Shadow Men – 27 – Rafe and Steele

"He certainly doesn't live poor," Rafe commented as he and Steele observed their contact's house from their vantage point across the street at the edge of Lincoln Park.

"No shit. And this is just his home away from home. The question now becomes how we get to him."

"Walk up and ring the bell?"

"Get serious, Rafe."

"I am." Rafe pointed to a delivery van that had just pulled into the driveway behind the three-story brick and stone house. "Let's see what the procedure is."

The driver and his assistant got out and went to the rear of the van. From where they stood, the partners could see them take something out before the driver went to what was obviously the service entrance and rang the bell. The door opened, the driver said something to whoever stood there and then went back to the van. Moments later he and the assistant reappeared carrying a large trunk.

"There's something…" Steele muttered as he took the binoculars out of the backpack and focused them in. "Take a look at the dark-haired man." He handed the binoculars to Rafe.

Rafe did and frowned. "One of the Colonel's boys. I don't recognize the other one though."

"If one of them belongs to the Colonel you can bet the other one does too."

By then the two men had disappeared into the house.

"I knew we should have rented a damned car," Rafe growled.

"Why rent when we can borrow. Wait here and pray they're in there for a few minutes." Steele crossed the street and walked down half a block as he visually checked the parked cars. He stopped by one whose windows were down, went around to the driver's side, and opened the door. "Thank God for fools and over-trusting people," he said under his breath as he expertly started the car, even though he had no key. Now he hoped whoever it belonged to was oblivious to what was happening as he pulled out of the parking space.

Two minutes later he drove into an empty space a car-length down from where Rafe stood half-hidden beside a large tree. Rafe gave him a quick thumbs-up then looked back at the driveway.

As the van's driver and his assistant came out of the house Rafe stepped out of view, a deep frown on his face. They had the same trunk they'd taken in a few minutes earlier, only now it appeared to be heavier from the way they were carrying it. As soon as the men were behind the van Rafe hurried to the car Steele had 'borrowed' and slid into the passenger seat.

"Something screwy's going on," he told Steele and explained why he thought so.

At that point the van pulled out onto the street. Unfortunately it turned in the opposite direction from the way the car faced. Steele muttered angrily under his breath as he looked for a break in traffic while Rafe turned to keep an eye on the van. Finally Steele was able to get out of the parking space and hang a turn into oncoming traffic. The van was now two blocks ahead of them, its top just visible over the intervening cars.

Steele made it through the light just as it turned yellow and veered around a slow-moving car. Now they were only a block and a half behind the van and that was as close as Steele was willing to get, as long as it stayed in sight. Tailing with only one car was far from the best option but they had no choice at the moment.

"Where the hell are they headed?" Steele asked a minute later as the van took a fast left onto Fullerton.

"Best guess," Rafe replied as he saw the van move into the right hand lane, "on to the Kennedy and if they're planning on going any distance then on to the Dan Ryan heading south."

Steele checked the gas gauge. "At least whoever owns this car keeps the tank filled."

"A break in our favor, for once." Rafe watched the van merge onto the Kennedy and move into the left-hand lane.

Shadow Men – 26 – Rafe and Steele

"We have to stop meeting like this," Rafe said early the next morning as the lovers lay in each other's arms. He intended it as a joke but realized that underneath it he meant what he'd said.

Steele chuckled. "Why? It does add a certain spice to things."

"Yeah, well, it's about time we got home where we don't have to sleep with one eye open all the time," Rafe replied testily. He was tired of running, of hiding. He wanted at least a few days when they could act like everyone else. Days they could spend together just being a loving couple. Not only in bed, but more importantly as two people who cared deeply about each other and could act on their feelings every minute of the day without having to look over their shoulders to see who might be after them now.

"And that's not going to happen until we deal with our little problem, grumpy," Steele replied softly, understanding as he always did what Rafe was really saying.

Rafe took in a deep breath. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, I feel the same way." Steele gave and got back a gentle kiss before he sat up. "So we should get dressed and then decide where we go from here."

"If we go out during the day, and you know we'll to have to, we'd better do something about our looks, again," Rafe pointed out.

"Unfortunately we left everything behind."

"Then let's see what the lady of the house has in her bathroom, and bedroom, that might help." Without waiting for a reply Rafe disappeared up the stairs. He reappeared at the top of them moments later. "We hit the mother lode so get up here."

