Shadow Men – 71 – Anders and Grant

"I'm going stir crazy," Grant proclaimed two days after he and Anders had returned to the apartment. He'd tried to kill as much time as possible by cleaning it up, much to Anders' amusement.

"Why bother," Anders had said at one point. "I might not use this place again for another six months or more. It'll just get dusty and what have you in the interim."

"Probably, but still…"

"Yeah, I know. I'd help but…"

"You're not to do anything to aggravate your shoulder," Grant had said firmly. It had been his mantra every time Anders had so much as tried to do something other than sit and watch, when he wasn't so dosed up with pills that he was sleeping.

Now Anders growled, "You're going stir crazy? I've been round the bend for the last day but since I can't drive a car or the bike…" He sighed deeply, laying his head back on the sofa to stare up at the dingy ceiling. "You missed some cobwebs."

"Screw the cobwebs, we're leaving. Strange as it may seem, I know how to drive so all we need is a car."

"Going to go out and steal one?" Anders asked with a smirk.

Grant sat down beside him. "How do I do that?"

There was a long pause as Anders stared at him in surprise. Then he said, "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Yeah. Well if I can do it basically one-handed."

"You can." Anders proceeded to explain what he'd have to do and what kind of car to pick. "But you're not even trying this until after dark, and if you find one where some idiot's left the keys in the ignition, that's even better."

"For sure. Does that happen often?"

"Not often enough," Anders told him with a grin.

Four hours later Grant decided the fates must have been on his side. The neighborhood around the apartment building was…well, as far as he was concerned it was downright scary, but needs must where the devil drives, as his father used to say. He tried to look confident while he walked up and down the streets in search of a vehicle that fit Anders' criteria. He was about to give it up as a lost, and very stupid, cause on his part when a car turned a corner, swerving back and forth across the road, then pulled into an empty space, its wheels half on the curb. The driver staggered out and made his way unsteadily to a house where he immediately vomited into the bushes before collapsing on the stoop.

Taking a chance, Grant strolled by the car, glancing inside. Yes! he mentally cheered as he opened the door to slide in. It reeked of alcohol but he could live with that as the keys were in the ignition. A minute later he was driving away and five minutes later he pulled into the garage, parked next to the bike, and hurried up to the apartment.

* * * *

After Grant told him how he'd gotten the car, Anders insisted they pack up and get out of there immediately. "No telling when the man might sober up enough to realize his car's missing and actually do something like call the cops."

Packing up was easily done and they were out of the apartment half an hour later. Anders had refused to take his pills, saying he had to remain alert enough to tell Grant how to get out of the city using side streets.

"We're not taking any chances," he told Grant. "I don't know what's taking her so long to file those indictments but…" He shrugged his good shoulder.

"Hopefully making sure there're no loopholes the Senator can squirm through," Grant replied as he paused at a stop sign.

"Probably, yeah. Left at the next corner, then hang a right two blocks up."

Grant did as he was told. Ahead of them was a fast-food place that was still open despite the late hour. Without asking, Grant pulled into the drive-up lane. "What's your pleasure?" he asked Anders. Anders smirked. "In food, as in what's on the menu," Grant muttered.

"Spoil sport."

"Yeah, yeah." Grant shook his head then placed their orders when Anders told him what he wanted.

They ate as they continued out of the city. Anders finally decided it was safe to take his pills. In Grant's opinion he should have an hour ago since he hissed in pain any time Grant had taken a corner a bit too sharply.

After giving Grant explicit instructions on which highways he should take, Anders got into the backseat where he could lay down, popped two pills, washed them down with the last of his soda and was soon asleep.