The collector - Chapter 21 - Will it ever stop?
For all of you who thought I left the last chapter as a cliffhanger, lets continue, shall we?
When Peter´s telephone rang at the office, Peter didn´t check the caller ID, thinking it was El calling him to meet her somewhere for lunch, enjoying her time out.
“Burke.”
“This is the US Marshall´s office. The panic button in the safe house was activated two minutes ago. Marshalls have been dispatched to the house, but I thought it necessary to inform you.”
Peter´s heart stopped. All color drained from his face. El, the baby, … Neal! He tried Diana´s phone, but it wasn´t answered. He called out into the bullpen to Jones, shouting for a SWAT team to be dispatched to the Safe house. And to send agents to El´s hairdresser to make sure she was OK. Everybody was immediately on high alert.
“I´ll drive, Peter” Jones called out while running behind Peter, making the necessary phone calls, while they made their way to the garage.
“The bastard went after my family, Jones, get me there, NOW.”
While Jones drove with blearing sirens to the safe house, Peter checked his gun. Jones gave him a worried glance.
When they arrived at the safe house; there was controlled chaos. An ambulance pulled away with its sirens on. Outside was a SWAT van and two ambulances were parked in front of the building. Peter had excited the car before it had come to a complete stop. An officer tried to stop him, but when he saw Peter´s badge and the determined look on his face, he stepped aside.
Peter ran into the apartment and the first thing he saw was Diana being examined by an EMT.
“Are you alright? Who is in the ambulance?”
Diana grimaced when the EMT put a pressure bandage around her arm. “Gerald was hit in the chest and leg and they took him to hospital. He was wearing his vest, so he should be OK. I´m fine, I was only grazed.”
Peter walked into the living room and there was a dead body. Diana must have shot him.
“Neal? NEAL?” When Peter didn´t get any response, he felt his heart turn stone cold. A SWAT officer outside Neal´s room waved to him.
We guess he is inside as someone pushed the panic button inside. But since the door was specially reinforced, we have to wait for a specialist to open the door.
“Did you find a small boy? He is only eighteen months old.” Peter looked at all the agents present.
“The SWAT agents all shook their head. “No, the apartment is clear.
“He must be with my wife then.” Peter felt his fear die down a bit.
“We do however found a canister; we guess it had some sedative in it; that is why the guy was wearing a gasmask.” Peter only now realized that all the windows were open.
“Peter!” Diana called out to him and the urgency in her voice, made him turn around to her. Peter looked at her.
“Neal was here with Neal, boss. They were playing in the living room the last time I saw them. He must have grabbed Neal and ran into the bedroom.” Peter could see little pearls of sweat starting to form on Diana´s forehead. Diana´s words had his heart back in his throat. His son had been in the apartment when this bastard had entered the apartment.
“Let them take you to hospital Diana. I will take care of it. I´m sure, Neal is taking care of my boy.”
“Call Mozzie, he will get in the room.” Diana shouted at him while she was lead to the ambulance.
Peter started knocking on the bedroom door while he was on the phone with Mozzie who promised to be there in a couple of minutes.
“NEAL? Open the door, come on. NEAL?”
When Neal didn´t respond, Peter´s worry increased, but he needed to think clearly and not let his emotions get away with him.
Peter started pacing in the hallway but then thought better and walked out of the room to await Mozzie, so he would be able to get in without problems.
“What happened, suit?” was the first thing that came out of Mozzie´s mouth when he saw Peter.
“Please Mozzie, Neal has locked himself in and he has my son with him. Can you open a reinforced door?”
“Are there tannins in wine?”
Mozzie put his leather satchel down and examined the door with Peter breathing down his neck. “I need to concentrate, please leave the hall way, I will call you when I am in.” Mozzie said Peter and the other officers.
Peter tried to control his fears and anxiety while he waited in the living room with the other officers and the EMTs. One of the EMTs had left to get a pediatric kit out of the ambulance, just in case, when he heard there was possibly a baby involved.
“I´m in.” Mozzie shouted after a couple of minutes.
Peter ran towards the room.
“Neal? Neal! I need paramedics in here.”
Neal was lying with his back to the door and he was curled protectively around the boy. They were both unconscious but there were no visible wounds.
