AUTHOR NOTE: Wanted to thank Vera again for the Reddington coasters! We love them!
Also, we hope you have a wonderful holiday! Stay safe and have fun!
Elizabeth checked the phone sitting beside her again for the hundredth time, her spirits falling further.
She pushed aside her plate, arising. Crossing to the large picture windows lining the dining area, she looked out over the garden and its profusion of color.
When she woke this morning, Red was gone. Not an unusual occurrence, but he normally left a note informing her of his location or an expected time of his return.
And he always ended with a sweet, endearing phrase expressing his affection... often, his love.
But today... nothing.
Had she upset him last night by her insinuation? Had he gone to the safe house as he said, to allow her space to think?
Because if that was the case, he was wasting his time. She didn't believe Tom's accusations any further than she believed Ressler could hold on to a girlfriend for more than two weeks.
"What are you worrying about now?" Silas groaned, easing into the large window seat nook beside her.
He didn't have to be clairvoyant to know the woman was troubled.
"What makes you think–"
Sighing heavily, the man rolled expressive eyes her way. "Spit it out." he grumbled. "I have a life, you know."
"No, you don't." Liz countered easily, returning to her pensive musing. She crossed her arms over her abdomen, staring blankly at the scenery outside. "You're–"
"...Gonna strangle you." Silas cut to the chase.
The woman sighed again, in reality, glad to have a sounding board. She started off slowly.
"I might have said something last night," she lifted troubled eyes, "which might have made Red think... I didn't believe him."
Pulling a pillow out from behind him, Silas sat it at his side, easing the ache of his wound. He got comfortable, settling in for the long haul.
It didn't take a genius to know whatever had been said, most likely led back to the incident with Tom.
"What did you say?" Silas asked, ready for the onslaught.
"I was... well I...I asked if my father could possibly be alive." she worried her lip, rethinking the entire discussion the evening before.
Silas' brows lifted slightly, his shoulders shrugging. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility Red was pissed Tom stirred this shit up. That the guy's temper had gotten the better of him... finally.
But he highly suspected the question itself had not upset Red. It had to be more.
"Now, Red probably thinks I believe Tom and–"
"Do you?"
"Well, no..." she frowned hard, "Of course I don't, I only thought–"
"Perhaps Red was so preoccupied finding and escaping the fire with you," Silas assumed, "that maybe he missed your dad crawl his way out?"
Liz nodded jerkily, sitting absently across from the man, her gaze trusting and open.
"It's a legitimate question." Silas scowled. "Why would you think it'd piss Red off?"
"Because Tom said it first, then I wondered if it were possible–"
"To hell with Tom. He didn't do any shit that wasn't already in the works." Silas grumbled. "You were already curious about your parents and what happened during the fire." he reminded.
Liz nodded slowly. He was right. Ever since Luther Braxton's attempt to regain her memories, she wanted to know the truth.
"Tom just jostled your brain, nothing more." Silas groused. "Red may think with his dick more often than not..."
Liz shook her head at the quaint phrasing, amused despite her low mood.
"...Especially in regards to you. But he's not an idiot." Silas continued. "He knows it's only natural you have questions about what happened to your parents."
Liz's shoulders relaxed involuntarily, her guard could always make heads or tails of her inner thoughts... especially when she couldn't.
"Red said my mother killed herself after I.." she trailed off.
Silas' mouth twisted. He adjusted in his seat, his expression wry.
"What?" Liz noted the man's reaction. "You don't think so?"
"Red knew her better than I did." Silas evaded.
"You knew my mother?" Liz's interest was immediate and complete.
"In passing." Silas replied evenly. "I found her to be..." he winced, unsure if he should continue.
It was one thing to razz Liz and annoy the hell out of her. It was another to outright hurt her.
"It's all right." Liz pushed the issue, desperate for anything... any tidbit which could be provided.
"I think she was too self-centered to kill herself." Silas stated bluntly. "If anything, I've always thought the Cabal or Russians caught up with her and killed her."
"Thank you for softening that." Liz sighed lightly.
Silas dismissed. "It's okay kid..."
"Did you..." Liz pulled at the tie on her tennis shoe, concentrating hard to keep her tone normal, "...know my dad?"
"I met him a few times." Silas confided. "You remind me of him, quite a bit actually."
"In what way?" Liz's curiosity was more than piqued... it was rabid.
"He was headstrong, obstinate," Silas teased, his brow lifting, his tone altering slightly, "... caring."
"You say that likes it a bad thing." Liz frowned.
"In his case," Silas tapped his finger idly on the windowsill, "it probably got him killed."
"So you think he's dead too." Liz stated the obvious.
"I think, if either of your parents are alive," Silas sat up, "they won't be for long... cause Red will kill them."
"Why? What for?" Liz eyes widened, her senses alarmed over such a statement.
"For allowing you to believe them dead all this time."
"Seems kind of counter-productive, doesn't it?" Liz had to question the validity of Red's actions but she settled admirably.
"It's fucking cruel." Silas' grey eyes scowled. "You mourn them all these years and... surprise, they're not even dead?"
Liz cocked her head, nodding once more. That would be pretty disturbing. Okay, beyond disturbing.
"Plus, it's their fault both you and Red are in this predicament." Silas granted. "If either of them are alive, it's bullshit they left you holding the bomb."
"Red must hate that fact I keep bringing them up." she muttered quietly.
"No," Silas shook his head, "in the end, you're just a kid wanting to know about your parents. Not their roles in the stupid game everyone played at that time in your life."
"What did my dad look like?" Liz wanted to know, changing the subject back to her true interest.
"He had brown hair, blue eyes," Silas thought back, recalling the handsome man, "he was about Red's height. He had a dimple, just like you..." the guard's eyes danced mischievously.
Liz's eyes glittered, she had always wondered if she got that dimple from her mother or father. Now she knew.
"Don't think Red doesn't want to tell you everything you want to know," Silas said after a moment's hesitation, "because he does. That's why he brought you the Blacklist."
