Chapter 3

Why does it always come back to you?

Flashback – around six months ago ...

Donald Ressler was sitting at the dark corner of a small cafe facing a cup of very hot black coffee. He hated waiting. He looked at his watch. It was almost midnight. It was very cold outside. The cafe was the only place opened at that time. There's only a few persons there, not more than eight, including him. All their faces were familiar to him. Nothing to be worried of tonight, he thought.

He opened the file again, studying the pictures inside it, and sighed. Felt very uncomfortable. Anxious.

'Why?' he wondered.

He didn't think it further because he could feel someone standing before him. He closed the file slowly and looked up.

'What the hell?!' He cursed inside.

"Hello, Donald! Long time no see." Instantly, a familiar fedora was put on the table.

His shock quickly turned into fury.

"What –"

"Your informant sucks." Raymond Reddington cut him and slid himself in a chair in front of him. "I'm sure you'll like the replacement better, especially the one who should've dealed with this urgent matter since the very beginning. So, without unnecessary ado, you can start talking."

"Have you ever thought why I used an informant to deliver the message to you?" He asked with a restrained voice.

Red was just staring at him with his usual long and serious look, waiting.

"If I've ever seen to have a meeting with you by someone you should've known by now, you are actually digging Liz's and your own grave!" Ressler said under his breath.

Red gave him a sly laugh.

"I appreciate that you care about me that much, Donald. But I can't believe that our memorable moments in the Task Force didn't teach you anything about how well I can protect myself and especially Elizabeth Keen."

"Red, I'm serious." He warned him.

"Oh, do you think I'm not?" The older man raised his voice a little.

Both looked each other, the tension was raised. Ressler finally gave in. He opened the file and shoved it in front of Reddington.

"As you've already known, I'm in a deep undercover. This man -," he pointed to one picture, "is high profile figure in this government defence organization. I learned that he – connects with this blacklister whom you're working on. Last night I found this man targeted you and Liz. He suspects you work for the FBI. He also knows your connection with Liz." Ressler paused and looked at him.

"I know now why you're so obsessed with her."

Reddington gave him a hard look. Ressler couldn't read his emotion, but for a split second he could see there was a brief flash in his eyes, something he'd never seen before, when he said he knew about him and Liz.

"You dare to say one word about it –"

"I won't now." Ressler cut him. "But this is not a game, Reddington. They're connected. Read the file yourself. They're closer than you imagine. We need to work on this two under their radar."

"Ah," Reddington smiled after a long pause. "That's a progress. So, you finally trust me, Donald?" He's back to his charming gesture.

Ressler felt a slight annoyance inside, but ignored it.

"Look, we do it my way. It means – no private meeting like this again. If you read the file, you'll know it's too risky for both of you."

Reddington closed the file and kept it inside his suit. He didn't look the file yet, but gave Ressler a look that he'd understood already.

"All right." Reddington said.

Ressler took a deep breath. Deep inside he felt slightly proud, could make a deal with Reddington.

"One more," he said, "I think you agree this is only between us. I'm still not sure who else in the legal system are involved. So, there's no need to tell anyone in the Task Force, including Liz. Consider we've never met."

Reddington snorted. "Now you're telling me what to do?"

"It looks like it." Ressler gave him a serious look.

Ressler stood up, prepared to go. "I'll contact you." Ressler said crisply.

"Lizzie asked sometimes, whether I know how to contact you." Reddington suddenly said, made him stopped in place.

Ressler didn't know what to say. He didn't expect that. "You know we can't give her that." He said finally.

They shared an understanding look again.

"I think you need to know – for almost three years Liz and Tom were not together anymore." Red said.

Ressler couldn't ignore his heart skip a beat. He didn't know. He also didn't expect.

He tried to keep his voice neutral when he said, "It doesn't matter anymore. The important thing is –"

"What you feel is important, Donald." Red cut him again, put his fedora back, and got up.

"Think about it." He said again while leaving him behind.