Steele followed him up to the second floor. It didn't take but a second to see what Rafe meant. The bathroom cabinet door stood open to reveal several packages of hair coloring in various shades from blonde to auburn.

"Apparently she either hit a big sale or she changes colors often," Rafe said with a chuckle. "So choose your poison."

"I can use any of them but you're going to be the usual problem, so…buzz cut?"

Rafe sighed deeply but nodded in reply.

An hour later Steele's normally dirty-blond hair was reddish-brown while Rafe looked like a new army recruit, albeit a slight older one given his age.

"Now all we need is a change of clothes, which it just so happens we can borrow from the man of the house."

Steele arched an eyebrow. "He's got stuff that'll fit us?"

Rafe led the way into the master bedroom and pointed to a picture on the dresser before he opened the closet door. One look at the tall, burly man standing next to a petite woman who had to be Angelo's aunt and Steele agreed that they could probably find clothes to fit.

"Suit or casual for you?" Rafe asked.

"I'll try a few things on and then decide." He started with a suit jacket and found it was too tight across the shoulders to be comfortable. The slacks that went with it, on the other hand, were too large around the waist although the length was right. "Now's when we need our padding," he grumbled.

"Naw, just a couple of safety-pins," Rafe replied, holding up two he'd found in a box on the dresser.

"Oh, that'll look cute."

"I'm not talking about for the slacks. Here, try these." He tossed Steele a pair of loud, plaid shorts. "Pin the waist in then wear one of the casual shirts un-tucked. In this heat you'll look like everyone else wandering around."

"What about you?" Steele asked as he got dressed.

"If you're going to be casual I'll have to be too." Rafe held a pair of conservative dark blue shorts in his hand, which he quickly pulled on. They hung too low on his hips so he hunted down a belt, which as luck would have it had enough holes in it that he could tighten it to work. With a light blue plaid shirt topping off the ensemble he deemed himself ready to go.

Steele looked at Rafe then checked himself out in the mirror. "Why do I have to be the geeky one in plaid?"

Rafe smirked. "Because… Now all you need is some glasses to complete the look."

Steele glanced around the room and sighed in mock relief at not seeing any lying around, even though he was used to going that far to change his appearance. "Guess I'm shit out of luck on that one."

They took a minute to make certain they hadn't left any overt clues to the fact that they'd been in the bedroom. Next was the bathroom, where they emptied the wastebasket that held remains of their hair transformations into a plastic bag. Then they headed back downstairs.

"Here, geek," Rafe said, tossing the backpack to Steele, "your turn to lug it around."

Steele caught it and checked the room to remove any evidence of their being there while Rafe folded the bed back into the sofa. "Now all we have to do is get out of here without anyone noticing," Steele said when they were finished.

"The old 'We didn't just come out the door, we're knocking on it' routine should work if necessary."

They went to the side door and after a quick check to make certain no one was standing in the neighbor's yard they stepped outside. Rafe locked it and returned the key to its spot above the door. Then, casually, they strolled through the backyard to the alley where they tossed the plastic trash bag into one of the Dumpsters.

"Breakfast?" Rafe asked.

"Definitely," Steele agreed.

Shadow Men – 25 – Rafe and Steele

"'Close enough' he said," Steele grumbled an hour later as they stood in the backyard of the nice, middle-class home that belonged to Angelo's aunt.

Rafe chuckled. "So I stretched the truth a bit." He jumped when Steele smacked his ass, hard. "Foreplay?"

"After that walk, maybe no-play."

"We'll see." Rafe crossed the yard to the side of the house and the door that led to the basement. "Angelo says there's a rec room with a decent pull-out sofa," he told Steele as he ran his hand along the top of the doorframe. "Stupid," he muttered when he found the key. Once they were inside Rafe locked and bolted the door then turned on his flashlight to a pinpoint beam so they could make their way down to the room, which seemed to take up half the basement.

"Entertainment," Steele said in admiration when he saw the large TV screen on one wall. He checked to make certain the curtains on the two small windows were tightly closed before he turned it on.

While he did that, Rafe dropped the backpack on the floor next to the sofa and opened the sofa out. "Entertainment is over here," he told his partner as he began stripping off his clothes.

"I think I'll see what's on the tube first," Steele replied, his back to Rafe to hide his smirk.

Rafe grinned when he spotted the remote on the table by the sofa. He picked it up and turned the channel to one that was now off the air. "Good nightlight," he proclaimed.

