AN: Tickling…uh, yes it was a stretch, but intense Red needed to make a point and he didn't really want to hurt Liz. Now a change of scenery brings an improved mood. I should add here that this fandom has amazing writers. Thank you for sharing your talents with me. Anyone of you can teach me how to improve my work so feel free to comment.
Chapter 2 Unmasked Truth
"It's not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it's what you whisper to yourself that has the most power." Robert T Kiosaki
Liz watched the Tuscan landscape fly by as Dembe drove quickly down the A1 autostrada before exiting to the country road that would take them to the estate that would be home base for the next few days. She could only stare out of the window as he navigated down very narrow roads void of center lines, dodging fast moving lorries as they barely squeezed by and circled the roundabout again and again searching for the name of the village neighboring the rented villa, Vista Chiaro.
From the moment they drove onto the property, Liz decided that some dreams do come true. She was smitten with the beauty of the vistas and the rolling landscapes. They were perfect! Vista Chiaro was surrounded by an estate of tall cypress trees, standing guard over dark green vineyards and silver grey-green olive groves, reminiscent of landscapes seen in Tuscan Renaissance paintings. The 315 year old manor house was nestled amongst lush green lawns, vivid lavender expanses, sweet smelling jasmine and flowering shrubs punctuated with the intense scent of rosemary bushes and a view over the hillsides striped with the natural beauty of the grape vines and olive trees. Fifty shades of green!
Red and Liz waited in the car while Dembe found the caretaker of the property. He then unlocked the main entrance allowing them to enter the villa alone. Red placed his hand on Lizzie's lower back and guided her into the entrance foyer. Liz stopped and sighed as her eyes drank in the opulence of the surrounding rooms. Wherever they looked in the main house, they found the bright and roomy spaces typical of Renaissance villas. The heart of the villa, the rather large frescoed living room was filled with comfortable armchairs and a plush sofa. Smaller sitting rooms offered quiet spaces and well worn musty smelling books for reading. Each large bedroom suite was different from the others, painted with natural earth toned colors typical of Tuscany. The fabrics for the four-poster beds were hand woven by artisans while poppy orange and muted lavender oriental silks adorned the larger living areas.
Red asked Liz to choose the bedroom suite that she wanted on the second floor, and then he selected one across the hall from hers. He wanted to be close by in case she needed him during the night because he knew that she was still plagued by nightmares. He also knew from past experience that it was most comforting to awake from the grasp of a night terror being cradled by loving arms. He wanted to be those arms for Lizzie.
Although he and Liz had gotten off to a rocky start at the beginning of their flight, their mood had lightened upon arrival in Florence allowing Liz to banter with him. She remarked, "You're really not going to let me out of your ogre's grasp are you?"
Red bestowed a smirk on her and said, "No such luck, sweetheart. The ogre will be close by to scare away the dream monsters. Do you have a knight in shining armor waiting to rescue the damsel in distress? Oh, sorry that's in England, King Arthur, I believe."
"Hmm, if my chastity belt couldn't deter the ogre, I believe I could prevail upon the menacing Concierge of Crime for assistance." Despite the fatigue she was feeling she glanced over at him and flashed a dazzling smile. Red suddenly had no quick reply.
By now jet lag was setting in, it was time for a rest, but the remainder of their group had not yet arrived from the airport with their luggage. Liz hoped they would arrive soon because she really needed to freshen up, a shower would feel great about now. A noise from downstairs woke her from her daze. Turning to look for Red, she discovered he had already gone to the kitchen to start the coffee maker. Traipsing down the stairs, Liz soon found Red holding the serving tray he had discovered in the well stocked pantry. As she watched, he loaded it with biscotti, cornetti, breakfast cookies and bombolini filled with Nutella.
He picked up the loaded tray and carried it to the kitchen table. "Lizzie, the Italian breakfast most often consists of a hot drink, usually cafe espresso or a cappuccino and something sweet, breakfast pastries. You should appreciate that."
With a wicked smirk on her face, Liz exclaimed, "Oh yes! That's my kind of food. I'm more impressed with this place by the minute. A sugar high is just what I need right now."
