Cut & Run 05 - Armed & Dangerous (17 page)

Chapter 9

 

“WHATmile marker are we near?” Zane asked as he peered at the map they’d bought that morning.

“129.3,” Ty answered without cracking a smile or taking his eyes off the road.
Zane glanced at him and rolled his eyes. He set the map on the floorboard and took up his crossword puzzle book. A moment later they came upon a green mile marker. It read Mile 130.
Cameron watched it pass, and then leaned sideways to look at Ty in the rearview mirror. “How are you doing that?”
“Doing what?” Ty asked in a bored voice.
Cameron huffed and glanced at Julian, who was watching Ty with one eyebrow raised.
Ty tried to hide his smirk. He’d been doing it for a solid hour, and not one of them had managed to figure out how. Ty was once again behind the wheel, trying not to zone out as the road stretched out before them in a seemingly endless roll of pavement, snow, and Holiday Inns.
“He’s either doing complex math equations in his head, or he’s got GPS embedded in his ass,” Zane muttered.
Cameron huffed and Ty allowed himself to grin. He glanced at Zane, his only real source of amusement, and he smirked as he turned his attention to the road.
“Okay, here’s a quiz,” he said. “It was the last set of questions they asked before I got accepted for Recon.”
Zane looked up from his crossword puzzle to give Ty a sideways glance. “Are you this bored?” he asked in a knowing tone. Ty shrugged. “Just trying to pass the time.”
“I live to be your favorite source of entertainment,” Zane drawled. “What are the questions?”
Ty glanced at him again, raising an eyebrow. Zane gave him an innocent look. Ty huffed at him, but he was still smiling when he asked the first question. “How do you put a giraffe in a refrigerator?”
Cameron groaned in the backseat. “If the answer involves knives I want out of the car.”
Zane tipped his head to the side, his brows drawn together. He opened his mouth to reply, paused and narrowed his eyes at Ty, then hummed. “Open the door and stuff it in.”
Ty glanced at him, trying to hide his smile. “Very good. How do you put an elephant in a refrigerator?”
Zane leaned his head back against the headrest as he drummed his fingers on his thigh. “I feel like this is a trick question. Same answer, though.”
Ty was shaking his head. “You have to take the giraffe out first.” He glanced in the rearview mirror at their prisoners. Julian was watching them, head cocked as he listened. Ty continued. “The Lion King is hosting an animal convention. All the animals attend except one. Which one is it?”
“Oh Lord,” Zane said under his breath as he shook his head and looked out the window. A soft laugh from behind them drew his attention, and he looked over his shoulder to see Cameron biting his lip, trying not to smile.
Zane wrinkled his nose and looked back at Ty. “It’s like those tests in grade school with a whole long list of questions to answer, and all you had to do was get to question three, sign your name, and turn it in.”
“What’s the answer?” Ty asked all of them.
“I refuse to participate on the grounds that I hate you both,” Julian murmured.
“I feel like I should know this,” Zane said under his breath.
“Is it the animal the Lion King is serving for dinner?” Cameron asked, a wry undertone to his voice.
Ty shook his head.
“The elephant isn’t there,” Julian finally said in an irritated voice. “Because you just stuffed it into the refrigerator.”
“That’s right,” Ty said as he tried not to smile. “Last question. There’s a river you have to cross that’s patrolled by crocodiles, and you don’t have a boat. How do you get across?”
“Ask the crocodile for a ride,” Cameron said.
Ty shook his head.
“Swim,” Zane said instead.
Ty turned his chin and looked at him for his reasoning.
“What about the crocodiles?” Cameron asked.
“The crocodiles aren’t there. They’re at the convention,” Zane said with a shrug, and Cameron scowled at him.
Ty grinned before looking back at the road.
“You realize those are questions they ask schoolchildren to test their reasoning skills, yes?” Julian provided sardonically.
Ty nodded, still grinning.
“So did you get them all right when they asked you?” Zane asked.
“No,” Ty answered. “For their purposes,you weren’t supposed to get them right. They said they accepted me because my answers were wrong but precisely what they wanted to hear.”