"But…" Steele turned to protest, even though it would have been in jest, and stopped. By now Rafe was naked, his thick shaft standing at attention. "Well… I suppose we don't have to watch a show," Steele stated as he paced toward his partner.

"Stop." Rafe held up one hand. Steele did. "Now strip… slowly."

Inch by inch Steele pulled his shirt up to reveal his well-muscled chest and tossed it aside. Rafe licked his lips as he watched. He would never tire of looking at his partner's body even if they lived to be a hundred. Steele toed off his shoes and began to undo his jeans.

Rafe's eyes went to the sizable bulge beneath the zipper.

When Steele's cock sprang free he pushed his jeans down over his hips and seconds later stepped out of them.

Rafe hissed in a breath. "As always, incredible."

"As are you," Steele replied. He remained where he was and stroked his hand up his shaft.

When Rafe wagged a finger at him with a shake of his head and said, "Mine. Don't touch." Steele's hands dropped to his sides. Rafe beckoned for him to come closer. Obediently Steele took the four long steps that would bring him within inches of Rafe.

Rafe gripped Steele's shoulders and the two lovers burst out laughing as they tumbled onto the sofa-bed. "Your turn next time," Steele said before he began to kiss Rafe, first his mouth, which he explored with a questing tongue until he'd tasted every inch of it. Next, he worked his way with slow nips and licks down to Rafe's nipples, suckling them in the way he knew would most pleasure his lover.

When he was finished, he moved lower still until he could lap the pre-cum from the steadily leaking slit of Rafe's cock.

"Damn…" Rafe groaned when Steele began to engulf his shaft in his warm mouth. He thrust up, knowing Steele could take him fully in. "Fuck…me," he growled low.

Steele looked up at him and winked while his talented mouth urged Rafe closer and closer to the edge. When he knew Rafe was about to come he released him and wrapped his fingers tightly around the base of his shaft.

"Bastard," Rafe moaned in frustration.

"Calm down, lover." Steele kept his grip on Rafe while he used his other hand to find the backpack. He dug into one pocket to retrieve a tube of lube. "Top or bottom?" he asked when he knew Rafe had reined in his immediate need to come.

Rafe grinned. "Got a coin?"

With a roll of his eyes Steele made the decision for them and spread a generous amount of lube over Rafe's throbbing cock. Then while Rafe watched avidly, he readied himself.

Rafe kept his eyes locked on Steele as his lover positioned himself and slowly took him into his tight channel until he was as fully engulfed there, as he had been in Steele's mouth moments earlier. Then he pulled Steele down to kiss him hungrily. "Ride me hard and fast," he growled when they broke apart to breathe.

Steele did.

Shadow Men – 24 – Rafe and Steele

"What I want to know," Rafe growled as he stared at the four walls of a room in a vacant building they'd found, "is how the hell they knew where we were. And before you say it, Angelo would not have given us up even if one of the Colonel's people had contacted him."

"I wasn't going to suggest that. Honest opinion, I'm wondering if it was our contact, or someone close to him. The way our luck's been running that's the most obvious answer."

"How 'bout we just get a couple of sniper rifles and take the whole damned lot of them out," Rafe muttered, only half kidding.

"Trust me, if that was feasible I'd be all for it at this point."

"Then we make it feasible, but not until after we've paid a covert visit to our contact. I'd hate to off him if he's really in our corner."

"Rafe, damn it, do you have a death wish? Things are bad enough as is and you want to walk into a possible lion's den now?"

"Well not this instant," Rafe replied with a tight grin. "First I opt for a decent meal and a soft bed."

"And just where do you suggest we get those?"

"I'm sure Angelo will have an idea. However, we are not calling him from here. We'll wait until dark then find a safe payphone."

Steele nodded after he checked the angle of the sunlight coming through the dirty window. "About an hour, give or take." He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes only to open them what seemed like seconds later when he heard Rafe say, "Time to move it, sleepyhead." He realized the room was almost pitch-dark.

"You let me sleep," he said in a reproving tone of voice.

Rafe shrugged as he offered a hand to help his partner stand. "Not like there was anything else to do. I did slip out long enough to call Angelo. He gave me an address and before you start worrying, he was smart enough to do it so anyone listening wouldn't have a clue. It's his aunt's place and she's out of the city for the weekend."

"Close by?"

"Close enough."

