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."