“I’m sure I cannot imagine what you came up with,” Zane said, shaking his head. “You figured I’d pick it apart logically. Which is the total opposite of what you do.”
“I wasn’t sure what you’d do,” Ty told him fondly.
“If you’d asked the last question first? I’d have said shoot the crocodiles,” Zane admitted.
Ty shook his head, smiling.
“Grady’s answer was build a bridge,” Julian murmured from the back seat.
Ty looked up at the mirror, surprised. “That’s right.”
“How’d you know that, Julian?” Cameron asked.
Julian looked up, meeting Ty’s eyes in the mirror. “Because it’s what I would have said.”
“How sweet,” Zane muttered.
Ty’s eyes lingered on the mirror before he was able to tear his attention away and focus on the road again. He shifted in his seat, unsettled and wishing he’d never said anything.
“What mile are we at now?” Cameron asked.
Ty’s gaze darted to the side of the road, seeking out a structure. They came upon an overpass, and he found one of the tiny blue signs he’d noticed that told the mile to the exact decimal. “142.7.”
A few seconds later, they came upon another mile marker.
“How the hell is he doing that?” Cameron asked as Zane chuckled.
Ty looked into the mirror, only to find Julian’s dark eyes already watching him. He could tell that Julian knew exactly how he was doing it.
“How’d you two end up together, anyway?” Zane asked, oblivious to Ty’s sudden discomfort and Julian’s eyes boring a hole into his soul.
“I was his waiter,” Cameron answered.
“How… romantic,” Ty said as he honestly tried to find a more appropriate word.
“It was,” Cameron murmured.
Ty and Zane shared a look. Ty supposed no one would call the way they met romantic either. Love was love, though. Ty wanted desperately to reach out to Zane and touch him. He refrained, tightening his fingers on the steering wheel instead.
“He’s the most important thing in my life,” Julian said, his low voice echoing what Ty was thinking.
“How did that happen?” Zane asked.
Julian raised one finger, all the movement Ty’s method of restraint allowed him. “Love isn’t a gentle thing. I’ve found it carries a club and a bullwhip and doesn’t care when or who it strikes.”
“My knight in shining plate armor,” Cameron murmured.
Zane didn’t try to hold back his soft laugh, though it trailed off. Ty glanced over to find Zane looking at him wistfully. “Kind of like getting pushed off a cliff,” he said without taking his eyes off Ty.
Julian was silent for a moment, merely watching Ty and Zane. Observing them. “I don’t consider it a problem. Loving Cameron is easy. He’s the reason I try so very hard every day not to be killed,” he said with a hint of what might have been humor.
“And the danger it puts him in?”
“I almost lost him to it when I tried to shield him from it,” Julian answered unflinchingly, not even hesitating to say the words as Cameron watched him. “I kept things from him, things I knew would scare him. When he found out the true dangers of being with me, he was indeed scared and angry with me for keeping them secret, and he sent me away. We got a second chance. Now we deal in truth. He is his own man, he makes his own decisions. My conscience is clear on that note.”
“Except when he’s about to freeze to death in a blizzard,” Ty murmured while trying to ignore the sword chopping at his own conscience.
“Ty,” Zane whispered, shaking his head.
Ty huffed at him.
It was a few minutes before Zane finally asked, “How did you know that you loved him?”
“Difficult to say,” Julian answered thoughtfully. “A number of things, really. The biggest, however, was the excruciating pain it caused me to think of life without him in it.”
Cameron was smiling, watching Julian like he was the only thing in the world.
Julian laughed. “Something that torturous can only be love.”
Zane snorted, carefully avoiding looking at Ty.
“I see you’re familiar with it,” Julian observed drily.
Ty glanced at Zane again, unable to keep his lips from curving into a smile.
“Yeah,” Zane said as he turned around and eased back into his seat. “Yeah, I’m familiar with it.”
TY PULLED the FBI sedan into the parking lot of the Commodore Perry Travel Plaza just as the sun was setting. It wasn’t snowing, but even on the Ohio turnpike there was at least six inches of snow, and when the frigid wind kicked up, the top dusting flew in their faces and stung anything that wasn’t covered.
