Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 19

 

 

Several hours later, well after midnight, Glenn and Joey finally made their escape from the clinic and Chief Leades. The man Joey had shot had no ID on him. The car he’d been using this time had been reported stolen earlier in the day from a town a few miles south of them.

 

While they were at the clinic so Glenn could get checked over and stitched up, Joey went to check on Nate. He was asleep, as was Rory who was in a chair by his bed. Rory work up enough to tell Joey that Nate was going to be released in the morning.

 

“He had a slight concussion which is the only reason they’re keeping him here overnight,” he explained.

 

“Alright. Let him know I stopped by?”

 

“I will.” Rory put his hand over Nate’s, almost protectively before asking why Joey was there at such a late hour. Joey gave him a brief rundown on what had happened. When he finished Rory nodded. “At least we don’t have to worry about his coming after Nate again. That’s a relief.”

 

“I know,” Joey agreed. “Okay, I’ll see you both later I’m sure. Now I have to go get Glenn before he thinks I’ve left without him.”

 

Rory chuckled. “The day you do that is the day the earth stands still.”

 

Laughing, Joey headed back to find Glenn.

 

* * * *

 

Now they were both back at the house. Glenn had wanted to drive back on his own, with Joey following in his car, despite the fact he was dosed up on pain killers. Joey had put his foot down.

 

“Not happening. You’re in no condition to drive no matter what you think, and you know it,” Joey had told him in not uncertain terms.

 

“I would have been fine,” Glenn grumbled fifteen minutes later as he got out of the car.

 

“Probably, but I wasn’t going to take the chance,”

 

Glenn laughed tiredly. “I’ll admit I like that you’re concerned.”

 

“Of course I am!” Joey muttered, unlocking the front door.

 

“I know.” Glenn smiled, patting his shoulder as he followed him in and carefully sat down on the sofa.

 

“Nuh uh, up to bed.”

 

“No supper? We missed it in case you’ve forgotten.”

 

“More like breakfast time now. Don’t move and I’ll see what I can come up with.”

 

He came back twenty minutes later with two plates of eggs, bacon and toast only to find Glenn sprawled across the sofa, asleep. Putting the plates down on the coffee table, Joey carefully removed Glenn’s shoes before going to get a blanket to cover him.

 

When he returned Glenn cracked one eye open. “So where’s my food?”

 

“Right here but you have to sit up because for sure I’m not feeding it to you.”

 

“I’m not feeling the love here,” Glenn wisecracked as he carefully sat up. Joey handed him his plate, frowning when he didn’t start eating. “This is not finger food, well the eggs aren’t at least,” Glenn pointed out.

 

“Ouch, yeah, hang on.” Moments later Joey was back with utensils, and two glasses of milk which he put down before sitting beside Glenn, his plate in his lap. He looked at the food, pushing it around but not taking a bite.

 

“Not hungry?” Glenn asked softly.

 

          Joey shook his head. “Not really I guess.”

 

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 18

 

 

Glenn did as he’d said he would, pulling onto the street then into a space directly in front of the building. As he got out he looked back to see Joey on one knee, ostensibly retying his shoelace. He looked so young and innocent that for a second Glenn was torn between beckoning to him to get back in the car where he’d be safe, or at least safer, or continuing on with their plan. Then common sense prevailed.

 

This ends now, one way or the other.

 

He moved swiftly down the cut-through on the other side of the building from the parking lot. Silently he made his way to the back corner of the lot, his gun now in his hand. As he watched Joey strolling with apparent casualness toward his car, Glenn saw a slight movement in a car parked in a space next to the building. It was just behind Joey’s, only a few feet separating them.

 

Even as he inched his way along the wall, squeezing between it and another parked car, Glenn saw Joey arrive at his car and heard a muttered oath when Joey saw the flat tire. Looking pissed as hell in the dim light; Joey went to the back of his car and opened the trunk.

 

Instantly, but quietly, the door to the car which had caught Glenn’s attention opened. The man must have unscrewed the overhead light because it didn’t come on, not that Joey would have seen it any way from where he was standing.

 

A head appeared above the roof of the car and a voice, low but threatening, said, “Move and you’re dead. Put your hands behind your head.”

 

Joey did as he’d been told.

 

The man stepped into the aisle between the two cars. “Now back toward me. Do not turn around.”

 

Glenn was of two minds, shoot and wake the neighborhood or just capture the man and deal with him in a more remote spot later. Common sense prevailed, again. He slid around the back of his car, coming up behind him.

 

“I think you’re the one who should put their hands behind their head, after dropping you gun,” he said menacingly as he pressed his gun to the man’s back.

 

Joey spun around, reached for his gun and pointed it at the man’s chest. “Do as he says, please.”

 

Glenn would have laughed at Joey’s politeness if he’d had it in him at the moment. “I said, hands behind your head, and then turn around, slowly,” he ordered.

