Blacksite #17 - a.k.a 'Kimbilio' - Undisclosed Location, Kenya - September 21, 1999

Raymond flinched when Rosalie shot up in bed gasping in heaving lungfuls and very much awake.

She bolted for the ensuite, retching into the porcelain bowl therein. Her small frame shook with the movement, the unpleasant sensation and the cold tile floor making her shudder.

He was at her side in a second, holding back her blonde locks with one hand and rubbing her back with the other. Red felt the pulse beneath his fingertips calm little by little, her heart no longer pounding like a freight train within her chest. A cold sweat could be felt beneath the shirt she was wearing, worrying the man further.

The nightmares had started earlier that week as the stress of juggling the new properties reached its peak with the addition of nine new penthouses from the Peninsula hotels, adding completely new locales like Manila and Bangkok to Rosalie's portfolio.

Though she hadn't yet confided the nature of these nocturnal disturbances, Raymond had woken the past few days to Rosalie shaking like a leaf and trying desperately to burrow into his arms.

This scenario, however, was new. She had never woken this rattled before.

Rosalie stood shakily, nodding her thanks before padding over to the sink to wash her hands and brush her teeth.

Raymond gave her a moment's privacy, stepping out into the main living space and returning with a glass of water and a warm compress.

Rosalie shuffled in from the bath, her cheeks flushed crimson and Red's shirt clutched tightly about her.

"You couldn't help it, little dove." He pulled back the sheets and held the water out to her with a reassuring nod.

Rosalie grimaced, climbing into bed and taking a sip from the offered glass with a mumbled, thank you. She placed the glassine her nightstand and drew her knees up to her chest, fidgeting with the cuffs of his shirt as she took a handful of deep, steadying breaths.

Raymond's gaze did not leave her still trembling frame. He was careful not to pry, but he desperately wished she would trust him enough to reveal what was haunting her in the night.

"Talk to me."

The deep rumble of his drowsy voice flitted through Rosalie's thoughts, pleading with her to confide in him. She looked up from her fidgeting fingers, her eyes still watery from the memories which had invaded her peaceful unconscious mind.

Her lover's brows were quirked upward, his eyes imploring. Her gut reminded her she had promised, promised not to keep herself from him, promised she would trust him to shoulder what she couldn't carry herself.

She promised.

Rosalie confided as much of the truth as she could muster in a tentative, weary voice. "I haven't lost this much sleep since I first became a criminal…"

Red nodded, knowing first hand his companion had hardly slept in the past three weeks. The new additions to her network required a great deal of time and effort to get off the ground in a short period of time. Rosalie was hiring dozens of new employees per week, which exposed her to a myriad of risks, not the least of which was the safety and security of her homes and clientele.

Her usual vetting process typically took weeks of checking backgrounds and connections, then vetting references, followed by a trial period to ensure proper fit. The whole process had been streamlined and delighted to her property managers, with Rosalie's role reduced to giving the final approval for basic hires and continuing to choose and vet any new property managers.

Rosalie trusted the property managers already in her employee, having chosen and vetted each of them herself, however, she was quickly discovering she absolutely loathed relenting so much control.

"Those early years were…" she buried her face in her hands, pressing herself to confide in the man waiting so patiently for her to string a sentence together. "God, Raymond, they were terrifyingly dark. Every day felt like I was just waiting to go broke, get arrested, or be attacked by a client. I didn't have a clue what the hell I was doing or who I could trust. I just remember being so angry, so scared-"

"You dreamt of the beginning." Raymond breathed, his features showing no small modicum of shock at finally having the truth laid cautiously in his lap. He released a sigh of relief when Rosalie gave a fretful look of confirmation, her bottom lip catching between her teeth.

"Come here, honey," Red whispered, guiding the chilled dress shirt from her shoulders and gathering her in his arms. He wrapped the shivering bundle in the soft flat sheet and nestled her in the warm cradle of his body. Recognizing how vulnerable she felt, he surrounded his lover in comfort and stability, clutching her tightly to his larger frame.

Rosalie wriggled as deep as possible into his hold, resting her head on his outstretched arm. She reached one hand out from under the sheet, threading her slender fingers through his and tracing her thumb along his palm.

"Nobody knew what I was up to. They still don't know…I've never felt as alone as I did then."

The overwhelming memories of Rosalie's early days were still roiling in the back of her mind.

Raymond circled his thumb soothingly with hers, his chest tightening painfully at the sight of her small, delicate hand wrapped around his much larger one. He understood. Red knew all to well what those fledgling criminal days were like.

The early hours were by far the most dangerous.

Those were the days when a criminal likely had no money, no direction and no connections to lean on. It was a mindless scrabbling, clawing tooth and nail to the top of a mountain which never seemed within reach. Those hours were very dark indeed, with the majority of ill deeds being done purely for the sake of survival. It was madness, unmitigated chaos perched upon a pedestal of fear until one day everything mysteriously settles into place.

One day was all it took, out of the blue, to found an empire.

The real trick was keeping it alive past that one day, and the day after that, and the day after that, and so on and so forth. This truth leaves criminals in a constant state of fear that the precious world they've built could one day come crumbling down just as quickly and mysteriously as it was created.

This was one of the main reasons Red and Rosalie never sat back on their laurels and enjoyed their ill-gotten gains. They became anxious if their businesses were idle for too long. They were always moving on to the next deal, the next trade the next client.

It was the reason Rosalie didn't turn down the Peninsula and the Four Seasons when they came knocking, though her operation did not yet have the structure to support the properties. She was making it work by building out her empire at a much aster rate than she had initially planned. The whole predicament felt dicey, but the building blocks of her expansion were slowly mechanically settling into place.

It was no wonder, with everything going on, that Rosalie had been dragged back to those perilous hours. The moment her mind had found a modicum of calm and quiet, the underlying stress latched onto the memories mirroring those emotions. It was her inner criminal's way of impressing upon her the perils of failing to find that solid ground.

"You aren't alone, little dove," he whispered, curling himself around the soft feminine figure beside him.

Rosalie placed a kiss to each of the arms wrapped around her. "I know I'm not, it was just a dream, I don't know why it had to happen now."

"I think it happened because you're scared. I would imagine you're feeling exposed and overstretched, and it sounds to me like the only memories you have to help process those emotions are all deeply unpleasant.

Rosalie turned her head and blinked up at him through startled gray eyes, taken aback by his insight. Her blonde head gave a tiny nod, agreeing with his hypothesis.

Raymond's eyes softened as he bent to kiss her shoulder, pleased he had read her correctly. "This expansion is like building your network all over again. You're finding what works and what doesn't. There was always going to be a learning curve, a period of discomfort. Keep in mind, this scenario may feel similar to the beginning, but you're far better off now than you were then. You are structurally sound at the core of your business, you're simply building it out. You were alone last time. Now you have an entire circle of people at your back." His lips trailed a line up to her neck, allowing his words to sink in . "You're in the thick of it now, but it's only going to get better from here. By the end of the year, I bet you'll have your feet back under you."

"Promise?" Rosalie murmured, opening further to his mouth's soothing touch, taking comfort in his proximity and gently whispered assurances.

Raymond smiled and turned her in his arms, peppering her upturned face with affection, the scent of peppermint lingering on her lips. "I promise."

Red woke hours later still wrapped around Rosalie. His arm had long since fallen asleep, and the man groaned as he eased the dead appendage out from beneath her head.

Rosalie grumbled and shimmied deeper into the blanket, still out like a light.

Raymond rose and made his way to the ensuite, shaking the life back into his arm. He set about getting ready for an eventful day. He had a meeting scheduled with a nearby game warden who had informed Red's associates he had information relating to 'the German'.

He and Dembe would leave shortly in one of the home's covered jeeps, making for a secluded road southwest of Nairobi's boarder where the warden and the associates would be meeting them.

Red dressed, choosing a pale, lightweight suit to combat the ungodly heat which would begin pouring over the landscape at any moment. He decided against a jacket, opting for just his shirt and waistcoat instead.

Admittedly, Raymond hadn't worn his customary suit in days. As they were laying low, the man had been content to wear more casual, inconspicuous attire, like jeans, cotton shirts, and linen slacks. Now, however, he had business to attend to.

Most of his and Rosalie's respective dealings were being handled remotely, but this bit of intel was the first lead they'd received on their nameless tails. Red was determined to ferret out the German and his co-conspirator, and so, was disrupting their current status quo in favor of pursuing this intel. He and Dembe would need to be cautions in how they disembarked and how they returned to the property, but that was par for the course at this point.

Stepping back into their bedroom, Raymond sniggered at the bundle of blankets that was his companion. If possible, he had grown even more enamored with Rosalie in the past month as their dynamic fluctuated and adapted to their new circumstances.

She was perpetually fretting she was relying too heavily on him, but truthfully, he was thoroughly enjoying this interlude. With her network in such an upheaval, this was the first time in which Raymond was really allowed to coddle his lover. Rosalie's emotions were entirely transparent, and often as turbulent as her network. She was spitting fire one second and quaking in his arms the next. She sought him and his reassurance openly, and frankly it set a primal corner of Red on fire.

He was having a damn good time discovering and basking in all that was Rosalie Øllegaard. As a matter of fact…

The man stealthily crept toward the bed, indenting the mattress with one knee as he surrounded the bundled up silhouette with his masculine frame.

"I'm too tired to play," Rosalie grumbled, scrunching back into a ball.

Raymond chortled at her muffled discontent. "I was merely trying to unearth you from your hoard of stolen bedding." His tone was teasing as he poked and prodded here and there, attempting to find an opening.

A lone, feminine hand snuck out from the mass of blankets and blindly grasped his tie. "I wouldn't have to steal them if you'd get back in here and cuddle me."

"Make up your mind, woman." Raymond beamed for his lot in life, quite happy to let her drag him beneath the sheets once more. His suit would wrinkle, but there were far more important things to be getting on with. First and foremost was the delightfully nude twenty-nine year-old his arms were now full of.

Rosalie wriggled within his grasp, wrapping herself around him and nuzzling playfully at a few of his most sensitive spots.

"You said you were too tired to play, liar."

Admittedly, he was damn pleased with this turn of events. His body responded instantly to her needy writhing, urging him to give the ravenous little minx anything she wanted.

"I'm a criminal, darling, we're all liars and scoundrels."

A husky moan slipped from Red's lips when a warm, wet little tongue flicked his earlobe, a sharp set of teeth nibbling it ever so tantalizingly.

A knock sounded and they both grumbled their displeasure.

"Saved by the bell." Rosalie quipped, moving to release him with a morose sigh.

"Five minutes!" Red barked at the door, knowing Dembe would make himself scarce.

"You are vastly underestimating our collective stamina." Rosalie was sniggering now, though her amusement quietened when she met her lover's burning stare.

"Oh, I'm not underestimating your stamina at all, my dear." The lascivious comment held entirely too much bravado, in her opinion, "It's still early, and if there's anything I've learned about these quiet hours before dawn, it's that every burning corner of you is helpless to my advances."

Rosalie quailed under that knowing gaze. The man flashed her a predatory grin and rolled so she was on her back beneath him, his imposing bulk making her squirm wantonly.

