Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer

direct
    contrast, on the opposite window, was the Om symbol. By itself in the
    center of one of the back windows was a black POW/MIA sticker.
    Divide & Conquer | 57

    The Bronco and its dressings told the tale of Ty‟s life and offered
    glimpses into his heart and soul, whether Ty meant it to or not. Zane
    knew it had traveled with Ty nearly everywhere he‟d been, even
    serving as his home a few times when Ty was transitioning between
    lives.
    “People have gotten to where they aim at her. Try to hit her with
    foul balls,” Ty complained.
    It drew a smile out of Zane, and he chuckled. “That‟s awful,” he
    commiserated.
    “I know!” Ty exclaimed with complete sincerity. He leaned
    forward in his seat, digging through the duffel bag in the floorboard,
    and pulled out his cleats, which he‟d refused to put on before getting
    into the car.
    Zane shrugged, though he was amused by Ty‟s utter seriousness.
    “If somebody threw a softball at the Valkyrie, I‟d have to clobber
    them.”
    “Throwing is different. A foul ball has gravity on its side,” Ty
    explained as he popped open the passenger-side door and tried to swing
    his legs out before unbuckling his seatbelt. He grunted as the belt
    tightened, then reached behind him to fumble with the mechanism
    briefly before it released and he slid out of the truck in a tumble of
    shoes and equipment, disappearing from sight. “I‟m okay,” Zane heard
    him say.
    “He‟s okay,” Zane muttered as he grabbed the ball cap off the
    floorboard, snagged the keys, and got out of the truck as well. He
    walked around to the passenger side, half expecting to see Ty on the
    ground.
    He‟d managed to get himself together, though, and he was bent
    over, pushing his feet into his cleats. His equipment bag was over one
    shoulder, the handle of the bat hanging near the back of his head. He
    tied his shoe tight before standing and giving Zane a crooked smile.
    Zane held out the navy blue FBI ball cap. “You‟ll need this.”
    Ty took it and put it on, shaking his head. “I‟ve never actually
    worn it in a game. Facemask,” he told Zane. He nodded toward the
    58 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    field and started walking. “You don‟t have to stay, you know. There‟s a
    lot of news cameras here.”
    Zane frowned as he followed, checking out the press. “I know.
    Do you want me to go?” he asked tentatively. Ty could be difficult to
    read, and since throwing the whole declaration of love into the mix,
    dealing with him was like navigating a minefield for Zane. They hadn‟t
    done the traditional yours vs. ours kind of distinctions, and sharing still
    wasn‟t a strong skill for either of them. This was Ty‟s scene, and Zane
    wasn't sure he was welcome here.
    “No,” Ty answered easily. He turned and looked at Zane, then
    reached up and took his ball cap off again, handing it back to Zane as if
    he‟d forgotten he‟d just put it on. “I just don‟t want you getting bored.
    Put this on so people‟ll know you‟re one of the bad guys.”
    “One of the bad guys?” Zane laughed as he settled the cap
    comfortably on his head. It smelled just enough like Ty to make it
    worth wearing.
    “Well, the other teams love to hate us.” Ty‟s cleats clicked on the
    concrete as he walked, and even though Zane knew he‟d taken more
    medication earlier, he didn‟t seem overly uncoordinated or goofy.
    They threaded through a crowd of fans and various teams,
    including local law enforcement, a couple of insurance companies, and
    an area hospital before they turned the corner of the concession stand
    and saw the FBI team. Again, Zane was surprised by the number of
    people involved, especially out here in the cold in mid-February. He‟d
    heard through the grapevine that Ty had been partially responsible for
    the league organization, calling in favors, reaching out to contacts in
    various fields around the city. Seeing the spectacle now, Zane had to
    wonder just how connected his partner really was.
    They were suddenly assaulted from the side by a perky young
    reporter blurting questions and her hulking cameraman. Ty just smiled
    and waved her off, telling her, “After the game, okay?”
    “Jesus, you weren‟t kidding when you said this had gotten big,”
    Zane murmured as he stuck to Ty for protection from the mob. “Why
    haven‟t I heard more about it?”
    Divide & Conquer | 59

    “Because you work for a living,” Ty responded as he messed with
    the neck of his