I've been here, I've been there // Honey, I been somehow everywhere

[conning]

Neal isn't really sure what's going to happen when the Admiral sends them home. To his home. Where by now, somewhere in the world, Kate is alive and healthy. It's strange to think of her somewhere unknown and not feel the immediate need to go find her. To save, protect, avenge her. It's also strange that even knowing she's out there, even seeing proof, Neal can't shake the guilt of killing her, either. It feels like things should have shifted, that some monumental internal change should have taken place. He still feels the things he always had, but with new knowledge counter it.

It's all swirling in his brain when Norton meets him in his cabin. Still roiling there when Neal squeezes his hand and tells thin air that they're ready.

It snaps to background when, on his next blink, Neal and Norton find themselves in the conference room of the FBI's New York City White Collar division, and Neal is still holding Norton's hand. The door from the office floor swings open and admits a small flood of people in the forms of Peter, Diana, Jones, and... Mozzie?

All four of them stop dead, seeing Neal and a stranger at the far end of the room, plus whatever Norton chose to bring. Neal stares at all of them, bemused.

"I knew it! I told you." Mozzie says, pointing at Neal. He glares at Peter and company in triumph.

Peter's jaw works for a moment before he takes a deep breath, clearly trying to focus on being relieved instead of furious. "Neal. Who's your friend?"

Comments

[pharadyne]

Norton probably could find another robe, but opts not to. He's not uncomfortable being naked and although Keller's probably not the type to be terrible put off by it, Norton hopes there's a chance it will make him at least slightly ruffled or distracted or something. It may not work, but he'll manoeuvre for any possible advantage he can get no matter how small.

"Can't say it's a pleasure to meet you. Sorry."

The information that Keller's involved, but not with the kidnapping attempt--assuming he's not lying--is interesting, however.

"Do you know the man who tried to kidnap Neal?" He can't set the kidnappers and the FBI against each other in mutual destruction, but if the kidnappers and Keller are on opposite sides...there might be possibilities there.

[conning]

Far from seeming intimidated, he raises an eyebrow and smirks a little and clearly decides to take in the view. "Not personally. He didn't have much of a reputation, either, but he was angling for one."

This time Neal's the one who gets possessive. He steps slightly in front of Norton, scowling.

"Spit it out."

Keller sighs, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and slumping comfortably into it. "The Pink Panthers."

Neal doesn't know if it means anything to Norton, but it clearly means something to him. "...What, he was kidnapping me as his audition? That's--"

"No, he was kidnapping you because he knew he wasn't good enough to pull off the audition without someone who knows what they're doing. He was gonna use you to get what he needed to impress, since you screwed up his plans to take Turner's diamond."

[pharadyne]

Keller's appraising look is putting him off balance, torn between his vanity (he is a pleasure to look at if he does say so himself) and his dislike of Keller. But he focuses on the information they're receiving. It may not be a trustworthy source, but it's something.

Norton's never heard of the Pink Panthers, or anything like it, but he can follow the gist of it all the same. Some sort of gang initiation. "So he was trying to kidnap you to force you to help him cheat on his entrance exam?"

And Keller's words earlier, about having a proposition, the same proposition as the kidnapper, snap into place.

"And I'm guessing you want Neal to help you cheat on your exam too, only you'll conduct your business like a normal cheat and pay for the service, is that right?"

[conning]

The other man gives a quiet snort. "Try again, limey. I'm already in."

That's when it clicks for Neal. "You want me to join them? You. Want me. To join a crew that you're on."

"There you go. You got there in the end." Another swig from the beer before he sets the half-empty bottle on the table. "Come on, boys. Come sit down, have a drink, Caffrey can make us some breakfast, we'll hash it out."

[pharadyne]

Since Keller appears to be here to woo Neal and not murder him, at least right now, Norton starts looking around for his clothes rather than his pistol. Although if he finds his pistol along the way, that would be dolly.

"You've not mentioned why Neal should want to join your club in the first place."

[conning]

“I’m not making you anything,” Neal mutters. He cinches his robe a little tighter before helping Norton get his clothes together.

Keller watches them move through the apartment, eyes sharp and quietly predatory. “You been together a while? You move like you have been. Gotta say, I’m a little surprised, given that Rachel Turner’s not even cold in the ground.”

