Red sat on the garden bench meters away from the FBI building looking towards it. A blonde girl in her late twenties approached him, carrying a brief case and put it down on the bench next to him. She scanned him for a moment, before briefing, "The case, sir. It contains all the documents you've required."
He raised his head to her and smiled playfully, "Thank you, my dear."
She sighed and asked worried, "Are you sure you really want to do that?"
He chuckled, before he gets up and give her a light kiss on her cheek, "What a question?! ... See you soon, Eloise."
She sighed again and followed him with her eyes, before turning around and moving back to her car.
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Eloise sat alone in the big couch reviewing some papers, before she hears knocking on the door of the flat. She put her hand on her small pistol in the back of her belt and approached the door slowly. She looked through the door hole, before she smiles and opens the door. The big guy gets in smiling calm, "Hello, Eloise."
She hugged him fast and kissed his cheek lightly, "Dembe, I've missed you."
He moved to an armchair and sat down gazing at the papers scattered on the couch, "I see you've been keeping yourself busy."
She sat back to the couch, "Reddington has asked me to do some research on Floriana Campo, before he..."
She couldn't complete her words as she didn't find the right words, so he said, "Before he turns himself in to the FBI?"
She nodded, so he shrugged, "He knows what he's doing."
She moved her hand through her gold tresses, "I don't know. I see that was insane of him."
He got up and moved to the kitchen to pour them some coffee, "Don't worry, Eloise. He's got a plan."
She followed him with her eyes shaking her head, "But why? And why now?"
He brought the two mugs giving her one and settled back into his chair, "You need to trust him more than that, dear."
She held her mug with her both hands seeking warmth, "I do trust him, Dembe. You need to know that. I wouldn't go that far with you guys, if I don't trust you."
He shook his head sipping his coffee, "You took too long to go with us, dear. Yet, I don't see you trust his moves completely."
Her eyes got clouded with tears, "You know I had my reasons. Losing my parents in one moment because of him wasn't a little thing."
His face hardened, "I know how it feels to lose your parents in the same moment, Eloise. But they didn't die because of him."
She nodded and got up nervously pacing around, "Yeah, they didn't die because of him. They died because of working with him. They died for him."
He sighed and opened his mouth to object, but she raised her hand to stop him, "It's okay, Dembe. You don't have to explain. I've already dropped it. And I'm loyal to our boss now."
He got up and moved to her, "I understand, Eloise. I still feel sorry for them and of course for you. I understand why you refused his help for the whole five years following their death. And I understand why you accepted it afterwards."
She looked at him and nodded, "I owe him much now, Dembe. He saved my life. I will never forget that, and will never let him down, because of that."
He smiled and patted her shoulder gently, "Never doubted it, Eloise. We trust you more than you think."
She asked confused, "Then why don't you explain to me what's going on? Why the hell did Reddington surrender to the FBI after all these years? And..."
She looked into his eyes, before sighing and sitting on the couch burying her face into her hands. He asked slowly, "And what Eloise?"
She raised her head to him and fisted her hands, "What about us, Dembe? What are we going to do now without him?"
He smiled, "He will be back, sooner than you think."
She shook her head, "I'll never understand him."
He raised an eye brow before he kisses her forehead lightly and moving to the door, "He's more simple than you see him. He's only keeping some information for himself. Sometimes knowledge puts you in risk."
She smiled and nodded, "Yes, he's Mr. Secrets. And he's the Mastermind...Where are you going?"
He looked at her seriously, "I need to keep high profile. We might have some serious changes soon, if Raymond's plan went as he thought."
She waved, "Okay, Dembe. Good luck. Keep in touch."
He left, leaving her alone between her papers, or Red's.
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Three more days have past before Eloise hears from any of them. She was having her lunch in a diner near her residence, when her phone rang. She answered to hear Dembe, "Hello, Eloise. I have good news for you."
She swallowed the food that she was still chewing, "I'm listening."
She could hear him smiling, "I'm standing few yards away from him now."
She opened her eyes widely, "From whom?"
He replied quietly, "Mr. Secrets."
She laughed, "Is he okay?"
He replied, "He is. I've joined him, with Luli with me. We're after Floriana Campo. We're going to join you soon."
She whispered, "What do you mean after her? And when did Luli come to the States?!"
He answered "It's a long story. Raymond will tell you everything when we join you tonight."
She asked amazed, "He's coming with you?! How?"
He sighed, "I told you it's a long story. I thought you might be interested to know everything is going as he planned. See you, Eli."
He hung up with her leaving her shocked.
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Late that night, Red, Dembe and Luli have joined Eloise in the safe house Red told her to head to after they've helped Liz to capture Floriana Campo and her cartel.
Eloise hugged Dembe happy, so he patted her back smiling before pulling away. She looked at Red and nodded, "Sir, welcome back. I'm glad you made it, although I don't understand how."
He chuckled, "I'll tell you everything in the morning, dear Eloise. Now I need to sleep deeply."
She smiled, but her smile faded when she saw him smiling at Luli winking , "Dear Luli, will you help me fulfilling that need, like old days?"
Luli smiled pleased, "It's a pleasure, Raymond"
He moved up the stairs wishing them good night, so Luli embraced Eloise with one arm kissing her lips fast, "Nice to meet you eventually, my friend. We're going to have a long talk in the morning."
She left them and hurried up to catch Red, leaving Eloise almost shocked of their behavior before she turns to Dembe with confused eyes. He smiled at her and shrugged, "That's Luli."
That's all for now. I hope you like it. 2nd chapter will be added in few days. Read and review, tell me what do you think about it.