Rosalie's lips released a sharp gasp when Red wedged himself between her legs, spreading her thighs wide for what he had in mind.

He tore the blanket from them both and tossed it toward the foot of the bed, leaving his companion laid bare beneath him.

Rosalie put on a show of maiden modesty her hands quickly covering those places Raymond desired most. "Oh, my…" Her long lashes batted coyly up at him, teasing him with the notion she might deny access to those virtues.

An almost feral glint illuminated Red's features, his left eye giving an almost imperceptible twitch at her defiance. "Oh, yes," he husked in a deadly purr.

Before Rosalie could even blink, Red snatched the delicate hands shielding her delectable body from his view. The fingers of his left hand threaded through both of hers, and pulling her body taut, he pinned them to the pillows above her head. The whole of that voluptuous hourglass was completely open to him.

A telling flush was making its way from Rosalie's cheeks down the long line of her neck.

Red could tell she was excited and intrigued by this change of pace.

She tugged playfully at his restraint, her lips arching into a naughty grin as he held her fast.

"Go ahead and writhe, little dove, you aren't going anywhere."

This comment sent goosebumps racing down Rosalie's extremities. She couldn't help but whimper her involvement, wondering what other decadent, sinful ideas lay waiting in her lover's mind.

"Yes, I know," Raymond cooed, his fingertips teasing a burning trail along her torso, tracing the taut lines of her stomach. "You're aching to be touched and by someone who knows exactly what you require." His right hand steadily explored her, fingertips tip-tapping along her ribcage, flitting with the ghost of a sensation over the dip in her waist, thumbing the pink pebbled flesh of her nipples and instigating a deluge of breathy, whispered mews.

"There's something so decadent about having my wicked way with you while I'm fully clothed." His tone was reverent as he tweaked the tightened peak of her left nipple once more. He smiled when his lover arched into his teasing. "Having you sprawled out before me, naked as Eve, tempting as the apple, your surrender to my possession on full display…"

Red dragged short nails along her side, swirling from the top of her ribs down, down to the lush curve of her hip and along the back of her thigh, igniting a torrent of gooseflesh throughout her body. "God, the way that little blush trickles down your throat and along your breasts…It makes my tongue just itch to taste my favorite spots."

The hot, wet tip of that muscle darted out to lick his lips, the action garnering Rosalie's full and undivided attention.

The stark black of her pupils swallowed the remaining sliver of iris as her eyes belied his effect on her. The flickering heat in those orbs, the thirst of her parted lips and stilled breath was enough to make his blood burn.

His fingers continued their trek south while mouth moved forward, bringing him within reach of her bountiful breasts. He nuzzled the impeccably soft skin, inhaling the sweet, delicate scent of her as the tip of his nose circled those painfully tightened peaks, the satiny mounds longing for the delicious torment of his mouth.

A desperate mew leapt out of Rosalie's throat, shimmering on the air as he slowly teased her into madness. "Wha-What about you?" Her hands wriggled in his grasp, eager to touch him.

"Oh, I'll get mine, you can be certain of that." Red's large hand eased its way up her thigh, fingers tracing maddening circles over it and its twin, sneaking steadily closer and closer to the valley between. "Time provides a wealth of opportunity, if one has the patience to let it unfold."

Rosalie wasn't sure what Raymond was planning, but his voice convinced her he was up to something devious. Her breath hitched with another wave of desire, her mind running rampant with fantasies of what he might want to do with her.

Raymond cocked his head and grinned at the action, bending to place warm lips to her sternum, then migrating upward to nibble her neck as his knuckles grazed the softness waiting between her thighs.

A deep, rough growl met Rosalie's ears as the very tip of Red's fingers parted her folds, encountering the slick heat they both knew was pooling there.

"I knew this would excite you." He dragged his teeth along the shell of her ear, causing another torrent of shivering spasms to take over her body. "There are times when being exposed and…" his thick middle finger breached the tight hold, "overstretched, can be quite a pleasurable experience."

Rosalie gasped at the intrusion, her cheeks plumping with a mischievous smile. "Is that what you're hoping to convey by pinning me down and having your way?"

"Yes," Red retorted, perfectly unabashed. His fingertips continued to pet her soft, warm lips, the digit inside her retreating to circle the very entrance of her sex. "You see, my dear, there are many ways for us to build trust, just as there are many ways for us to be reminded of the other's. I intend to make you come undone just like this because I want you to remember this important rule. When our world becomes too much, when you feel the need to surrender or submit any part of yourself to me, you will trust me to heed that call, just as I'll trust you."

Rosalie stilled. What she had initially considered a mere bout of playful role-play or a simple exploration of a kink was in fact much, much more. Raymond was reminding her of the promises they'd made, reminding her when chaos reigned it was in his arms she could find sanctuary. Rosalie's eyes softened and her thumbs circled the back of his large hand. If possible, she adored the man more now than she had just moments ago.

Raymond smiled at the range of emotions traveling across her face, continuing his playtime without pause. His fingers brushed her clit tauntingly, pulling an enjoyable little sigh from her lips. He leaned forward and kissed that rosy flesh, deepening the caress immediately, his agile tongue dominating her little mouth.

Rosalie mewled, relenting to the demand with pleasure.

Red felt her body relax further into his hold, opening to any exploration which might tickle his fancy. The knowledge had him releasing a desirous moan which vibrated her lips.

Rosalie squealed when he buried that thick middle digit back in her tight heat, stroking and thrusting slowly in and out, teasing the sensitive walls of her sex. A lewd chuckle reached her ears, but she was far too preoccupied with Red's tongue to pay much notice.

Raymond left her gasping for air, his mouth hungrily scouring her torso, nipping and sucking here and there while his hand worked to produce that special brand of magic betwixt her thighs.

"More," Rosalie pleaded when his teeth nibbled a taut pink nipple, drawing the stiff peak into his scorching mouth and laving his rough tongue over its sensitized surface. A throaty moan poured from her lips, the action more than sufficiently driving her wild.

Red released the abused bud with a soft 'pop', watching in heated intrigue as the beautiful mound bounced erotically once before latching his mouth around it once more.

The warm arousal pooling inside Rosalie increased dramatically along with her needy whimpers. She groaned her discontent when the appendage pleasure her suddenly retreated.

"Shh…" Raymond soothed, releasing his hold on her breast to pay homage to its twin. The slick pad of his middle finger circled the whole of her left nipple, coating the little peak in that liquid euphoria. He allowed his breath to whisper over her wet skin, chilling the pink flesh into a rigid point before his hand returned to its exploration of her volcanic depths.

"More," she begged, writhing in his hold as he began that come-hither motion which would turn her into a puddle of wanton need beneath him.

"One is enough you greedy little thing," Red managed to chastise, though his tone was burning with affection and lust. "One is all it takes to quiet that need yet leave you quietly aching for something more substantial to truly satisfy."

That beckoning motion increased in tempo, pulling a pleading moan from its victim who was now squirming in earnest, desperation marring her pretty features as she sought further stimulation. "Please."

Her whispered cries of surrender thrilled her lover, who was circling the wet peak of her nipple with the tip of his nose, inundating himself with the delicious scent of her wet quim.

"You'd better come, my five minutes are damn near up."

Red knew they wouldn't be interrupted, but teasing Rosalie with the possibility of him stopping before she could reach that peak sent her into an adorable frenzy.

The heal of his hand pressed tightly to her sex, applying just the right amount of pressure to her clit. He smiled when she rut her hips needle against his palm, chasing that razor's edge, her whimpering moans filling the room.

"Raymond."

Rosalie hissed his name in that raspy plea, the sound traveling straight to the man's cock. His mouth split into a devious grin before his teeth grazed the nipple he had been teasing, his tongue flicking the hardened bud repeatedly as his lover arched lustfully into his warm mouth.

"D-Don't…stop."

Red kept the same disciplined tempo, inching her toward the precipice at a torturous pace. His mouth wrapped around her quivering nipple, his tongue flooding with the sweet tang of her pussy.

God, the taste of her…it made him ache to bury his tongue inside that coveted alcove and writhe it within until she shattered just for him.

Rosalie's lungs fluttered laboriously as her body sought completion, her whole being basking in the delicious agony only Raymond could instill upon her. "Oh, please," her voice quavered helplessly, her nails digging into the back of the masculine hand holding her down as he entire frame bowed and shivered, reaching that tipping point and teetering on the brink.

Red couldn't help the self-satisfied smirk taking over his features. A primal, male corner of him howled its possessive delight as she shook beneath him. It was his teasing, his attention which held her right there, waiting to be brought toppling into absolute euphoria. He released her breast long enough to growl in her ear.

"Come, little dove. Now."

The command made Rosalie's breath catch in her chest and the velvet heat of her pussy clench tightly about the digit curling steadily against that sweet spot deep within her.

"Yes," Rosalie managed to eek out as her orgasm bore down on her, "God…Yes."

Raymond suckled relentlessly, teasing her tortured flesh until it felt raw. The dexterous digit wedged in her spasming depths maintained its unwavering rhythm, slowly coaxing her orgasm to a spine-tingling crescendo.

"Harder," she cried out in a ragged gasp, her toes curling against his thighs, which were still forcefully wedged between hers, holding her spread wide.

Red silenced her with a bruising kiss, easing the ache in her core little by little until she trembled and collapsed into a mess of warm, sated female.

He finished the kiss, easing to a more gentle, affectionate caress, savoring the tiny moans which still fell from her throat as softly as the coo of a dove.

"That's my girl." The thick, graveled sentiment was purred against her cheek, where Red kissed her once more before leaving to freshen up in the master bath.

Raymond smiled to himself as he washed up and rolled his sleeves, his mind already conjuring plans for that night when they would have a bit more time to themselves. He returned to the bedroom with a bounce in his step despite the rigid erection he was currently nursing, which had to be adjusted upon catching sight of his handiwork.

Rosalie was sprawled luxuriously in the center of their bed, the loose sheet draped carelessly over her boneless body, her long blonde tresses scattered in a fit of tousled waves along her back.

She was just as he had said she'd be; satisfied, but just barely.

Those molten gray eyes followed his progress across the room like a lithe little leopard waiting to pounce.

"I'll see you tonight, pet." He dipped his head to kiss her once more, a chuckle escaping his lips when she growled in response.

Rosalie allowed the chaste affection but for one small glower. "Hurry home, you smug bastard."

Raymond let out a barking laugh and brushed her cheek with his thumb before Dembe knocked once more. Red left the suite with but a small, mischief-ladened wink, off to handle business so he could in fact 'hurry home'.

Rosalie came into the main living space shortly after in search of Ted. Finding him on the deck with a pot of tea, she grabbed a cup and joined him.

"Which way is the wind blowing today, Teddy?"

"North by Northwest and heavily in our favor," came Ted's impish reply, as he pulled out a chair for her beside him.

This had become their customary greeting over the month in which Ted Beaumont had taken up the role of Rosalie's right-hand man.