Neal stills in the middle of picking up Norton’s pants. “…What?”

“Oh, you didn’t hear? FBI brought her in this afternoon, maybe to ask about the guy who grabbed you. She committed very messy suicide by cop out front of the Federal Building. Sorry, honey. Figured your keeper would have told you.”

Neal puts a hand out to balance himself against the back of his couch.

[pharadyne]

Norton reaches out to steady Neal and flicks an icy glare at Keller.

"You just can't help yourself, can you, sweetheart?" Showing off what he knows and Neal doesn't. Digging little knives into the conversation at every turn. "Are you always this bitchy or is this the international criminal equivalent of pulling on pigtails?"

[conning]

Neal and Keller speak almost at the same time, Neal in a ghost of a whisper and Keller with the same calm smugness as ever.

"He's always this bitchy."

"I prefer to think of myself as bluntly honest."

Neal closes his eyes a moment, trying to wrap his head around what Keller just dropped on him. Rebecca--Rachel--dead. No. He's not going to believe it without independent verification, he's not going to accept Keller's word without someone else telling him it's true.

He draws in a slow, deep breath, and turns toward Norton to allow himself the comfort of a close hug, even if the other man is only half-dressed. Neal doesn't care.

Keller stays silent for once, glowering a little as he takes another pull from his beer.

[pharadyne]

Norton holds Neal close. He's tempted to glare at Keller over Neal's shoulder but decides that the better play is to completely ignore him.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs. "I know it was complicated."

He wonders if Keller brought it up just to hurt Neal or if there was some sort of strategic purpose to it. Or maybe he simply didn't care one way or another what the effect would be of dropping that doodlebug on Neal's metaphorical roof.

[conning]

“I’m really glad you’re here,” Neal says. He almost says it loud enough for Keller to hear, but decides to keep it quiet at the last moment instead. It’s not about making Keller jealous, not that statement. It’s about Norton being here when Neal needs someone he knows is on his side.

I love you, he thinks, like if he thinks it loudly enough, Norton will know without him having to say.

“You done, or should I come back later?”

Neal loosens his hold on Norton, turning so he can have an arm around the other man’s waist when he answers Keller. “You’re more than welcome to leave and not come back.”

[pharadyne]

"Couldn't let you face this alone." He didn't know it'd be exactly this, but it was inevitable that returning home to deal with everything that had happened would be hard. It's why Norton hasn't done it himself yet.

And knowing how very bad Neal is at violence made Norton certain he needed to come along just in case violence was needed to protect Neal. Which, with Keller making an appearance, it seems increasingly likely that they'll reach that point sooner or later.

"You've extended your invitation for Neal to join the Pink Panther club, and he's not interested, so if there's nothing else you can go now. Shoo." He flicks his hand loosely at Keller in dismissal.

[conning]

Neal gives a very, very soft little chuckle at Norton's dismissal, knowing how much it's going to piss Keller off. Knowing it'll make Keller even angrier if Neal doesn't counter what Norton says or turn around. Knowing how addicted to his masculinity Keller is, and how it's going to rankle to have someone with Norton's manner taking the lead in this whole situation.

He has the odd thought that he and Norton work well together, not just together, but actually working.

Neal hears the now-empty beer bottle clunk hard onto the table. He hears the chair scrape unnecessarily as Keller gets up, hears movement and the whisper of the veranda door being opened. Of course Keller can't actually leave without one more volley.

"I'll be in touch, Neal. Think about it. It's the Panthers. You love history so much, well. Be part of it. We need one more man, and you? You know you're one of the best."

The door closes harder than it needs to and Neal's shoulders sag a little in relief. He drops his forehead onto Norton's shoulder and exhales. "This was not a turn I expected tonight to take."

[pharadyne]

Norton holds onto Neal as he watches the door Keller just walked out of it, eyes narrowed with suspicion. The tension Keller had brought with him remains, even with the man himself gone.

"Bit of a crinkle in an otherwise perfect night." He says it before he thinks about it, but it really was a more perfect night than any he's had in a long time. His thoughts skitter nervously around that notion for a few seconds before settling on his usual modus operandi of just enjoying the moment.

"We shan't let Keller spoil it." He takes Neal's face in his hands to raise his head up so he can kiss him.

[conning]

Neal relaxes into the kiss, lingering in it, one arm going around Norton's waist and the other gently playing with the little hairs at the nape of his neck.

