A Restored Man

by Jaime Reese

  Aidan turned to Geek. "How long will we have eyes on him?"

  Geek's fingers worked at light speed on his laptop. "I'm tapping into the red light and traffic cams now. I want to make sure we're covered just in case he needs to take a different route."

  Ty turned to look at Cole's crew member, his pulse suddenly escalating. "Why would he need to take a different route?"

  "My-Ty?" he heard Cole's voice come through the speaker.

  Ty spun back to face the monitors, startled by hearing his nickname.

  "Ty, talk to me," Cole said in his calm, focused voice. "I…I need to hear your voice."

  "Why would you need to take a different route?" he asked Cole.

  "Remember Geek and Tracker are my Plan B. They're my safety net if Aidan fucks up," Cole said.

  "I'm in the room, asshole," Aidan said with a sneer.

  "I know. Saves me the time of having to repeat myself."

  Ty chuckled quietly. "How are you doing over there?" he asked Cole.

  "My mind's wandering too much," Cole said with a hint of hesitation.

  Ty straightened. "What's wrong?"

  "It's nothing. It's been a while…I guess."

  "Cole?" Ty said, trying to coax him for more information while trying to control the worry in his tone.

  "I don't want to worry you," Cole said quietly.

  Ty turned to look at Tracker, remembering Cole's earlier comment. "He thought he was being followed earlier. Can you check if he's got a tail?"

  "On it," Tracker said moments before his fingers began tapping his laptop keys.

  "My-Ty?"

  "Yeah," Ty said, trying his best to keep his tone steady.

  "Talk to me. Please," Cole said in a flat tone.

  Ty's heart pounded wildly against his chest at the sound of that tone. Something was worrying Cole so much he couldn't lower the volume in his head enough on his own. For some reason, Ty's voice had become a system override, able to lower the volume on all the chatter.

  "Remember the track?" Ty asked.

  "Yes."

  "Give me stats," Ty said. It was a mindless activity but this was exactly what Cole needed, something concrete to focus on rather than the worry and questions circling his mind.

  "Barely fifteen hundred rpms, at forty. She thinks I'm teasing her. I can feel her wanting to hit me for not pushing her," Cole said with a muffled laugh.

  "Read me the other gauges. Everything look fine?"

  Cole responded to each of Ty's questions. Ty smiled, knowing Cole's focus was returning to the task.

  Tracker grunted and pointed to the monitor. "There's a car on his ass. Far enough away but backtracking the closed-circuit feeds, it's been on him since he arrived at the lot."

  As if on cue, sirens wailed.

  "Aidan, I thought you said you weren't tailing me," Cole said. "Call your undercover dog off my ass. He's going to fuck this up."

  Ty looked over to his brother, a veil of anger brewed in Aidan's hazel stare. "He's not my dog." His brother pulled his cell phone from the belt clip and immediately began placing a call.

  "That double crossing son of a bitch," Cole hissed.

  "Cole, you've got another one coming up on your right. It's a marked car this time," Tracker said. "Looks like he's waiting for you to pass."

  "Got it," Cole said, shifting to the center lane.

  Ty crossed his arms and rocked on his feet as he stared at the monitors.

  "Cole, here's the deal," Aidan said, returning the phone to his belt clip.

  "Go ahead."

  "I spoke to my contact at the FBI. He checked with one of his buddies and Robert contacted the cops beforehand to let them know you were stealing the car. Some crap excuse about overhearing you or something," Aidan said with a sigh.

  Cole blew out a breath loud enough to echo through the speakers. "I'm not surprised. He wants me out of the picture."

  Aidan nodded. "My federal contact is itching to nail this guy on the trade secret charge because it can add ten more years to the current charges they can pin on him. However, all bets are off if the locals arrest you for grand theft, speeding, or whatever stupid shit they're going for. I don't want to alert them it's an undercover op because I don't know if it'll get back to him. So if you get busted, I'll work on getting you out, but that'll take some time."

  "Got it."

  "Cole?" Ty said, trying to swallow past the lump in his throat.

