Tim sat under the shade of a palm tree, leaning against the tree, he watched and listened. His suitcases set nearby.

He would soon be leaving his tropical paradise. He closes his eyes to listen to the sounds around him. The sound of the ocean waves was so soothing, the tropical birds singing their songs deep in the jungle. The beautiful sounds were soon disturbed by a distance chopping.

The brunette opens his eyes to search the sky. There, in the distance, a black dot. His heart beat hard in his chest as he watched the dot get bigger as it got closer. The chopping sound grew louder.

He shielded his face as the sand began to pick up from the wind of the chopper. Stinging his legs and arms.

As the chopper blades begin to slow down, Tim stands, knocking the sand from the seat of his shorts.

"How ya doing, Foust?" The pilot asks as he and the co-pilot hop out of the chopper.

"Alright, I guess." Tim shrugs as he nervously crams his hands into his pockets. He eyed the pilot as the man looked around the beach. He probably stood six foot and very muscular built. He looked as if he could be a very dangerous man.

As the co-pilot loads Tim's luggage, the pilot walks up to him smiling.

"After all these years..." He says, still smiling as he removes his shades. "We finally get to speak to one another."

Tim smiles slightly as he hangs his head. The man's smile calmed his nerves a bit.

"For someone who is finally getting to go home after five years, you don't seem to happy about it." The pilot says. Looking at the brunette with a very confused look.

"I guess I'm just nervous." Tim says, looking up at the pilot. "I don't know what to expect."

"That's understandable." The pilot nods. "It will definitely be a big change from what you've gotten used to. By the way, my name is Vin. I've been the one making all these deliveries for the past five years." (Vin Diesel)

Tim smiles and nods as he shakes Vin's hand.

"Well, according to our radar, there's a pretty bad storm heading this way. So if this is all your stuff, we need to be getting on our way." Vin says, slipping back on his shades.

"Yeah, I guess that's everything." Tim says as they begin to walk back to the chopper.

"I have something that he wanted me to give you went I picked you up." Vin says as Tim climbs into the chopper.

"What is it?" Tim asks as the pilot climbed into his seat.

"Well, I'll let you see for yourself. We all got one. I guess this is his way of trying to make us feel better for doing all his dirty deeds. Like putting you here." The pilot says as he hands a briefcase to Tim.

Tim looks at the briefcase then up at Vin. It was as if he was afraid to open it.

"Go ahead and open it. It's not going to explode." Vin chuckles.

Tim unlatches the case and opens it just enough to peek inside. His eyes widen as he sees the contents of the case and quickly closes it.

"What? I don't understand." Tim says giving the pilot a confused look.

"There should be an envelope inside. At least there was in all of our briefcases." Vin says.

"Oh, my God." He whispers as he re-opens the case. Slowly taking out a stack of bills. The case was completely filled with money.

Just as Vin had said, there was indeed an envelope inside. He opens the envelope and pulls the letter out and quietly reads:

Tim,
  If you are reading this, it means that you are on your way home. Please believe me when I say that I am truly sorry for what I did.
  We were once friends. But I couldn't allow you to destroy everything that I had built. I had to do something to stop you. Killing you was not an option. It never crossed my mind. Of course, I made threats. But I would have never gone through with them.
  I know the contents of this case does not excuse my actions or take the pain away from being taken from your family and what your family had to go through. But, I ask for your forgiveness. For which I don't deserve.
  Inside this case is $1,000,000. It's the least I can do for what I did to you and your family. In addition to the money, at the bottom of the case is a hidden compartment, you will find a deed. The island that you were on had belonged to me. It is now yours. Yes, I know, it was your prison but after five years, I'm sure it became home to you. Do with it as you wish.
  My personal physician, Dr. Gregory House at the Houston Medical Clinic, has been given orders to remove the chip that was installed in your neck. It is no longer needed.

  Here's wishing you the best that life has to offer, Tim.
Kevin

"Ho.ly sh*t." Tim says as he looks up at Vin.

"Yeah, he thought he could buy his way into Heaven, I guess." Vin chuckles. "You need to buckle up."

Tim numbly nods and buckles the seat belt.

As the helicopter begins to lift from the beach, Tim looks around at the island. HIS island. The thought made him chuckle softly to himself. He watches until the island was gone from his view.

"I don't guess you knew that you were this close to the Bahamas." Vin says as they fly over the islands.

"How could I? I was blindfolded, remember. Plus, I had armed men sitting around me." Tim replies as he looks down at the islands. "Not to mention that I was unconscious for most of the flight."

"Yeah, sorry about that. Spacey wanted us to make it look good. He wanted us to make you think that he meant business." The co-pilot says.

"Well, it worked." Tim chuckles. "Just what am I supposed to tell everyone? Everyone thinks I'm dead."

"Let them keep on thinking it." The co-pilot shrugs. "Except for your family, no one else needs to know. You have the cash in the briefcase so you don't need a job. But then, Spacey had some very crooked lawyers. They may have already taken care of things. Who knows."

"I just don't want to be headline news." Tim says, looking out the window. Thoughts of Austin telling him about all the media harassing him when he was rescued came to mind.

"By the way, what happened to your visitor?" Vin asks with a smirk on his lips.

"Uh, what? What visitor?" Tim asks, suddenly getting extremely nervous.

"What was his name?" Vin smiles as he glances around at his co-pilot, John Cena.

"Brown. Austin Brown." John answers with a smirk.

"Oh, my God." Tim whispers as the air left his lungs.

"He was rescued, remember?" John smiles as he looks over at the pilot.

"Oh, that's right. Now I remember. It was plastered all over the news. Austin Brown, rescued off a deserted island." Vin chuckles as he smacks his forehead.

Vin glances back at the ex-prisoner. His once tanned face had lost all its color and he looked as if he was fixing to pass out. Was he even breathing?

"You okay back there, buddy?" Vin smiles.

Tim opens his mouth but couldn't respond.

"Did you not notice that Kevin doubled up on some of the food supplies? He didn't want your visitor to starve." John says.

"He...He knew?" Tim asks after he was able to form words.

"Of course, he knew. He was all into watching the news." Vin responds. "We all knew. I think I even saw him a few times hidden in the bushes during drop off."

"As a matter of fact, we'll be landing in Atlanta in about thirty minutes. Mr. Brown will be there to pick you up." The co-pilot adds.

"Austin knows? Austin knows that you knew?" Tim asks as he tries to catch his breath.

"One of our associates called Mr. Brown and told him to be at the airport to pick you up. He hung up before Mr. Brown had time to ask any questions. So, no, he doesn't know." The pilot answers.

"Oh, my God." Tim whispers, running a shaking hand through his hair. "Austin." He adds with a smile as he looks out the window.

The pilot begins to speak to the tower as they near the airport.

"Sh*t." Tim says as he sees the city of Atlanta, Georgia, below them. Panic begins to set it.

Vin shuts off the engine after setting the chopper down on the landing pad.

"Tim? It's been a pleasure, considering the circumstances." Vin says as he reaches between the seats to shake Tim's hand. He chuckles slightly at the frightened look on the brunette's face. "You'll be fine. You're home." He adds in a kind voice.

********

Until next time .... ✌️