1x11: Home Invasion
This episode starts with an always good-looking Neal Caffrey in the middle of New York, holding the yellow paper flower he found and looking REALLY sexy while staring at a woman across him They seem to know each other, but avoid the other as Neal passes by a guy and steals his wallet, and she does the same. Of course, the guy realizes sooner rather than later that he lacks it. Don't ask me how she finds the paper flower inside the wallet and finally they see each other near Rockefeller Center. She says he has something that belongs to her: the wallet. He says he needs her expertise to get something out of the music box, but she declines saying she gave up on that long ago. But Caffrey is no fool and asks why she's carrying a piece of the music box (a golden baby figure) with her if that's the case. The woman (named Alex) says she couldn't let it go and insists she can't help our dear con man, so he leaves her alone as people are rollerskating there.
Next, we jump onto the now regular FBI van where Jones and Lauren are checking someone out and Peter comes in, ready to change shift. They tell Burke nothing unusual has happened, and the indication is that it's an inside trader their target. As they check the tape a gunshot is heard. Cruz calls for back-up and they burst inside the place. What do they find? The inside trader is dead and a woman is hiding behind a sofa. Frightened, she tells them that whoever was there escaped out the door, and the camera pans to show a footprint. There's also an upside down plant. The woman (sorry, couldn't quite get her name) says it all happened so fast and Peter notices as he's putting his jacket over her that she has quite an ugly scar in
her back. So when NYPD gets on the scene, he asks Lauren to accompany the woman to the hospital and get a description while they investigate who has been there recently. And....you guessed! Peter asks Jones to get Neal to him.
Our boy arrives at the scenes, stating the obvious ("That is a dead body" - Neal) and gives Peter a speech that sounds quite pretty. The deceased's name was Christopher Gray, and Caffrey points out he has heard of this man before, who made a fortune before the economy crashed. But Caffrey seems more impressed with his art collection and puts on some gloves as he explains Neal everything that happened lately. On the crime scene he finds the woman's purse and an ID that says her name is Pierce. As Peter goes on (asking Neal whether he is boring him, and Caffrey strikes back he can multitask), Neal grabs it and pours something in a glass. Turns out that the ID is fake, and that the footprint matches Gray's shoe. He orders Jones to call Lauren to get a real name off Pierce, but he sadly says she's gone. She's not a witness, but the shooter. I had quite that feeling, by the way. Credit sequence.
Peter arrives at the office as Neal points out. He even jokes that whether Elizabeth kicked him out because of the amount of bags he's carrying. As he goes upstairs, he asks Jones and Lauren if there has been any progress finding this mystery girl and that he wants a briefing. Jones replies there is nothing.
Jones carries a box inside and Lauren says 'your options'. Neal asks what did he do that he wants to book a hotel. He doesn't look that happy with the prices of the rooms...ahem, considering that is with government discount. LOL! From what I saw, there's no power at the Burke's place and he wants to watch the game, so it'll be a couple of days before that...it was either that or he wants to install a new surveillance system. He settles for the cheapest, the Empire Hotel...where he took Neal right after he was released. Neal offers that he could stay at June's with him, but refuses. Anyways, Jones brings in belongings sealed in evidence bags. In one of those there's a paper slip with a code, so he asks Jones to take it to analysis and get back to him as...he goes to check in his hotel...Sorry, Neal was right. The MOTEL. Ha!
At June's, Neal is super focused trying to decipher the code he saw in the sheet with the help of Scrabble. Adorable! The door knocks, and he goes to open...It's Alex, and I'm sure he didn't expect it. She seems pissed that he didn't say he was working with the feds, and Caffrey tries to downplay it saying they don't like him, the tracker issue and that his participation is minimal. And again, he asks Alex for help in finding the music box.
For a second, we jump to Peter's situation, and I honestly feel sorry for the guy. The room sucks, there's no TV and a dog just sat on the bed. See? It's always best to pay a little more for commodity.
Anyways, back with Neal and Alex she has something for him. Someone has shown interest in the music box, and Neal keeps on encouraging her that they need to get it first. Another knock, and Alex points out that he gets a lot of late night visitors. It's Peter. Caffrey is scared a bit while Alex is interested in getting to know this friend of his. So she comes up with an idea to pretend they were in another type of business. He introduces himself to Alex, who has just got off Caffrey's bed and Neal gestures that he doesn't know him. Alex messes a bit with the Scrabble board and leaves, clearly upset because she thinks he has sold himself. Oh, and Peter for once admits Neal was right with the motel thing and asks since when he has heard the advice to let go of Kate. Anyways, Burke's here to stay, and he's hungry. LOL!
It's OFFICIAL: Neal Caffrey is the only man in the history of the universe who looks good in a pajama!!! Handsome. He goes outside to find Peter and June having breakfast and chatting and seeing what could the code . Poor Neal, Peter's on his chair all comfy and saying he could get used to that and he feels left aside (forgot to mention: What Alex wrote on the board was 'FED'). Anyways, back inside, Neal says he has tried with every single combination to crack the code with no success. But Peter picks up something he misspelled and they finally have a key. Now they must find out who's next, because this looks like an assassination list.