Peter could see an EMT placing an oxygen mask over Neal´s face, the other EMT was monitoring his son, who got a smaller oxygen mask. Both EMTs checked vitals and for wounds, but didn´t look worried. Mozzie however looked ready to bolt with all this law enforcement around.
“They are OK, they must have inhaled some of the sedative and that is why they are out, but their vitals are stable and strong, they are both fine.”
Peter released a breath, he didn´t know he had been holding. He walked over to his son, who was lying on the bed and placed his hand on his head. They had placed Neal on a gurney.
“You sure, they are OK?”
“Yes, once the narcotic wears off, they will be fine.”
“Can I hold him?”
The EMT looked questionable at Peter.
“I´m the boy´s father, Peter Burke.”
The SWAT officer nodded at the EMT.
“Of course, sorry, I had no idea, just make sure to keep the oxygen mask on, I want him well saturated. Here, sit down and I will put him in your arms.”
Peter sat down and Neal was placed in his arms, he placed a quick kiss on his son´s head. It was unnerving to feel Neal´s limp body in his arms. When the EMT thought they were good to go and that both victims were ready to be transported to hospital, Peter carried his son into the ambulance and stayed with him. He wasn´t letting him out of his sight; not after what happened. Neal was transported in another ambulance. Peter had demanded to be brought to Lennox Hill as Neal was familiar with the medical staff and his therapist were there, so it would make things easier.
Once they took Neal into the treatment room, Peter told the staff he was staying with his son, but the doctor already was informed and just smiled and told Peter it was OK to come back in. Peter called El to tell her they were at Lennox Hill, but that everyone was OK.
* * *
When Neal started to stir, he felt a hand on his and he instinctively stilled.
“Neal? It´s OK, you and Neal are OK.”
Neal blinked against the light, which was turned off. A pair of sunglasses were placed on his face.
“El?”
“Yes, sweetie.” She pressed a quick kiss on his forehead and pushed some strands of hair out of his face. “Thank you for saving our son.”
“Hmm?” Neal felt a bit dizzy and disoriented.
“You are fine, once the drugs leave you body, you will be OK. They just want to keep you both here for the night to make sure.”
“Both of us?”
“Yes, look to your right.”
Neal turned his head to the right and could see a hospital crib where Neal was sleeping next to him.
“Closer?”
“Sure.” El got up and pushed the crib against Neal´s bed.
Neal immediately placed his hand through the bars and took Neal´s hand in his. He sighed and closed his eyes. He could feel tears built up in his eyes.
“Oh sweetie, you did good. You protected my son, I am so grateful. You will always be his hero, you know that don´t you?”
Neal felt El swipe away the tears that leaked out of his eyes.
“You sure he is OK?”
“Yes. Now rest a bit more, Peter will be here soon to visit.”
* * *
Peter walked in Diana´s room and could see she was uncomfortable.
“How are you doing?”
“I´m fine, if they would just let me out of here. It´s just a graze, they cleaned and bandaged it, so I don´t see the problem.”
“The doctor told me he would be in any minute to discharge you. Thought I keep you company.”
“How is Neal?”
“Which one?” Peter asked with a smile.
“Both of them of course, but little Neal.”
“They are both fine, they want to keep them overnight to make sure, but they just inhaled the sedative. They weren´t harmed in any other way. Neal made it to the bedroom in time.”
“Good, that is good.” Diana sighed in relief.”
“Want to tell me what happened?”
“Not much to tell. A man entered the building, I tried to warn Gerald, but before I could react, Gerald was shot twice and I was hit as well, I fell down and was stunned for a moment. He must have thought I was out, because he didn´t finish me. I didn´t recognize him because he was wearing a gasmask. He had a sort of battery ram with him, because next thing I know the door shattered and he threw something in, we know now it was a gas canister.”
“What happened next?”
“He made his way in and was going for the bedroom door when I got up and told him to stand still. He didn´t reply and tried to batter down the bedroom door. When he realized it wasn´t working, he came back towards me. That is when I wanted to fire a warning shot, but the gas must have dazed me, because I intended to give a warning shot, but I hit him.”
“It´s OK, Diana, you did good, you saved four people today, including yourself.”
