Chasing Shadows

by C Paradee

  Velcro was following her favorite mom. This was a new game. Her mom was acting very funny. Slinking down the hall she stopped near Tony’s feet, and crouched down, her tail twitching.

  Quickly boring of the game, Velcro ran down the hallway and into the other bedroom. Braver now that her mom was home, she walked over to the closet door and batted it with her paw.

  Sherman silently cursed again. That damn kitten was back again. His view was limited through the louvers and he couldn’t see the entire room but he could see the kitten sitting in front of the door trying to get her paw through one of the louvers.

  It was extremely quiet in the apartment, but that didn’t mean anything. Both women could be in the front part of the apartment.

  Periodically peering around the doorway and watching Tony's progress down the hall, Megan suddenly realized she had left her ‘watch’ in the bathroom. Knowing instinctively that they might need it if that guy really was in the apartment, she looked down the hallway to see where Tony was. .Megan saw her partner look into their bedroom. Taking a deep breath, and moving very quietly, she started down the hallway to the bathroom.

  Tony caught movement in her peripheral vision and saw Megan walking down the hall toward the bathroom. Her heart began beating faster and she thought, No, No. What are you doing? Get back in the kitchen. It's not safe. Waving her back, she saw Megan hold up a finger in a ‘just a minute’ signal. Go back, Tony pleaded silently. Keeping her eyes peeled for any movement from the bedroom, Tony stayed where she, was and breathed a silent sigh of relief, when she saw Megan hold up the watch and retreat back to the kitchen.

  Now that her partner was out of immediate danger, Tony quirked a small grin. That was a good idea. It wouldn’t hurt to have help if they needed it. The thought surprised her. Nice to know her world had grown to include people she could count on.

  Stealthily walking further into the bedroom, she looked at the closet. It was the most logical place of concealment. Tony moved next to the closet door and pressed her body against the wall.

  In a sudden quick movement, she flung the door open before plastering herself back against the wall, her gun trained on the entrance. There was no movement, and she instinctively knew no one was hiding in there.

  Moving away from the wall to the front of the closet, her body was poised to jump out of the way at any indication of danger. She looked in the closet. It was empty.

  Sherman began slowly turning the doorknob. The kitten quit trying to put a paw through the louvers, and looked up at the moving handle. When the door began to slowly open, the kitten bolted out the room and into the hallway running past Tony and into the kitchen.

  Tony noticed the kitten’s flight, and stopped outside the other bedroom door. Totally focused she listened for any sound coming from the room.

  Megan paced back and forth in the kitchen. It seemed like Tony had been back there forever when, in fact, it had only been a couple of minutes. She almost jumped when Velcro came sliding across the floor, coming to a stop near Huggy.

  Walking to the doorway she looked down the hall and saw Tony standing outside the second bedroom door before quickly pulling her head back into the kitchen. Maybe this was just a false alarm. Obviously there had been no one in the first bedroom. Yeah, right.

  Sherman was pressed against the wall in the bedroom next to the door. Hearing nothing, he eased around the door only to bump into an equally startled tall, dark woman.

  Tony reacted a millisecond faster and grabbed the arm holding the gun pointed at her, shoving it up and simultaneously pressing hard on a nerve in the wrist. Sherman had started to squeeze the trigger and the gun went off, the bullet imbedding in the wall.

  Megan’s heart almost stopped when she heard the gunfire. Immediately activating the button on the watch, she ran to the apartment door unlocking it. Running back into the kitchen, she looked down the hallway, quickly pulling her head back when she saw that Tony seemed to be unharmed.

  Sherman was unable to stop his hand from opening and the gun fell to the floor. Brutally driving his other elbow into Tony, he threw his weight against her propelling them across the hall, their momentum stopped when their bodies impacted against the opposite wall.

  Having a slight advantage now, Sherman grabbed Tony’s arm and slammed it against the wall, causing the gun to fall from her hand.

  Tony had finally got her breath back from the blow to her solar plexus, and she pushed away from the wall attempting to free herself, while simultaneously drawing her knee up in an attempt to incapacitate Sherman with a groin hit.

