Chapter Twenty-Six: At the End

Nez took the hacker off her feet mid stride, putting her in her back hard enough to stun her. She had slipped ahead, taking advantage that some of the guards had doubled back, leaving her exposed. The hacker stared up, trying to catch her breath, and Nez stepped forward with her gun drawn. "You don't get to breathe without my say so," she told the younger woman and reached out. "Hand me your bag. Slowly."

She held the hacker's dark gaze as she took the bag from her, feeling the weight of the laptop inside of it. "Your people don't care enough about you to come back. Ellington used you and abandoned you."

"Abandoned's a bit harsh," she answered with a shrug, her accent similar to what Kat's had been and Nez felt a new wave of anger.

"He left you here to rot. Your best chance is hoping you haven't done so much damage that no one will strike a deal with you."

The shorter woman snorted a laugh. "He left me here? And how many people did your boss send you in with? Not enough. The Hargraves sent you in to be slaughtered while they sit back in their nice, comfy little war room and watch you do their dirty work without any backup."

"Got the doors open and backup is on its way," Dumont chimed in in her ear and Nez smirked.

"You've lost. We're going to find Ellington, but if you tell me where he is we might be able to work something out."

Dark eyes met hers. "Where's your buddy?"

There was something about her tone that sent a sweeping chill through Nez and the two women watched each other for a long moment even as Nez heard footsteps behind her. She turned, ready for a fight, and found her own people rounding the corner. Nez turned a smug look on the hacker. "Can't say I didn't give you a chance."

One of the Halcyon operatives moved closer, speaking softly enough that Nez was the only one that could hear. The uncomfortable feeling returned, but she schooled her expression, nodding. "Don't take your eye off her," she instructed as she started back down the hall.

He had taken out Ellington's men, leaving their bodies scattered. It looked like the board members that the hacker had been using had been caught in the crossfire. Having a moment to look closer Nez recognized Maggie Ellis was being untied from a chair, beaten and bloodied, but she looked mostly whole.

It was more than could be said for the man slumped against the wall.

Nez swallowed hard, steeling herself as she approached the operative knelt down next to Matias Solomon, putting pressure on a wound that had already bled too much. He looked back as she approached. "Med team was released and are on their way, ma'am," he assured her.

"I've got him," she said quietly a took the man's place, watching a pair of dark, unfocused eyes slide sluggishly open.

Solomon smirked a little for her. "Much better option," he chuckled, coughing out the last word.

Nez pressed a little harder and a hiss of pain escaped him. "Easy. It doesn't do any good if we don't slow the bleeding until they patch you up. You're not dying here."

"I am stubborn," he acknowledged. He leaned back, his head thumping lightly on the wall. "We have them?"

"Close."

"Job's not finished at close."

"We've done what we came here to do. Guess you'll have to trust Tom."

Solomon groaned dramatically and it pulled a small smile from Nez.

"Go," he murmured. "You're still in your feet. Keen needs all the help he can get."

She caught his gaze and held it. "I'm right where I need to be."

He stared at her, confusion flickering through his eyes and she leaned forward and pressed a short kiss to his forehead. It was hard. She knew it was hard. The job was was truly everything for people like them, but maybe - just maybe - they could figure it out what was beyond it. Tom had. If he could, as dedicated as he was, maybe she stood a chance at something more. It was worth the risk to find out.

"Pacing isn't doing anyone any good."

Scottie turned, leveling a glare at her husband who sat calm and collected in a seat, studying the monitors where they could see the carnage that had ripped through the halls of their company but could do nothing about it. She had spent plenty of time relying on others in the field, running point from where she was and trusting in them to get the job done. She had never felt so helpless not being in the fray. "I should have gone in with them. They don't know Miles like I do."

"And he doesn't know them like he knows you."

She frowned, leaning on the desk he was sitting at and she chewed on her bottom lip, dark eyes fixing on the screens. "I need to see him before Red ships him off to wherever he'll send him."