The doctor entered the room with Diana´s discharge papers and instructions how to take care of the wound and signs to be aware of.
Diana got up from the bed and told Peter she wanted to see both Neals.
* * *
A nurse had placed a tray of food on the side table of Neal´s bed and had handed Neal´s baby food to El. Neal was lying on his side in the bed, apparently asleep.
Neal slowly blinked and eyed the tray, but the plate was covered by a lid. Next to it was a cup of jell-o, a bottle of water and orange juice.
“It´s OK, Neal, I will help you after I have finished feeding Neal.” He heard El say. But he knew his occupation therapist would say that he was able to feed himself, that he shouldn´t depend on others to feed him. He had made progress over the last days, but today he didn´t feel like eating. A kidnapper had come after him, he could have hurt little Neal, or even worse, he could have kidnapped the boy. Neal cringed by the thought what People like Cindy and Taylor would do with a little boy. Maybe he should present himself to Cindy, than at least Peter, El and the baby would be safe.
The door of the hospital room opened and Neal tensed up until he saw it was Peter and Diana. He forced himself to relax. He heard Diana tell Peter she was going to grab some dinner and would be back later. Peter walked up to the bed and took the lid of the plate.
“Yummy Neal, it´s mashed potatoes with fish and broiled vegetables.”
When Neal didn´t make any indication that he was going to eat, Peter took the remote for the bed and started fiddling with it. Neal could feel the bed moving in a more upright position. He had to adjust not to slide down, so he just glared at Peter who was looking at him with an innocent smile.
Neal could see a spoon with food in front of him and for a moment he thought about not eating it, but then he remembered El´s words. “You will be his hero.” So he reluctantly opened his mouth and let Peter feed him.
“Thank you Neal.” he heard Peter whisper.
“For what?”
“For saving my son, for eating, for fighting back, you are the strongest person I know Neal.” He heard Peter´s voice break. And again, Neal could feel the tears building in his eyes and when he looked up; he could see Peter was crying as well.
* * *
The next morning, both Neals were discharged from the hospital. The Marshalls suggested a new safehouse, but Peter was not convinced. He had talked with the Deputy Director that he needed time to get things organized at home. The Deputy Director had told him that he didn´t need to take time off, this mess had happened after an active case and one of his SACs and his family were in danger, so the FBI needed to step up and provide safety for all people involved.
So Peter contacted June and explained what had happened and she immediately suggested that they could use her home in Vermont. It was a secure house and easy to guard. So the Marshalls escorted Neal, Peter and his family to the house.
When they arrived, Mozzie opened the door, which got a big smile out of Neal.
“Mon frère, how are you doing?
“Fine.” Neal looked tired and Mozzie guided them all in the house. The house smelled delicious.
“Have you been cooking?” Peter asked with some disbelief in his voice.
“What, you doubt my culinary talents? I made penne with chicken and broccoli in pesto. Comfort food, suit.”
When the Marshalls checked out the house and found it secure, they all had a wonderful dinner. After the meal, El and Peter went upstairs to take Neal to bed and Mozzie and Neal sat on the porch of the house for coffee and brownies.
“You know it is going to be OK, don´t you?” Mozzie asked.
“How can you be sure Mozzie, who says it is ever going to stop? Hmm? What if Cindy and Taylor will not stop until they get me, through you or Peter, or El and the baby, June´s granddaughter?” Neal was getting agitated.
“OK, maybe coffee wasn´t a good idea. Let me make you some Camilla tea.”
“I´m serious, Mozzie. They won`t stop until they get me back.”
“We will make sure that won´t happen, Neal.” Another voice said.
Neal looked up, Peter was standing in the door. He deflated. “How can you be sure?”
“Because the FBI will hunt them down, I will hunt them down.”
“You have a family, Peter, what happened if I hadn´t been quick enough yesterday. I FROZE Peter, I sat there in fear, nailed to the ground. I couldn´t move.” Neal shouted.
“You moved Neal, because you saved my boy.”
Neal jumped up and walked into the house. Peter wanted to follow him but Mozzie stopped him.
“Just let him be for now. Let him come to terms with what happened. Baby steps, remember?”
To be continued in the final chapter.