fight. Bennett’s son would be taken out and nobody else would be involved. Pratt had been foolish using someone to take out Burke before and failing miserably. Now they just had the con.
Where are you Agent Burke?
He muttered to himself, ready to take credit for getting rid of one of their many obstacles. He saw the pile of wooden palettes in the far right corner and practically ran towards them, pulling the large panels away until he found a space inside and saw the bloodied coat Burke had been wearing that day. There was no body though as he cursed quietly and tried to think of where else the corpse might be.
“Looking for something... Andy?”
The agent froze, that voice one he knew well. He whipped around, gun in hand and saw a face he’d thought about more than once lately. For a moment he wasn’t sure what to say then a dark smile curved his lips as he looked at the figure. He was far from hesitant.
“Agent Burke... You’ve haunted us for far too long.”
The agent was alive. Good. He could hide the body again, pulling out a silencer and screwing it onto the end of his gun. The man cast a shadow so this was no play of light or ghost. Burke was real and he could be killed again… Malik would approve of this, any other plan proving their guilt. He pointed the gun at the man, no fear in the agent beyond a faint glimmer from his honest brown eyes.
()()()
Jones knew the signs of being left out. It had happened before with the music box but in the end, Peter trusted him when it came to helping the department and Neal. It wasn’t just Diana now that had knowledge that could make them suspect in some cases when the need was there. Peter did what subterfuge he had to protect them from harm and keep them reasonably innocent and free of guilt should something go wrong while Martin was just hiding his intentions for his own nefarious reasons. This was one of those times, Jones acting dumb but watching his current partner disappear to a building to the west while the rest of the team went east. They had been prepared for that so he grabbed up a few trusted agents and they went around the back to head Martin off. He went ahead of the team, hearing voices especially Peter’s which was calm with no hint of fear. Hopefully they were just in time.
“Do you really think you’ll get away with this, Andy? Once you’ve failed him again, Malik won’t support you. He’ll throw you under the bus like Calloway.”
Peter was stalling, Jones moving in quietly with his team, directing them to surround the area as they neared the two men. Someone laughed derisively.
“You’re already dead. Nobody will suspect anything suspicious once your body floats out to sea. That pet con of yours is as good as convicted...”
The gun cocked audibly, Jones now seeing Peter and then Martin as he peeked around a large pile of dusty crates. He could see the silencer and a hint his boss wasn’t as calm as he appeared. They had to do it now...
“You’re after Caffrey... why?”
Peter was stalling, getting Martin to talk which had been the plan all along but things were getting too close for comfort as Jones made a motion for his team to move in.
“Bennett... why else? But then, it’s no concern of a deadman... Goodbye, Burke...”
Martin made to pull the trigger when Jones and his team scrambled out in tactical gear, yelling. The agent looked surprised, moving to shoot despite everything but stopping when Clinton pushed his gun against his back.
“Don’t even think about it... You ok, boss?”
Jones was looking over at Peter, a hint of paleness in the agent’s face despite the relieved look in his eyes.
“I’m... fine. Is Diana still with Caffrey?”
Another agent had taken Martin away, Peter watching them cuff and hold the Fed as the two talked.
“Yeah, why? Something wrong?”
Jones sensed the agent’s worry, tapping his boss on the arm when Peter didn’t respond right away. Brown eyes met his and there was concern there.
“My gut tells me we need to get back to the Bureau. How soon can we get there?”
Peter was still a little pale but he didn’t look sick as the junior agent shrugged and they walked towards one of their black sedans.
“20 minutes if we use the siren.”
He didn’t say much else, Peter nodding at him as they slipped into the car and Jones watched his boss take the wire off of himself and hand it over.
“Proof. He implicated himself although what he said about Malik, we only have his word. Still he tried to kill me (again) which is something. Let’s go.”
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