"The Virtuoso"

The calm before the storm

As she caught her breath, Raymond was still holding her in his arms. She was completely worn out, but in the best way possible. She looked up at him, smiling. He smiled back, kissing her gently on the forehead. " I suppose I should get up at some point," she said, breaking the silence. He helped her sit up, and as she got up and stood on the foot of the bed, she laughed. "I have no idea what you did to me, but I feel more alive than before." "You needed that release," he said. " I'm glad I helped you with it. Nothing to be ashamed of." Raymond watched her get dressed, reading her like a well loved novel. She sat down at the vanity and touched her fingers to her face, going over the blemishes and looking upset. "Before you say anything, you are glowing" Raymond said, taking his hat off the bedside table and putting it on, tracing his fingers along the brim to straighten it out. " I'll give you some privacy to get ready. The club party starts at 9 so you have time." He touched her shoulder and she laid her head on his hand. "Everything will be okay," he said. As he left and shut the door behind him, she said out loud, "I hope you're right." After he left the room, she went back into the bathroom to try and find some beauty products

She walked over to the mirror and started brushing her hair, getting the tangles out from their encounter on the bed. She set down her brush on the bedside table and saw a set of makeup laying on the vanity. She smiled, thinking of the concierge of crime himself in a beauty store. She sat down at the vanity and touched her fingers to her face, going over the blemishes and looking upset. "Before you say anything, you are glowing" Raymond said, taking his hat off the bedside table and putting it on, tracing his fingers along the brim to straighten it out. " I'll give you some privacy to get ready. The club party starts at 9 so you have time." He touched her shoulder and she laid her head on his hand. "Everything will be okay," he said. As he left and shut the door behind him, she said out loud, "I hope you're right."

Around 8:30 pm, Eleanor heard a knock at her door. It was Dembe. " You look beautiful," he said, smiling. "Raymond has asked me to escort you to the car. Here." He held up a small contraption that he explained was an earpiece. " May I?" he asked. She nodded and he delicately placed it in her ear. "This is how you will stay in contact with the team. It is virtually undetectable, and we will be with you the entire time." She walked with him down the hallway, through a secret passage, into the garage where the car was kept. Dembe opened the door for her and she sat in the backseat with Raymond. He was too stunned to speak. As she put on her seatbelt, she said " Raymond please say something. I already feel ridiculous in this outfit." He took in her dress, her high-heeled shoes, her hair curled and tied halfway up with a black ribbon. Her makeup was natural, but around her eyes was sparkling eye shadow that brought out the brightness in her eyes. " I honestly don't know what to say," he said, laughing and shaking his head. " You are incandescent." She cocked her head and said " Honestly, your choice of words never ceases to amaze me." Raymond noticed Dembe had put up the privacy window between him and them in the backseat, so he let his hand wander across her bare thigh. "Raymond please, not in the car. We will be arriving at the club soon and I don't want to appear disheveled. People will talk." "Oh please," he said, "let them talk. I've heard it all." He put his hand up to the necklace with a single diamond that lay against her skin. "I see you found the gift I left for you." She looked at him and couldn't help but blush and become entranced by his voice. "Thank you." she said softly. He grazed his fingers down her decollete, back up to her chest, letting his fingers rest on the edge of her chin. She leaned in and whispered to him, "Are you trying to seduce me right now?" "Why?" he whispered back "Is it working?" She nodded slowly. Although their lips were close enough to touch, they didn't kiss. Instead they looked into each other's eyes, sharing a conversation with their glances on stolen time. Raymond's fingers traced patterns on her cheeks, seemingly drawing stars. Eleanor closed her eyes and smiled in spite of herself. When she opened them, she found herself lost in his dark but caring eyes. "You are a rare beauty. I am so glad you are a part of my life, however insane it may be. We did not meet under the best of circumstances, but I'm glad nevertheless." "I feel the same," she replied. Eleanor found him unbearably charming.

Dembe looked in the mirror and saw what was going on, but he didn't say anything. He let them have this private moment together; a calm before the storm that would soon arrive .

They arrived soon at a secure location where Dembe would take Mona and Raymond in a different car with tinted windows. They would park in another location secured by the FBI and Mona would go in alone, but with her earpiece and surveillance sewn into her dress, it would be like she wasn't alone. The team would be with her the entire time. As they switched cars and the team explained what was going on, she listened intently, taking in every word. The plan was well thought out down to every detail. They were determined to have everything go smoothly in taking in Eleanor's captor, while also preparing for the worst.