FIC: Assemble the Team/To the Rescue
Title: Assemble the Team/To the Rescue
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Spoilers, Alt Universe, violence, abuse, language, mentions of child abuse, outsider POV
Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. Everything else is mine.
Summary: Neal Caffrey did not belong.
Author's Notes: Because Fowler deserves to be the good guy in at least ONE fic....all of this was written during a bout of insomnia, all in one go. As for the physical abuse, the closest I've ever come personally come to experiencing it for myself was the bullying I suffered in the fifth grade. Also, I've not yet seen ANY season three episodes at the time this was written.
Artist's Notes: I've made some art inspired by this fic: Agent Barclay and Merlin
I. Assemble the Team
Washington, DC
Neal Caffrey did not belong in the DC offices of the FBI, that much Agent Barclay knew for certain. But there was very little that the probationary agent could do about that. She also suspected that Agent Kramer, her boss, was abusing the CI, but she had nothing that would stand up in court.
Agent Barclay wasn't going to let a lack of evidence stop her from ensuring that justice was done, however. She was an agent of the Law, tasked with the job of finding criminals and bringing them to justice, no matter who they were.
"First, I should make a file," Barclay said aloud to herself.
"Meow?" her cat mewled.
Barclay stroked the Siamese.
"I can’t open an official investigation, Merlin," Barclay informed her cat, "that would only alert Agent Kramer to my suspicions."
Merlin purred, seemingly in agreement with Barclay's concern, as the agent dug an old, battered notebook out of a drawer in a filing cabinet in her home office. She thumbed thru the pages.
"Nothing already written on the pages, good," she declared as she returned to her desk, opening the notebook to the first page.
Neal George Caffrey
CI belongs in NYC w/ Agent Burke
Agent Kramer may be abusing Caffrey
She scowled at the three lines of text she had just written.
"I need more information about Caffrey, Merlin," Barclay sighed, "I need to know if I'm seeing things that aren't really there or not."
The Siamese scampered off, yowling as he raced out of the room. Barclay shook her head as she turned her focus back to writing down her thoughts regarding the CI she suspected was being abused.
~*~
New York City
Agent Peter Burke was angry. Kramer was not allowing him to talk with Neal, and had said point blank that if he continued to try to contact his ex-CI, Kramer would charge him with obstruction of justice. That had shocked Peter, hearing his mentor threaten him like that.
That threat had sent Peter to a bench in Central Park, pretending to read the international section of the Times.
"I saw a mockingbird in the park," a voice said from behind the agent.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"I need your help, Mozzie," he said, getting straight to the point.
"My help? What makes you think that I will help you, Suit?" the con man demanded, "especially after what you did to Neal!?"
"You know full well that I did all that I could to stop Kramer from taking Neal," Peter growled, "but I didn't come here to be reminded of my failure."
"Why did you come then, Suit?"
"Kramer isn't allowing me to communicate with Neal," Peter replied, "he even went so far as to threaten to charge me with obstruction of justice if I continued to request permission to speak with him."
"That sounds like-" Mozzie began, but Peter interrupted him.
"I don't care what you think of that," he said crossly, "what I do care about is finding out whether Neal is alright and getting him back home, to New York."
"And you want me to do what?" Mozzie asked.
"I want you to make contact with him, find out what's going on," the agent replied.
~*~
Washington, DC
"I'm glad to see that some agent cares about Caffrey's health and well-being," the night guard, Michael Erlich, remarked when Barclay showed up after hours at the FBI holding cells.
Barclay frowned.
"What do you mean?" she inquired.
"Caffrey doesn't complain, but someone isn't doing a good job of keeping the guy out of harm's way," Michael replied.
"Would you be willing to testify in court to that?" Barclay asked.
Michael nodded.
"Certainly would," he assured the agent, "just 'cause a guy's a criminal doesn't mean he deserves to be treated as less than human."
"What sort of maltreatment have you noticed Caffrey has suffered?" Barclay inquired.
"Well, he's been favoring his left arm for the past week and a half, and two nights ago he came in with a black eye," Michael began, but stopped when he noticed Barclay's expression, "what is it, Agent Barclay?"
"Caffrey hasn't been injured at all in the line of duty since he came here to DC," Barclay explained, "and I know for a fact that he didn't have a black eye when Agent Kramer took him down here two nights ago."
"You really think that Agent Kramer would-" Michael began to ask, but Barclay cut him off.
"It might not be Kramer," she insisted, but her words were empty.
"You should go to OPR," Michael suggested, "let them handle this. This is what they are responsible for handling, after all."
~*~
Barclay went over to the OPR offices the next day, right after work. A receptionist directed her to the office of an OPR agent.
"Agent Barclay, please take a seat," the OPR agent directed.
Barclay sat down.
"My name is Garrett Fowler," the OPR agent introduced himself, "what can I help you with?"
"I have reason to believe that an FBI agent is abusing his CI, Agent Fowler," Barclay replied, "I have written testimony from the night guard attesting to injuries that were never reported."
Fowler cocked an eyebrow.
"Night guard?" he asked.
"Caffrey-the CI in question-is being kept in a holding cell when he isn't assisting his 'handler' in solving cases," Barclay replied.
"Caffrey?" Fowler echo'd in surprise.
"Yes, sir," Barclay replied, wondering why the name had surprised the agent.
