Author's Note: This is my first ever fanfiction. I'm currently working on Chapter 9 but decided to rewrite a little and touch up the first few chapters. My writing has improved (at least to me) immensely the last 4 or 5 chapters and I wanted the first few to be better. Thanks for your support everyone.
Disclaimer: I don't anything that has to do with The Blacklist. I'm just having fun with the characters.
Elizabeth Keen was tired. So tired that she fell asleep at her desk at the Post Office and didn't hear her phone ring the first two times. The third time it rang, she startled awake at the sound and saw that it was Tom calling.
She mumbled to herself as she tried to clear her sleep fogged brain, "Oh, No I forgot about the Ultrasound."
"Tom, I'm so sor.."
Tom cut her off sounding panicked, "Lizzy, April is gone."
April, the young woman who was going to give up her baby so that they could start a family.
Liz was confused, "What? Tom how.."
Again he cut her off, "I don't know what happened Lizzy, all I know is that I went to the Doctor's office to meet her there for the ultrasound and she didn't show up. So I tried calling her cell phone, and there was no answer. So then I called her Mom, and she told me that April had left for her appointment over an hour ago, and that if she wasn't there then she has no idea where she is."
Liz honestly didn't know how to feel about the news. On one hand she would be devastated if April backed out of their arrangement, but on the other hand she would be somewhat relieved. Ever since Tom had been arrested and accused of murder, their relationship has been strained to say the least. She still didn't know if she could trust him, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to bring a baby into that kind of situation.
Especially since she worked with Raymond Reddington. It seemed like dangerous criminals found them with ease now that Red was around.
Her fear for April won out though. So she tried her best to placate Tom.
"Listen to me, I'm going to try and call her myself. If she doesn't answer, I'll go check some places around her neighborhood that she likes to go to. I'll let you know as soon as I find out any information."
Tom didn't answer.
"Tom, are you there?" She was getting annoyed with him.
Finally answering, but sounding distant, he said, "Ok Lizzy, but hurry and let me know the minute you find anything out."
She rolled her eyes. It annoyed her to no end when he tried to order her around. She got enough of that at work and from Red.
Trying not to let her annoyance come through in her voice, but failing somewhat she said, "Ok, Tom, I will."
She hung up her phone and immediately dialed April's cell phone. It rang five or six times then went to voicemail. Dammit.
Frustrated, she picked up her purse and walked out of her office, running into Ressler.
"Where are you going Keen?" He had that smirk on his face that she loathed so much and wanted to smack it off of his face, but instead she half smiled, "I'm going home to my husband, what's it to you?"
He could tell something was wrong though and the smirk dropped from his face. "Is everything Ok, Liz?
Tears welled up in her eyes, and she wiped them away in annoyance. "I'm alright, just some trouble at home." She didn't want to tell him about April. It was too personal.
He looked sympathetic, but there was nothing he could do. He didn't know her well enough yet to do anything but offer her hollow comfort. "I'm sorry to hear that, let me know if I can do anything to help, Ok?"
She offered a small smile in thanks and said, "Thanks Ressler, I will. I have to go though."
He patted her shoulder, smiled and walked away.
She didn't understand him. Sometimes he was really nice and sweet to her, and other times he's turning her in to her superiors for mistakes that she had made.
Her phone rang again and she saw that it said "Nick's Pizza," she grimaced, she was most likely going to have to ask Reddington for help finding April. She decided to wait though and ignored his call for the moment.
Getting into her car she drove all through April's neighborhood. Not seeing anything suspicious or out of place. The last place she came to was a park that was mainly used for drug dealing and other nefarious activities.
She saw a group of young adults all wearing blue T-shirts and handing out fliers. She decided to get out and ask if they had possibly seen April anywhere.
It was worth a shot.
She parked her SUV and walked up to the closest young man. He was dressed nicely in tan slacks and dress shoes, and as she got closer she could see that their T-shirts all said "United under Him".
She could see tattoos peeking out over his collar and holes in his ears from earrings that were no longer there. She thought the phrase was kind of odd, but figured that they belonged to some kind of church or religious organization.
He smiled, held out a flyer, and said "Hi, would you like to attend one of our seminars about finding yourself through self-help and group support?"
She took the flyer and said, "I'm actually looking for someone." His eyes suddenly became nervous. She wondered why.
"She's around 17, with blonde hair, blue eyes and very pregnant."
He still looked really nervous and said, "Yeah...I think so..she..uh..she joined our group last night and left for Colorado about an hour ago. She said she was looking to get away from her abusive boyfriend and needed a fresh start. We don't deny anyone who asks for help." He smiled proudly.