Ted was an agreeable, humble fellow, soft-spoken like Dembe, yet mischievous like Raymond. Most of all, he was honest and straight-forward in a way that was entirely his own. He didn't hesitate to voice his opinion on matters in Rosalie's network as well as in their little band of criminals, and their group was quickly learning that enjoyable, amenable Ted was also quite adept at managing complex issues. A number of the crises which had filtered into Rosalie's expansion had fallen into his court, and between himself and Rosalie, the obstacles became far less daunting.

The pair had grown quite comfortable with their dynamic and their friendship positively bloomed as the days went by.

"I take it Qiaolian has made it to Manila?" Rosalie asked, takin the offered seat with a bright though exhausted smile.

Ted nodded filling her teacup and passing her a handful of notes. "She wanted you to know the property is turn-key, no modifications need to be made other than your own storage lockers and the security dugout on the main floor."

Rosalie scoffed, "How did you get away with an all clear?" Her tone was suspicious and accusing, "Every time she calls me it's with a mile long list of things which have garnered her displeasure."

Ted laughed and shrugged, "I've not the foggiest idea, she seemed sweet as you please when I spoke to her."

His employer's eyes rolled expressively, an impish glint twinkling in their depths. "That's it, I'm having you deal with her from now on. She's a hopeless flirt, I'm sure she's madly in love with you. Lord only knows why."

He took offense to that jibe, "I'll have you know, I happen to be an absolute charmer when I want to be."

Rosalie's retort was scathing, "Yes, well, you and Raymond have a few things in common. You should have seen her fawning over him while we were in Hong Kong. It was disgusting."

Ted grinned, "I'm sure Ray encouraged such favoring."

"Of course he did, that ill-behaved…ugh!" Rosalie picked up her pen and flipped viciously through her folio.

"Uh-oh, trouble in paradise? Ray did warn me to tread softly today."

Rosalie glared up at him, her irritation complete. "Oh…that man," she growled before heaving a sigh, "No, no troubles." He had simply gotten her thoroughly riled and then scampered off for the day, leaving her to stew in a burning pit of unresolved arousal. On second thought… "He's just a rascal and an absolute cad."

"That bad, huh?" Ted carefully hid his amusement behind his teacup. He could easily guess the truth behind Rosalie's disgruntlement, having been in the kitchen when Dembe returned from the first attempt to fetch Raymond, grumbling and muttering something about rabbits.

"Tread softly…" Rosalie groused under her breath, "I'll show him tread softly. When he gets home, pop him in the nose for me, will you? Preferably with a big stick."

"Anything for you, my queen," Ted gave a goofy salute, followed by a none too graceful bow, "I applaud your Roosevelt tactics."

Rosalie tittered and flipped through her notes, "Careful, I'm in the market for a pseudonym."

A delighted bark of laughter left Teddy's throat, "Queenie. Oh, Christ, that's fantastic. Ray would never let you hear the end of it."

This was true, and with an exaggerated sigh, Rosalie set about getting started for the day. "Fine, ruin my fun. What's on the docket for today?"

Ted lay his own notepad on the table with an excitable flourish, "For once, not much."

Rosalie leaned over, double-checking their notes, "That can't be right, yesterday was absolute madness."

"You've got a 14:30 phone call with Luli about the ledger and you wanted to review the timeline for the Four Seasons expansion happening two weeks from now, that's all we've got."

"The last round of new hires?" She asked, going through the list of issues they had been bogged down with the past week.

"You reviewed them all yesterday evening. The notes you made were put into action this morning."

"All of them?"

"Rosalie, we were up past two in the morning dealing with it so you wouldn't have to deal with any more hires."

The woman rolled her eyes, recalling what had kept her so late last night. "Of course, you're right, I completely blocked that tedious process from memory."

Ted snorted indelicately, setting aside the completed notes.

Rosalie was still convinced they were missing something. "What about Jenica? Are we current on her timeline?"

Jenica previously worked as a maid for the property in Varna, Bulgaria. Once news of the expansion reached Rosalie's associates, the young woman expressed interest in managing the new penthouse in Bodrum, Turkey, where her long-term boyfriend lived and worked. The property manager in Bulgaria recommended her with high regard, and Rosalie was only too happy to oblige, immediately sending Jenica to be trained at the side of her Athens property manager.

"Jenica just finished her stint with Oxiris yesterday. She's boarding flight DX1A to Bodrum tomorrow morning at 07:00."

"The apartment's ready for her?" Rosalie wanted to ensure the woman had everything she needed to begin her new role.

Ted nodded, "Cleaned, stocked, and turn-key. Her staff will be arriving for orientation next week, and business will commence October 15th."

Rosalie's teeth caught her bottom lip, unsure whether they were actually current or if they were just missing something vital.

"I know what you're thinking," Ted assured, "I've checked. Thrice. We're truthfully caught up. Unless something goes awry in the active properties, we have a brief respite until the last set of expansions in two weeks' time."

Rosalie let out a gigantic sigh of relief, grasping Teddy's shoulder in one hand and turning her face up to the sun, her eyes closing serenely. "Teddy dear…take the day off."

Nairobi Highway Turnoff- Undisclosed Location, Kenya - September 21, 1999

Raymond and Dembe made quick time to the outskirts of Nairobi, with but one stop at a roadside stand for a batch of warm mandazi, glistening sugar-dusted donuts which the pair happily munched all the way to the turn off, where the jeep they were in took to a rarely traversed dirt road bearing south.

Red's mind was firmly back at the safehouse, his mind burning with all kinds of sensual fantasies involving his blonde lover. The feel of her luscious little mound was burned into Raymond's hand, taunting him with the most delicious recollections every time he closed his eyes. That morning's interlude had wielded a wealth of delightful surprises, the kind of surprises he planned on fully exploring later. His tongue circled the inside of his cheek, trying to ignore how the muscle was still imprinted with the sweet, pert peak of a nipple.

Christ, he needed to get laid.

A mile and a half down the dusty, pothole-ridden road, they came upon an almost identical jeep and a battered white truck waiting in the center of the road. Three men were waiting for them, two resting on the hood of the truck and one perched upon the hood of the jeep. They watched passively as Dembe pulled up to them, throwing the jeep in park.

Red recognized two of his own associates as the ones on the truck. Gakere and Odongo, most often referred to simply as 'the twins'. The pair rose from their seats as he and Dembe disembarked their vehicle. The men shook hands and greeted one another before turning to the fifth wheel of their gathering.

Odongo gestured to the tall burly Kenyan resting against the front of his jeep. "Mr. Reddington, this is our source, Ndwiga."

Raymond beamed and grasped the man's massive hand, shaking it firmly before removing his sunglasses.

"You are staying at Kimbilio." The man's rough bass voice rumbled amusedly from his chest.

Red's visage perked up at this, recognizing the name of Rosalie's black site. "How did you know?" He was keen to know how the warden knew of the location.

Ndwiga flashed a bright smile, bursting with pride as he informed the other man, "I am the game warden of Kimbilio, I know the property like my own soul. Your jeep is one of Miss Rosalie's."

Red and Dembe glanced back at their jeep, nearly identical to Ndwiga's, the former letting out an amused bark of laughter. "I guess it's a small world, after all."

Ndwiga's eyes crinkled jovially at the peculiar man before him. He was used to people being intimidated by him, likely because he was so tall and so large. However, this funny white man Ms. Rosalie was harboring seemed amused and intrigued by everything around him. Ndwiga decided he liked him.

"You are looking for information regarding a man answering to 'the German,' yes?"

"Yes," Reddington nodded, his heart pounding with excitement. "I was told you might have intel regarding his activities."

Ndwiga wrinkled his nose, his eyes squinting away the harsh midday sun."Yes, I overheard a handful of rebel fighters discussing him in the same bar where I met Gakere and Odongo. The rebels encountered the German in their travels through Northern Kenya."

Raymond scratched at his chin, "What was their purpose in meeting with the German?"

"I do not know," the man admitted ruefully, "I do know that the German specifically sought out their leader, a war monger named Fisi."

Red's head lifted in recognition of the name. Fisi had been a rebel fighter not unlike the kind of boys Dembe had grown up with. However, Fisi had been making a rather notorious name for himself as of late, having grown into a ruthless killer and avid employer of boy soldiers. The thought turned the man's stomach. He could feel Dembe shift uncomfortably behind him.

Ndwiga noticed this. "You know him?"

"Only whispers and ghost stories." Dembe growled, peering between him and Raymond with a furrowed brow. "I take it Fisi has been a problem for you?"

The intimidating man's eyes turned hollow and haunted, "He has been taking the children." Heavy boot-clad feet scuffed the dirt at his feet, "Mothers cannot sleep for fear their boys will be taken and turned into soulless demons. Fathers are sending their daughters to family in Nairobi so they will not end up as slaves to the rebels or worse…" Words fail Ndwiga at the horrors which have been encroaching upon their community from Fisi's regime. "If you meet him and get your intel, I would ask that you kill him, least we all perish."

Raymond was surprised at this request coming from a man who seemed to radiate calm and compassion. "What convinces you I could accomplish such a thing?"

"You are one of Ms. Rosalie's criminals." The man shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "She only harbors powerful people, the kind of criminals capable of decimating a rebel band. Rosalie loathes men like Fisi, she even bought the lot initially planned for Kimbilio and built a compound for us and our families so we would not have to worry about him. We are safe, but others are still suffering."

Red nodded his understanding, sharing a sidelong glance with Dembe before turning back to Ndwiga. "My associates and I vehemently disagree with the abduction and training of child soldiers. If I can rid you of Fisi, I'll do so. However, in order to do that I will need any information you have on how to get in contact with him and his rebels."

Blacksite #17 - a.k.a 'Kimbilio' - Undisclosed Location, Kenya - September 21, 1999

The two men arrived in the blessed cool of Kimbilio's interior a couple of hours later, after setting the twins on the trail for Fisi's band. They were to put the word out Reddington was looking to sell off an arsenal of weaponry to the rebel band and wait for him to bite.

Red was quite certain the temptation would draw Fisi from his hideout in the jungle, greedy tyrant that he was.

Ted was leisurely drinking a beer on the leather Chesterfield when they arrived. He lifted his bottle in a jovial manner, "All right, Ray? Dembe?"

The two tired and sweaty men eyed the cold beverage covetously.

Ted pulled the bottle closer to his chest, "There's more in the icebox. This one's mine."

Dembe snorted and made his way to the requisite appliance, pulling out two glass bottles and holding one out to Raymond.

He took the offered refreshment gratefully and cracked the top. "You seem pleased." His attention had returned to Ted's relaxed pose on the sofa.

"We're caught up." His brows lifted significantly, "We've got a small reprieve from it all until the next expansion."

"Really?" Red watched Dembe kick off his boots and flop gracelessly into the opposite corner of the sofa.

"I'm sure Rosalie is pleased."

Ted agreed, clinking his bottle with Dembe's before taking another swig. "Which reminds me," he turned to blink impishly up at Red, "Whatever stunt you pulled this morning, she was spitting fire for hours."

Raymond chuckled knowingly, "I take it she was a tad flustered."

Ted snorted, "Wound tighter than an eight-day clock, more like. I was supposed to pop you in the nose when you got back but…" His head tilted onto the back of the sofa, one arm stretching out to wiggle lazy fingers in Red's direction. "Nah, too far away."

