A/N: So here is my next chapter. This might be the last chapter for a few months. I am taking off to the military to redo my basic training because I've been out for so long. If I'm lucky I will have a new chapter up in a month once I have access to a computer and internet, but only if my platoon doesn't screw around hazzuh for being Canadian Mililtary in this case? Dunno, but I do promise as soon as I can I will update this story. I will be spending any free time that isn't devoted to homework or prepping kit for the days working on at least two of my stories. They will be feeding me a lot of paper and even if I run out of it I have uh... journals to write in.
I will try, and I mean try to get a fourth chapter before I fly out. But if I do that it will be just as long as this one if not longer to help tide people over if I can. Thanks to the guest reviewer and for those that do read and follow and favorite this story. Before I get any weird questions, I have no pairings for any characters... at the moment. But that might change we'll see. I have to see how I develop this plot and get into Red's mannerisms a bit more, I feel I haven't done him justice yet... or at all. Maybe he's come through in this one a bit.
Anyways I thank you all for your patience and your time and I look forwards to seeing you all again on the flip-side in uniform.
EDIT: I Just realized how bad some of this was and I did a quick typo edit.
It had been a quiet evening after the Wolf had dug through the cabinets to see what was there. As the Wolf pulled a few items out she looked over her shoulder and saw Liz settling herself in a chair to watch her protector. Rice, eggs, chicken, ginger and soy sauce would have to be simple and easy for Liz to eat with one arm.
"What are you making?"
"Something easy and as healthy as possible given what we have. This was something my grandmother used to make when I was younger, I make this as comfort food when I'm able to do so or when I'm home whenever that happens to be." Liz just watched as the Wolf rooted around for some small bowls, a pan, two pots and utensils. As the Wolf set about cutting up the chicken and putting the bones from the chicken into one of the pots along with cuts of ginger and water, Liz studied the burns on the right side of the Wolf's face and noted there was a different scar.
The scar was jagged and it ran from the top of the Wolf's hairline over through her eyebrow, over her eye, down her cheek coming to spread its way down the side of her jaw and down her neck under her shirt ending somewhere. Frowning the FBI agent continued to study to the woman and saw the forearms where there patches of burned skin and other litters of scars. When she met the Wolf's eyes the woman offered a crack of a smile putting the cut pieces of chicken into another bowl with soy sauce.
Turning her attention to the Wolf's chicken stained hands, there were smaller scars either from cuts or burns, the muscles under the skin rippled with strength, the movements were precise and controlled and Liz couldn't help but think how much the Wolf had been through. Once the Wolf was done with the chicken she washed her hands and set about putting a pot of rice to cook and the other pot to slow boil while letting the cut chicken sit and marinate in the fridge.
Liz had no idea what to make of the Wolf, she wasn't exactly a hard person however she was extremely dangerous and hardened if her appearance was anything to go by. Liz didn't even know the Wolf had wandered over until a mug of tea was held out to her.
"Here…" Liz took the mug in her one hand by the handle and set it before her on the kitchen table. The Wolf sat down too, but it was with a grimace as she put a hand to her side.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine just a little sore."
"So tell me about yourself." The Wolf chuckled and leaned back in her seat before cocking her head to the side a bit.
"You are a profiler, an FBI one. You tell me what you see and I'll tell you more about me." The two women just eyeballed each other. The Profiler and the Guardian each had their own traits, but to see what the Profiler saw would be interesting to see as the Wolf had never been properly profiled before. Liz shifted in her seat and watched the Wolf, but this time she was taking in everything from twitches or there lack of and the steady gaze she was receiving.
"You are a hurting soul, you have regrets that are covered by what you do. You have long since given up on having a relationship because of the fear of your scars, you hide the vulnerable and caring side under a wall. You want attachment but won't seek it out because everyone close to you in some way has been hurt. You choose jobs that make you feel good about the fact that you have crossed over and are now considered a criminal. You are dangerous, but that is to be expected much like the lone wolf that lives to find a new pack or to survive. You have anger, it's there but it's tempered by the compassion you have. Compassion that you are extending to me, you are treating me as if I was part of your family even if you have no idea who I am on the behest of a man that is one of the most sought after men in the world."
The Wolf smiled softly and leaned forwards resting her elbows on her knees, Liz's mind was taking in everything she had said when the woman across from her spoke up.
