Page 33 of Soldier, Tailor, Spy

So, what changed?

Rae joined him minutes later, carrying a rambunctious little boy in her arms. He grinned and waved at Asher before Rae placed him in his pack and play with his toys. She went to the oven to grab her food, then poured a cup of coffee for herself. “Haven’t had one of these in years.”

“Not true. You had coffee yesterday,” Asher teased. She was right, though. It’d been a while since they were up so early for work. “Should I be getting used to this?”

“Hush your mouth.” Asher scowled. “Don’t jinx us, woman.”

Rae laughed as she took the first sip of her drink. “Noted. Any news from anyone?”

“Nothing from the base and nothing on the early morning news. I’d call that a win for now.” He sat up a bit as he sipped his coffee. “We were good there since Colombia. No new incidences to worry about. Now suddenly we’re back to our old shitty pace of never having a calm moment.”

“Don’t lie to yourself, Asher. You thrive off of this shit.” She took a bite of her food and moaned. “So good.”

“Yes, you were.” He smirked, a little too full of himself. “I enjoy the work, but this?” As it was Jake was still healing, Ginger had her trauma to work through as well. Oscar had not only brought a shit storm with him when Jake brought him to the base, but it seemed to also open a beast of opportunity too. “I’m walking around in the dark, wondering what’s going to happen next.”

Rae frowned. “It seems that way, doesn’t it?”

“Alex said it was too on the nose. I agree.” He finished the last bit of his food, then put his dish in the dishwasher to start later. Then grabbed the pans he used to make them food so he could clean them. “How is Ginger doing?”

“Better than you think. I like a woman with fire. She has it in spades,” Rae stated, digging into her breakfast. “The stuff she told me, though. I’m not sure how she hasn’t given up yet. She definitely needs a vacation.”

“Tell me about it.” Asher rinsed the pan, then hung it where it belonged on the wall. “Can I pick your brain for a second?”

“Always,” Rae said cheerfully. A handful of years ago, she probably would have told him to go suck his own dick. Now she was right by his side. Crazy how shit turned out. “What’s going on in that beautiful brain of yours?”

“That’s my line,” Asher said, grabbing the coffee pot so he could refill his cup. “Anyway, what do you think the coincidenc—”

A knock came at the door, drawing Asher’s attention. It was a little after six in the morning. Who the hell knocked on people’s doors that fucking early? Asher grabbed his gun from the hiding spot, then pressed his finger to his lips. He wasn’t taking any chances. Rae hurried to grab Knox as Asher went to the door. He peeped out the hole in the door and frowned. A man dressed in business clothing—button-down shirt, jeans, and loafers—loafers—weird—stood there like he had nothing better to do with his time.

Asher tucked the gun into his holster at his back, then unlocked the front door, opening it slowly. The portly man kept his eyes moving as he tracked anyone who could be out in the cove—not that there would be. It was too fucking early for shit like that. “Can I help you?”

The man turned around. His eyes went round as his gaze went up until his eyes landed on Asher’s. “Asher Rainer?”

He crossed his arms as he stood there, giving the man a droll stare. The guy didn’t look like he wanted to be there, let alone have to talk to him.Makes two of us, buddy.“Yeah, what’s it to you?” The man stepped back at Asher’s gruff tone.

“You’ve been served.” He slid the manilla envelope through the screen door before jetting off the porch to a waiting car.

What the fuck? Asher took the envelope and brought it back into the kitchen. Nothing the guy said made a lick of sense to him. Served? For what? They hadn’t had many missions since Colombia and those they were working on now were mostly drone and observation, which was what they were always intended to do, observe those breaking the law. Rae turned up the television. Her soft gasp drew his attention to the screen.

The defense committee was formally gathering to create a tribunal against Asher and Brigadier General Blackwell for using their positions within the military community to carry out unauthorized missions and for the death of several people whose names were being held under seal at the moment.

“Well, I guess I know what these are now,” he muttered, throwing the papers on the table. “Guess I better get on the horn with my uncle to ask what the fuck is going on.”

Rae nodded, staring at the screen as the most crooked of politicians stood at the podium to speak within the halls of Congress. The weaselly bastard supported Lincoln all the way to the end. He wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t some last ditch effort to free the murdering son of a bitch. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell us before now.”

“Same,” Asher said, not even concerned with the papers laying front of him. “Well, I guess our nice little bubble has been burst, huh?”

Rae frowned. “I suppose it's time to go back to work.”

He hummed in agreement. “Yes it is. Whatever those bastards have up their sleeves, we’ll be ready for once again. Don’t you worry.”

“I’m not,” she said, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “It’s you I’m concerned about.”

He agreed. How much more shit could he take?

Chapter 8

To give Ginger and the kids a sense of normalcy, Jake had planned for them to move from the base to the Theodore House out on the cove. Because it was a safe house meant to be used for official business, it sat empty most days. Since several members of the team had bought houses, or already lived in the cove, he figured it was the second safest place in Virginia at the moment.

---