"He said it's dangerous, even just knowing my dad's name."
"Plausible deniability." Silas nodded. "The less they think you know, the better."
She never thought of it like that.
"It may not seem like it, but you're unraveling things faster than you realize." Silas encouraged. "Red has a plan to fix things, or at the very least..." he trailed off.
Silas sighed, it was such a long, sordid story. One that was not his to tell.
"Red wants this over with as badly as you do and is doing everything in his power to make that happen."
Liz knew there was more Silas wanted to say, but the man obviously didn't think it was his place to go into it. She would respect that.
"Thank you..." she said, "for telling me about my dad."
Silas remained silent. He knew it wasn't much, but it was more than she had before.
"You've known Red a long time." Liz realized, for him to know so much back story. "Just how long?"
"Longer than either of us wants to admit." Silas smiled and Liz could see the attraction for his multitude of 'admirers'.
"We were both just out of boot camp when we met." Silas confided finally after a long moment's hesitation, much to Liz's surprise.
"How did you meet?" Liz was confused. "You were Marines, he was Navy."
"We were both stationed in San Diego." Silas solved the mystery. "He saved my ass one dark and gloomy night... from getting hit over the head with a stool during a bar fight."
"That really shocks me..." Liz's mouth quirked. "The bar fight thing, not that someone wanted to hit you over the head."
"I bought him a beer to say thanks," Silas nodded at nothing in particular, continuing, "then about six months later, we met in the field. Seemed like every time I saw him after that, he had moved up a rank."
Liz clutched a pillow to her chest, settling into the cozy little nook, listening intently.
"Word proceeded him for that fact... allowing him first pick of some choice assignments." Silas confided. "Which worked well for him. He hated being idle."
A smile curved Liz's mouth. Red had confirmed that 'idle' thing when he spoke of his high-school girl-friend. She was getting a little more to the story now, however.
"Though, he's slowed down... in recent months." Silas sipped his coffee, his eyes full of merriment.
Liz frowned slightly, "Could have fooled me. He always seems to be on the move."
"Before he hooked up with you, I saw him a couple times a month." Silas thought hard.
Liz didn't know that. She had assumed they worked together frequently.
"Honestly," Silas confessed, "Red preferred us to be within reach of you," he explained, "rather than shadowing him."
"What changed?" Liz asked.
"When you two became entangled and you decided to stay here..." Silas absently gestured to the surrounding property, "he made changes to accommodate that."
Liz only then realized, Red did make changes to what had been his status quo. He phased out the safe houses, he stayed here with her...
"He added more security, ensuring we would be on site at all times," Silas continued, "allowing you a safe haven and him... time to unwind."
"Do you guys," Liz asked, "...resent it?"
Silas replied without hesitation. "We make our own schedule, have paid vacations..." he shrugged, "the accommodations are great. Besides, it's nice to bring a date home and not worry about how shitty the place might look."
Liz's mouth pulled at the corner. She did have to agree with that. It was nice having a cleaning service come in a couple times a week.
"You guys bring dates home?" She had not known that.
"Occasionally." Silas chuckled.
"What?" Liz grinned, though wasn't sure why.
"A couple of the guys have a bad habit of reminding their... dates," Silas cradled his coffee cup, "there are other males on the premises."
Liz hid her grimacing face in her hands, having a pretty good idea where this was going.
"I don't know how many times I've walked in the kitchen," Silas laughed under his breath, "to find some chick, naked as the day she was born... drinking from the juice carton."
Granted, the woman did think they were alone so, why not traipse around in the buff? But to drink from the jug? Who did that?
"We have since," Silas leaned forward, "started stocking up on single serve Gatorade."
"That's what you worry about?" she sighed. "Spreading cooties?"
"In our defense," Silas defended himself and his men, "not one of my men has complained about the oversight." he chuckled. "It does get hairy at times. As a matter of fact, Justin and David almost came to blows over some girl a couple weeks back."
Liz's eyes widened.
"She was waltzing around naked," Silas shrugged, "David came around the corner, there was a collision..." he painted the picture, "he reached to catch her and got a handful, if you get my drift," his brows lifted, "just as Justin came around the bend. He got bent out of shape..."
"But... it was an accident." Liz defended the guard.
"All Justin saw was David bent over his girl with her tit in his hand." Silas grinned over his coffee cup.
Liz grimaced, knowing full well now after living with them for a while... the testosterone ran rampant.
"Oh, no.." Liz winced. "So, what happened?" she scooted closer.
"I heard the commotion and went to check it out... as is my way." Silas' grin widened. "I gallantly gave my shirt to the girl," he described the scene, "separated the idiots, and calmed the situation. I am just that good."
"They stopped?" Liz frowned. "Just like that?"
"Well, you didn't see this girl." Silas grinned. I knew the minute Justin saw that pouty face," the guard stated, "he would cave like a deck of cards."
"...And he... did?" Liz was so disappointed in the man.
"Oh, yeah," Silas nodded sagely, "heard her accepting Justin's apology all damn night."
"You're all very territorial, aren't you?" Liz surmised.
"Do you really have to ask?" Silas eyed her knowingly. "You, more than anyone, should know the answer to that."
Liz fought the rising heat in her cheeks, knowing damn well how territorial Red was... and how much she enjoyed it.
Uncertain Silas would answer the next question on her list, Liz hesitated, "...What was Red like when you first met him?"
Silas was pensive for a spell. "I know he'll deny it, but Red was an adrenaline junkie in the day.
"And you aren't, right?" Liz knew better.
"I don't deny it." Silas saw no reason to. "It ended up working well for of us come to find out. Since my team knew the terrain and locals better... we got assigned to him whenever he had to go inland.
"It's kind of weird you guys always got teamed up, isn't it?" Liz asked. "It was like karma was on your side."
"Red had some pull about who backed him in those days."
Liz's eyes softened, knowing even then... there was a trust between Red and Silas. That they had each other's backs.
