Flip of the Coin Transcript

A transcript is a retrospective written record of dialogue, and like a script (a prospective record) may include other scene information such as props or actions. In the case of a transcript of a film or television episode, ideally it is a verbatim record. Because closed-captioning is usually written separately, its text may have errors and does not necessarily reflect the true canonical transcript.

---

This transcript for White Collar is based on the transcriptions by Afiawri, with assistance from Photoash (hosts episodes and helped with parts of the transcripts), Wednesday_10_00 (helped with the Japanese in Home Invasion), and Tzikeh and Nightcamedown helped with the wine in Bottlenecked. Afiawri has generously granted us permission to share/host these transcripts.

Disclaimer: This transcript is intended for educational and promotional purposes only, and may not be reproduced commercially without permission from the producers. The description contained herein represents viewers' secondhand experience of White Collar.

---

Episode 1x04: "Flip of the Coin"
Written by: Joseph C. Muscat and Jeff Eastin
Directed by: Timothy Busfield
Transcribed by: Afiawri

Act 1

[Cut to: Peter staring at Neal.]

Peter: What are you thinking?

Neal: I'm thinking it was the accountant. In the law office.

Peter: With the illegal wire transfer.

Neal: Either that or Colonel Mustard in the library.

Peter: We can pull prints on the candle stick. Let's grab his company's records from last year. They're on file.

Neal: You want me to do it? We have clerks for that.

Peter: I got something better. I got you.

Neal: Okay.

[Cut to: Neal between two towering shelves of files.]

Neal, bored and running his hands up and down the files: Phhhhlmbt. Phhhhlmbt. [Cruz walks in.] Sticking around, huh?

Cruz: Yeah. Hey, is it true you once sent champagne to a surveillance van?

Neal: That's the rumor. Been checking up on me?

Cruz: You were part of my thesis at Quantico.

Neal: Really? How'd we do?

Cruz: Ninety-four.

Neal: Not bad. Find anything interesting?

Cruz: Truth or rumor?

Neal: Is there a difference?

Cruz: The counterfeit stock certificates were your only conviction, but you're implicated in at least a dozen other schemes, frauds, and forgeries.

Neal: Is that why you asked to be reassigned to the White Collar unit?

Cruz: Yeah, you know, I wasn't going to pass up a chance to work with someone I've admired since college.

Neal: Hey, play your cards right, I'm sure we'll make a case or two.

Cruz: Oh, Honey, I was talking about Agent Burke. He caught you twice, right?

Neal: Hey. Hey, maybe you can help out, because I'm looking for some records here.

Cruz: Yeah, we got clerks for that.

[Cut to: Jones running up the stairs to Peter's office.]

Jones: Uh, Peter?

Peter: Yeah?

Jones: Yeah, you're wife's here. She's not alone.

Peter: She look upset to you?

Jones: Eh, they look- they both look upset. You know, buddy of mine, he always kept a separate cell phone. One for the wife, one for the girlfriend. What? It helps avoid this kind of crossover.

Peter: That's not my girlfriend, okay? I- I don't have a girlfriend. That's El's friend, Dana. They've known each other since high school. [El approaches.] Hi, Honey.

El: We need to talk.

Peter: Kay, thanks, Jones, that'll be all. Have a seat, honey. So why is Dana here? Is she okay?

El: No, actually, it's about her husband. John.

Peter: Hot wings guy. [El looks confused.] Remember he made those hot wings at the barbeque, the Cooper barbeque a while back.

El: Right, him.

Peter: Thought he was stationed overseas.

El: He finished his tour last month.

Peter: What's the problem?

El: Well, this morning, the FBI issued a warrant for his arrest.

Peter: All right, what's the last name?

El: Mitchell.

Peter: Mitchell. What happened?

El: Some stolen gold or something in a storage shed. They think he brought it over. Dana came to me for help. She has no idea why he's a suspect.

Peter: Think I do.

El: Well, what is it?

Peter: It's gold artifacts from Iraq. The guy’s prints all over the place. Hair evidence. El, this doesn't look good.

Neal, bursting in: I found that file! …This can wait.

El: No, Neal. Come in. Now, Neal, just because someone’s accused of doing something, that doesn't mean that person is guilty, right?

Neal: Define guilty.

Peter: You really think he's the best person to ask?