"Why isn't he in New York with Agent Burke?" Fowler demanded.
Barclay shrugged.
"I don't know the details, sir, but I think Caffrey shouldn't be here in DC, myself."
"I hope you don't mind if I keep you a bit longer, do you?" Fowler asked.
"I don't mind at all, sir," Barclay assured him, "as long as it means getting Caffrey back where he belongs."
~*~
New York City
Peter had just sat down to dinner when his cell phone rang.
"Burke," he said, answering it.
"Agent Burke, how soon can you come down to DC?" an all too familiar voice inquired.
"Fowler?" Peter asked, surprised to hear the OPR agent's voice.
"Yes, it's me," Fowler acknowledged, "I've got a case that you would be interested in helping me solve."
"What kind of case that falls under OPR jurisdiction would interest me?" Peter demanded.
"Neal Caffrey is being physically abused by his current handler," Fowler replied.
~*~
Washington, DC
Fowler was waiting for Peter when the FBI agent had stepped out of the airport terminal.
"So we met again, Fowler," Peter observed, as he got into the OPR agent's car.
"Indeed, and under equally unfavorable conditions," Fowler agreed.
"You mentioned that Neal was being abused physically," Peter prompted the OPR agent.
"We don't have any physical evidence of the abuse, though," a female voice piped up from the back seat.
"And you are?" Peter asked.
"Probationary Special Agent Beverly Barclay," the woman replied.
"Barclay is the one who brought Caffrey's situation to my attention," Fowler informed Peter.
"How do we know that Ne-Caffrey is being abused without physical evidence?" Peter inquired.
"Well, I know what it is like to be abused," Barclay volunteered, "and so I decided to investigate my suspicions."
"Barclay spoke with the night guard at the holding cells where Kramer has been keeping Caffrey, who told her about several injuries that the CI had that weren't treated," Fowler added.
"I was also approached by this weird little man," Barclay suddenly declared, "this morning."
"What did he want?" Fowler asked.
"He wanted to know if Caffrey was alright," the younger agent replied.
"What did you tell him?" Peter asked.
"He wouldn't tell me who he was or why he needed to know about Caffrey, so I didn't tell him anything," Barclay admitted.
Peter's phone rang, and the FBI agent answered it.
"Burke."
"Suit, I just got your message," Mozzie replied.
"Where are you, Mozzie?" Peter asked.
"Outside Suit Central," Mozzie replied, "Maybe I'll be able to make contact with Neal when he leaves the building."
"You won't," Peter informed the con man, "Neal's being held in the holding cells there."
"We need to join forces then," Mozzie declared, somewhat unnecessarily.
Peter turned to Fowler and asked, "Where are we going?"
"OPR Headquarters," Fowler replied.
"Mozzie, meet me at OPR headquarters," Peter directed the con man.
"OPR? Why?"
"I'll explain in person," Peter replied, "and don't worry, this time, OPR is on our side."
~*~
II. To the Rescue
Washington, DC
Mozzie was waiting for him outside the OPR building when Peter arrived, accompanied by Fowler and Agent Barclay. The con man scowled at Peter's companions.
"It's okay, Mozzie, they aren't going to arrest you," Peter assured the shorter man, but his words did little to ease the con man's fears.
"Hey, I remember you," Barclay remarked, "you're that short guy that asked after Caffrey this morning."
"Before we get on with the introductions, let's take this to my office," Fowler requested.
"I'm NOT going in there," Mozzie declared.
"Mozzie, if you want to help rescue Neal, then you have to come inside with us," Peter informed him.
Mozzie groaned.
"Fine, but only because Neal trusts your judgment for some reason, Suit," he said, reluctantly following Peter inside.
~*~
Neal sighed. He was bored, as Kramer refused to allow him to have any books or other personal belongs in his cell. This was worse than prison, and not only because of Kramer's rule about personal possessions. At least in prison Neal got three meals every day, without fail. Since Kramer had become his handler, Neal considered himself lucky if he even had a single morsel of food or drink-Kramer only fed him when he remembered, which wasn't very often. None of Kramer's agents would share their lunches with Neal-in fact, they actively shunned the CI.
The only glaring exception was the newest agent on Kramer's team, a probationary agent fresh from the FBI Academy in nearby Quantico, Virginia, who had started three weeks after Neal had started working for Kramer. Beverly Barclay had-from day one-been willing to slip Neal some of her lunch every day. She had also made a point of just talking with the CI about non-work things-even though she had been rebuked by Kramer when he had found out.
But today, Agent Barclay was absent. Neal hoped she was alright, but he couldn't ask one of the other agents about Barclay. They would simply punish him in whatever way they saw fit. But maybe one of them would-
"Hey, Andrew," one of the agents said suddenly.
"Yeah?" Andrew asked.
"Where's that pipsqueak Barclay?"
Andrew shrugged.
"No clue, but I overheard Milton speaking to the Boss about her having called in sick," he replied.
Neal hoped Barclay wasn't too sick, he wasn't sure how long he would be able to survive without her kindness in this hellhole of an FBI office.
~*~
"So let me get this straight," Peter said, "Kramer has kept Neal in the holding cells since he returned to DC with him, virtually starved him, physically abused him, isolated him from the people who care about him, allowed his agents to verbally abuse him-and possibly even physically as well--, failed to give him proper medical attention for his injuries,…did I miss anything?"
