Haylie quickly threw on a clean set of clothes before racing down from her apartment to the address provided. When she arrived, she found a man checking her and her teammates in.
"All electronics, please," he said as the team put everything they had into buckets.
"Do you know what's going on, Storm?" Ressler asked, assuming Reddington had clued her in.
Haylie shook her head, "Not a clue. I got the same invite as everyone else."
The team moved forward into a large safe room where Red and Liz were waiting.
"Ah, I'm glad you all decided to join," Red began as Liz moved forward to take over the meeting.
"Guys, we've been hacked somehow. The thrushes have infiltrated our systems. We have to remain extra vigilant as we move forward," she began.
"That is impossible," Aram countered, "I check our system every morning...unless…"
"Unless what?" Haylie asked, instantly thinking about the facetime call Aram had gotten from his sudden girlfriend.
"They used a rubber ducky."
"A what?" Ressler asked, completely confused along with everyone else.
"It's a usb that you can trick someone into putting into their own system giving the a way in to everything," Aram said, shaking his head.
"Aram, go over our system, discreetly," Cooper ordered, "Don't let them know we're on to them. We need to shut down our system."
"No," Liz interjected, "The thrushes may be our last chance to get my daughter and Alexander Kirk. If he thinks he knows what we're up to then he will reach out for a meeting assuming his mole can direct us elsewhere."
"It's a matter of National Security," Cooper protested before Haylie cut him off.
"Sir, Liz is right. This is our last chance. Clear it with Panabaker but we need to keep their facade going. We can feed them misinformation and lure him into a trap," Haylie replied.
Cooper sighed, "Ok, I'll clear it. Anything else?"
Liz shook her head as she left the building to go back to Tom. The team cleared out leaving Red and Haylie alone.
"Your support was just what we needed," Red said as he walked over to her slowly, placing his hand on top of hers, "I appreciate it."
"I want this to end and this seems to be the only way. I need to catch up with Liz. Call me if we have any updates," Haylie said as she leaned forward placing her lips against his cheek before disappearing.
As she walked out of the site and back down the street to her car, her cell rang.
"Agent Masters?" she answered, not knowing the number.
"Keep walking and enter the taxi at the corner," the female voice from Kirk's phone directed.
"I thought I was to meet you with Liz," she said as she did what she was told.
"Change of plans to ensure Kirk's lack of instincts regarding Masha won't get him hurt," she replied. "The cab will take you to the location where Kirk will meet Masha later. He will be waiting for you. Play nice," she said as the line ended.
Haylie knew getting into the car wasn't the safest thing she'd done recently but it may be the only way to make sure Liz got Agnes back. She walked until she got in the cab and it drove her to a large abandoned building in Manhattan.
She got out and walked in to find a dark floor with one light showing in the distance. She walked toward it and found Kirk inside hooked up to an IV and looking worse then she had imagined from his voice over the phone.
"Ah, Haylie I'm so glad you decided to cooperate," he said, "Can my people get you anything?"
"If Red survives then I will do anything you ask," she replied, "And, no I'm fine. Why did you change the plan?"
Kirk ran his hand over his chin, "I needed to be sure that Reddington wouldn't try anything foolish so I'm using your life as my guarantee. I'll be calling Masha shortly and I will let her know I have you."
"Sounds great," Haylie replied, "Let's just get on with it."
Kirk frowned at her, "Be nice or things may not go your way."
Haylie sat in the room with Kirk for an eternity until he told her it was time to go up to the roof, where Liz would meet them.
"Where's Agnes?" Haylie asked as she realized she hadn't heard the baby at all.
"She is elsewhere in the building but ready to be given to her mother when the moment is right. Are you ready?" he asked as he stood from the chair and pulled a suede jacket on.
"Sure," Haylie said as she stood. He made his way to her and stumbled causing her to reach out to stabilize him.
"Oh, look you can be nice," Kirk said as he used her arms to straighten up and let go to move forward.
"It's instinct, nothing to do with you," Haylie said as Kirk frowned once more. Kirk moved to grab her from behind holding a gun to her temple as they went outside to see Liz.
"Haylie are you ok?" Liz asked as she saw her friend in her father's grasp.
"Just cooperate and this will be over quickly. I'm sure Red didn't bat an eye when you told him Kirk had me," Haylie replied, not sure why she was still bitter toward him.
Liz nodded as she began to speak with Kirk. After some communication, Kirk had Agnes brought out and surprisingly the woman put her right in Liz's arms.
"Masha, come with me by your own choice and we can have a life together," Kirk pleaded as he tightened his grip on Haylie .
"I already chose you over Reddington today," Liz said, buying time for Red to arrive, "All you want me for now is my DNA."
"That's not true," Kirk replied but before they could continue the doors burst open and Red and his men swarmed the roof.
"Elizabeth, go," Red said as he saw she had Agnes safe in her arms.
Liz sighed because of Haylie but this wasn't a safe place for Agnes so she left with Baz.
"Constantine," Red began, "Let her go and I won't kill you."
"I don't think you understand the position you're in," Kirk replied, "If you don't have your men drop their weapons then she will die."
Haylie watched Reddington closely to see what he would do. In her mind, she thought he would simply walk away and leave her to her fate but he didn't.
Red laid down his gun and gestured for his men to do the same. "Please, let her go," he requested again, his tone pleading.
Haylie took a deep breath as she thought about what move she might be able to make. She knew Kirk was weak so she took a chance and leaned all her weight forward to throw him off balance. It worked but his gun went off in the direction of Red and his men. Once Kirk was on the ground, Ressler and the FBI swarmed the roof, taking Kirk into custody while Haylie dropped to the ground, trying to remember how to breathe.
Before she could succeed in calming herself, Reddington was at her side on the ground. He pulled her into his arms, "How did he get his hands on you?"
Haylie couldn't hold back all the emotions she'd felt over the past weeks anymore as she lost it on the roof, in his arms.
"Sh," he soothed as he ran his hand over her hair, trying to calm her. "It's ok. You're safe."
Haylie composed herself enough to speak, "It's not that. Red, I answered Kirk's call and he said if I didn't cooperate, he'd kill you. Please don't hurt me like you did Kate," she begged, beginning to sob again, "I know I'm not enough anymore since you can't sleep at home. I know you can't get a good night sleep by me which means you no longer feel home by my side and I know you'll always pick Liz over me but please, if you're done with me don't hurt me."
Red was taken aback by the honest plea of his love. He took a deep breath before he spoke, realizing he may have been wrong with how he dealt with Kaplan because he'd damaged his sweet Hailey.
"My love," Red began as he whispered in her ear soothingly, "We've had part of this conversation before but I didn't realize your fears ran so deeply. I would never hurt you and I am in no way done with you. It has been a trying time and I could not bear to feel any happiness while Elizabeth suffered. I'm so sorry for the way I've made you feel. Please come home with me and let me show you how much you mean to me," he pleaded, afraid he'd pushed yet another person away.
Haylie breathed in deeply, "Red, I love you so much but I need you to promise me that you can try and make me feel as important to you as Liz does. I have handled it for a long time but it's starting to hurt because it feels like the scale is so much larger now. I know I'm not whatever she is to you but I want to give you every part of me. Help me do that," she pleaded as she reached up to touch his shoulder.
She felt him wince before she raised her hand to see blood on her fingers. "Were you shot?" she shrieked, suddenly filled with panic.
Red shook his head, "It's a minor wound and the last thing I want to do right now is leave your side when it's clear you need me as close as possible. I love you, dear and I will do better to show you how much."