Liz got into the hotel suite Red is staying in, to find him talking in his cell phone. Red nodded to her and went on nervously, "Okay, Glen. Sent me those photos. I need to know who took my girl."
He hung up and asked Liz, "Agent Keen, how can I help you?"
She shrugged and gave him a file, "I think you are the one who needs my help. Where's Eli by the way?"
He frowned looking at Dembe, "She was taken."
Dembe repeated shocked, "Taken?!"
Red nodded and looked back at Liz sighing, "She left angry two days ago and we couldn't find her. But I was told just now, that she was taken. Someone has kidnapped her, few blocks away from here after she's left. The pictures will be here in less than an hour."
Liz pointed to the file, "No need. We already know who took her."
Red raised an eyebrow and checked the file, to find several papers with photos, one of them belonged to Eloise. Red asked, "What am I looking at?"
Liz replied, "Targets. It turns out Berlin didn't contact Lord Baltimore to find you. But for her. We found many potential targets, but I recognised Eli between them. This is why I came directly to you with all other targets."
Red raised of the couch and took the phone again as he talked to her, "Thank you, Agent Keen. I really appreciate it."
She got up and looked at him confused, "What are you going to do?"
He held her shoulder firmly, "Berlin got Eloise, Lizzie. I need to find him before he hurts her."
""""""""""""""""""
Red sat down on the couch checking the photos Glen has sent to him over and over. He heard knocking on the door and a few moments later, Dembe came with a big inflated yellow envelope. He gave it to him, "This was left in the reception for you."
Red looked at him wondering, so Dembe asked, "You want me to open it?"
Red answered, "No, I got it."
He opened it carefully and got the photo out. It was for Eli lying scared on bed. He got a cell phone out of the envelope and dialed the only number he found in its memory.
He heard the rough voice, "Mr. Reddington, I presume?"
Red asked calmly, "Where's she?"
Berlin replied, "I imagine how you must be missing her. So I made you a little something to remind you of her."
Red got a small box out of the envelope and heard as Berlin went on, "I'm going to do to her what you did to my daughter. I'm going to send her back to you, piece by piece."
Berlin hung up, leaving Red staring shocked at Eli's finger that lied inside the box with her ring around it."
Red swallowed hard and called Dembe with hoarsy voice. Dembe rushed to him to see the finger inside the box. He looked at Red terrified, "This is Eli's ring?"
Red nodded and could barely hold his tears as he whispered, "We need to move fast."
"""""""""""""""""""
Red got into the black Mercedes, so Dembe asked him fast, "How was your meeting with Berlin?"
Red sighed, "We're meeting tonight. I'll transfer his money back to the Monarch Douglas Bank, and he'll give us our girl."
Dembe nodded, "I'm glad you could reach an agreement."
Red pursed his lips, before they hear the phone ringing. Dembe checked it and handled it to Red, "It's Agent Keen."
He took the phone, "Lizzie, how was your flight?"
He heard her, "I know what you are doing. You got Kaja, so you can steal Berlin's money and get your friend back."
He replied simply, "Once she's left the bank , she became vulnerable. I only took advantage for an apportunity."
She yelled at him, "That money is going to fund terrorism all over the world, and I'm not going to let that happen for the sake of one girl."
He shrugged, "You don't have a vote."
She replied, "I have Kaja."
He pursed his lips and asked, "She gave you the routing numbers?"
She replied firmly, "We froze the accounts where you put Berlin's cash."
He sighed, "Eloise is going to die, Elizabeth."
She spoke, "I'm sorry."
He replied, "No, you're not. Not yet."
She pegged, "Don't go through it, we can find another way."
He twisted his lips, "The deal is moving forward."
She said,"You can't hold up your dept. He will kill you."
He said ending the call, "Wish me luck."
"""""""""""""""""""""""
Dembe parked the car beside the old warehouse and got down to open the door for Red, who marched slowly towards the car facing theirs. Berlin and two of his bodyguards got of the other car.
Red looked at Berlin and said firmly, "My associate."
Berlin nodded to one his people, so he moved to their car and helped a female to get down of the car. Red's heart escaped a beat, when he saw Eli in the same blouse and skirt she was wearing about a week ago. He scanned her weak shaking body as she moved blindfolded with the guy. He didn't move his eyes away from her as he ordered Dembe, "Give him the codes."
Dembe gave one the guards a small paper. The guy input the numbers into his tablet and waited for the money transfer to take place. After a few moments, the guy nodded to Berlin, so he nodded to the guy holding Eli. The guy pushed her forward to walk to Dembe.
Dembe moved to get her. Once he held her body gently, she shivered under his touch for a moment, before she relaxes, when she heard his voice, "It's me, Eloise."
