Maya got into Liz's office and closed the door, "I got an adress."
Liz asked her, "How?"
Maya sat on edge of the desk and whispered, "Naomi's and her husband's phones are dead. I checked their previous call records to get the most dialled numbers and see if any of those got calls from new numbers. One number was for a single female called Monica Lions. It had six calls from new number today, all unanswered . All calls came from a pay phone in a gas station. The area there has very few houses. I checked them all and could identify your target."
She then gave Liz a small paper which Liz checked then looked at her, "You want to come? I don't want to use the force cars."
Maya got confused, so Liz encouraged her, "Don't you want to meet Mrs. Reddington?"
Maya replied slowly, "That would drive him mad, Liz."
Liz shrugged, "We're doing our job. She met Berlin. She knows how he looks, where he kept her. We need information she has."
Maya looked at her hesitated, so Liz moved towards the door, "You don't want me to take Ressler, do you?"
Maya sighed then got out following her to the garage, praying Red wouldn't be there.
############
At the safe house Red keeping Naomi in, she sat with Liz and Maya. Liz was burning to get all information she needs, while Maya was scanning her curious about Mrs. Reddington.
She was listening to her, "It's manipulation. He makes you feel there's a connection. He makes you feel like you matter to him someway or another. And there's no one on the earth that can make a woman feel she's the centre of the universe more than Raymond Reddington."
Maya swallowed hardly and felt these words were really directed to her not to Liz. Before Naomi goes on, Red entered the house and said, "Well look at you all. I should have brought a bottle of Chardonnay."
They raised there heads towards him. He looked at Maya giving her a look that froze her blood and she could tell how angry he is. He looked at Naomi, "I had your papers, Dembe is outside and he needs your signature on some of the documents. Frank is packing the car."
She got up and walked by him to go out. He looked at Liz and Maya, "I hope you got what you came for." He left with no more words.
Liz looked at Maya who sighed and walked to the window to watch him standing out there with Naomi. He was holding her hand with his both hands. Liz was watching Maya too, especially when she saw tears in her eyes as Red moved a tress of Naomi's hair away from her face, then held her face with his both hands to kiss her forehead passionately. Liz rested her hand on Maya's shoulder. Maya looked at her sadly then went out with her heading to her car. Naomi's car was already going away, when Liz stopped to talk to Red. Maya didn't join them, but walked to her car and sat in the passenger seat. Few seconds later, Liz caught her wondering, "You're not driving?!"
Maya looked out of the window towards Red, "You drive."
Liz stared at her, then started the engine and drove away.
On their way back to the office, Maya didn't say a word, so Liz asked worried, "Are you okay, Maya?"
Maya nodded, "Yes."
Liz sighed, "What's going on with you and Reddington, Maya?"
Maya didn't respond, so Liz spoke again, "He's manipulating you, Maya. You heard his wife. And you know this is his way. You think about it, first me then you and now Navabi..."
Maya cut her off looking at her astonished, "What about Navabi?"
Liz replied, "Come on, you know he planted her inside the force. He must have his own reasons. He wanted her in to get something."
Maya wondered with low voice, "You think she works for him? You think they have some kind of relationship?"
Liz stared at her, "I don't know yet, but you need to have more control on your emotions towards him,Maya"
Maya said with husky voice, "I don't want to talk about it, Lizzie."
Liz looked at her amazed, then asked slowly, "How far are you involved with him?"
Maya looked at her nervously, "Far enough."
Liz scanned her face, "I don't want him to hurt you, Maya. You know I care about you."
Maya looked back to the road, "It's a little late, Liz."
###########
For two weeks she couldn't reach him. She tried to call Dembe but he's never answered. She even called him from different numbers, but she had the same result. He hasn't brought them any cases lately. Eventually, he called Liz bringing a new blacklister. He just used the phone, never let Liz meet him. It was like he's avoiding her or...punishing her. She was getting mad herself. It was late in the evening when she leaved the office with Aram still there working on collecting information about the case. After she drove away from work, she remembered she's forgotten her phone back there. She had to turn around and go back to work. As she stepped in, she saw Red talking to her colleague. It seemed he was going to leave, as he was putting his fedora on his head. He stopped when he saw her and lowered his arms, "Agent Adam?"
She nodded and replied with shaking tone, "Mr. Reddington, good evening. It's been a long time."
He smiled and did answer so she asked, "I wonder why you are here. Agent Keen isn't here, nor Agent Navabi"
He raised an eye brow with anger in his eyes. Aram looked at them feeling tension in the air so he asked, "Why are you back Maya? Something wrong?"
She looked at him, then back at Red, "I only forgot my phone, so I came back. I bid Mr. Reddington didn't think about that."
Red grinned, "You're getting expert in provoking me dear."
She ignored him and went to her desk to get her phone. He watched her as she walked by him towards the elevator then, "Good night, Reddington."