Shadow Men – 23 – Rafe and Steele

"By now anyone's who's left is searching the building for us," Steele said very quietly as he and Rafe stood on the top of the elevator cage, which sat at the basement level of the building.

"Then we'll just have to avoid them, won't we," Rafe replied just as quietly.

Steele bent and opened the elevator's escape hatch then dropped down into the cage, closely followed by Rafe. Rafe pressed an ear to the door and listened intently. Then he took the pry bar out of his waistband. Moments later he had the elevator door opened enough for them to slip into the dark basement. He pointed to a door across the hall from them then held up one hand with a shake of his head.

Steele nodded. He'd heard it too, the sound of a door opening at the top of the service stairs at the far end of the hallway. Rafe moved swiftly in the opposite direction to a door at the other end. Steele took his pistol from its holster, held it loosely in one hand, and followed his partner.

The room they entered had obviously been the building's laundry room at some point in the past. Two battered washers stood along one wall next to an industrial-sized dryer, the coin slots in all of them vandalized by someone hoping to find spare cash. At the far side of the room was another door flanked by two barred windows.

Rafe pointed to one of the washers and then the door they'd just come through. With a nod Steele helped him lift it and they put it in front of the door. Then Rafe set to work on the lock on the exit door while Steele stood guard. The muffled sound of footsteps came from the hall. Steele could hear the door of one of the other rooms open when its hinges squeaked in protest. He turned to glance at Rafe.

"Got it," Rafe mouthed. He inched the door open to peer out. A short flight of steps led up to ground level. Staying low he crept out and checked what he could see of the small waste and weed filled backyard. A man stood a few yards away, his back turned to the building at the moment, a rifle held over his shoulder. Rafe took one of his knives, perfectly balanced for throwing—and throw it he would, with the expertise born of long practice. But first he needed to get the man's attention. He picked up a large stone from a pile of litter that filled a corner of the stairwell.

He stood just long enough to hurl it with precision. It struck the back of the man's head hard enough that Rafe could hear the crack as it did. It would have been nice if it had knocked the man out but Rafe knew it wasn't likely to happen. He was right. He dropped back to his kneeling position as the man whirled around, one hand on the back of his head, the other weaving the rifle right and left as he tried to find who had hit him the stone.

That was all Rafe needed. He threw his knife, smiling in satisfaction when it hit its target, the man's throat just above his collarbone. Blood spurted like a small fountain. Rafe was on his feet instantly. He reached the man, who looked at him in shocked surprise even as Rafe pulled the knife free. Before the man could shout out, Rafe's fist connected with his jaw with bone-shattering force.

Steele was beside them seconds later. He picked up the man's fallen rifle then helped Rafe to drag their dying victim back to the stairwell where they dumped him unceremoniously in front of the door.

And none too soon. Someone pushed at the door from the inside, swearing when it only moved a fraction of an inch. Steele heard glass shatter as he and Rafe raced to the alley. They got to it just as someone fired a pistol from the broken window. Quickly they ran down between two building on the far side of the alley and onto the sidewalk. By the time they stepped onto it, Steele has holstered his pistol and dropped the rifle in a stairwell. A quick glance around showed them they were safe…for the moment.

"Through there." Steele pointed to a narrow passage between two apartment buildings across the street.

They spent the next twenty minutes working their way out of the area in that fashion until they were certain that no one had managed to follow them.

Shadow Men – 22 – Rafe and Steele

Rafe gestured toward the ceiling and the floor. Steele pointed to the bedroom, then up. With a nod Rafe walked there quickly and quietly. Steele waited until he was inside then took two small metal boxes from one of the suitcases. He put one against the front door of the apartment and set the motion sensor before he carefully inched away. Once he felt it was safe he hurried to join Rafe.

The bedroom window was already open enough for them to exit onto the fire escape, which was invisible from the rooftop where Steele had seen movement. Rafe started up while Steele set the second box on the escape's landing. As soon as Rafe was far enough up, Steele set the sensor and then with great caution so that he didn't rattle the landing or the stairs he crept up to join his partner.

"Roof?" Rafe mouthed.

Steele shook his head then pointed to a window on the top floor of the building. With a nod Rafe carefully continued up. When he reached the top landing he took what he needed from the backpack and went to work on the window. By the time Steele joined him Rafe had it open and had checked to make certain the room behind it was empty. A minute later they were back inside the building and the window was closed again.

