Deal With the Devil
"The intel about Garrick came in this morning, did you see?" Susan Hargrave asked as the car pulled up to the building the front of the hotel they had been instructed to meet their still-faceless adversary in. Nothing about the situation set well with Christopher, even after they had gotten the all-clear of the building.
"Reddington was the one that put him down," he answered as he looked out of the window, preferring g to focus on the valet coming to open his door rather than his mother. "No sane person involved would question it."
"Only our connection to the incident."
"Just keep it under wraps and see how it plays out," he said tightly, stepping from the car.
He was met immediately by one of the valets who offered to take any luggage he might have. Christopher responded easily in French that they were there to meet with an old friend, and once the signal was given both he and his mother were led back through the fancy Parisian hotel to the elevator and then up to a suite where they received a full search for hidden weapons and or wires. Both Hargraves remained silent through the search.
The doors opened to the inner suite, revealing a man waiting for them. Greying hair, a face beginning to pull with age, Chris wondered if he was someone from his parents' past that he hadn't heard of. One quick glance at his mother put the thought to rest.
"Susan and Christopher Hargrave," he greeted, his accent Russian. "Sit. We have business to discuss. You must forgive the extreme measures. It was difficult to get the right people's attention."
Two guards at the door as they entered, one more close to their nameless host. Christopher felt every instinct on high alert as he took the offered.
"And now you have it," Susan Hargrave said evenly. "And what should we call you?"
The Russian man gave a low chuckle, obviously more amused than intimidated. "Berlin."
Christopher snorted. Soviet ties, then. Interesting.
"I have a job I wish to hire Halcyon for."
"And you couldn't have pitched that like any other potential client?" Chris popped off, slouching a bit in his seat and giving every indication that the conversation was boring him. His gaze remained on this Berlin, though, and he watched his every twitch.
"I needed assurances," Berlin answered, meeting his gaze.
"Of what, exactly?"
"That the job would be handled to my satisfaction. I do not like to leave things to chance, Ms Hargrave."
Susan tilted her head, the smile she gave him sharp and dangerous, even if her tone was pleasant. "Then please, continue."
Berlin's gaze remained on Christopher. "I've heard interesting things about your career, Mr Hargrave."
"If I have a reputation, I've done something wrong."
He hadn't expected the laugh he received for the snarky retort, but Berlin seemed pleased enough. "In certain circles, and while your skill set interests me, it's your… connection I really need."
"Connection?"
"Elizabeth Scott."
Christopher tensed at the name and he felt more than saw his mother's warning to stay quiet as Berlin continued his explanation.
"And, in turn, her connection to Raymond Reddington. My offer is simple: use Scott to find Reddington's vulnerabilities and deliver those to me, and once I have Reddington, Howard Hargrave goes free."
"Show me proof that Howard is alive and we have a deal."
Chris schooled his expression carefully at his mother's eagerness to take it. In any other case she would have been more interested in working around, flipping the tables and using Berlin's arrogance against him.
"Of course." He motioned to his man behind him who produced a cell phone, a livestreamed video showing Howard Hargrave. He was beaten down, but he was alive.
Susan nodded. "We have a deal then."
Christopher did well to bite his tongue as the arrangements were made, his place in the fiasco detailed out without his consent. It had to be a play. That was the only thing that could possibly make sense, because Susan Hargrave wouldn't have been foolish enough to assume that he would really go along with this.
As soon as they slipped into the car he turned to face her, eyeing the burner Berlin had provided her with as proof of Howard's continuing state. "I'll have Dumont trace the signal and mobilize my team to-"
"No you won't."
"I'm sorry?"
"You'll do as you're told, Christopher. Agent Scott has finally proven useful. It looks like you'll get your wish to stay with her."
"I'm not using my girlfriend to get to Reddington, Mom."
"Well you're not telling her. You won't, do you hear me? She'll go running to Reddington and this whole thing will be blown."
"You're really planning to deliver Red to this nutcase," Chris breathed.
"Two birds, one stone. You want him dead as much as I do."
"Not at the cost of Liz. She'd never forgive me."
"You told your father and I that your relationship with Agent Scott wouldn't come in the way of your job. Now is the time to prove that. Your father's life is on the line. You will do this and you won't breathe a word to her about it. If you do it right, she'll never even know."
