The Bartender's Daughter

Chapter Nine

My heart jumped in my throat and I opened my eyes slowly and saw a man dressed in all black pointing a gun straight at me. From his angle he would be completely invisible from the kitchen, and if I acted normal like the gentleman wanted me to, Jack and Emmit wouldn't suspect a thing. Not that I think they'd be too concerned with me or looking out the window for that matter. I wasn't a child you needed to keep track of.

Maybe.

"Uh, hello there. Can I help you?" I asked softly, not moving a muscle of my body.

"Are you Alli?" He asked me.

"Depends who's asking."

He glared at me. "Answer me or the gun will do the talking for you."

I sighed. "Yes, I am Alli. Who are you?"

"That's not important. Now, you're going to do exactly as I say, alright?"

I looked at the gun again, and nodded. I wasn't really afraid of guns necessarily, my father had taught me how to use them when I was younger and I've got to say I'm a pretty decent shot. However there's a difference between having a gun in your hand, and having a gun being pointed at you. And having a gun being pointed at you has a certain leverage you can't really gain back. That is, unless you have the gun.

"Sure. Does it involve me getting off this swing because I'm getting a little uncomfortable." I asked, swinging slightly in the breeze.

He motioned with his gun and I climbed off without any troubles and began walking towards him slowly, looking around a little at the flowers and stuff trying to act "natural". As soon as I reached him he pushed my up against a tree and took a deep breath.

Just be calm... You can do this...

I scanned the man briefly as I he peaked around the tree at the house. He was kind of young, maybe in his thirties, and he looked really well trained. How was I supposed to take this guy down?

Wait, I thought of a better question. How could I alert the trained professionals inside that this untrained, yet somewhat capable female was outside with a gun pointed at her.

I looked down at his gun and pursed my lips. I think I had an idea, but it wasn't going to be pretty.

"So why are you so interested in me huh? Trying to gain some leverage? Do you work for "them"?" I made air quotes and the guy looked at me with narrowed eyes.

"How do you know about them?"

I shrugged. "No one told me anything, I just kind of put two and two together when they tried to ruin my dad's bar." I slowly pressed myself off the tree and got a little closer to him. "I have no idea what's really going on here, so if you would kindly let me go back into the house I'm sure we both can forget this ever happened." I smiled at him and that smile slowly faded as he got closer to me, but I didn't back down; we were almost the same height so there wasn't really a leverage when it came to being intimidating by height.

"I don't think that's going to happen sweetheart."

I snorted. "I'm not you sweetheart darling." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Besides, eventually they're going to notice I haven't come back in and I'm not in the yard, so they will come out here. Three against one genius."

He looked at me and his gun lowered a little and that's when I jumped. I knocked him over, pushing the gun out of his hands. He tried to grab my wrists but I punched him in the nose and rolled, grabbing for the gun. I clutched it in my hands and half-crawled half-ran towards the tree line. Right when I reached the yard I felt arms wrapping around my waist.