Chapter Three

When they arrived at the Post Office, Shawn got his picture retaken for a new identity badge. They made their down in an elevator to a small, remote viewing room. "Agent Spencer, it's nice to have you back," Agent Cooper said, holding his hand out for Shawn to take.

"It's great to be back," Shawn smiled as he shook Cooper's hand. He looked out the window to see a man chained to a chair and in an armored box. He quickly counted around thirty men with machine guns guarding every possible exit in the room. He would have hated to be Reddington at that moment. "That's him?"
"Yes."

"He doesn't look like much. I was picturing a more… burly guy with maybe a snaggletooth or two…. Or no teeth at all." Cooper would have made a remark to Spencer's wit. He couldn't count the times he had to tell the man to act, well, like a grown man; but he was glad to have him back. No matter how many times he had to reprimand Shawn, he sometimes enjoyed his remarks. They lightened situations.

Two people walked through the door. "Agent Spencer! Good to see you again," Agent Ressler said as he shook Shawn's hand. They were partners for his last few years with the Bureau.

"Good to see you too," Shawn lied through his teeth. Ressler was the Lassie of the FBI, and Shawn was, well, Shawn. They didn't get along too well most of the time. He looked at the girl who was next to Ressler.

"Agent Elizabeth Keen," she said softly as she held out her hand to him.

"Shawn Spencer," he took her hand for a moment. She seemed so familiar. He could have sworn he had seen those eyes before. She let go of his hand then she looked out at Reddington. One of the armed men put two chairs a couple feet from the caged man. Keen let out a nervous sight.

"If you need anything, we're right here," Cooper said. Keen nodded and looked at Shawn.

"Ready," Shawn asked as he put his hand on the door knob.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said. Shawn opened the door setting a loud buzz off. Elizabeth nodded to him as she walked through. As they made their way down, Reddington looked up at them and smiled. This sent a shiver down both of their spines. As they walked forwards, a few of the guards surrounded them. The box opened up and left Reddington sitting out in the open in middle of the room. They calmly took their seats in front of the man who was still smiling.

His sudden laughter made Elizabeth jump, but Shawn just sat there, glaring at the man. He was trying to figure him out, but he couldn't. "Agent Keen, Agent Spencer. What a pleasure." They sat there, starring at the man.

"Well, we're here." Keen was the first one to speak.

"What do you want," Shawn added, but Red just ignored both of them.

"You got rid of your highlights," Red said to her. Shawn looked over at her with a confused look to see her open her mouth slightly in shock. "You look much less... Baltimore." Shawn looked back at Red to see him looking at him. "And Agent Spencer; how are you? Surely you didn't leave your beautiful Juliet back in Santa Barbara by herself. I'd love to meet her in person." Shawn wanted scream. How did this guy know about Juliet! He wanted to blow up on him, but he just smiled. Reddington smiled back. He opened his mouth to say something else, but Keen stopped him.

"Tell me about Zamani," she said. She wasn't playing around. She wanted to get out of there. Shawn noticed that she was slightly playing with her fingers. Rubbing the inside of her hand. She was obviously more nervous than she looked.

"Do you get back home much," he asked her with a sickening grin. "I haven't been home in years."

"Why involve us," Shawn said, saving Keen. "She's nobody." He'd have to apologise for that later. "It's her first day. And I'm-" What was he?

"A psychic?" He saw Elizabeth look at him out of the corner of his eye, but he just kept glaring at Reddington.

"There's nothing special about us," he said as if he was unaffected by the man's remark.

"Oh, I think you're both very special." Both of the Agents sat there speechless. This annoyed Reddington. When Red clicked his tongue against his teeth, it reminded Shawn of Gus. He forgot to tell his best friend he was leaving. He was going to have to shoot him a text as soon as he could. "Within the hour Ranko Zamani will abduct the daughter of U.S. General Daniel Ryker. There'll be some kind of diversion, communications will be scrambled, and they'll grab the girl. Elizabeth's hand rubbing became more noticeable as Red went on. He wants to be out of the country within 36 hours. If you don't move quickly, she will die. That's what I know."

"And how do you know this," Elizabeth asked.

"Because I was the one who got him into the country," Reddington replied as if it was no big deal.

"And we're supposed to believe you," Shawn asked.