"You missed that he actively discourages Caffrey from speaking," Fowler volunteered.
"I still can't believe that Kramer would really do this," Peter grumbled.
"Oh, he is," Barclay assured the older FBI agent.
"I believe you, Barclay," Peter assured her, "It's just that the Kramer I used to know-the agent I thought I knew-would never do such things."
"Clearly you were mistaken," Mozzie observed.
Peter had to agree with the con man.
"So, when are we going to move on Kramer?" Barclay asked.
"Tomorrow," Fowler replied, "that was the earliest I could arrange to have the warrant for Neal Caffrey to undergo a full physical exam served."
"Warrant for a physical exam?" Mozzie asked.
"We need documented physical evidence of the abuse, Mozzie," Peter reminded him, "best way to get that is thru the medical system you loathe so much."
"Can't you serve it today?" Mozzie asked Fowler, ignoring Peter, "Kramer might have time to get rid of the evidence if we wait."
Fowler shook his head.
"Sorry, but tomorrow morning is was the earliest I could manage," he said, and he sounded genuinely mournful about it.
"Besides, this kind of evidence isn't the kind that can be hidden away from a doctor," Barclay added.
"You speak from experience?" Mozzie asked.
Barclay nodded.
"I was physically abused by my mother and older brother," she admitted.
"Your mother!?" Mozzie exclaimed in shocked surprise.
"I don't think she knew any better," Barclay said in defense of her mother, "she was abused by her father as a child."
"What about your father?" Peter asked, "where was he in all this?"
"He was away, busy with his job," Barclay replied, "he didn't know that I was being abused. At least, not until I was thirteen and finally got up the courage to tell him about it, and he acted immediately on it."
"Was your father in the military?" Fowler asked.
Barclay shook her head.
"He was ATF," she replied, "I ended up joining the FBI instead myself because I wanted to make a name for myself, without having people compare me to my dad."
~*~
next morning
Neal had just resigned himself to another day without Barclay's kindness when she arrived, two hours late.
"Caffrey, is Kramer in?" she asked him, skipping the pleasantries they usually indulged in.
Neal nodded wordlessly, before jerking his head towards Kramer's office to indicate where the agent was.
"You can talk, you know," Barclay informed him.
Neal frowned at her. Had she forgotten what would happen to him if he opened his mouth and spoke even one word?
"Agent Barclay, nice to see that you are feeling better," Kramer called as he strode out of his office over to the younger agent and his CI.
Barclay's body language hardened, becoming overtly hostile towards the other agent. Neal had never before seen her act like that before, he wondered what had changed since he had last seen her.
"Agent Kramer, please step away from Agent Barclay and Mr. Caffrey," a voice ordered.
Neal stiffened, recognizing the voice, even after all this time. Kramer scowled at the newcomer to his domain.
"Who are you?" he demanded, not moving.
"Garrett Fowler, OPR," the intruder replied, "and I won't ask you again."
Kramer stepped back, but he wasn't ready to let Fowler have free reign in his office just yet.
"What are you doing here, Agent Fowler?" he demanded.
"I am here to serve a warrant, Agent Kramer," Fowler replied.
"A warrant? Here?" Kramer asked, clearly unconvinced by the OPR agent's claim.
Fowler, un-phased by the agent's reaction, handed Kramer a piece of paper.
"I am here to escort Mr. Caffrey to a doctor I can trust is not under your thrall to examine him," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the office.
Barclay saw the way the other agents were starting to eye her, only realizing then that she had made herself a target for Kramer's team. Not that that would have stopped her from doing what was right, but she wouldn’t have returned to the office today like she had.
"You can't take Caffrey anywhere without me," Kramer objected, pulling Barclay's focus back on the situation at hand.
"I can take Caffrey with me, if he is escorted by you or any one of your agents," Fowler replied, "which is why Agent Barclay will be coming with us."
"Barclay? I should have known," Kramer growled.
Barclay felt a chill go down her spine at the promised threat in her boss' words, but she forced herself to show no fear.
"Agent Kramer, if Agent Barclay ends up with so much as a paper cut, you will be held accountable for it," Fowler warned Kramer.
~*~
Neal felt giddy as Barclay and Fowler led him out of the building, eager to breath his first breath of fresh air since Kramer had brought him to the FBI building in DC all those weeks ago.
"Barclay, you will have to be reassigned," Fowler remarked as they approached his car.
"I understand, sir," Barclay replied, "and I don't need to go back, I never got around to personalizing my workspace."
Neal, still cuffed, was placed in the middle seat of Fowler's black SUV-it was a government issued vehicle. Barclay got into the front passenger seat once she had buckled Neal in as Fowler got into the driver's seat.
"Everyone ready to go?" Barclay asked.
Neal frowned at her question, but didn't say anything.
"I was born ready, Lady Suit."
MOZZIE!? Neal exclaimed in his head, still afraid to speak out loud, even though he knew full well that he wouldn't get punished for speaking now.
"Mozzie!?" he exclaimed again, this time out loud.
"Who else did you think I was?" Mozzie demanded.
"I didn't know you were back there," Neal admitted, not turning around to look at his friend like he so badly wanted to.
"You can slip your cuffs off now, if you haven't already done so," another friendly voice added.