"And so the story unfolds..." Liz smiled warmly at her guard.
"I've known Red the longest." Silas seemed proud of the fact. "Joe came in two years later. Justin, David, some of the others latched on over the years... along with Granger."
Liz straightened at the news, surprised again. She assumed by Red's demeanor, he and Granger had a very limited acquaintance only through Antonio.
"Red and Granger clashed from day one," Silas read her expression well enough. "Red and I had a system that worked well, we meshed. He and Granger were like oil and water."
"...Didn't mix." Liz understood.
"Granger was always overly cautious. Still is." Silas scowled expressively. "Nothing wrong with that, really. But when a mission went awry, he'd want to pull out and re-evaluate."
"But had you pulled out," Liz concluded, "it could have disclosed your positions and taken away the element of surprise?"
"Very good, grasshopper." Silas smiled. "That's why Red preferred the 'adapt, improvise, overcome', motto we Marines cherish so dearly."
Liz smiled happily, proud of her deductive reasoning. "Who held the higher rank?"
"Red did." Silas waved a dismissive hand. "He was a Captain when the shit hit the fan."
"So that's why you guys call him 'Captain' sometimes." Liz grinned, one piece of the puzzle falling into place.
"We call him a lot of things..." Silas held his grin. "Depends on the day and situation."
Liz would only admit to herself... the thought tickled her the guys felt comfortable enough to razz Red as often as they did... and Red accepted it.
"And you?" Liz shifted absently for her foot was falling asleep. "What was your rank?"
"Whispering was, I was up for Lieutenant." Silas had taken even longer to reply.
Liz hoped the talk was not coming to an end.
"You didn't want it?" Liz picked up on the fact.
"No, I don't think I did." he admitted. "I just wanted to do my job. Had I worked diligently at it, I probably would have been the same rank as Red, but there were factors which played into that particular scenario not occurring..."
"Which were?" Liz's curiosity soared.
"I almost killed a Lieutenant one night when I was stationed in Hawaii." Silas' brows lifted slightly.
"I'm surprised they didn't dishonorably discharge you."
"They might have, but..." his eyes hardened, "everyone wanted to beat the shit out that son-of-a-bitch, I just happen to be in the right place at the right time."
"Was he like Moore?" Liz used a frame of reference.
"Worse." Silas became quiet. "... He was a wife-beating prick."
"...Oh," the woman fell silent too, for a goodly while, considering all the statement implied. "Well, then... good for you."
Silas chuckled wryly. "Yeah, when he got out of the hospital, I told that bastard... if he laid a finger on her," his grey eyes clouded over, "one more time..." he trailed away.
Liz compressed her mouth, "So she went back to him?"
"She did," Silas confirmed, "said it was for the kids."
Liz closed her eyes, sorrow washing over her. Was this how Red felt when she repeatedly went back to Tom? If so, it sucked.
"They had a little girl," Silas' eyes softened, "cute little thing. And an older son, about twelve, if I recall."
Liz was quiet, sensing a tenseness emanating from the man who sat across from her.
"Red said the boy went into the Service after high-school." Silas cricked his neck, sighing heavily. "I wonder if he turned out like his old man."
Liz thought somehow, Silas already knew.
"Did the 'prick' ever..." she left the question dangling, unsure she actually wanted an answer.
"No." Silas shook his head. "Everyone watched him, just waiting to get a piece of him so...things seemed to even out over time."
She swallowed a lump in her throat his fellow Marines had cared so much.
"Hey... I didn't mean for this to turn morbid." the guard knocked her hands apart playfully. "You bring out the worst in me... besides, we were discussing your problems, not mine."
"I don't have a problem." she lied, unwilling to get off-topic just yet.
"Sure... right... whatever." the man nodded amiably.
"I'm actually surprised most of you are ex-military. You're all good at what you do but..." she shrugged, "the rules, structure, the strict discipline required... doesn't seem like your thing."
"The structure wasn't the problem. We all like order in some regard." Silas said. "What we hated was the bullshit politics."
Liz understood that. More often than not, the powers-that-be were nothing more than a nuisance who did not understand how things in the real world functioned.
"Oh, goody!" Joe, having heard the last statement, sauntered into the room. "Story time!"
Two large urns produced the rich, aromatic brew Nora kept on hand for security. Joe headed for the 'regular', not the 'decaf'.
Silas watched the guy then held up his own cup as Joe approached the nook where he and Elizabeth sat.
"Your arm broken?" Joe grumbled.
"No," Silas held his cup aloft, waving it about, "but yours will be if you don't give me some damn coffee."
Sighing, Joe refilled Silas' cup with an indignant huff. "Your welcome." he sat the urn aside, sitting across from them. "What's going on?
"Reliving glory days..." Silas explained, "I was about to tell her about our exploits in Nicaragua."
"Fun times." Joe nodded his remembrance.
Liz looked between the two, not sure if that was sarcasm she heard or they actually enjoyed their time down there.
"We were there on behalf of our country to offer 'support'," Silas air-quoted the quaint phrase, "to the Contra Rebels."
Joe shook his head, tasting the coffee, "Yeah... that's what we were doing."
"It was, what," Silas checked with his compatriot, "...May, '86?"
"I'm not into time, man." Joe waved such a weighty question aside. "All I remember was the soul sucking heat."
"No... it was June." Silas snapped his fingers. "I remember now, it was their 'rainy season'."
Joe chuckled lowly, for once again, Silas had air-quoted the descriptive.
"We were sitting in mud up to our waists, continuously soaked to the bone," Joe lamented, "the only time I felt dry was the short interval between towel drying after a shower and putting on my BDU's."
"Don't lie to this woman..." Silas gave Joe a sour look, "you never took a shower down there."
"Why bother?" Joe spread his hands, pulling a face.
"Because you smelled like death warmed over?" Silas replied.
"And you didn't?" Joe screwed up his face distastefully. "Besides, it was raining the entire time. Just step outside with some soap and voila, your clean... for the most part."
