The non-descript van drove around the block once, twice, three times – not unusual in that part of the city where parking was scarce. No one paid it any mind as the driver finally found a space and expertly parallel parked in front of the office building, half a block down from the bank.

The tinted windows ensured that no one saw the four men inside as they settled in to wait.

The clock read 3:11, and they had seventeen minutes before it was time to go.

…..

"There you go, Mr. Halden. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No, thanks, Lindy. I'm fine, and I won't be long."

"Oh, take your time." she replied, tossing long blonde hair and a smile over her shoulder as she left.

Neal watched her go for a moment, clearly seeing the invitation in the way her hips had an extra swing to them as she walked away.

Sighing, he closed the door to the room and turned back to the table where the safety deposit box sat. Maybe one of these times he'd take Lindy up on that invitation…

But not today. He needed to finish up his business here, make a stop to replenish his wine collection, and get home. Promises made to June took precedence over flirting.

He opened the box, setting aside several IDs he had in reserve – just in case. Then he pulled out some cash before running his fingers lovingly over some jewelry at the bottom.

What would Peter think if he knew that one of Neal's long-sought stashes was right here, so close – and in a bank to boot!

Smiling, Neal replaced everything except the cash in the box, locked it up, and opened the door. He started toward the safety deposit vault, where Lindy would be waiting to lock up the box again.

The clock just outside the vault read 3:18. Perfect – time for a few minutes of flirting, maybe setting the stage for his next visit. Then he could be on his way when the bank closed.

…

"Hi, Vicki, it's El. Listen, I don't have the paperwork for the Kliner party with me. Can you pull the file and check what we have ordered from the florist? What? Yes, they've made some changes. Like adding twelve more people to the list. Oh, I know. But at least it's two days' notice instead of two hours. Right, I already talked to the caterer, but I didn't have the floral information. I know we ordered some extra, but see if we have enough for two more tables. Oh, I got the check from Melina Carter – and I'm right near a bank branch now. I'm going to stop and deposit it. And then if you can handle the flowers? Great, I'm just going to go home after this then. It's going to be a busy few days. Thanks Vicki!"

Elizabeth glanced at her watch – 3:20. Plenty of time before the bank closed. For personal banking she didn't mind using an ATM, but with a large client check she felt better making the deposit in person.

She walked in the door, nodding to the guard standing off to one side. Then she made her way to one of the counters and started filling out a deposit slip.

There weren't that many people here this close to closing time, which meant the line for the teller wasn't long. That was great – it wouldn't be long until she could be on her way. Peter wouldn't be expecting her to be home early, which meant she could get something special ready for dinner. And that might lead to something even better for dessert…

…

The clock in the van clicked over to 3:28 and four men exited, moving quickly but calmly. They were dressed in business suits, with briefcases in hand – and if those cases were a little larger than the norm, no one seemed to notice.

No one noticed, either, when they paused in the entryway to the bank, pulled on masks, and drew out weapons from those large cases.

The guard was already pulling the blinds on the front windows in preparation for closing when they walked in the door. Perfect – they'd cased this bank before, and knew that was his pattern. With the windows blocked, and the door legitimately locked at the end of the business day, it gave them plenty of time for their work.

Because really, what was the fun in simply robbing the place. There were other attractions here too.

The first man in went directly for the guard, an older man whose name badge identified him as Stan. With a gun pressed firmly to his forehead, Stan didn't have a chance to do anything as his gun was taken and he was pushed back into the middle of the room.

While one of the robbers locked the door and turned the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed,' the other two men rushed to the middle of the room, pointing their guns at the employees and customers.

"No one makes trouble, no one gets hurt!"

….

Neal walked out toward the lobby, smiling at something Lindy was saying. In truth, he wasn't really paying much attention, his mind already on his own plans, but he'd perfected the art of making people think he was totally in the zone with them, and only them. It was a skill that had come in handy many times in his past… his alleged past anyway.

Something intruded on his thoughts though – an innate sense that things weren't right. The sounds coming from the bank lobby were off, not what they should be.

"Hands up! Get out here now!"

Definitely not what they should be. He raised his hands, looking down the barrel of a Glock held by a masked man in a black suit. Instinctively, he accessed what he knew about the bank; another carryover from his alleged past life, he always looked for escape routes when he went in somewhere. But Lindy, clearly terrified and crying, was between him and the nearest exit. And the gunman's hand wasn't wavering in the slightest, so testing his resolve probably wasn't the best plan, at least not now.

