Aubrey (Axis Rising)

066:

*****066:

Nine-thirty that night I pulled into the driveway. My ankle was throbbing and I'd taken some pain meds. I had a plausible story, but was thankful no other cars were parked either in my yard or next door. Just the normal ones. Abbie's and Jeremy's.

My phone buzzed just as I stepped through the garage door and I waited to see who it was in the dim light. The house was silent, and I blessed the Lord above for small miracles. Hopefully, Aubrey was the only one up, and hopefully, she was watching The Partridge Family.

"This is Rafe."

"Marshall."

"Yeah?"

"Eli is dead. Maximiliano is behind bars, and your friend Jack, from Los Angeles, was picked up on accessory charges. The custody hearing has been indefinitely postponed and will be summarily dropped in light of the circumstances, and Juan has been returned to his mother who was too afraid of Roberto to do or say anything. Kell and Matthew are home safely and no one is the wiser for knowing they were even gone. Angie did not suspect a thing. Felicity is safe. The next call you receive will be the head of the CIA--- Wes Aitken. Tell him the information and be done with it, Rafe, and your immunity will be secure."

"You're sure?"

"I'm positive."

"The slate washed clean?"

"Completely."

"My name is out of it? Felicity's identity is sealed?"

"One hundred percent."

"Thanks, Marshall. I can't tell you what this means to me."

"It pays to have connections. Yours and mine." His voice was warm, but tired. "Talk to you tomorrow, go snuggle the little wifey, okay? Put on the happy face."

The line clicked and as I leaned against the wall and shut the garage door so as not to disturb the Partridge Family girl, I closed my eyes.

"This is Rafe."

"This is Wes Aitken." A string of authenticating numerals were spouted and several identifying questions were posed. Finally, he asked the crucial question: "Do you have the key code?"

"I do."

"And the original file?"

"It has been destroyed. The fake is in the hands of the Mexican government."

"Is anything left in the safe?"

"No, sir. I kept the original, while making it look like I'd stuffed it back inside the safe."

"And the original necklace?"

"Dumped in the gulf." I assured. We'd let it fly from the airplane as we'd made our way back stateside. It was never going to be found. However much Felicity may have wanted to see it someday it was just too dangerous.

What I did retrieve for her was more precious by far. And I was sure she would remember it when she saw it tomorrow, in fact, both items would probably bring back memories, but one was far too valuable to let her even see it.

"The key code?"

"There's no reason for you to know it. The safe itself has been destroyed." I said calmly.

"I will need to know it." Wes affirmed.

"I can give you a fake code word, but I will never disclose the actual one to anyone while I live. It has significance only within our family, and this incident is closed forever. Not something to ever be discussed. I'm the only one who knows, and I'm taking it to the grave."

There was a slight hesitation, and finally, the head of the CIA gave in. I wondered if somehow I would be in danger now but knew our family was protected because of our service this day.

I sighed and slid my back along the wall. "Listen, man, I'm tired, and my wife is waiting for me."

He said a few more inane things and clicked off.

I pushed off the wall, went in to Aubrey, who was as per my wishes, watching the Partridge Family on our bed. I was almost too exhausted to show her the twisted ankle I'd received falling down the stairs and catching it on a metal prong at work. Big comp claim if I wanted it, I said.

She wanted to examine it immediately, so I let her play doctor. Pamper and spoil me to my heart's content, and I finally relaxed and enjoyed it.

*****