Just Once (#4 in Will Estes)

Chapter 2: Part 1

Ressler and Red are inside a red box. Ressler's leg is injured and he's biting down on his tie, he lets out a muffled groan, then screams in pain.

........................Munich, Germany.........5 hours earlier..............

Red happily drinks with Maxwell Ruddiger and his other friends. He then spots Ressler coming toward him "Donald!" Ressler smiles. Red exclaims "There you are! I told you I'd pick you up at the airport! That cab ride must've cost you a fortune!" Ressler laughs. Maxwell looks at him "Who's this?" 

Red smiles "Donald Ressler is my man in the state department. I invited him here to have some drinks with us, and celebrate!" Ressler and Red then walk away. Red pulls at his shirt collar annoyingly "Honestly, this damn chip! What do you want?"

"Carter needs you." Red mutters "Then why isn't she here?"

"You mean why didn't she fly all the way to Munich?" Red chuckles at this "You made the flight, Donald."

"She's been detained." Red pauses "By whom?" 

Ressler continues "I was only sent to find you." Red stops him "No, no, no you said she's been detained, is she in danger?" Ressler replies "We could catch the next flight from Munich-" Red cuts him off "My plane's faster."

........................F.B.I. Special Ops Division, Washington DC

They arrive at the black site, guns are pointed at Red and Dembe and Ashley handcuffs Red. Red looks at Ressler "Where's Agent Carter?" Ressler smirks "I lied to you, Red. You must be slipping." The criminal nods "I must be."

 Dembe points his gun at Ashley, Red shakes his head "It's okay. Jethro, why am I in cuffs? You're violating our agreement." Jethro Carter walks toward him "There's been a threat on your life, Reddington." Red laughs "That situation is a constant, Jethro." Ressler looks at him "There's a price on your head." Red chuckles "There's always a price on my head, Donald."

"Anslo Garrick?"

Red shakes his head "Listen to me. I don't need passports, just give me 60 seconds, and I'm off to anywhere in the world. Garrick knows this, he needs me contained. And now you've done exactly as he wants. He's going to attack this facility. Jethro, this place is about to be breached."

Lex got in the elevator and then the power shut down. Red replied "They're in." Lex looked at her phone. No service. She sighed "Hello? Hello??" 

Ressler led Red to the red box, he then hears footsteps. He pushes Red against a wall "Shh! Stay there, Reddington." He grabs his pistol and aims. Red watches him "Why not let them have me, Donald? I'll most likely be tortured to death and left to rot before they eventually put a bullet to my head, wouldn't that please you?" Ressler approaches him "You're an informant for the F.B.I. now, Reddington. That means I fight for your life, no matter how badly I want to take it." Ressler then gets shot in the leg. He groans in pain. 

Red sighs and fires his pistol at a pipe, then throws grenades in the direction of the enemy. Ressler groans and watches him. Red puts on a tactical vest and grabs a shotgun. 

"No Reddington! Don't leave me unarmed!" Red grabs Ressler's shirt collar "Donald, we're not done just yet." Ressler groans in pain. He then places his hand on the panel and opens the red box. Ressler hops toward to box and throws himself inside. Red fires the shotgun at the terrorists as the move in on him. He looks over his shoulder as the box frame moves toward them, he keeps firing until the door to the red box closes. Red grabs Ressler "We're going up." he sets the injured field agent down on the table inside the box. The leader of the gang, Anslo Garrick, takes off his ski cap. "Hello, Red."