The Secret Man

Chapter 1 (Meeting)

Alisa's POV: 

It has been a long night and I really don't want to go out for drinks, but it is Katie's birthday and I just couldn't leave her hanging. She has been talking all week about going to this new bar at some country club, and she wants to have some drinks and get our nails done. I agree, though I don't know if I can muster up the energy for that. 

"Alisa, please hurry up!" Katie says, already at my door. 

I slid into my shoes and blow kisses to my sleeping dog on the floor. Then I grab my keys and head out the door. Katie is on her phone when I come out, and she looks upset. 

"What's he said now." I grab her arm and start walking down the stairs with her. 

"I wish Collin would give me one night off without all the 'where are you' and 'who are you with' questions." Katie puts her phone in her purse and sighs. 

"I wish I could just kill him for you, but that wouldn't be very nice of me. Would it?" I laugh and open the car door for her. "You car." 

She laughs and climbs in and I walk to the other side and start up the car. "I wish he would just get the hint and dump me" she said. 

"Why don't you just dump him?" I suggest, turning out of the parking lot. 

"If I dump him, he will just show up at my house and sing songs to try and win me back. If he dumps me, I don't have to see he anymore." She shrugs, making me laugh. I have know Katie since fourth grade and she has been my best friend, but sometimes her math doesn't add up. I love her anyways. 

"I still think you should end it now, because he might never get the clue." 

"I will give him to the end of the month." She laughs. "Then if he doesn't I'll spell it out for him." 

I shake my head. The rest of the short car ride is Katie telling me I should get my nails in a pink color and I protesting saying they will be done in any color but pink. I have always hated pink, but Katie is always trying to make me wear it. 

When we pull into the drive I finally got her onto my side, and she agrees that a nice navy color will look good. When I park Katie grabs my purse and starts out the door. I climb out of my car, lock it, then race to Katie (who is already by the door). I grab my purse and walk inside. 

"I don't see why you won't give me your purse. It would match my shirt." Katie wines. I laugh and then we walk up to the bar and order our drinks. 

"Excuse me ladies, but would you mind taking your drinks to another room?" I hear a voice behind me ask. I turn to look at him and get hypnotized by his emerald green eyes.  His brown hair is curly but in a sexy way and his smile is contagious. When his eyes meet mine I can't help but blush. 

"Sure." Katie answers for us. 

We grab our drinks and walk into the other room where there are tables set up. "He was hot!" Katie whispered from across the table. I laugh but inside I totally agree with her. 

"Let's finish our drinks and get our nails done. If we can't be in the bar, we could be in the nail place." I down my drink. 

Katie agrees and chugs down hers. We stand up to leave when we hear a gun shot. I jump back and Katie grabs a hold of my arm. We get low to the ground, and I can see Katie's tears fall from her face. I can't believe our luck. 

I hug her into my body and start to rub her back for comfort. I know how she starts to hiccup when she cries and I don't want any sounds to show people where we are. 

"You stay here." I whisper to her. 

She grabs my arm and says, "where are you going?" 

"I am going to see if it is clear to leave from that door" I point to the exit behind us. "If it is, you and me are bolting." 

She nods, and lets go of my arm. I start to crawl over to the door and push on it, and it swings open. This is perfect, we can get out through here. I turn back to Katie, but then I see someone is beside her. Someone has their hand over her mouth and she is crying. 

I jump up, filled with rage and adrenaline. I run over to the man, but just when I near him he pulls a gun on me. "Stay back or I will kill you and your friend." 

I stop dead in my tracks. "Please. Let her go." I beg. 

"I am sorry about this girls, but you are just collateral damage I am afraid." He laughs. "Why don't you be a good friend and walk over her to me. Really. Slowly." He waves the gun as if to signal me closer. "I don't bite." 

I slowly walk towards him with my hands up. When I reach him he grabs my arm and lets go of Katie's mouth. Katie hugs me, but then we are pulled apart. 

"That's enough. You two are my ticket out of here. Let's go." He turns to scan the room. "Where are the dam exits?" 

"The door over there is open." I point. He turns to me and then smiles. 

He pulls us along, and when we reach the door he makes Katie and I walk out first. I can feel the gun on my back, but I hold on to Katie hand. I don't want to get separated. We walk a little ways until lights start flashing on us. Katie grabs me and I hug her. I am not sure what is going on. 

"DROP YOUR GUN!" A voice shouts from in front of us. There is too much light to see his face, but I can see the outline of his body. "I WILL SHOOT!" 

"I got hostages, you won't shoot or I will shoot them." Our kidnapper laughs. Why is he laughing so much. He must be deranged. 

"DROP YOUR WEAPON!" The voice says again. 

"I am tired of this game." The kidnapper grabs me and puts the gun to my head. "Drop your gun and I won't kill her." 

Katie looks at me horrified, but I stay calm. I struggle a bit, but when it is clear I can't get out of his grip I give up. Katie looks at me and I tell her with my eyes to back away. She understand and starts taking small steps back. 

The man doesn't notice, which is good. If I can keep him distracted, Katie can run to safety. The man shakes me. 

"LET THE LADY GO!" The guy who I still can't see very well says once more. Then there was a shot. 

At first I thought it had hit me, but when I took a breath I felt fine. I turn and saw that my kidnapper was now on the ground clutching the hand where he held the gun. I leaped back. 

"Ladies, please follow me." The man from before instructed. I grabbed Katie and ran towards this man. When I came closer I was able to see that this was the same man before who told us to take our drinks and leave. He lead us to the front of the bar where an ambulance was waiting. 

I helped Katie to sit down on the stretcher, knowing she would be going into full shock soon.  She laid down and a paramedic came over to check on her. I waved them off telling them to help Katie first. 

"You did a good job." A voice came from my left. I turned and saw the green eyed man of mystery. 

"I was just helping my friend." I say standing up. "That man is deranged." 

"I am sorry that he took you and your friend. There will be people coming over to get statements from you, but I will stay here with you until they come." He stated. 

"Well, if you're going to stay, please sit down." I patted the space beside me. 

He sat down. "I have never seen anyone so calm before." 

"I was... am still terrified." I shrug. 

"Could have fooled me." He smiled at me. It made my heart melt. 

"I am Alisa." I reach out my hand. 

"I am Ethan." He sakes my hand. "I work for the FBI and you and your friend walked into an FBI sting." 

"Wow, what the introduction. Some people just tell me their last name, but wow you blew them all away." I laugh. 

He smiles at me. "Sorry." 

"It's fine. I mean not the who hostage thing, but hey..." I shrug. 

The paramedic comes over to me. "Your friend will be fine. She will need to go home and sleep, but she will be fine. Will you be alright?" 

"I am fine." I thank the paramedic and then she leaves. I turn to Ethan, "I should be getting her home." 

"Do you need me to call for someone?" He offers. 

"No, I can get us home just fine. She lives with me, and we are about five minutes from here." I stand up. "If people want statements we live at 236 North street." 

"Someone will be over sometime tomorrow to get a statement. Are you sure you are good to drive?" He stands, but he is taller than I thought so now I have to look up at him. 

"I will be fine." I nod. "Goodnight Ethan." 

I grab very sleepy Katie and help her into my car. She falls asleep before we reach the apartment and I have to wake her up just enough to get her into the apartment. She crashes on my bed, but she always does that so I don't mind. I tuck her in and then fall asleep beside her. 

It has been a long day, and I didn't want to go for drinks in the first place, but I can't say I didn't like meeting Ethan. I feel asleep that night wondering if I would ever see him again.