The fugitive was pleased to find the house's occupants so jovial, especially after the late nights they'd been having. "Where is the little hellcat now?"

"Sunbathing on your balcony," Ted waggled his eyebrows knowingly, "Absolutely starkers, too."

Red's expression turned quietly lethal, "How would you know that, Theodore?"

The woman's bodyguard was perfectly unfazed. "She told me, Raymond. I was informed to bugger off that side of the house if I know what's good for me; because she needed to get rid of that tan line she got in Maracaibo."

Red sauntered off without another word, knowing exactly which little tan line the man was referring to and realizing there was once again a perfectly naked woman waiting for him in the master suite.

"Like I said," Dembe chuckled with a contented sigh, taking a long swig of beer, "Rabbits."

He and Ted continued to drink in amused, companionable silence.

"All this influx is putting a strain on your laundering service."

Luli and Rosalie had been on the phone going over the ledgers for the better part of a half-hour.

"This isn't going to be a one-off. This influx is likely to remain steady for the foreseeable future, so we are going to need an entirely new launderer. I'll have to talk with Raymond, he'll know which provider is the most trustworthy."

Luli agreed, "I don't know enough players to give a recommendation, let me know what Reddington says. How is everything else with the expansion?"

Rosalie twirled her pen absent-mindedly, "We still don't know who told the Peninsula and the Four Seasons about the deal I struck with the Mandarin, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Today has gone significantly better than yesterday."

"Why, what happened?"

"We're caught up," Rosalie divulged cheerily, making another note on her timeline with a flourish.

"No, what happened yesterday that was so unpleasant?" Luli could be heard shifting papers about in her office, setting aside the ledger until the next time they met.

"Chaos," Rosalie sighed, "There was so much going on this week, the whole network was in an upheaval. I got so bent out of shape I dreamt of home, when the house was in foreclosure and all of this started. It was the worst."

Luli made a sympathetic tutting noise, "Christ, that feels like ages ago. How is Mama?"

Rosalie's brow pinched together, "Oh, same old same, she seems to like the new condo and the community she's in is great."

"How is she, really, Georgie?" Luli had known her long enough to know when her friend was making light of a problem.

"Don't call me that." Rosalie expertly dodged the question. She was perpetually reminding Luli she no longer went by that name and it was incredibly dangerous to call her as such, but Lu rarely ever took heed. "One of my associates could overhear you, then we'd both be up a creek. Nobody knows who I was."

Rosalie could practically hear Luli's eyes roll at this. "Ah, you miscreants and your aliases…Speaking of which, how are things with your business partner? Have you slept with him yet?"

"Luli!" Rosalie sounded perfectly scandalized. She hadn't told her friend a thing about her and Raymond's relationship.

"Oh come on, Rosalie, you can't tell me you're not intrigued by the very thought of bedding one of your criminals. That felon you run around with is-"

"He's not a felon," Rosalie peevishly corrected, "He's never actually been convicted of anything."

She could practically hear the maniacal grin gracing Luli's lips, "Oh, aren't we a stickler for the details? Don't lie, babe. I've seen pictures of him in the newspaper. He's not bad on the eyes, in a boring, heterosexual sort of way."

A deafening silence greeted these words, making Luli laugh even harder before she was abruptly cut off. "Go to hell, Scott, I'm busy."

"Who's Scott?" Asked Rosalie, thoroughly confused, scratching out a note on her timeline with vigor.

"I need a moment of your time, princess," came a smug male voice from the other line. A lone incredulous brow lifted when Rosalie heard the man's retort. If there was a certain way to garner ill-will with Luli, belittling nicknames was it.

Luli tilted the receiver slightly away from her mouth and snapped, "The salutation you're looking for is Ma'am, and I said go to hell, Scott."

"Play nicely, Lu." Rosalie chided mischievously, shifting through her notes once more.

"Now, Zeng."

"Damn. I'll give you a call back, I have to get rid of this entitled man child."

The phone hung up with a loud click as Rosalie started laughing. She did not envy the man on the receiving end of Luli's wrath.

Raymond had just stepped through the bedroom door as she hung up, unaware she now had an audience.

Treading stealthily toward the tent-like opening leading outside, the man damn near dropped the bottle in his grasp when he came upon his companion.

Rosalie Øllegaard was naked as a jay bird and lounging on her stomach in one of the deck chairs. An array of glossy property photos haloed her person, the abandoned satellite phone sat next to a freshly poured gin and tonic. She twirled a pen in her hand, bringing the end of it to her lips and tapping the plump flesh twice before concentration.

"Son of a bitch." Red's voice was such a low rumble, the object of his affection didn't even hear him.

His eyes roamed her prone form with a vicious hunger he swore was going to swallow him whole.

The soft soles of her feet showcased high arches, leading up past her ankles to those damnable legs, toned and supple, the left one bending at the knee and playfully wiggling her foot in time to whatever song she was humming. The little minx was blissfully unaware of what she was putting Red through, sprawled out in the bright midday rays, sunning her pert little ass without a care in the world.

How on earth had he lived this long without having this to come home to every day?

Raymond had no answers as his gaze caressed the smooth curve of her backside up to the small of her back where those god forsaken dimples resided. The very thought of those tiny twin divots had Red pulling at the neck of his shirt, suddenly quite uncomfortably hot.

He set his beer aside, tearing the waistcoat and shirt from his person, leaving him in his slacks and belt as he inched a bit further forward.

The sun-kissed expanse of her back and shoulders had his hands aching to smooth over the silky skin, to feel if the listening breadth of her torso was as warm and inviting as it looked.

Her blonde curls were twisted in a loose braid beneath the Borsalino he had given her in Siena, the only stitch on an otherwise perfectly bare beauty.

A groan of longing snuck out of Red's throat when Rosalie arched, stretching a bit of tightness from her back and giving him a magnificent view of her breasts.

Rosalie grinned a mischievous smile at the masculine sound, turning to see her lover standing at the edge of the room's opening. "Well hello there, peeping tom. Are you enjoying the view?"

"I've always been a voyeur." He purred the retort with a roguish smile, staring openly at her sun-drenched curves. "I could procure a horse should you wish to be my Lady Godiva."

Rosalie didn't miss a beat, "Oh, yeah? Are you going to build me a Benedictine monastery for my troubles? I must admit, there are things I would much prefer to a house of worship."

Red's deep, sultry laugh traveled enticingly along her skin, even from such a distance.

"Perhaps not, though I could offer you a great many things for the chance to look upon thy most intimate virtues."

Rosalie tittered at his wit, removing her sunglasses to reveal those heated gray eyes, playful and glinting with mischief as she considered the intruder to her domain. "There are precious few things which could tempt…"

Raymond rested against the heavy ebony trunk at the foot of their bed, crossing his arms in front of his chest, the movement distracting as hell. The action showcased the brawny muscles in his arms, so often hidden by his shirts.

Rosalie was completely smitten by the view, her pupils dilated and any thoughts of witty banter disappearing with a shaky exhale.

Red watched her with a bravado which had been ignited that morning and kindled throughout the day with thoughts of being alone with her. She rose from the lounge chair, coquettishly baring the front of her body to his avid attention. He watched her cheeks flush a soft pink as his immovable gaze burned her from the inside out.

Rosalie's attention was locked on the man's chest, the soft down of hair beckoning her to him. She strode brazenly into their room, not bothering to cover any part of herself.

Raymond uncrossed his arms and spread his legs, making space for the woman as she cozied up to him. His broad hands encapsulated her waist, drawing her into his influence, her skin was hot to the touch as his thumbs brushed soothingly back and forth.

"You seem quite tempted, little dove."

Rosalie's hands rose to touch him, threading slender fingers through his chest hair and caressing the expanse of his torso. "You are damn tempting."

Red smiled, placing his lips to her shoulder and kissing the length of her clavicle. Her hands moved up along his neck to tease his scalp, making the man grunt and lower his mouth to her breast.

When Rosalie leaned to kiss the top of his head, she halted. "You smell…" she mewed, brushing the tip of her nose along his jaw and down his neck.

Raymond laughed at the perceived slight, "It's hotter than Dallas outside, I probably need to shower."

Her perusal didn't cease. "No."

The man peered bemusedly down at his companion, "You could shower with me?"

"No..I mean, yes, I would, but not yet." Her lips were wandering every which way down his neck and chest, nipping and laving his most sensitive spots with relish.

He could hear her breathing deeply against the warmth of his skin. "What do I smell like that has so thoroughly piqued you interest, my dear?"

"Like your cologne, but different," her teeth nibbled a taut muscle running the length of his throat, "You're sunlight and warm earth…" her breath hitched a barely audible quaver, "trees, salty sea…I can only guess this is what pheromones are."

Raymond leaned into her mouth, turning to meet her gaze with a warm, amused grin.

"Every man is different, but yours is…" Rosalie swallowed thickly, blinking up at him with doe eyes, "Yours is making me, well…"

"Wet," he supplied with a predatory cock of his head.

Rosalie nodded dazedly, immediately capturing his mouth in a searing kiss.

He returned the affection, his hands teasing and grasping at her luscious curves. His tongue tangled with hers, pulling a string of needy moans from her throat.

"I've been wanting you all day." She murmured against his lips, pulling him further into her sphere.

"I never tire of hearing that, I take it today is going more smoothly than last night?"

Rosalie nodded, carding her fingertips languidly through his short hair before her discussion with Luli came back to mind. "Before I forget, could you please put me in contact with a high capacity laundering service? Luli mentioned the sudden windfall from the new properties isn't capable of being laundered with my current setup."

Raymond sat a little straighter at this. "I know a laundering service who can take you on, until then, I'll launder it for you."

Rosalie blanched, "Oh, you don't have to do that. I was just going to hire it out, it can wait-"

"I know I don't have to, I want to, and I'm going to." He lifted her small frame and turned toward their bed, depositing her on the bed spread and tilting his head in that adorable yet frustrating way.

"Raymond-"

"Rosalie, you promised." His green eyes held her stalwartly, informing her in no uncertain terms that he would not budge on this. She had promised to trust him with these needs and he was a man of his word. He was damn well going to deliver. "I've laundered money for the mob on several occasions, amongst many others; my operation has the bandwidth to spare."

"Are you sure?" Rosalie hated becoming so reliant on his assistance, but she really had no available way to clean the cash.

"I'm about to rescind my offer of assistance if you keep fighting me on this." His tone was purely playful, though his gaze still refused to leave hers. "Give me your accountant's contact information, and I'll handle the rest."

Rosalie visibly hesitated, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. She trusted Raymond implicitly, but introducing him to Luli would put him in direct contact with someone who knew who she once was. Rosalie was certain she wasn't ready for that information to get out.

Red smoothed his hands over her shoulders, guiding her to lay back on the soft, clean sheets.

"I'm sorry," Rosalie apologized in a fretful wail, her sun-flushed cheeks paling drastically. She didn't want him to think her hesitation stemmed from distrust or that she wasn't incredibly grateful for all he had done.

