Title: Beyond Borders
Chapter 2 – Desperate Measures
A/N: Wow everyone thanks so much! I wasn't sure how this would be received but I'm so glad you liked the start and I hope you continue to like as much and review! Enjoy!
"Can someone explain to me what's going on here?" Ressler asks as he tries to shift to a better position in the backseat of the dark SUV. "You can't just arrest me without due cause," Ressler tries once more as he glares at the two men in black suits in the front seat. "This has to be some mistake," he lightly huffs as he leans back in the seat, trying to take some pressure off his wrists from the handcuffs poking into the edges of his wrists.
He hears his phone ringing and frowns, offering a small curse as one of the men in front turns around, reaches into his pocket and pulls his phone; Ressler's eyes catching 'Keen's' name on the display before its snatched from view.
"Hey! I need…"
"Shut up!" The man in front snaps as Ressler purses his lips but says nothing in return. Ten minutes later they reach the large Federal building and Ressler looks at the sign with a heavy frown. "Immigration? Okay…what's going on here? Someone better te…." Is all he manages before the SUV lurches to a halt, the back door opens and he's yanked from the back and roughly directed toward the back entrance of the building.
"Guys I'm special Agent Donald Ressler of the FBI. You have some…" Ressler tries once more as the handcuffs are removed just as another man approaches. "Can someone explain to me what's going on? Why was I brought here? In handcuffs no less?"
"It's quite simple Agent Ressler, your citizenship has been revoked," the man replies with a small smile as Ressler looks at him in shock.
"What? This is a joke right? My…okay look I can clear this up. There is some mis-understanding an…" Ressler starts as his hand reaches out to gesture for his phone back.
"Oh no…this is a special gift," the man hisses as he grabs Ressler's hand, yanks it forward and then quickly twists it behind his back and slams him up against the nearest wall; Ressler's lips uttering a small grunt. "You crossed the wrong man Agent Ressler," the man hisses in Ressler's ear. "Stanton has prepared a very nice ending for you. Slow…" he pauses as he jerks Ressler's arm higher behind his back, forcing Ressler's teeth to grit. "And painful. Just like you deserve."
"This…is assault on…a federal Agent."
"I don't think you heard me," the phony immigration Agent growls as he holds Ressler captive a bit longer before letting go. "Here's what's going to happen," the man pauses once more as the other two move in closer, blocking the only exit path. "You're going to change into this…" he hands Ressler a package containing an orange prison jumpsuit. "And my two friends are going to escort you into a holding cell where you'll wait for…well I'll see if I can ensure you don't have to wait too long. Then you'll have a nice seat in first class to Hamburg where you'll be greeted by a few more new friends."
"I have enough friends," Ressler snaps in return as he steps to the right; one of the men countering his move. "You can't just revoke someone's legal citizenship!"
"How much are you willing to bet on that?" The man smiles as he holds up a printout that shows him his legal record with the word revoked on it. "I think my friends have a lot more pull than yours."
"He won't get away with this!"
"He already has. Time to go Agent Ressler!" He shoves the orange jumpsuit into his waiting hands. "If you're shy, I'm sure Hank here won't mind giving you a hand."
Ressler offers a scowl to the man as he stands up with a small sneer. "I get a phone call. I have rights!"
"Take him."
"Hey!" Ressler growls as each take an arm and start to bodily drag him toward one of the holding cells, pushing him inside and then tossing the orange jumpsuit into the room with him.
"You have ten minutes to change on your own, or we'll do it for you!"
"Forget it!" Ressler shouts back as he pounds on the door. "HEY! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! HEY OPEN THIS DOOR!" He shouts before he pulls back and shakes his head, his lips uttering a frustrated growl. "This…this is a mistake," he mutters as he looks down at the orange jumpsuit in contempt. "Keen is on her way…" but his lips pause as his the small shouting voice in his head is finally heard. STANTON DID THIS!
Ressler slumps back against the wall, his mind racing as to what Stanton's game could really be. He can't just have my legal citizenship revoked. This…this is just a joke…
"HEY!" Ressler shouts as pounds on the door once more. "SOMEONE!"