  Expecting the move, Sherman jumped back out of the way and while Tony was off balance, he once against threw his weight against her driving her into the wall, raising his hands to her neck and choking her.

  His grip was like iron and Tony resisted the urge to grab his wrists and attempt to dislodge his hands. Already feeling the lack of oxygen, she raised her arms and forcefully smacked her open hands against his ears with strength fortified by adrenalin. The blow caused a slight loosening of the choke hold and sucking in some much needed air, she brought her arms up between his and in an outward sweeping motion, she broke his hold on her neck. At the moment his hands loosened, Tony drove her head into his face, her forehead impacting with his nose, followed by a crushing blow to his chin with her elbow.

  Sherman jumped back, tears blinding him. In excruciating pain, his hands involuntarily covering his bloody nose, he backed away from her trying to stay out of her reach in the narrow confines of the hallway. Lowering a hand to his pocket, he extracted a switchblade and pressed the button snapping the blade into place. Extending his arm in a slashing motion with the knife, he began to move toward her, his vision slowly improving.

  Quickly back peddling, Tony began circling him, staying clear of the reach of the knife, looking for an opportunity for to disarm him and deliver a crippling blow. But Sherman was protecting himself by countering her attempts to get closer by leading with the knife. Turning sideways to present a smaller target, he circled warily, the dance of the two adversaries well underway.

  Megan continued to observe the battle knowing it was best if she stayed out of the way. She had already started down the hallway once, before Tony broke the choke hold around her neck. She had watched Tony in action before, and had full confidence in her ability to protect herself. But this guy was heavier than she was, and it was obvious he was also very highly trained.

  When Sherman pulled the knife Megan’s temper flared. She’d be damned if he was going to harm her lover if she could do anything about it. Tony didn’t have anything to protect herself with. Looking around the kitchen for a weapon, her eyes settled on the heavy round, paperweight sitting on the table. It was about the size of a baseball except it was flat on the bottom. A pretty yellow flower was suspended in the middle of it.

  Grabbing the paperweight off the table, she waited until Sherman’s back was toward her, and then stepped into the mouth of the hallway. Waiting until Tony noticed her, she hefted the paperweight in her hand, and drew her arm back sending it forcefully through the air, satisfied when it landed solidly in the middle of Sherman’s back.

  Megan knew it wouldn’t really hurt him, but her intent was to distract him so that Tony could disarm him.

  Sherman was unable to check the automatic impulse to turn his head at the sharp pain that shot through his back when the paperweight hit him.

  Tony immediately threw her leg up into a front kick, connecting solidly with his wrist. Sherman grunted in pain, both of them hearing the snap of a bone as the knife fell to the floor.

  Holding his injured wrist against his chest, Sherman threw a brutal sidekick toward Tony. She danced out of the way and let go of a roundhouse that snapped his head back and stunned him. Immediately following up with a solid kick to the groin, Sherman dropped to the ground.

  Tony reached down and picked up her gun, training it on the other agent. Her thoughts were dark, the image of a terror stricken boy laying i
n the middle of a busy street flickering in slow motion through her mind. Her finger tightened against the trigger.

  Suddenly she felt a warm hand on her arm, and a concerned voice asked, "Tony… are you ok?"

  Taking a deep breath, Tony said, "Yeah, I'm fine."

  Just then the front door banged open and two uniformed cops entered the apartment with their guns drawn.

  Megan called out, "Down there," and the two officers quickly walked down the hallway, taking in the scene.

  Not knowing either patrolman, Tony said, "FBI. Would you cuff this guy to something?"

  One of the officers grabbed Sherman hauling him to his feet and took him into the living room fastening the cuff to Sherman’s uninjured wrist and fastening the other end around the metal frame of the heavy computer table. Putting his gun away, he pulled out his radio and called for an ambulance.

  The other officer asked Tony to surrender her gun. Knowing this was just routine procedure, she handed it to him.

  Taking her weapon, the patrolman put his gun in his holster and began questioning Tony and Megan.

