Raymond Reddington was one of those annoying people who always woke in the mornings looking and feeling refreshed - no matter how little sleep they'd actually gotten. This particular morning, however, was different. He woke after barely four hours sleep (a usual for him) feeling exhausted but was unable to find a comfortable enough position to return back to sleep. He had been jerked awake by a sudden icy chill caused by a particularly nasty and frightful nightmare involving Lizzie being kidnapped and killed and he'd been too late to save her. Sitting in the centre of the bed, he noticed that many of the plush pillows had been knocked to the floor and the blankets were tangled round his legs due to his many twists and turns in the night.
There was no point to him remaining in bed; it would be a waste of the day to stay in bed feigning sleep for another couple of hours. Staying in his night clothes, he wrapped himself in one of the hotels complementary fluffy white robes and pushed his feet in to his slippers, before strolling to the main room of his extravagant hotel suite. It appeared that Dembe hadn't woken yet and for that, Reddington was momentarily thankful. He needed the time to think about what was going to happen regarding his relationship with Lizzie. He knew that he couldn't go back to actively working with her nor being in direct contact with her, she wouldn't allow that now. That wouldn't stop him from watching over her though.
He stood on the balcony, watching the sun steadily rise in the distance until Dembe joined him close to six thirty.
"Raymond. Have you had word on Agent Keen?"
Reddington turned briefly to Dembe before turning back to the skyline and shaking his head. "Not since last night, but I trust that Salvador will have contacted me if something was wrong. The last I heard she had gone to Agent Resslers. She'll be safe there - for now"
"Come inside, Raymond. I've ordered breakfast, it'll be here soon."
Both men turned and re-entered the suite, taking their places at the dining table. The knock at the door barely two minutes later signalled their breakfast and it was Dembe who went to the door. Reddington tipped the man who laid out their food before dismissing him and he and Dembe ate in silence for a few minutes before the younger man stopped, placed his hands on the table in front of him and spoke.
"Raymond, I think you should talk to Elizabeth."
Reddington slowly finished chewing before looking Dembe directly in the eye.
"I know, but we are both aware of the dangers it would put her in, and she will hate me even more than she already does."
An uneasy silence settled between the two but Dembe didn't push the matter, knowing that Reddington would come to a decision in his own time, and if he wanted him to weigh in, he would ask.
"Would you like me to arrange the jet for tonight?"
Reddington considered the question before responding. "I think that would be best. I will also be paying a visit to Director Cooper in a few hours. Of course, his doesn't know this, would you be a dear a inform him of our impending arrival at nine?"
Dembe gave a single nod and left Reddington sitting at the table. He reckoned he should speak to Cooper, inform him that he had some business to take care of out of the country and he may be gone for a few weeks. He would propose to the man that he give all members of the task force a well deserved vacation, what with all the cases they have worked on in recent months, he'd hate to think of the amount of simple things the agents had neglected to do. Plus, with him away, the task force couldn't function, seeing as they need him to give them cases and that wouldn't be happening. Hopefully this would also give Lizzie some time to calm down and think properly about what she wanted. She may want him out of her life now, but maybe with a few weeks to think about, she may feel differently.
It was fast approaching seven in the morning now and he couldn't delay starting the days tasks any longer. He had a busy day ahead, what with visiting Cooper, tying up a few loose ends here and there before flying out to wherever tonight. He had barely finished buttoning the buttons of his vest when a loud ringing came from the dresser.
"Salvador."
"Well, good morning to you, Mr Reddington. Beautiful day isn't it?"
"Don't play with me, Salvador. I am not in the mood."
"Alright, alright. Your girl is on the move. Her and the agent are heading towards the house she shared with Tom Keen. Separate cars but he is following her. I'm going to get one of my guys to follow her for the rest of the day and take over again in morning. Fair, no?"
"Do what you need to but don't screw this up."
He ended the call without so much as a thank you. He despised the man but as Dembe had said, he hadn't had a choice but to use him. If she was taking Donald to her home then she must have trusted him enough to tell him the score, and that would mean she was planning to call it in - or at least Donald was. Reddington sighed to himself before picking up his shoes and taking them to the living space. He hoped Lizzie was strong enough to withstand the intense scrutiny she would be coming under, there would be only so much he could do to save her job if it came to it.
Dembe came from his room ready to leave five minutes after Reddington had. "Everything is done, Raymond. Cooper will be waiting for us and the jet will be ready to leave at ten tonight."
"Thank you, Dembe." Reddington slipped on his overcoat and fedora before taking one last look round the large room. "It's such a shame, I was enjoying our time here."
Reddington and Dembe entered to Post Office dead on nine o'clock. Cooper was ready and waiting for them at the top of the stair leading to his office, and he followed the two men inside before closing the door behind them.
"This makes a change, speaking to someone other than Elizabeth Keen, which I'm sure you remember was one of your main demands or us. Tell me, Reddington, was is it that you want?"
"I'm well aware of that, Harold. Alas, this business will be between you and me. As it stands, I'm not in Lizzie's good books and I won't be for some time. I'll spare you the details but the point is that I won't be working with her for a while."
"Is that so?" Cooper lent back in his chair and gave the criminal sitting before him a smug smile.
"Don't give me that look, Harold, these things happen. Coincidently, I have business to attend to which will take me out of the country for a few weeks. We all know that this task force can't function without my giving you cases. So I'm proposing that you give all agents, including yourself, a vacation."
"A vacation?" Cooper said with raised eyebrows.
"A vacation." Reddington stared back at the man.
"All agents?"
"All agents."
"For a few weeks?"
"Yes, for a few weeks." Reddington was growing slightly frustrated now. "Honestly, Harold, what is it that you're not understanding? You won't be getting any new names for the upcoming weeks and this whole task force was put together solely for the purpose of catching said names. It makes perfect sense to shut up shop until I return."
He knew Cooper was suspicious of him, how could he not be? Notorious criminal, number four on the FBI's most wanted list, dubbed the concierge or crime, turned confidential informant for a low level agent, what's not to trust? .No doubt Lizzie would raise some concerns and protest the idea when she came in but he hoped Harold would agree and set the stones in motion long before then.
"Does this," Cooper leaned forward and lent on his desk, glaring between Red and Dembe. "Have anything to do with why Agent Ressler had a team called out to Keen's house this morning to process a crime scene and why she will be question by the department about her husband?"
Reddington sat in front of the man emotionless. He had been right to think that it would called in, and he expected no less from Donald.
"I wont bore you with the details but yes, it has something to do with it. Harold, whether you agree or not, my jet is leaving tonight and I will be on it, but I highly suggest you consider what I've said. Think of Agent Malik who has two young children at home who would benefit from seeing their mother for longer than an hour a day. I'm aware that she is on loan from the CIA but I'm sure something could be arranged. I know for a fact that Charlene would love having you round the house to finish the odd jobs you've been promising for months. Am I wrong?"
He could tell be the look on Coopers face that he was starting to win. Raymond Reddington always wins in the end. Dembe, who was standing near the window, saw something and peaked through the blinds before speaking aloud. "Raymond, Elizabeth is here, and she's heading this way."
Reddington swallowed then sighed. "Well, gentlemen, this meeting is about to get a little uncomfortable."