Chapter Forty-Nine
It had taken several days, but Reddington had come through. He had indicated that urgent business would keep him from making the introduction personally, though, and Jacob wondered if that urgent business was really that or if he was simply pouting over the fact that they were going through with the adoption against his wishes. The younger man wouldn't put it past him.
By the time Reddington had reached back out to let them know that one of his associates could broker the meet in his place, Jacob had a full identity to work under that fit the skill set of a certain thief that was suspected to be part of the ring. The FBI had quietly picked up up and to take him out of the running. Jacob was rather fond of the alias he'd be working with, and it'd be good to get back into the field and undercover. Brian Kelley was a smooth talker with a quick hand and even quicker eye for knowing exactly what to pick off. His specialty was finding weakness in seemingly impenetrable security, and with the sudden disappearance of their man, the ring would be looking for someone just like Brian.
"It feels kind of strange running an op under my own name," Liz murmured as she looked over some of the documentation they had gathered on James Mallory.
"Your face was plastered all over the television screen," Samar said from her place. "It's not too far of a jump from there for certain circles to assume that, even if you were cleared, that you might continue in less than legal endeavors."
"I have to ask, Jake, is it kind of like riding a bike?" Ressler joked, making a reference to what they often referred to as Jacob's colourful youth and chuckling as the younger man smirked.
"Let me know when you find your wallet, okay?"
Ressler paused, checking his pocket and cursing. Jacob grinned broadly and tossed it to him. "Just like riding a bike. Yeah."
"There are times that I'm very glad you're on our side, Agent Phelps," Cooper said as he joined them in the bullpen.
"Could you imagine a world that I wasn't?" Jacob asked, his grin still lingering as he leaned back in his chair.
"I'd rather not. Where are we on this?"
"Reddington's out of town, but he's put us in touch with an associate Mr Vargas," Liz explained. "Jacob and I are meeting him at ten and he will make the introduction to Mallory who is, just like we thought, looking to replace a very specific type of thief."
"Brian Kelly is the name that Red gave him as a possibility, a thief known through his very public association with Masha Rostova," Jacob continued. "Liz and I will meet with Mallory, we'll show off a bit, and get ourselves hired."
"It was pretty public that you two are married," Aram pointed out. "Won't that make it tough to convince him you aren't working for the FBI?"
"Jacob's name and face was never put out there," Liz said. "And hey, guilty or not, public opinion has a way of passing judgement on high-profile cases. Without being able to find work, desperate times call for desperate measures and.. They don't know Jacob. They don't know he stood by my side in it."
Jacob blinked, the mirth washing away a little as he heard his wife speak about a way that it could have gone. She didn't seem bothered by it, but he knew an act when he saw it. They had spoken to Kelly's brother briefly and he had agreed to do some checking around for them, but there hadn't been any great hope in it. She had a job, a husband that loved her, and her freedom, but they certainly hasn't come away unscathed.
"And most normal agents aren't quite as quick to take a wallet," Ressler grumbled and Jacob winked at him.
"Don't be jealous of my skills, Ress."
Cooper snorted from his place. "You'll both be wearing trackers. That's nonnegotiable."
"These are not the type of people to screw around," Liz pointed out.
"Neither do we," Aram said cheerfully. "They're small trackers, designed to look like nicotine patches."
"I don't guess they really work, do they?" Liz asked with a teasing glance towards Jacob.
"I quit," he grumbled.
"How many times?"
"The point is that they don't stand out," Ressler cut in and Jacob shot him an appreciative look. "They'll let us keep up with you without having to tail close enough that we might blow your cover."
"Are we certain that Mallory is the ringleader?" Samar asked.
"Seems to be, or at least highly ranked," Jacob answered. "Supposedly he's the one this Vargas is connecting us with."
"We have one chance at this," Cooper warned.
"I'm good for it," Jacob said. "Promise."
Cooper offered him a half smile. "Wouldn't let you out in the field if I thought any different."
Jacob stood as everyone started to disperse, but the sound of his name had him turning to Aram who looked a little sheepish. "I, uh, heard that you and Liz were trying to adopt again."
The lines between work and life had been blurred for some time now. It wasn't surprising that others knew, but he really didn't want to have the conversation with anyone right then. "Yeah."
Aram swallowed, looking more awkward than usual. "I, uh, I'm sure you and Liz have a route to take, but I just wanted to let you know, in case everything has made it… difficult…"
"Aram, I need to get the last details sorted before Liz and I go to the meet."
"Right. Sorry. I just wanted to say, if the adoption agencies are… Well, if they won't work with you my sister has a friend in her graduate program that is thinking about giving up her baby. I just wanted to put it out there in case… I'm sorry if I overstepped."
Jacob was staring, the words slowly sinking in and the initial irritation waning. "No. Thank you. I'll talk to Liz about it."
