"The Virtuoso"

The club

Eleanor turned on her earpiece and took a deep breath. "You will be alright," Raymond said firmly. "Walk in confidently. Don't look back. Keep a sharp eye out. My guess is he will have his guards spread out throughout the club. I hate to do all of this based on guesses, but that is what we are working with. Do you have everything in place?" Her head leaned back against the seat and she nodded quickly. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Raymond quickly brushed it away. "I made you a promise. Nothing has changed. You are stronger than you realize, my dear." Eleanor leaned in and kissed him. He returned the kiss quickly. "Oh come on," she said jokingly. " I think you can do better than that." He then put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her close, kissing her deeply and more passionately than ever before, as if it would be the last time. She got out of the car. As she shut the door behind her, Dembe turned around and asked him "Do I want to know what's going on between you two?" Raymond didn't answer him. Instead he watched her walk down the sidewalk, right up to the bouncer of the club. As she was ushered inside, he realized she was out of his line of vision and therefore he couldn't protect her. That scared him, and he fought the urge to get out and follow her.

As she entered the club, the memories of her capture started to flood back into her memory. Not much about the club had changed in the last couple of years. It made it hard for her to see straight, but she fought through the triggers and walked onward, taking in everything, observing the atmosphere. She heard Aram's voice through the earpiece. " How does everything look? Normal, nothing out of the ordinary?" "Yes" she replied back, trying her best to have her voice remain inconspicuous above the noise of the club. The pulsing house music, the shouts of the patrons, it seemed like a normal Saturday night. "Mona, I want you to try and find a seat at the bar. Order something, relax. Agent Ressler and Agent Navabi are there, observing. Do you want one of them to move next to you?" She nodded, and Agent Navabi walked over to her and sat down, smiling. Her beauty was striking, and Mona felt slightly intimidated by her. Her demeanor was friendly though and she said, "I won't leave your side. We will catch the man responsible for the horrors you've been through." Mona nodded back in gratitude. As the bartender walked over to take their order, Samar ordered two glasses of wine. "Drinking on the job, are we?" Aram jokingly said through the earpiece. " Aram you're acting extra spicy right now." Mona said, laughing. Ressler laughed as well. It was a little too calm, and that made everyone a little on edge. As Mona raised the glass to her lips, she made eye contact with another woman at the bar. She suddenly froze in place. " Mona, what is it?" Samar asked, laying a hand on her arm. Mona didn't speak. As the mystery woman got up, Mona got up and started to follow her. "Where are you going? Who is she?" Ressler said. " You don't understand," Mona said, her voice shaking. " That's my sister."

"You could be walking into a trap. Please stay where you are." Aram said, his voice slightly raised in panic. Mona reached up and turned off her earpiece. Aram immediately called Raymond. "Mr. Reddington, I've lost contact with Mona. The GPS you put on her necklace says she is still in the club, but she turned off her earpiece. There was a woman at the bar that she said was her sister. I warned her she might be going into a trap, and then she turned off her earpiece." Raymond immediately hung up the phone and got out of the car. Dembe followed him close behind. "She's walking into a trap. I've sent her into the lion's den." Raymond said, his voice serious.

Ressler and Samar met up and stayed back, watching her, trying their best to remain in the background. "Stay back," Aram said cautiously. We don't want to draw too much attention. Let her have her space."

Mona caught up with the woman, who sat down at a table far away from the bar. "Pearl? It's me." she said softly. The woman, with her jet black hair and her equally dark eyes, stared up at Mona. She burst into tears and embraced her, her pearl earrings clinking softly against her neck. "I can't believe it's you Mona." Pearl said. " I thought you were lost forever after our Father sent you on the mission. Raymond Reddington is a monster. Were you successful at completing your mission?" Mona whispered into her ear, "Come with me Pearl. Raymond is not who you think he is. He saved me." Pearl shook her head, her eyes begging her to stay. "I've been coming to this god awful place for days, hoping you would come back. I thought you were dead. Let's get out together. Away from everyone, away from all of this. You and me, together again."