 

The man turned, but not slowly. He whipped around and fired, the bullet cutting a line across Glenn’s side as he twisted to avoid being shot. Before the man could get off a second shot, Joey fired. His shot hit home and the man dropped to the ground, still clutching his gun in his dead hand.

 

Joey was beside Glenn seconds later. “How bad?” he asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

 

“A flesh wound, nothing more.” He holstered his gun before asking, “How are you doing?”

 

“I’m…” Joey looked at the dead man at their feet. “I killed him,” he whispered, then turned, bent over and threw up.

 

Glenn rested his hand on Joey’s back in commiseration. “The first one’s always the worst.”

 

Shaking, Joey straightened, his face pale. “I guess…I should call this in.”

 

“Might be a good idea although they probably heard shots fired since we’re less than half a block from the station.”

 

“But still…” Joey called it in anyway, his hands trembling as he punched in the number. When the dispatcher answered he told her he’d shot the man who had kidnapped Nate, gave her the location and hung up.

 

Glenn wrapped his arms around him finally, ignoring the pain in his side. “You might not think so right now but you did good.”

 

“I guess.” Joey shivered, resting his head on Glenn’s shoulder. “I just… I never ever want to have to do that again.”

 

“Chances are you won’t. It’s not like you get a lot of killers coming to town.”

 

Shuddering, Joey took a deep breath before pulling back. “What do we tell them?”

 

“Simple. We got to your car, you saw the flat and went to get the spare. The man appeared out of nowhere, pointed his gun at us, said something about you screwing up his plans when you found Nate and then fired. Heroically…” Glenn grinned, “I stepped in the way, he hit me and you shot him.” 

 

“I guess that works.”

 

“Let’s hope, because we’re about to have a lot of company.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 17

 

 

“Stay here, don’t get out,” Glenn said fiercely as he pulled the car to a stop across the street from the lot where Joey had parked his car earlier that day. He reached under the seat, coming up with his Ruger 22/45 in its holster, and the scope for it. After attaching the scope he holstered the gun again, clipping it to his belt.

 

“Hand me my blade.”

 

Joey flipped open the glove compartment, slid aside a panel and took out the sheathed knife. Glenn strapped it to his forearm and pulled down his sleeve.

 

“There’s another gun under your seat. Get it out just in case.”

 

“Mind telling me what’s going on?”

 

“Look at your car.”

 

“Yeah, and? Oh shit.” He realized it was listing slightly and knew one tire was flat.

 

“Oh shit is right. You might just have picked up a nail but it’s doubtful, all things considered. I’m betting he knows about you and that you’re connected to me. He’s moved faster than I expected.”

 

“He might have seen us together, yesterday in the cut-though when we were checking the roof or when you picked me up tonight.”

 

“Either way it looks like he was planning on grabbing you for bait, so wait here.”

 

“Which would make me a sitting duck. Nope, I’m coming with.” Joey got out the gun, finding it was a match to Glenn’s, checked it thoroughly which earned him an approving nod from Glenn, then stuck it at the back of his slacks under his jacket. “How are we going to play this? He has to be watching somewhere.”

 

Glenn agreed. “Best bet, he’s in one of the other cars there. Too bad he isn’t driving the Ranchero; he’d be easy to spot.”

 

“We should be so lucky.” Joey looked at the cars closest to his. Some he recognized immediately, but there were three which could have belonged to any number of people in town, or to the hitman, they were so generic. Unfortunately it was too dark to see the license plates so he couldn’t make a determination as to who’s they might be. 

 

“There’s a good chance he saw us drive up so pretend to kiss me.”

 

“And then?” Joey moved closer, turning enough to shield the fact they were talking.

 

Glenn frowned, obviously running through possible scenarios. While he did Joey put one hand at the back of his head, shifting slightly to try to explain why they were still in that position.

 

“Okay, given where we are I only have to pull the car a few feet forward and I’ll be out of sight from the lot. Get out and then stand as if you were watching me drive away. Give me time to park and get out before you head to your car. Do something to stall like…”

 

“Bend and tie my shoelace.”

 

“That’ll work. Stay well away from the building just in case we’re wrong about where he’d hiding.”

 

“All right. Say when.”

 

Glenn took a deep breath. “Now.”

 

          Joey paused just long enough to actually kiss Glenn and then he was out of the car.

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 16

 

 

Joey leaned back on his hands, staring up at the darkening sky. “He won’t come marching up to the door.”

 

“No shit. He won’t even come up the lane unless he’s totally lost his mind.”  

 

“But we have to lure him to where we want him.” Joey sat up as something occurred to him. “I’m calling in sick until this is over.”

 

Glenn laughed. “That was my plan originally, only it was your mom who was going to be sick so you had to take over for her.”

 

“Dumb plan.”

 

“It would have worked.”

 

“As if. I’m not stupid. Man in town hunting for you, mom ‘conveniently’ getting sick, I’d have figured it out before the words got out of her mouth.”

 

“Yeah, probably.”

 

“Definitely.”