El: Neal.

Neal: I suppose it's possible.

El: See, that's what I thought.

Peter: This says whereabouts unknown. Is he on the run?

El: He's at his brother's. I didn't know the address.

Peter: If you're keeping that information, that's aiding and abetting.

Neal: Okay. I think I grabbed the wrong file. I'm gonna get the right one.

Peter: No, stay. My turn. If we have your prints and hair on the scene and you're on the run, are you guilty?

El: Oh, now he's the best person to ask?

Neal: Honestly, I think your friend should turn himself in.

El: I completely agree with you. That's why I told Dana to tell him what to do. Turn himself in.

Peter: So he is turning himself in?

El: Yes. He's going to be turning himself in to you.

[Cut to: A car pulling up, John inside.]

Dana: Uh. Peter, thank you.

Peter: God do I feel guilty. You think he did it?

Neal: Artifacts from the royal cemetery crypts of Per in Egypt, thousand year old gold. Lot of money's always a lot of motive. That's a shame. Apparently he melted some of it down.

John: Hey.

Dana: You be safe.

John: You too, babe.

Peter: John.

John: Peter. I want you to know I didn't do this. I was set up.

Peter: Your prints were all over the gold, John.

John: My prints?

Peter: I got to go.

John: Listen, please. Look, my lawyer said I shouldn't say a word. When I was overseas, a guy asked to me to help him bring some goods back to the states. I said no.

Peter: John.

John: His name's Aimes. Patrick Aimes, he's in the state department. Just look into him. Please.

Peter: I will. [He cuffs John.]

[El and Dana watch as they walk away.]

Dana: Oh my god.

[Cut to: Intro. Cut to: Peter entering the office.]

Neal: Hey, that was genuine surprise on Mitchell's face when we told him his prints were on the gold.

Peter: I noticed that. But that doesn't get him off the hook.

Neal: There's something else.

Peter: What?

Neal: Before I say anything, what's the statue of limitations-?

Peter: Just tell me.

Neal: Can't melt down precious metals like gold without getting splash blisters on your

arms, no matter how careful you are.

Peter: Well, Mitchell may be burn-free, but that doesn't make him innocent.

Neal: Maybe should check out this, uh, Aimes guy.

Peter: Already did. He was working for the state department, overseeing reconstruction in Mosul a few months back.

Neal: Where is he now?

Peter: Working for a private security contractor right here in New York.

Neal: Sounds like he's done well for himself.

Peter: Yeah. I'm going to go see how well.

Neal: All right.

[Cut to: Peter pulling crookedly into a parking space.]

Aimes: ...Every window, every room, every child gets that view every morning.

Peter: Mr. Aimes! Am I interrupting? Peter Burke, FBI. Aimes, to the people with him: Do you mind waiting for me by the cars, we'll finish this in just a minute.

Peter: You don't mind, I have a few questions about some stolen Iraqi artifacts.

Aimes: Oh, right. I read that some important pieces were recently recovered.

Peter: That's right. We have a suspect in custody.

Aimes: Well, good. I'm glad to hear justice will prevail.

Peter: Given your past experience there, I thought you might have some insight as to how a bunch of gold from Musol finds its way to a storage shed near Fort Monmouth.

Aimes: Of course. Call my office, we'll set up a meeting.

Peter: Sure. There was one other thing. The suspect says you framed him. Any idea why he might say that?

Aimes: I wish I knew. [Peter approaches. A guard with splash blisters on his arm stops him.] Is there something else, Agent Burke?

Peter: Nope. I got everything I need. [He dials his phone.] Jones, have every recovered artifact moved to our office ASAP. I want to reexamine the evidence.

[Cut to: the FBI conference room.]

Neal: Where's Peter? I thought he called this meeting.

Jones: He's been pouring over this stuff with the evidence recovery team since he was splash blisters on Aimes' bodyguard.

Cruz: Said something about a breakthrough. Ugh. [She snatches an artifact from Neal.]

Neal: I'm looking for clues.

Cruz: Yeah, you're looking for you're looking for your next jail sentence. Oh my God. Neal, accepting gloves from Cruz: Didn't you just join this unit?

Cruz: Yeah, and I didn't even have to go to prison first.

Jones: So, if you were going to frame somebody, how would you do it?

Neal: I've never framed anybody, only been framed.