  Brian arrived and walked into the apartment. Taking over the questioning, he quickly had a summary of the events.

  When Tony got to the end of her statement she mentioned her gun had been confiscated,

  "You never fired your gun, right?" Brian asked.

  "No. Never had a chance to," Tony said, her face grim.

  Brian had no doubt she would have liked to, though. Turning to the officer that had her weapon, he said, "Give her back her gun. She’s an FBI agent and they have jurisdiction on this case."

  Tony picked up the phone, and called the number she had been given to reach Huey after hours. When he answered, she said, "We got him."

  "You ok?"

  "I’m fine. But Sherman managed to break his wrist in the scuffle," she paused, and then added, "and probably his nose too."

  "With some help from you, I’m sure," Huey quipped back.

  "A little," Tony said, smiling. "The local cops are going to take him to the hospital and then hold him until you can get someone here to pick him up."

  "I’ll have someone there tomorrow morning."

  When the apartment finally cleared out, Tony walked over and hugged Megan. Returning the hug, Megan asked, "I’m so glad you’re ok. How did you get home so early?"

  "Braxton finally gave the word to move in. All the principal players were gathered at the site and when we let him know that, he realized it was too good of an opportunity to pass up."

  "It’s finally really over."

  "Um hum. You know you got a real mean fastball, Love. That was a good idea. Thanks," Tony said, smiling at her lover.

  "I had to do something… when he pulled that knife…" Megan trailed off remembering the anger and fear she had felt.

  Tony bent her head placing a soft kiss on Megan’s lips. "And you did."

  Cocking her head to the side and raising an eyebrow, Tony said, "I'd like to ask you something." Gazing into Megan eyes, she said, "When I saw your car in the garage, I knew you were home. Why?"

  Megan took in the serious expression on Tony's face, and looked away. She figured Tony would be upset about her coming home and considering what had happened, she was surprised she wasn't angrier. "I didn't want to go to Ashley's. I figured you be home soon and we had just put on the new lock, so I thought it would be ok."

  Damn. I should have warned her about the lock. "Megan," Tony waited until her lover looked at her. Looking at the expression on her partner's face, she asked, "What's wrong? Why didn't you want to go to Ashley's? Did something happen at your parents'?"

  Megan sighed, and answered the last question. "Yeah, it did." Releasing Tony, she said, "Want something to drink?" and then she turned around and walked toward the kitchen.

  Tony watched her partner walk away and then followed her. It was obvious Megan was upset.

  Megan put water in the tea kettle, and asked, "Is tea ok?"

  "Sounds great," Tony said, watching her partner closely, trying to read the expression on her face. The closest read Tony could come up with was sadness.

  Walking over to her partner, and looking into the troubled hazel eyes, Tony asked, "Want to talk about it?"

  Megan peered into the warm blue eyes and felt the love and concern they reflected. Giving Tony a quick hug before releasing her, she said, "Yeah. I do."

  The teakettle began whistling and Megan quickly made two cups of tea handing one to Tony. "Let’s talk in the living room."

  Settling on the couch, Megan snuggled close to Tony. She wanted and needed the contact. Tony put her arm around her partner, and waited for her to begin.

  By the time Megan had finished relating the events of the evening, her eyes were moist again, but no tears fell. She had already been through the gamut emotionally between her parents and fear for Tony’s life when she was fighting the other agent. There just weren’t any more left.

  Tony had listened quietly while Megan talked. Not knowing how to make her lover feel better, she said, "I’m sorry. But Megan it sounds more to me like your Dad had the biggest problem with it, not your Mom."

  "Yeah, I know. But ever since we were little, she always supported his decisions. She never stuck up for us." Megan paused, gathering her thoughts and then continued, "But you know what? I’m glad I told them. I love you, and if they can’t accept that, then maybe it’s better this way."

  The depth of feeling she felt for the smaller woman snuggled against her, suddenly impacted on Tony. Capturing her partner’s eyes with her own, she said, "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

  A warm smile covered Megan’s face, and she said, "Yes I do. Because I love you just as much."