Aram beamed. "I just think, after everything, you guys deserve a break. If I can help with that I will."
"You're a good friend, Aram. Thank you." He moved past him and towards his wife. They had to focus on the job, but after he could share what could have been a better break than they had dared hope for.
She didn't like the fact that Red wasn't making the introduction himself, but he had assured her that his business was urgent and unavoidable. He wouldn't have entrusted her safety to just anyone and Reddington didn't work with incompetent people. Liz just couldn't shake the feeling that this Mr Vargas was nervous. "Something wrong?" she asked sharply.
"No," Vargas answered immediate. "He's just late."
"By a whopping three minutes," Jacob countered, leaning against the alley wall.
Vargas glared at him. "Excuse me for being punctual, Mr Kelley."
Jacob snorted and Liz shot him a look. There was no reason to antagonise him.
A small noise drew their attention and Liz squared her shoulders as three figures appeared in the alley. She heard Jacob straighten and Vargas stepped forward. "Mr Mallory, thank you for meeting with-"
"Masha Rostova. How could I resist that? Rumour has it you were acquitted?"
Liz shrugged. "I had good backing."
"And why should I trust you? You married a fed."
"Ever heard of a long game? I understand you need someone that can get you past tough security."
"Right down to business," Mallory chuckled. He motioned to Jacob. "This him?"
"He's half of it. Brian and I ran a couple of of jobs back in the day."
"Two for the price of one?"
"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Liz answered with a charming smile, "but I'm sure we can come to some agreement."
Mallory smirked and looked over to Jacob. "I have some other options, you know. What makes you the one?"
Liz hadn't even seen her husband shift too much and she always had a good feeling for her surroundings. He offered Mallory a lazy smirk, though, and tossed him a cell phone. Mallory shot him a confused look until one of his bodyguards stepped forward, reaching for Jacob. "You slippery little bastard," he growled and Liz grinned.
"Because he's good."
Mallory chuckled. "Baker, back off. Only thing hurt is your pride." He tossed his man his phone back.
"Everyone and every security system has at least one blind spot. I can get through it," Jacob said confidently.
"Well then, looks like we're hiring two." He glanced over at Vargas and handed him an envelope. "Tell your boss we missed him, but appreciate his business as always."
"Of course," Vargas answered and turned to leave.
"So you'll be in touch with details?" Liz prompted and Mallory shook his head.
"No, you'll be meeting the crew now. Our backer for the job will want to meet you tonight."
"You still haven't said exactly what the job is," Jacob pressed.
Mallory smirked. "We're going to do the impossible. We're going to rob Reinder-de-Groot."
They had been shuffled into the back of a town car with windows so darkened that he could barely see through them. Jacob risked a glance at his wife who was sitting calmly and passively in her seat. She was a talented liar and they made quite a team undercover. He had just hoped to go home and talk over the adoption with her rather than go straight into the op.
Jacob shoved down the disappointment as the car pulled to a stop and Liz shot him a quick look and an even quicker smile before opening the door to slip out. Jacob followed, taking in their surroundings carefully and quietly. They were in an old warehouse, mostly abandoned except for the crew that stood bent over a table with schematics laid out. They looked up at their approach, but only one woman broke away from them.
She was tall and her blonde hair was streaked grey, falling against her shoulders in waves and framing her face. Blue eyes were already studying them and she frowned. "All we need is one," she said, her voice accented. Russian, Jacob was almost certain, though it was subtle. "He's more than we spoke about. I don't know him."
"He was the one that you were contacted about. I can vouch for him, and Reddington put us in touch," Liz said firmly.
"Yet he didn't show himself," the woman pointed out, her voice sharp.
"He's good. Proved it," Mallory said. "Listen, you and I have an arrangement. You get a hefty cut for backing the operation and I handle the details. Let me do the job you hired me for."
The woman turned sharp eyes on him and Jacob kept his expression relaxed. "We're up against Kerken, right? He's tough, but not impossible. His people are well trained, but if we run a diversion that makes him think he's in control-"
"You want Kerken to know you're there?" she asked suspiciously.
"Yes. He's a control freak. Let him think he's in control, but never lose it ourselves."
She watched him carefully and Jacob held her gaze, tilting his chin up a little.
"Brian and I have run something like it before," Liz said, drawing her attention. " A fake badge and a guilty party goes a long way for distraction."
"And you're willing to play that part?" Mallory asked.
"For our cut we'll play any part."
The woman smirked a little at that. "Natasha," she finally introduced, giving them both a brief nod, though she motioned to Liz. "A moment?"
Jacob caught his wife's eye before she moved to follow. He steeled himself. If this were any other op with any other partner, he wouldn't have flinched. All he could do was trust her.