"Peter! You're here too!?" Neal gasped.
"Of course," the FBI agent replied, "did you really think that I'd leave you to Kramer's cruelty?"
"But how?" Neal asked.
"We flew in on airplanes," Mozzie volunteered.
Neal snorted.
"Not what I meant," the CI informed his friend.
"Oh, then what did you mean?" Mozzie demanded.
"What's the plan for getting me away from Kramer and back to New York?" Neal asked.
"Well, first we take you to a doctor, have her examine you," Peter said.
"For what?" Neal asked.
"Physical abuse," Barclay replied.
"How did you know about that?" Neal asked her.
"I know from personal experience what it is like to be physically abused, so I had a gut feeling about you," Barclay replied.
"With the confirmation of physical abuse, you will be taken out of Agent Kramer's custody and placed back in Agent Burke's," Fowler added, "and all with OPR approval and backing."
~*~
"Hello, Neal," the doctor-her name was Sandra-said kindly, "Agent Burke told me that you've been physically abused. Is that so?"
Neal nodded wordlessly.
"Looks like it was more than just physical," Doctor Sandra remarked.
Peter, who had insisted on being present as Neal's friend, looked worried. The doctor was quick to allay the agent's fears, however.
"It looks as though Neal's abuser did more than just assault him physically, but also psychologically," the doctor explained.
"Kramer and the other agents wouldn't let him speak," Barclay remarked. Her presence was required by law as she was acting as Neal's handler until Fowler could have him officially transferred back into Peter's custody.
"Any sexual abuse?" Doctor Sandra asked.
Barclay looked over at Neal. Neal sighed.
"Neal?" Peter asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"I wasn't sexually abused," Neal assured Peter, "but one of the agents, he told me that if I ever tried to escape that he would get to-and I quote-'make sweet FBI love' to me."
"'Sweet FBI love'?" Peter echo'd, confused, "what the hell that does mean?"
"Sex," Barclay replied, "that was Agent Picketts, wasn't it, Caffrey?"
Neal nodded.
"Picketts tried to get me to go on a date with him, using that phrase," Barclay explained.
"Does Fowler know about this?" Peter asked Barclay.
"He knows about the verbal abuse I garnered from the rest of Kramer's team for being kind to Caffrey," Barclay replied.
There was a knock on the door to the exam room. Sandra answered it.
"Ah, thank you, James," she said before closing the door, "the X-rays are done."
"Let's see them," Peter requested.
Sandra pinned the first set of x-rays to the light box and flicked it on.
Barclay and Sandra spotted the breaks in both the ulna and the radius of the CI's left arm at almost the same moment.
"That's a broken arm left untreated, alright," the doctor announced, pointing out the breaks as she spoke.
"But is it proof of abuse?" Peter asked.
"It is," Barclay answered, "the break is too recent to have occurred before Caffrey came to DC-and there hasn't been any paperwork filed indicating that he had any injuries since coming to DC."
"The arm will have to be rebroken before I can put a cast on it," Sandra added.
"Can he travel with the cast?" Peter asked.
"Not on an airplane," Sandra answered, "at least, not for the next couple of weeks."
~*~
Fowler was smiling when Peter and Barclay escorted Neal out of the hospital and over to the OPR agent's car.
"Why are you so happy?" Neal demanded of Fowler, still somewhat groggy from his pain meds.
"Agent Kramer and his team are all in jail for unethical behavior," Fowler replied.
"All of them?" Barclay queried in surprise.
"Kramer was the ringleader, but none of the others objected to abusing prisoners," Fowler replied, "in fact, they all were more than happy to abuse prisoners at Kramer's orders."
"I was never ordered to do any such thing," Barclay objected.
"You weren't, but your predecessor was," Mozzie volunteered from his seat next to Peter in the back.
"Swensen?" Barclay asked.
Fowler nodded.
"She kept silent because she was afraid of Kramer," the agent added.
"Why?" Peter asked.
"Joanna Swensen isn't her real name," Fowler replied, "she joined the FBI under a false name, in order to protect herself."
"And Kramer found out?" Neal guessed.
"He did," Fowler confirmed.
"Is she safe now?" Barclay asked.
"She's in protective custody now," Fowler replied.
"What about the Lady Suit?" Mozzie asked.
"Who?" Fowler asked, confused.
"Agent Barclay," the con man clarified, "what about her?"
"Well, that's up to her," Fowler replied, "either she can get transferred to another field office or to another department, here in DC."
"If I chose to be transferred to another field office, do I have to stay with the Art Crimes department?" Barclay asked.
"Only if you want to," Fowler replied.
"I've always wanted to live in New York City," Barclay remarked.
"That can be arranged," the OPR agent remarked.
Mozzie frowned. Was that a note of sadness he heard in Fowler's voice?
"You don't have to leave DC, Barclay," Peter observed.
"I can't stay here, Agent Burke," Barclay replied, "what agent would want to work with me, knowing what I did?"
"I would be honored to work with you, Barclay," Fowler admitted, before Peter could open his mouth to say the same thing.
"Hunting down corruption sounds…well, it sounds like a great change of pace," Barclay declared.
"It certainly has its perks," Fowler agreed.
"Perks?" Neal asked.
"You get to meet interesting people," the OPR agent replied.
Peter snorted.