"Yeah," Silas cut his eyes towards the man, "you should have practiced that cleansing process more often. You looked... and smelled like a swamp hog."
Liz pinched her lips, hiding her smile. Now that she thought about it, it was odd to think of these two dirty and smelly. Though Silas had scruff, it was well kept. Both men were pretty meticulous about their appearance and always smelled very nice.
But most of all, she could not picture Red being what they described. He always smelled heavenly, and quite frankly, tasted as good as he looked. She wondered, even with the situation being less than ideal, had he been a little more fastidious about his grooming?
"But you digress..." Liz motioned the story should resume.
"So, there we were in the middle of the jungle," Silas set the scene, "it was so hot and humid, cigarettes would fuse to the inside of the package."
Liz crinkled her nose distastefully.
"We smoked 'em, anyway." Joe shrugged the minor inconvenience aside.
Liz's distaste grew...
"We were holed up in a village, waiting for Command to get off their asses and issue any sort of directive..." Silas continued.
"To make matters worse, the accommodations were less than stellar." Joe cocked a brow. "Leaking roofs, muddy floors... there really was no protection from the elements." he sighed, "Oh, and the food was shit."
Silas nodded, remembering a couple nights they were doused in their cots by rain blowing in through the makeshift tarp doors.
"Needless to say," Silas' eyes lit with amusement, "everyone's outlook was getting a little bleak... tempers were short."
"You were all being the assholes I know you can be." Liz nodded that she was following the tale so far. "...And so dearly love." she added as an afterthought.
"Correct assumption, Ma'am." Joe lifted a cup in mock salute.
Liz held her grin.
"Red more than most because you know how he hates inactivity plus..." Silas scratched his face absently, the loud bristle of his beard catching Elizabeth's attention, "he shouldered the weight of the Command."
"We would have gone down the way to the little village bar to kill time," Joe's face allowed his stricken grief, "but it washed away in the 'moderate' mud-slides the region is so famous for."
"The bar?" Liz questioned.
"Well, the entire village, actually." Joe added more sugar to his coffee. "There one day," he swept his hand out, "...gone the next."
"Oh, my goodness." Liz tried to wrap her head around such a concept. "Were the people okay?"
Silas lifted his brows, his tone a little condescending. "No, Elizabeth... they were not okay." he sighed after a moment, softening his gruff exterior. "We saved some... we lost more."
Such news devastated the woman, "Oh, no..."
She could only imagine the relief Red and the guys felt rescuing the people they managed to attain. And the anger over the ones they lost.
"So we're about to lose it when we hear through the grapevine, this Marine pilot had been shot down by the Sandinistas." Joe hurried the tale along, sending Silas a 'sorry I brought that up,' look. "They had been holding him since May, right?"
"Red radios the C.O for the lowdown, who then informs us 'negotiations,'" again Silas air-quoted, "are underway to secure the Marine's release...don't worry 'bout it."
Liz felt amused no end by the repeated use of the air-quotes, even though she still felt horrible by the news about the poor people in the village.
"Since our own mission seemed to be in-the-wind," the guard conveyed the stages of the governments infamous hurry-up-and-wait mentality, "Red decides to keep the guys sharp..."
"...And keep us from burning him in effigy." Joe added.
"And decides, we'll go ourselves and 'repatriate' this guy." Silas stated. "So we're trudging through mile after mile of rain-soaked terrain..."
"Swarmed by mosquitos the size of Vampire bats." Joe recalled.
"He kids you not." Silas concurred. "One landed on his neck and I didn't know whether to swat it or shoot it."
Liz tittered under her breath when Joe cast Silas a scathing glare.
"Anyway," Silas ignored Joe, continuing on with his story, "the weather is doing this weird storm like shit, pelting us with drops so large they could have sunk the Titanic had they been frozen..."
Liz laughed her amusement, "Those are some pretty big raindrops."
"No, something strange was happening, we only found out later what it was exactly." Joe advised the story was only really beginning.
"So we arrive just before midnight and Red tells us to scope out the place." Silas handed Liz his coffee cup.
"Really?" she stared at it moodily but got up and refilled the cup absently, "...So, go on... what next?"
"Wanna cut me some of that cake while you're there?" Silas put on his best charming face.
Liz rolled her eyes... and cut the cake.
"Red didn't tell us to scope out the place, he told me." Joe remembered the incident differently.
"You were being punished." Silas reminded.
Liz's eyes widened, waiting for more on that subject.
Silas turned his attention, "We caught him with a local girl," he informed the woman, "while on night patrol."
"We had been there for weeks and the most we saw was rain!" Joe complained. "What the hell!"
"You were going to be off duty within the hour." Silas rolled his eyes.
Joe shrugged sheepishly, "She was," he searched for the proper description, "...fucking hot, man. You remember her!"
"Yeah, I remember that hot little piece of ass giving you the clap." Silas shook his head, sighing. "Should have kept your dick in your pants, huh?"
Liz scoffed her disbelief the man had the gall to reprimand Joe. "As I recall, you wanted to tag a busty, syphilis ridden, blonde."
Joe sat back, crossing his arms triumphantly over his chest... grinning.
"I would have worn a raincoat unlike Junior here." Silas laughed quietly when Liz's nose wrinkled its distaste.
She canted her head after a moment, lost in thought.
"What?" Silas knew something was on her mind.
"Did Red," she hesitated, "...ever, you know..."
"Hook up in the field?" Silas surmised. "He did, yes." he nodded.
"We all did." Joe defended the guy quickly. "Local women, hired ladies..."
"That makes it so much better, Joseph." Liz's mouth gaped wide with dismay.
Silas cut his eyes towards Joe. "Red preferred picking up someone in a bar..."
Joe looked at the guy comically, "You're right, that is better."
"But... he was married." Liz's face fell not only at the news but the entire conversation.
"Not when we first started," Silas reminded. "After he got married to that bitch," Liz's eyes widened at the man's description, "he stayed celibate... and a major asshole."