Cruz: Yeah? What for?

Neal: Counterfeiting stock certificates and about a dozen other confidence schemes, frauds, and forgeries. [To Peter as he walks into the room:] You had a breakthrough.

Peter: I got something. Notice the prints.

Jones: They're very clean.

Peter: Maybe a little too clean?

Neal: They're all Mitchell's?

Peter: Yep. Notice anything else?

Neal: They're all left handed.

Peter: Uh-huh.

Neal: That's improbable.

Peter: It's impossible.

Cruz: What does it mean?

Peter: I don't know.

[Cut to: Neal and Peter getting dinner.]

Neal: What, you think the prints were planted?

Peter: Well, it wouldn't be hard, would it?

Neal: Don't look at me. All right, it wouldn't be hard. It starts with getting a clean set of prints and somebody got Mitchell's.

Peter: But only his left hand. Why only the left?

Neal: How was the gold found in the first place?

Peter: Anonymous tip.

Neal: There's a red flag.

Peter: Mmm. Could be. [He takes a huge swig of beer.]

Neal: Easy, easy there tiger. Shouldn't you be getting home to Elizabeth?

Peter: Dana's been with us for a few days.

Neal: Ah. How's that going?

Peter: She's been through a lot.

Neal: No, no, this is got to be rough on her.

Peter: Yeah it is.

Neal: It's got to be.

Peter: Look, I try to be a good person.

Neal: You- you have your moments.

Peter: Yeah, it's just I don't-

Neal: Is it the crying?

Peter: Yeah. I can handle everything else but women crying. That's all. I don't know what to do with it. I try to fix it. I mean, with you, you know, I give you a slug on the shoulder-

Neal: Totally.

Peter: -and I'd tell you to cowboy up. But it's...

Neal: We got the print theory, that might cheer her up.

Peter: Yeah, it could be something if I could link it to Aimes or the bodyguard. What?

Neal: We've been here an hour, but in that whole time, you've only touched these bottles with your right hand.

Peter: Mitchell had drinks with whoever lifted the prints.

Neal: Can you ask him?

Peter: Marshalls are sitting him, I could take the time to reach out, file the proper paper work, go through the usual channels tomorrow, or I could-

Neal: Or you could just ask his-

Neal and Peter: Wife.

Peter: Right now.

[Cut to: Peter coming in his front door.]

Peter: Hey, Honey.

Elizabeth: Hey, Honey.

Peter: How, Dana. How you holding up?

Dana: It's hard, you know. It's the not knowing that's killing me.

Elizabeth: Any news?

Peter: Well, which do you want first? The good news or the bad news?

Dana: There's bad news?

Peter: Not more than there has been. He's still charged, it still looks pretty bad. I'll… go with the good news. There's some evidence anomalies. Someone may have planted his prints on the gold.

Dana: So you mean he really was framed?

Peter: It's possible. I'm curious, did he have drinks with anyone recently? The prints are crisp, which would indicate a glass or a bottle, so it was probably from a beer.

Dana, sobbing: It's not okay, really.

Peter: Yes, it is. This is the good news part.

Elizabeth: Can I talk to you for a second? I'll be right back.

Peter: What I'd do?

Elizabeth: I don't know, but you see she's crying?

Peter: Yeah, I see that she's crying.

Elizabeth: Shhh.

Peter: I need to know if John met someone for a drink. Maybe he didn't tell her. Did she suspect him of cheating?

Elizabeth: Yeah, now I'm going to let you got talk to her.

Peter: This is important.

Elizabeth: Go upstairs. Up! Stairs! Thank you. Oh.

Dana: I'm sorry.

Elizabeth: No, it’s okay. Sometimes Peter doesn't realize that he's an FBI agent.

Dana: No, it wasn't Peter. It's... John and I had a fight before all this happened about… a woman who took him for a drink.

Elizabeth: John's not the cheating type.

Dana: What if he's not the guy I think he is, what if he really did steal that stuff? I mean...

Elizabeth: Look, you heard Peter. Okay. Evidence was planted, okay? But who was this woman who took him out for a drink?

Dana: No, no, she's a journalist, she, uh... she was embedded with John's unit and she called about a month ago and she wanted to do a follow up story. Something like, uh, the life of a returning vet kind of thing.