They bowed their heads as they fought through the cold to the brand-new travel plaza building. It was mostly empty inside, with lots of open lobby space in a hexagonal shape around a center convenience shop.
Zane held tighter to Julian’s arm.
“Ooh, Starbucks,” Cameron said as he leaned toward the row of shops to their right.
“I thought they overroasted their beans,” Ty grumbled.
Cameron snorted.
“I’d like to get some gum or something,” Julian said to Zane as Ty led Cameron toward the restrooms.
Zane glanced at him and hummed as he studied the narrow aisles of the convenience store. “Try anything in there and I’ll put you down.”
Julian gave him a single nod.
Zane walked him over to the store, giving the restrooms a last glance. He and Julian meandered through the aisles of the convenience store, Zane watching Julian and Julian looking for something he didn’t seem to be finding. When he reached for a pack of gum, his linked hands knocked over an entire row of condom and tampon boxes.
Julian cursed under his breath, glancing at the clerk as he lifted his hands to show Zane that they were empty. Zane sighed and glanced at the clerk as well. She was watching them with a wary frown. Zane waved at her and smiled, and when he looked back at Julian, the man was stooping to pick up the boxes. Zane watched his movements closely, making certain he wasn’t doing anything nefarious. Then he plucked a pack of gum off the rack and led Julian to the desk.
Five minutes and a bathroom break later, they met Ty and Cameron in line for coffee.
“Everything okay?” Ty asked.
Zane spared himself a moment to just stare at his partner. He nodded before Ty could grow worried. They locked eyes, and Ty began to smile before he looked away.
They could not get home soon enough.
They filled the car with gas, Zane letting Julian stand in the cold wind to stretch his legs so he’d stop complaining, and then they hit the road again. An hour later they were closing in on Cleveland. Zane watched the Erie County water tower pass by, and he realized he was growing drowsy. He rubbed at his eyes and glanced at Ty.
“You doing okay?”
Ty jerked his head to the side and nodded. “Couple more hours we’ll get something to eat, some caffeine. I think we can get to DC tonight if we both drive.”
Zane nodded.
“Sleep,” Ty whispered. “I’ll wake you when it’s your turn.”
“Aw. That’s sweet,” Julian said in a wry voice.
Ty and Zane both ignored him.
Zane reached to lay his chair back, preferably on top of Julian’s head, but as soon as his fingers found the button, the car made a sputtering sound.
Ty raised his hand off the wheel and looked at the gauges.
“What was that?” Cameron asked. The car jerked and began to slow.
Ty managed to get the car off the highway before it died completely. It chugged and grumbled and lurched to a stop. The engine went quiet, throwing the car into the otherworldly silence of a landscape covered with snow.
“What?” Ty said in irritation.
“Did our car just die?” Cameron asked, an edge of panic to his voice. “Are we going to freeze now?”
“Yes,” Ty answered as he ran his hand over his chin.
Zane looked around them. The moon was out in full force, reflecting off the blanket of snow. They could see for miles, and it wasn’t a comforting view. There was nothing around them. There wasn’t even a glow of lights in the night sky that would signify a shopping center or small town within a few miles. “Fucking Ohio,” Zane muttered.
Ty exhaled, and the slowly cooling air frosted with his breath. “Cross,” he said, voice deceptively calm. “What did you do to it?”
“I haven’t touched the vehicle, Agent Grady.”
Ty looked at Zane, clenching his jaw. “What did he do in that travel place?”
“Got some gum. Knocked over some condoms. Took a piss, and stood in the cold.”
Ty rubbed his eyes, lowering his head. “Did you put a condom in the gas tank?” he asked Julian.
Julian was silent.
“You put a condom in the gas tank.”
Zane turned to look back at Julian. “How do you even do that?”
Julian looked away, meeting Cameron’s eyes.
“If we start freezing, we’re eating Cameron first,” Ty grunted before unbuckling his seatbelt and climbing out of the car.