"You don't, Scottie. You need to let it go."

She nudged his chair, drawing his gaze. She needed to make sure she had his full attention and she spoke lowly so only he could hear her. "I know I hurt you with what I did-"

"Is now really the time?"

"-but you and I have time to speak, to find… closure or whatever it is that we'll find. He betrayed me, Howard. I grew up with Miles and he took my son, threatened to kill my husband, and tried to kill me on more than one occasion. I need this."

She watched him carefully, the truth burning her tongue, raw and painful, and she could see his clever mind turning the words over. "Reddington has information from St Regis about Tom's past. Things even you can't fill in. We owe him that, Scottie. We both do, and Miles Ellington is the payment for that."

"And he'll have it. I will hand him over to Red personally, but I need five minutes."

Howard pushed a long breath through his nose. "Fine."

"Thank you," she breathed, surprised at how easily he'd given in, but she wasn't going to risk the decision.

"Just know if you screw us - if you screw our son on this - you won't get any more chances."

It sounded like a threat. His tone was dangerous, his gaze sharp, but it was hiding the fear beneath it. She could see it just below the surface. He was worried she would betray them for Miles.

"Medics are with Solomon," Dumont called over.

"And Agent Keen and Tom are closing in on Ellington as well," Aram added.

"Remind them that we need him alive," Howard said from his place.

"Their backup?" Cooper asked.

"We've redirected some of the onsite operatives their direction. Ressler and Navabi should meet up with them pretty quick too," Dumont said as his fingers flew over the keyboard in front of him.

Cooper nodded silently, watching the screen as it focused in on what Scottie recognized as the lower level exit. Miles was trying to make his escape and Christopher and his wife would be the only thing in his way.

Howard's hand touched her arm. "He's good."

"I know."

"He'll be alright."

She nodded, not trusting her voice. He would be alright. He had to be.

Ressler and Samar met Liz and Tom just before the firefight broke out. There had been no time to exchange information or even get on the same page as the bullets started to fly, ricocheting and biting themselves in the wall behind them. It was a distraction. They all knew it was a distraction. The problem was that it was working.

The ginger agent pulled back, avoiding the spray of bullets that were covering the escape. They'd followed Ellington down into the basement levels that had access to the streets.

"Can't your people lock it down?" Samar shouted, returning fire.

"It's a manual lock off the grid," Tom answered, ducking down. "It's supposed to provide an escape option if someone ever took the building."

"Or Ellington a way out," Ressler grumbled.

Tom shifted over to Ressler's side, joining him in a crouched position. "If I give you cover, you think you can get up to the catwalk and get a clean shot of him? We've got to bring him in alive."

Clear blue eyes surveyed the space. He didn't have a rifle, but he had hit small targets with more in the way than this. It would have to line up just right, but if it did they'd have him. "Maybe."

"I'll take maybe," Tom said. "I've got you covered. The stairs are there, catwalk will lead you to the opening."

"You get me shot and-"

His partner's husband flashed a grin. "Don't trust me, Ressler?"

The agent snorted and shot him a warning glare as he moved. He'd never admit it out loud, and even thinking it made him uncomfortable, but he did trust him to have his back here. He just hoped that trust wasn't about to get him killed.

Ressler took off for the stairs and Tom covered his run through an opening that would have left him vulnerable. He took the steps two at a time, risking a look when he reached the top. Ellington was nearly to his exit and they were almost out of time. He had to take the shot then and there or he wouldn't get to take it at all. He aimed, hands steady, and shot.

Ellington faltered in his race for his escape, stumbling, but not falling all the way to the ground. Ressler cursed softly. He'd only winged him. He darted forward, closing some of the space, and stopped as the older man started up the ladder to freedom.

He hesitated just a moment. There was no clean shot, but he couldn't let him get away. Whatever Tom thought he'd get out of the man wasn't worth him getting away there.

