Title: Under Cover of Darkness
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Carl Hickman/Louis Daniel
Fandom: Crossing Lines
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 500
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Carl Hickman or Louis Daniel, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.

***

Louis lifted his gun, listening intently.

He couldn't hear anything, not so much as a footstep or the sound of breathing. But then, the men who were after him were very good at hiding.

He wasn't going to make it out of here alive unless he was very, very careful -- and then he would still need a great deal of luck to be on his side. If he could just make it to the car he'd been driving since he undertook this mission, then he'd be able to get away.

But that car was still more than a block away, and he had no idea if there was anyone between him and the vehicle who could intercept him before he made it to safety.

It was a chance he was going to have to take.

Keeping close to the ground, he moved from one alleyway to another, until he was nearly at the end of the block. The car was close now -- only a few more feet.

The problem was that he would be completely exposed during that short dash to the car -- and he had no idea how many men might have their guns trained on him. He'd been in the crosshairs before, but never when he didn't know just how many enemies were gunning for him.

Not only did he have no idea how many there were, he didn't know exactly where they were. They could be hidden in the alleys, behind cars, on rooftops.

What would Carl do in a situation like this? he asked himself. He knew the answer immediately. His boyfriend would take no prisoners, and run out with guns blazing.

Carl took crazy chances, and that was something that he would never want Louis to do in this position. If Carl was here, he would advise Louis to hold back, to judge when it was most prudent to make a dash for the car -- and to pray that he'd make it there safely.

That was what he'd have to do, Louis decided. He couldn't wait here indefinitely; that would make it too easy for him to be found. He had to use the element of surprise.

His heart in his throat, he moved forward, preparing to run.

Under cover of darkness, he moved quickly to within a few feet of the car; he just had to clear that small area of the pavement, pull the door open, and gun the engine.

Louis clutched the keys in one hand, his gun in the other, and sprang from the alley towards the car. Instantly, he heard a volley of gunfire all around him, but miraculously, he managed to roll behind the car without being hit, wrenching the door open and jamming the keys into the ignition.

He gunned the engine, slammed the car into drive and pressed the pedal before he allowed himself to think, dimly hearing more shots as he sped away.

He'd done it. He was going home to safety.

***