I'm finally back. Hope this chapter is subpar at least
Red had awoken some time later to discover he was bound to a chair, wrists feeling as though they were paralyzed. The burlap sack used to cover his head tossed to the side. His eyes adjust to notice a shadowed figure approaching. Dim light contrasting his face. It was the head of the Alumni. A menacing smile splayed across his face. He motions to one of the lackeys, giving him orders in Syrian.
"What do you want?!"
Red barked. With each passing second growing more anxious. Chances were with their overwhelming involvement in monitoring American affairs, this organized cancer knew English. It was now, unfortunately a matter of time until there was some kind of outcome to be made. Even more unfavorably was the ex-criminal's condition was too fragile to take matters into his own hands. The man chuckles coarsely.
"You've been a hard man to track, Mr. Reddington"
This was spoken in such a heavy Middle Eastern inflection it was almost impossible to decipher. It couldn't end like this. He had a daughter to think about. He wanted to see her be born, to hold her. He hangs his head, there was nothing that could be done. Even if he had the means, he was grossly outnumbered.
"I prefer to keep it that way"
He choked. His throat feeling as dry as the Sahara. Feeling his child move ever so slightly. Feeling as though he were on the verge of both a physical and mental breakdown at any moment. Once again the head shouts an order, this time freeing Raymond from his ties. Oddly enough this only exacerbated his worry. His kept low and eyes shut. He was about to speak when the sweetest sound graced his ears. A fleet of counter-terrorism insurgency. Cooper must have homed his location, thank God.
"Go, go, go!"
Within the blink of an eye he was in the midst of a bullet storm. Feeling the sudden pressure of an insurgent's gloved hand grasp his arm and lead him to safety. He was alive, but, was this really the end of the Alumni? He turns to thank the special operative, before arranging to be taken back to his residence. That was just a little too much excitement for him to handle. But his biggest concern was pacified, his daughter was now safe.
Before actually heading home, however. He requests Dembe make a brief stop outside the CIA headquarters. Slipping the chauffeur a sizeable tip and exiting the vehicle.
"Keep it runnin'"
With that he makes his way towards the building. The pace, naturally, not as swift. Per usual he shrouds his stomach from the others. Namely Ressler, making a straight shot for the main office. Thankfully no one approached him beforehand. This was particularly surprising considering he looked fairly battered. Cooper suddenly raises his head, shifting his focus from the files to the man in his doorway.
"Raymond!"
He gives a half smile. Meanwhile Red turns to shut the door behind him.
"And what do I owe the pleasure?..lookin' a little rough, everything alright?"
Red couldn't help but chuckle at this. If only he really had a birds-eye view of what transpired nearly an hour earlier.
"It's fine. I just came to tell you thank you for breaking up the Alumni 'an saving my daughter and I"
Cooper suddenly appears quite confounded and clears his throat.
"Well, ugh, you're welcome, Raymond. And as much as I'd like to take the credit. Sadly, It wasn't me behind it"
