White Collar - as an unofficial novel - part 7

Diana took him by the arm and guided him out, followed by Peter. When they were walking down the stairs to the front door, she let go. They were out of sight. Peter passed them, eager to get out.

Out on the sidewalk, it felt like another world, like he just left a nightmare behind. He saw Peter look around. Then faced him.

"Where's the little guy?" Peter wanted to know. Neal sighed. Of course, he had figured out as much.

"Moz!" Neal called out and noted that Diana had pulled on a hideous hat. "Come on out."

Mozzie showed himself and then approached.

"Suit, I must say your timing is impeccable."

Peter was not interested in flattery.

"You two can fill me in from the beginning back at the Bureau." Then he marched off to the car with Diana on his tail.

His friend in crime remained where he was.

"He wants me to go to the Bureau?"

"Yeah, Moz," Neal nodded. "If you want the FBI's help, you got to go to the Bureau." And he should have told Peter about this first thing. Moz looked in the opposite direction, weighing his options. "Just do it for Gina."

"You know what they do to guys like me at the Bureau?" Mozzie protested.

"I do, Moz," he snapped back and pulling the left leg of his pants a bit. He was their prisoner! "I do."

Neal walked to the car and got inside in the back seat, behind Diana.

"I'm sorry, Peter."

They all three waited for Mozzie, looking at his lost appearance on the sidewalk.

"You should've told me about it."

"Would you've acted on it?"

"Will you ever let me find out before you make the decision for me?" Peter returned.

Neal sighed. He knew why he had not asked Peter to look into it. Peter needed so much proof sometimes that it was unbearable. Especially since that story with the Architect and his tip about the time for the heist. Not that he could blame Peter for it. He represented something bigger than just Peter Burke.

"I don't know," Neal admitted.

He scooted over to sit behind Peter to let Moz in. His friend opened the door, scanned the inside, and then sat down. He closed the door but opened it again, just to close it.

"Done?" Peter asked. "Seatbelt."

"No way, Suit."

"What?" Diana burst. "No way I'm sitting in front of you." She threw the door open, got out, and opened Mozzie's door. "If you don't put your seatbelt on, you sit front."

Neal smiled at Mozzie's bafflement and Peter's sigh.

"Put your seatbelt on, Moz," he said. Mozzie managed to take his eyes from the furious Diana and put his seatbelt on.

"Thank you," Diana said, cooling off. "And you don't want to hear what happens if you remove it before we are at the Bureau's garage. Got that?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Diana returned to her place beside Peter, and Peter got the car running before anything else happened.

Neal kept an eye on Mozzie throughout the whole quiet ride. He had been afraid the first time he was arrested, but it was different for Mozzie. He was not under arrest, and he was not scared of the unknown, but what he thought he knew.