"That's one way to put it," he remarked.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Spoilers, Alt Universe, violence, abuse, language, mentions of child abuse, outsider POV
Disclaimer: White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA Network. Everything else is mine.
Summary: Neal Caffrey did not belong.
Author's Notes: Because Fowler deserves to be the good guy in at least ONE fic....all of this was written during a bout of insomnia, all in one go. As for the physical abuse, the closest I've ever come personally come to experiencing it for myself was the bullying I suffered in the fifth grade. Also, I've not yet seen ANY season three episodes at the time this was written.
Artist's Notes: I've made some art inspired by this fic: Agent Barclay and Merlin
I. Assemble the Team
Washington, DC
Neal Caffrey did not belong in the DC offices of the FBI, that much Agent Barclay knew for certain. But there was very little that the probationary agent could do about that. She also suspected that Agent Kramer, her boss, was abusing the CI, but she had nothing that would stand up in court.
Agent Barclay wasn't going to let a lack of evidence stop her from ensuring that justice was done, however. She was an agent of the Law, tasked with the job of finding criminals and bringing them to justice, no matter who they were.
"First, I should make a file," Barclay said aloud to herself.
"Meow?" her cat mewled.
Barclay stroked the Siamese.
"I can’t open an official investigation, Merlin," Barclay informed her cat, "that would only alert Agent Kramer to my suspicions."
Merlin purred, seemingly in agreement with Barclay's concern, as the agent dug an old, battered notebook out of a drawer in a filing cabinet in her home office. She thumbed thru the pages.
"Nothing already written on the pages, good," she declared as she returned to her desk, opening the notebook to the first page.
Neal George Caffrey
CI belongs in NYC w/ Agent Burke
Agent Kramer may be abusing Caffrey
She scowled at the three lines of text she had just written.
"I need more information about Caffrey, Merlin," Barclay sighed, "I need to know if I'm seeing things that aren't really there or not."
The Siamese scampered off, yowling as he raced out of the room. Barclay shook her head as she turned her focus back to writing down her thoughts regarding the CI she suspected was being abused.
~*~
New York City
Agent Peter Burke was angry. Kramer was not allowing him to talk with Neal, and had said point blank that if he continued to try to contact his ex-CI, Kramer would charge him with obstruction of justice. That had shocked Peter, hearing his mentor threaten him like that.
That threat had sent Peter to a bench in Central Park, pretending to read the international section of the Times.
"I saw a mockingbird in the park," a voice said from behind the agent.
Peter rolled his eyes.
"I need your help, Mozzie," he said, getting straight to the point.
"My help? What makes you think that I will help you, Suit?" the con man demanded, "especially after what you did to Neal!?"
"You know full well that I did all that I could to stop Kramer from taking Neal," Peter growled, "but I didn't come here to be reminded of my failure."
"Why did you come then, Suit?"
"Kramer isn't allowing me to communicate with Neal," Peter replied, "he even went so far as to threaten to charge me with obstruction of justice if I continued to request permission to speak with him."
"That sounds like-" Mozzie began, but Peter interrupted him.
"I don't care what you think of that," he said crossly, "what I do care about is finding out whether Neal is alright and getting him back home, to New York."
"And you want me to do what?" Mozzie asked.
"I want you to make contact with him, find out what's going on," the agent replied.
~*~
Washington, DC
"I'm glad to see that some agent cares about Caffrey's health and well-being," the night guard, Michael Erlich, remarked when Barclay showed up after hours at the FBI holding cells.
Barclay frowned.
"What do you mean?" she inquired.
"Caffrey doesn't complain, but someone isn't doing a good job of keeping the guy out of harm's way," Michael replied.
"Would you be willing to testify in court to that?" Barclay asked.
Michael nodded.
"Certainly would," he assured the agent, "just 'cause a guy's a criminal doesn't mean he deserves to be treated as less than human."
"What sort of maltreatment have you noticed Caffrey has suffered?" Barclay inquired.
"Well, he's been favoring his left arm for the past week and a half, and two nights ago he came in with a black eye," Michael began, but stopped when he noticed Barclay's expression, "what is it, Agent Barclay?"
"Caffrey hasn't been injured at all in the line of duty since he came here to DC," Barclay explained, "and I know for a fact that he didn't have a black eye when Agent Kramer took him down here two nights ago."
"You really think that Agent Kramer would-" Michael began to ask, but Barclay cut him off.
"It might not be Kramer," she insisted, but her words were empty.
"You should go to OPR," Michael suggested, "let them handle this. This is what they are responsible for handling, after all."
~*~
Barclay went over to the OPR offices the next day, right after work. A receptionist directed her to the office of an OPR agent.
"Agent Barclay, please take a seat," the OPR agent directed.
Barclay sat down.
"My name is Garrett Fowler," the OPR agent introduced himself, "what can I help you with?"
"I have reason to believe that an FBI agent is abusing his CI, Agent Fowler," Barclay replied, "I have written testimony from the night guard attesting to injuries that were never reported."
Fowler cocked an eyebrow.
"Night guard?" he asked.
"Caffrey-the CI in question-is being kept in a holding cell when he isn't assisting his 'handler' in solving cases," Barclay replied.
"Caffrey?" Fowler echo'd in surprise.
"Yes, sir," Barclay replied, wondering why the name had surprised the agent.
