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Disclaimer: Jon Bokenkamp & NBC; all rights reserved . This fanfic is a work of fiction. It details my own imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locations is entirely coincidental.

HIDEAWAY

Chapter 1

They rode the rest of the way in an uncomfortable silence. Red drove through town, continuing on the path of the main street but eventually leaving the city limits. A few miles out of downtown Washington, he slowed the car down and turned off onto a side road. Elisabeth did not recognize the narrow road. She'd definitely never been to this part of town, 'Are we almost there?'

'Almost.'

'How much farther?' She looked out the window but nothing looked familiar, 'Where the are we going, Red?'

'Just a few more minutes.'

Before she had a chance to question him further, Red pulled the car off the road and parked beneath some trees. Shutting off the engine, he pocketed the keys. He turned to face her. She'd never seen that look on his face before. It was as though he was fighting everything within him to keep from regretting what he was about to say. Or do. Her heart hammered in her chest. Would leaving town with Tom have been a better idea?

'Do you trust me, Lizzie?'

The question caught her by surprise. What could she say? She wasn't even sure of the true answer. She wanted to trust Red. Desperately…But she just wasn't sure yet.

'I…I think I do.'

There, that was as honest as she was going to be for now. Red muttered something under his breath. He opened the car door and got out, slamming the door closed behind him. He came around to her side, opened her door and took her hand, staring hard at her, 'It's time to lay low for a while, Lizzie!'

She nodded and followed Red. He strode to the back door of what looked like an old bar and rang the bell. Lizzie heard somebody moving inside and soon the door opened.

Lizzie looked up at a friendly looking bearded man. He gave her and Red a quick nod. The scent of stale beer lingered in the air as Lizzie stepped inside, avoiding a row of liquor boxes. Red's attention though was drawn to the first person he saw. He pulled his gun and raised it, pointing it to the woman in front of him, 'Who's this?'

'My sister Tiffany,' the bearded man hurried to say.

'Tiffany lives in Denver!'

'I did until a month ago,' the woman replied.

'Her husband died. She needed to get out. Red…you know me!'

Red lowered his gun, took off his police hat and stepped forward, taking the woman's hand into his own, 'I am sorry for your loss, Tiffany!' Lizzie could almost hear the sigh of relief the bartender took but Red was already walking to a small hallway. Beneath what looked like a sink, was a secretly hidden hatch. Red opened it and pushed the light switch before they descended down the stairs into the basement, 'What is this place?' Lizzie breathed.

'For the time being this is our hideaway!' Red hurried to say.

'How long do we need to stay here?' Lizzie nervously asked.

'As long as we need to,' Red smiled. 'Lighten up Lizzie. At least we have some time to think about our next step and I finally get some time to catch up on some back issues of Bass master!'

Lizzie glanced around: it was a very small room with just one bed, a small table with two wooden chairs and some storage shelves packed with food and wine. Red grabbed a bottle of Red wine and nodded approvingly.

Update now to our top story, even as authorities allege Agent Keen committed these acts of terror on behalf of Russia; various papers are reporting that Russia is not responsible. Now according to leaked documents, one of the alleged leaders of this organization is the CIA's Director…

Lizzie averted her eyes from the small black and white screen and looked up at Reddington, 'You released the contents of the Fulcrum to the press?'

It was more a statement rather than a question and Red slowly nodded.

just moments ago came forward to address these reports. Good afternoon. My name is Peter Kotsiopoulous, and I am the CIA's Director of National Clandestine Services. In the 65 years since this division has been created, the director's identity has never been revealed during his tenure. But today, the president has agreed to let me speak openly to you so that I may address the irresponsible accusations that not only seek to defame me, but are harmful to our national security.

Lizzie turned to Reddington, her eyes accusing, 'Did you expect him to just come forward?'

part of a conspiracy are preposterous.

She walked past him and Red hunched his shoulders, 'I wasn't sure what to expect.'

