Elizabeth Keen's first day at the FBI wasn't expected to turn her life upside down, when that one particular criminal asked for her presence personally. She was called by a cavalry in her first day at the job!,

Lizzie finally arrived to the operation center, after being accompanied by heavily armed agents, & going into a building that looked like a post office, until they entered that elevator which took her deep down she didn't even realize how much deep it was, but she felt the pressure the more the elevator was descending.

Lizzie felt her heart on her throat, but she walked confidently along with the FBI agents, she preferred the stern expressionless face, she was trained as a profiler to wear that look of a strong girl, actually it wasn't her training she was good at showing her strength due to what happened in her life, especially after losing her parents, she always restrained her weaknesses, but she wanted to know what's behind all the hustle and bustle.

"Agent Keen" a tall black man snapped her out of her deep thoughts.

Lizzie approached her way to the voice until she met his stretching hand & shock it.

"Elizabeth Keen .." Lizzie was about to present herself, when the tall man interrupted.

"I know who you are Agent Keen, I am Harold Cooper the Assistant Director of this facility" Cooper introduced himself with a faint smile on his face, and it slowly disappeared as he nodded for her to come with him to his office, he closed the door, there was a dark skinned woman sitting, she stands up when they both came in.

"This is Agent Meera Malik CIA" Cooper introduced her to the newly comer, both women shake hands and smiled at each other's before Cooper nodding for both to sit down. There was an awkward pause between the three agents in the room, Cooper broke the ice & spoke first.

"Do you have any idea why Raymond Reddington asked to speak to you in particular agent Keen" his voice was calm, but full of suspicions, Lizzie didn't feel only confused but also naked under the eyes that were peeling her since she stepped inside this facility, as a profiler she noticed how much this man & the lady in this room are fully doubting her, Lizzie didn't reply defensively, she never met that Raymond Reddington guy and she has nothing to hide.

"I don't know Sir, but maybe he was expecting my arrival, sure he knew that I am new so he was thinking that I can be easily manipulated, but I can prove that he's wrong, he doesn't know me & I am sure that I can know what he wants from me" Lizzie replied with full confidence of herself, she saw that the tension that surfaced when she met Cooper & Meera eased a little.

Cooper turned his gaze to agent Malik to speak briefly about the case in hand.

"Agent Keen, I will give you enough time to read about Raymond Reddington, our colleague agent Ressler was hunting this man for years now, so I can get you all the information you want about him, but now we have an urgent matter that we have to deal with first, that's why I have been called to this crew".

Lizzie sensed the tense of the situation, and felt that her first day will not get any better, she looked at the faces of Cooper & Meera they were so pale and concerned, it seems that they didn't get a good night sleep since a quiet sometime, "but where's agent Ressler"? she speaks to herself before the answer comes straight from Meera's mouth.

" 3 months back one of our agents Donald Ressler, went on an undercover mission, we received an intel that Raymond Reddington is going to help the Russian mafia to smuggle drugs into the USA soil, The mafia was also dealing with an FBI informer who actually helped facilitating the deal between Red & the Russian Mafia, , we put him in custody & replaced him with our man Agent Ressler, he was supposed to finally meet Red two weeks back, everything was going perfectly fine & we were close on catching Raymond Reddington after a fierce chase in the last twenty years, until Agent Ressler went dark in the last two weeks, and exactly yesterday the man that we were hunting showed on our doors, he refused to speak to anyone but you, and we still don't know what happened to Agent Ressler".

Lizzie was trying to cope with all the information she heard, a missing agent & a con who refuses to speak to anyone but to her "now what the hell is that" she speaks to herself, she didn't expect a desk job but all she wanted is a regular procedural police work, and by the end of the day she wanted to go back to her fiancé and that's it.

"I know that this might be hard for you Agent Keen, but we need you to speak with Raymond Reddington". Cooper cut her train of thoughts.

"Yes sir I am willing to talk to him and see what he wants from me" Keen stated confidently.

Agent Keen was led by Director Cooper & Malik, where they were holding Reddington, the way they locked him in that bulletproof box, indicates that this is a very dangerous man, Lizzie's heart beats were racing, what this man wanted from her?, how did he know that she is coming today?, why he insisted to speak to her only?, Lizzie wasn't afraid of the man, she creeped out of that abrupt request to speak to her exclusively which put the prelude of her career at jeopardy.