"Have you changed Agent Ressler?" The male voice laughs on the other side of the door before the lock jiggles and the door opens. Ressler wastes no time as he offers a firm chop to the neck of the first man that enters, sending him staggering backward, stumbling into the arms of the man behind him. However, the two men are able to counter and both enter the room; the man in charge slamming the door shut and then locking it.
"I guess that's a no," the man grins as he pulls his phone and dials his boss. "We're on schedule. The plane will be here in a few hours. Oh he's…" the man pauses as he listens to the scuffle on the other side of the door. "Getting used to his new travel plans. Pavel is waiting in Hamburg. You'll see the headline first thing in the morning and then we are back on track. Trust me sir…we have this all wrapped up? What could possibly go wrong?"
XXXXXXXX
"This can't be happening," Liz mutters to herself as she heads toward the front doors of the daunting Immigration building; an hour after Ressler had been apprehended. She could just picture the exasperated look on his handsome face and if this didn't have as serious an undertone as Red had intimated, she'd actually find some amusement in his predicament.
He's your husband. Spousal application. Fast tracked…a few days…a week tops…only way to save his life…make it look real…husband.
"This is just a joke…it has to be," Liz tries to convince herself as she enters the large building and walks up to Cooper waiting by the front desk. "Where is he?"
"Holding cell. They won't let me see him."
"Which judge is on duty right now?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"This has to do with Stanton."
"Roger Stanton?" Cooper asks in shock. "Liz he's in jail and…"
"Trust me. This is his doing to get Ressler out of the way and him out of jail. The plan was to erase Ressler's legal files, get him on a plane to Hamburg and have him killed in a tourist mugging a few hours later. I've come to stop that."
"So you've cleared this up?"
"Not…exactly," Liz huffs as she heads toward the front desk, Cooper in tow. "Judge Montgomery, special Agent Elizabeth Keen.. I've come about Donald Ressler."
"Just a moment please."
"Liz, what's going on?"
"At this point…even I don't know," Liz shakes her head as she looks at the desk and then toward the holding cells. She looks at a few occupants wearing orange jumpsuits, her eyes anxiously looking for Ressler. "I don't see him."
"Keen!" Ressler's angry huff is heard as both Liz and Cooper turn to see Ressler being escorted toward them, forcibly wearing the orange jumpsuit and looking ready to kill someone.
"Keen?" Judge Montgomery looks at Liz with arched brows. "He calls you by your maiden name?"
"He's…angry," she groans as she pulls away from Cooper and heads toward Ressler with a determined stride and racing heart. Husband…spousal application…make it look real. You still have to play by the system rules Lizzie…Red's rules. Ressler's going to kill me for this.
"What's going o…" Ressler starts only to have Liz march right up to him, put her hand on his slightly scuffed cheek and cut off the rest of his words with a brief but warm kiss on the lips; pulling back and offering a small smile at his utterly confused expression, but not before she whispers 'play along or you're dead'.
"Sorry…honey. You okay? This is just a big misunderstanding. Your file is still intact."
"File? What's going on? Why was I arrested?"
"Impersonating an FBI Agent, Mr. Ressler," the judge states firmly as Ressler looks at her in shock and then over at Liz.
"What?"
"But I understand that it was just a misunderstanding and the curiosity of your wife's profession got the better of you. At least those are the notes I see on your file from the arresting officer."
Ressler listens to the judge as she talks about something that sounds foreign to her. But just as she gestures to one of the holding agents, one of those not loyal to Stanton, to give Ressler his phone back it buzzes with a new incoming message.
'Smile Agent Ressler, Lizzie's saving your life. We'll talk later. Red.'
"Can I take him home now?"
"Here are the list of sanctions…"
"Sanctions?" Ressler asks as Liz's hand around his forearm tightens and he looks at her with a sharp glance.
