Ressler, Listen to Me

Part 9

Author's Note: I was waiting for more to be revealed on the series to get to this part, and last night's ep (Godwin Page) gave me a great idea of where I could envision Season 9 going with the gang. So, this is totally my imagination taking over—I have no idea if this will pan out. In the series, Ressler is in the hospital with sepsis but in this story, he got handed over to Red's doctors pretty quick and did not suffer that fate. So, slight differences, but a similar path forward.

Please take a look at my other WIPs The Short Game and Agnes and leave a review to let me know what you think.

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Aram felt himself being hustled as they walked on a hard surface. He could hear what sounded like a jet engine running nearby but couldn't see anything, his face and head covered and his hands cuffed. Townsend had managed to capture him by having a driver side swipe him on his bike, get out to check on him and then kidnap him. He was in biking shorts and a t-shirt. His backpack had been taken from him and he was, obviously, not carrying his gun. He was out for a de-stressing bike ride on a Friday night—so much for de-stressing.

After everything that had happened, Liz and Ressler on the run, Cooper battling with Panabaker over a scrub order that had been issued for the two of them, and his own lack of understanding of why his friends had made the decisions they had made, left his head spinning. He had felt like he'd aged in the last 10 weeks, and not in wisdom but worry. Everything had gone silent, no new threats from Townsend, no contact from Reddington, no contact from Ressler or Liz. And that made him and everyone else nervous. Were they dead and the FBI just didn't know yet? Had Panabaker found them and the scrub order had been executed? Were they all fighting a battle somewhere that the FBI was no privy to know or understand? All of these questions had kept him up nights, made him lose weight, had him peddling hard and fast to get terrible thoughts out of his head.

So, it was not much of a surprise when he'd been grabbed by Townsend; eventually there would be a shoe that dropped and, apparently, he was the shoe. His entire life had fallen apart, why would anything change? Samar had left him, Elodie was a murderer, Liz and Ressler abandoned him, and he was wanted by a psychopath. What that psychopath didn't know was that he probably wasn't much of a bargaining chip, he doubted Liz would trade anything for him, he wasn't sure if Ressler would either given his escape with Liz, he didn't think the FBI would make ransom; they didn't negotiate with terrorists. Also, Aram figured, offing him would clear the decks a little more of the task force, the FBI could see his death as a necessary loss.

Yes, Aram was not feeling very confident as he was made to climb a set of stairs and enter, what felt like a cabin or enclosed space of some kind, that he would be alive for much longer.

His hood was roughly pulled from his head, and he saw Donald Ressler standing in front of him on a private plane.

"Aram, I'm sorry we had to bring you in to speak like this," Ressler said as he stepped forward and took off Aram's handcuffs.

"You're okay?" Aram asked, immediately struck by the difference in his friend. Don, the wearer of suits, was standing before him in grey casual pants and a rust-coloured fitted sweater.

"Yeah," Don smiled at him as she patted Aram on the shoulder. "We brought you here to talk and to let you make a decision."

Aram furrowed his brow and then turned, his head snapping to behind him as the door to the plane closed. He noted his bike helmet and backpack had been left on the front seat of the cabin.

"Don't worry, we're just going to circle while we talk," Don said. "Then we will come right back here."

Don had made it very clear to Reddington and Liz that they were not taking any task force team members against their will, that they needed to know the facts and make their own choice. And, if that choice was to not join them, then that needed to be respected and they needed to be set free. Reddington had an issue with the 'set free' part, thinking it would be wise to keep them isolated until the mission to take down Townsend was complete. But Ressler had argued vehemently that no one is to be kept against their will. Liz sided with Ressler and a decision was made.

"We?" Aram asked.

Don turned to the side and Aram could see Liz sitting a few rows behind him. Again, her appearance looked different, instead of the black clothing she had been sporting for the last year he knew her, she was wearing some dark pants and a bright royal blue fitted shirt.

"Liz," Aram said, surprised.

"Hey Aram," Liz smiled at him.

"Come sit," Don said as she gestured for Aram to join them.

Aram nodded and turned to see that the men that had brought him on the plane were gone. He could feel the plane starting to taxi somewhere.

"It's just us," Don said, reassuringly.

Aram walked toward the chairs where he and Liz were obviously sitting.

Don studied the man, his friend. He had lost some weight and looked tired and worn. He was a stark contrast to Liz, who Aram sat opposite. She had colour in her cheeks from hikes, looked relaxed, and had gained a few pounds to round out her edges a little. He was happy to see the changes that had occurred in Liz over the last couple of months and saddened by those that had happened in Aram.

"Hey," Liz said as she smiled at their friend.

Aram sat back in his seat and looked at her, unsure. Don walked between the two of them, handing Aram a bottle of water as he did, and sat next to Liz.

"Are you two working with Reddington? Is this his plane?" Aram asked as he felt the plane start to pick up speed for take off.

"Yeah," Liz said with a nod. "When Ressler got shot, we got Reddington's help and have been with him and Dembe and Agnes ever since."

Aram nodded and undid the lid to the water bottle noting that he broke the seal as he did.

"Agnes is with you?" Aram asked.

"Yeah, she's doing great," Liz smiled at him.

The plane took off and here was a brief moment when everyone stopped talking and just let the plane rise up.

"And have you eliminated Townsend?" Aram asked, breaking the silence.

Liz and Ressler exchanged a look and Don leaned forward on his thighs.

