Aubrey (Revolving With Axis)

144: Rafe

144: Rafe

Seeing Aubrey drive away behind those closed doors was the hardest thing I have ever done. My mouth went dry, my scalp itched unbearably and sweat trickled in a steady river down my spine. I felt my knees literally buckling. The military official who had kicked me now stood at attention, his eyes staring straight ahead, away from me.

A taller man, dressed in a more decorated and different uniform approached holding out the passports. "You are Rafe Stryker? This is your rock and roll band, Axis? Your bus has been demolished." He gave me one startled and penetrating gaze and nodded that my hands should be untied. I was done trying to reason with them. All the fight that had got me pinned to begin with now fled. I took the passports and handed them to Jeremy at my side.

"Where will they take my friends?" I stumbled over the words, having heard Aubrey claim relationships with each of the people in the back of that ambulance.

"St. Maria Guadalupe." He answered matter-of-factly as if we had not just been caught in a gunfight between two cartels and the military, as if we had not just been held against our will in front of a firing squad, as if I had not personally just been battered and bruised by his men. "It is about a half an hour. Two of your vans were also targeted. Your drivers were killed. One of your security men is dead. I am very sorry. What were you doing with Senor Nemesios?"

"I don't even know who that is." I spat, gritting my teeth. "We ran for cover in the ruins when someone started blowing things up and firing guns. That's all I know."

"You did not know him before?"

I shook my head. "He was a complete stranger to me."

"Why were you firing at us? Where did you get your weapon?"

"I got it off our security guy who is dead. I started firing back like our tour guide did. We were under fire, man, we didn't know, except they were trying to kill us."

"These people who are with you... where are you staying? I will have my drivers take you to the local garrison for questioning and then if your story checks out you will be released."

I told him, and looked around for Holli, Allen, anyone. A familiar face. They were there, held back, looking very scared. They didn't know what to do. I turned to Aiden.

"We are staying at the Maria Condesa." Aiden said with authority. "I am their representative. Please direct all questions to me."

I felt instant relief and asked if I could use my phone. This request was denied, and my phone was confiscated. I looked up at the giant pyramid and thought--- it might have been the scene of the greatest moment in Nephite history once, a scene of supreme love and compassion, but right now, it simply mimicked the terrible throes of its Aztec ancestors.

I could see military buses coming up the main road, and soon we were urged to get on. I said very little, thinking with a heated mind about Aubrey and Jeff, alone, hopefully at a hospital. We'd have to cancel tonight's concert. My inclination was to cancel the rest of the tour. This place was just too dangerous.

Ben was beside me. As the bus started to drive away he shook his head. His breathing had been labored, as he'd not stopped shouting for a full fifteen minutes. His eyes were both covered in reddish dirt--- I didn't know if he was seriously hurt or just spattered with sweat and blood. "Where are we going?"

"A military garrison for questioning." I told him, my brain felt fuzzy. I signaled the driver. "That guy, the one who was in charge, does he know my band is supposed to be performing tonight?"