Shadow Men – 12 – Rafe and Steele

"That little bastard should be castrated," Rafe said angrily once they were in the car.

"Bit late for that," Steele replied with a tired smile. "Back to Great Yarmouth, or keep going west?"

"Back, but only long enough to get our things." Rafe leaned his head against the window and seconds later he was asleep.

"Yeah, pass out on me, you son of a bitch," Steele muttered, but there was amusement in his voice.

When they got back to the city, Steele found a covered car park two blocks from their hotel. He shook Rafe awake long enough to tell him he'd be back in half an hour or less, urged him to lie down on the seat so he'd be out of sight from any casual observation, and then took off.

His first stop was the hotel where he retrieved their belongings. Next he found a car rental place, got a small, unobtrusive vehicle, and returned to the car park. After they traded out cars, Steele left a note on the windshield of the one they would leave behind to let someone know that it needed to be returned to the rental agency. Then, very cautiously, he pulled out onto the street. For the next hour he drove around the city while Rafe, who was wide awake now, checked for any sign they were being followed. Once they were certain it was safe, they headed west out of the city.

A day and a half later, they were at the southern tip of Italy. On their way there, Rafe had placed a secure call to one of the very few people he thought they could trust at this point. A brief conversation ensued, during which Rafe told the man what he required. When he'd hung up, he told Steele exactly where they needed to go.

After they entered Agnana Calabra under the cover of darkness, Steele found a safe, out of the way place to park the car and leave it. By now they had switched the bags they'd had in England for backpacks. The information from Goranov had been split up between them and was buried at the bottoms of their packs.

"One more stop and we're on our way again," Rafe told Steele as they walked down the quiet streets of the city. They reached their destination, where Steele hung back, standing in the shadows to wait while Rafe went inside.

The man at the front desk eyed Rafe warily as he told him the name he was using. "Come è il tempo a Columbus?"

"Caldo e appiccicoso con un tocco di pioggia."

"Caldo in inverno?"

"Sì, e freddo in estate."

"Welcome, Signore," the man said, the proper responses having been given. He handed Rafe a key. "Third floor on the left, number thirty-six ten."

Rafe nodded, picked up his bag and headed to the elevator. He rode it up to the third floor, then took the stairs back down, limping as he did, and left the small hotel by the side door. When he reached the street, he beckoned to Steele. They walked down three blocks and then turned left. A car sat at the curb with the license plate number AGH610. After he'd checked to make certain no one seemed interested in them he unlocked the car, handed Steele the keys and they got in. An envelope sat on the console. Rafe slit it open to read the contents then told Steele which way to head out of Agnana Calabra.