"Personally," Joe added his two sense, "I think he should have just said fuck and got a blow if nothing else."
Liz frowned at the man, suddenly questioning if he would think the same now. She was shocked to realize, Silas was in agreement with his colleague.
"His first wife was a real..." Silas explained, "well... bitch."
"I think she was foolin' around behind Red's back." Joe scowled. "The way she treated him when he got home..." the man seethed.
Silas shrugged, "She was not just cold," he continued, "you could freeze water on her frigid ass."
Liz wanted desperately to find Red right then and there and just... hold him. Show him how very dearly she loved him.
Silas cleared his throat, continuing on with a safer subject. "Where was I?"
"Red sent me to recon the camp and ascertain the pilots position." Joe was still sulking over the matter.
"I had to scale that damned hill four times that night." Joe lifted his fingers indignantly. "Four!"
"Because of the 'moderate mud-slides'." Silas explained. "I wish we would have had YouTube back then... it was hilarious watching him wallow in the mud."
Joe took the slight gracefully. "Trudging up that hill, repeatedly... it's one of my fondest memories."
Liz gave the man a sympathetic glance.
"So we're in and out... couldn't have taken more than five minutes." Silas spread his hands. "A fork?"
Sighing heavily, Liz fetched the utensil, slapping it down irritably beside the man's cake.
"Why so short? You didn't meet any resistance?" she was confused as it seemed Red and his band of merry men always had an... incident, of some sort.
"The Sandinistas were so intent on 'negotiations', they didn't pay us any attention." Silas shook his head at the stupidity.
"It took us longer to get there than the actual retrieval." Joe agreed.
"It was what we encountered after, that was the real test of our manhood." Silas said.
"In that five minutes we were inside, the torrential downpour outside escalated into 'what the hell did we do to deserve this shit' downpour." Joe could still feel the sharp cut of the wind's power as it moved his stout body any which way it wanted.
It made the nearly impossible trek back through the already impossible terrain more treacherous.
"It didn't stop you from locating another village bar," Silas sprinkled powered cream on his cake, "on the way back, now did it."
"I can't believe you do that." Liz had seen it before and it still disgusted her.
"Tastes like coffee cake."
"So you've said." she grimaced.
"All the guys were pissed at him..." Silas motioned to Joe. "He made everyone strip so he could wrap the bottles in our t-shirts..."
"So none would get broken." Liz shrugged, then blanched realizing she understood the way they thought.
"Well... everyone was slipping and falling," Joe threw his hands out at his sides, "I couldn't be responsible for all those bottles myself." the man jabbed an accusing finger towards Silas. "They were going to drink them too!"
"Yes, I know." Elizabeth calmed diplomatically. "So the pilot was safe, and you guys were no longer bored... all's well that ends well?"
"You are so smug." Joe decided. "I'll have you know, you whipper snapper, that very night headquarters radioed to inform us we might want to vacate our position do to the fact a hurricane was bearing down on our collective asses."
Liz's mouth formed a perfect 'O', her eyes growing wide and impressed.
"You did all that in a hurricane?"
"No, no, it wasn't a hurricane," Silas corrected, "it was a tropical depression. You're thinking of a couple years later when we got stuck in the middle of Hurricane Gilbert."
Liz's eyes widened, remembering the catastrophic storm.
"Oh, right," Joe nodded, "we were in Venezuela...Columbia..." he frowned, "wherever the hell we were."
"Either way," Silas held up a cautionary finger, "in both cases, we were without beer, for the most part."
"However did you manage?" Liz rolled her eyes.
"We jerked off... a lot." Joe glanced up from staring aimlessly into his coffee cup, finding two sets of eyes on him. "Oh, was that sarcasm or a rhetorical question?"
"Anyway... so we secured the pilot and packed up," Silas continued the story, "and got the hell out of Dodge."
"Oh," Joe grinned, remembering an item of interest, "we had been driving a couple hours without a break in the rain or otherwise, when Red 'bout strangled Silas," he laughed gaily, "cause he nearly drove them off a cliff when his night vision failed." he snorted. "Man, that woke them up."
Liz frowned, "Why were you wearing night vision?"
"Sometime while we were gone," Silas related, "a tree fell and broke the headlights so..." he waved off the issue. "Didn't matter, that jolt reminded us of our good fortune. We got a boost of energy and got back in the game."
Joe grumbled his discontent, "Yeah, right back in the game."
"When we arrived at the main base, they handed us our next orders." Silas answered the unasked question.
"What!" Liz sat forward, her brow furrowing. "It wasn't enough you supported the Rebels, saved some people in a village and rescued a downed pilot?!"
"Obviously not. We got a quick bite, then they crammed us on a cargo flight," Joe nodded tightly, "and flew our asses to the Persian Gulf."
Silas crossed his arms, recalling that hell flight. They all found spaces in between boxes and slept as much as they could. "Went from one extreme to another in less than a damn day."
"Didn't even give us a chance to shower. We got on that damn plane, wet and muddy," Joe grated, "and got off the plane, in the same condition." he scowled. "By the time we got to base, our fatigues were covered in a sand and mud mixture that hardened like cement."
Liz's heart ached for them. They had to have been so exhausted.
"They choppered us out to an aircraft carrier for a couple days," Silas said, "then decided to get us inland so we could get more intel regarding Iran booby-trapping the shipping channel."
"We did that for a couple months," Joe idly tapped his coffee cup, "Red bitched and got us a little R&R, though not much."
Silas nodded, "We came back to an Iraqi jet firing a couple missiles at one of our frigates, leading to them tossing us into the middle of the Iran-Iraqi war."
Liz vaguely remembered the incident, "But they said it had been an accident, that the pilot who targeted the ship wasn't acting under orders."
"Yeah," Silas mumbled around his cake, "... okay. Either way, because the higher ups knew we were on the brink of entering the Gulf War..."
Liz understood the implication. Red and the guys were there, making them the first unofficial wave to get the lay of the land.