Elizabeth: Wait. So they went for a beer?

Dana: Yeah. And I was mad at him for not telling me about it beforehand instead of after.

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Dana: That night, John was more mad about his Yankee cap than he was about that fact that I had just accused him of cheating on me.

Elizabeth: What happened to the Yankee cap?

Dana: I don't know. He left it at the bar, it never turned up.

[Cut to: Peter's office.]

Neal: Well, the hat would explain the hair fibers.

Peter: Yeah.

Neal: You had Elizabeth talk to her?

Peter: I thought some female intuition would be helpful.

Neal: Dana started crying, didn't she?

Peter: I didn't even do anything. I had no idea what went wrong.

Neal: So who's this other woman?

Peter: This is Alicia Teagan, segment producer. She was a reporter embedded with

Mitchell's unit. All right, so she invites Mitchell out for a beer. Let's say she takes that opportunity to lift the prints off of the bottle. She grabs the baseball hat as an added bonus.

Neal: Yeah, toss in a little DNA evidence to really lock the case.

Peter: Right. Now how do we connect her to Aimes?

Neal: Do they know each other?

Peter: Other than the fact that they were in Iraq, there's nothing. If Aimes stole the gold, he isn't going to ship it himself. He's going to get someone else so that his hands stay clean in case they get intercepted.

Neal: Well, press credentials aren't a bad way to get by customs.

Peter: Let's go talk to her.

[Cut to: Peter and Neal in the ground floor lobby of a building.]

Peter: …Cardinals are a baseball team. Wait here, I'll check in. I'm here to see Alicia Teagan.

Phil: She's not in yet.

Peter: Agent Burke, FBI.

Phil: Sorry, sir. Would you care to wait upstairs? She should be in any minute.

Peter: Yeah, why don't I do that? Be sure to let her know Agent Burke with the FBI is here to talk to her.

Phil: I'll be sure to do that.

Peter: Thank you.

Neal: So what's it like to be on camera?

Publicist: Oh, I'm not on camera.

Neal: Really? But your badge here says, uh, studio access.

Publicist: I'm a publicist, actually.

Neal: Wow. How is it up there? Publicist. Cutthroat. Looks like they just moved my meeting to twelve thirty. Excuse me. [Neal, answering his ringing phone:] Hello.

Peter: Hey.

Neal: Peter, where are you?

[Cut to: Peter, upstairs.]

Peter: Upstairs on my way to Alicia's office.

Woman: Right here.

Peter: Thank you.

Neal: You left me in the lobby.

Peter: Well, you looked busy. Listen, Alicia's on her way in. I want you to watch how she reacts when the guard tells there's an FBI agent waiting for her. [He hangs up.]

Neal: No- [He hangs up.]

Alicia: Hi, Phil.

Phil: Morning. Miss Teagan, uh, there's an FBI agent here to see you.

Alicia: Sorry?

Phil: An FBI agent. Said his name was Burke.

Alicia: Uh, just tell him today's not a good day.

Phil: Oh, he's already upstairs.

Alicia: Did he say what he wanted?

Phil: All the said was to let you know he's here.

Alicia: Oh. Thanks.

Judy: Hi, Phil.

Phil: Morning, Judy.

Christian: Hi, Phil.

Phil: Morning, Christian.

[Cut to: Neal balancing two trays of coffee.]

Neal: Hey, Phil.

Phil: Morning.

Neal: I ran out of hands. My card's in my pocket if you just want to grab that there. Just get that for me?

Phil: Uhhh. Don't worry about it.

Neal: All right, thanks buddy.

[Cut to: Peter watching Alicia arrive.]

Woman: Alicia. Oh, here you go. Thanks.

Alicia: Thanks.

[Peter spots Neal with the coffee and dials his phone.]

Neal: Leave a message.

Peter: Neal, I don't know what you're up to, but whatever it is, stop.

[Cut to: Alicia entering the set.]

Alicia: Morning! Hi, Kim.

Leonard: There you go.

Alicia: How you doing?

Kim: Listen.

Leonard: Watch your backs.

Anchor: Hi, I don't think I've seen you around before.

Neal: Oh, I'm Gary. The, uh, new sports anchor.

Anchor: New sport anchor?

Gary: New guy brings the coffee, right?

Anchor: Thanks, Gary.

Gary: Hey, no problem.

