Elizabeth walked down the hall looking back twice, and each time the guard waved at her from outside the cell. Once Elizabeth entered the office, the Constant turned and glared at Reddington, "What is she talking to you about?"
Red withered under the guard's glare, knowing that when Elizabeth left he would feel the full wrath of the Constant for any disobedience. Maybe, just maybe, he hoped if he cooperated fully, they would let me rest and give him the food they promised. The drugs the doctor gave him made him feel relaxed enough to sleep. "She is asking about Veor. But I already told you everything."
"Are you sure there is nothing you forgot to tell me?"
"No sir." Red answered shaking again, his fingers tapping against his thigh. "I swear there is nothing else I know about him. I have not talked to him in over two decades. I already told you I thought the best way to contact him was through Shen. Veor used to help him with the opiate trade, that was how he ended up in that Chinese village."
"Did you tell Agent Keen that?"
"No. You told me not to tell anyone."
"IF you are lying I will know. And you will be severely punished. Worse than I have done to you yet."
"I swear." Red replied, his chest tightening in fear of the retribution he would receive if he had forgotten to tell the Constant anything he told Lizzie.
"If I find out." The Constant warned one more time before stepping out of the cell.
=============X================
Back in his office Elizabeth was speaking with Harold Cooper again. "Agent Keen" She said answering the phone that was on hold.
"Elizabeth, I have the Attorney General here with me and Director Hopewell (the director of Clandestine Services) here with me. They would be willing to allow Reddington to leave the prison, in custody of a guard, if he is able to provide any information that can help us find Veor or someone who will help us find Veor. It would only become a permeant deal if any information he provides us leads us to Veor and helps us prevent any future attacks."
Elizabeth sighed quietly to herself because she knew this was the best deal Red could get right now, "He has not talked to the guy in decades. He helped create a new identity for Veor. That is all he has me so far."
"Do you think he is holding back information?" A male voice that Elizabeth assumed was Director Hopewell asked.
"No. He has been very forthcoming. He told me he had told one of the guards all of this information before."
"We told you already that we had questioned him about Veor amongst the other questions we have been asking him. He was not very forthcoming."
Elizabeth wanted to snap that maybe it was their methods but she knew she had to remain emotionally detached or else they would remover her from this case. "He has answered every question I asked him eagerly."
"Can you take the deal back to Reddington?" Cooper asked noting the anger in Elizabeth's voice.
"I can. But I do not know how much help he will be. I only got him to start talking to me after I convinced him I was real, and the guards left us. He is terrified of the guards here."
"That is why we want one with him." Director Hopewell spoke into the phone, "Douglass, the officer in charge, has already built a rapport with Reddington."
"A rapport. He has beaten and starved him to near death. Reddington has a full blown panic attack when the cell door opened."
"Agent Keen you would do well to remember that Reddington is an enemy to our nation. He is a criminal. Who has bought and sold sensitive information to our enemies around the world. He went so far as to murder an Attorney General, throw my predecessor out of a plane, conspire with the organization you all called the cabal, and the blackmail a presidential candidate. I know at one time he had this task force wrapped around his pinky, and I would be derelict of my duty to allow him that power again. If we are not cautious, it would take years again to get the rapport built back up, once he is returned to his cell where he belongs."
"I thought he would be freed if his information led to us stopping the attacks." Elizabeth asked pointing out that Director Hopewell just nullified his previous statements.
The Attorney General spoke, or at least Elizabeth assumed by the female voice, "Yes he would be. But we are not confident that will occur. Reddington is willing to say whatever to allow himself a chance to get out of that prison, and give his people a chance to free him or at the very least receive a break his interrogations."
"You mean torture. When you speak of interrogations, and terrified when you speak of rapport." Elizabeth knew she should not have spoken that sentence but she let her anger get the best of her. She hated the double speak utilized by people to prevent themselves from thinking of the harm they were doing to a real human being. By using the euphemisms and calling him prisoner they were able to think of him as less than human, and it made the horrors they inflicted easier.
"Maybe Agent Keen should take a leave while we work this case." Director Hopewell spoke to Harold Cooper, "It seems she is too emotionally attached to Reddington."
"He previously would only speak to her. I am confident that he will speak more freely with less need for extreme measures with her around." Cooper said covering for his Agent. "She is an asset. Her emotional connection, I assure you, is just due to her dislike for torture."
"If I am not mistaken she spent a lot of time around Reddington while on the run for killing the previous Attorney General."