"Very good, it's interesting a Fed's take on someone that had lost everything. You are right of course on some respects, some I will not deny because I have no answer to it. And seeing as you have kept your side of the bargain as it were, you can call me Kamryn." Liz looked at the woman as she held out a hand and leaned forwards in her seat. Reaching out with her left Liz shook Kamryn's hand and noted the grip she had; firm and strong yet soft and caring. "You might be aware of my history or you may not, I don't know how much you Americans know of Canadians and their news, but like Red, I lost everything and now I'm looking for a little payback… with a great deal of interest."
Liz's eyebrows rose as Kamryn stood going to check on the pot with the chicken bones and ginger. After lowering the temperature Kamryn looked to her side seeing the look of confusion on Liz's face. "I need you to think about something for a second. Me, Red and the two guys that tried to kill you are very similar, we've had almost similar events happen to us. The most common of us is that we were military, and we lost everything to fire. I want to know who is doing this and why." Kamryn leaned back in her seat before her head snapped to the side and her phone which was on the kitchen counter buzzed. Pushing herself to a stand and going to the phone she looked at it before putting the phone down and staring out the windows of the kitchen.
"What is it?"
"Nothing to worry about Agent Keene, so how would you like some home style Chinese?" Kamryn set about pulling clean bowls form the cabinets and went to the fridge taking the chicken out and setting it on the counter by the pan she put on the stove. Fifteen minutes later and Kamryn put a bowl of steamed egg, pan fried chicken over a bed of rice in front of Liz with a fork and spoon set beside the bowl.
"What is this?"
"Chicken, Steamed egg and rice. I Normally would add vegetables but what he has here aren't the type you would want to have with this. Hope you like it, it's not much but it's comfort food I find." Kamryn sat in her seat and ate away at her food in the bowl. As they ate in companionable silence an alarm went off and Kamryn stood heading to the pot that was gently boiling on the stove. Turning the heat and the alarm off on the phone sitting by the stove she searched around for a strainer but found that the strainer she did have wasn't good enough. Digging around for a cloth Liz stood up from her half eaten bowl and walked over and watched Kamryn move around putting something like a cheese cloth in the strainer and putting it over top another pot.
"Chicken broth?"
"Yes, but with a Chinese twist hence the ginger." Pouring the contents into the strainer and letting it drip into the second pot Kamryn offered Liz a smile before going about her duties after gently nudging Liz to go back and eat. With the broth done and the food eaten with lefts overs for the two that were out Kamryn cleaned up and the two went to the living room and sat on the couch in front of the fire place that had a low fire going form earlier.
Kamryn had brought a book with her as she sat with her legs crossed, Liz just stared into the fire letting her mind wander. The Dire Wolf, she couldn't believe that she was being protected by one of the most dangerous bodyguards in the world. And what did Kamryn say? She was similar to Red, fire being used to take away everything. Could it be that this was a government cover up, or a plan to use people like this to disrupt it?
Liz's head began to hurt just thinking about how her world was now no longer the same. Her ex-husband turned out to be an assassin. The man she was working with basically handed himself over to the FBI to protect her as well as take out the people on his Blacklist. Oh then there was a CIA mole who almost got her killed, only to be killed in return by Red and now there was Berlin and the fact that her Father is somewhere alive. Red denied being her father, but there is a connection there that she could not explain and the things that he knew…
A ringtone sounded and it scared Liz out of her musings as Kamryn pulled her phone out from her pocket and without looking at it hit the on screen button 'answer'.
"Den's Dry Cleaning, what can I do for you?"
"Has anyone ever fallen for that pitiful cover?"
"I am not even going to ask how you got this number because I certainly don't remember giving it to you. However seeing as you have it and me on the line, what can I do for you?"
"I have an associate of mine coming to the house to drop off some things for you and Lizzie. If there is any blood around, make sure he does not see it. He's quite particular about that, and please do treat Mr. Vargas well, he's loyal to me and only me." Kamryn put her book down on the couch and stood up going to the computer and the kit she had left open.
"When can I expect you back here?"
"Hard to say. My contact is being difficult. Nathanial say hi to the lovely woman on the other end.
FUCK YOU RED!
Oh well that wasn't very nice was it?"