They are based upon information provided by Raymond Reddington, a traitor to our country and a fugitive who is helping ex FBI Special Agent Elisabeth Keen avoid arrest. The daughter of a notorious KGB-spy, Keen is a wanted terrorist. My accusers are criminals, the subject of one of the largest manhunts ever conducted. Who are you going to believe, is telling the truth?

Lizzie sighed and sat down on the bed, 'If I didn't know any better, I'd believe him.'

'But you do know better,' Red said slowly.

Lizzie shook her head, 'they're gonna believe I am a Russian spy. My mother was a Russian spy. It doesn't matter that I never knew her. It's the perfect story. I am the perfect patsy.'

'We have to be patient,' Red tried to soothe her.

'Patient?' Liz huffed. Do you have any idea the kind of resources they're throwing at us now; the manpower? This city…'

This city is impossible to get out of now,' Red interrupted her calmly. We have no chance of crossing the perimeter they've established. But Washington DC cannot sustain a siege. The economy, the government, one week, two at the most, and the city will be back to normal. That's when we travel. 'Red nodded very confident with himself.

'People will go on believing I'm a terrorist,' Lizzie said sadly. Red unnoticeably sighed; Lizzie was so stricken with guilt and she looked at him with such concern in her eyes. All he wanted to do was comfort her but how could she let him? And yet, how could she not? These past few hours, when she'd looked at him with such sadness in her eyes had almost been unbearable. It was in these moments, Red had promised himself, he would keep her safe and unharmed…always!

Liz was sitting at the table, eyeing her glass of wine while Red was lying on the bed, looking comfortable and relaxed. Lizzie took a breath but the air hitched in her throat, than she heard Red's calm voice…

'This reminds me of Sok Pich. We were navigating the backwaters in western Cambodia hoping to steal some sapphires from a mine foreman. Got as far as Pailin when the Monsoon struck; Took shelter in a root cellar of all places. Lizzie glanced at Red, slightly annoyed he was telling one of his stories as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn't shot Tom Connolly and they were on the run for maybe the rest of their lives.

'I have never seen so much rain', Red breathed and he looked as if he could picture the scene in his head.

'Wind like a monarch gone mad. All we could do was bunker down and wait it out. But Sok…he just made a run for the village so there I was…soaking wet…alone. Three days of absolute misery. And then on the fourth day, I was overcome by this incredible feeling of…peace! Something about being hidden there underground while the rest of the world was being torn apart outside'.

Lizzie turned around in her chair, 'This doesn't making me feel any better.'

'You have every right to be afraid, 'Red said soothingly. '…Just don't let it control you! Poor Sok learned that the hard way.'

'What happened to him?' Lizzie asked, almost immediately angered with herself for even asking.

'He died,' Red said wryly while sitting upright, 'Didn't get six steps before the wind blew a blade of lemongrass into his skull. You're in a storm Lizzy! You need to find peace beneath the winds.'

Above their heads, a door was smashed shut and Lizzie jumped slightly, startled by the sudden noise. Red pulled his gun from his holster and pointed it at the hatch. He climbed upstairs and found Kyle and Tiffany arguing fiercely.

'Do you know who that woman is? She's a terrorist!'

'…Tiff, listen! If you say a word…if you so much as whisper this to hi–'

'What have you done?' Red walked into the bar glaring at Tiffany. He cocked his gun, aiming it at her, while he grabbed Kyle's gun.

'Red, I…I can control this,' Kyle tried soothingly.

Red ignored him and gestured at Tiffany, 'Your phone!'

She threw the phone on a table and Red immediately pushed the digit for the last chosen phone number…

You've reached the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Major Case Contact Center.

Red broke the connection, 'What did you tell them?'

Fury reddened Tiffany's cheeks and her eyes spat fire. She stared at Red with tightly compressed lips before she burst out, 'You can go screw yourself, pal, okay? My husband was a soldier. He died fighting for his country, trying to protect us from people like her!' She pointed at Lizzie who had just entered the bar.