The next day Peter and Neal arrive together at the office, and Burke is even the subject of jokes as Jones asks how he handled the motel. He has no choice but to admit he stayed at Neal's just for the sake of tormenting him. Lauren also collaborates by saying she'll analyse the codes. Once Neal is gone, he asks Jones to run prints in a scrabble board (I'm assuming Alex's) and keep it quiet.
Lauren briefs about the two guys the codes matched names with, one from Texas and the other from L.A., both claiming not to know Pierce since they're married. There's a third guy from New Jersey who allegedly had a hunting accident who doesn't know Pierce either. Lauren also hands over a photo of the scene with her prints all over the place. Both wonder what is she looking for and why not take the valuable stuff. It is then when Peter brings up the bruises on the back thing. And...the next one is a New York local, since and with loads of money.
So what do they do? They go to the guy's place and ask questions. Of course, Caffrey is the center of the questions and pulls off a hat trick. They get to business and ask if he ever saw the woman in the picture, but Dan (the dude) seems more interested in showing off his art collection, same as 'consultant Neal Caffrey'.
Back at June's, Neal is checking out a book when Peter arrives and wants nothing more than to have a beer and watch the game. Looks to me he's been working out, since he's in sweaty sportswear and they fight about playing the game and checking out case files. Under the couch, Burke finds a book about the music box, and has to hide it once again Neal brings up something: that it's quite weird that the FBI stopped Pierce in the middle of her search.
So they go to Dan's house and ask his help to go to Grey's house for something. Poor guy, he's a Neal Caffrey copycat by the way he acts and dresses. Lauren takes him away to another room and again, the buddies argue. Cruz brings a...green elephant?
with her, that seems to have a historical value...From where the heck the Japanese ambassador came from? And since when Neal can rock japanese? Well, looks like they want to return the elephant statues to home after being imported to the U.S....Dan did his share by returning his, and he is congratulated. But they won't be able to move on further until they find out where is Pierce at or who is the next target.
Peter is in his office, checking Dan's phone records from Dan when Jones comes with the scrabble chip results. The prints belong to an Alexandra Hunter, a really smart dealer with friends in high places. Lauren comes in as well and says she checked online dating profiles...they have found Pierce, who has made contact with him. All the assumptions fall into place, and Burke has the brilliant idea of sending Dan out on a hell of a date.
Pierce arrives to the date and it's not Daniel who's there, but Neal. She comments he looks a little different and thinks it's a set up. Genius, it is. But Caffrey works out his charm and convinces her to stay for one drink at least so they can make business together regarding this jade elephant thing. She doesn't seem convinced because she knows how to make business. If that's the case, why did she return?? But to blow things up, Alex gets in the bar and starts fighting with Neal about the fact that the FBI checked her prints out. This causes Pierce to think it's a set up, hence she leaves the bar as Peter, Jones and Lauren heard the whole thing and must stop the thing. Neal follows Pierce out to the street and she simulates a robbery so Caffrey gets beaten and she can walk off. Fortunately, Peter shows off his badge and looks pretty upset.It is then when he admits he knows about Alex.
Okay, when I said Burke was pissed, it might've been an understatement. He is FURIOUS with Neal for letting Pierce escape, and that he lied to him about Alex. I'm with Neal here, though. He gave Peter a place to crash at, and he flips off like that. Anyway, they have a fight and each go their way.
Neal arrives home to find a REALLY unpleasant visitor: Pierce is pointing a gun at him in his own place! All because of Alex's fault for letting his last name slip by. She wants something located in a safe, and demands she be taken to it...and that the ankle tracker's got to go...Okay, c'mon! This is like the third time he's forced to do it. Overused...There's a knock on the door, it's June. It's Pierce who tries to get her off sight as Neal fusses something with the tracker, probably to let Peter know he's in trouble...They leave, but the tracker still signals, so back at the FBI Lauren informs of that.
What is June doing there? Hope she's there to support Neal as Peter asks her and Jones to look where Neal was at...He used morse code to say that. Smart move! Neal and Pierce enter the place on the dark and she starts to search a drawer as outside an FBI tac team gets ready to break in. Pierce doesn't trust him at all. Suddenly, the power goes back on full force, the team breaks in and Neal Caffrey saves his ass once again! Pierce is arrested and taken away as Neal tells Peter "Welcome Home"
The jade elephants were recovered and returned to the japanese and Peter is congratulated for his good work. Neal is hanging around with the japanese, and decides to give Burke a sign of appreciation: He managed to get him a place in a better hotel with TV so he could watch the game. And that he please doesn't take it as though he's been kicked out. Aww, Caffrey even packed his bags! That's a good friendship.
The last scene is in the street, where Neal is with Alex, asking her to start fresh. She replies they've got a long history together, but he's willing to give a leap of faith for information. All Alex says is that she knows where the famous music box is at, but as long as he's with the FBI she won't kiss and tell. So she just walks off, leaving Neal confused and with an origami figure on his pocket.
Great episode, bring on more! :)
Nicodrina
Photo credit: mattbomerfan.com
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