ANGEL BLUE [1]

LEAD 17: by gun

      “I don’t see what you can do about it Detective,” says Luke.

      He strings Sam up next to me. Since he’s taller than me, his legs have a better chance of touching the ground but even he’s at a loss. Sam grunts when Luke attaches the cuffs to the hook and we just hang, helpless to our own cause as the Night Crawler aspirates back to the ground.

      “This is pathetic,” I wriggle in my restraints until I feel my shoulder click and I wince. Good job Akira, rule one of not dislocating your shoulder while hanging in a deserted warehouse like a punching bag is not to fucking struggle. I unlock my jaw.

      “Try to calm down,” Sam grits. “You can’t afford to have a seizure.”

      I turn my head to see Sam’s fingers trying to grip the metal bar above us. His green gaze narrows at both Night Crawlers who are talking about their latest shags while they wait for the ‘guy’ who’s instigated this. Sam gets a firm hold on the metal bar and swings his weight so he can flip up onto the plank.

      Our captors notice but don’t do anything, they just snicker to themselves. I suppose they have orders to entertain. Sam doesn’t look at the Night Crawlers again, he tries to gain his balance on the metal bar and sits down carefully. Sam tries to reach into his back pocket for what I presumed were the keys to the cuffs, but he tips off balance on the bar and has to retreat from the idea.

      “Stevens I need you to grab for my belt,” Sam instructs.

      “Yeah ’cause I’ve totally been hanging out to do that,” I roll my eyes.

      “Sarcasm is the lowest form of humour you know,” Sam leans down slightly so I can see the set of keys attached to the leather.

      “And the FBI are the lowest form of humans,” I retort with a smirk.

      “That isn’t funny, Stevens,” Sam glares.

      “Loosen that tie of yours,” I wink.

      Fantastic, I just winked at the biggest Prat in the FBI, what has the world come to? My lips press into a thin line and I lean back to see what I’m supposed to be reaching for. He forgets that my upper body strength is compromised from my shoulder but I breathe through the pain and my fingers latch onto the key.

      Sam adjusts his position and is able to grab the keys from my fingers, he angles his wrists expertly and fits the key in one of the cuffs and undoes it. Sam uses his free thumb to slide the first cuff free and sets to work on the second. He notices my slack shoulder and doesn’t pull me up on the bar, instead, he does the unthinkable.

      Sam places the keys between his teeth and grips the bar with both hands, hanging down in front of me. He removes the keys with his left hand and quickly grips onto the bar again.

      “Put your legs around my waist,” he says.

      WHAT.

      My vow of silence speaks for itself. I stare at Sam as we hang there. He wants me to put my legs around his waist, his crotch against mine, surely that’s against protocol. Shit I think my nose is going to bleed, I’m thinking about this too hard. I try to look over Sam’s shoulder at Banks, she’s no longer crying but Derek’s still trying to calm her down. I have to do this for her.

      What? I think, I have to dry hump my partner to save Banks?

      “Stevens,” Sam has to regain his grip again, “legs up now.”