Kyle clenched his jaw, 'Tiff shut the hell up!'

Red turned to Lizzie and saw how she stiffened at the harsh words coming from Tiffany. Red looked at Kyle, before quickly shifting his gaze back to Tiffany, his eyes burning with a fierce determination. 'Within seconds, agents are gonna breach this building. They're gonna want to speak to you because you called in the tip. Get rid of them, or your brother dies!'

Red pointed the gun at Kyle and nodded at Lizzie. 'Downstairs'

Tiffany swallowed hard but looking out of the window, she saw police cars and black vehicles pull up. Within seconds the front door to the bar opened and several men stormed inside.

'FBI! FBI! Hands! Hands! Show me your hands!'

Tiffany swallowed hard and looked into the cold eyes of a red-haired FBI agent.

'Raymond Reddington and Elisabeth Keen. You need to tell me where they are right now!'

Kyle, Red and Lizzie descended down into the basement but Lizzie could hear the fear in Tiffany's voice when she blurted out, 'Fugitives? The one…the one's on TV?'

Ressler confronted the woman, 'Tiffany Lepman…right?'

'Yeah. You think they're here?'

'We got an anonymous tip from your phone saying they were here!'

'I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't called anyone,' Tiffany hurried to say.

'Harboring a fugitive is a felony. You lie to me again, you're going to jail. Where are they?'

'I don't know,' Tiffany slowly said.

Second floor clear…One of the FBI men yelled.

'Look, if I know something, I'd say,' Tiffany tried, '…I'm not gonna lie to the FBI!'

Sire, we're all clear.' An agent reported to Ressler.

Ressler walked to the back of the bar into the small hallway, the wooden floorboards creaking under his weight. He pulled the light switch and glanced at the sink. Pushing the wooden walls, he heard loud creaking but there was no door or exit out of the hallway.

Down in the basement Lizzie held her breath while Red anxiously stared at the hatch. Ressler walked back into the bar, grabbing his cell phone, 'Aram! Tip call that came in, call her back. Double check the information!'

Ressler turned to Tiffany, 'Thank you for your time.' He was about to leave, when he heard the muffled sound of a cell phone.

Tiffany nervously started mumbling, 'Look, I told you, if I knew anything, I–…' Ressler loudly yelled, pointing at the woman, 'CUFF HER!'

Ressler hurried back into the small hallway. He turned on the faucet but no water started running. He aimed his flashlight down and gestured to an FBI agent, 'Look at the floor!' The agent grabbed the sink and shoved it out of the way, revealing the secretly hidden hatch.

'Keen, I know you're down there. Look there's two ways this ends. You come up hands raised or we come down guns raised. Your call…'

...

Ressler gave a quick nod to the nearby standing agent. The man nodded back and opened the hatch, dropping a grenade. There was a loud bang, a flash of light and Ressler and his squad quickly descended into the basement.

'Hands…hands…show me your hands…down on the floor!'

Kyle was lying dazed on the floor. Ressler stepped forward and looked down, 'Where are they?' Aiming his flashlight around, he could see a ventilation shaft and almost immediately he realized Keen and Redding had fled.

Red crawled inside the ventilation shaft with Lizzie following close behind him. It was full of dust and cobwebs and Lizzie had to pinch her nose more than once so she would not sneeze. While moving through the ventilation system, Red intently listened; Ressler and his men hadn't left the bar yet. He knew they would check the premises and its surroundings. When they were outside, Lizzie wanted to run but Red grabbed her arm, 'NO'. He pointed at the fire escape and she nodded. Without making a sound, they quickly climbed up the stairs until they had reached the bar's rooftop. Standing on the ledge, Red quickly scanned the area. He could see two identical side by side rectangular chimneys reaching up about eight feet into the sky. From where he was standing, the space between the two chimneys was not visible and it occurred to him that the unseen space between the two chimneys would be an excellent hiding place. No one would find them there…hopefully.