"Why isn't he in New York with Agent Burke?" Fowler demanded.
Barclay shrugged.
"I don't know the details, sir, but I think Caffrey shouldn't be here in DC, myself."
"I hope you don't mind if I keep you a bit longer, do you?" Fowler asked.
"I don't mind at all, sir," Barclay assured him, "as long as it means getting Caffrey back where he belongs."
~*~
New York City
Peter had just sat down to dinner when his cell phone rang.
"Burke," he said, answering it.
"Agent Burke, how soon can you come down to DC?" an all too familiar voice inquired.
"Fowler?" Peter asked, surprised to hear the OPR agent's voice.
"Yes, it's me," Fowler acknowledged, "I've got a case that you would be interested in helping me solve."
"What kind of case that falls under OPR jurisdiction would interest me?" Peter demanded.
"Neal Caffrey is being physically abused by his current handler," Fowler replied.
~*~
Washington, DC
Fowler was waiting for Peter when the FBI agent had stepped out of the airport terminal.
"So we met again, Fowler," Peter observed, as he got into the OPR agent's car.
"Indeed, and under equally unfavorable conditions," Fowler agreed.
"You mentioned that Neal was being abused physically," Peter prompted the OPR agent.
"We don't have any physical evidence of the abuse, though," a female voice piped up from the back seat.
"And you are?" Peter asked.
"Probationary Special Agent Beverly Barclay," the woman replied.
"Barclay is the one who brought Caffrey's situation to my attention," Fowler informed Peter.
"How do we know that Ne-Caffrey is being abused without physical evidence?" Peter inquired.
"Well, I know what it is like to be abused," Barclay volunteered, "and so I decided to investigate my suspicions."
"Barclay spoke with the night guard at the holding cells where Kramer has been keeping Caffrey, who told her about several injuries that the CI had that weren't treated," Fowler added.
"I was also approached by this weird little man," Barclay suddenly declared, "this morning."
"What did he want?" Fowler asked.
"He wanted to know if Caffrey was alright," the younger agent replied.
"What did you tell him?" Peter asked.
"He wouldn't tell me who he was or why he needed to know about Caffrey, so I didn't tell him anything," Barclay admitted.
Peter's phone rang, and the FBI agent answered it.
"Burke."
"Suit, I just got your message," Mozzie replied.
"Where are you, Mozzie?" Peter asked.
"Outside Suit Central," Mozzie replied, "Maybe I'll be able to make contact with Neal when he leaves the building."
"You won't," Peter informed the con man, "Neal's being held in the holding cells there."
"We need to join forces then," Mozzie declared, somewhat unnecessarily.
Peter turned to Fowler and asked, "Where are we going?"
"OPR Headquarters," Fowler replied.
"Mozzie, meet me at OPR headquarters," Peter directed the con man.
"OPR? Why?"
"I'll explain in person," Peter replied, "and don't worry, this time, OPR is on our side."
~*~
II. To the Rescue
Washington, DC
Mozzie was waiting for him outside the OPR building when Peter arrived, accompanied by Fowler and Agent Barclay. The con man scowled at Peter's companions.
"It's okay, Mozzie, they aren't going to arrest you," Peter assured the shorter man, but his words did little to ease the con man's fears.
"Hey, I remember you," Barclay remarked, "you're that short guy that asked after Caffrey this morning."
"Before we get on with the introductions, let's take this to my office," Fowler requested.
"I'm NOT going in there," Mozzie declared.
"Mozzie, if you want to help rescue Neal, then you have to come inside with us," Peter informed him.
Mozzie groaned.
"Fine, but only because Neal trusts your judgment for some reason, Suit," he said, reluctantly following Peter inside.
~*~
Neal sighed. He was bored, as Kramer refused to allow him to have any books or other personal belongs in his cell. This was worse than prison, and not only because of Kramer's rule about personal possessions. At least in prison Neal got three meals every day, without fail. Since Kramer had become his handler, Neal considered himself lucky if he even had a single morsel of food or drink-Kramer only fed him when he remembered, which wasn't very often. None of Kramer's agents would share their lunches with Neal-in fact, they actively shunned the CI.
The only glaring exception was the newest agent on Kramer's team, a probationary agent fresh from the FBI Academy in nearby Quantico, Virginia, who had started three weeks after Neal had started working for Kramer. Beverly Barclay had-from day one-been willing to slip Neal some of her lunch every day. She had also made a point of just talking with the CI about non-work things-even though she had been rebuked by Kramer when he had found out.
But today, Agent Barclay was absent. Neal hoped she was alright, but he couldn't ask one of the other agents about Barclay. They would simply punish him in whatever way they saw fit. But maybe one of them would-
"Hey, Andrew," one of the agents said suddenly.
"Yeah?" Andrew asked.
"Where's that pipsqueak Barclay?"
Andrew shrugged.
"No clue, but I overheard Milton speaking to the Boss about her having called in sick," he replied.
Neal hoped Barclay wasn't too sick, he wasn't sure how long he would be able to survive without her kindness in this hellhole of an FBI office.
~*~
"So let me get this straight," Peter said, "Kramer has kept Neal in the holding cells since he returned to DC with him, virtually starved him, physically abused him, isolated him from the people who care about him, allowed his agents to verbally abuse him-and possibly even physically as well--, failed to give him proper medical attention for his injuries,…did I miss anything?"