He drove her slowly to Red. Red frowned, when he saw her pale face and the right ring finger wrapped in gauze. She whispered, when she smelled his perfume, "Raymond?"
He swallowed hard and nodded to Dembe to take her to the car.
Red clenched his teeth in extreme rage and moved towards Berlin's car, but Dembe stopped him with a firm grip around his arm.
He watched Berlin's car moving away and he then moved around to sit next to Eli. He turned to look at her and removed the blindfold carefully. Eli opened her eyes slowly and stared at him for a moment, before she crashed into his chest forcibly. He gasped and held her tightly with his strong arms listening to her sops. He whispered into her ear as he wiped her hair, "Sh... It's okay, my love. You're safe now. It's okay, it's over."
She continued crying for a few minutes, till he could calm her down completely. She raised her congested eyes looking into his, "Is that really you?"
He grinned sadly and patted her cheek. Her eyes got teary again, "How could you leave me with him all this time?!"
He swallowed and his eyes got tearful too, "I'm sorry. I know it took me long, but I've made terrible things to bring you back."
She touched his right cheek lightly, "I'm sorry too, Red."
He embraced her with his arm, "It's okay, sweetheart."
They heard the phone ringing and Dembe gave it to him, "It's Elizabeth."
Red sighed and pulled Eli to his body tightly as he answered, "Lizzie, how can I thank you...? Yes, I got her. She's with me. Not now, Lizzie. We can talk tomorrow. Tonight, I just want to spend some time with Eli. I will... Thank you, Elizabeth."
He hung up with her, giving the cell phone back to Dembe, before he grins to Eli, "Here we are. Shall I order you some dinner, my dear?"
She tried to smile, "I'm not hungry. I just need to have a shower and sleep for a whole week."
He kissed her forehead, "I can afford that."
He helped her get down after Dembe has parked the car. He drove her to his suite. He looked at Dembe, "She will sleep in my room and I'll use the couch. You stay in your bed."
Dembe nodded and smiled at Eli, who was still shaking in Red's arms. Red took her to the bathroom, started to fill the tub with warm water as she started to took off her clothes slowly. He took off his jacket and vest then turned to help her, before he froze and stared at her bruised body. He frowned, "Did he hit you?"
She shook her head, "I tried to escape."
He didn't move, so she gave him her hand asking for help to get in the bubble bath. He gazed her, so she swallowed avoiding his eyes, "I'll keep my panties on."
He nodded and supported her body as she sat slowly and rested her head on the edge of the tub, keeping her wrapped hand out. He bent his sleeves up, then took the sponge and started washing her shoulders gently. She sighed and closed her eyes as he preceded forward to her chest. He washed her hair and back, before they hear knocking on the door. He stood to open the door for Dembe, who gave him a cup and closed the door again. Red smiled at her, "Dembe has brought you your hot chocolate."
She smiled and took it. He sat again on the stool beside the tub and washed her thin legs as she sipped slowly. He then watched her enjoying her drink, smiling at her. When she finished, he brought the big towel and wrapped it around her body as she stepped out with his help. He helped her put on the new pajamas he bought for her and put her in his bed gently. He walked to the bathroom again, so she wondered, "What are you doing?"
He turned to her, "I'll bring the hair dryer."
She shook her head, "Don't. I want it wet."
He gazed her fatigue face and nodded. She watched him as he changed too and came to sit in the bed next to her.
He embraced her body with his arm and asked concerned, "You feel better now?"
She looked in his green eyes and nodded. He smiled at her then kissed her forehead, "I'll sleep here on the couch in front of you, in case you need anything."
She held into him, "No, don't go. Stay With me please."
He stared at her, then lied down next to her. She moved closer to him and lied in between his arms. He patted her back lightly, so she whispered, "I was so scared."
He took a deep breath and replied, "I know. I was scared too."
She looked at him confused, so he went on, "When I saw your photo and your...finger. I got so scared to know you're hurt. I got scared I might..."
He took another deep breath, "...I might not see you again."
She buried her face into his neck and breathed in his scent, "Me too. I wanted to see you one more time before I die."
He held her tightly, "I'll never let you go again."
She raised her head, "He said you've killed his daughter. That you've cut her into pieces and sent her to him piece by piece."
Red Shook his head, "It was a misunderstanding, I'm not a monster, Eli."
She nodded and buried her face into his chest again closing her eyes, "Good night, Red."
He smiled and covered them with the bed-sheets, "Good night, Eloise."
This is it for now. Sorry for being quite late, but I wish it's worth waiting. I hope you like that chapter. Read and review.