  * * *

  Megan walked into the kitchen trailed closely by two meowing kittens. Opening the canister containing the Gevelia Colombian blend, she carefully measured 3 ½ level scoops into the filtered basket and filled the pot to the 5-cup level.

  After turning it on, she took a can of cat food out of the cupboard and emptied it into the kittens’ dish. "You know you two could eat a little dry food once in a while."

  Unlocking the apartment door, she retrieved the paper before locking the door and returning to the kitchen. Sitting at the kitchen table, Megan opened the paper and began to peruse the news.

  She wasn’t surprised she had awakened before Tony. She had entertained the idea of just staying in bed waiting for her lover to wake up, but she’d had to go to the bathroom and figured she might as well stay up rather than take a chance and wake Tony. She’d only had a few hours of sleep on Saturday, and with everything that had happened Friday night and then last night, she had to be exhausted.

  Tony woke up to the smell of coffee wafting into the bedroom. She loved the smell of brewing coffee, but she was surprised she had not heard her partner get up.

  Walking into the kitchen after a stop at the bathroom, she smiled and said, "Morning Love."

  Megan looked up when Tony walked into the room. Her eyes twinkling, she said, "Hi sleepy head."

  Tony grinned, "Sleepy head, huh. Look who’s talking."

  She walked over to Megan and bent down and kissed her. Getting a cup of coffee, she sat down at the table.

  "Anything interesting in the paper?"

  "Not really," Megan said handing Tony the part she had already looked at.

  Standing up, she walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door looking for the can of orange juice she had taken out to thaw yesterday. Where had she put it anyway?

  Tony took in the sight of her partner bending over looking for something in the refrigerator. She had an unobstructed view of her lovely muscular legs. Not interested in the newspaper anymore, she got up and walked over to the refrigerator and leaned over Megan asking, "What’re you looking for?"

  Megan had sensed Tony behind her and wondered why her partner was so interested in what she was looking for. "I thought I took out some orange juice yesterday and I can’t fin
d it."

  Tony placed her arms around Megan’s waist pulling her against her body. Moving her mouth next to her partner’s ear, she breathed, "You have gorgeous legs." Stepping backward, still holding Megan around the waist, she began placing warm moist kisses on the side of her neck. Feeling the chair behind her, she sat down pulling Megan onto her lap.

  Goose bumps ran up and down Megan’s body at the feel of the soft moist lips against her neck. When Tony sat down, she turned sideways on her lap and raised both of her arms placing her hands in her partner’s thick soft hair, pulling her head down meeting her slightly parted lips with her own. Thrusting her tongue deeply into Tony’s mouth, she felt her desire escalating with the answering plunge of her partner’s.

  The passionate kiss was sending shivers up and down Tony’s body. Keeping her mouth locked on her lover’s, she lifted the edge of Megan’s sleeping shirt and moved her hand under it finding the breast she was seeking. Kneading it softly she felt her partner’s intake of breath and thrust her tongue deeply into her mouth her fingers lightly caressing a nipple.

  Megan moaned and placed a hand on Tony’s chest and pushed back, breaking the sensuous kiss. "Tony… wait."

  Tony stilled her hands, and looked into her lover’s passion filled eyes. Her voice throaty with desire, she said, "I want to make love to you, Megan."

  Megan’s heart was already racing and the sound of the low sensuous voice sent another shiver down her body. "I want to make love to you, too," Megan said. Standing up on shaky knees, she extended her hand to her partner, "Come on."

  Tony took hold of Megan’s hand and followed her into their bedroom. Tony pulled her sleeping shirt over her head and tossed it out of the way, watching Megan do the same with hers.

  Tony felt a jolt to her core when she raked her eyes down the length of Megan’s body, from the full firm breasts, to the small waist and muscular abdomen, to the curly golden hair and the shapely muscular legs.

  Megan felt every nerve in her body reacting to the way Tony was looking at her. Unable to hold back any longer, she stepped toward Tony and wrapped her arms around her.