Liz decided to remove her ankle boots and let the coolness of the terra cotta tiles soothe her swollen feet. She padded barefoot across the room and talked Red into taking the coffee and brunch outside to the pool where they sat down in the shade of a vine covered pergola.
"Mmmm, this pastry is delicious!" She absentmindedly ran the tip of her tongue across her bottom lip to remove the sugar then said, "I could dive into that pool right now. I know it would feel sensational."
Raymond Reddington was being entertained just by watching the expressions that were floating across Lizzie's face. He thought about how he would love to taste her lips right now and then watch her swim in that pool. Did she have any idea what a natural flirt she was becoming and the effect she was having on him?
Soon Lizzie's mind wandered off in a different direction. It was as if her mind was a camera making mental pictures of everything around her, as if she was afraid to close her eyes because everything would disappear. She was captivated by the view from the patio. In the distance the yellow green countryside was dotted with clay tile roofs viewed through dark green scrolling and hearty grapevines. The muted grey-green olive grove that had been cultivated on the estate was punctuated with hints of gold as the sun glinted off of the leaves.
"Red…"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"What is that small gray weathered building over there?"
"I'm pretty sure it's the olive press…the place where they take the olives to extract the oil."
"Oh, I heard the green olives are the first ones picked to get the virgin oil."
Red could not pass that one up. "Yes, they are the first ones plucked from the tree, but the virgins are hard to find. They hide in the foliage and then they can't slip through the forest for the trees."
Red took a peek to see if she had reacted, but she was so engrossed in her own thoughts that she missed the sarcasm completely. Finally Liz awoke from her reverie to ask, "How did you find this place? It's captivating."
"The owner and I have been business associates for years. He offered to let us stay here, in return I had some personal documents made for him."
The eyebrows knit together, a slight frown crossed her face and she began to rub her scarred hand. Red noticed immediately. "Lizzie, what is it? I know you have a question…Lizzie? You can be honest with me."
Damn, nothing got by him! She knew she had been caught, but she didn't want him to know what she was thinking; her thoughts were immature, childish. He had never given her reason for such thoughts. There it was again…that ogre.
When she did not reply or acknowledge him he tried again. "Lizzie, I asked you a question. I would like an answer."
She knew he would not give up until she answered him. If she lied to him he would know it, he seemed to be able to read her like an open book. Her face flushed a bright red. Without meeting his eyes, with a flustered tone and speaking in a low whisper she asked, "Has Madeline Pratt ever stayed here?"
Red was not sure that he had heard her correctly. "What did you say Lizzie? I'm not sure I heard what you said."
Liz could feel the irrational anger building. "Red, are you so old that you need a hearing aid? I SAID… has your dear friend Madeline stayed here?"
"Oh, you mean Ms Pratt? Tsk, tsk…Watch the zingers Lizzie. You know you think this old man is awesome, I can hear every thought you have in that pretty head of yours."
"Just drop it Red! Forget I even asked."
"The answer is no, Lizzie. She has never been here."
Liz turned away from Red because she knew she had dampened the mood and she wanted to fix her mistake, but it had always been difficult for her to apologize. She swallowed hard, took a deep breath and said, "I'm sorry Red. I sound like an ungrateful, jealous wench. Please forgive me."
"What should I forgive you for? You didn't offend me; you only offended yourself by insulting your self-esteem."
She knew he was right. Why did she allow herself to be intimidated by that woman of…how did Red put it? A woman of 'singular talents'? That woman who was fascinating, beautiful, sophisticated, immaculately dressed, intelligent, an accomplished business woman, well traveled, experienced in beguiling ways…need she go on?
On impulse Liz reached over, took Red's hand and gently squeezed it. "This is my first trip to Italy. Thank you for bringing me to such a beautiful place."
His eyes glinted back at her as he replied, "You're very welcome. You deserve to be pampered every now and then."
Lizzie looked into his green eyes and felt an unfamiliar flush begin to spread through her. Where was the man who had been very angry with her only a few hours ago? She knew Red was intense, focused and a man of contrasts, but the man she saw before her now was warm and open. Now she was the one who was being harsh.
Seeking solace once again, Liz turned her eyes to the surrounding landscape. Her thoughts were swallowed by the depth of the beauty just as the vineyards and groves of trees flowed in an orderly manner down the terraced hillside. The ugliness that had engulfed her life had been temporarily lost in the teeming activity of nature now thriving before her.