  "Ty…don't worry. Now that I know what's going on, I can focus a bit more."

  Ty laughed nervously. "Of course I'm worried. If they catch you, I'll lose you."

  Cole muffled a laugh. "They have to catch me first."

  Cole's firm, confident tone offered a sense of peace that enveloped Ty as if Cole's arms had wrapped around him from behind. He watched as the yellow car sped along the causeway, quickly joined by the waiting police car, which couldn't seem to keep up with Cole as he weaved through the light, late-night causeway traffic.

  "That little fucker can drive," Aidan whispered.

  Ty smiled proudly, mesmerized, watching the monitor. "You have no idea."

  "I heard that, Aidan. You can't take it back," Cole said with a laugh that echoed through the speakers.

  "You've got two more black and whites coming up on your left," Tracker said. He turned to Geek. "Can you hack into the radio band so we've got audio?"

  "Already working on it," Geek said, reaching into his duffle bag for a black box and set of cables then handing them to Tracker.

  Aidan stood and pulled over another table for Cole's crew members to use.

  Tracker opened what looked like a mobile video player and propped it open while Geek set the black box and cables on the table. After connecting a few wires, and several key swipes later, the yellow car could be seen from a different angle on the secondary monitor.

  "This will give us the camera feeds they're probably using for street level visuals. So we'll know what their blind spots are." Geek turned a dial on the box and police chatter squawked through the speaker. "And now we have audio too."

  Aidan stood, arms crossed, shifting his gaze from one monitor to the other. "Yeah, I'd say this is a full-fledged car chase now," he said under his breath. "Cole?"

  "Yeah, still here," Cole responded through the speakers, his voice calm and steady.

  "You've got four black and whites behind you and two waiting for you on Brickell when you exit. I'm guessing we've got less than ten minutes before the news channels get wind of this and send in a chopper. Do you have a plan or are we playing this by ear?" Aidan said, his tone firm and focused.

  Ty didn't want to read too much into Aidan's composure, but if he did, he could swear there was a hint of concern for Cole. He tried to focus on what he knew and the facts rather than dwell on the what-ifs. He knew Cole could drive and, if he was focused, had enough determination to get anything accomplished. He blew out a deep breath and tried to keep the worry at bay.

  Just when he thought he might be able to stand idly by, his entire world shifted and the panic surfaced.

  It started to rain.

  Ty watched the monitor switch between camera angles, some video images were fogged with drops of condensation on the screen. Damn rain. He turned to the monitor and watched the car speed down the now wet and slick causeway. The light drizzle thickened, transitioning into a solid sheet of rain in a matter of minutes.

  Fucking rain.

  He struggled to inhale, the air more scarce than it had been just a few seconds before. His breath wheezed with each inhale, and the beating of his heart reverberated in his head. Oh God, please. He wrapped his arms around his midsection, needing to steady himself. He took a step back and another. His gaze was pinned to the monitor, watching the yellow car speed along. He quietly gasped each breath and twisted his fingers in the fabric of his shirt. Oh God, please.

  The yellow car fishtailed from one side to the other then straightened within seconds.

  He took a step back, then anoth
er. He couldn't hear past the hum in his head. He thought he heard Cole say something but he couldn't decipher the words through the buzz echoing in his ears. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to fight through the panic attempting to take over.

  Strong hands gripped his arms. "Ty," Aidan whispered in his ear, his tone forceful yet patient. "I'm here and you're getting through this. Forget the fucking rain. Cole needs you right now."

  "Ty?" Cole's voice repeatedly echoed in the room.

  Ty heard the worry growing in Cole's tone. Shit. Cole needs to be focused.

  Ty looked at his brother's intense glare and quickly nodded. He raced over to the table and dropped to his knees, gripping the base of the microphone to ground himself. "I'm here," he said, his shaky tone broken with the worry he knew he couldn't disguise.

  "It started raining," Cole said. "I just need to make sure you're okay," he said with a slight crack in his voice.

  Ty swallowed heavily and rested his head against the table, hoping the cool surface would settle him.

