Shadow Men – 44 – Anders and Grant

"What if I say no?" Grant asked as he returned his attention to the men.

"I take you and Nicky back to your home and walk away," Anders told him, his voice cold as ice.

"That would be a death warrant," Grant said in shock.

"Probably."

"This is blackmail!"

"Grant," Steele said, bringing Grant's attention to him. "While I don't think Anders would actually do that, you have to understand this is a desperate game we're playing. Too many people have died, or been hurt, since the original man got his hands on those papers. It has to stop. You can help."

Grant looked hard at Steele, once again seeing all the damage the man had sustained. "They tortured you."

"Yeah." Steele's face tightened into a mask.

Grant was certain he was remembering it. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," he said remorsefully.

Steele blinked, shook his head, and told him, "It happened, it's past, let's move on."

"Can I think about this?"

"Yeah," Anders replied, "but don't take too long. Each day we wait makes it easier for the Colonel and the Senator to both find us and cover their trail at the same time."

"What about..?" Grant was afraid to ask.

"Your son?" Steele asked.

"Yes."

Corrie came over, sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of Grant. "He'll stay here with me and Rafe. I'm as well trained as any of the men." She glanced at Anders and smirked. "Maybe better."

Anders snorted.

"Anyway," she continued, "Nicky will be much safer here than anywhere else."

"I…" Grant drew in a deep breath. "We haven't been apart since Martin's death. How can I leave him behind now? He'll be terrified something will happen to me, too."

"You can't take him with you, Grant. Think of the danger he'd be in, and equally important, how much of a liability he could be." Corrie took one of his hands in hers and he didn't try to pull it back because it was comforting. "First off, you would be worried about him every second. Secondly, you know they're looking for two men and a young boy. It would be like waving a red flag saying 'Here we are'."

Grant rested his elbows on his knees then buried his face in his hands. "I can't do this, any of this," he whispered.

"Yeah, you can," Anders said firmly. "Just like any one of us here, you do what you have to because if you don't you'll be betraying not only yourself and your son, you'll be betraying people who think that the Senator is the ideal man to represent them. You know and I know that's not the truth."

"He's right, Grant, you do what you have to do." The quiet tone of Steele's voice emphasized his words more than any vehemence could have.

"Will I at least be able to call him…once in a while?"

Corrie glanced at Anders. When he nodded she replied, "We'll set it up so it'll be safe for both of you."

Leaning back, Grant stared up at the ceiling but saw the dead man on the floor of his living room, the gun clutched in his hand. If Anders had been two seconds slower, or if he hadn't been there at all… Then he thought of the man in the room below them, and the one beside him. Both were possibly irreparably damaged. They would be dead if it weren't for Anders and Corrie. All because two vicious, immoral men thought they were above any laws, human or God-given.

"All right." Grant's voice was firm even though he was terrified. "I'm in, or whatever I'm supposed to say."

"That works," Anders told him, clapping one hand on his shoulder.

"Now everyone, off to bed," Corrie said as she stood up.

Steele chuckled softly. "Yes, mother."