"The Virtuoso"

A lapse of judgement

As the sirens sounded and the flashing red and blue lights signaled a rescue, Raymond stared blankly ahead, trying his best to process what had happened. He was in his car, Dembe sitting in the driver's seat. He looked back and said " Raymond, we will find her." Raymond looked out the window, his eyes solemn. " I made a promise to her. I told her she was safe with me. I can't believe I let the feelings I had for her cloud my judgment. I should have gone with her." Breaking the tension was the sound of his cell phone, signaling a call from Cooper. "You said you would do everything in your power to keep her safe Harold. Letting this very dangerous man get away. This is beyond unforgivable." "Raymond I can't apologize enough. Trust me, I was not planning on going on a wild goose chase with a wannabe criminal who is hell bent on winning over you." "I have nothing more to say." Raymond promptly hung up the phone and let it fall to the floor of the car. "Dembe take me back to the house." Dembe nodded and started to drive away. The phone rang again. "What the hell do you want now?" Raymond said angrily. "Mr. Reddington it's me, Aram. I'm sorry about Mona. I really am. But I just wanted to let you know that I still have her GPS signal." "Aram, that's not possible. I saw him rip off her necklace and crush it in front of me." "That's what you think." he replied, smiling. "I had Samar plant another one on her dress. There's a reason that dress was chosen. The little jewels on it were intentional. To throw him off the scent." Raymond couldn't help but chuckle heartily. "Aram I knew there was a reason I liked you. Where is she now?" " So it looks like she is in transit to a secluded location. I suggest we get a move on before we lose the signal." "Aram, don't go sounding the alarm just yet. One false move and he could kill her and the other girls he has captive. He seems like a loose cannon. We need to be calm in this ambush." "Duly noted sir." Aram replied. As Raymond hung up the phone, he proceeded to call Cooper back. Before Cooper could answer, Raymond simply said, "Aram and I have this under control. You really need to give him more credit than a man behind the desk. It's the quiet ones in the corner you have to keep your eye on. They can strike at any moment. And we have to embrace this moment while we can." Cooper sighed and said " Once again I will apologize to you Raymond. But I am very glad Aram was able to intervene. He is a genius in his own way."

Reesler came into the post office later that evening. " I was able to have the lab run prints from the microphone he touched at the club. I even had staff members from the club confirm his ID." "His name is Andreas Garvey. Son of Ian Garvey" At the sound of the name, Raymond's face changed to shock. " I had no idea Ian had a son." "Ian killed Tom and almost killed Lizzie, right?" Aram asked. Raymond nodded slowly. "I thought I was done with the Garvey family. I gave Ian a mercy killing that he didn't deserve after what he put Lizzie through." "And now his son is trying to make a name for himself and avenge his father's death, it seems." Cooper said. "And he has taken quite the road to get there. Kidnapping and brainwashing young girls and training them as assassins. His father was a U.S. Marshal so no doubt he had some kind of influence over him." "And he certainly inherited none of his father's previous good qualities it seems." Raymond said almost ironically. Cooper motioned for Raymond to come to his office upstairs. "Alright team I need to have a word with Red briefly. We will make a plan once I get back." As they walked into the office Raymond shut the door behind him. "Raymond, I am just checking in with you. I know how much this woman means to you, but now that we know the true identity of this maniac, I don't want it to cloud your judgment in regards to taking him down." "Oh I see Harold, you wanted a therapy session style check in before we proceed with anything. Well I can assure you my main goal is a bullet in his head. You can go about your business and now let me handle mine. He does not deserve questioning. He deserves a bullet in his head." He got up and walked out, slamming the door behind him. At the sound of the door slamming in the otherwise quiet room, the team jumped. Raymond walked onto the main floor with Dembe following close behind. He stood in the middle of the room, commanding attention from everyone standing there. "It has come to my understanding that Harold wants to handle this in a professional manner. Well you all know me as far from that. This just became a personal vendetta, an attack on me, on Liz, on Eleanor." "Wait, is that her real name?" Samar asked, her eyes going wide. "Yes," Raymond replied, his voice breaking. " Her name is Eleanor. Her father loved the Beatles. She was able to remember part of the past that was stolen from her before..." His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath. "Aram, what is the status of their location?" Aram looked up from his computer. " I have their location locked in." "Put it up on the screen." Reesler said, walking over to Raymond and standing next to him. " I'm with you" he said, lowering his voice. "Thank you Agent Reesler." Raymond said, not taking his eyes off the screen, but briefly looking his way to acknowledge him. Cooper was at the top of the stairs, watching the interaction, but keeping quiet.