"You missed that he actively discourages Caffrey from speaking," Fowler volunteered.
"I still can't believe that Kramer would really do this," Peter grumbled.
"Oh, he is," Barclay assured the older FBI agent.
"I believe you, Barclay," Peter assured her, "It's just that the Kramer I used to know-the agent I thought I knew-would never do such things."
"Clearly you were mistaken," Mozzie observed.
Peter had to agree with the con man.
"So, when are we going to move on Kramer?" Barclay asked.
"Tomorrow," Fowler replied, "that was the earliest I could arrange to have the warrant for Neal Caffrey to undergo a full physical exam served."
"Warrant for a physical exam?" Mozzie asked.
"We need documented physical evidence of the abuse, Mozzie," Peter reminded him, "best way to get that is thru the medical system you loathe so much."
"Can't you serve it today?" Mozzie asked Fowler, ignoring Peter, "Kramer might have time to get rid of the evidence if we wait."
Fowler shook his head.
"Sorry, but tomorrow morning is was the earliest I could manage," he said, and he sounded genuinely mournful about it.
"Besides, this kind of evidence isn't the kind that can be hidden away from a doctor," Barclay added.
"You speak from experience?" Mozzie asked.
Barclay nodded.
"I was physically abused by my mother and older brother," she admitted.
"Your mother!?" Mozzie exclaimed in shocked surprise.
"I don't think she knew any better," Barclay said in defense of her mother, "she was abused by her father as a child."
"What about your father?" Peter asked, "where was he in all this?"
"He was away, busy with his job," Barclay replied, "he didn't know that I was being abused. At least, not until I was thirteen and finally got up the courage to tell him about it, and he acted immediately on it."
"Was your father in the military?" Fowler asked.
Barclay shook her head.
"He was ATF," she replied, "I ended up joining the FBI instead myself because I wanted to make a name for myself, without having people compare me to my dad."
~*~
next morning
Neal had just resigned himself to another day without Barclay's kindness when she arrived, two hours late.
"Caffrey, is Kramer in?" she asked him, skipping the pleasantries they usually indulged in.
Neal nodded wordlessly, before jerking his head towards Kramer's office to indicate where the agent was.
"You can talk, you know," Barclay informed him.
Neal frowned at her. Had she forgotten what would happen to him if he opened his mouth and spoke even one word?
"Agent Barclay, nice to see that you are feeling better," Kramer called as he strode out of his office over to the younger agent and his CI.
Barclay's body language hardened, becoming overtly hostile towards the other agent. Neal had never before seen her act like that before, he wondered what had changed since he had last seen her.
"Agent Kramer, please step away from Agent Barclay and Mr. Caffrey," a voice ordered.
Neal stiffened, recognizing the voice, even after all this time. Kramer scowled at the newcomer to his domain.
"Who are you?" he demanded, not moving.
"Garrett Fowler, OPR," the intruder replied, "and I won't ask you again."
Kramer stepped back, but he wasn't ready to let Fowler have free reign in his office just yet.
"What are you doing here, Agent Fowler?" he demanded.
"I am here to serve a warrant, Agent Kramer," Fowler replied.
"A warrant? Here?" Kramer asked, clearly unconvinced by the OPR agent's claim.
Fowler, un-phased by the agent's reaction, handed Kramer a piece of paper.
"I am here to escort Mr. Caffrey to a doctor I can trust is not under your thrall to examine him," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the office.
Barclay saw the way the other agents were starting to eye her, only realizing then that she had made herself a target for Kramer's team. Not that that would have stopped her from doing what was right, but she wouldn’t have returned to the office today like she had.
"You can't take Caffrey anywhere without me," Kramer objected, pulling Barclay's focus back on the situation at hand.
"I can take Caffrey with me, if he is escorted by you or any one of your agents," Fowler replied, "which is why Agent Barclay will be coming with us."
"Barclay? I should have known," Kramer growled.
Barclay felt a chill go down her spine at the promised threat in her boss' words, but she forced herself to show no fear.
"Agent Kramer, if Agent Barclay ends up with so much as a paper cut, you will be held accountable for it," Fowler warned Kramer.
~*~
Neal felt giddy as Barclay and Fowler led him out of the building, eager to breath his first breath of fresh air since Kramer had brought him to the FBI building in DC all those weeks ago.
"Barclay, you will have to be reassigned," Fowler remarked as they approached his car.
"I understand, sir," Barclay replied, "and I don't need to go back, I never got around to personalizing my workspace."
Neal, still cuffed, was placed in the middle seat of Fowler's black SUV-it was a government issued vehicle. Barclay got into the front passenger seat once she had buckled Neal in as Fowler got into the driver's seat.
"Everyone ready to go?" Barclay asked.
Neal frowned at her question, but didn't say anything.
"I was born ready, Lady Suit."
MOZZIE!? Neal exclaimed in his head, still afraid to speak out loud, even though he knew full well that he wouldn't get punished for speaking now.
"Mozzie!?" he exclaimed again, this time out loud.
"Who else did you think I was?" Mozzie demanded.
"I didn't know you were back there," Neal admitted, not turning around to look at his friend like he so badly wanted to.
"You can slip your cuffs off now, if you haven't already done so," another friendly voice added.
"Peter! You're here too!?" Neal gasped.