"Visitation schedule and…"
Ressler's mind spirals downward as he listens to the judge's words, but keeps telling himself that this is just an elaborate joke and pretty soon Liz or Cooper would tell him they were just doing it to get a rise out of him and he'd be going home as he did every other night.
"Our agents will see you Thursday Mr. Ressler. You're free to go," the judge tells Ressler as he's handed back the pile of his clothes; minus his gun, badge and ID.
"Free to…where's my badge and…"
"He's just over tired," Liz states as she starts to drag Ressler toward the exit doors.
"Liz, what is going on?" Ressler asks in a small hiss as she utters a heavy exhale and gives him a small shove outside the door; Cooper following and hanging back a few feet. Ressler looks at Liz and then at Cooper and then back at Liz. "Can someone please tell me what the hell just happened?"
"I saved your life."
"Is this some kind of joke? I was just manhandled into this damn suit for what? Some kind of damn joke?"
"Stanton was somehow able to get your citizenship revoked and before you ask, yes we have people working on it but no it won't happen for a few days at the most. Yes I just pretended to be your wife but technically…I am. Look, if you had gotten on that plane to Germany you would have been killed."
"I need to see him. Stanton, I need to see him right now!" Ressler demands.
"You can't," Cooper huffs as he gently pulls Ressler back.
"Fine. I'll change and then I'll go see him."
"As what? He's had your citizenship revoked. Right now…in the eyes of the law…you're being supported…by me."
"And this?" Ressler holds up his phone with Red's message on it for her to see. "How the hell is Red involved in this or do I even want to know?"
"He's the one who had your file amended to one in progress. A spousal support application."
"Red did this?" Ressler asks weakly.
"Look, I don't have all the answers okay? I'm going to drop you by your apartment and then I'm going to get Meera and…"
"Meera? Stanton's mine. You're going after his accountant right? If anyone is going after that bastard it's me!"
"You can't," Cooper groans as he looks up from reading the file in his grasp.
"Stanton can't win like this."
"Actually…he can. Just go home and relax…you look like hell and I'm sure in a few hours we'll have this all figured out."
"You're kidding right?" Ressler asks Cooper directly.
"No. Even we're not above the law and right now…we're mired in it."
"I'll drive," Liz suggests as she offers Ressler a strained smile and then heads for the SUV that Red had now vacated. Offering an exasperated sigh, Ressler follows after Liz toward the SUV, his mind still wondering what on earth just happened.
"Okay…level with me. This is just an elaborate joke right? Five years on the job…happy anniversary…haha whatever…"
"No. This is real. Don if you had gotten on that plane they would have killed you," Liz explains as she starts the SUV and then glances over once more.
"What?"
"Orange isn't your color," she offers lightly as his face finally softens.
"Husband?"
"Red's idea. And before you ask…I was as stunned as you…okay maybe not as much but … but look we'll figure this out okay?"
"Red's idea."
"He did it for me," Liz softly confesses as Ressler looks over with a gentler expression. "I think it if was up to him alone, he'd let you get on that plane and figure out how to screw with Stanton another way."
"Comforting."
"Sorry."
"No not you…Red. I just…"
"I can't imagine this is easy but I'm sure it'll just be a few hours at most."
"In the meantime I get to go home and do nothing. Great."
Liz pulls into traffic, slowly heading for Ressler's apartment; the cab of the SUV filling with tense silence. "You look pretty roughed up. What happened in there?"
"I didn't change willingly," Ressler replies sourly as Liz looks over with arched brows; Ressler pursing his lips as he looks at her with an unimpressed expression. "And I wasn't going down without a fight either."
"How's your shoulder?"
"It's fine. How did Red find out about my file?"
"He has a sudden interest in Stanton. As I said this morning…we just didn't take it seriously enough."
"Damn him," Ressler hisses as he looks out the window with an angry glare. "So…he's the one that amended the file?"
"Not your legal file, he said that's locked away somewhere and has a friend working on it."
"He does? So I really owe my life to Red Reddington?" Ressler asks incredulously as Liz looks over with a tight jaw. "Can this day get any worse?"
