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.

Shadow Men – 70 – Anders and Grant

"I opt we take our things and find a decent motel," Grant said as he  took a look around the apartment.

"Not a good idea yet," Anders replied tersely. "I hate to point this out but the Senator's still out there somewhere. He may or may not know yet that we handed the information over to our friend but either way it's unlikely he's stopped looking for us."

"Damn it!"

"Yeah, I know. With any luck she'll move swiftly to get an indictment against him. Then, hopefully, he'll have more important things to think about than us." Anders started to leave the room, saying over his shoulder, "Until then we still stay under the radar."

"Got it." Grant looked at the sofa, figured that's where he'd be sleeping at least for the night, and called out, "I don't suppose you have extra sheets and a blanket hiding here somewhere."

Anders stopped. "What for?" Grant pointed at the sofa. "Why would you want to sleep there when I have a perfectly good bed?"

"Because..?"

"That's not an answer, Grant." Anders smirked a bit when he echoed Grant's words of a few hours ago.

"It works for me."

"Damn it, don't be an idiot. After I take the pills the doc gave me I'll be out like a light. So get your ass moving. If you're shy I think there's a couple of pair of sweats in the dresser. You can sleep in one of them."

After a moment's hesitation, Grant nodded. "I'm not shy by the way," he muttered as he followed Anders into the bedroom.

"Me neither." Anders began to strip, albeit slowly and with care not to move his shoulder any more than necessary.

Grant watched him for a moment, admiring both his body and to his surprise his attitude. Then, with a shrug of acceptance he eased off his shirt and sat down on the edge of the large bed to take off his shoes and socks.

"Be back in a couple, I need to clean up a bit," Anders announced.

"Remember, you can't get the bandages wet."

Anders snapped out, "Trust me, Grant, I've been through this a time or five, I know the routine."

"Yeah, sorry."

"No, I'm sorry. I'm tired and in pain but that's no excuse to bite your head off."

"I'll survive."

"Counting on that," Anders said softly as he closed the door behind him.

Grant cocked an eyebrow at that as he settled back on the bed to wait for Anders to finish.

* * * *

"No nightmares tonight."

"What?" Grant tried to figure out why Anders would be telling him not to have nightmares. Then he tried to figure out why there was something lying across his waist that felt… He rolled over to stare into Anders' amused, if sleepy, eyes.

"As far as I can tell, although I was pretty knocked out by the drugs, you didn't have any nightmares."

"How long have we been sleeping?"

"It's mid-afternoon, so for quite a while."

"No wonder I have to piss." Which he did, but it was also an excuse to move before he did something he probably shouldn't, like kiss the knowing grin off of Anders' lips. As he moved away and sat up, he heard a sigh. Ignore it. And ignore that too, he told himself when Anders ran a fingertip lightly down his back. Getting up quickly he headed to the bathroom.

After emptying his bladder he considered his options as he stared at himself in the mirror. He could stay in here; maybe take a shower until Anders got tired of waiting for him to come back. He could splash water on his face, then go back and get dressed. Or he could do what he really wanted to but knew he shouldn't; climb back into bed and let what happened happen.

The decision was taken out of his hands when he heard Anders swearing a steady stream of curse words. Without thinking he slammed the door open, not certain what was going on but fearing the worst. It was, in a way. Anders was doubled over, his face dead white. Grant was beside him in a second, asking what was wrong.

"Moved too fast," Anders told him, his voice tight with pain.

Grant carefully helped him get comfortable again then got him his pills and a glass of water.

When he'd downed the pills, Anders grumbled, "There go my plans for the next half- hour."

"Only half an hour?" Grant lifted one eyebrow in amusement.

"Didn't want to wear you out first time around."

"Umm hmm, sure. Maybe when we're both back to normal we can test that theory."

Anders actually looked surprised. "You serious?"

"Maybe, probably, I guess." Grant trailed a finger along the line of Anders' jaw, smiling when Anders turned his head and tried to nip it. "Behave."

"Don't seem to have much choice right now."

"I know." Impulsively Grant leaned over to kiss him. It was a gentle kiss but held a promise that there might be more in the days to come. Anders returned the kiss, and the promise, before the drugs kicked in and his eyes closed.

Shadow Men – 69 – Anders and Grant

Just as Grant had predicted, it had taken a lot of fast talking to get past the attorney-general's secretary. When they had, they'd spent two hours with the woman. First they'd had to explain who they were and then they told her about Petya Goranov's murder. Once she got over the shock of that, as Petya had been a friend of hers from long before Goranov's death, Anders gave her the papers.

She read them, page by page, her mouth and then her face tightening in anger as she did. Finally she looked at Anders and Grant. "All I can say is the Senator will be handled in a way that will make quite certain he will never be able to dirty his office or our country again. Thank goodness the Colonel decided to take his own life although…" She looked pensive for a moment. "One has to wonder if the Senator saw the writing on the wall and decided to take care of things himself."

"Quite possible, I guess," Anders said seriously.

"Thank you both for bringing these to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'd better get to work doing something about the information they contain."

"We did it!" Grant smiled gleefully as they walked out of the building. "Now, finally, I can get my life back."

"Yeah, Nicky will be glad of that." Anders strode across the plaza in front of the building to the street. "But right now all I want to do is crash for a week."

"Right now you're going to go get that wound taken care of," Grant told him when he caught up to him.

"Yeah I know. Next on the agenda." As they approached the parking garage, he stopped. "Guess we cab it. No way they'll let us in there."

Grant saw the police presence and nodded, glad for the second time since the shoot-out that Anders had insisted they leave the weapons safely hidden in the car. If they hadn't, they'd never have gotten past security to see the attorney-general.

