Grace placed her collect call to Washington and, after several redirections, finally spoke to Sands' superior.
"This is Harold Rawlings," he said in a slightly agitated tone.
"Wonderful," Grace said sarcastically.
"Pardon me?"
"Sorry, sir," she said quickly. "Um, I don't really know how to go about this, but my name is Grace Milano. I'm in Mexico and I sort of brought one of your agents to the hospital."
"Would that agent happen to be Agent Sands?"
"Uh, yeah." She heard the man sigh heavily on the other end. "Bit of a nuisance, is he?"
"That's why he's down there and not up here." The man was quite candid – which surprised Grace immensely. "What happened to him?"
"I'm not exactly sure of all of the details, sir." She told him how she found him and about his current "condition."
"Ms. Milano, may I call you back?"
"Well, I wasn't planning on staying here…"
"The government can make it worth your while if you do."
"Huh?"
"Remain at that hospital and I will call you back within the hour."
She sighed. "All right." Both hung up and Grace went back to Sands' room. She smiled as she said, "I don't think they like you too much."
"I'm perfectly aware of that," Sands spat. "But I have free reign down here, so I don't really give a fuck."
"Hey, the language."
"Why aren't you gone, hm?"
"I have to baby-sit you for an hour. Your boss requested it."
"Wonderful."
It was only then that she realized Pelé was gone. "Um, where'd Pelé go?"
"I sent him home. I don't need a kid hangin' around me."
"You're not exactly the greatest role model anyway," she replied.
"What's your problem, lady?"
"My problem? I'm helping an ungrateful bastard when I'm supposed to be on vacation."
"Who the hell goes on a vacation alone?"
"Nobody."
"So where is he?"
"Not a he, a she…"
"Ooo, kinky," Sands interrupted.
"Bite me. It's not like that and it's none of your business."
Sands sighed. "Well, you have to tell me something about yourself – you know things about me."
"I'm not obligated to tell you anything. You are the single most agitating man I've ever met and it's hard to feel bad for you in the slightest."
"I didn't ask for pity."
"Well, good, 'cause you're not getting any."
"Ms. Milano?" the doctor said, entering the room. She turned. "There is a phone call for you."
"Thank God." She left the room swiftly. "Hello?" she said, holding the receiver tightly.
"Ms. Milano, Harold Rawlings again, I've a proposition for you."
Oh, already not liking how this sounds. "Um, O.K."
"We don't have the manpower to take care of this situation at the moment, but we will by the end of the week. We are prepared to pay you if you can, well, keep an eye on him for the week."
"Uh, look, I've been around this guy for a couple of hours and…"
"He's very hard to cope with, I know, but given his condition, he shouldn't be a…"
"Is this even legal? I mean, paying someone to watch over an agent?"
"We will arrange for you to get to a larger, more civilized city, make more than suitable hotel arrangements, and pay you ten thousand dollars."
"Are we talking American money?"
"Of course."
"Is this guy psychotic or something? I mean, why on earth…"
"Miss Milano, Agent Sands is good at what he does, well, at least he was – we need to decide how to go about things with him now. This is a very generous offer, but should you wish to pass…"
"I don't," she blurted. I don't? Hell, money's money, right? I can handle him for a week…I think.
"Wonderful. Your things will be moved from your hotel and transportation will be provided at the time of Agent Sands' discharge."
"My things? How do you know where…"
"Thank you, Ms. Milano." The line went dead.
"This is somewhat creepy," she said to herself. "But it does make up for getting screwed over by Cassie." She walked back into Sands' room, an arrogant smile on her face.
"My boss?" he asked.
"Hm mm. I've got good news…really good news…and news from hell. What'll it be?"
"Trying to be cute?"
"Nah, just trying to make this situation a bit more bearable."
"Fine, the 'news from hell' first."
"I'm in charge of you for the next week."
"What?!" Sands was immediately upset by this newfound information. "You're fucking kidding me!"
"Hey, I'm not much happier about it…well, that's a big fat lie, actually. See, the really good news is that I'm getting paid for it."
"Lazy ass bastards can't come down here and get me…I can't believe they stuck me with…paid? You're getting paid?"
"Ten grand," Grace said smugly. "And now that I think about it, aside from that mouth of yours, how bad can you be?"
"I've controlled more downfalls than…"
"Which brings up another point. I don't think they want you staying here. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you seriously pissed off a lot of people."
Sands shrank back into his pillow a bit. "Set 'em up, watch 'em fall. That's how I keep the order here."
"Well, from the looks of it, you didn't 'keep the order' too well today. What did you do to lose your…" Grace felt an instant stab of guilt from what she almost said so nonchalantly. Sure, he wasn't the most congenial person she'd ever met – but nobody deserved to have their eyes removed from their head. "Sorry," she said softly.
"I trusted the wrong woman," Sands said, his tone not changing. "So why the hell should I trust some chick off the street?"
Grace's temper flared. "Hey, you make it sound like I'm some sort of…Remember, I could have left you there!"
"Yeah, well, maybe I could've had a nice slow death."
Grace took a deep breath, then took a piece of gum from her purse "I'm going to enjoy my upgraded vacation, despite the fact that I'm going to have to listen to…hmm…they didn't say anything about not being allowed to gag you."
Sands laughed. Her thoughts rivaled his own. Had he been in this situation, he would have been thinking the same things. "You ever screw a blind guy before?"
Grace nearly choked on her gum. "Excuse me?"
"I'm willing to bet you're doing your best not to smile."
Grace blushed. How'd he know that? "Conceited much?"
"I also bet I broke through some of the tension." He straightened himself up a bit. "I have to spend the next seven days with you, right?"
"Seems to be the case."
"Well, I might not have enough insults for a hundred sixty-eight hours without repeating myself, so what do you say we cool it for a bit, savvy?"
"Savvy? Who the hell says…" She sighed. "O.K. I'll knock it off if you do."
Sands smiled. "You didn't say what the first 'good news' was."
"I'm not sure I should now – could violate our, um, accord."
"One more, then."
"I was right – they don't like you." Sands laughed again. "What's so funny?"
"I already knew they didn't like me, but that's not why I'm laughing."
Grace crossed her arms. "What is it then?"
"I've got stitches and…you're in charge of seeing to my needs, are you not?"
"I…I guess so."
"Then I have two words for you, Gracie: sponge baths."