But just before Liz can answer, his phone rings and he's quick to answer Cooper's call. "Tell me you have some good news," Ressler asks as he pushes the speaker button on his phone.
"Fraid not. I'm going to scan and email this all to you. According to this schedule you have an immigration meeting tomorrow."
"For what?"
"Home inspection."
"What?" Liz asks in shock. "They said Thursday."
"They just changed it. They want to make sure you're actually sponsoring your husband and not just bringing over some guy to let him get lost on his own in the US or work illegally."
"Meaning what?" Liz dares to continue.
"Meaning they want to see your home…where he's living as your husband…personal stuff."
For the next few moments silence starts to rapidly build as Liz and Ressler exchange nervous glances before they look back down at the phone.
"You guys there?"
"Yeah, we're um…we'll figure it out," Liz huffs as she hangs up.
"I can hear him now."
"Who?"
"Red," Ressler lightly growls. "Laughing at all this."
"His friend only had time to change the names…the rest of the stuff on the application stays the same, so that would include schedules and…look I'm just as much in the dark about this as you."
"Only you're life still carries on as normal but I'm…being sponsored, this is unbelievable," Ressler's voice grumbles as he looks at Cooper's email on his phone. "Okay so…"
"So get a few things and then…"
"Look, I can just stay at my place tonight and then come over to your place tomorrow."
"Might work but if they ask you any personal stuff then…you know about your new home. Where things are and to see if you're actually a part of it and you don't know they could toss you back in the holding cell. It actually makes sense. Remember that case involving Maria Sanchez last year? We had to make sure she was being sponsored properly and that her husband was actually taking care of her and she wasn't brought over to work in a brothel?"
"Okay I'll just…do you have a spare bedroom?"
"It's full of…stuff. After Tom…it's not ready," Liz replies with a clipped tone, Ressler noticing her jaw tighten when she was purposely holding back something important. But whenever Tom's name was mentioned, he knows to drop it. It wasn't the time for an emotional interrogation.
"I'll take the couch. Drop me off at home so I can get out of this and then…do you have a spare key?"
"It's at home. Here, take this," she offers Ressler her home key, offering him a sympathetic expression; his own expression softening to mirror hers. "I'm sorry about all this. Really I am."
"Let's just hope it gets cleared up in a few hours," Ressler replies as he takes the key from her grasp and offers her a small tight lipped smile.
"I'll see you back at…home…soon. And then we can just…talk."
"Talk?" Ressler allows the one word to slip past his tongue as if it were mild poison.
"They might ask us how we met or…something. I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Okay."
Liz watches Ressler get out of the SUV and head for the front door to his apartment and then slip inside; her fingers calling Cooper as soon as he was out of view. "What else does that form say?"
"Plenty. He can't carry a gun…can't be employed for…Stanton did a number here Liz and the clock is ticking. Worst of all Stanton's now asking to speak to the arresting officer; Agent Ressler, and if Agent Ressler isn't available then the arrest was false and he's demanding to be released. He's timed this perfectly. The only thing I don't think he counted on was Red and his insider amending an application to keep Ressler in the country."
"Okay put my name on that arrest record. That'll at least hold him until we can get a proper review done. We need to keep Stanton behind bars. Tell Meera to meet me at Gary McBeth's," she refers to Stanton's accountant. "He's the one that facilitated all this. If we can get him and he can give this all up then we can get this fixed sooner rather than later. He's the key!"
"Oh and one more thing…Red just showed up to visit Stanton."
"What?"
XXXXXXXX
Ressler enters his quiet apartment and looks around with a heavy frown, his mind telling him that this was a joke and tomorrow all would be back to normal and he could go and find Red Reddington and literally ring his neck.