"Just in time," Steele whispered against Rafe's ear when two men passed the window as they crept down the fire escape.

They both smiled tightly when a blast shook the fire escape a minute later, followed almost instantly by a second one from inside the building.

"Get us out of here," Steele said, secure in the knowledge that Rafe knew several escape routes from where they were at the moment.

Rafe cracked the door open, checked the next room and then crossed it to the front door of the barren apartment. A cautious look told him the hallway was empty. He stepped into it, Steele right behind him, and when he pointed they moved down and across to the disabled elevator. Steele cocked an eyebrow in question. Rafe's lips quirked in a slight grin. He took a short pry bar from the pack, inserted it between the elevator door and the wall and pushed firmly. The door silently slid open enough for him to get his hands on the edge. He forced it open about two feet then whispered to Steele, "Service ladder."

Steele saw what he meant when he moved into the opening. He held on to the edge of the entrance to gain leverage as he leaned sideways to grab the ladder's upright rail and then swung onto a step. Rafe slipped the remaining strap of the backpack over his shoulder and stuck the pry bar in his waistband. Then he inched into the space between the door and the wall, used his body to keep it from closing, and held out his hand to grip Steele's wrist. Steele took hold of Rafe's wrist firmly and anchored his other arm around the ladder. Rafe stepped off into space, the door closed behind him, and Steele yanked hard. Rafe grabbed the ladder and they both heaved sighs of relief.

"Knew that would work," Rafe said with more confidence than he'd felt moments ago.

"Umm hmm." Steele chuckled softly. "Down?"

"Down."

Shadow Men – 21 – Rafe and Steele

"The windy city, my ass," Rafe grumbled. "It could use some wind to blow away the heat."

Steele chuckled as he watched his partner fan himself with a flyer he'd found on the floor of their hideaway. Admittedly it was unseasonably hot but not as bad as Rafe was making it out to be. Steele knew him well enough to know it was nerves that were getting to him whether he'd admit it or not.

They had been in the city for a week now, first on the north side and now in a small apartment building in the Hyde Park area not far from the University. This was Rafe's first home, not the apartment but the city. He'd grown up here, in Little Italy, and that's where they'd headed the first day. Not to visit Rafe's family. They wanted nothing to do with him and hadn't for years. Instead, Rafe got in touch with an old and trusted friend, one who had nothing to do with the Colonel or his people.

Angelo had greeted him like a long lost brother. At Rafe's request and without asking him why, Angelo had found them this apartment. "Trust me," he'd said, "there ain't anybody who's going to question you being there because there ain't anyone living there. Just make certain no one sees you coming and going."

No one had and after four days they were still waiting, with varying degrees of patience, for their contact to let them know it was safe to come see him. Steele, because he was the calmer of the two, had spent his time with his nose buried in anything readable. Rafe was the high-strung one, he always had been. His idea of killing time, other than the obvious, was to range the vacant building until he knew it like the back of his hand, all five floors of it.

"We could always go down to the basement, it has to be cooler there," Steele suggested.

"Barely," Rafe growled. "When's the bastard going to call?"

"Temper, temper. You know it'll happen when it happens and not before."

"I'm about ready to go find him and the hell with what he said."

Steele refrained from replying because he wasn't certain but what he agreed with Rafe. He was not, however, going to tell him so until he gave it more thought. He crossed to the window, stood to the side to stay out of sight while still able to look out over the neighborhood. There would be one advantage, he thought, in going to their contact; no one would expect them to.

The man was powerful, the reason they'd chosen him, and when he gave an order he expected it to be followed. He had ordered them to wait until he gave them permission to come to him. Steele wondered if it would queer the deal if they disobeyed him. With the information they had about the Colonel, his gut feeling was that once their contact got past his anger he'd be willing to look at it and hopefully do what was necessary to stop the bastard.

Steele started to turn to tell Rafe they'd do it when something caught his eye. He couldn't have said why but it did, just a quick flash of light from the roof of the building opposite theirs. It would have meant nothing if he could have seen the cause—however, no one was visible. And as Rafe had pointed out in frustration, there wasn't even a breeze that might have caused something to move on the roof.

He turned, finger to his lips, and pointed to the backpack that held the information as well as some of their tools. With a nod Rafe grabbed it and slung it over his shoulder then checked his weapons. Steele took his sheathed knives from under the battered sofa pillows where he'd hidden them, strapping them to his forearms.