 

‘Well I had to try, being me.”

 

Joey shook his head. “Next time… Don’t.”

 

“Hopefully there won’t be a next time, but just in case I think I know better now.”

 

“Fast learner, I like that.”

 

“Smart ass.” Glenn grinned, then sobered. Picking up a stick he began drawing the outline of the house in the dirt, added a wriggly line to represent the trees surrounding it, and another for the lane. “The house itself is well protected, the perimeter, not so much.”

 

“And there’s no time to change that.”

 

“So we use it to our advantage.”

 

“How?”

 

“We make it look as if one of the perimeter motion-sensors has bitten the dust, one which will lead him in where we want him.”

 

“Come on, won’t he suspect it’s a trap of some kind?”

 

“That’s the beauty of it, he will. And if he’s anything like me he’ll go to the other side, as far away from it as possible, disable a sensor and make his way to the house from there.”

 

“Big ‘if’ you know.”

 

“Of course, but we have to figure he thinks the way a halfway decent hitman should. I know I keep calling him stupid but he can’t be as dumb as he’s seemed so far. No one would send an idiot after me.”

 

Joey smiled a bit at the ego behind that statement but he knew it was the truth nonetheless. Still… “We don’t know who sent him, an ex-rival or some who hates you for killing a family member.”

 

“It can’t be the latter. There’s no way they could know it was me.”

 

“You found the ones who killed your parents.”

 

“That was different, I had connections.”

 

“Glenn,” Joey growled, “if you did, someone else could too so don’t discount what I said out of hand.” He rubbed his fingers over his forehead. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that to sound the way it did.”

 

“Not a problem.” Glenn went back to the diagram he’d drawn in the dirt. “We’re better off getting him to come this way. I’ll have a clearer shot from the roof.”

 

“The roof?”

 

“Yeah, where else?” 

 

“You’re just going to take him out without finding out who sent him?”

 

“What, you want me to capture and torture him? Because that’s the only way he’d give me that information.”

 

“Well… no.” Joey chewed his lip, turning away from the tight anger in Glenn’s voice. He heard a sigh then Glenn’s arms went around him.

 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have barked at you.”

 

Joey leaned into his hold. “We’re both tense.”

 

“It’s still no reason…”

 

“Shush.” Joey made certain he did by kissing him. “You’re forgiven. Maybe we should leave here though? It’s almost dark.”

 

“Good idea.” Glenn stood, pulling Joey up after him. “We’ll finish our plans when we get home.”

Lessons Learned (Sequel to 'Hitman's Creed) – 15

 

 

“Thank you. It’s not like I don’t know you have a strong protective streak so it doesn’t really surprise me, and I bet it was mom who changed your mind,” Joey said.

 

“She laid out what I already knew but wasn’t willing to admit in this particular case. You’re an adult, you know you job, and you are half of our partnership. You should be allowed to make your own decision on whether you want to be involved in what might, or might not, happen.”

 

“At least you knew it,” Joey replied somewhat acidly.

 

Glenn winced. “Yeah, I know. I was being stupid.”

 

“No, you were being ‘you’.” Joey moved closer so he could hug him. “I should be pissed, you’re right, but honestly I’m not. Well, not too much anyway.”

 

Glenn took the opportunity to give him a kiss before he explained what he’d done. Joey listened, nodding occasionally, until Glenn was finished.

 

“What makes you think he’s going to come after you at the house? Why wouldn’t he just take you out in town?”

 

“First off, other than dropping you back at your car, I don’t intend to go to town again until this is over.”

 

“But that’s presupposing it is you he’s after. If it’s someone else he’ll just hit and run.”

 

“The more I’ve thought about it the more I’m certain it's me for that very reason. He might or might not know Nate was found, but either way it would’ve behooved him to make the hit as soon as he stashed him, or this morning if he needed time to get to wherever he planned on doing it. Make sense?”

 

“Yes. But by that same logic you were in town today so why didn’t take his chances then?”

 

“I’m not some civilian wandering around with my head up my ass. I was well aware of my surroundings and made damned good and sure he wouldn’t have the chance.”

 

“Yeah, right. You were waiting outside the station house when I got off.”

 

“And where was I?”

 

Joey thought about it. “Leaning against one of the pillars, facing the door, so he’d have had to walk up to you in order to get in a good shot.”

 

“Exactly. And I moved you to the car as fast as you’d let me. God’s, sometimes your stubbornness drives me crazy.”

 

“Well like I said…”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Anyway, with feelers out, and very publicly, that I’m looking for the Ranchero, I’m hoping he gets wind of it. That also gives him my name.” When Joey growled under his breath, Glenn patted his knee. “That’s the whole idea. He has to know it so he can ask about me when I don’t show up in town. He’ll find out where the house is and, God willing, come after me there.”

 

“It could be a day or two before he does. It’ll take that long for him to figure out you’re holed up there.”

 

“Possibly. Then again if he asks the right questions he’ll know my being in town at all is a rarity.”