J ULIAN had to restrain a smirk as the two FBI agents got out of the car. He could feel the cold seeping through the glass of the windows, and while it wasn’t ideal to be stuck where they were, it would have to serve.

“Did you really kill the car?” Cameron asked in a low voice. “You have to give me some credit for being subversive.” “Yeah, freezing to death in the middle of Ohio really turns me

on.”
Julian grinned, chuckling as he looked out the window at Ty and
Zane. They stood at the front of the car, Zane calm as he spoke, Ty
gesticulating wildly instead of using words. They were discussing
something quite heatedly.
“What are they fighting about?”
Julian could take his guesses. “I would say Grady wants to shoot
me. Garrett is telling him no, too much paperwork. Then Grady will move on to how to get help. Garrett will suggest calling for a rental,
Grady will be more… illegal, and likely want to go steal one.” Cameron laughed.
“Listen, Cam. When I make my move, I want you to aim for the
pressure points like I taught you and then run.”
“Julian.”
“I’m serious, love. These men are delivering us to our end. Either
I’ll be killed, or I’ll be conscripted back into service, and either way,
you won’t be allowed to come with me. Do you understand?” Cameron met his eyes, swallowing hard as he nodded. Julian let his eyes linger on his lover for a few moments, and then
looked back at Ty and Zane. To his surprise, Ty had turned and was
walking off across the white field of snow toward a side road on the
other side of a fence.
“I’ll be damned,” he whispered as he watched Ty put a hand on a
fencepost and leap over the barbed wire.
“What?”
“He’s leaving.”
The front door popped open and Zane slid into the passenger seat.
He brought a gust of cold air with him before he shut the door. “You’re just going to let him walk off into the snow?” Cameron
asked.
“He’ll be back,” Zane assured them, as calm and steady as ever. Julian looked from him to the retreating figure of his partner in
the distance. This hadn’t gone to plan at all. Julian had anticipated a
rental being called, exchanging vehicles, the two agents being
distracted and irritated enough that he could get the drop on them as he
was transferred. He hadn’t expected Ty to storm off into the darkness
alone.
“Agent Garrett, while I don’t pretend to particularly like your
partner, I have to express some concern over this plan.”
“Your concern is noted,” Zane said, his voice stilted and curt. “It’s below freezing out there, Garrett.”
“Julian,” Cameron whispered.
Julian glanced at him and licked his lips, trying to force his
shoulders to relax. He wanted to get away, but he didn’t want to be
responsible for the death of either of these men. They were only doing
as they’d been ordered, just like Julian had done for so many years. Zane turned his head to look back at them. “If either of you knew
Ty like I do, you’d be more worried about us freezing than him.” An hour later, a pair of headlights flashed behind them, rousting
all of them from a cold-induced doze. Julian craned his neck to watch
the car approach. It slowed as it neared them, revealing itself to be a
truck or SUV of some sort. Julian would have guessed it was an older
vehicle from the shape of the headlights. The driver flashed the lights
again before pulling up behind their sedan. The lights didn’t shut off,
and Julian could barely make out the figure that stepped out of the SUV
and walked toward them.
Ty opened the driver’s side door and ducked in to look at them.
“Got us a ride,” he said, voice hoarse and gruff.
Zane got out of the car and slammed the door. The trunk opened,
and Julian could feel them removing things from the back to transfer.
Julian flexed his fingers, trying to get the blood pumping. If they could
catch Ty and Zane by surprise now, after the effects of the cold had
made them slower and less aware, then they might be able to take
whatever vehicle Ty had found and make a clean getaway. His fingers were stiff and cold. His whole body was. He also
realized, somewhat belatedly, that his mind wasn’t working at full
speed either. Ty and Zane weren’t the only ones who’d gotten cold and
sleepy.
“Shit.”
“What?” Cameron asked, his voice sluggish.
“I’m afraid my plan has backfired. I didn’t expect the exchange to
take so long.”
“Are you cold?” Cameron whispered.
The trunk slammed. Julian turned his head just in time to see Ty
and Zane standing in the light of the headlights, Zane’s hands on Ty’s
face. For a brief moment, Julian thought they were kissing. He closed
his eyes and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again, Zane was
merely feeling Ty’s cheeks, apparently to check that he was warm. “I believe… I might be hallucinating,” Julian muttered as he tried
to shift enough to get his blood flowing.
Cameron didn’t respond, he merely looked at Julian, his eyes
glazing over. The door popped open at Julian’s elbow, and Ty reached
in to unlock his handcuffs. Ty pulled him out of the car, and the blast of
cold was enough to make Julian gasp.
“Cold, isn’t it?” Ty asked through gritted teeth as he pushed
Julian chest-first against the sedan.
Julian waited until Zane had freed Cameron. Then he rammed his
elbow into Ty, catching him on the chin. Ty stumbled back and Julian
turned, finally having gotten the drop on the man. He swung at him and
Ty leaned away from his fist, dodging the blow. Instead of squaring
against him to prepare for the brawl, Ty lunged at him. He jumped,
turning sideways in the air, kicking out at Julian. He wrapped his arm
around Julian’s neck. One foot went between Julian’s legs, the other on
the outside of his knee. Then he wrenched his body sideways as he fell,
wrapping Julian up and taking him to the ground.
By the time they hit the snow, Julian was completely
immobilized, his legs tangled in Ty’s, in a headlock as he struggled to
free himself.
“Ty!”
“We’re okay,” Ty called back, his voice freakishly calm as Julian
tried to find a pressure point or
something
to fight back with. “Get the
kid in the car. I need your help.”
Julian gritted his teeth. “Why is an ex-Recon Marine trained in
Russian Sambo?”
Ty didn’t answer, merely tightened his hold on Julian so he
couldn’t speak as they both shivered with the cold seeping into them.