White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 6

Alternate access route

"Midtown Mutual," Neal told Peter as they rushed out to the car. "If he used our tests that's the bank he'll rob."

Peter nodded and they drove off. He used voice commands to call Diana.

"Diana, where are you?" Peter yelled when she answered.

"I'm almost at First Unity."

"First Unity, where we arrested the clock," Peter huffed.

"Yeah, their alarms are going off again," Diana continued. "Half the banks in town are being robbed."

"I don't think so."

"What, you think it's a smokescreen?"

"Yep, Neal and I are headed to Midtown Mutual."

"Midtown's one of the few that's silent," Diana noted

"Exactly."

"Well, if Walker's crew are there, you can't go in without backup."

"Then get us some!" Peter commanded. "I got a feeling they're going after Renee."

"Okay, I'll find you a SWAT team," Diana said and ended the call.

Peter and he had just arrived to Midtown Mutual and Neal hurried out of the car and up to one of the pillars separating the entrance doors. He peeked inside from his cover and saw an unconscious guard being dragged out of sight.

Peter joined him by another pillar.

"You see him?"

"Yeah, I did."

They saw Renee being held by two men in masks.

While Peter pulled his gun, Neal hurried away but Peter grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back.

"Where are you going?"

"We got to break in."

"Nobody said anything about breaking in."

Smacking his handler, especially as a convict, would be a stupid idea. But sometimes Peter was so much a Federal Agent that it was painful.

"Look, even if we could get through these doors," Neal started, "which we can't, they'd see us. We'll have to go another way."

"There is no other way. We sealed off the basement after your test."

"The basement was the easiest way in," Neal grinned.

"Easiest?"

"There's always another way. Come on, Peter."

This time Peter did not stop him when he left off around the corner of the building. There was a fire escape ladder all the way up to the rooftop. Most people felt too exposed and did not enjoy heights to use them entering a building illegally.

Neal and Peter jogged in criss-cross between the ventilation units. Then someone came walking with a mask and a rifle and Neal took a quick turn to hide. Peter did the same in the other direction. The guy had not seen them.

"Well, looks like Walker knew about the roof vent," Neal said to Peter.

"Yeah."

Neal glanced around the corner towards the bad guy.

"He's got a radio."

"We're gonna have to do this quickly before he alerts the rest of them," Peter agreed and put a bullet in the chamber of his gun. Neal shivered. He hated guns.

Peter showed himself.

"FBI! Drop your weapon—"

Bullet rained and Neal was pleased to see that Peter was unharmed.