Anchor: But what about Leonard?

Neal: Oh, you didn't hear. Yeah, that's... that's why the meeting got moved to twelve thirty. Don't say anything to Leonard. Great work, champ.

Leonard: Thanks.

[Cut to: Neal watching Alicia at her desk. She locks a piece of paper in a drawer before going to see Peter.]

Peter: Alicia Teagan.

Alicia: Oh, you, uh, must be Agent Burke. I hope this won't take long, I'm on deadline.

[Neal picks up a rose and sits at Alicia's desk.]

Peter: Have a seat. I'm curious about the piece you did on Captain Jonathon Mitchell.

Alicia: Oh, Mitchell. Of course.

Peter: What was your impression of him?

[Neal opens up a paperclip and picks the lock.]

Alicia: Seemed like a good soldier.

Peter: That it?

Alicia: To be honest, I didn't find him that memorable.

Peter: Then why'd you have a follow up on him?

Alicia: Oh, I was doing a series of segments on vets returning home. How they're readjusting to life after the military.

Peter: How did he seem to you?

Alicia: He seemed to be doing fine. Eager to get back home.

Peter, noticing Neal: So, you took Captain Mitchell out for a beer.

Alicia: Yeah. He was one of several soldiers I was, uh, considering.

Peter: Mmm. When you say considering, what exactly do you mean by that?

Alicia: Well, we wanted to get a sense of what they were going through. If, uh, reality lived up to their expectations.

Neal: Excuse me. Did they change the code again?

Woman: Oh, here, use mine. There you go.

Neal: Thanks.

Alicia: What exactly are you investigating, Agent Burke?

Peter: Captain Mitchell was arrested yesterday for the theft of Iraqi antiquities.

Alicia: Sorry to hear that.

Peter: So there was nothing particularly special about Mitchell?

Alicia: No. In fact, I'm really sorry I couldn't help you further.

Peter: Why the rush?

Alicia: I told you, I'm on deadline. Now if you have no other questions, I, uh, would like to get back to work.

[Neal finishes copying and replacing the paper.]

Peter: Wait. My card. When you think of something else.

Alicia: If I think of something else.

[Cut to: Neal and Peter walking down the street.]

Peter: What was that about? You had me off my game.

Neal: You told me to watch her reaction, that's what I did.

Peter: Breaking and entering.

Neal: Phil let me in.

Peter: Who's Phil?

Neal: The guy at the door who-

Peter: INeal:

Okay, you want to know what I found?

Peter: No.

Neal: She got rattled when she heard FBI. She went to her desk and locked something in the top drawer.

Peter: Oh, God.

Neal, handing it to Peter: I didn't steal it. I photocopied it. It's a pawnshop ticket. Bet I know what she was pawning.

Peter, walking off: No. I didn't see this. You didn't see this.

Neal: But I did see it. [He pulls out the real copy and dials his phone.]

Mozzie: Hello.

Neal: Hey, Moz, I got a favor to ask to you.

Mozzie: What's up?

Neal: I need you to check out a pawnshop ticket for me.

[Cut to: Peter sneaking into his house.]

TV: Should be out in that weather, Holly. I didn’t want you driving. What are you talking about, Holly? I’ve been waiting for you in the cold for nearly two hours.

Peter: How's she holding up?

Elizabeth: As good as can be expected. Um, do you think we could finish watching the movie?

Peter: A little girl time?

Elizabeth: Yeah.

Peter: Yeah, I'll find something to do.

Elizabeth: Good man.

Peter: That's what I keep telling people.

Elizabeth: Have fun.

[Cut to: Neal examining the bottle against maps of the city.]

Neal: X marks the spot. Kate loves the classics. [He speed dials Mozzie.] Moz, it's me.

Mozzie: Yeah.

Neal: You nearby?

Mozzie: Did your suit put a tail on me?

Neal: What? No. Look, I figured out the map. It's a Bordeaux label, Bordeaux, with an x. X marks the spot.

Mozzie: Ah, you know, Kate loves the classics.

Neal: Yeah, she does.

Mozzie: I found a bit of treasure, too. On my way to show you.

Neal: Hurry up.

Mozzie: I walk at a delicate pace.

[There's a knock at the door.]

Neal: That was fast. Yep, coming. Hey, Mo- my man.

