Chapter 1: Reflection
Assistant Director Cooper addressed the room in his usual loud and booming voice.
"Listen up!"
The faint chatter ceased to exist and silence spread throughout the room.
"We tracked Reddington to a decommissioned blacksite, where we found the body of Anslo Garrick. Unfortunately, Reddington seemed to have escaped and we are currently unaware of his location."
A quiet murmur began to disperse throughout the crowd as the agents realized that the world's most dangerous man had slipped through the FBI's grasp.
Cooper cleared his throat and continued, "Our objective now is to find Reddington, no matter what it takes."
Cooper nodded and walked back to his office, the words of his boss still echoing in his mind. As of this moment, the only target on the Blacklist is Raymond Reddington.
He was going to find that bastard.
6 Weeks Later
Tom zipped up the last suitcase and called out his wife's name.
"Liz! It's time to go! You don't want to be late."
"Says the man who was two minutes late to his own wedding," Liz exclaimed, walking out of the bathroom.
"For your information, it was one minute and technically, you were late too."
"You see, that's the thing about a wedding. The bride actually comes after the groom! What a shocker," Liz sarcastically said.
"Well," Tom said, planting a kiss on her cheek, "It was definitely worth it in the end."
"Definitely," Liz said, almost reassuring herself. She thought back to the day when she decided to start trusting Tom and stop being so suspicious.
Liz could feel a tear or two threatening to escape her eyes, but she wouldn't let them fall. Not this time. At the back of her mind, she had suspected that Reddington was her father. Why else would he surrender himself to the FBI and strive to protect her no matter what? She felt disgusted at the thought that she "wanted" him to be her father. He was the world's most dangerous man, after all!
She took a deep breath and stood up. What had Reddington said? Liz-be careful of your husband? Why would he say that, even after the FBI had extensively interrogated and investigated Tom. She shook her head, as if to clear out all her thoughts. Liz, stop thinking. Take a break. Go on a vacation, she told herself.
She called out her husband's name and he came running.
"Babe, what wrong? What happened?" he said worriedly.
She smiled at him and said, "Nothing. I...I was thinking about what you said and I completely agree with you."
Tom grinned and walked over to her. He wrapped his arms around her and just for a moment, Liz tensed up, but soon realized what she had done and relaxed in his arms.
Tom didn't seem to notice and whispered in her ear, "Where would you like to go, Your Highness?", his voice tickling the back of her neck.
Liz decided to play along and said, "Well, my royal subject, I was thinking we could go to Australia."
"Australia?! Where did that come from?" Tom said, clearly surprised.
"Well, I've always wanted to go to the Sydney Opera House and I know you've wanted to explore the Outback."
Tom stepped back and bowed. "Your wish is my command."
Liz smiled and kissed Tom, happy that they could finally escape this mess and actually enjoy themselves.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the honking of a car and she smiled to herself. She was finally getting the break that she needed, and frankly, the break that she deserved.
Little did she know what was waiting for her in the Land Down Under.
Ressler looked at himself in the mirror with a bit of a confused expression. He squinted at his own reflection and scoffed. He looked so relaxed and...happy. He hadn't looked and felt this way since the day Audrey accepted his proposal. He quickly brushed all lingering thoughts and smiled. It was a real, genuine smile. He was going to see his brother!
Donald Ressler did not consider himself a family man, but he had always had a special place in his heart for his brother. Not only did Ressler support him in everything he did, but he practically raised him as a child! Donald thought back to the last time he had seen his brother and a big lump formed in his throat.
It had been at his parent's funeral.
Rain.
Tears.
Yelling.
Guilt.
Pain.
Revenge.
The words that rushed to his mind as he thought of the day he wished he could forget. Donald sighed, pushing the memory of that day farther down his mind.
He zipped up his suitcase and ran his hand through his hair. He wasn't sure how his brother would react. His brother never handled surprises well. "It runs in the family" Ressler thought to himself. He had plenty of time to ponder over his dilemma during his flight.
After all, the flight to Sydney was one of the longest in the world.