They found a cab, which took them to a part of town Grant would happily have avoided if the doctor Anders knew didn't ply his trade in one of the buildings there.

After Anders' shoulder was taken care of and he'd paid the doctor what Grant thought was an obscene amount of money, they returned to the apartment.

Shadow Men – 68 – Anders and Grant

"Just what the hell were you planning on doing?" Anders growled as Grant helped him make it to the elevator. "Beat him over the head with your cast after you stuck the knife in his side?"

"So…my aim was bad. It would have been better if someone hadn't decided to have a shoot-out at the OK Corral just then."

"Yeah, well shit happens."

"So I see." Grant shifted his grip around Anders' waist to avoid getting even more blood on his clothes from the wound on Anders' shoulder. "You need a doctor."

"Not 'til we get rid of the papers. I'm tired of lugging them around."

"We're just going to leave the bodies there for the cops to find?"

"Yep." The elevator doors slid open and they got in. "You got my knife back so we're good."

Grant stared at him and almost laughed. "Have you taken a look at yourself? You look like a bloody grease-monkey, literally."

"Yeah, well, I guess we'll have to do something about that."

"Like?"

"Go back to the car. I've got some extra clothes in the trunk." Anders pushed the button to take them up.

"What if…?"

"I doubt there will be anyone there. Even if there are a couple more of them they won't expect us to be stupid enough to return to the car."

"Guess they're wrong."

"Yeah, guess so."

* * * *

"You still look like hell, but at least you're not covered with blood," Grant said a few minutes later as they returned to the elevator.

Anders was now in well-worn jeans and a T-shirt with a jean jacket over top. Lacking any bandages, Grant had cut up a second T-shirt with the knife to make a compress, which was held in place on Anders' shoulder with duct tape he'd found in the trunk.

Grant's dark turtleneck hid the blood he'd gotten on him from helping Anders. Anders suspected he felt sticky and undoubtedly was wishing there had been something else in the car trunk for him to change into. But there wasn't so he'd just have to deal with it.

Grant pushed the button when the elevator doors closed and leaned back against the elevator wall with a deep sigh.

"You did good," Anders told him as he joined him against the wall.

"Thanks." Grant turned his head to look at him.

"Very good." Anders looked at Grant, intending to give him his usual pat on the shoulder. Suddenly and impulsively, he kissed him. It wasn't much of a kiss, more a quick brush of his lips over Grant's. Then he pulled back. "Sorry, shouldn't have done that," he muttered.

"Why not?"

"Because…" Anders had no intention of saying more but apparently Grant was bent on getting him to.

"That's not an answer, Anders."

"Because it's not something you want. Or I was taking advantage of the situation. Or because I just needed some human contact for a moment. Take your choice," Anders snapped out. "Satisfied?"

Grant reached past him to push the stop button just before the elevator reached the first floor of the garage. "One, there was no 'situation' as far as I can see. Two, what's wrong with needing honest contact with someone else. Three, maybe I did want it. I'm not saying for sure, but…"

Anders was beyond surprised when Grant leaned forward to plant a firm kiss on his mouth then started the elevator again.

The doors opened seconds later and Grant stepped out. "Now, shall we get this damned thing over with?"

The job, yeah. But the kiss, it was just the beginning if I have anything to say about it.

Shadow Men – 67 – Anders and Grant

"Scenic route, I take it," Grant commented as Anders made yet another turn onto a primarily residential street, driving the car which had been in the garage at the apartment building.

"Just making damned certain we're not being followed."

Grant did his best to hide the shudder that ran through his body. He was surprised when Anders reached across the car's console to pat his thigh.

"With a whole country to search I doubt he's zeroed in on our being here. I'm just being careful since it is his home territory."

"I understand."

"But it doesn't make you feel any better." Anders kept his eyes on where he was going—and his hand on Grant's thigh.

"I'll feel better when the papers are safely in her hands and not before."

* * * *

"How far away are we?"

"Two blocks." Anders stuck the parking garage sticker on the car's dashboard then got out. "We'll walk down."

Grant knew he meant to get out of the parking garage. It was a no-brainer they'd be walking to their destination once they got to the street.

They'd made it from the fourth level to the second when Anders suddenly grabbed Grant's arm and dragged him roughly between a car and a dark SUV. "Get down and stay down," he ordered even as he pulled his gun.

"It won't do any good, Anders," a voice called out. "You might as well give it up now and save a lot of car owners from filing insurance claims."

Anders remained silent. He pointed to the rear end of the SUV and Grant inched his way back. He heard something slide toward him and almost called out a warning before he saw a sheathed knife, which he quickly picked up, unsheathing it, gripping it in his good hand. It wouldn't do much good in a shoot-out but nonetheless it did make him feel better.

"Anders," the voice called out again. "All we want are those papers. Then you and Mr. Eastman are free to leave."

As Grant watched, Anders slithered under the SUV until he was out of sight. A cold calm enveloped Grant then. Carefully he moved between the front of the car parked next to the SUV and the garage wall. When he reached the car's far side he peeked out cautiously. A man's shadow darkened the space between that car and the one beside it. The man himself stood about a foot out from the cars, his concentration, as far as Grant could tell, on the SUV. He held a gun at his side.

Grant wondered what the chances were he could make it to the man before he knew he was there, figured it was ninety-nine percent likely he'd be spotted, and with infinite care made his way across the narrow gap until he was behind the next car, which, he realized, was parked in a corner beside the garage wall. With nowhere to go but forward he had no choice but to do so.

When he got to the end of the car he very carefully looked around it, praying the man's attention was still on the SUV. Do or die, or is that and die, he wondered when he saw the man's back was to him and prepared to stand and attack.

Three shots rang out in succession.