Peter: Expecting somebody?

Neal: Not at- not at all.

Peter: Good

Neal: Yeah, come… right on in...

Peter: Wow, unbelievable. Last time we had a drink, we made a breakthrough. Hoping tonight we can solve the whole damn case.

[Cut to: Neal pouring some wine.]

Neal: So Dana's still at the house?

Peter: Yep. [He raises a can of beer.] Here's to freeing Captain John Mitchell. So I can go back home.

Neal: I'll drink to that. [There's a knock on the door.] I'll get that. It's probably June.

Mozzie: Photocopy of a pawn ticket, but I got this coin. What?

Neal: Sorry, Mr. Havisham, June isn't here at the moment.

Mozzie: Oh, well, uh... too bad. Uh, tell I look forward to our next round of drinks and... Parcheesi.

Neal: Yep.

Peter: Hang on a second.

Mozzie: Oh, I'm sorry, apparently I'm interrupting something.

Neal: Yeah.

Peter: Who are you?

Mozzie: I'm the neighbor. Don... tay. Havisham. Dante Havisham?

Peter: And you're dating June?

Mozzie: Uh, uh, courting. Courting. Yeah, what can I say, she likes a little, uh, cream in her coffee.

Peter, to Neal: You really want to keep this up?

Neal: No, I don't. You're right, this is-

Peter: No, I know. How about I just call you Mr. Havisham? Come on in. Thought you'd be taller.

Mozzie: Me too.

Peter: Well, you're here. Have a drink.

Mozzie, off of Neal's signal: Oh, no, I don't drink.

Peter: Well, you do tonight.

Mozzie: Gin's good.

[Cut to: Peter and Mozzie drinking together.]

Peter, laughing and opening another beer: I don't get it. Girl leaves nothing but an empty bottle behind.

Mozzie: Least she could do is leave a full one.

Neal: Guys, I'm right here.

Peter: Fair enough, fair enough. Man, look at that view. Is this why you guys do it? Is this what it's all about?

Mozzie: It's not about the stuff.

Neal, shaking his head: Moz.

Mozzie: It's about doing what we want to do. Who cares about nine to fives and 401ks? Playing by the rules only makes borders that just take away everything that's good about living life.

Neal: Moz, Moz, you lived in a storage unit.

Mozzie: Yeah, but I live there, man. I lived. Long as I don't have to live under anyone else's time or dime, I'm a free man. I can do whatever want.

Peter: Like going to the pawnshop and getting that coin you have in your pocket? Come on, let's see it. Ah, it's a hell of a thing.

Mozzie: Islamic dinar from the Abbasid dynasty. Last seen in the museum in Mosul.

Peter: I really shouldn't even know about this. Alicia's guilty, isn't she?

Neal: Looks like it.

Peter: Ah. I'm holding damning evidence and I can't do a damn thing with it.

Mozzie: You're rules, tin man, not mine.

Neal: Come on, Peter, give me the coin.

Peter: I can see it now, FBI agent illegally obtains evidence, news at eleven.

Neal: It's a hell of a story. Too bad she can't report it.

Peter: Maybe she can.

[Cut to: The set.]

Senior producer: All right, when you're done moving that, I want everything set up to go from the top.

Alicia, arriving: Great story on the governor.

Senior producer: Teagan!

Alicia: Yeah?

Senior producer: Got a story for you. Guy says he wants to talk about a high level cover up in Iraq involving a soldier. Says he'll only talk to you.

Alicia: Why me?

Senior producer: Well I think maybe he's a fan of your work.

Alicia: All right, got a number? I'll give him a call.

Senior producer: Got something better. He's here. McQueen! Let's set up to get this guy on tape.

Somebody: Well, you know what? You’re going to have to prove that. That’s why that…

Alicia: Hmm.

[Cut to: Neal on camera.]

Alicia: We rolling?

Neal: Hi.

Alicia: Oh, hi. Alicia Teagan.

Neal: Good to me you, I'm a huge fan.

Alicia: Oh, thank you.

Neal: Wow, you look- you look even better in person.

Alicia: Oh, wow, thank you. Okay, you're all mic'ed up. Let’s, uh, let’s get started. Your name?

Neal: Ah, we'll get to that.

Alicia: Just relax. Take a deep breath. So why don't we, uh, why don't we start at the beginning?