  Aidan came up behind him and rolled the chair over to the table, encouraging Ty to sit. He looked up at his brother, the concern clearly etched in those hazel eyes. Aidan placed his hands on Ty's shoulders and began rubbing the tension from his muscles. He bent to whisper into Ty's ear. "Talk to him. I think it'll help the both of you."

  Ty nodded and took a deep breath, then rose from the floor to sit in the chair.

  "Ty…please…say something. I don't care how silly you think it is."

  "I hate the rain," Ty said on a whisper. "Cole…I…"

  "I'll be fine as long as I know you're okay. Are you by the monitors?" Cole asked.

  "Yes."

  "Are there still two cops waiting for me at the exit, or more?"

  Ty couldn't focus enough to count. He looked over to Aidan who held up three fingers then pointed to the cars on the screen. "Three. Two on the left and one on the right hand side."

  "Okay. Ty, I need you to guide me. Focus on the screens and my voice. You know I can control the car if I know what's ahead. Forget the rain and focus on me. You know I love it when you watch me," Cole said in a teasing tone.

  A smile tugged at the end of Ty's lips. Someday, he'd figure out how Cole managed to make him smile when he thought it wasn't possible.

  Ty watched the monitors as Cole sped through the causeway exit and made a sharp right turn onto Brickell, blowing past the waiting police car. He sped down Brickell and zigzagged through traffic. "You've got cops coming up on each of the intersections for the next three blocks."

  "You need to work your way back to I-95," Aidan said. "If you continue down Brickell, you're going to get stuck in the arena traffic and it's busy tonight."

  They watched as the car maneuvered its way through the surface streets and onto the interstate, weaving through traffic. "Shit."

  Ty straightened. "What happened?"

  The yellow car began to spin across the lanes.

  "Fuck," Aidan hissed under his breath.

  Ty gripped the edge of the table. "Cole, remember the track. Is it the same problem?" he asked in the most calm-and-collected tone he could muster.

  "Same shit. Remind me to kick Drayton's ass. I assumed he would have fixed it."

  "Ty?" Aidan said, looking over to him.

  "He's got this," Ty absently said, staring at the monitors as the yellow car slowed its spin and barely missed another car. Within seconds, Cole had straightened the car and continued his drive down the interstate.

  Aidan blew out a deep breath. "Cole, if you make it out of this, I'm going to kill you."

  Ty looked over and saw his brother take another deep breath and rub his chest. He couldn't help the smile that escaped. "Cole, I think my brother likes you."

  Cole's laughter echoed through the speakers.

  A hint of a smile ghosted across Aidan's lips.

  Ty looked over to the monitors and saw more police cars gathering in the streets ahead. The radio chatter mentioned a series of streets to block. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the sound of Cole's laughter, its melody.

  Take a deep breath, hold, release.

  He could do this.

  Take a deep breath, hold, release.

  He opened his eyes and looked at the monitor again.

  Take a deep breath, hold, release.

  If they got through this, he'd find a way to tie Cole down to the bed and never let him escape again.

  * * * * *

  Cole gripped the steering wheel and exhaled, trying to calm the pounding in his chest. That was close. Closer than he'd willingly admit. He'd almost hit that other car before straightening out. The fact that Ty hadn't freaked out let him know how much faith his My-Ty had in him and his ability to drive.

  "Cole, they're blocking off exits up ahead. The port tunnel is closed for maintenance. You're going to have to hurry if you're going to make it to MacArthur Causeway," Aidan said.

  He scowled. This was not supposed to be this difficult. Easy in, easy out. For fuck's sake, he had been given the key. So that didn't even count as a legitimate boost. Instead, it had turned out to be the boost from hell. He could hear the chatter of the police band coming through the earpiece. His exit routes were closing out. Shit. He slammed on the accelerator and pushed the car as fast as she would go, needing to make that exit before the cops blocked it off.

  "C-C-Cole…" Ty began and paused. "I need you to come back to me. Dump the car and walk away."