Shadow Men – 20 – Rafe and Steele

"This baby runs good for being so old," Rafe said, not for the first time, as they drove toward Rome.

"I agree. Too bad we have to dump her soon."

"Let's hope whoever finds her gives her a good home." Rafe watched the signposts for the exit they wanted and turned off the highway into Salerno. As they'd been there several times in their careers they knew exactly where to head to accomplish the trade-off. Less than half an hour later they were back on the highway in a car that looked nothing like the one they'd driven out of Canolo.

* * * *

"He's willing to listen to us," Rafe said after he'd closed the phone. He tossed it into a nearby trash container and they continued on their way.

Steele nodded. "But can we trust him? So far we're zero for two in that department."

"It's a chance we'll have to take." Rafe paused to glance in a shop window. He saw two well-dressed men staring back at him. Again he and Steele had become other people. His green eyes were now a deep blue while Steele's blue ones were brown. Under the clothes they wore was padding that added thirty pounds to their lean, muscular frames. Both were clean-shaven except for Rafe's mustache. He caught Steele looking as well and winked. Steele's lips curled up in a brief grin before they moved on.

They had been in Rome for two days but now, with that phone call, they would soon head halfway across the world. Both of them were hyperaware of every person around them on the busy sidewalk, their eyes flicking from face to face even though they knew that if some of the Colonel's people were here they would be hard pressed to know it until it was too late. The man was no fool; he wouldn't send someone they'd recognize—not now.

Their next stop was an office building just ahead of them. As they reached it the doors opened and a small crowd of people came through—employees off for their lunch hours. Rafe and Steele fought the flow to enter a modern lobby. With a nod of his head to the security guard at the front desk, Rafe headed to the bank of elevators with Steele right beside him. They caught one just as it emptied, stepped in and waited for the door to close. Steele saw a woman racing to catch it and held the door for her.

Seconds after she entered Rafe pushed the button for the top floor. The elevator rose swiftly. As it did, the woman reached into her large purse and handed Steele an envelope. He opened it, checked the contents and then gave her a similar, if somewhat thicker, one in return. She smiled, pressed the button for the twelfth floor and when the elevator came to a stop she stepped off. Rafe hit the '14' button, and just before the two of them left the elevator he pressed two more.

They moved quickly down the carpeted hallway to the men's room. As they entered, a man turned from the sink, dried his hands and gave a brief nod toward a stall before he left. Steele went to it, picked up one of the two suitcases it held and handed it to Rafe.

Ten minutes later two different looking men walked out of the men's room. One was tall, blond and carried more weight than a man of his age should around his stomach. The second one was equally as tall but much less pudgy. His hair was brown with gray at the temples. Each man wore a business suit and carried an attaché case as well as a suitcase or garment bag. The blond pushed his heavy glasses up on his nose when they slid down. They entered the elevator when it arrived, mingling with the others who were on it. When it reached the ground floor the blond haired man hurried out of the lobby as if he was running late. He flagged down a passing taxi, got in, and it disappeared around the corner.

The brown-haired man strolled out of the building, turned left and meandered down a block before he made another left onto a side street. A cab pulled over and he got in. Forty-five minutes later Rafe and Steele, each ignoring the other, boarded the flight from Rome to Chicago's O'Hare airport.

Shadow Men – 19 – Rafe and Steele

"Okay, now I'm starving." Rafe leaned on his elbows as he looked down at Steele.

A good night's sleep had done wonders for both of them. Add to that an amazing bout of morning loving and they were definitely ready to face the day.

"Then you're going to have to move because for some strange reason we can't fix breakfast if we're lying here."

"Actually," Rafe said after he kissed Steele thoroughly one more time and then rolled off him to sit up, "I doubt we can fix breakfast anywhere here. If there's food in the fridge, it's probably growing green mold."

"Lovely thought that." Steele got up to hit the bathroom after he'd retrieved his kit from his backpack. While he was in there Rafe went to the bedroom window and cautiously looked out between the curtains. He could just see the street, which seemed to be empty. A check of the time told him it was midmorning and thus the lack of pedestrians was not surprising.

Steele returned a few minutes later, clean-shaven and with his hair combed back off his forehead, which gave him a completely different look from what he'd had for the last few days. He eyed Rafe then nodded.

"What?"

"Go take care of business and then you're getting a haircut."