Neal: Okay, yeah. Once upon a time in Iraq, there were two people. One was greedy and a thief. The other was pretty and opportunistic. Together they found a great deal of treasure.

Alicia: I think this is something we should be discussing off camera.

Neal: No, wait, that's the prologue. I'm getting to the setup. They smuggled that treasure back here. It went off without a hitch. But they needed a fall guy, somebody to take the heat off them so they could sell the treasure without interference. That fall guy's a soldier you know. John Mitchell.

Alicia: Well. Unfortunately, your story's missing something very important. Proof.

Neal, pulling out the coin: Oh, I've got proof. Yeah. Recognize this? What this story is missing is an ending. I'm not sure what happens to Mitchell. The outcome of his life may as well be decided on the toss of a coin. [He tosses the dinar.] Want to call it for me?

Alicia: Turn off the cameras. Turn off the cameras!

Camera man: Pull the roll.

[Cut to: the FBI conference room, two men walking past it and Alicia and Peter in it.]

FBI guy 1: Says there, but...

FBI guy 2: See, no I looked at it-

FBI guy 1: Yeah.

Alicia: I want immunity.

Peter: You're funny. What you get depends on what you give me.

Alicia: Aimes looted Saddam's museum. He set the whole thing up. All I did was- was help transport it back to the states.

Peter: You're his mule. What was your cut?

Alicia: Well, it doesn't matter. I haven't seen a dime.

Peter: Not even this really old dime? Prosecution hasn't taken immunity off the table.

Alicia: I needed the money.

Peter: Oh, I'll bet. I looked at your portfolio. You lost a lot when the market crashed.

Alicia: Yeah, I lost enough. I still had access to the gold, so I took some of the smaller pieces and turned them over.

Peter: And when you got scared that you were leaving a paper trail, you decided to set

Mitchell up as the fall guy.

Alicia: I didn't want to set him up. Aimes did.

Peter: All you did was get the prints and the hat. What I want to know is why you melted some of the pieces down.

Aimes: He thought if we made it look like most of the gold was gone, you guys wouldn't spend so much time searching for it. Even after Mitchell was locked up.

Peter: Where's the gold now?

Alicia: I don't know.

Peter: He moved it on you?

Alicia: Yeah. I swear I don't know where it is.

Peter: Then you're going to help us find it. You’re gonna tell Aimes that the FBI has been poking around. We've been talking to him too, so he'll believe you.

Alicia: He won't trust me.

Peter: He will if you tell him that the case against Mitchell is falling apart and that he needs to unload the gold immediately.

Alicia: Well what if he gets spooked? Kay? And wants to wait?

Peter: Then you'll to convince him that you found a private buyer. A very rich, very discreet buyer.

[Cut to: Neal.]

Cruz: So Aimes is willing to meet you at a private gallery later today?

Neal: Apparently I'm a wealthy buyer.

Jones: And this is your car for the day.

Neal, laughing: You're not... you're not kidding.

Cruz: It's a Mercedes.

Neal: No, this isn't even an S class. I need to look like I can drop a few million on antiquities. This says look what I kept in the divorce.

Cruz: Really, you can't make this work? What kind of a conman are you? The Neal Caffrey I did my thesis on could make this work.

[Cut to: Neal walking into his apartment.]

Neal: Moz, wake up.

Mozzie: Leave me alone.

Neal: Come on, come on, Moz, come on.

Mozzie: Did you draw on my face?

Neal: What? No. Aimes is meeting with me today. Go to go in as a serious high roller. Need a car.

Mozzie: I'll get my slim jim.

Neal: Nope. Can't steal it.

Mozzie: Yeah. 'We can't steal it.'

[Cut to: Mozzie and Neal approaching a man cleaning a limo.]

Neal: Excuse me sir, could you step away from this car?

Cleaning Service man: Yo, thank you.

Man: Yeah, whatever.

Cleaning Service man: Yo, you need something?

Neal, holding up his consultant credentials: Yeah. Captain told you I was coming, right? Says FBI.

Cleaning Service man: Whatcha talking about?

Neal: One of your limos was involved in a four eighteen last night, I'm supposed to bring it back to the forensic motor pool. What's the plate on that?

Mozzie: Uh, XC732W

Cleaning Service man: We're cleaning it now.