God, he wants to do this. He wants to sink back into this, be warm and safe and wrapped up in someone who cares about him.

But there are people he cares about that need to know what's going on. He breaks the kiss, resting his forehead against Norton's. "I should call Peter. He needs to know that Keller is in the city. The last time he was here, he kidnapped Peter's wife."

[pharadyne]

Norton sighs softly in disappointment. But Neal's right, Keller's a threat and he needs to keep his focus. "Golly. Burke will be on the warpath when he hears."

Which is might be good for them. Maybe dodging Burke will keep Keller busy enough that he won't have time to pester Neal. Although that's probably optimistic. From what Neal has told him about Keller, the man is good at multitasking.

"Tell me about the Pink Panther gang. Didn't want to ask while Keller was here."

[conning]

“Yeah. Last time was my fault, as was Keller kidnapping Peter himself, so I can’t imagine he’ll be delighted with me either.” A moment more to brace himself, then he straightens, giving himself a few extra seconds to study the colors of Norton’s eyes while they’re this close.

Oh. Right. “They’re less of a crew than a… reputation? No one actually knows who the members are at any given moment, and it changes from job to job. There are rumors about who runs it, but they’ve never been caught. All anyone really knows is that they’re responsible for some of the biggest and most audacious heists in recent historical memory. They’re supposed to be responsible for the theft of over half a billion US dollars worth of luxury goods over the past ten years. One criminologist working in pursuit called them artists of their craft.”

That makes him smile a little, wistful, and he can’t help wondering what it would be like to work with that kind of team. “But they’re not violent. They never have been. No one has ever been killed during one of their jobs.”

[pharadyne]

"Sounds more like a private members club than a gang. White's for thieves." He cocks his head in curiosity, seeing that hint of yearning in Neal's expression. "Do you want to join?"

So long as a person isn't stealing from him or stealing world-ending alien technology, he's not too fussed about it. Any judgement he might have about it is from a low-simmering resentment of exclusive clubs in general--largely because in his experience they don't let people like him join--rather than the thieving aspect.

"I can see the appeal of proving to your peers you're one of the best."

[conning]

“You’re not wrong about the club thing.”

But regardless— “It doesn’t really matter if I want to. I’ve got the anklet and too much to lose.”

But god there is a part of him that wants to, so badly, and he’s no good at hiding things like that in moments where it really matters. “They’re responsible for the biggest jewelry heist in Japan’s history. They stole almost two million British pounds in gems and precious metals and jewelry from a collection display in the middle of the afternoon. Use a rumor that you ran with them well enough and you’d never be short on work.”

He doesn’t mean to sound like so much of a fanboy. He really doesn’t.

[pharadyne]

"Do you think Burke would let you join if you proposed it as a strategy to find out what Keller is up to?"

Neal says it doesn't matter if he wants it, but he clearly does, so now the trick is to find a way. If it ultimately also ruins Keller's plans, whatever they are, that's just gravy.

[conning]

Neal’s expression lights. “I’m sure he would.”

There’s another moment then, a flicker of realization and hesitation. “…Helping the FBI catch the leadership of the Pink Panthers might even be a big enough feather to force a deal to cut the anklet for good.”

[pharadyne]

"It would create a vacancy at the top right when you'd have the freedom to look for a new job. If that's something you'd want."

It's his nature to manoeuvre towards advantages, see opportunities.

"Or would you rather stay with the FBI, but as a free man?" He can see the appeal of that stability as well.

[conning]

"Once upon a time that would have been an easy question. Or a hard one." A pause. "I guess it's easy again."

It still takes him a moment to say more, and it still feels like an admission. "I don't want to work with the FBI ever again once I'm free."

[pharadyne]

"Would you want to be in charge of the Panthers? Once the current leadership is removed and you're free from the FBI?"

It's what Norton would probably do. But he'll support Neal's career goals, whether that's working with the FBI (off the table now) or running a criminal empire of top-notch thieves. Or quieter ambitions, like a seaside villa and occasional cat burglary.

[conning]

"I don't know." He's a little mystified by his own uncertainty. "I can't tell if I want that or just don't want to be beholden to anyone for a while."

[pharadyne]

"Understandable." He smooths a hand down Neal's arm. "Well, you have time to decide."