Kamryn sighed and pulled a face, she cringed when he heard the man on the other end of the line screaming in pain. Looking at the laptop Kamryn saw a vehicle pull up into the grid and came closer before parking. Out came three men, one was holding a leash and a dog was carried out and let down. The bowl haired cut was interesting to say the least but Kamryn wasn't one to judge.
"Your man is here with two others, let me know how your night goes and if you are coming back. Wouldn't want to shoot you by accident."
"So nice to know you care about my well-being."
"Have fun Red." Kamryn hung up and put the phone down just as there was a knock on the door. Moving away from the computer and Liz who looked up at Kamryn in fear she was reassured by a smile as the door opened and in bounded Liz's dog with his leash followed by a man with a turtleneck and the bowl haircut.
"I'm assuming you are Mr. Vargas?"
"I am, this one here looked like he hadn't eaten in a while and as such I took it upon myself to feed him and walk him. I understand that Ms. Keene hasn't been back to her home because she had been shot. I took care of him, Hudson is very well behaved dog Agent Keene." Liz was sitting on the floor with Hudson happily wagging his tail and licking Liz's face.
"Thank you so much."
"It was no problem." For a bunch of criminal's Red certainly knew how to pick those that work for him, looking at Mr. Vargas, Kamryn chuckled and nodded greetings to the man's two body guards who put duffel bags down by the stairs.
"What is this?"
"This is Ms. Keene's belongings and gift for you Wolf." Kamryn's eyebrow raised seeing on duffel marked with the tag Dire Wolf. Nodding she turned and motioned for tall skinny man to follow, once in the living and hovering over the dining table she pulled small decorative flag pin and with a needle she pressed a button and the black flag glowed orange with a wolf's head before disappearing.
"Here put this on, this way I know when you come to visit. Don't worry it only tracks here and around the property, just make sure you don't lose that. It's a pain in the ass to get my guy to make these things and the money involved is earth shattering." Mr. Vargas took the pin and attached it to his lapel and looked back at the Wolf with a lopsided smile. "And seeing I'm sure you'll see your boss before I do. Give him this, and tell him to wear it. If it's not expensive enough tell him he can bite me. Also make sure his bodyguard gets this as well, I have a feeling I'm going to be seeing you around more."
Kamryn handed off a small watch box and a padded linen bag to Mr. Vargas and walked the man over to his two guards before holding out two round pins. The two men took the pins and attached it their lapels and they flashed orange for a moment.
"Those pins are attached to the same signal as your boss here. Don't lose them and you won't have to worry about my tracking you down and killing you for losing them hmm?" The two men looked at each other before the Wolf and nodded. Once the trio was out Kamryn shut the door and locked it behind them heading back to the living room to see Liz curled up with her dog. Sitting back down and kicking her legs up Kamryn picked her book back up and went back to reading.
The following days after moving into the safe house, Red and Dembe were in and out of the house with Kamryn taking Liz outside for walks in the cool air every now and then. It seemed that three the duffel bags were Liz's cloths, work wear and so on. The one duffel for Kamryn held money, ammunition for her three weapons, a computer that wasn't hardwired for surveillance and stacks of DVD's and a couple more books. Seems like they would be in for the long haul at the safe house and with that in mind Kamryn set about making life as domestic and easy as possible for Liz and her arm in the sling.
It was on the twelfth day at the house that there was cause for concern, Kamryn had taken Hudson out for his walk when her computer and phone vibrated. It was multiple contacts coming in by foot entering her grid. Looking to Liz who had walked downstairs Kamryn made a motion for her to go back upstairs and stay there. Kamryn had disappeared and a very unhappy Dire Wolf made itself known, going to the weapons kit that was sitting on the dining table she closed the laptop and grabbed her long rifle slinging it over her shoulder and pocketing three magazines. Picking up one more item she went to the front door and attached a small charge to the door and pulled a cable and hooking it a hinge before heading upstairs to the master bedroom that Liz was hiding in.
"Here take the laptop and you can watch. That is all I'm allowing you to do, there is also a chat window that goes directly to my phone. If I miss someone or if someone is coming up on me, message me. Now stay here." Kamryn shut the door and went to her room and glancing at her phone, they were coming to the front door and they were armed. Climbing out of the window that was at the back of the house Kamryn unslung her rifle and took the scope cover off and shoving it into her pocket before she pulled the current mag out to check before she slammed it home and bolted a round into the chamber.
