Actor Matt Bomer poses with his Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series award for "The Normal Heart", at the 4th annual Critics' Choice Television Awards in Beverly Hills, California June 19, 2014. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Actor Matt Bomer poses with his Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Mini-Series award for "The Normal Heart", at the 4th annual Critics' Choice Television Awards in Beverly Hills, California June 19, 2014. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok Reuters/Danny Moloshok

Keller tells Neal at the end of episode 3 of "White Collar" Season 6, "Uncontrolled Variables," that he is living in a fairytale if he is thinking that if he takes down the Pink Panthers, he would get a happily ever after kind of ending. It is never over even if they take down Alan Woodford and his crew. From the prison, the Pink Panthers will go after the people closest to him, Keller tells Neal, adding that "they make it hurt so bad that you wish that they found you." This conversation takes place after Neal and Keller had to work together to accomplish a new task given by the Pink Panthers. This episode showed the difference between the two con-men. Also, in this episode, Neal gets a tight slap on his face.

Here is what happened in Episode 3 of "White Collar" Season 6 "Uncontrolled Variables" [RECAP]:

Peter and his team figure out that Keller has a handler who must be keeping a watch on him from somewhere close. While Peter is looking for the handler, Keller informs Neal that Woodford has given them a new task and they have to work together. They are expected to copy a digital file -- not steal it -- kept in a vault of a high tech security company. To accomplish the task, Keller points out to a girl called Amy at the farmer's market. She is the assistant of the company's boss who is out of the town for the next 72 hours. Neal is hesitant in using Amy to get to the digital file, as she seems to be an honest, innocent person. He stops Keller from approaching the girl. Neal ends up befriending Amy, posing as a chef. Keller does his bit to make Amy trust Neal. He tries to misbehave with her, giving Neal a chance to become Amy's protector.

Peter finds Keller's handler Luke. The latter was expecting to meet Peter soon. Luke tells the FBI man that he would not like the FBI steal his catch. Peter says that he only cares about arresting him. Neal and Keller return to Neal's apartment to find Peter and Luke waiting for them. Peter tells the group that they all have the same goal and that is why they have to work together, not trip each other over. Luke wants Neal to step over, as he feels that Peter cannot control him. Peter says a big no to Luke's suggestion and says that it can be a joint Interpol and FBI case or just FBI's, as Luke is on FBI's turf.

Mozzie works as a janitor at the high tech company building to get the map of their office. He and Neal realise that they need Keller to execute their plan. Neal visits Amy's office, with lunch for her. Keller arrives at the office wearing a security man's uniform. Amy panics seeing him inside their office and it looked like that he was coming from boss' room, which can only open through Iris recognition. Amy opens the door to check if everything is in order. This gives Mozzie an opportunity to slip inside the room. He, however, is unable to copy the digital file, as the data is in an antique disk. He ends up stealing the disk from the vault.

Neal and Peter think of a plan to put the disk inside Amy's bag. This will make Amy suspect that Neal has something to do with the theft, but they do not have any other option to get the disk back in the vault. Neal invites Amy over for dinner at his apartment. Neal has to keep his feelings in check and has to ensure that the date is uneventful. June arrives and that stops Neal and Amy from kissing each other. Neal tells Peter that he and Amy both like each other and she will be hurt if she finds out that he conned her to get the disk. Peter cannot help him. Later, June leaves and Amy ends up kissing Neal.

Mozzie assembles an old computer set to get the data from the disk. Before Peter could reach Neal's place to slip the disk back in Amy's bag, Amy gets a call from her boss. He is back in the town before his scheduled return date and he has discovered that the digital file is missing. He wants to have a talk with her. Amy fears that her boss will fire her, as it is her responsibility to take care of the stuff in his absence.

When Peter learns about it, he decides to tell the boss the real objective behind the theft. Luke is not on the same page and when Peter goes upstairs to change, he slips out of Peter's house with the disk. Peter figures out that he is going to plant the disk in Amy's apartment. Amy catches Keller trying to put the disk in her bag. Keller is not Neal, as he pulls out a knife to kill her. Neal comes and stops him from stabbing Amy.

Keller reveals Neal's true identity. He tells Amy that her saviour is a con man and that he had played a part in the stealing of the disk. Neal tells Amy how she can escape getting fired and also get a promotion from her boss. Amy has to tell her boss that she took the disk because he does not value her and to prove that his office security can be breached. The boss is ready to do anything to buy Amy's silence, but she resigns. Amy tells Neal that she does not use or manipulate people to get what she wants and that she is not like him. She slaps Neal and tells him thank you for making her realise that she does not belong in New York.

Diana and Jones figure out that the data retrieved from disk is an algorithm. It has something to do with airlines and international flights. Peter realises that there is a high value target and a possible heist. Later, Peter warns Luke to not risk an innocent life again otherwise he is going to arrest him.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth is worried that Peter's demanding work schedule may keep him away from his fatherly duties. The episode ends with Keller telling Neal that once he gets his freedom, the Pink Panthers will put everyone he loves on the death row.