############
Next afternoon, Liz rushed to Maya's desk, "I need your car."
Maya wondered handing her the keys, "What's wrong?"
Liz answered as she was running out, "One of the plague carriers is leaving from Dalas Airport. Ressler and Navabi have gone to stop another one."
Maya followed her, "Then you might need my help."
Liz stared at her as the elevator was going down to the garage, "Maya, you're not a field agent."
Maya shrugged, "I know some self defence and I know how to use a gun. You need back up, Liz."
Liz drove to the airport. There, she called Aram, "Aram, we're there, you've got visual?"
He answered, "I'm searching."
They looked around searching for their target, then Liz suggested, "We have to split. I'll go this direction." Maya nodded and ran to the other direction.
Aram informed them in their ear pieces about his place which was closer to Maya's.
Maya looked around her till she got him, "I see him." She ran to get him. He saw her and ran away. She chased him till he fell down to the ground. She jumped and got him. He tried to get rid of her, hardly got up while she was restraining him. He pushed her to a side door, but she never left him. They both fell to the ground again with him above her. He got a mask with pump out of his pocket and pressed it against her nose and mouth. She screamed and moved her face away. It was his chance to get rid of her grip and get up taking her gun from her belt. She stared at him panicked as he pointed her gun to her. At the moment he shoot her, Liz was few metres away shooting him in head. He fell and Maya moved rapidly to close the door before Liz gets in. Liz ran to the door, "Maya, open that door, you're going to bleed out."
Maya smiled in pain, "It's too late Lizzie. I'm already infected. If you come in, you will get infected too."
Liz cried. "You're not infectious yet. I still have few hours."
Maya rested her back to the door to prevent Liz from opening it, "Lizzie, please don't. I've made him mad enough. He would never forgive me, if I caused you any harm."
Liz yelled at her, "Forget about Reddington now. We need to stop your bleeding."
Maya tried to take off her jacket slowly and pressed it against the hole in her abdomen. She moaned in pain with the pressure then she smiled sadly, "He's not here this time to save me."
Liz shook her head, "You're going to be okay Maya, you understand?"
Maya nodded in pain, "Lizzie, listen, I need you to tell him I'm sorry. I've never meant or wanted to make him angry." Her tears began to run, " Tell him I love him more than anyone I've ever met."
Liz pressed his number on the phone, "You tell him."
She listened to the ring then yelled, "Dembe, where's Red? ... Red, I need your help... Maya got infected. Less than an hour ago. I don't know, Red. Aram is working on it. He and Maya couldn't find him, it's like the guy is off the grid. Red, we have no time. We're losing her. She's got shot in her abdomen and she's bleeding. Okay, good luck."
She finished her call and talked to Maya, "Don't worry, Adam, he's going to save you."
###########
By night, Reddington was sitting in the hospital next to Maya's bed. She was asleep and connected to monitor and venous line. He held her hand gently and pressed a kiss against her fingers. Liz got in to watch him. She stood still amazed. He's still wearing the same clothes from the morning. She approached and whispered, "How is she?"
He looked at her, "Hello Lizzie."
She looked at her colleague, "Is it working? The vaccine you brought, will it save her?"
He nodded, "the doctors said it's. She's just still asleep. She had an operation to get the bullet out. Fortunately the bullet didn't hurt any vital organs. She's going to be okay."
Liz nodded then scanned him, "You haven't left since the afternoon? You're still wearing same suit and look so tired."
He tilted his head and didn't answer. She put her hand on his shoulder, "Red, she's fine now. You need to go home and get some sleep."
He looked at her with sad eyes, so she wondered, "You really care that much for her?!"
Red sighed and kissed Maya's hand again, so Liz said, "After she got shot and infected, she wanted me to tell you she was sorry to make you angry. She wanted you to forgive her for everything she's done that made you mad of her."
Red tucked his brows, "She said anything else?"
Liz shrugged, "You can ask her when she's up."
He smiled, "Are you jealous, Lizzie?!"
Before she replies, they heard Maya moaning. Red rushed to her. She opened her eyes slowly to meet his gaze, "Raymond, is that really you?"
He grinned to her, "Hey, my angel? How are you?"
She whispered, "Your angel?"
Liz approached, "How do you feel, Maya?"
She answered, "Very sleepy."
Liz nodded, "I think I'll take Red and let you have some sleep. You deserve it, as well as he does. See you tomorrow, my dear friend."
Maya smiled weakly, "See you."
Red kissed her cheek, "Good night, sweetie. Call me if you need anything."
She held his hand, "You will answer me this time, or ignore me, like the past two weeks?"
He raised an eye brow, "I can never ignore you Maya, you're my angel. I was away, but I kept eyes on you."
Her eyes got filled with tears, "I felt so scared."
He tilted his head, "I told you my dear, I'll always take care of you."
He turned to look at Liz, "I'll talk care of both of you."
###########