"When did you guys sleep?" Liz frowned at the pair.
"We didn't so much sleep," Joe shrugged, "whenever we got a moment to sit, lay down... we passed out."
"You get used to it." Silas smiled at the woman's stricken face. "A couple times because of red-tape bull-shit... things got a little intense." he admitted. "Nothing is more annoying than being held in the field for weeks on end... and being unproductive."
"But Red, always the diplomat," Joe continued, "secured us a breaks before we snapped."
She would have loved to have seen Red going to bat for his guys. She couldn't imagine Red being respectful in his request.
But then, she only knew her Red. She wasn't familiar with Captain Reddington.
It appeared Red, at one time, believed in and faithfully worked for the military he now had no faith in whatsoever.
She smiled at her guards, attempting to lighten the moment, "Red was your superior officer," she teased, "did you ever salute him?"
Silas grinned, "Thought about it a few times when he was being a little shit."
Liz frowned, not understanding the joke.
"You don't salute in a combat zone," Silas explained, "unless your CO is being a punk bitch... and you want to get him sniped."
Liz gasped, her mouth falling agape, "Silas! That's not even funny to joke about!"
The man laughed his mirth, clutching his side. "Sure it is." he corrected. "I remember one incident," he chuckled again, "we had sand in places sand should never be, we're running on fumes, getting maybe two hours sleep," Silas' grin widened, "...those were the days."
Elizabeth rested her cheek in her palm, smiling as well.
"...Red got on his high-horse about something I did... or didn't do," Silas couldn't remember particulars, "so he says this bullshit line, 'you understand my orders, boy'?"
Silas outright laughed, "...Boy?!"
Liz laughed as well for the absurdity of such a statement.
"I thought to myself, you want to play soldier, you little fuck?" Silas leaned forward, "I'll give your smarmy ass a good and proper show of respect."
Liz gasped, now realizing the implication.
"I come to attention... even snapped my damned heels together... was on the verge of offering one of the smartest, sharpest salutes known to man..."
Liz's mouth was still agape.
"Red steps so close, I could see every vein in his bloodshot eyes... just seconds before they turned to molten steel," Silas was still highly amused, "and says in that deathly quiet way he has about him; don't even think about it... you fuck."
Elizabeth cracked up, her laughter echoing around the dining room.
Silas' throaty chuckle mixed with hers. "I got so damned tickled at the craziness of it all... well... it broke the tension and everything went back to normal for a few hours."
Elizabeth's eyes softened. "You guys are insane... and not in a good way."
Silas lifted his coffee cup in cheers. "Anyway, I took that to mean, Red never wanted a salute from me... ever."
"I don't blame him!" Liz collapsed back into her seat.
She rolled her eyes, ignoring their quiet chuckles, "Is that why you started working for Red? Your shared history?"
Silas and Joe shared a 'look', their smiles sobering somewhat... again.
"There's a lot of reasons we work for Red." Silas hedged. "It goes back to day one."
Liz frowned, not following along.
"When Red was...ousted," Silas chose his words carefully, "he lost everything."
Liz knew this part of the story, for the most part... she believed.
"They locked his bank accounts, traced his cards..." Silas said. "Little by little, the contacts he made accessed the accounts for him and transferred it all to off shore accounts...they also got some of his personal belongings and shit back."
"Overtime," Joe motioned, "he built this." he waved a hand over his head, the meaning a metaphorical one. "As the money grew, he hired us on."
"I don't understand," Liz's frown deepened, "you were military, you had careers to think about. Red was... a criminal. Why would you–"
"Who do you think was with him when all this went south?" Silas asked the rhetorical question.
"I thought my father was the only..." Liz trailed off.
"He and Red were on point... in the lead," Silas granted, "but we were also there." he motioned between himself and Joe.
"The powers-that-be," Silas explained, "were afraid Red would go rogue..."
"Go public, you mean," Joe corrected, "and reveal the truth about the mission that had gone so horribly awry."
"So the same Powers put the blame on us... on Red. They implicated us all in one fell swoop." Silas stated. "Branded us traitors to our country."
"And, who would believe the word of a traitor even though you had served with honor and distinction for years..." Liz felt angry for them.
Joe shrugged, obviously not caring about the charges on his head.
"Didn't matter anyway," Silas crossed his leg, his hand grasping his ankle, "we were making more in the private sector as mercenaries. It wasn't so bad. We didn't have to deal with the bureaucratic bullshit anymore."
Liz had not been aware of any of this information.
"Red was the catalyst." Silas held her eyes easily. "It's his drive that keeps us going to fix this shit and if you tell him I said so..."
She waved the issue aside, "No, of course not."
Was Red's goal to get justice for them all after so long a time or was everyone just invested in this new way of life which had been created for them? She wondered if there would really come a time, like Silas suggested, all would be revealed to her?
Speaking of Red... the woman glanced at the phone once more, her spirits plummeting. Red still hadn't called or texted.
"Do you think there could be something wrong?" Liz asked, striving for normalcy. "Red normally checks in somehow by now... and he hasn't."
She looked at her guard anxiously. If what Silas said were true, and Red wasn't upset by what transpired last night... then why did she feel like she was getting the silent treatment?
"He and Dembe lit out of here around five this morning." Joe said. "Red doesn't report to anyone... so it didn't even occur to me to inquire of his actions."
"No one has called to report any problems." Silas attempted to placate the woman. "I would be the first to know."
"He did have his team with him?" Liz wanted confirmation.
"He did, along with a couple guys going off shift for the night." Joe confirmed.
The minute the guys were off shift, they could do as they pleased. So if they followed Red, there wasn't much anyone could say about it. It was their choice to tag along.
"It really hasn't been that long a time." Joe checked his own timepiece. "Red went off to Italy once just because he wanted some real Italian food."
"We didn't hear anything about it until he showed up with take-out," Silas said. "Look, if we don't hear from him by dinner, then we'll start the search for him."
