Shadow Men – 45 – Anders and Grant

Early the next morning, while Corrie kept Nicky occupied in the kitchen helping her make breakfast, Anders and Grant sat on the back stoop of the house.

"What exactly are you planning?" Grant asked.

"For starters, making it from here to Manhattan without getting caught."

"That sounds like a good idea, the not getting caught part. Why Manhattan?"

"I know a man there who knows someone…"

"Who knows someone," Steele's voice said behind them.

Grant stood instantly so Steele could sit. Steele thanked him, easing his way down to settle on the edge of the stoop.

"Pretty much, Steele, yeah," Anders agreed. "But it's a start."

"You're damned sure you can trust this man?"

"Are we ever absolutely certain? I'm ninety-nine…" Anders almost smiled when Grant finished the phrase with him. "Anyway, yeah, I do."

"It turned out that the last few people we trusted were working for the Colonel," Steele said, anger causing him to spit the words out.

"Not this guy. I'm not saying he couldn't be bought but not by the Colonel or any of his people, up to and including the Senator."

Steele nodded sharply. "I believe you. How are we getting there?"

"In the car."

Grant looked around. "What car?"

"Come on, I'll show you." Anders got up, heading toward the trees a few yards away.

The branches of the trees were so thick almost no light made its way through them. If Grant hadn't expected to see something he wouldn't have because the camouflage tarp blended so well with the surroundings. Anders pulled it off to reveal a nondescript car, four or five years old, gray and a bit dirty with mud spatters at the back and along one side.

"Not terribly impressive but I guess that's the idea. How does it run?"

"Like a top. The outside's all for show, it's what's under the hood that counts. Believe me, it can take on any car on the road. It's also bullet-proof."

"Which is…good, I guess." Just the idea added another layer to Grant's dread of what was to come.

"It's very good," Anders agreed.

"Question." Grant glanced around just in case Steele was on his way over to join them. When he saw him still sitting on the stoop, he asked Anders, "Is he really in any shape to come with us?"

"Corrie says he is, physically at least. He's eighty percent better than when we pulled him out of there a month ago." Grant shuddered and Anders nodded. "We weren't sure either one of them was going to make it by the time we got them to a doctor we use, one of ours and safe. It wasn't 'til last week that we could bring them both down here."

"What about mentally?"

"You want an honest answer, I don't know. He seems to be doing okay. Nightmares, of course, but Carrie says no flashbacks since he's been here."

"Yes, but it's peaceful here."

"I get what you're saying. Time will tell. He knows what we're doing, planning. He's strong, Grant, here," Anders touched his head, "and here," he tapped his chest.

"All right. Maybe we should get back now?"

"Yeah." Anders chuckled. "Corrie gets pissed if we let her cooking get cold."