running smoothly?” She could only hope. She had a mess of her own on her hands.
“Yes, it is, but I wanted to update you. We’re heading out. We caught a case. Avi saw something.”
“Brief me, and make it fast. I have to get down to autopsy. I’m in the field working.”
He rattled off everything that she’d told him after she had the vision. Leaving nothing out, he wrapped it up in under two minutes.
“When do Maura and Luke return from their honeymoon?” she asked.
“It’s not for a couple weeks. Avalon is insistent that it can’t wait.”
Elizabeth didn't doubt it. If Avalon said jump, you asked how high.
“Are you sure taking her with you is wise?” Elizabeth asked. While she loved Avalon, it was like carrying a giant bomb in your back pocket.
The slightest misstep, and it was bound to go off and blow your ass to kingdom come. By their ass, she actually meant hers. Elizabeth had helped the woman escape the government and POTUS.
If something happened, she was a dead woman.
“Yes, I can’t leave her here, and I’m hoping to keep this as low key as possible.”
She relaxed. “Okay, but if it gets hairy…”
“She’s going home. I can always send her back with Jagger and work it on my own.”
Elizabeth thought about it. While that didn't sit well with her either, they didn't have much choice. “Okay, Nate. This is yours to run, and you have to play boss. Everything you do is going to weigh on your shoulders, not mine.”
That was total BS, and they knew it.
If he jacked this up, her ass was in the sling, and right beside hers was Ethan’s too. While she didn't mind playing fast and loose with her career, she hated doing it with her husband’s.
It just seemed wrong.
“I have it under control, Elizabeth. I just wanted to update you to keep you in the loop.”
“Well, you’re up, my friend. Here’s where you prove to me that you can handle this.”
He hoped he could.
“I have faith,” she added, before he could even say anything. “Take everything you need, because you can’t call in backup. No FBI on this one. If you need something run, or checked, call me directly. I’ll get someone I trust to do it.”
Yeah, it would be Callen or Ethan. They were the only two people she had confidence in.
“Thanks, boss.”
She laughed. “Oh, no you don’t. You don’t officially answer to me. On paper, you’re just some burnt out Fed moping around Fire Bay trying to recover.”
He grinned. Nate knew it was the perfect cover. He was on the injured list, and there was no time limit on his time ‘off’ from work. He didn't know how Elizabeth was pulling it off, but he wasn’t going to question it.
“I’ll keep you updated.”
“Oral reports only, Mr. Carter. The Phoenix files stay off electronics.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With that, he hung up. Now it was time to make sure Avalon was handling the packing. He was grateful most of their things were black.
How bad could it be?
* * * O R A C L E * * *
When he returned to their room, she was still working on the task he gave her. He loved watching her in their personal space. Their bedroom was rather large, and it held one of the biggest beds he’d ever seen. On it were two suitcases, and a bunch of things.
As he stood in the doorway, he watched her work. Nate couldn’t imagine being blind. It had to be incredibly difficult to spend each day locked in total darkness.
He had to give her credit.
Avalon was trying her best.
As she stood there, she had stacks of clothes. She had to unfold them to feel what they were, and then re-fold them back up. It was time consuming, but he wasn’t going to stop her.
For so many years, she’d been trapped and treated like a damaged child. Nate was trying to give her some independence back. It was a cold cruel world out there, and Avalon needed to assimilate.
Granted, she’d been abused all
“Yes, it is, but I wanted to update you. We’re heading out. We caught a case. Avi saw something.”
“Brief me, and make it fast. I have to get down to autopsy. I’m in the field working.”
He rattled off everything that she’d told him after she had the vision. Leaving nothing out, he wrapped it up in under two minutes.
“When do Maura and Luke return from their honeymoon?” she asked.
“It’s not for a couple weeks. Avalon is insistent that it can’t wait.”
Elizabeth didn't doubt it. If Avalon said jump, you asked how high.
“Are you sure taking her with you is wise?” Elizabeth asked. While she loved Avalon, it was like carrying a giant bomb in your back pocket.
The slightest misstep, and it was bound to go off and blow your ass to kingdom come. By their ass, she actually meant hers. Elizabeth had helped the woman escape the government and POTUS.
If something happened, she was a dead woman.
“Yes, I can’t leave her here, and I’m hoping to keep this as low key as possible.”
She relaxed. “Okay, but if it gets hairy…”
“She’s going home. I can always send her back with Jagger and work it on my own.”
Elizabeth thought about it. While that didn't sit well with her either, they didn't have much choice. “Okay, Nate. This is yours to run, and you have to play boss. Everything you do is going to weigh on your shoulders, not mine.”
That was total BS, and they knew it.
If he jacked this up, her ass was in the sling, and right beside hers was Ethan’s too. While she didn't mind playing fast and loose with her career, she hated doing it with her husband’s.
It just seemed wrong.
“I have it under control, Elizabeth. I just wanted to update you to keep you in the loop.”
“Well, you’re up, my friend. Here’s where you prove to me that you can handle this.”
He hoped he could.
“I have faith,” she added, before he could even say anything. “Take everything you need, because you can’t call in backup. No FBI on this one. If you need something run, or checked, call me directly. I’ll get someone I trust to do it.”
Yeah, it would be Callen or Ethan. They were the only two people she had confidence in.
“Thanks, boss.”
She laughed. “Oh, no you don’t. You don’t officially answer to me. On paper, you’re just some burnt out Fed moping around Fire Bay trying to recover.”
He grinned. Nate knew it was the perfect cover. He was on the injured list, and there was no time limit on his time ‘off’ from work. He didn't know how Elizabeth was pulling it off, but he wasn’t going to question it.
“I’ll keep you updated.”
“Oral reports only, Mr. Carter. The Phoenix files stay off electronics.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With that, he hung up. Now it was time to make sure Avalon was handling the packing. He was grateful most of their things were black.
How bad could it be?
* * * O R A C L E * * *
When he returned to their room, she was still working on the task he gave her. He loved watching her in their personal space. Their bedroom was rather large, and it held one of the biggest beds he’d ever seen. On it were two suitcases, and a bunch of things.
As he stood in the doorway, he watched her work. Nate couldn’t imagine being blind. It had to be incredibly difficult to spend each day locked in total darkness.
He had to give her credit.
Avalon was trying her best.
As she stood there, she had stacks of clothes. She had to unfold them to feel what they were, and then re-fold them back up. It was time consuming, but he wasn’t going to stop her.
For so many years, she’d been trapped and treated like a damaged child. Nate was trying to give her some independence back. It was a cold cruel world out there, and Avalon needed to assimilate.
Granted, she’d been abused all
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