An undercover FBI agent investigating the triads has gone missing. Neal goes undercover to get him back.
Tropes:
- Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: Peter tells Neal that their partnership comes to an end if Neal fails to bring in Lao, to which Neal surprisedly replies “We’re partners?”
- The "Be Careful!" Speech: When Neal expresses displeasure over the tracking watch, Peter reminds Neal that Lao is dangerous and that he needs to be careful.
- Blatant Lies: After Neal reveals that he heard what Peter said about him to Bai, Peter pretends he knew that Neal was standing behind him.
- Cheer Them Up with Laughter: Neal performs a magic trick to cheer Bai up when she cries after Peter takes back his sock from her.
- Concealment Equals Cover: When the NYPD raids the gambling den, Neal uses a table as a shield when they start to shoot at him.
- Engineered Public Confession:
- Peter records Meilin’s coworkers to find out more about her, anticipating they’ll say something in Chinese since he cannot understand it.
- Neal loses his watch to Lao on purpose so that he will reveal something to his henchman when they are alone and the FBI would have his recorded confession.
- Friend to All Children: The family whose home they're using as a base of operations has a young daughter. Neal charms her right away with magic tricks. Peter initially upsets her by taking back some FBI equipment she snagged, but he wins her over eventually.
- Gadget Watches: Since Neal has to lose his tracking anklet to go undercover, Peter gives him a watch that works a both a tracking device and a microphone.
- I Know Mortal Kombat: Moz initially tries to teach Neal Pai Gow using a kung fu movie.Neal: ... the death tile?
Moz: The movie... takes some liberties. - Illegal Gambling Den: Lao runs an illegal Pai Gow gaming den.
- Ironic Echo: Neal asks Lauren if there was a commotion when he escaped prison to which she replies that she doesn’t know since she was working on important cases. When Hughes calls Neal into his office, he excuses himself from Lauren by telling her that he has an important case to work on.
- Jurisdiction Friction: Turns out the FBI aren't the only ones investigating the triad. Interpol has an undercover agent there, too. On top of that, the NYPD raid the casino shortly after Neal walks in.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Peter walks up to a group of Chinese women and asks to speak about one of their co-workers. They begin chattering in Chinese, making fun of him, while he desperately tries to get them to stop. Neal is dumbfounded... until Peter reveals he was recording them the whole time knowing they'd speak openly in front of the "dumb FBI guy".Neal: ... that's the guy who caught me?
Cruz: That's the guy who caught you twice. - Offscreen Teleportation: Peter and Neal find agent Acosta's body in a freezer in the triad warehouse five seconds before the triad show up to collect and dispose of it. They hide on top of some shelves to avoid discovery. The triad goons open the freezer to remove the body; cut to Neal and Peter for half a second; cut back to the triad closing the wheely bin the body is now in.
- Right Behind Me: Peter talks to Bai about Neal not knowing that he walks into the room in exactly that moment. He tells her that she doesn’t want to end up like him because he always gets into trouble and that he is definitely not worried about him, it’s just that he’ll have to fill out a lot of paperwork if anything happens to him, but also admits to liking his card trick. Then Bai waves at Neal behind him and Peter turns around, finally noticing Neal.
- Shout-Out: Neal and Peter break into a Triad warehouse.Neal: Think I just saw the Ark of the Covenant back there.
Peter: If my face melts, let me know. - Sticky Fingers: During the trick that Neal performs for he also steals Peter’s wallet.
- Taught by Television: Neal learns Pai Gow by watching a kung fu movie.
- There Are No Coincidences: Neal assures Lao that he is not behind the NYPD raid but Lao tell him he doesn’t believe in coincidences.
- There Is Only One Bed: Lampshaded when Meilin takes Neal into a hotel room and Neal remarks that there is only one bed.
- Wham Line:
- "Oh, and Neal? The man who's got Kate? I know who he is."
- It is later revealed that she was partially lying to Neal, but she does have some information for him:Neal: So you know who has Kate?
Meilin: I don't have a name, but I know this... He's FBI.
- Would Hurt a Child: The triads are extorting "taxes" from the family helping the FBI. Peter notices a bullet hole in the wall. Right over their daughter's crib.