"Like hell," Rafe grumbled as he ran his hand through his too long, curly black hair. One look from Steele and he knew he was doomed, and why, so he vanished into the bathroom. When he came back he was grinning. "No scissors."

"Sharp knife. Sit." Steele waited until he had and then set to work. Fifteen minutes later he deemed the job finished.

Rafe took a look in the ancient mirror over the dresser. "Not as bad as I expected," he said when he'd turned back to Steele.

"You knew it wouldn't be. Now get dressed. I was thinking touristy."

"With a touch of 'Yes, we're heading out to hike'," Rafe added. "It will explain the backpacks."

With that decided they dressed accordingly from what clothes they had with them. The dirty, bloody clothes they'd arrived in went into a trash sack Steele found under the kitchen sink, set for disposal in the closest waste bin.

"Ready?" Rafe asked as he opened the back door just enough to check if anyone was out there. Two doors down he saw a middle-aged woman hanging laundry out to dry and held up his hand. When she finally went back into her house, the two men walked swiftly to the back gate of the small yard then down the narrow alley to the street. The area was residential but three blocks away they could see some shops. They both donned sunglasses and walked casually toward them.

"Food," Rafe said, pointing to a small café. They continued on past it as they carefully checked the area for anyone who seemed too interested in them, even though they were not the only tourists around. When they were certain it was safe they returned and went inside. Rafe took the lead once they'd found an empty table in back. He ordered for them in Italian flavored with a hint of a German accent. Then as the waitress started to leave he asked Steele in flawless German what he wanted to drink. Steele replied in kind and Rafe passed his wishes on to the girl who nodded and smiled at them before she left.

The food turned out to be excellent and as they ate they talked, in German, about which way they should go on their hike. At one point Rafe flagged down the waitress to ask her opinion and she made a couple of suggestions. When they finished and left, after a quick check to again make certain no one seemed interested in them, they started toward the center of the town and then veered off onto a small side street at Steele's insistence.

"Something?" Rafe asked as he looked back over his shoulder.

"Just a feeling, nothing more, but under the circumstances I think now might be a good time to head for the hills, and not the way our waitress suggested."

"Or…" Rafe eyed the car park directly ahead of them. "Come on."

There were several cars there, but only one that caught their eye as being a good choice. It was in the back and had a layer of dust and dirt on it that said it hadn't been driven in quite some time. They crossed to it as if they owned it. Rafe took a set of tools from a pocket in his backpack, picked one and moments later opened the car door. Then he tried to start it. When it wouldn't, Steele, being the mechanical one when it came to cars, lifted the hood. After a few minutes, while Rafe kept a weather eye open for trouble, Steele told him to try again. The engine chugged and stalled. Steele made another adjustment, and it turned over. Soon they were out of the car park and on one of the roads that would take them away from the town.

Shadow Men – 18 – Rafe and Steele

"We can't just walk into a hotel, presuming there is one," Rafe said as he and Steele stood on a slope overlooking the small town of Canolo.

"True, but if we can find an empty house…"

With night coming, lights began to appear in the homes and go off in what Steele presumed were shops. He scanned the town, searching for darkened places that might suit their needs. Finally he homed in on two that might work, closest to them at the edge of the town. He pointed them out to Rafe and after fifteen minutes of careful watching they chose one.

Soon they stood outside the back of the house while they listened intently for even the slightest sound that would tell them it wasn't empty. The last thing they wanted to do was run into a dog. "I think we're good," Steele said quietly. He tested the door handle, totally unsurprised to find it locked. It took him no time at all to remedy that problem. He cautiously opened the door a crack, ready for them to beat a hasty retreat if an alarm went off. There was no alarm and no barking dog greeted them so they entered.

"It looks as if this place has been vacant for a while," Rafe said as he ran a fingertip over the table in the center of the kitchen and left a trail in the dust.

"Which is good for us." Steele used the weak light coming through a window from the street to navigate to the arch on the far side of the kitchen. It opened onto the main room, which was sparsely furnished with two chairs, a small sofa, and a table along one wall. To one side were two doors. He checked them and discovered a bedroom and a bathroom. Rafe joined him, saw the large bed and sighed in relief despite the fact that there were no sheets or blankets on it.

Steele was more relieved to discover that there was running water in the bathroom and that the shower worked. The water was cold but at that point he couldn't have cared less. He dropped his backpack on the battered dresser in the bedroom and dug into it for the bar of soap and washrag he always carried. Then he stripped off his filthy clothes. His eyes lit on Rafe seated on the edge of the bed and he chuckled.