Liz didn't like the idea of leaving the room without Jacob, but fighting it would have been asking for trouble. She followed Natasha back until she stopped, grabbing a bottle of water and tossing her one as well. After checking to make sure it was unopened, Liz twisted the top and took a drink.
"Masha Rostova. When your name came across I was hesitant. You're high profile right now."
"Only to some."
"You have your life back. Why risk it to steal a few diamonds?"
"It's more than a few diamonds," Liz countered with a smirk.
Natasha watched her carefully. "You painted quite the sympathetic story for yourself. A woman framed by a shadow organisation who just wanted to go home to her husband. A fed, as I understand it."
Liz squared her shoulders. "I had the weight of the FBI weighing down on me. I said what I needed to to survive. The man I married was a mark, just as I told Mallory."
"Yet you're still married to him?"
"What do you think I'm desperate enough to rob Geert Kerken for?" she snapped. "I want to start over. This life, everything that I've been forced into isn't me. I need out."
A small smile perked her lips. "And Raymond Reddington won't help you with that?"
"I don't know what sort of relationship you think I have with Reddington, but he never does anything without getting something for himself. I prefer taking care of myself."
Natasha nodded. "Very well then."
"Why do you care so much?"
"It's my money on the line. I need to know I can trust that you're as driven as you should be. What good are you if Kerken kills you before you finish the job."
"Good to know my value," Liz snorted.
"We're meeting tomorrow midday to finalise the plans. Until then."
Liz knew a dismissal when she heard one. She turned on her heel and moved back out into the main section. Jacob was seated with the guys, stretched out with his feet propped up on the table and looking more at home than he had a right to. He looked over at her, hands dancing as he told a story in his animated way, and he offered a grin. "And the rest can wait until tomorrow. Looks like our business is done tonight."
One of them glanced over and Liz felt his gaze up and down her. "You and her?"
Jacob winked suggestively and shrugged. "Woman married a fed. You imagine he's her type?"
She rolled her eyes. "Don't give them the impression that I have a type."
"Just a handsome face?" he laughed as he stood.
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
He followed her out of the front door, laughter echoing behind them and she didn't see the signs of him shaking the role until they were far away from the warehouse and both certain they they hadn't been tailed. Slowly she saw her husband replace Brian Kelley and his eyes softened just a little. "You gonna leave me for a more exciting life?" he teased, the words catching her a little by surprise.
"It's rarely boring with you, babe."
Jacob chuckled and have one last look around before wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. She found herself sinking in, feeling a rush of peace. "I used to be really good at this," she breathed.
"You're still really good. If I didn't know you, you'd have had me convinced."
"Yeah?" she teased softly.
"Yeah, but your husband is awesome. You'd never leave him to go back to a life of crime. Especially when we might have finally found a way to adopt."
Liz stopped mid-step and Jacob flashed her a grin. "What? How? Did the social worker call? Did Ben call?"
His smile only grew. "Aram, of all people. His sister's friend is having a baby and is thinking about giving him or her up for adoption. I don't know the details, but he mentioned it."
"And he would…?" She swallowed hard and Jacob eased her forward towards their home as he pulled a key from his pocket.
"Sounded like it. Let me check in with the Post Office real fast."
She nodded and watched him pull his phone from his pocket and Hudson whined at her feet. Liz bent down to scratch him behind the ears, the sound of her husband's voice from the other room filling her ears as she finally took a seat on the floor. They were going to have a baby. After everything they were going to have a child together.
"So Cooper wants us in early to-"
Liz didn't let him finish before she had stood, crossed the space to where Jacob had been standing to catch her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips. She felt her husband freeze for half a beat after they finally parted before he chuckled softly, pulling her into a hug kissing the side of her head. "You gotta tell me what I did so I can do it again," he teased her.
"We're going to be parents," she breathed.
"Babe, slow down. It's…. A lot of things have to go right."
She shook her head. "No. We are. We're going to, Jacob. You and me. I think your positivity is wearing off on me a little, but-"
He grinned at her and kissed her again. "I love you."
"Love you too." She wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling him as close as she could. She couldn't explain it, but there wasn't even a question. This was it. They stood like that for a long moment and for the first time in so long, Liz felt truly at peace.
TBC
Notes: This past week was insanely busy, but it was also Keen2 week, so my free time was spent enjoying the fantastic posts people were making over on Tumblr. I really want to do it again very soon. It was a breath of fresh air to focus on the positive.
The next chapter is the 50th chapter! I never would have thought that this story would have exploded like it has. I'm very happy with the direction this final arc is going. I don't want to say too much, because I don't want to spoil it, but does anyone have any predictions after meeting some of the people you've met in this chapter?
Next time - Liz finds a photo of her mother at Red's apartment, the Phelps' prepare for the heist, and Reddington receives a visitor.