"It's not that I don't appreciate all of your help, I do, so very much, and you've been so patient…I'm just not used to-"

Her apology was cut short by Red's lips on hers. A long, shimmering mew of desire was pulled from her throat as his tongue tangled happily with hers.

He kissed her until she was putty in his hands, her warm body melding readily into his own.

"I'm only teasing you, love." His tone was husky yet reassuring, his breath ghosting over her parted lips, titillating her with each breath he took. "Though you are hesitating, may I ask why? I'm certainly not going to run off with your money, that'd be tantamount to shooting myself in the foot and more importantly, would all but guarantee I'd be denied access to this lovely little figure of yours."

This was certainly true, and was just one of a number of reasons why Rosalie hadn't even considered the idea that Raymond could be offering to assist her in order to rob her. It would be bad business, plain and simple. Rosalie was making a fortune with this new setup, and Raymond Reddington was benefiting just as much from the expansion. The number of clients he could take on for relocation and transportation had effectively doubled as well.

"I know you wouldn't rob me, Raymond," Rosalie's voice was thready with a cacophony of emotions.

"Then what has you so skittish, pet? We were doing so well-" He let the comment hang in the air for a spell. Red had spent the better part of that morning quietly reveling in this new dynamic blossoming between them. "Did my antics this morning perhaps make you angry with me?" His smile was an impish one as he considered her features.

"No," Rosalie assured, then corrected herself, "I mean yes, but that's not why I'm-" She huffed and attempted to sit up, but her companion's broad frame was busy enclosing her smaller one.

Raymond's tongue prodded the inside of his cheek in a playful manner, her waspy temper serving to amuse him.

"Luli knows my name." Rosalie snapped, wincing at her loss of tact. "Luli knows everything about me and it makes me nervous to put you Ito contact with her, because I'm not ready for anyone to know who I was."

Understanding dawned on Red's features, his lips pursing in a thoughtful pucker as he nodded his comprehension of the issue. "If it's any consolation, my dear," he grinned with the air of one preparing to lob a projectile onto a sinking boat, "Dembe knows everything about me and you've been in contact with him every day for over a year."

Rosalie's lips parted in a soft 'o' her slender brows rocketing to her hairline. "Oh, I- Sorry, Raymond, I completely forgot-"

At that moment, the phone rang, and Rosalie knew it was Luli calling back.

Raymond eyed her with an expression she couldn't quite place. He seemed to be waiting for her to make a decision.

Rosalie considered letting the call go unanswered. She would much rather continue this uninterrupted spell with her lover.

Hadn't they been blissfully carefree, moments ago?

Though, she supposed, the likelihood of Raymond letting their current discussion slide was slim to none. He would prod at the issue until they hashed it out. He always did.

She loved that about him.

Rosalie's eyes widened to the size of saucers as she realized what her inner monologue had just uttered. This was stupid, what on earth was she so afraid of?

Red seemed to read her mind, standing to pick up the phone, opening it and holding it out to her.

"Hey, sorry my coworker is a real pain in the ass." The sound of a heavy deadbolt could be heard through the line alongside Luli's voice.

Rosalie glanced surreptitiously up at Raymond, "Don't worry about it, Lu."

The man quirked a lone brow, expectation written clearly on his face. "I'll take that."

Luli's voice perked up at the sound of a man's voice. "Oh my god, is that him? Hand me over, I have questions."

"You'd better behave," Rosalie threatened into the receiver, making both Luli and the man before her snigger.

He held out a beckoning hand, waggling his fingers for the device.

Rosalie held out the phone, her lips pursed fretfully.

Red dropped a kiss to her sternum before guiding her to an upright position. He grasped her upper arms, giving them a gentle, soothing squeeze as his lips met her ear.

"Your name is something you will tell me in time, little dove, when you are ready and want to share such a piece of yourself. I'm quite content to wait for that day."

Raymond's expression was sincere, though tinged with amusement as he, in his own way, promised not to go looking for information she wasn't ready to share.

The woman finally relented, brushing her lips against his and setting the satellite phone gingerly in his outstretched palm. "I accept no responsibility for what comes out of her mouth."

"I heard that."

Red chuckled, lifting the receiver to his ear and began pacing around the room. "Luli Zeng, I've heard interesting things."

"Raymond Reddington. So you're the one who kidnapped my best friend and convinced her to go on the run with you."

Raymond grinned, "That I am," he crooned, giving the woman in question a lascivious once-over.

Rosalie shook her head, giving a coy little smile as she slipped into the silk kimono he had given her for Christmas, leaving the front of the garment open just to torment him.

"I have to know how you managed it," Luli continued, "She usually hates that sort of thing."

"Well, that's a story for her to tell, if she so chooses."

Luli snorted with laughter, "Oh good answer. Is there a boyscout badge for kissing ass?"

"I told you to be nice!" Rosalie's voice cracked like a whip, but was drowned out by Raymond's barking laugh. Now he could see why Rosalie and Luli were so close. Luli had a razor sharp tongue to match her best friend's.

He resignedly steered the conversation back towards business for the sake of Rosalie's nerves. "My companion has informed me you are in need of a more robust laundering service."

Apparently, Rosalie could not help herself at this. "Right down to business? I must say, I'm disappointed, Raymond. Here I was about to tell Lu you knew how to show a woman a damn good time."

Luli could be heard cackling her delight through the connection.

Red's clever eyes trained on his counterpart, shaking his head at her sass. "Pay no attention to the peanut gallery. I assure you I'm far more thrilling in the flesh, as you dear friend can attest."

"Oh? She was playing all coy about you earlier, is there more going on I don't know about?"

"She should be so lucky," Red evaded artfully dodging the question.

Rosalie stuck her tongue out at him as she walked by sputtering when the man damn near managed to nab the wet little appendage.

"Well, Raymond, I'm amazed. You've got a woman's closest confidant on the line and haven't immediately started asking questions. She's notoriously difficult to get to know."

Red was not swayed by Luli's obvious baiting. Given his way, the man was planning on usurping the coveted title of Rosalie's confidant. "I love puzzles, and I'm notoriously opposed to having my fun spoiled. Though, on second thought, those lovely little dimples at the base of her spine, have those always been there?"

He reached to tug at Rosalie's kimono with his finger as she passed by once more, watching in undisguised delight as the slip of silk fell in a puddle on the floor.

Rosalie rounded on him with a look of mock indignation, tutting at his mischievous behavior. She then made quite a show of bending over in front of him and plucking the silk from the ground.

"Ugh, you're hitting on her right now, aren't you? I'm pretty sure that constitutes as inappropriate workplace behavior."

"Can you blame me? She's right here looking like something out of my schoolboy daydreams." His eyes traversed the taut, rounded curve of her perky backside, catching the tiniest peak of her perfectly pink lips, the sight teasing him with the siren's call of her hot, sweet center. "Besides, Rosalie and I's sexual conduct policy allows for a broad spectrum of adventurous and exciting office behavior."

"I believe you mean sexual harassment policy."

"Not the way we wrote it." Rosalie giggled, wiggling her tight posterior with no regard for the formidable man she was taunting.

His gaze lingered over the toned muscles of her legs, which flexed as she rose, arching onto the balls of her feet.

"She has the loveliest legs. You went to Stanford with her, what sports did she play in college?"

Luli laughed, "Start guessing, I'll let you know when you've hit the mark."

"Definitely not basketball." He teased, earning an indignant pout from his little innkeeper.

"Correct. She's way too short and hates being shoved. Next?"

"I could see her playing lacrosse."

Rosalie shook her head with vigor, nose wrinkling adorably.

"Ooh, close, but lacrosse involved goggles and she thought they made her look like a mad scientist."

Red's eyes once again roamed Rosalie's lower half, trickling along the taut curve of her backside down to her sweet, supple thighs. She wasn't lanky and slender like a swimmer, she hid a very muscular physique beneath those womanly curves. Raymond was reminded just how strong she was whenever they wrestled for dominance between the sheets. His mind fondly recalled how she had actually managed to wrangle him to his back and have her wicked way with him on a couple occasions.

Luli seemed to know what was happening on the other end. "Stop staring at her ass."

"She's singularly distracting," Red protested, eyes flitting up to catch Rosalie's, her pupils were blown wide and her cheeks burning a bright pink as she watched him peruse her frame with obvious interest.

She managed to chastise him in a warm, breathy voice. "Stop talking like I'm not here."

"You are singularly distracting, my dear." He amended readily, trailing teasing fingertips up her inner thigh.

"You are so trying to get in her pants…"

"Don't go repeating that, I have a reputation to uphold." Red insisted in a careless drawl, brushing a broad thumb high upon Rosalie's thigh, reveling in the goosebumps which erupted beneath his touch.

"Gross. Your secret's safe with me."

He continued stroking the silky soft skin, smiling when she spread her legs just a hair further. "I take it you don't like men?"

Luli scoffed at the understatement, "I hate men, and you still haven't guessed the sport."

"Field hockey." He announced with a boyish chortle of delight, dropping his hand from his playful pastime.

"No," whined Rosalie, whether from his guess or his departure from her person, he wasn't sure.

"Yes!" Luli cackled, hearing her friend's grumbling through the phone, "Yes, that is definitely it. She definitely played field hockey."

"I did not play field hockey." Rosalie protested, damn near stamping her foot in disgruntlement.

"Forward or Midfield?" Red questioned, admittedly stirring the pot.

"Raymond!" She swatted his arm with a handful of papers, which he snatched with a solicitous wink.

"Oh, she's a midfielder, I'm sure you know her love for multi-tasking."

Raymond roared with laughter, "I certainly do."

Rosalie rolled her eyes and went to refill her drink.

"Alright, she's gone. What did she really do?"

"Kickboxing and sand volleyball." Luli divulged, knowing it wouldn't bother Rosalie for Reddington to know something so trivial. "My girl might not have played field hockey, but she can whoop your ass in a bikini if you get out of line."

Red didn't miss a beat, "At first I was a tad disappointed I wouldn't get to see her running around in those little knee socks, but the alternative sounds much more exciting."

Luli let out a throaty laugh, "Perv. I think we've had enough fun at her expense for today, you said you've got a laundering service for me?"

"Yes," Raymond readily provided her with the necessary contact with his own laundering team. "My accountant will put you in contact with a long-term laundering service once we've gotten the current backup of cash cleaned. If that's all you need-"

"You know I have to give the best friend speech right?" Luli could be heard jotting down the provided information, her tone suddenly much more serious.

Raymond stopped in his tracks, eyes squinting. "Which one is that?"

"The standard, 'If you hurt her I'll cut off something valuable,' sort of speech."

The man chuckled merrily, shaking his head. "Here I thought Rosalie was supposed to be the criminal."

"You'd be surprised, Reddington." Her voice was deadly quiet as she laid down her threat. "It's obvious she's enamored with you. I'm counting on you to keep her safe and happy, capiche?"

Red sighed as Rosalie tiptoed back into the room with her new drink. "You have my word."

Rosalie peered curiously at him once the call ended, "What did Luli ask which required your word?"

Red reached out for her, looping his arms around the small of her back. "She merely threatened to cut off certain body parts should I hurt you."