Neal: Greggs, get this guy out of here.

Cleaning Service man: No, I didn't get a call about any of this.

Mozzie: You, beat it!

Neal: Is that our vehicle?

Mozzie: Whoa! We got gunshot residue. Looks like it's been snowing back here.

Neal: How many of your guys touch this car?

Cleaning Service man: We're a cleaning company.

Neal: Oh, really? Okay, there's two ways we can do this. One, I take the car back with me, no one gets asked any questions. The second way we assume whatever's in the backseat belongs to one of you.

Cleaning Service man: Tch. It's above my pay grade, pal. Take it!

Neal: Greggs, give him a receipt.

Mozzie: Say no to drugs, chief.

Cleaning Service man: Yeah, whatever.

[Cut to: the surveillance van.]

Jones: Oh, we got a high roller coming through.

Peter: I thought we gave him a Mercedes.

Jones: I guess he made it work. God, that hop looks familiar. Is he one of ours?

Peter: Nah, that's Havisham. Good man.

Neal: Relax, you're gonna be fine.

Alicia: Yeah, you have no idea how dangerous Aimes can be.

Neal: It's just a game.

Alicia: Never let him see you sweat, right?

Aimes: Alicia. Alaykum.

Alicia: This is the gentleman I was telling you about.

Neal: And this is my business manager.

Aimes: Charmed.

Cruz: Likewise.

Aimes: Come in.

[Cut to: A room full of glass cases with artifacts displayed.]

Aimes: Enjoy. How long have you been collecting antiquities?

Neal: Years. I also admire the occasional reproduction.

Aimes: So you're familiar with the Tallmadge period, then?

Neal: I am.

Aimes: Shame the Greeks put in an end to it.

Neal: Shame you didn't have a better history teacher. Soter’s reign over Ptolemaic Egypt ended with the death of Cleopatra [Back in the van, Peter and Jones are amused.] in the Roman conquest of 30 BC, not the Greek. Or so I've been told.

Aimes: Would you like to see that actual pieces, then?

Neal: I think I already have. These aren't reproductions.

Aimes: Good eye.

Alicia: They've been here all along?

Aimes: I've always believed the best place to hide something is in plain sight. Is everything all right?

Alicia: Of course.

Peter: She's not holding it together.

Aimes: Smile, Alicia, it's almost over.

Cruz, opening a suitcase of money: Yes, can we move this along?

[Aimes' bodyguard pulls a gun.]

Neal: Whoa, whoa, what's going on?

Aimes: Don't play games with me. You're with the FBI.

[Cruz pulls a gun out of the suitcase.]

Neal: Technically, I'm just a consultant, she's with the FBI.

Aimes: Regardless. No need for a fifth wheel.

[Cut to: the van.]

Peter: Aimes is on the run. Jones, you take the front exit! Go, go! You two go with him!

[Cut to: Aimes' bodyguard pointing his gun at Neal.]

Neal: Looks like we have a stand off.

Cruz: No we don't. Shoot him, then I'll you on murder too. Come on.

[Cut to: Peter chasing Aimes.]

Peter: Hey! Hey! Don't make me shoot you!

[Cut to: Mozzie in the limo. He watches Aimes and Peter round the corner. Aimes takes a shot at Peter.]

Peter, ducking for cover and grabbing the radio: Drop the gun! Jones, I need immediate back up.

Mozzie: This is not what I needed today.

[Peter hears the sound of Aimes getting hit by the limo.]

Mozzie: I was never here.

Jones: FBI! Gun on the ground, gun on the ground, right now. Hands on your head!

Neal: Nice bluff. I know you were bluffing. 'Cause that's what I would've done.

[Cut to: Aimes, his body guard, and Alicia being arrested.]

Agent: Watch your head.

Peter, to Alicia: I'll make sure the courts know that you helped us out.

Neal, to Peter: Looks like you can go home again.

[Cut to: Peter and John entering Peter's house.]

John: Hi, baby.

Elizabeth: Really proud of you.

Peter: Oh, John's free 'cause of you, El. Yeah, if you hadn't given me that push.

Elizabeth: Well, it was more like a nudge.

Peter: Nudge?

Elizabeth: Maybe a little love tap.

Peter: More like a love tuck.

Elizabeth: He must be really happy he's going home.

Peter: He's not the only one.