Punching Bag

| 6 |

The fog gets thicker the closer we get to the docks.

I got the call from one of Townsend's assistants late this morning. The car would be out the front of my apartment at 9pm.

Why we're going so late in the evening, I'm not sure. I guess it's easier to hide criminal business under the cover of night.

"Not far out." Vandyke calls back from the passenger seat.

"Cora." Townsend gets my attention and I turn my view away from the window and focus it on him, sitting to my left.

"Essentially what's happened is a part of a shipment of weapons was stolen two nights ago. I received the report yesterday late morning." He explains to me.

"What information do we have?" There was no organised robbery of Townsend's shipment from Reddington that I was made aware of.

"Nothing concrete, but we have reason to suspect the brother of Damien Smith. You know, the one who's punishment you almost took." It's been hard for me to forget that one.

"Did you ever find Smith?" I ask him.

"He's been lying extremely low, literally under fucking ground. Hiding behind whatever scraps of men he's piled together to call a business." He scoffs.

"And stealing the weapons, this is some sort of personal dig? A fuck you?" I ask unconvinced. Everyone in this business knows the stretch of Townsend's operations. Unless you're someone like Reddington, this would be a suicide mission.

"A man will act irrationally when his pride is hurt." I can't help but feel like he's also referring to yesterday morning and how he acted. But how did I hurt his pride?

A few long moments of silence pass.

"Pulling in." Says Vandyke.

The car slows to a stop and I unbuckle my seatbelt in preparation to get out of the car. Once the belt is off, a hand on my wrist stops me from moving.

Townsend leans into me and I freeze in anticipation.

"Wait here." He says then exits the car. He's going to go in there without me? What was the point of even bringing me here then? I need to be going in there with him.

I watch him as he gets out the car and walks around the back of it... and then over to the door on my side. He opens it for me, reaches out for my hand with his and guides me out of the car.

Did he seriously just open my door for me? And help me out?

I'm rendered speechless. No one is my life, ever has shown me any kind of simple chivalry.

"Thank you." I manage. "For a second I thought you were going to keep me in the car."

He looks in my eyes without hesitation, no inclination that he's anything but serious right now.

"No. I need you in here with me." He's still holding my hand. I subconsciously take in deeper breaths and my mind wanders back to yesterday morning. When I was pressed against him, desperate for him.

Finally he begins walking towards the warehouse. We take a few steps still with our hands together but he disconnects us quickly.

Vandyke walks through the door of the warehouse first, followed by Townsend and then myself.

"Townsend." The operations manager sighs. "I have a feeling I know why you're here."

I remember the manager as, Thomas. I made sure to research everyone who was working in the branch I was overseeing.