"I hate orange," Ressler mutters as he heads for his bedroom and then stops. It'll just be like spending the night at…a friend's? Spending the night at the apartment of the woman you're attracted to because you're forced to isn't exactly…
"Well…if she wasn't interested in going with me before…she sure won't be now," his voice gets tight as he nearly rips off the horrid orange jumpsuit, his mind shuddering as he recalls the fight in the holding cell and how he was forced to change in front of three sets of eyes watching his helpless situation with apt amusement. "Bastard," Ressler curses as he tosses the fabric garment into the nearest garbage can and reaches for a pair of jeans. "Get a few things and…and what? Go over to Liz's to sit and wait while she does my job?"
You can't allow your resentment toward Stanton and Red to be taken out on Liz, it isn't fair! She literally saved your ass in a tight spot. But he knows he thinking is correct, it's not Liz's fault that he was stuck in professional limbo. "Citizenship revoked!"
But as he recalls the smug expression the accountant made and look he purposely offered to the camera, 'Hello Donald, having a good day?' it made sense. He knew exactly what was coming! Ressler's fists tighten for a few seconds before he continues his task – packing a small overnight bag and then heading over to Liz's to just…wait. And waiting would be the worst task possible.
"McBeth better be there or else…" his voice trails off in an angry hiss as he locks the door to his apartment and heads down stairs to call a cab.
XXXXXXXX
"So how is Ressler with all this?"
"I think he's going to be a caged lion for the next twenty-four hours," Liz sighs as they wait in the elevator up to McBeth's loft apartment. "At least if we get McBeth we can get him to testify against Stanton and have Ressler's paperwork reinstated."
"My family went through all that hassle many years ago," Meera notes. "It's a real headache at times."
"Let's hope McBeth can end this headache. MCBETH!" Liz shouts as she pounds on the door in anger, getting an arched brow expression from her interim partner. But only silence is what awaits them. "I think that…" she mentions at the same time she nudges the door; the wooden object slowly pushing open. Her and Meera exchange worried glances before she pushes the door all the way open and both stare in shock at the empty space before them.
"Stanton's thought of everything. Now we're really stuck," Liz muses as she pulls her phone to call Cooper. "McBeth's gone and I mean he took everything."
"I doubt there was much there to start with."
"What did Red want with Stanton?"
"I think he was gloating."
"Send me the transcripts," Liz replies in haste as they reach the main street.
"I'm going to dig into McBeth a bit more and then send out a bulletin. Right now, finding him is our top priority."
"Let me know what you find, I have a family visit to prep for," Liz states as she hangs up and turns right, heading for home a bit earlier than expected. She nears her apartment door and listens to the silence on the other side; wondering what Ressler had been up to for the past two hours. She offers a somewhat timid knock, chastising herself for the fact that it's actually her apartment…her home.
"Hey…sorry I should have left it open," Ressler greets her with a perplexed expression. Dressed in jeans and a sweater, he looked very much out of place during the day when not coming back from an undercover sting operation.
"I'll get that spare key from storage," Liz replies as she takes off her coat and then gives him a strained expression. The two of them stand in awkward silence for a few moments longer before the coffee maker starts to sound and both sets of eyes are drawn away from each other and glance in the direction of the kitchen.
"I made coffee," Ressler states simply. "I hope you don't mind."
"No…of course…not at all," Liz nervously rambles before she offers him a small smile.
"I know this is going to be hard for both of us and I feel like I'm imposing but hopefully this will all be figured out before tomorrow and we can…laugh about it over coffee or something."
"I think I'd like that."
"Really? Okay…that's great."
"McBeth wasn't there. Cooper's trying to run down the next lead but I had to come here and see how it was going. So…" she pauses as she takes a step toward her kitchen but then pauses to notice his still packed suitcase on the couch. "What did you do for two hours?"
"I…okay I tried to snoop," Ressler confesses with a small twinge of crimson flushing his pale skin, making her offer an endearing smile at his boyish nervousness. "But then I stopped. It just didn't feel right."
"How about the grand tour right now," Liz turns and starts to head down the hallway, pausing suddenly and turning only to have Ressler bump into her and then quickly pull back. "Sorry," she whispers as he offers her a small, shy smile. "First door on the right is the bathroom. You can put whatever you need to…on here…" Liz's eyes slightly widen as she snatches the black lace bra from off the bathroom counter and tries unsuccessfully to shove it into her jacket pocket. "I was in a hurry this morning."