"Of course not," Redding laughed. As he continued to laugh, both Shawn and Keen grew more uncomfortable. "I'm a criminal. Criminals are notorious liars. Everything about me is a lie. This guy knows what I'm talking about." He motioned to Shawn. Elizabeth looked at him in confusion. Shawn felt his face drain of all colour. He knew that the FBI, CIA, and who else knows were now running extensive background checks on him to figure out what Red was saying. "But if anyone can give me a second chance, it's you two. Shawn here is good with second chances." Shawn couldn't stand it. This guy was trying to get into his head just like Yang and Yin did and he didn't want it to happen again.

Red continued. "The three of us have overcome so much. I mean, look at you, Agent Keen! Abandoned by your father who was a career criminal, a mother who died of weakness and shame. And here you are, about to make a name for yourself. About to capture Ranko Zamani." Shawn could see that Keen was getting more uncomfortable by the second. Red looked from Shawn, then back to her as he spoke. "And I don't even want to start naming all the similarities between you and Agent Spencer. You two practically have the same blood running through your veins." The two Agents looked at each other. "I'm going to make you two famous."

Elizabeth stood up and quickly walked back the way they came. Shawn looked at Reddington for another moment, and then followed after her. "What did you tell him," she asked after they shut the door.

"What are you talking about," Ressler asked.

"How did he know those things about us," Shawn asked. He was just as freaked out as Keen was. He wished he never would have left Santa Barbara.

"Why didn't you tell us about your… Psychic…gift," Ressler asked Shawn, unsure of how to word his question.
"Why didn't you do an updated background check before you hired me on this case?" Shawn could see the surprise on Cooper's face.

"Well, Agent Spencer. Are you a Psychic," Cooper asked. Shawn couldn't decide if he should come clean to the FBI and risk losing his business back home, or if he should just keep up his charade. There were huge penalties for lying to a police department let alone the FBI. His words just fell out of his mouth.

"More or less, but that is neither here nor there. We need to contact the SWAT commander at Quantico and get them out here to that girl."

"This is nonsense," Ressler said looking at Cooper. Shawn forgot how annoying his ex-partner could be. "He's bluffing."

"No," Elizabeth said. "He's establishing value."

"I've been the case agent on this guy for five years," Ressler said back to her. "Trust me-"

"Yeah, and five years has gotten you what," Elizabeth interrupted him. The room became silent. "You asked me here, you asked my opinion. Here it is: that little girl is going to get taken." She looked back and forth between the men before excusing herself. Cooper pulled out his phone and excused himself as well.

"Agent Spencer, I hope you're right about this. I would hate to see you wrong on your first case back."

"I'm not back for good. I'm here to work this case, and then I'm gone," Shawn said. "And don't worry. I'm barely ever wrong on most occasions." He stopped and rethought what he just said to make sure it made sense. It didn't, but he liked it batter that way. He then smiled and nodded to Ressler before leaving.

He easily found his way around The Post Office as if he had never left. He sort of missed all of this. As he made is way down towards the garage, he saw Elizabeth standing still with her phone in her hand as if she had just heard terrible news. He walked towards her. "Agent Keen," Shawn said when he was a few feet away from her. She turned around and looked at him. "You alright?"

"Yes," she said as she laughed once. She put her phone, along with her hands, in her pockets. She went to say something else, but she got distracted as about 50 SWAT members with fully loaded machine guns walked by.

"Wow," Shawn laughed. "That was impressing timing!" She looked at him as he laughed. After a few seconds he stopped and looked back at her. The smile on his face disappeared when he saw the look on her face. "What?"

"Don't you find it just a little strange that one of the FBI's most wanted turned himself in and demands to speak with us," she asked with a semi-scared look on her face. She literally only knew Shawn's name and occupation, but she felt like she knew him. Like she could trust him. "Doesn't it scare you just a little bit?" Shawn pursed his lips as he thought for a minute.

"No, not really," he said with half honestly. It did scare him a little, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. "I've been called out by so many criminals back home in good ole Santa Babs, it's kind of the norm.

Elizabeth looked at him with a confused expression. She couldn't figure him out and it was frustrating her. She was a profiler, she should be able to figure something out about him, but she couldn't. She went to speak, but she was stopped as Ressler walked towards them with a huge gun in his hand. "Let's go," he said not stopping as he walked by them. "Keen, you're with me," he added over his shoulder. Keen gave Shawn a half smile before following him.

"Hey Ressler, you better be careful with that gun! You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

"Shut up, Spencer." Shawn chuckled as he followed after them. It definitely was good to be back.