Cut and Run 5 - Armed and Dangerous

escorting me safely from Chicago, Special Agent Grady.”
    Ty blinked at him, not sure what to say to that. So he just kept his mouth shut. Preston nodded and turned to go. Ty looked back at Burns.
    “I’m filing this under my Rubik’s Cube,” Burns murmured. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
    Ty hopped up to follow. “Can I get my things back?”
    “Working on it.”
    Ty grumbled but didn’t ask again. The first person he saw when he exited the room was Zane, already dressed, freshly shaven, and ready to go. Ty pointed at him as he glared at Burns.
    “You rescued him first?”
    “We’ve been watching you through the mirror for ten minutes,” Zane told him, trying not to smile.
    “They’ve been training rookies off you, Ty,” Burns said as he walked away.
    Ty glared after him, then glanced at Zane with a grin and threw himself at his partner to hug him before Zane could dodge him. Zane laughed and closed his arms around Ty, returning the enthusiastic embrace.
    “Gentlemen,” Agent X said as he approached them. Ty let go of Zane’s neck and turned to look at the man. He held a bundle of Ty’s clothing and possessions. “You did an impressive job this week.”
    Ty and Zane shared a glance. “Thank you, I guess,” Zane said warily.
    “The Agency would like to extend an invitation to both of you.”
    Ty leaned his head forward as if he’d heard wrong.
    “An invitation?” Zane repeated.
    “You’re offering us a job?” Ty asked, incredulous.
    Agent X nodded. “We here at the Agency believe that if you can’t kill it, you hire it.”
    Ty barked a laugh. Zane just shook his head and turned away, trailing after Burns.
    Ty wagged a finger at Agent X, who was smiling ever so faintly. He took his things from the man. “You’re kind of all right, man,” Ty told him, still laughing. “Later, gator.”
    He turned to amble off after the other two, content that the ordeal was over and he could finally go home. With Zane.

    Z ANE was already wrapped around Ty, kissing him senseless as he pressed him against the front door of his row house. Ty fumbled behind him for the doorknob, turning the lock and causing the door to open, tumbling both of them into the house.
    Zane kicked the door closed and grabbed at Ty again, but Ty pushed at his hands and tensed, looking around the living room of his home.
    “Wait, wait,” he whispered urgently, eyes scanning the darkness behind Zane. “Someone’s been here.”
    “What?” Zane asked as he turned and reached for his gun. “How do you know?”
    Ty drew his weapon and edged into the narrow room. “Couple years ago a suspect broke in during a case. I set up backup systems.”
    “Seriously? Like what?”
    “Zane!” Ty hissed, waving at Zane to be quiet as he edged further into the room, heading for the kitchen. Zane followed, backing him up as he felt the tension of the last few weeks begin to invest itself in his shoulders once more. What else could they possibly run into before this month was over? Was it possible that he had set Ty's alarms off when he’d come here at night? He prayed for a simple answer.
    Ty moved past the bar, turning and pointing his weapon at the kitchen. He stopped short and straightened, lowering his gun as he stared at the kitchen floor.
    “What?” Zane asked, breathless.
    Ty shook his head.
    “What is it?”
    “It’s… alive,” Ty mumbled as he stuck his gun in its holster. “It’s Smith and Wesson.”
    “Cross’ cats?” Zane moved into the kitchen and flipped the overhead light on.
    The two large long-haired orange cats sat in the middle of the kitchen, eating cat food out of a bowl. They glanced over at Ty and Zane. One of them growled deep in its chest and then went back to eating. As it ate, it continued growling.
    “Oh my God,” Zane whispered.
    Ty was reading a note left on the counter, paying the two monsters no mind. “He says he’ll retrieve them after he and Cam have settled somewhere. ‘Don’t get too attached,’ he says.”
    Ty put the note down and looked at the two cats. One of them was still growling as it ate, making obscene smacking and hissing sounds.
    “I knew that bastard hated me,” Ty grumbled as he turned to head up the steps.
    “But… Ty,” Zane said as he looked at the cats. They had left the food bowl behind and were stalking toward him, looking at him with luminous green eyes. “Uh.”
    One of the massive orange cats hissed at him. Zane stepped back, out of their way,