Liz glanced at the clock, hoping the next couple hours went by quickly.
Liz paced the hall outside the dining room, listening to the usual murmur of the guards having dinner.
She normally found comfort in that sound, but tonight... all she felt was concern and a growing, nagging unease.
When the guards that accompanied Red earlier, returned home, Liz expected Red to follow shortly thereafter... but he hadn't.
They assured her Red was fine, before reporting to Silas.
The head guard waved them off irritably and any questions she might ask. He got on the phone, intent on tracking Red down.
One hour rolled into another.
Nora said she could hold the second shift of diners a while longer, and none of the guards complained, all happily content to snack on the appetizers Nora had on hand.
Liz smiled warmly at them all, insisting they go ahead with their meal.
Should something be wrong, she wanted everyone ready to go and be energized.
She followed the sound of her very irritated Head Guard as Silas' voice carried down the corridor.
"Dembe, dammit..." she heard her guard cuss his vexation, "you could have called."
Stepping closer, Liz listened intently through the opened doorway. Silas had been trying for the better part of an hour to make a connection with either Red or his cohort in crime.
"Liz has been going fucking insane over here." Silas growled angrily, venting his own frustration. "Since when am I kept out of the fucking loop?"
Liz searched Silas' face for any sign other than his usual annoyance... that perhaps Red was hurt or in trouble.
"This is bullshit!" Silas snapped, startling her. "I don't give a damn what that bastard says or what problem crawled up his ass and festered..." it was snarled, "when you're gonna be late, she deserves a fucking courtesy call. Hell, I deserve one!"
Liz blinked her shock, she had never heard Silas talk to Dembe in such a manner.
Nor had she heard him be so angry with Red. What could have occurred to deserve such a reaction. Her unrest grew.
"You tell the guards," Silas growled, "to expect us and not to give her shit. You got it." he fumed. "Damn right she's coming, and don't you tell that asshole anything about it. Let him face her wrath alone."
He snapped the phone shut without further ado. She witnessed the difficulty he had controlling his ire.
Aware of her presence for a while now, Silas turned to the woman.
"Go pack an overnight bag." he grit through his teeth.
"What's wrong?" Liz stepped anxiously. "Where is he? Is he hurt?"
"He should be and by someone who is skilled in the practice..." Silas held up a hand, stalling further questions. "He's at the safe house." he related. "He's not hurt."
Liz breathed easier hearing that. Though... she was confused why Red was at the safe house? Was he there on business? Would she be interrupting if she showed up?
"Just... go pack what you'll need." Silas knew there had to be a million questions running rampant in her head. "I'll try to explain on the way."
Thinking twice about prying more information from the irate man, Liz did as suggested and went to the master bedroom, hastily packing a few essentials. She was becoming quiet proficient at last minute preparations.
She was a little unsure what to pack, given she didn't understand the situation as it now stood, but if Silas believed it was all right for her to be in attendance... it wouldn't be any different than packing for an overnight stay in a hotel. She acted accordingly.
Scanning the clothes in her closet, she smiled, quickly pulling down an outfit that suited her purpose, along with clothes for the next day.
She quickly freshened up and changed, making a last sweep of the area before grabbing her bags.
Making her way to the foyer, she was just about to set them down when the door opened and Joe stepped in, taking them from her with a wink.
Her anxiety lessened further at the gesture. The guard seemed in a playful, jovial mood as always. Surely, nothing could be too awfully wrong.
"Let's go." Silas grunted as he stepped out from a side hall, a small bag in hand.
"Wait!" Nora rushed towards them, with guards in tow, all carrying cases of some sort. "I packed dinner for you and the boys."
Silas jerked a thumb, directing the guys to take the stuff to the waiting car. Usually, Nora could alter the large man's mood but he seemed just as surly as when he spoke to Dembe.
"Thank you, Nora." Liz kissed the older woman's cheek in lieu of Silas offering his usual praise. "You are a life-saver. I don't know what we'd do without you."
"To hear tell, if you were cooking," Silas murmured, checking his weapon, "we'd all die."
Gritting her teeth, Liz instinctively reacted to the jibe. She threw out her arm, the blow catching the guard square in the chest. She turned quickly, realizing her mistake too late. She winced for the man.
"Oh God, Silas! I'm so sorry!" she stepped hastily, running her hand protectively across his chest. "Did I hurt you?"
"You hit like a girl." Silas waved off the woman's reactionary swat. No way would he reprimand her natural reaction. He trained her to react... then think about the consequences.
Liz balled her fists at her side, calming the instinct to belt the idiot in the mouth.
Nora ducked her face, hiding her amusement, before clearing her throat. "Let me know if there will be any adjustment to our normal routine. I hope all is well with Mr. Reddington."
Liz smiled warmly at the woman. "Thank you, Nora."
"Yeah, yeah, let's go. I would like to get to bed sometime tonight." Silas bitched.
Nora shook her head at the man, sighing. "Have a good evening." she opened the door for them.
"You too, Nora." Liz smiled in passing before turning a surly look her guard's way. "If you weren't hurt... I'd punch you right in the mouth."
Nora snickered quietly under her breath, enjoying the sibling like banter.
"You'd try," Silas countered, winking at Nora as he passed by, "and fail, little girl."
"Oh!" Liz growled. "When you get better, I'm gonna hurt you so bad!"
Nora closed the door behind the two, leaning against the hardwood facing... chuckling her mirth. She really loved it here.
On the relatively short drive over, Silas filled Liz in on the details he knew, which was very little.
Red was not hurt. He was also not conducting business. No one besides he, Dembe and security were 'in-house'.
And Red was spitting mad.
When Red got in this mood, people usually just let him be until the storm had passed.
Normally, Silas respected the man's privacy. He would have tonight had Red handled Liz in another fashion.
"Is it... Tom?" the woman behind him questioned hesitantly. "Do you think?"
"Could be." Silas shrugged. He had admittedly hung up on Dembe before the man could relate further details of what the situation entailed.