"She was pardoned for her actions by the president, and cleared of all wrong doings." Harold reminded them, "This works best and quickly with Agent Keen handling Reddington."
"Fine." Director Hopewell said, "But Douglass goes wherever she goes. She can handle Reddington, but Douglass stays with them at all times. We cannot jeopardize the rapport."
Elizabeth felt sick to her stomach.
"Of course we will need a few days to get the paperwork together. I am under the assumption Reddington will want to see it all in writing." The Attorney General spoke to the group.
"Is there no way you can move faster. We know there will be multiple coordinated attacks in the US, Canada, and Japan in the near future." Elizabeth said, "If we can question Veor or anyone involved before than we may be able to prevent thousands of deaths."
"We will do our best." The Attorney General said after looking at Director Hopewell for confirmation.
"I am sure the Attorney General can have something written by this evening." Director Hopewell said, clearly showing everyone he was the man in charge in this situation.
"Great I can continue to talk to Reddington about what he knows until then." Elizabeth said.
"Unfortunately, I think you will need to let Mr. Reddington see the doctor before he leaves. To treat him for any medical conditions he may have." Director Hopewell said, "She will need to clear him to be able to fly. Especially if he is in such a state that he has a panic attack when his cell door is open. I can only imagine what going into the outside world might do to him."
Elizabeth wanted to kill the man as he spoke those words, but she had only one move left, "I would think getting any additional information from Reddington would be more helpful than assuring he is healthy enough to fly. I assume he walked to the chair they chained him too on his own accord. He can walk onto a plane just as easily, and we can have a medical doctor check him while we fly."
"I would rather know of any possible complications before the arise. I think it is more humane for the prisoner if we can anticipate his physical and emotional needs." Director Hopewell said knowing exactly what Agent Keen was trying to do. He made a mental note to warn Douglass to keep an eye on her because he did not trust Agent Keen. He also needed to research her weaknesses, just in case he needed to exploit one.
"I cannot disagree to that." Lizzie said fuming at the idea this man had the balls to discuss humane treatment after the hell he had likely had a hand in putting Red through.
"Then it is settled. We will be in contact. I can have Douglass show you up to the guards quarters so you can get some food and rest while we prepare the prisoner for transfer. Once the paperwork is done you will of course be needed to introduce it to Reddington."
As if on command the lead guard, Elizabeth deduced was Douglass, appeared at the door to his office. "If you are ready I would be happy to take you up the guard quarters. WE have an empty room you could utilize for your own use until later. I have to ask that you remain upstairs though."
"I need to speak with Reddington before I go upstairs."
"Unfortunately, Reddington fell asleep while you were on the phone. I think it best we let him rest, he has had a big day so far. The doctor is on her way to him now, and she assures me that her initial examination will not wake him. You will have a chance to speak to him later when the papers arrive."
"I guess than lead the way." She said hoping that they would go by Reddington's cell one more time so she could see him. But when they walked past the outer door was closed. The cell had two doors to ensure that when the prisoner was in a dark phase, no ambient light could come through. The outer door prevented ambient light, and the inner door served as the sound proof door.
Once upstairs, Douglass gave Elizabeth a tour starting with the kitchen that was well stocked and she was told she was welcome to any of the food in there.
"Who cooks the prisoner's food?"
"We rotate." Douglass answered providing little else information wise.
He continued the tour showing her to the rec room that had a pool table, television, a bookcase, and air hockey table. "Not much but it is where the officers go to unwind at the end of shift." At the end of the hallway he showed her the gym. It included a basketball rim hung on the wall with enough space to play half-court basketball, a treadmill, and weights. "If you prefer exercise to unwind." He ended the tour at the empty room, "We are not at full capacity so we do not have a full staff. Every room has its own bathroom, tv and bed. You will not get service with your cellphone, as we are in a dead zone. If you need anything there is usually someone around or feel free to use the radio in the rec room to call for me, I am Douglass by the way."
"Thank you Douglass." Lizzie said looking around the room. It was not much but it was only going to be a short trip. By nightfall she would have Reddington on a plane away from wherever they were. She kept telling herself that as she felt her anxiety rise with each passing moment that Douglass was not in her sight. God only knows what he was doing to Reddington, it sure was not a physical to ensure he would be able to handle the trip. They had already lied to her about Reddington twice now and likely more since she had entered this godforsaken place. She would feel better when she knew Red was safe with her.