She was shocked because she knew April didn't have a boyfriend, let alone an abusive one.
So she said the next logical thing that came to her mind, "What's in Colorado?"
His smile faltered and he looked a little nervous. "It's where all of the group lives together and learns to become self-reliant and it's also far enough away that it makes it harder for people to find them if they don't want to be found."
She was skeptical, "So you're telling me that she just up and left everyone that loves and cares about her for a cult?"
His eyes narrowed, "We're not a cult, we're just a group of people who've overcome a lot and want to share it with everyone who is willing to learn. Our Leader, Jack O'Sullivan is a wonderful man who has helped many young and old people find themselves again and to help them live their lives to the fullest." She could tell he believed in what he was saying.
Liz decided right then that she needed to somehow get into this group.
"Where can I meet this "Jack O'Sullivan? She said. "
He smiled, "Are you interested in joining our group?"
She needed to sell her interest convincingly, so she smile and said, "I might be, my husband and I are looking for a change. Can I take a flyer and get back to you about joining? You do accept married couples right?" She hoped she sounded interested enough.
His smile was the biggest yet, "Of course we do! We accept anyone and everyone who is looking to make a change in their lives. Our seminar about the group and the requirements to join is later tonight at 8 at the Marriott on 12th street. I really hope to see you there."
He started moving away, but she still needed to ask him about April. "Hey, will I see my friend at the place in Colorado if I decide to join?"
He hesitated, narrowing his eyes slightly and said, "You might." He walked away without a backward glance.
She was intrigued, but extremely worried now about April and what she had gotten herself into. She pulled out her phone and called the one person who might have heard about Jack O'Sullivan.
"Lizzy, to what do I owe the pleasure of your call?"
She rolled her eyes and said the one thing she hated asking him because he knew how much it cost her to ask. "Red, I need your help."
Even though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he was smirking as his deep voice came through, "Ah Lizzy, music to my ears. What can I help you with?"
She sighed, "Have you ever heard of anyone named Jack O'Sullivan?"
There was silence on the other end.
"Red?" More silence.
"Hello?" She heard him clear his throat and said, "Yes, I've heard of him, he's a man who is not to be messed with. In fact he's number twelve on my list. He's known for luring people into traps and killing them."
"Shit."
She heard rustling on his side, it sounded as though he was reading the paper, which he probably was actually doing, "Lizzie, what's happened?"
She really didn't want to get into her personal life, but she didn't think anyone else could help her like Reddington could.
"You know Tom and I were going to adopt a baby from a young woman", there was impatient huff of annoyance from him, "Of course you do, anyway, she went missing today. I found a group of young people who said that she joined their group and was on her way to Colorado with them. I asked who their leader was and they told me his name was Jack O'Sullivan."
"Lizzy, what would you have me do? She's as good as dead if it's the same Jack O'Sullivan I know." She was angry now, "Red, I need you to be able to identify him when I go in as a recruit and find her."
Again there was silence on the other end and then he started speaking. "If you think I'm going to let you go in there alone and without backup you are sorely mistaken." His voice was deadly.
She was still pissed and said, "Well, what the hell would you have me to then?! Just let her die? That's not an option Reddington."
She heard his dry chuckle and her level of annoyance with him shot up two-fold. "Oh Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy..of course not, I'll simply accompany you as your husband and we can go in together."
She did NOT want to do that. "Red, you said you know him, so wouldn't he recognize you right away?"
Again with the little huff of laughter. I only said I know OF him, I've never met him in person so he would never recognize me."
She wanted to argue, but she honestly didn't have a better idea. It would be safer for her if he went in with her anyway.
"Fine" she said.
She could practically see his smirk on the other side as he said, "But no FBI backup on this one, we go in alone. If he suspects anything is amiss he'll kill a lot of innocent people without a second thought." She started to interrupt him, "Red...", but he cut her off.
"No Lizzy, there is no negotiation on this. If I do this, we go in alone. I'll protect you."
She snorted, he was so damn arrogant. "Fine, but I need to clear it with the FBI first and put together a game plan. They're not going to like that we're going in alone, but I'll try to convince them how dangerous he is." She continued, "There's a seminar about the group tonight at 8 at the Marriott on 12th, will you meet me there?"
She could still hear paper rustling on the other side as he said, "Of course, Sweetheart. I'll see you then."
Already annoyed with him she said, "Don't call me sweetheart."
A bark of laughter came through and she gritted her teeth. "Oh Lizzy, just practicing for later."
She rolled her eyes and hung up the phone. Now to go convince her superiors that this was a good plan.