The bullet pinged the ladder and missed him, Ellington climbing out of sight.

Ressler loosed a breath and leaned against the railing. The others had taken out what was left of Ellington's support. He was alone and injured. They could find him. They would find him. They had to.

"Ress?" He leaned over the railing to see Liz staring up. "Dumont says they think they know where he's going. We're going to head them off."

He glanced over to see the man in question speaking into his comm, his expression focused. It had been close, but they weren't done yet.

There wasn't time to stop and try to patch himself up. Miles hadn't gotten a good look at the person that had taken a lucky shot, but blood was soaking through his jacket from the wound in his left shoulder. He held the arm close as he walked.

It was one thing after another, and he wasn't accustomed to losing. He had lost more men than he had expected at their HQ, and then his team that he'd taken Halcyon with had not been enough. They should have been. They were enough to take over the facility, and he'd never meant to hold it. He'd meant to take the codes to the Artax Network and find Whitehall, but Scottie had chosen her team too well. Her son had led them. Miles had seen Tom Keen amongst those fighting. When this was said and done, when he had everything he needed, he was going to make the boy regret that decision. He had plenty to lose, and that started right here.

Miles gripped his hand gun in his right hand as he climbed the steps of the apartment complex. It was getting dark outside, but he had lost any tail that they had managed to follow him. It would be a small window, he knew, but if he got what he'd come for it would be a devastating blow.

His hands trembled as he picked the lock, finally hearing it click to open. He pushed the door, sending it swinging, and it opened into a tiny apartment. Miles kept his gun up and ready as he inched in, ready. The room was littered with boards with notes scribbled on them, loose papers, and notebooks. There was a cup of coffee on the table, though, and it was warm to the touch.

"Lower it," a voice said from behind and Miles felt brief pressure on the back of his head to indicate that there was a weapon there. Slowly, purposefully, he lowered his gun.

Tom adjusted his grip on his own weapon, careful to watch any movements for a sign of a fight. He was injured. Ressler had been frustrated with the shot, but it had slowed Ellington down enough for them to get ahead of him and now they truly were at the end. They'd gotten Whitehall out of the safehouse before he'd gotten here and been waiting with a few minutes to spare.

"What now, Christopher?" he asked, his tone more amused than worried. He was either underestimating him or trying to make Tom think he was.

"Now you drop it and kick it away. You're going away."

"Going away? Is that what you think is happening?"

"I think that you've exhausted your resources. You're done, Ellington. This last ditch effort failed. You don't get Halcyon, our network, or Whitehall. If you're lucky, you'll get a deep dark hole somewhere to live out the rest of your life."

"Listen to you. Our network. You've really taken ownership, haven't you? Yet here you are…. what? Cuffing me so your wife's team can take me away? You and I both know that, no matter how thinly stretched my organization may be that I have people inside. I won't land in a deep dark hole. I'll be out soon enough and there will be nowhere you can hide. How's that pretty little daughter of yours?"

Tom closed his eyes briefly, gathering himself and talking down the instinct to immediately put down the threat. He wanted to. This man had caused so much pain and could continue causing it. If one thing went wrong and he got away it put his whole family in danger. He knew about Agnes, and could she ever truly be safe if he was breathing? Were his answers worth that?

Ellington must have sensed his indecision because he turned suddenly, striking out. Tom lurched back, barely missing the blow to the face and stepped around. Ellington was moving slower, the injury hampering his movements, and Tom swung around, landing a hard blow to his injured shoulder. Ellington went down and Tom took hold of his right arm, wrenching it behind him until he gave a satisfying cry of pain.

"Feel better?" Nez asked, entering the apartment.

Tom put his boot against Ellington's back and the man stopped squirming. He leaned in, closer to him, his voice controlled. "I don't have to kill you," he said lowly, "because you know what I'm capable of. I'm trying to be better, but you come at my family ever again and I will personally show you every technique Bud McCready taught me in interrogation until you bleed out. Am I clear?" He shoved him hard, receiving a grunt in response as he straightened, looking at his partner. "Everything set?"