He raised his hands slightly, indicating surrender, and stepped out into the lobby. There were three other gunmen that he could see, several employees, maybe half a dozen customers…

Elizabeth?

Long years of practice, from a shadowed past that wasn't nearly as alleged as he liked to play it, allowed him to keep his reaction under control. He watched as two of the gunmen questioned the captives, pairing one couple up, sending singles off in another direction. And he decided on a role to play.

"Elizabeth! Honey?" Neal turned to his captor, pleading. "Please, that's my wife."

The man's grin was evident under the plastic mask. "Oh, we like couples," he said, in a voice that immediately made Neal uneasy. "Get over there!"

Neal didn't wait for a second invitation, heading quickly toward Elizabeth, hands still raised. He stumbled briefly against a potted plant by the teller's windows, putting his hands out to catch himself. And dropping his cell phone into the pot. He wished he'd had time to dial someone – like Peter – but with four guns, and a lot of frightened hostages, this wasn't the time. He'd just have to figure out a way to get back over to the plant later.

He reached Elizabeth and held out his arms, his eyes begging her to play along. And she did, hugging him tight. "Oh, Neal."

He held her tight, wanting to tell her it would be all right. But for all the lies he had told in his life, those were words that he just couldn't say.

"Awww, now ain't that sweet." One of the gunmen came over and shoved Neal down. "Get on the floor with the others."

As Neal and Elizabeth complied, one of the other robbers stepped forward. "All of you, toss your cell phones out in the middle of the floor."

Phones started appearing from around the room, sliding on the marble floor. Across the room, one of the gunmen was interrogating two of the women, who were pleading that their cell phones were in their purses, in the employee break room. They were being searched, just in case.

"And what about you, pretty boy?"

Neal looked up into the barrel of the same Glock that he'd seen up close just moments ago. He held his hands up slowly, deferentially. "I… I left it at the office," he stammered, finding plenty of motivation to play a fearful hostage. And man he hated guns…

"On the floor, face down. Hands behind your head."

He complied, moving slowly enough to study what was going on, but fast enough to prove he was cooperating. Rough hands searched him, patting down his pockets.

At least he'd had the sense to put the cash in a money belt. But maybe he should have dropped his FBI credentials with the phone…

The search ended, and a hand on his collar pulled him up.

One of the gunmen stepped up into the middle of the room. "Listen up! Do what you're told, and there's no reason anyone has to die. But remember, we have guns, and we will use them! Now, everyone undress."

"What?"

"What does he mean?"

"He can't mean that."

A single shot into the ceiling brought the muttering to a sudden stop. "Yes, he does mean it!" the gunman barked. "Now strip!"

Neal got slowly to his feet, helping Elizabeth up. He looked down to find her staring up at him, eyes wide.

"Neal?"

"It's a power play, Elizabeth," he whispered, as he shed his jacket and started to loosen his tie. "People will tend to be a lot less brave if they're naked."

He could see she was shaking as she kicked off her shoes. "Is Peter expecting you back?"

"No. He had a budget meeting, and I have a commitment with June this evening, so he told me I could go."

"But June…"

"Not for a few hours," he said quickly, not wanting to get her hopes up. "Your work?"

She shook her head, fingers fumbling with the buttons on her blouse. "I told them I was going home."

Neal managed to slide the money belt off with his trousers, hiding it in the fabric as he set it aside. Not that he couldn't replace the money if it came to that – but he wasn't sure that he wanted to deal with the questions that might arise if the robbers found him with that much money. Besides, most of it was destined for June's charity event.

"I mean everything, people. Everything off!"

Neal looked back at Elizabeth. She was down to her bra and panties, while he was standing there in just his boxers. He could see the fear in her eyes, and he tried to keep his voice very calm. "Just keep your eyes on mine," he suggested. "Just my eyes. You can do this."

She nodded, took a deep breath, and reached back to unhook her bra. He made sure he stood between her and the gunmen, shielding her as much as he could. Chivalrous and all – but probably an empty gesture once everyone was naked. Still, it was all he could offer.

He hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his boxers and dropped them down over his hips…

….