Backing up and circling to her left the Wolf used the trees for cover, it was eight heavily armed men with one carrying a battering ram. Sniffing the air Kamryn moved behind a wide Fir Tree and went prone crawling to maintain cover. Setting up her bi-pod and sighting in on the eight men, the matte black ASW338 with a silencer was impressive enough, what was more impressive was that most of the recorded kills of the Dire Wolf where long distance shots, at this distance it would be more for fear to see their buddies explode.
Slowing her breathing and doing a quick scope adjustment the Wolf squeezed the trigger once with the sound of a branch breaking the round ripped through the face of the man that was holding the battering ram. His head exploded as a .338 Lapua Magnum went on through going so far as to impact a tree behind him splintering the wood.
Without looking the Wolf chambered another round moving the target sight onto the next guy who was looking around trying to figure out where the shot had come from. Squeezing the trigger again the Wolf took the recoil and darkly smiled as the man's chest exploded into a shower of gore and blood. It followed the same process with each of the men looking around in fear and back tracking. With only two remaining the Wolf shot one of the men's legs clear off and watched as he crashed to the ground. The last man standing sprayed his gun in all directions, thankfully none hit the house and he ran for the vehicle that was on the outside of the Wolf's protection grid. Crawling out from under the tree the Wolf walked over into a clearing as the last man got into the truck his brain splattered the inside interior leaving the one man on the ground screaming in pain. The man wasn't dead yet but he soon would be but not before the Wolf got some answers.
Standing over him while brushing dirt and fir needles off her front, the Wolf knelt down on the balls of her feet and set the rifle across on her thighs.
"Do you know who I am?" The shake of man's head was telling enough as he tried to grip at leg, he was missing everything below the knee and if the Wolf didn't stop the bleeding now he would die before she got information. Setting the rifle down off to the side the Wolf pulled the man closer and used the cording from his jacket making a tourniquet. It wasn't pretty but it would have to do for the moment as Kamryn tightened it and the man let out a silent scream of pain.
"Well seeing as you do not who I am, I'm assuming you know who is in the house behind me?"
The fast nodding confirmed, but she wanted more information out of him. "Who is your target?"
"It… it was an FBI Agent… and daughter…"
"Okay that's enough out of you…" Kamryn picked up the rifle and bolted another into the chamber as the man scream out for her to stop.
"Everyone is after her, Fed's included, and you can't protect her not when the government is out for her and her father. I don't know you, but you can't protect her!" Kamryn set her jaw and let out a deep breath pointing the rifle at the man before pulling the trigger before he could say anything more. Her thoughts were getting Liz out of the house and out of the country along with her father who was doing whatever it was to keep her safe.
"Damn it…" Turning and jogging back to the house Kamryn went to the front door pulling her phone out and doing something. The charge on the door deactivated and the cable separated from the charge before she busted the door opened with Liz looking at her with concern.
"Pack your things, we're leaving." Kamryn shut the door taking the charge off the door and cable too, tossing it onto the table Kamryn dialed Red's bodyguard. A few rings later and the phone was passed off to Red, Kamryn's only words to him before she hung up were. "We have been compromised." Hanging up Kamryn went around collecting all of the grid markers from the windows and doors, she did a fast pass outside grabbing all of her things before coming back in to house and putting it quickly and effectively in its case.
It took less than twenty minutes to pack everything up and have it by the door. Kamryn had since changed and was tactical gear. With night starting to break the black clothing she was wearing and the gear she was wearing blended in allowing for a more militaristic look. The vest had no pouches on the front and it was Liz's guess that she was wearing plates. Her left arm was encased in custom armor plates, her right arm had forearm armour but nothing for her shoulder or upper arm. The tactical belt held four pistol mag pouches and a knife holder along that back of her waist sideways. Her right leg held a thigh rig which had her hand gun in it with silencer attached and a set of throwing knives. The left leg had no rig but there seemed to be molded armour on the thigh, a knee brace or guard and shin armor. The right leg just had a brace/guard and shin armor, she was very well protected from the looks of it but it wasn't exactly a fully loaded soldier.
Keeping an eye on the windows and the surrounding areas, Kamryn sat waiting for an attack when her phone vibrated and she looked at it and saw her proximity markers go off. It was Red, Dembe and Vargas and his two guards as they pulled right up to the house. Kamryn opened the door seeing Red come out with a look of concern on his face.