"Of course," the FBI agent replied, "did you really think that I'd leave you to Kramer's cruelty?"
"But how?" Neal asked.
"We flew in on airplanes," Mozzie volunteered.
Neal snorted.
"Not what I meant," the CI informed his friend.
"Oh, then what did you mean?" Mozzie demanded.
"What's the plan for getting me away from Kramer and back to New York?" Neal asked.
"Well, first we take you to a doctor, have her examine you," Peter said.
"For what?" Neal asked.
"Physical abuse," Barclay replied.
"How did you know about that?" Neal asked her.
"I know from personal experience what it is like to be physically abused, so I had a gut feeling about you," Barclay replied.
"With the confirmation of physical abuse, you will be taken out of Agent Kramer's custody and placed back in Agent Burke's," Fowler added, "and all with OPR approval and backing."
~*~
"Hello, Neal," the doctor-her name was Sandra-said kindly, "Agent Burke told me that you've been physically abused. Is that so?"
Neal nodded wordlessly.
"Looks like it was more than just physical," Doctor Sandra remarked.
Peter, who had insisted on being present as Neal's friend, looked worried. The doctor was quick to allay the agent's fears, however.
"It looks as though Neal's abuser did more than just assault him physically, but also psychologically," the doctor explained.
"Kramer and the other agents wouldn't let him speak," Barclay remarked. Her presence was required by law as she was acting as Neal's handler until Fowler could have him officially transferred back into Peter's custody.
"Any sexual abuse?" Doctor Sandra asked.
Barclay looked over at Neal. Neal sighed.
"Neal?" Peter asked, his voice tinged with concern.
"I wasn't sexually abused," Neal assured Peter, "but one of the agents, he told me that if I ever tried to escape that he would get to-and I quote-'make sweet FBI love' to me."
"'Sweet FBI love'?" Peter echo'd, confused, "what the hell that does mean?"
"Sex," Barclay replied, "that was Agent Picketts, wasn't it, Caffrey?"
Neal nodded.
"Picketts tried to get me to go on a date with him, using that phrase," Barclay explained.
"Does Fowler know about this?" Peter asked Barclay.
"He knows about the verbal abuse I garnered from the rest of Kramer's team for being kind to Caffrey," Barclay replied.
There was a knock on the door to the exam room. Sandra answered it.
"Ah, thank you, James," she said before closing the door, "the X-rays are done."
"Let's see them," Peter requested.
Sandra pinned the first set of x-rays to the light box and flicked it on.
Barclay and Sandra spotted the breaks in both the ulna and the radius of the CI's left arm at almost the same moment.
"That's a broken arm left untreated, alright," the doctor announced, pointing out the breaks as she spoke.
"But is it proof of abuse?" Peter asked.
"It is," Barclay answered, "the break is too recent to have occurred before Caffrey came to DC-and there hasn't been any paperwork filed indicating that he had any injuries since coming to DC."
"The arm will have to be rebroken before I can put a cast on it," Sandra added.
"Can he travel with the cast?" Peter asked.
"Not on an airplane," Sandra answered, "at least, not for the next couple of weeks."
~*~
Fowler was smiling when Peter and Barclay escorted Neal out of the hospital and over to the OPR agent's car.
"Why are you so happy?" Neal demanded of Fowler, still somewhat groggy from his pain meds.
"Agent Kramer and his team are all in jail for unethical behavior," Fowler replied.
"All of them?" Barclay queried in surprise.
"Kramer was the ringleader, but none of the others objected to abusing prisoners," Fowler replied, "in fact, they all were more than happy to abuse prisoners at Kramer's orders."
"I was never ordered to do any such thing," Barclay objected.
"You weren't, but your predecessor was," Mozzie volunteered from his seat next to Peter in the back.
"Swensen?" Barclay asked.
Fowler nodded.
"She kept silent because she was afraid of Kramer," the agent added.
"Why?" Peter asked.
"Joanna Swensen isn't her real name," Fowler replied, "she joined the FBI under a false name, in order to protect herself."
"And Kramer found out?" Neal guessed.
"He did," Fowler confirmed.
"Is she safe now?" Barclay asked.
"She's in protective custody now," Fowler replied.
"What about the Lady Suit?" Mozzie asked.
"Who?" Fowler asked, confused.
"Agent Barclay," the con man clarified, "what about her?"
"Well, that's up to her," Fowler replied, "either she can get transferred to another field office or to another department, here in DC."
"If I chose to be transferred to another field office, do I have to stay with the Art Crimes department?" Barclay asked.
"Only if you want to," Fowler replied.
"I've always wanted to live in New York City," Barclay remarked.
"That can be arranged," the OPR agent remarked.
Mozzie frowned. Was that a note of sadness he heard in Fowler's voice?
"You don't have to leave DC, Barclay," Peter observed.
"I can't stay here, Agent Burke," Barclay replied, "what agent would want to work with me, knowing what I did?"
"I would be honored to work with you, Barclay," Fowler admitted, before Peter could open his mouth to say the same thing.
"Hunting down corruption sounds…well, it sounds like a great change of pace," Barclay declared.
"It certainly has its perks," Fowler agreed.
"Perks?" Neal asked.
"You get to meet interesting people," the OPR agent replied.
Peter snorted.
"That's one way to put it," he remarked.