"Agent Keen if you needed anything, we'll be here" Cooper tried to comfort the rookie agent. She tried to conceal the anxiety but this is not what she expected in her first day.

"Agent Keen, try to give him short answers, we need to know the status of Agent Ressler too, be careful" Cooper nodded to reassure that the brunette agent will be safe.

Lizzie felt that she's about to enter the lion's den, she gripped herself and opened the door, before entering to the hall where that shielded box was holding the man who requested her in person. Once she stepped in the hall after descending few steps, the box was automatically opened and let the man out, he was tied up to a chair but the look on his face seemed that he is about to attack her anytime, she startled a little before she gripped herself again, and calmed her pounding heart beats.

"I am here as you requested what you want" Lizzie said in a firm tone

Red kept his gaze at the rookie agent, he wore that provocative crooked smile, and narrowed his eyes, the long stare that he gave her sends shivers down her spine, but she refused to show him that, she sat on the chair in front of him, and crossed her legs one on the top of the other.

"Hello Lizzie"

Red spoke in a calm voice, Elizabeth didn't expect him to call her Lizzie but the way he said it disgusts her more and more, she decided to change the straight face only to give him a much more relaxed look, although he didn't blink once while he's looking at her since she came in, but she didn't look away either, she kept her eyes on his, there was something about this man that she couldn't understand, although he is really freaking her out with his stares, but deep down she realized that this man doesn't have any malicious wells against her, she felt that he is looking at her with full admiration, and that even scared her more.

"You must have lots of questions about why I wanted to speak to you" Red wore a wider smile this time.

"Why me, I am nobody?!" Lizzie asked trying to understand why this man wanted her particularly.

"Oh Lizzie, you're very special, but you don't know that yet" he noticed that she was rubbing her wrist which was showing a small burning scar.

"May I ask you what time is it?" Lizzie found it stupid that this man is all locked up & he cares about the time, she thought to herself once they finish with all this & everyone back to their normal lives, he will be locked in a dark cell that he'll never even care about the time.

"10:10 Am" Lizzie looked at her watch.

"Where did you get this?" he asked her about the scar on her wrist, she looked down at her hand before recalling some flashbacks from a fire in a house, she was about to reply until she remembered that she's the one who should profile him not the other way around.

"Where's agent Ressler" Lizzie put herself back together, and leaned forward only to be one feet close to Red.

"He was captured, probably tortured, but not dead yet, but I bet that he wishes if he is dead now" Red let a small laugh while replying to the female agent before him.

"Did the Russian mob capture him?" Lizzie sat straight while Red's smile faded away.

"Tell me Lizzie, do you miss your mother & father, I know that all what you remember is the image of the father who abandoned you when you were just a little girl, and a mother who died of shame & humiliation" Lizzie was taken aback by the very personal information he stated about her, she was speechless for a while, she tried to stop the tear from escaping her eyes, his words daggered in her heart but she needed to show him that this is not about her, there's an agent life at risk & she must focus on getting her mission done.

Lizzie licked her lips twice, before standing up & getting close to him, this time she was only inches away she could feel his breath on her face.

"Good try, but I need to know where Agent Ressler is, and who is holding him now?"

Red meets Lizzie's face with a small giggle, he twitched the corner of his mouth, before looking away.

"If you need to get him out, I am the one who will help and I will turn Nikolai Durov too"

"And who the hell is Nikolai Durov?" Lizzie stands straight.

"Nikolai Durov is a head of the Russian Mafia, those people are planning to start fire works around the country, those are no drug dealers Agent Keen, they're planning for something bigger and it'll happen today at 11 AM, and if you didn't let me out, you'll cause the death of thousands probably millions of people, and the demise of your agent partner".

"And how can we know that you're saying the truth" Lizzie questioned

Red let another small laugh before answering her question.

"Because your agent is the bomb and now he's at the national zoo, sitting unconscious, for the last two hours and how much left of the time, oh I guess half an hour". Lizzie ran towards the door.

"Don't get closer to him, it's a timed bomb, but also can be detonated remotely if you get any closer you'll raise suspicious & you'll find him spread in pieces around the DC, you should find Ibrahim Qassimov, he's the one who created the bomb and he's the one who knows how to defuse it".

Lizzie ascended the small stairs swiftly, and opened the door.