"He had Glen pick up the trace from nearby cameras. The ambulance was found easily enough." he knew. "Maybe Glen was able to trace Tom's escape as well."
Why Silas had not been informed of any of these transactions... if they took place, was a mystery that pissed him off.
All the guard knew for certain, Red was in a safe house and neglected to inform Liz to his whereabouts or even that he was all right. He hoped the bastard squirmed when Liz reamed his ass for his glaring oversight.
They pulled up to a large estate, the guards stepped aside, opening the gates without question.
Dembe obviously alerted the men to Elizabeth's impending arrival... and Silas' sour mood.
"You'll let them know there's food, right?" Liz craned her neck as they drove past the men. "They must be hungry."
She gathered her scant belongings, her anticipation heightening. She hoped she was doing the right thing, coming here. She felt it was...
"Don't worry about them... worry about me." Silas grumbled. They pulled up to the entrance, the guard easing from the large vehicle. He opened the back door.
"You make sure they eat." Liz slid from the car, her tone indulgent.
"Go on in," Silas instructed, "Dembe's in there somewhere."
Smiling, Liz pushed through the ornate door, just as Dembe came from a side hall. "Hi, did you eat because we have–"
"Elizabeth, I must warn you," Dembe stepped, a warning glint in his eye, "Raymond is in a foul mood."
"What's wrong?" Liz's mouth curved into a frown. "What happened?"
"A deal went horribly wrong. Raymond feels responsible." Dembe related quickly. "I believe if you stay, he will unintentionally hurt you."
Liz drew back, shocked.
Dembe sighed, shaking his head. "Not physically," the man was quick to reassure. "No, of course not that." he thought how to explain matters. "Raymond... says things," he corrected, "he vents his frustration, vocally." he jerked a dismissive hand. "He is always contrite afterward but..."
"Oh..." Liz understood then, "well... maybe I could talk to him, maybe it might make him feel better?"
She always felt better after she talked... vented, with Red. Maybe he needed her, just as much as she did him after a shitty day?
Dembe shook his head, his expression bleak. "You are not understanding."
Silas and Joe came through the foyer entrance, lugging bags and food.
"Elizabeth, I wish you would trust me." Dembe urged. "Matters between you two are so... good but... he is not himself." the man sighed heavily, "Raymond is..."
"A bear?" she smiled warmly. "Dembe, don't worry. I won't leave Red just cause he's in a grouchy mood." she leaned, kissing the man's cheek. "But I thank you for the warning..."
Dembe shared a knowledgeable look with her guards, indecision written on the handsome face.
"She can handle him." Silas waved off the man's concern.
"We'll be fine." she smiled brightly. "Is this a wash room." she gestured to a nearby door.
Dembe nodded absently. "Elizabeth, perhaps if you allow him this night? The morning will be... better?"
"Is Red back there?" she gestured from where Dembe came from, ignoring the advice, her mind set.
"...Yes." Dembe's shoulders dropped, resigned to what might come of this night.
He hoped like hell Raymond cooled his temper and didn't say anything to upset the harmony between himself and Elizabeth.
"Now, go and eat." the woman stepped towards the powder room. "You guys must be starving."
Dembe reluctantly followed Silas and Joe to the back, his stomach forming a tight knot. He did not have a good feeling about any of what was transpiring.
Liz did her business and freshened up, readying herself for Red's irritable temper. Bolstered by her moment alone, she pushed from the small room, her bags in hand.
Walking down the ornate hall, the woman took in the elegant décor and amazing scenic art lining the long corridor.
Shifting her attention to the door at the end, the blue eyes softened when she heard the distinct sound of Red's grumbled curses.
Having witnessed glimpses of Red's temper in the past, she always took the easy way out and left the man to steam in private.
Liz supposed she could do that tonight, but then... they were in a relationship now. It seemed silly the man wouldn't come home just to avoid upsetting her.
Transferring the lighter of the two bags under her arm, she twisted the knob, entering the glorious master suite.
A sizable sitting area, including two chairs a couch and an assortment of tables were to her left. To her right, a majestic bed presenting thick wood spindles holding a swooping wrought iron design overhead, sat squarely in the center. The billowing comfort of the mattress called to her, though it was still early.
Separating the sections sat a stone fireplace, it's crackling fire relaxing her instantly.
Opposite the fireplace, she could just see a glimpse of the private bath. Rich earth tones greeted her delighted eyes.
Craning her neck, Liz looked out the large glass panels overlooking the rippling blue swirl of the pool.
It's was luxurious... and Red was oblivious to it or any of his surroundings, apparently.
The man paced, phone pressed roughly to his ear...his entire attention focused on the conversation taking place on the other end of the line.
Setting her bag down, Liz walked to the large bed, pushing in against the lush surface. A ripple of excitement tickled her spine, just dying to feel the soft plush.
Tossing her small bag to the blankets, she grinned listening to Red grumbling angrily into the phone.
Slapping the phone hard against the marble surface of a nearby table, Red leaned heavily into his arms, "Dembe I told you–"
She cleared her throat gently, interrupting the man's surly tone.
Red turned his head slightly towards the undeniably feminine sound.
He recognized it instantly.
He closed his eyes, his mood lowering more so. He took a long moment to channel his churning emotions. It was useless at this point.
"Go home." he barked the command, his head jerking sharply for he had meant to use a softer tone, at least.
Oh, he was in a temper tonight. Liz had never heard him use such a gruff tone especially with her.
Normally, she would be very wary in approaching him. Especially when the man had never addressed her in that manner.
But oddly enough, she found comfort in it.
Their relationship had changed and whether he meant to or not, he intentionally... or unintentionally just allowed her to see a new facet to his personality.
She paused, uncertain how to approach the man.
How did one go about drawing such a complex individual from his shell?
She did know what made Red feel good, no matter the situation.
Red could be exhausted and downright mad at the world... but one show of affection from her, and the man would gradually thaw.
Whether Red was open to accepting her overture... remained to be seen.