Yet an insistent, niggling voice began to play in the pathways of her mind. 'Remember this is a criminal…criminals lie. You can't trust him.' Her thoughts rebutted that statement…but I know he has always told me the truth.
"Lizzie?" Red was calling her back to awareness. "Focus… Lizzie, you disappeared for a minute."
"You know, Red, I would have been just as happy staying in a little rustic cabin as long as present company was included as well as the beautiful eye candy I've seen here today. These landscapes are manna to the eyes."
Red continued to gaze out over the countryside as he replied, "You're correct. Any abode would be acceptable as long as your beauty graced the environs."
Her face turned a brighter shade of pink and she retorted, "Red, that's enough! Are we going to continue the top-it game? Which one of us can give the most embarrassing compliments?" Red just chuckled.
Raymond Reddington seemed to be changing right before her eyes. He became even more relaxed and open. "Sweetheart, since you seem to enjoy the outdoors so much, one day when we return to the States I will take you hiking to one of my favorite places. When I was a young lad my parents and grandparents used to vacation in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. We would rent a cabin for a week and hike the trails, fish in the clear lakes and commune with nature. There is no better feeling, well almost no better feeling, than standing at the top of a mountain knowing that you had literally conquered the beast."
"The intoxicating mountain air is fresh with the scent of evergreens, the white water rafting is challenging and exhilarating to say the least and learning to survive in the deep wilderness, well that is invigorating to the soul. My grandfather taught me how to survive with almost nothing. Survivalist skills, as long as there is hope…did I ever tell you about the time we got lost in…"
Red was deep in thought, his eyes were focused on a scene from his childhood that he was rescuing from the depths of his memory, preparing to share without reservation. Liz knew that she could sit and listen to Red's stories of childhood all day, but the sounds coming from inside the house told her that their luggage had arrived. Liz spoke softly to Red who suddenly seemed to replace his relaxed demeanor with his business mask.
Aram and Dembe entered the kitchen just as Red rose from the patio table. As he walked into the kitchen carrying the tray of breakfast foods he offered the remaining pastries to the men, then he stopped to question Aram. "How are you doing with the file I gave you to commit to memory?"
"Don't worry, sir. I know the information you required. I'm prepared. I'm ready." Aram walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee. "I hope this is strong coffee. The jet lag is about to kick my butt."
"Make yourself at home and be sure to rest up. We will begin our meetings at nine o'clock the day after tomorrow."
Aram nodded, took a pastry from the breakfast tray and walked outside to the patio to join Dembe.
As Liz began to climb the stairs to her bedroom, she called to Red over her shoulder, "Thanks for sharing the boy, Raymond, with me, I'm looking forward to learning more about him. I think this place might be just the respite both of us need to repair the worn tapestry of our partnership. I'll meet you on the patio at five." She continued ascending the stairs with a big smile on her face.
Red had stopped to put the coffee cups in the sink. He pondered her statement about Raymond and decided that it felt good to finally feel like he could share the real stories, the inner person, with Lizzie. He knew he needed that outlet. Yes, Dembe was a trusted friend with whom he had shared much, but some things a man just needed to share with a woman; it felt good to share his treasured thoughts and memories with his Lizzie. As Red walked to his bedroom for a short rest and to freshen up, he decided to call in some favors for some hard-to-get tickets.
~X~X~
Once the security team had a chance to rest he would give them their assignments. Soon he would be tied up in meetings concerning very important financial matters. Liz would need to be accompanied on her outings while he was meeting with his business associates. Red hoped that the reports he had been given were true. He had it on reliable information that he and Liz had been able to leave the States undetected.
Red's eyelids were heavy. Just as he was about to fall asleep his phone rang. The ringtone was familiar. "Hello, Maddy….Yes, I have arrived in country…No, I'm sorry, I have other plans for tomorrow. …I will meet you the day after tomorrow at 9:00 a. m. in your office….No, I already told you I won't be able to do that…. Yes, perhaps we can have lunch then… See you soon."
AN: If you read this far there must be something that held your interest. I would like to hear your thoughts. Next chapter will be up soon.