"No, he's not been eliminated, but there's a larger project that we've also been working on that we would like you to consider being involved with," Don said as he met his friend's eyes. "It's working with Reddington on something that everyone thinks is against our government, but it's not. We can't share all of the details, but know that I wouldn't be here, doing this, if it wasn't for that knowledge."

Aram furrowed his brow.

"Forgive me Ressler, but you have and would do anything for Liz," Aram said as she looked at the pair of them. "You have risked your job and your life to follow her. I'm not sure you are the best…

"You're right, I have risked my job, my life…everything, for Liz" Ressler interrupted him.

Aram watched Liz swallow hard, she was uncomfortable with that statement. She looked out the window that was next to her and Aram thought he glimpsed watery eyes.

"And I was on board to help eliminate Townsend so Liz and Agnes would be safe, but I wasn't sure I was going to stay after that," Don admitted.

Aram noted Liz's hurt expression that passed briefly over her features as she turned back to face him.

"But this new…project…has made me realize that we need to do this for the safety of…everyone," Don said thoughtfully, never revealing more than needed. "And the FBI won't allow me to do what I need to do."

Aram looked at him and thought about his words.

"You're not coming back?" Aram asked Ressler, knowing that it was impossible for Keen to come back.

Don's eyes briefly flicked toward Liz before he answered. "No, Aram."

"Wow," Aram said as he sat back and looked at Ressler.

Don nodded and let that soak in. The poster boy for the FBI was no longer.

"What do you have to do that you can't do as an agent?" Aram asked.

He watched Don swallow hard, "Not follow the rules."

Aram raised a curious eyebrow and looked toward Liz.

"Are you okay with this? With him throwing everything he has worked for to…?"

"It's bigger than the FBI Aram," Liz said. "And he's his own person, he can choose to do…"

"Forgive me for calling bullshit," Aram said as she leaned forward.

Liz looked surprised and Ressler had a small smile creep across his face at Aram's words.

"Calling bullshit, really?" Liz chuckled.

"You have manipulated him since…"

"Sitting right here," Don mumbled.

"That's unfair," Liz said as she looked at Don concerned and then met Aram's eyes. "I was not manipulating."

Aram looked at her in disbelief.

"She wasn't," Don said. "From an outside perspective it may have…looked like that. But we both knew exactly what we were doing, the risks we were taking, the consequences of our actions. I'm a big boy Aram, and this isn't my first relationship."

"It's a relationship?" Aram asked them.

He watched Liz and Don exchange a smile and that told him everything.

"And you want me to what? Give up my life, my livelihood, my freedom, possibly, to do this with you and Mr. Reddington?" Aram asked, his voice quick and his nervousness palpable.

"We want you to consider that there isn't just one path to do good," Liz said. "That the perception isn't always the truth, and that there are bigger stakes in this than there have ever been."

Aram looked taken aback by his statement.

"We can't promise much," Don said. "But you will be part of a team, not just a minion, and you will have a say in all we do, and you will know the details once you are with us. But you will also be in danger, you will no longer be an FBI agent, and you will break rules, Aram. Big ones."

Aram looked at him and said nothing.

"And we understand if the answer is no," Liz quickly added. "You can go back to your life and forget this offer was ever made."

"Or you can report this meeting and all the details from it," Don said as he leaned slightly towards Liz. "Whatever you choose to do…"

Liz handed Aram a burner phone.

"You have 2 days to decide," Liz said. "To get your affairs in order, and to quit your job."

Aram looked at him alarmed, never had he ever considered quitting the FBI.

"And if we don't hear from you in forty-eight hours," Liz said as Aram felt the plane start it's decent. "Then the offer is gone."

Aram nodded.

"Will this involve living elsewhere?" Aram asked.

"Yes," Don said, offering nothing more.

"Will I get paid?" Aram asked, thinking of his lost pension plan.

Liz handed him a standard job offer with pay scale on it.

"Oh, wow," Aram said.

"Everyone is risking a lot," Don said. "It may be for the greater good but everyone has bills to pay."

The plane touched down as Aram looked at the amount on it. When the plane had slowed, he looked at Liz.

"How many team members?" Aram asked.

"Not counting security?" Don said as he looked at Liz and she nodded, a silent conversation had just taken place. "Eight."

Aram nodded. The plane came to a stop.

"I will consider this offer," Aram said officially.

"Good," Liz nodded. She wanted to tell him that she missed him, but he may think she's trying to manipulate the situation.

"Do you have any other questions?" Don asked, indicating their time together had come to an end.

Aram thought for a moment and then nodded. "How are you both with it not longer being with the FBI?"

Don rubbed his hands together and looked toward Liz. "Liz adjusted better than I did. But, I'm there now."

Aram nodded absently.

Ressler and Liz rose. She wanted to hug him but again, thought he would read it wrong and think it was a ploy. Instead, she found Aram pulling her into a brief hug; one they both needed. She hugged him tight and when he let go, she hoped it would not be her last Aram hug.

Aram shook Don's hand and smiled at him.

"Whether I join you or not," he said as he looked toward the exit that was now open. "I am glad you have each other, and I hope you always do."

Don nodded and Liz smiled at him. Aram turned and exited the plane and Don put his hands on Liz's hips and pulled her against him while she buried her face in his chest and contentedly sighed. They weren't sure how this would go and it had gone as well as could be expected.

Aram stepped back into the cabin of the plane and was surprised to find such an intimate moment between them.

"Sorry, I uh…" he said.

Don and Liz immediately pulled apart and looked at him. Ressler's face went red and Liz shifted her feet.

"Biking helmet," Aram said as she grabbed his helmet and backpack off the front seat and scurried out of the plane, never looking back.

To be continued…