"I saw the truck up the road."
"They have all been dispatched, but we need to leave this state and this country in the next two to three hours. FBI has put a bulletin on Keene and you. You are now pasted all over the news. Whomever you and I are looking for, they know we are onto them and they want us gone." The two guys with Mr. Vargas grabbed the bags and shuttled them to the vehicles with Hudson as Red took the satellite phone from Dembe putting in a call to his private jet to meet them on a private airstrip two states overs.
"Time to go."
As they moved to the vehicles a red dot was marking Liz's back and it a split second decision to jump in front of the beam as a crack sounded and Kamryn did the only thing she could and brace for the hit. The hit was staggering and it was her luck that is wasn't anything higher than a 5.56 round from the impact. However the crack she felt in her chest would be exceptionally painful given she had just nearly stabbed a week or two previous.
They had to move fast and as they got Liz into the car, Kamryn was all but dragged into the suv thrown into the back seats and they sped out of there. Trying to get her breathing back she looked to up see an older woman pulled at Kamryn's vest straps.
"Oi, I don't know you…"
"No you don't, but if I don't this off and you looked at Red will be very unhappy with me. Now hush dear, from the way you are grimacing you may have a broken rib or two." A yelp and groan from Kamryn confirmed it for the woman, Mr. Vargas was holding up a light and holding a phone out.
"The woman in the car with you, is Mr. Kaplan. She's typically my cleaner but in instances like this she's also a trauma medic. You said we had to leave the country do you have a place in mind or do I get to choose?" Kamryn's breathing was harsh but she managed to spit out a location.
"You don't get to choose when the Dire Wolf is protecting your… Assets. Japan, Yakuza territory for landing after that, we'll be picked up by the Andeddo no kage, otherwise known as the 'Undead Shadows'. They will know I'm coming and you better be on your best behavior. You may have contacts with the Yakuza, but the Andeddo no kage I doubt you know unless they deal with you through their outside clan corporations."
"Wait, you are talking about a ninja clan that disappeared off the face of the earth centuries ago. Though they are ninjas…"
"Yes… just get us to Japan, I'll explain the… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Mr. Kaplan had gripped at Kamryn's side as they took a hard corner and the pain on her ribs was almost blackout painful for her. The phone was quickly hung up after a few hazy words that she couldn't make out before she did black out from another jolt to her side and a hand on the side of her face telling her to stay awake.
When Kamryn woke up next it was to the licking of her face by Hudson, with a grunt she turned her face away as she heard someone call away the dog. The older woman that had patched her up had come over and knelt down alongside the couch and held out a cup with a straw.
"Two broken ribs and a cracked third one, you are lucky that it didn't puncture your lung." Leaning her head up Kamryn took a slow sip from the straw before she was helped to a sitting position and the woman walked off. Liz was sitting with Red whom was half asleep with his arm around his daughter. The other four where sitting around a table playing cards and drinking from bottles or in Mr. Vargas' case a can of Dr. Pepper.
Liz looked from the window she was staring out of towards Kamryn and nearly shot out of her seat to go to her protector who held out a hand to have her slow down.
"You're awake, how are you feeling?"
"Like I got shot, I am glad I wore steel plates instead of ceramic. I have two busted ribs, but nothing rest with the clan won't fix. How is he doing?" Liz and Kamryn gazed at the man in question as he slowly woke himself up from Liz's jostle.
"He's been doing nothing but watching me, it's unnerving and I don't know why he's doing this." Red blinked a couple times seeing his daughter sitting next to the Dire Wolf who literally took a bullet meant for Liz. He didn't know what to think when he heard the crack and saw the Dire Wolf jump in front of Liz's back before going down hard. It was a mad scramble after that and time to seemed to slow down, with the two vehicles leaving the house and getting on the phone with Mr. Kaplan and hearing that the Dire Wolf was still alive let him relax a fraction, but what he didn't expect was the yell of pain and Mr. Kaplan telling him to hang up so she could do her work.
Seeing the two sitting next to each other, Red knew then that the Dire Wolf was right he would have to tell Liz about their connection. He came too close to losing her and he didn't know if there would another chance, sighing Red looked out the window to the Pacific Ocean pondering on how he would go about telling her.