"You should get to agent Ressler they have confirmed his location" Cooper ordered Lizzie

"And you Meera help us with your resources to catch Qassimov, we don't have time move" Cooper ordered his team to move.

Lizzie arrived at the national zoo, she ordered her team to spread & search the zoo to find Agent Ressler without showing any sign of the existence of the FBI or the bomb will go off.

The team started to search for the missing agent, but with no use to find a small trace of him.

Lizzie ran to the guards in the zoo & showed them a photo of Ressler, one of the guards told her that they saw him leaving with another man about half an hour ago, he also told her that he seemed unconscious and all beat up. She received a call after a while from Meera, she told her that they caught Qassimov.

The Box Office

"You gave us false information, the bomb didn't go off, and we didn't find Ressler, what's your game here huh?" Lizzie couldn't hide her rage & anger.

"Calm down Lizzie" Red talked to her with a smirk on his face, which frustrates the young female agent more.

"It's Agent Keen" Lizzie shot him with a serious look & a firm tone.

"Agent Keen, you should be happy that the bomb didn't go off, I gave you the information, and it's not my fault that you were enjoying the little chit chat with me while there's a bomb going on spree".

Lizzie posed in a half stand, and crossed her arms, then she walked few steps to stand before Red, and she looked down at him.

"What do you want Reddington?, why did you turn yourself in, I am sure that you don't care about Ressler's life, or the millions of people who about to die because of that bomb , what do you need so we all can be winners".

Red let out a small chuckle, he looked up at her, then he raised his chained hands up.

"You should let me out if you want me to help you, otherwise find Ressler or what's left of him yourselves, and mourn the millions of casualties for the ludicrous insistence to keep me in, I cannot help you with these accessories around my hands… let me talk to Qassimov".

"How did you know that we found him?" The brunette gave him a puzzled look

He snickered, and raised his hands up again "Those adornments don't suit me".

FBI interrogation room

Red accompanied by Cooper, Keen & another two guards to where they were holding Qassimov, Keen choose to fell behind the agents and Red, something about this man doesn't make her feel comfortable and the last thing she wanted is to walk with him side by side, so she choose to slow her steps, until they arrived to the interrogation room, they stepped inside a room where they can see Qassimov behind the non reflected mirror, Meera was waiting for them.

"This man refused to say anything, he requested a lawyer" Meera briefed for the gentlemen and Lizzie

"Do you think that you can make him talk" Cooper spoke to Reddington

Lizzie tried to keep her gaze on the man in the other room, she noticed that Red was looking at her but she ignored his continuous glares at her. Reddington shifted his attention to Cooper before letting another chuckle.

"Qassimov is my friend, I am sure he'll speak to me"

"Ok then" Cooper nodded to the two armed guards to take Red to the other room with Qassimov.

"Abe my friend" Red greeted the red headed man once he entered the room.

"I should've known that it's you Reddington who was going to turn me in" The man shot him with angry glares.

Red smirked, then pulled the chair and positioned himself before the convicted man, Lizzie and the other agents were watching from the other room.

"What do you want Red"

"The bomb & the ginger" Red said that with a smile on his face.

The Red headed man laughed out loud, Red shared him the long laugh, the other agents bewildered watching the two men laughing hilariously.

"You're funny you know that Reddington"

"No my friend, I am dead serious" Red give him a straight face

The red headed man scratched the back of his head

"YOU asked me to assemble this bomb, and it's YOU who facilitate transporting this bomb to the USA soil, and it's definitely YOU who turned the tweety pie to the Russians, and now you turned me to the FBI only to ask me about the things you've done, you got to be kidding".

Lizzie was surprised of the things that this man is capable to do, she murmured "Son of a bitch"

Red chuckled "Do you know how I deal with a double- crosser Abe; I turn him to his enemies and let them deal with him"

The Red headed man face changed into a worried look,

"How how did you know?"

"And I am not talking about the friendly FBI agents here, after all they are controlled by roles and protocols, and you will sit here looking for your rights & they'll have to abide by your demands. but there are people that have no boundaries for blood thirst & seeking vengeance, so my friend if you prefer the spa treatment, I advise you to offer your full cooperation, or you can enjoy swimming in your blood pool" Red took a breath and smiled before asking again.

"Where is Agent Ressler"

The Red headed man exhaled before putting on a smirk.