Rosalie's mouth fell open, "Oh for Christ's sake. I'm so sorry, she doesn't know when to quit sometimes." Her face immediately burrowed into his shoulder with a groan, her embarrassment instant and complete.

Raymond singsonged his head, "I liked her. She's a good friend, and from what I've seen of your organizational structure, she's a dab hand at what she does."

"She's exceptional," Rosalie confirmed, her voice still muffled against his skin. "If you ever want to swamp your empire in dummy corporations, I would highly recommend you have her do it."

Red's lips pursed thoughtfully. The idea was intriguing, but there were more pressing matters on the immediate horizon. His hand reached up to palm her cheek, guiding Rosalie's flushed face to look up at him. "Now…Where were we?"

Rosalie blinked once and allowed the silk covering her to cascade to the floor.

Raymond huffed a growl of approval, eyeing her naked body with a reverent desire. His lips sought hers, parting the petal-soft barrier to her sweet little mouth with his tongue.

A pair of searching hands deftly flipped the catch on his belt, undoing the top of his slacks in record time. The fabric fell in a heap on the floor, left behind as the amorous couple navigated their way onto the bed.

Rosalie squeaked when Red turned her to her stomach, then lifted her to her hands and knees. A shiver rippled down her spine when she felt his hot breath in a steady exhale along her shoulders while his mouth worshipped the silky plains of her sun-kissed skin.

Rosalie quaked at the sensations evoked by his attention, arching her back and wriggling her hips in the direction of what she desired.

The heavy length of Raymond's penis twitched as it slid easily between her thighs. The thick head bumped the throbbing peak of her sex, sending a jolt of pleasure through every corner of her.

Red quickly snatched the necessary prophylactic from the drawer, his mind positively screaming at him to bury himself inside her without it. The very idea made the steel rod between his legs harden even further.

They really ought to discuss...but now was not the time.

There was a wet and writhing woman perched before him just begging to be fucked.

"Please, Raymond."

That desperate little plea set off something carnal in Red which he knew would be a fight to subdue, especially when Rosalie always seemed to love when he lost himself with her.

"You'd better hold tight, little dove."

The warning was tinged with a palpable heat, the ravenous lust which had been building between them since that morning finally coming to a head.

Rosalie grasped the headboard as she felt the swollen crown of his member stroke her labia, coaxing more of that liquid desire to coat his shaft.

"So wet for me," Raymond purred amorously, rocking the bulging rod to glide along the entire length of her slit, making Rosalie's thighs quiver in response. "Aren't you just aching for it, Rosalie? God knows I am."

The woman let out a shaky breath in response, her blonde head nodding feverishly. "Raymond, I…I need you so badly I could scream."

The shaky declaration had Red guiding the throbbing head of his cock to the warm hollow of her entrance, the hardened curve prodding tauntingly at the scorching alcove, not quite breaching the tight sheath just yet.

Rosalie whimpered and attempted to push back into his teasing.

Raymond caught her hips with one hand, the other fisting itself in her long hair. "Now, now, my little felon, let's not rush our pleasure. Rest assured, I'll give you everything you need and more."

Raymond had taken certain lengths to ensure they'd both be burning with this particular hunger by the time he returned to the safehouse. He was determined this late afternoon delight should last until the sun was well below the horizon.

His hips tilted forward, sinking the first few inches of his erection into the welcoming warmth. The thickness of his shaft spread her wide, retreating a fraction only to surge forward even deeper than before.

A husky moan vibrated in Rosalie's chest, the ache inside her finally being tended to. She arched her lower back, inching his girth a few centimeters deeper.

"Good girl," Raymond groaned, feeling the velvet heat of her swollen sex engulf him in a greedy embrace. "Give into my cock, feel it fuck you open, nice and slow, inch by inch, filling that quivering pussy till there's not so much as a breath of space inside you."

"Oh-" The sheer arousal conjured by his words struck Rosalie dumb, a torrent of renewed shivers spasming along her frame.

Red picked up the pace, thrusting forcefully into the volcanic depths gripping and massaging his length with each pass.

"Ray," She moaned, gripping the headboard tightly as he mercilessly chased the razor's edge of ecstasy already building within her. He knew she was desperate for it. She swore he could scent her oncoming orgasm on the air, and Raymond wasn't remotely relenting on the pace, adamant she should shatter into the unfathomable pleasure only he could provide.

Red had just felt her start to flutter around his driving length when a series of echoing bangs rattled from somewhere outside.

Lurching forward on the bed, Raymond's large frame engulfed Rosalie in a tight hold, shielding her from what he recognized as machine gun fire.

Rosalie couldn't help but cry out as the tension inside her was left unresolved. The denial of her orgasm sent a wave of pleasure-pain from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

"Stay down," Raymond snarled, reaching for one of the firearms they always kept loaded and ready at the head of the bed. He looked up, seeing no bullets flying through the tent's canopy nor the floor below. He rose just enough to pull himself from her, hurriedly stepping into his pants and throwing his shirt over his shoulders, not bothering to button the thing. "Stay in here, don't come out until I tell you to."

"Raymond," Rosalie grumbled bitterly, her mind still locked in a haze of lust. "It's not-"

"Stay here." He reiterated, striding quickly out into the living area.

"But it's not gunfire- ugh!" The woman watched him leave with an irate glower before getting shakily to her feet and throwing on a thin cotton sundress she had laying on the vanity then hurriedly following Red out into the main canopy.

"I told you to stay inside." The man barked, furious his command had been so thoroughly ignored.

Rosalie snapped right back, "Calm down, G.I. Joe and company, It's just a bird!"

"Like hell it is, it sounds like an MG60." The man turned back to an equally concerned Ted and Dembe.

The latter shook his head, "Too light, it might be an M4."

"We've got bulletproof vests in the locker which can withstand both," Ted assured, running off to fetch the items.

"It's a shoebill," Rosalie insisted, looking at the battle-ready men as though they had lost their minds.

Raymond snatched her wrist in an unyielding grip. "Dammit Rosalie, get back in our room and stay there it's not-"

With a quick twist of her slender wrist, Rosalie was out of his hold and scurrying toward a trunk at the edge of the tent.

"Get away from there!" Red snapped, his hand still aloft, thoroughly confused as to how she managed to escape his grasp. He couldn't believe she was being so reckless.

Rosalie thrust her hand into the depths of the trunk and pulled out a pair of binoculars. Without so much as a stitch of armor, she strode purposefully out onto the sprawling deck.

"NO!"

She heard Raymond bellow, and he and Dembe quickly came barreling out onto the wooden platform, guns moving in a frantic, tandem search for the unseen assailant. Rosalie was shaking her head in obvious annoyance, carelessly focusing on the edge of the property's wetlands a mere 100 feet away. "Right there," she sighed, gesturing the pair to her side. "At the edge of the wetlands, it's a shoebill stork. She's guarding her nest."

Dembe carefully lowered his firearm, not seeing any bullets flying though the machine gun noises continued. He took the binoculars and scanned the area indicated.

Red looked on in disbelief as a sheepish grin graced the younger man's features. "…Oops."

He lowered the binoculars and pushed them toward Raymond, who lifted the item and peered expectantly through the glass.

There, just at the wetland's edge, stood a mass of grass and twigs. Perched in the middle of the mound was a large pre-historic looking bird. The thing must have been four and a half feet tall. It stood on thin, wonky black legs which ended in spindly-clawed toes, and at its feet was nestled a tiny, rather ugly gray chick. The grown stork's feathers were all varying shades of thundercloud gray, outlined in stark white and laying in neat little rows. A sharp green eye could be seen standing out against the pale gray plumage of its head, which ended in a large, hooked yellow beak it was using to make clattering sounds like gunfire.

"Ah…"

Raymond lowered the binoculars, handing them back to Rosalie with an abashed grimace.

Her lips were pursed in a pout to rival his own as she snatched the item back. "Yes, well, guns away, boys. It'd be a shame if in your efforts to protect headquarters, you he-men shot the local wildlife my wardens are working so diligently to protect."

She stomped back into the canopy, imploring Ted to put the bulletproof vests back where they belonged.

"It really did sound like a machine gun," Red insisted, grumpily turning to Dembe who was nodding his agreement.

Both men meandered back into the living space a tad deflated, wandering back to their separate rooms without another word.

Red found Rosalie pacing the ensuite irritably.

He grumbled when he heard the shower kick on. They obviously weren't going to return to their previous activities.

Raymond discarded his clothes on the way to the bath. The barely used condom still clinging to his shaft was flung into the nearby trash bin as his companion stepped into the shower's steamy confines, not a word uttered for the likes of him. Rosalie was obviously angry, and Red knew there were waters to be calmed between them. With a resigned sigh, he grasped the shower's handle, and entered the enclosure to see his lover beneath the warm spray.

His eyes softened at her shapely figure, the pristine skin glistening with clear rivulets flowing every which way along her curves.

Rosalie didn't turn around when Red came in, merely continuing about her routine with a scowl.

"I'm not going to apologize for trying to protect you-" he began, inching closer to the fuming woman who was scrubbing her delicate skin with a bit more vigor than necessary.

"I would never expect you to apologize for trying to protect me." She stopped mid-swipe and cast a thunderous look his way, "I do expect an apology for you yelling at me unnecessarily."

"You weren't listening," Raymond grated, his jaw clenching defensively.

"No, you weren't listening, Raymond. If you had listened before you even left the bedroom, you would know it wasn't a gun. If you had listened when I entered the lounge you would have heard it, twice. Instead, you ignored anything I had to say and on top of it all you dismissed me in front of our guards."

Red took a small step back at her waspish reply. She was pissed, and had reasonable justification for her discontent. Quickly replaying the altercation in his mind, he latched onto what he considered the most troubling issue.

"I shouldn't have yelled, but I believed there was a credible threat to us and you were walking right into it." His hand came up to rub ruefully at the back of his head, trying to convey what had gotten into him. "Do you think it wouldn't tear me apart to lose you now? We haven't been together long, certainly, but that doesn't mean I've not grown…attached to you. I thought you were just waltzing out into open gunfire, Rosalie can you not recognize what it might do to me to see you do such a thing? I haven't felt that helpless, that terrified, in years."

Rosalie's fierce posture softened as she considered his viewpoint. She could empathize with his fears, but she also had her own to contend with. Her slender arms crossed in front of her chest and her brow remained set in a scowl while she explained herself.

"I wasn't trying to make light of what you believed to be an imminent danger," she explained, "I was trying to tell you there was nothing to fear. Instead of hearing me out you went all gung-ho. It was like you couldn't even hear me. Do you know how frustrating that is? To have the answer to a pressing issue and have you completely ignore it? You made me feel like I'm not just as intelligent as you, like I'm not just as capable. In the past month you've shown me I can trust you in all things, Raymond, but this isn't going to work if you won't trust me too."

Rosalie couldn't let the argument go until her companion understood how deeply this bothered her. Her head tilted gently, dark eyes blinking imploringly up at her lover, her confidant.

"What if this was a real attack and you went barreling into danger because you were so busy trying to be the hero, you didn't listen to reason? Have I not earned your confidence, Raymond? Am I not worthy of your ear in a crisis?"

