Don't Do It

Chapter 3

General POV

It's been 7 hours. 7 hours since call came in. 7 hours since Neal dropped off the face of the earth. 7 hours and the team had nothing.

When Neal was on a mission, he knew how to cover his tracks.

The team has not slept since then. They would occasionally let their eye lids fall but they would only snap back open. They didn't want anything to happen if they did nod off.

They got back a few tapes that showed when Neal got the phone call. He was apparently out with a girl when he got the phone call. They saw him excuse himself from the table and answer the phone.

When Neal answered, he instantly started looking around. His eyes were wide and his mouth was slightly open. They saw him speak a few times before he yanked the phone away from his ear. Neal wasn't one to show emotion but at that moment, they saw him in his truest form.

No conman mask. No snarky comment. Just the real Neal only a few have every seen. He looked so broken that it didn't look like the man they've been working with. Neal didn't turn around and go back inside. He shoved the phone in his pocket and ran down the street.

They had no doubt where Neal went.

Out of everyone, Peter was taking it the hardest. He felt guilty for not answering his phone and for how Neal left. Peter tried calling so many times, all going to voicemail. At least the phone ran though all the rings. That was the little amount of hope they were holding onto.

"Hey, Neal. This is Peter, again. Come home. I'm not dead. I'm alive. Just... Just come home. We'll figure this out.... Please." The last part cracked. It sounded more like a plea than anything. He hoped Neal would listen to the messages and pick up the phone in the next few minutes.

With Neal being gone, Peter was almost sidelined by everyone in the office. They didn't want Peter's emotions to cloud his judgement. He already felt guilty and they didn't need him to lose his cool out in the field.

Hues actually took control of the case. Hues knew what to do. He's been in the unit longer and he was here when it was first getting started. Peter knew Hues had this in the bag. Peter just didn't think he was good enough for this particular case. The case of his missing CI.