"Up, boy, it's shower time."

Rafe groaned but stood and started to undress. Steele shook his head and went over to unzip Rafe's jeans and push them down over his hips. "Sit," he said and, when Rafe did, Steele knelt to take off his boots and socks then pulled the jeans the rest of the way off. "If we weren't so exhausted…" Steele murmured.

"I'd be having my way with you," Rafe replied with a smile as he used Steele's shoulder to stand again.

"I'll warn you, the water's cold," Steele told him as he picked up the soap and cloth and led the way to the bathroom. He turned on the shower, took a deep breath and stepped under it. A volley of curses ensued, followed by Rafe's when he stepped in behind him.

"This may be the fastest shower we've ever taken," Steele stated emphatically as he did a very down and dirty wash of his body before he handed the soap and washcloth to Rafe, rinsed off and stepped out. "No damned towels," he grumbled after a quick check of the cabinet under the sink.

Rafe actually managed a chuckle through chattering teeth. "We'll have to complain to the management."

They hurried back to the bedroom to take T-shirts from their packs to dry off with. Then Steele checked their wounds. He deemed them healing as well as could be expected under the circumstances and re-bandaged Rafe's.

"Now to sleep." Rafe settled on the bed and held his arms out. When Steele came into them Rafe wrapped him in a tight embrace. "Love you," Rafe said softly, "and sometime we might even get time enough for me to show you again just how much."

"I know how much," Steele told him after he'd kissed him. "Almost as much as I love you."

Rafe chuckled sleepily. "Love you more."

"We'll debate that in the morning."

"Umm… hmm… defina…" His voice faded out as he fell asleep.

Shadow Men – 17 – Rafe and Steele

Rather than go back down to where they'd left the car, Rafe and Steele worked their way up the steep slopes to the top. When they got there, they stopped so that Rafe could rest his leg. Steele looked back down toward the cabin, which was partially visible through the trees. "Damned good thing we came this way," he muttered.

Rafe checked it out and had to agree. Two vehicles were parked in the small valley. One, presumably, belonged to their recent hunters. The other stood empty as well. He saw a man in camouflage come out of the cabin. A second one followed moments later and after a brief consultation they split up. One headed around the cabin to the back while the other one walked rapidly toward the gorge.

"I suggest we move it," Steele said. "The Colonel's upped the ante. I recognize those two even from here and we do not want to mess with either of them. They make us look like babes in the woods."

"Then moving on might be a good idea." Rafe had no illusions about how expert he and Steele were. If Steele said those men were better he wasn't about to stand around and find out.

Several exhausting hours later they made it down to the foot of the mountain. Twice they'd heard the sound of a helicopter high above them and knew without a doubt it belonged to the Colonel. Rafe was now limping badly but refused to let Steele give him any help since he knew his partner wasn't in much better shape himself.

They collapsed under some towering trees that hid them from a narrow road just a few yards ahead of them. "Any clue exactly where we are?" Steele asked once they were leaning against one of the tree trunks.

"In Italy?" Rafe replied with a weak laugh.

"God, always the wiseass," Steele grumbled.

"Not always, just most of the time," Rafe admitted while he searched his backpack. Soon he held a military topographical map in his hand. He spread it out on the ground to study. "All right, here's Agnana Calabra. We left via this road." He traced it with one dirty fingernail. "Unless I'm way off base, or this map is, we turned here to get to the cabin. That should be the valley."

Steele leaned against his shoulder to look and wrinkled his nose. "We better find a safe place with a shower. You're in desperate need of one."

"Now who's the wiseass," Rafe grumbled although he agreed they both could use one. "Anyway, when we left the cabin we were headed this way then veered off here to the cave. That look about right?"

"Yeah. Then up and over, give or take here, and down. So we're approximately here—" he tapped the map, "—and if we are then Canolo is close enough we should make it there by late afternoon."

Rafe scrubbed a hand over his face. "If…"

"I know, it's by guess and by golly but we can't spend another night outside. That would be tempting fate in the worst way." Steele stood and reached for Rafe's hand to help him up. Rafe bit back a groan that caused Steele to wrap his arm tightly around his waist despite his immediate protest that he was fine. "The hell you are," Steele said firmly. "So stop trying to play the martyr."

Rafe bit back a reply and they began the slow trek toward Canolo.