Red's argument died in his throat.

His rigid, towering stance abated instantly. He hadn't realized what he'd done. In his frenzy to neutralize a perceived threat, he had completely missed that the answer had been in front of him. That simply would not do. The stability of his empire hinged on his ability to think logically, to remain calm and collected when everything seemed to descend into chaos.

Rosalie was right.

"Of course you are…" Raymond whispered, reaching out to tuck a damp blonde curl behind her ear. "You've long earned my confidence, little dove. I'm sorry for how I spoke to you."

"We both could have handled it better. Thank you for trying to protect me." Rosalie admitted readily, leaning into his hand's gentle caress and flashing him a tentative smile.

A not altogether uncomfortable silence followed, in which Raymond and Rosalie quietly perused one another, assuring themselves their disagreement had been resolved.

"Today was supposed to be a lovely little respite from all the chaos," she finally sighed, "What happened? For God's sake, we're fighting over a bird."

Raymond grinned, opening his arms and beckoning her to him with a wave of his fingers.

Rosalie's warm, wet body was wrapped around him seconds later, their argument all but forgotten.

Red reveled in the undeniable pleasure of arms full of her, lips captured, tongues entangled, the plump softness of her breasts against his chest, the tingling satisfaction of her fingers threading through his hair, holding him to her.

They were going to be just fine.

Blacksite #17 - a.k.a 'Kimbilio' - Undisclosed Location, Kenya - September 24, 1999

It took a couple days for Red's associates to locate Fisi and his gang, and another day to make contact. Once the twins reached the band of rebels, they relied on Reddington's reputation to get him an audience with their leader, which they were granted the following afternoon.

Raymond loathed warlords and their ilk, especially those like Fisi.

The world over could believe Raymond Reddington was a vicious criminal without scruples but they couldn't be more incorrect. Red had a strict code of ethics which was not to be trifled with. Children were off limits, first and foremost. Innocent civilians were a close second. He never killed anyone who didn't deserve it. He always kept his word.

The man knew without having met him, that Fisi was none of these things. This is why they were meeting near his location and not anywhere near Kimbilio. It was imperative they keep the tyrant and his rebels as far from Rosalie's people as possible.

The innkeeper had supplied a large cache of weapons to tempt Fisi with, under the guise that once he chose which weapons he preferred, there would be a larger shipment coming. This would, of course, be in exchange for every bit of information the man had on the German.

Dembe exited the lounge with the large tactical chest filled with weaponry. "I do not like this." He complained, his brow creased in disapproval.

"What do you mean?" Rosalie asked, walking with him to the freight lift where the heavy chest could be safely lowered to the ground.

"You have heard of this Fisi rebel and his gang, have you not?" He asked, setting the trunk inside the lift and sending it down. "Ndwiga told us about the compound you built for your employees and their families."

Rosalie nodded darkly, "Fisi has been terrorizing the communities around Nairobi, taking children and slaughtering any opposition he finds."

Dembe's normally placid visage was incredibly dour, his distaste evident.

"This is really important to you, isn't it?" Rosalie placed a comforting hand on his arm, trying to meet his gaze.

Dembe caught his bottom lip between his teeth, his dark eyes fixed on his shoes. "The life of a boy soldier is a violent and cruel one. I would not wish it on any child. People like Fisi continue to thrive because there is no stable, uncorrupted government to stop them. So it falls to people like Raymond, other criminals of conscience. In order to do that, we sometimes need to deal with the devil."

"You disagree with offering him assistance, even if it is to get close to him so he can be brought down?"

Dembe nodded, "Every drop of aid lent to people like him is another life lost, another family torn apart. I do not relish having a hand in any of it."

"I can't imagine any of us would take pride in helping someone like that." Rosalie's voice was reassuring, though she could see it did little to soothe her friend. She quickly added, "We can all sit down and plot the bastard's demise once we have the necessary intel."

Dembe gave her but one small, slightly chastising smile before they were interrupted.

"Um, Rosalie?" Ted poked his head around the entrance to the main living space, seeing his employer and Raymond's guard in the midst of an intense discussion.

"Bugger…Sorry, it's just…There's a gigantic bird in the pool."

"Pinky!" Rosalie chimed, "I knew it." She took off down the hall, peering through the window at the large white obstruction blocking any access to the home's plunge pool.

"Who the hell is Pinky?"

Red stood in the mouth of the hallway leading to their bedroom, his question going unanswered as Rosalie went digging through the back of the icebox, pulling out a carefully wrapped package of fish. "…Rosalie?"

"Pinky's the resident pelican."

Raymond's hands lifted in mock outrage, "What is this property, an aviary?"

"A sanctuary." His counterpart corrected, kicking the refrigerator door closed with a flick of her bare feet. "Everything within twenty miles is owned by me and patrolled by my own team of conservationists, like Ndwiga. The same is true for my properties in Zimbabwe, Congo, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Madagascar."

The woman scuttled outside without another word, tittering her delight when Pinky quickly came sidling up to her.

Raymond followed her outside to take a look at this pelican, who was in fact a little pink.

"I'll have you know these smell disgusting," she told the bird with a wrinkle of her nose, tossing another sardine into its clattering mouth.

Raymond watched the exchange for a moment, admittedly rather amused. "That thing is enormous." The bird was nearly five foot tall. When his wings stretched to lift him gracefully from the pool and onto the deck, the limbs easily spanned ten feet from tip to tip. His pudgy body was a pastel pink, ending into webbed feet which waddled when he walked.

"Yeah, he's a big boy." Rosalie cooed fondly, catching Red's bemused expression. "You don't like birds," she deduced, smoothing the feathers on Pinky's head with a lone finger while the animal made a throaty cooing noise and attempted to steal one of the sardines in her hand.

Rosalie turned and evil-eyed the bird, who immediately ceased its pecking.

Red's teeth clenched, his lips pulling back in an expression of utmost revulsion. "What's to like? They're noisy, they shit everywhere, and they have a creepy way about them. That machine gun stork of yours is mildly terrifying as well. I think it's the eyes that get me."

Pinky cocked his head, clattering his long yellow and gray beak in what sounded an awful lot like indignation.

"You've offended my pelican," Rosalie scolded through a tinkling laugh, turning back to the giant bird with a pout. "I think the big mean man should apologize, don't you, Pinky?"

The bird trilled, far more interested the goods in her hand than anything else.

Dembe stepped out onto the deck, beaming at the animal. "Why is he pink?"

Rosalie waggled her eyebrows at the young bodyguard, "He's on the lookout for ladies. Great White Pelicans turn pink when they're ready to mate."

Raymond shook his head, resigned to the fact that he was dating some kind of "Alright, Doctor Dolittle, we're heading out, don't add to your menagerie while we're gone."

Rosalie beamed innocently up at him, "I'm going to make it my goal for you to come home to find me with a leopard in my lap."

"You're a terror." He teased, grinning when she kissed him soundly on the lips.

"I'm an endless honeypot of delightful surprises." Rosalie corrected, throwing a wink his way before tossing the last sardine into Pinky's mouth.

Rebel Campground Near Loresho, Kenya - September 24, 1999

Their jeep trundled deep into the heart of the jungle, down a windy, precarious road. The twins had picked Raymond and Dembe up at the mouth of the road, the four men piling in one vehicle for ease of navigation. It took forty minutes of traversing through dense jungle before they pulled up to the meeting point and threw the vehicle in park.

Dembe slapped the back of his neck where a mosquito had managed to bite, his hand coming back with a droplet of blood.

Red felt one sink itself into his forearm, slapping the spot with a sigh of annoyance. Another reason to make this exchange quick, he despised mosquitos.

Raymond stepped out of the vehicle onto the patch of muddy dirt road between him and Fisi's gang.

The small clearing on either side of the road up ahead was dotted with rows of destitute little shanties, rusted petroleum barrels, and a cavalcade of battered and muddied vehicles.

The procession of rebels stopped twenty feet in front of them, a veritable horde of vicious-looking men flowing from the vehicles' doors. From a tall jeep in the center of the group emerged the party's leader.

Fisi was a tall, grizzled man built of wiry muscle and obvious discontent. His face was covered with a short, scraggly beard which made him look unkempt, almost feral. The man ran grubby-nailed fingers along the sides of his scalp, where his hair was braided in tight cornrows. The center of his head was left long and was bleached, which along with his walleyed gaze, gave him the look of something deranged.

The men strode cautiously forward, each offering a curt nod as Gakere and Odongo brought the tactical box to the center of the clearing.

"You are Raymond Reddington?" Fisi spoke in a raspy tenor, eyeing the box critically when Red tilted his head in confirmation. "You expect me to be tempted by one small box of firearms?"

"Of course not, Fisi, this is merely a box of chocolates to ascertain your tastes. Once I know what you require, I'll send for whatever quantity you desire."

The man glanced suspiciously at Reddington, "How do I know you will deliver?"

Raymond kicked the box open with a flourish, "Why don't you take a peak at the assortment and we'll go from there? No need to rush our negotiations. You wouldn't have told me your location if you didn't believe me to be a man of my word."

Fisi and his men shuffled forward, peering into the ammunitions treasure trove.

Thankfully, Rosalie had a wide assortment of everything from handguns to sniper rifles waiting in the house. Though, Red would be lying if he said he wasn't the least bit curious as to why the woman was quietly hoarding that much fire power.

Dembe was visibly tense, glaring unabashedly at the gang's leader as he lifted a large rifle from the trunk and looked it over.

Fisi noticed the look of blatant dislike. "What you looking at, boy?"

"I am nobody's boy." Dembe spat, forcing himself to bite back the diatribe he longed to hurl at the foul creature before him.

"Your boy got a problem, Reddington?" Fisi's head tilted, taking his whole torso with it as he peered tauntingly down at Dembe.

"I believe his problem is you, Fisi. He just said he's nobody's 'boy', and yet you continue to antagonize him. If you can't manage to play nicely with my people, perhaps I'll need to take my wares elsewhere."

Fisi flashed a cheeky smirk at Red, holding his hands up in mock surrender and returning to his perusal of the merchandise.

Raymond made but one small, covert glance at Dembe, trying to convey he needed to cool his head.

"I will need to test your offering," growled Fisi, his gaze glinting with an almost sinister amusement.

Red waved a careless hand, content to follow the usual protocol, biding his time to ask the necessary questions.

The rebel leader waved two fingers in the direction of his men, shouting something in Swahili.

Raymond felt Dembe shift uneasily behind him.

From the clamoring band stumbled a small boy, no more than eight or nine years old, into whose hands was thrust a large jackfruit. Members of the group nudged and shoved the young boy, pushing him toward the other end of the clearing. The child turned around upon reaching the designated spot, undisguised panic shining in his eyes as he lifted the jackfruit high above his head.

Red felt his stomach roil with venom and disgust. They couldn't possibly be planning-

Fisi gestured to a nearby teenager, around about fourteen. He shoved the rifle into the boy's chest and pointed at his younger counterpart and snarling once again in Swahili.

The young man moved to line up directly with the boy holding the jackfruit, loading a round into the rifle and removing the safety.

