When the Family Feuds

CHAPTER 20

Leslie Walker couldn't wrap her mind around how she got into this mess. She was now being transported by Agent Ron Fowler, a US Marshal with WITSEC, to an unknown destination. She hadn't even had time to process Kit's murder or cry about it.

"Why let me get on the plane if you knew this Handler person was there to kill me?"

"Most of them are ghosts. I needed to know for sure who The Handler was. I needed to know if there was more than one." he sighed. "My hand was played as soon as other civilian lives were in jeopardy."

"What are The Phases and why are these Handlers willing to kill anyone who knows about it?"

"Handlers are assassins, it's their job. What I told you was true. However, their employer is what matters. Handlers work for a black ops agency called The Executive Order. They aren't funded by the US government but they have the same protections. Immunity and pardons all around, which means they play by their own rules. They do mostly contract work, the dirty stuff. Work that most times the US government needs to be done but doesn't want a trace that they were ever involved."

Leslie Walker found it all fascinating for what it was worth. The reporter in her always believed there were truths to conspiracies. "The dirty stuff, like what? 9/11?"

Agent Fowler replied, "Everything I've told you is classified. I've already overshared."

"That doesn't answer my question. What are The Phases?"

"You already know too much."

But on the open road, Leslie couldn't sleep. She didn't know where she was going or if at any moment the car could be ambushed and she was forced to sigh her dying breath. "How many others are there like Kit? Like me?"

"Anyone who knew anything about The Phases who shouldn't have is already dead." Then he said, "There's just you and one other. A kid."

"I don't understand whatever The Phases are, Kit said it was a conspiracy."

"What exactly did he tell you?"

"He didn't tell me anything, that's the thing...I just," she began to tear up. "I don't understand how someone could've known what he said. The conversation was so brief."

"Kit called you on his cellphone. Your phones were tapped. The NSA is always listening."

"Where exactly are we going?"

"The nearest safehouse."

"Which is where?"

"You'll know when we get there." then Agent Fowler said, "But first I need to make a pit stop. I need to find the kid and bring him with us."

"And then what? What's the big plan here?"

"I'm figuring it out as I go."

"Oh, that's just great. My life is literally in danger and you're winging it?"

"I have a hunch but I can't prove it yet. The less you know the better."

"Does anyone else know about this safe house?"

"My partner, Agent Monroe."

"Can they be trusted?"

"I have no reason not to."

Agent Rivers and Taylor of ICE and USCIS had a few looming questions. It was as if everything fell into their lap. Like the case was almost too easy. Something that Robert Livingston had planned all along. And now the witness that Robert claimed could corroborate his story sat in the ICE interrogation room.

A college student was not what they expected. The girl was young and looked innocent. After the pair entered the room, Agent Rivers and Taylor sat across from the girl, pressed record on a camera, and started their interrogation.

"Your name for the record?" asked Agent Taylor.

"Francine Tucker," the girl replied.

"There have been claims that the Efron family, specifically Jonathan Efron Jr., participated in an illegal green card marriage. What can you tell us about that?"

Francine cleared her throat and then answered, "I can state on the record that the claims are one hundred percent true."

"And how is it that you know this?"

"He told me himself."

Agent Rivers and Taylor looked at one another and one of them asked, "And why would he share this information with you?"

Francine paused before she said, "We're sleeping together."

"Present or past?"

"Present."

"You're currently having an affair with a married man?"

Francine looked offended. "You make it sound like I'm the other woman when it's the other way around."

"How do you figure?"

Francine smiled. "We love each other very much. Johnny isn't to blame for this. He just has a big heart is all. He thought that marrying Valentina was doing the right thing."

"How is it that Jonathan Efron Jr. and Valentina met?"

"He's an Immigration lawyer. He was working on her visa case."

"I see. So Mr. Efron abused his power and compromised the integrity of his position?"

Francine shook her head. "It wasn't like that. He did the right thing. He's a good person."

Agent Rivers and Taylor looked at one another again. "How did Robert Livingston find out about this affair? Or the green-card marriage for that matter?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"But you're stating that you didn't tell him."

She shook her head. "What would I have to gain from telling him?"

"I have a few guesses...one being you approached Livingston, a man of wealth, influence, and power, with that you sharing this information with him he would blackmail Jonathan Efron Jr. for you. But my guess is it backfired and Robert used the information for his gain, a get out of jail free card if you will, and now here we are."

"That's not what happened."

"Would you be willing to testify in the court of law?"

"Yes, anything to help, Johnny."

Shortly after, Agent Rivers and Taylor exited the room. Behind the window that looked into the interrogation room, they had much to discuss.

"What do you think?"

"I think she's telling the truth. And she's willing to testify, that's a bonus."

"But?"

Agent Taylor sighed. "She's sleeping with the prime suspect, she's compromised. She's willing to do and say just about anything for love. Look at her, she's a child."

"She truly believes that she and Jonathan can be together. She thinks she's doing the right thing. She's the key to this whole thing and she doesn't even know it."

"This only sticks if she testifies."

"Should she be put in protective custody?"

"There are no signs that lead us to believe that Jonathan is even the slightest aware that this is happening right under his nose." Agent Rivers added.

"And if she notifies him?"

"She won't. If she tells him that this is happening, she compromises herself, and the relationship ends." Agent Rivers said, "Tucker has one objective: get rid of Valentina so she and her dear Johnny can ride off into the sunset."

"We need a subpoena yesterday."