"It's okay," Ressler replies with an amused smile as the bra slips from her grasp, his eyes watching her actions as she fumbles to put the bra somewhere out of sight. "I didn't bring much."
They head for the bedroom, both pausing in the doorway and then exchanging small frowns. "I always sleep on the right," Liz confesses as she heads for her dresser and puts the bra away and then turns to look at a very uncomfortable Ressler. "I also picked up these…" she tells him as she pulls out a small box and shows him two plain bands of gold; one for each of them. "If I'm to be Mrs. Elizabeth Keen-Ressler I should look the part right? Just in case this isn't cleared up tonight."
"Right," Ressler mentions in a low tone as he takes one of the rings and the pauses for a few seconds before he continues, putting it on her finger and then looking up with a small frown. "Looks uh…official," he chooses another word at the last second.
"I do," she lightly smirks as she pushes the matching band on his finger, his hand holding hers a few seconds longer before a small clear of the throat forces them to pull apart. "I don't mind if you snoop," Liz tells him in truth. "You can put your things away…just make room in the closet and I'll…make dinner."
"Okay."
Ressler watches her go and then puts his small suitcase on the bed and opens it, pulling out a dress shirt and suit, having told himself earlier this would only be for one night and not to bring too much. He opens her closet and can't help but smile at the sight before him. Not as organized as I had imagined, his brain muses as he reaches for a lone hangar and hangs up the dark suit before it becomes too rumpled. After that he takes a few items and puts them on the opposite side of the bathroom sink and then returns to the bedroom. He looks at the left side of the bed and then the right, his mind curious as to what she kept in her bedside drawer. You sure you should be snooping? His brain inquires. She said it was alright…his tries to justify. But as soon as he pulls the drawer open his eyes fix on something else that was unexpected.
"Whoa," he whispers as he holds up the pair of fuzzy leopard handcuffs; his face instantly warming.
"Right to the fun stuff I see," Liz gently snickers as he turns around in haste, his hands trying to get rid of the adult toy and his lips fumbling to offer an apology.
"I uh…sorry," he huffs as he quickly shoves the item back into it original resting place and slams the drawer shut. "Lesson learned. So…what's up?"
"I don't know much about you…do you have any food allergies?" She inquires with a small frown.
"Jalapeno peppers."
"Okay. I don't have any r…" is all she gets before her phone buzzes and she's quick to answer it.
"What?" Ressler asks in haste.
"Transcripts from Red's visit to Stanton."
"Figures he'd show up there. Anything useful?"
"Define useful," she huffs as she read's Red's words.
'Too bad your flight to Germany was cancelled.'
'I'm on standby Red. Why are you really here?'
'Just to wish you a happy anniversary.'
'We can celebrate later in person if you'd like.'
'I don't like prison food. Not enough spice. Enjoy the ambiance.'
"What? Anniversary? His wife died two years ago. What else?"
"He offered some kind of hand signal before he left but other than two hello's and two…goodbye's that's it," Liz looks at him with a wondering expression as she texts Cooper back asking him to find out anything on Stanton's late wife and the dates surrounding her death and their marital anniversary. "It means something. Red never says anything that out of left field for no reason. I'll ask him later."
"I hate that he's the one calling the shots!" Ressler hisses as he looks at her with a tight jaw; before he pushes past her and disappears into the kitchen.
Liz looks at his suitcase with a few items lingering and then picks up his angry curse in the other room as the silence around her starts to engulf her frame. "It's going to be a very long night."
A/N: What is Red's real interest in Stanton? What is the real reason Stanton stayed behind? How will Liz and Ressler adjust to their new living arrangement and what do you think their first night will be like? Had to toss in a few lighter moments to counter the tension :) And since I love my whump and danger (look out Ressler hehe) you know it's coming but from who? And why? I hope I still have them all in character as best as I can and I'd love your thoughts on this so please do review before you go and thanks so much!