Arkham Files: The Dynamic between Neal and Peter

In Arkham Files, Diana takes the relationship between Neal and Peter that she's familiar with at work and tweaks it. Her goal is a serious one. The cybercriminal Azathoth has made a series of threats against Neal and Peter. Diana volunteered to write stories as a device to provoke Azathoth out of hiding. When Agent Tricia Wiese, the FBI profiler assigned to the case, heard about them, she realized Diana's fics could also be used as a tool to positively influence Azathoth's behavior.

Tricia studied the Lima syndrome at Quantico. The FBI recognizes this phenomenon where an abductor develops sympathy for his captives as an officially endorsed strategy. Tricia and Diana hope the Arkham Files stories induce a similar response in Azathoth. Not a simple task for a novice writer like Diana! Fortunately, she can call upon her associates at the Arkham Round Table—Tricia, June, Elizabeth, and Mozzie—for help.

Tricia recommended that both characters be younger. As part of their strategy, Diana masks certain abilities and employs role reversals. Neal Carter is insecure and introverted at the beginning of the series. Of the two, Peter is a better con artist and gives Neal pointers on how to fake emotions and deflect a question without actually lying. Instead of being a silver-tongued charmer, the shy Neal Carter admires Peter's eloquence.

Diana may not have written many stories but she understands the need to have dramatic tension between the two main characters. At White Collar, tension develops naturally from having an ex-criminal work with an FBI agent. In Arkham Files, Diana relies on the stressful situation Neal finds himself in. He sees things no one else does. He has visions and unique reactions to a mysterious soapstone Peter discovered in Egypt. Neal Carter doesn't have to be concerned about being sent to prison, but he worries that he may be locked up for being mentally unstable. In the beginning, he's careful not to reveal the extent of his visions to Peter. He keeps secrets from others. Sound familiar? Neal in Arkham Files is even more a puzzle than he is at White Collar. For Peter the challenge of unlocking those secrets is irresistible.

Azathoth is not the only person whom the Arkham Round Table wishes to influence. Peter requested that the stories demonstrate the benefit of the teamwork approach to problem-solving. He's not beyond playing his version of mind games to discourage Neal Caffrey from behaving like a lone wolf. Elizabeth also has an agenda. She encourages Diana to make Peter more trusting of Neal's decisions and actions. Peter Gilman worries less than her Peter, and she hopes Peter Burke will take the hint.

Diana chose the professions of the two men with Azathoth in mind. Azathoth is known to be a scholar who reads Latin and is familiar with abstruse codes and medieval astronomical devices. The academic world of Arkham Files is a good fit for Azathoth's profile.

As the friendship between Neal and Peter strengthens, their personalities begin to rub off on each other, and they're able to accomplish much more together than they could separately. It's a relationship Azathoth could justifiably envy and may just make the cybercriminal want to join in.

Visions from Beyond on Archive of Our Own
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