"Just like you said," she assured him.

He nodded. "Good. Our people only."

"Got it, boss," she answered with a smirk.

"Nez?"

"Hmm?" she answered, cuffing Ellington none too gently.

"How is he?"

She paused, her expression darkening. "In surgery."

"Get him loaded up and go."

"Tom-"

"Go."

He watched her nod, not risking her voice, and she met a couple of Halcyon operatives in the hall to escort Ellington. As they moved, Liz came into view, watching him carefully. Tom stood there for a long moment, feeling a strange sensation washing over him. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, but it left him tired and worn. It was over. It was finally over.

He didn't notice Liz moving until her arms were wrapped around him and he sank into her embrace, his chin resting on her shoulder as he pulled her close. He could feel her fingers grip the back of his jacket, holding on, and she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "You okay?"

Tom cleared his threat, trying to pull himself back around. "I, uh…" He swallowed hard. "Full disclosure, Ellington's in Halcyon custody. I'll talk to Cooper after the exchange has been made."

"He'll understand. Maybe not at first, but he'll understand."

"Your partner may not."

"I'll talk to Ress," she promised, pulling away just a little so that she could meet his gaze. "Hey," she called softly, "are you okay?"

He loosed a shaky breath. "I don't know."

Liz nodded slowly and leaned back into him, her ear pressed against his chest and he kissed the top of her head, doing his best to focus on the peace she always brought to him.

She didn't have much time, but if she had all the time in the world it might not have been enough. She'd trusted him once. Idolized him once. He was brilliant and they'd been going in the same direction. Life seldom worked out as planned though. You just had to learn to move with the twists and turns.

The van pulled into the warehouse and Scottie Hargrave checked her watch. Ten minutes, and she imagined not a second more. She closed her eyes, her fingers touching a small shell necklace inside the pocket of her dress, her lips moving and her voice barely a whisper. "Rubber baby buggy bumpers."

"Ma'am," the driver greeted her and her eyes popped open. It was time. He walked with her around to the back, opening the doors.

Miles Ellington sat cuffed in the back seat and Scottie climbed in, the doors closing behind them. Funny. She'd been in a van much like this one not too long ago and Tom had sat across from her. Miles wouldn't be so lucky.

"Ah," he breathed. "Your boy didn't have it in him, but you do, don't your Scottie?"

"I'm not here to kill you, Miles."

"What then?"

She pursed her lips together and studied him. "Answers, maybe. Closure." He snorted and she tilted her head. "Why, Miles? After everything."

"That should be my question to you. You had so much promise, Scottie. We could have dominated the intelligence community. We could have made this world a safer place, but you let sentiment get the better of you. Tell me, how's that working?"

She let a thin smile tilt her lips. "Some things are more important than the job, Miles. You might have lived longer if you'd learned that."

"I thought you weren't here to kill me."

"I'm not." She paused, hearing the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside.

Scottie watched his expression turn questioning as she stood, knocking on the door and it opened from the outside. Raymond Reddington was stepping out of the town car.

"Miles! I don't believe we've had the pleasure yet," Reddington said cheerfully. "I believe you know an associate of mine. Vincent Lucero. He's simply dying to see you again."

Scottie smirked just a little at the way the colour drained from Miles' face. "I lied," she told him, pulling his attention back to her. "I came to look you in the eye when you realize you've truly lost. He's all yours, Red."

She passed her husband's old friend and even as Miles shouted her name from the van, she refused to look back. She had made her choice, and Scottie Hargrave chose her family.

Notes: Holy crap this ending has kicked my butt and I'm so sorry, but those gorgeous Keen2 pics they released today on EW gave me the final push. I just wrapped the last chapter today, so I thought I'd celebrate by posting the next to last!

Next time - As the dust settles, truths are revealed.