Dembe stepped forward without a word, placing his hand to the top of the firearm and pushing its muzzle downward. The bodyguard was massive in comparison to pretty much all of Fisi's gang, and the young teen was left looking up at him in shock and pronounced fear.

He continued his trek down the clearing, gently plucking the fruit from atop the young boy's head. Dembe grasped his small shoulder and gently shooed him towards Reddington.

Raymond made no sudden movements as the child tiptoed toward him in abject terror, shuffling as though he feared swift retribution for allowing the other man to take his place.

With a thunderous look, Dembe squared his shoulders and held the large fruit above his own head, silently daring the boy with the rifle to take the shot.

The teenager quailed at the gaze, completely losing his nerve. He shook his head, yammering in Swahili and turning toward his cohort with wide eyes.

A number of them shouted and snarled their disapproval, but Fisi remained notably silent. He snapped his fingers and three men from the group grabbed the boy, dragging him through the crowd and leaving the rifle behind. God only knew what fate was in store for the young man.

Another older member of the group strode confidently forward and lifted the loaded rifle, taking his aim. He halted as he heard the unmistakable sound of a bullet being racked into a handgun, then felt the cool metal rest against the back of his skull.

Raymond had removed his Browning from its holster, aiming it at the back of the man's head. He'd had quite enough of this ridiculous charade. The man turned to Fisi with what appeared to be a careless chuckle. "I'm not about to have your boys pointing fully loaded rifles at my men, Fisi. Why don't you play target practice with a tree or the broad side of a barn like the rest of us? I'm all for testing the merchandise, but I don't trust your grunt not to kill my bodyguard.

Fisi rolled his eyes, gesturing toward the other end of the clearing and muttering a string of commands to his men. A number of them took a gun and headed in that direction to test.

The man with the rifle lowered his weapon and began slowly moving in the same direction as the others.

Red lowered his weapon slowly, jerking his head at Dembe.

The younger man moved stoically as he came level with Raymond, who grasped his shoulder and snarled in his ear. "Take the boy and get in the jeep. Now." The command was a deathly whisper, the kind of demand which should never go unheeded.

Dembe gave a small scowl before gesturing to the little boy, who nervously scuttled after him.

Raymond turned back toward Fisi with a look of distinct annoyance.

"My dear friend has a deep-seated distaste for anyone employing the use of boy soldiers to do their bidding. A distaste I share, I'm afraid."

Fisi actually laughed, a grotesque, raspy cackle of mirth. "I run my gang my way, you run yours your way."

Red slipped his firearm back in its holster. "Yes, well, you see, therein lies the problem. Your way is so gutless and unsustainable. By the time these boys turn fourteen, if they even make it that far, they're too damaged to be of any value to you or anyone else. It's craven, mean-spirited, spineless, and crude." His tone sounded pleasant though his retort was positively scathing. "It's the man who knows he cannot garner the loyalty of other men who turns to prey upon young boys, beating and brainwashing them into the idea that this is the only way of life available to them. To teach them the world is a cold, dark, and painful place with the most heinous of acts. You steal them from their families and often force them to murder their loved ones in cold blood, breaking the last shattered remnants of the child they were so you can recast them into some kind of misshapen puppets strung up to do your bidding."

Fisi pulled a glinting black handgun from the waistband of his pants and pointed it directly between Raymond's eyes.

Gakere and Odongo drew their weapons, pointing them at Fisi and closing in on either side of Reddington. Dembe could be heard leaving the jeep, his broad frame appearing in Red's periphery seconds later with his gun drawn.

"Now, now, Fisi, your ragged band of ragamuffins is no match for my battalion of fully grown men and you know it. Where your army is green, soft, and underdeveloped, mine is fully grown, battle-hardened, and highly trained. So before you go pointing that overpriced pellet gun at me and my criminal enterprise, I suggest you recall who you're dealing with."

Fisi scowled at him for several long moments, eyes flitting between the man and his guards. Slowly, he lowered his firearm to his side.

"Smart move, Fisi, I knew we'd get there in the end. If we're all done measuring our respective equipment, I'm first and foremost in the business of my business."

Fisi chewed the inside of his cheek, "I take it you are looking for information in exchange for the weapons."

Raymond nodded, "You and your men met with a man answering to 'The German' a few weeks ago."

"Yes. He is hunting for information too."

"What information?"

A cold, yellowing smile glinted at Fisi's mouth. "Information about you, your operation, who you are traveling with. Very curious man."

Red's expression remained carefully impassive. "What did he look like?"

"White, dark brown hair, clipped mustache, built like your boy there." Fisi taunted Dembe once more.

"Any distinguishing features?" Red pressed on, shifting the man's attention back to him.

Fisi grinned maniacally, "A German accent, nothing more."

Raymond continued to grill Fisi for information from where he met the German to what the man had been wearing and how he had been contacted. The wealth of information provided a handful of avenues for him to pursue.

"Do you have a way to contact him?" Red asked, but Fisi shook his head.

"He wanted any information we already had, not information we could gather. You'll have to find him yourself."

Red had heard enough. He gestured for his men to load back into the vehicle. "You'll have your shipment, assuming you can keep your mouth shut about our encounter."

"My boy?" Fisi questioned with an almost bored drawl.

Raymond didn't even look back as he headed for the jeep. "I'm taking him as collateral for the trunk."

Blacksite #17 - a.k.a 'Kimbilio' - Undisclosed Location, Kenya - September 24, 1999

Raymond and Dembe reached the blacksite a few hours later.

Rosalie was reading on the deck when she heard raised voices from somewhere below. The sounds were low, masculine. Turning her head, she listened more carefully.

It was Dembe yelling. Dembe never yelled.

Quickly, the woman stepped into the main living space, arriving at the same time as a disgruntled Kate Kaplan.

"What is going on?" She barked, setting aside her own book on a nearby table.

"I've no idea," Rosalie shrugged, "It sounds like they're having a shouting contest."

Both Raymond and Dembe came barreling into the canopy like a pair of hurricanes, bellowing at each other at a deafening volume.

"Don't ever do that again!" Red blasted, a cold, furious timbre to his voice.

Dembe whipped around with a lethal retort. "You cannot ask me to stand idly by while you complete business with some dictator utilizing boy soldiers to carry out his genocide!"

Red was completely unabashed. "I can, if it means keeping you safe, if it means we live another day to put that bastard in the ground for good! That, Dembe, I can and will ask of you."

"Raymond." Rosalie had never seen the two men speak to each other like this. She put a hand out to grasp Dembe's shoulder.

The young man shrugged her off, storming across the living space toward the deck.

"Hey." Red snapped, but Rosalie turned with a look which positively dared him to get pissy with the obviously distressed young bodyguard.

Raymond threw his hands up in exasperation, marching to the master suite with a contemptuous growl.

The three remaining members of the household all stood in stunned silence, none of them really certain what should happen now. Ted and Rosalie had never truly witnessed Raymond and Dembe in a disagreement before, not like this, anyway. From the look of her tightly pursed mouth, they could assume this kind of argument was unheard of for Kate as well.

Rosalie's head swiveled fretfully between the deck and the master bedroom. "Keep an eye on him," she gestured to Dembe's back. He was sitting on one of the steps on the deck, his head buried in his hands.

"I'm on it," Ted waved her in the direction Raymond took, taking up his post in the lounge.

Padding along the lengthy hallway to the master suite, Rosalie stopped in the office to pour a few fingers of scotch into a heavy crystal glass. Turning into the bedroom, she saw no sign of her counterpart.

Searching the space, she found the opening to their deck was unzipped and proceeded to step through.

Raymond was quietly fuming in the sunken seating area, perched on the alabaster cushions lining the area's loveseat with his elbows resting on his knees.

Rosalie tread the length of the deck, stepping down into the space and holding out the liquid offering to her counterpart.

He took the glass without meeting her gaze, taking a generous sip of the amber liquid and letting it swirl over his tongue. The pleasant burn as he swallowed seemed to temper his fury. The anger he felt all but disappeared as Rosalie settled against his side, close enough to kiss his cheek.

Raymond's hand immediately dropped to her knee, cupping the warm expanse of her inner thigh and brushing his thumb absentmindedly back and forth.

Her small, warm palm smoothed up the length of his back to rest atop his shoulder, her fingertips skirting the base of his neck in a soothing pattern. "Talk to me, darling."

"I'm angry." Raymond bit back, his tone acerbic.

Rosalie wasn't fooled. "No, you're not. You're afraid."

A crackle of aggravation licked at the man's insides, which he quickly smothered. He was in no mood to be laid bare by her ability to read him, but she did not deserve to suffer his ire. They sat there for several long minutes while Raymond pieced together his thoughts.

He carefully went through the events of their meeting with Fisi, what they had learned about the German, and the young boy whom Dembe saved, now staying with Gakere and Odongo, who would find someone to take the boy in and keep him safe.

"I know Dembe's young. I know it's not entirely fair for me to be this angry with him. I completely agree with his assessment of Fisi, he's a vile, loathsome creature who ought to be put down."

"Yet.." Rosalie prompted.

Raymond sighed, setting the empty glass on the nearby table. "If I kill Fisi now, another more despicable understudy will take up his place. In order to actually disband the rebel gang, there needs to be a long term solution which takes all of Fisi's men off the streets. The children need to be returned to their families where they can, otherwise placed with relatives or given some kind of home. The good men need jobs, the ones with murderous tendencies need to be weeded out. All of that takes time, time I won't have if Dembe continues to act without thinking. He can't go barreling in on every injustice that crosses his path. He just can't, Rosalie. I'll lose him if he continues to be so reckless."

The fight left Red once he uttered the truth aloud. His broad shoulders slumped and he turned to look upon his companion, his eye a tumultuous green. "I'll lose him, Rosalie, and I don't think I could stand it if I did."

Her gaze softened as she felt the concern rolling off of Raymond in waves. She knew he cared deeply for Dembe, and Dembe cared just as much for him. The two had a rare, indomitable friendship which bordered more along the lines of family. They would not fall out over this, but she could certainly empathize with Raymond's concerns. Her fingertips carded soothingly through his short hair as she considered all he had told her.

"This matter hits very close to Dembe. I don't know why, but I'm certain you do."

Red blinked once, offering no concrete answer.

The woman considered it confirmation enough. "You're right; these things take time, and Dembe needs to realize this. However, that's not going make him feel any less conflicted about lending even a modicum of assistance to a man like Fisi."

Rosalie considered her discussion with Dembe earlier, "By letting the rebels run unchecked a little while longer, we can rest assured more lives will be lost, more children will be taken, and more families will be torn apart between now and when he can finally be dealt with. Such patience is difficult to maintain, but you could end Fisi's entire operation, saving thousands of lives in the long run." "So the question becomes; how can we help soothe that spot in Dembe's soul? What can we do to make an impossible decision the least bit bearable?"

"We?" Raymond asked the necessary question, admittedly soothed to find her once again firmly at his side.

"Yes, we. I hate Fisi just as much as you do. Even more so after the tale you just told me. You and I will take him down, Raymond. The right way."

Ted and Kate came scurrying into the master suite so much as a knock.

"Dembe's gone."