"Your golden boy is broken, burrrrrrned, electrocuted, severely wounded and massively bleeding , but uhhh he's hard like a rrrrrrock, what did you do to that boy so he accepted to take your place on the execution chair?"

In the other room the three agents were listening to the details Qassimov was giving to Red, when Aram the computer expert in the team came in and nodded to Meera & Cooper, they both went out with him, leaving Lizzie alone.

"I need his location and the bomb Abe" Reddington clenched his hands together and supported his elbows on the table between him and Qassimov.

"You're asking about the bomb?, Let me ask you Red, why didn't you show up at the zoo, you were supposed to give us the bomb and in return Durov offered to release your golden boy that was the deal Red, huh! poor boy he wasted his life for nothing, you'll never find him, do you know what they do to people like him, Durov never kills, he makes you wish if you're dead, Durov will break every bone in his body, heal him then break him again for days maybe months or years, after that he don't let him free or even kill him, he will lock him in a dark pot, until he forgets what the light looks like, and then when Durov get tired of him he will sell him like a slave, I bet that the FBI agents are hearing us now" Qassimov sniffed and leaned back on the chair with a smug look on his face.

"You know Abe, I thought we're friends, but you are good on figuring out the wires in a ticker, but you completely forgot the one important wire in your brain", Red chuckled then continued

"I liked you really and I gave you the ticket out of all this mess up but you turned it down, Agent Ressler is alive and that's what matter now, my FBI fellows here probably located him by now, and the bomb it's in the safe hands" Red stands up "so there's absolutely no use for you" Red moved swiftly behind Qassimov's back and broke his neck. Lizzie saw him when he moved quickly but until she arrived to the other room she found Qassimov dead in a blink of an eye.

"Hello Lizzie" Lizzie froze in her place, seeing Qassimv's body dropped on the table while Red is correcting the collar of his shirt with a wide smile on his face.

Keen,Cooper & Meera were standing in the operation room, while Red was on Cooper's office chained again.

"Aram got access to the security cameras in the zoo, and we successfully identified the man who was with Ressler" Meera explained to Keen, who seemed a little bit shocked of the events that just happened few moments ago.

Meera pointed to Aram to show on the big screen the identity of that man.

"Jadranko Petar, a Serbian national, he arrived to the country only from 3 months ago, coming from Russia, he's a small smuggler, he was convicted of drug smuggling in Russia but was released due to the lack of evidence, he joined the Russian mafia shortly after that, he continued to do his small business in eastern Europe & South America under the watch and protection of Nikolai Duprov, he started from drug smuggling to human and organ trafficking, this is his first time in the USA, and the footage we got from the security cameras confirmed that it's him who was with agent Ressler".

Meera nodded again to Aram to change the screen to the SUV that was transporting Ressler.

"This is the SUV that was used to transport Agent Ressler, witnesses stated that the driver jumped into the river 13:45 PM near the Key Bridge, the local police stated that they didn't find any corpses or survivors".

"We should ask Red" as much as it's very hard on her to say that, from the conversation between Red & Qassimov, Lizzie realized that Red might know something about the bomb and the location of Agent Ressler.

"Red was supposed to meet Petar at the zoo, to give him the bomb, that was what Qassimov said before Reddington snap his neck , I have to speak to him" Lizzie ran to Cooper's office where Red was kept, while the eyes of Cooper & Meera are following her.

Lizzie entered Cooper's office, when Red was sitting exactly at the same chair that she was sitting on when she met Cooper at the beginning of this long day.

"Lizzie I told you that I hate those rusty bracelets".

"Shut up, you told Qassimov that the bomb is safe, where is the bomb, who have it?"

Red giggled, then he signaled for her to sit down.

"Have a seat Lizzie"

Elizabeth was about to interject but it wasn't the right time to do that, there are important things at stake more than what she feels towards that man, so she choose to restrain her personal feelings and act like a professional Agent.

Author's note:-

I know that this chapter was very long, but I enjoyed writing it, again this is a Liz/Ressler Keenler or Keensler or whatever fan fiction, I know that there's a lack of Ressler in this chapter but I promise you'll see more of him in the next one. I hope you enjoy reading this one as much as I did while I was writing it, please your opinion matters to me, if you wish me to continue please leave a comment ;) and excuse me for the grammatical mistakes, English is not my first language but I tried as hard as I can to make this look good grammatically thanks again for passing by.