  He tightened his grip around the steering wheel and clenched his jaw. Ty was trying his best to stay in control, but the subtle pauses and now the stutter, made it virtually impossible for him to hide it anymore. It was as if the stars had aligned and their mission was to break Ty tonight.

  No fucking way was he letting that happen.

  He took a deep breath and focused on Ty, his teasing smile, and that low rumble-laugh that always seemed to make his pulse race. "My-Ty, I keep my promises."

  "I love you."

  Cole inhaled a deep breath and let the words flow into his body and strengthen him to the core. He exhaled and felt more focused, centered. Those three small words were a lifeline and powered his determination to a full charge. He wanted to kick himself for having denied Ty the strength of those three words. "Aidan, I need both hands on the wheel with the weather. I need you to make a call for me and patch it through here so I can talk."

  "What's the number?" Aidan immediately asked.

  Cole recited the phone number he knew by heart but hadn't used in quite some time. He hoped and prayed it would be an easy—and quick—conversation but that was anyone's guess. He heard the ringing and waited.

  "Demetrio Renzo," his older brother said, answering the call.

  "Rio, I need your help," Cole said. He didn't have time for small talk and knew his window of opportunity was closing.

  "Cole, I'm working. Can we—"

  "I know you worked on the port tunnel. Are you the one doing maintenance on it?" Cole cut in.

  "Yes. I'm here now working on a few construction and maintenance issues. I need to get back to—"

  "Rio, I need your help now. I don't have much time."

  His brother sighed. "Dammit it, Cole. You're supposed to stay out of trouble. What—"

  "Lecture me later. I need your help now or I'm in deep shit."

  "I'm not going to be an accessory to your—"

  "Rio, you're the only one who can help me here. Please. I need you."

  There was silence on the line followed by his brother's muffled curse. "Mami's going to beat the crap out of me so you better tell her I was helping you." His brother sighed. "What do you need?"

  Cole smiled. Rio was the one who always walked the straight and narrow and never strayed. Regardless of how difficult his brother was, he had caved only because Cole had needed him. "I need to use the tunnel to get to the Port of Miami but I know you've got it closed right now. Open it for me and as soon as I pass, block it off."

  "I need thirty sec
onds to open the construction gates fully and the same to close it."

  "Is fifteen seconds enough to get a car through?" Cole asked.

  "Yeah."

  "That's about the window I can give you between me and the others."

  "Others?" Rio hesitantly asked.

  "Don't ask. I don't want you freaking out."

  "How will I know?"

  "Um…you'll know." Cole tried to hold back a chuckle. This was serious and the situation was bordering on catastrophic, but he would give anything to see his brother's face when the caravan of police cars approached his precious tunnel.

  "How far are you from the Watson Island entrance?" Rio asked.

  "I'll be there in less than two minutes," Cole said, assuming he could make the exit. He shifted gears and finally pushed the exotic beauty to do what she was meant to do. He couldn't fight the silly grin, imagining the roar from the silent engine as it unleashed its power. He was seriously going to have to pull Drayton aside and have him add some sound module to mimic the noise of an engine revving. He raced down the interstate and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the MacArthur Causeway ahead. He looked in his rearview mirror, the flashing police lights getting smaller with each passing second. He took advantage of the stretch of road and picked up some distance between him and the police. He flashed his headlights when he finally spotted the partially opened gate at the tunnel entrance.

  "I see you," Rio said. "Damn, Cole. I don't want to know how the hell you got that thing. I don't even know what the hell that is."

  Cole chuckled.

  "Rio, this is Detective Aidan Calloway. Cole is working with us on an undercover case and the owner of the car knows he's driving it. But we've run into a slight glitch so your help is appreciated," Aidan finished in his firm, business-like tone.

  Cole sighed. "You had to ruin it, didn't you, Detective?" he said, mockingly. "I liked it better when my brother thought he was helping to commit a crime." He zipped by the entrance and heard his brother's immediate order to close the gate.

  "Uh…Cole…that's what…like a dozen police cars on your ass?" Rio said before suddenly bursting into laughter. "I'm so fired."