Don't Look Like a Seal Pt. 01

"I thought that I was?" He chuckled as he made light little circles on her with his fingertips.

"Uh huh, I think you're just trying to embarrass me in front of Addison," Lissa sighed as she felt herself growing hot under his touch.

Addison started giggling at them and soon Scott started laughing as well at Lissa's attempts to stop him. She shook her head as the waitress returned with their orders.

"Do you guys need anything else," She asked them while trying not to join in with the laughter.

"I need someone to reign these pair of jokers in," Lissa remarked as she shook her head.

"I think our burgers will help you out there," She said with a laugh.

Lissa watched as Addison dove into her burger and nodded in agreement.

"I'd say that you're right about that," She laughed.

***

After the group finished lunch Scott offered to accompany the ladies back to Addison's family estate.

"That's okay, baby," Lissa told him. "It's a great day so I'm sure that you have a ton of things you can be doing at the marina."

"Nothing I couldn't get out of for a few hours," He assured her. "Bryan can cover for me if someone shows up for a lesson. Especially if you ladies plan on enjoying the sunny afternoon we've got going here by lounging by a pool for example."

Lissa flashed him a dirty look and Addison giggled.

"What?" He asked while he faked bewilderment. "Shouldn't a guy skip out of work to be with the woman he loves on such a pretty day?"

"With the woman he loves and her hot friend who happens to own the smallest bikini ever made. The very bikini that he wishes she would slip on once we got home?" Lissa countered as she playfully poked his chest. "I don't think so, Scottie."

Scott made a show of snapping his fingers in mock frustration then shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't worry, Scott. Now that I'm back I'll make sure that you have plenty of opportunities to catch me in my teeny bikini. Accidentally of course. Besides if you see it all in the first day it'll kill the anticipation of what's to come," Addison told him in her sultriest voice.

"All right you two. Addison, if you don't stop, you're going right back to the airport instead of home to your family. And, Scott, you'll be sleeping on the couch for the next month if you don't cut it out," Lissa warned them.

He grinned and wrapped her up in a huge hug that swept her off her feet then lifted her into the air. A couple of people walking down the sidewalk noticed and laughed aloud, embarrassing Lissa.

"Put me down, you big brute!" She squealed then giggled as he spun her around.

After a few seconds he let her slide down his chest then gave her a sexy kiss before he let her slip from his arms.

"Love you Pumpkin," He whispered while he looked deep into her eyes.

"Love you Sailor Man," She responded with a huge grin on her face. "See you at home later?"

"Definitely," He answered matching her grin. "There's supposed to be some storms rolling in this afternoon so we won't be going out after three or so. Now you ladies don't do anything I wouldn't do. I'm tapped for bail money till next week."

"Get out of here!" Lissa said then slapped his rear.

"Ouch!" He said in mock pain then turned to Addison and took her hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Addison. Welcome home."

"Thank you, sweetie. It was nice to meet you as well," She said then as he turned to walk away she called out. "What no kiss for me?"

"Someone once told me, that if you see it all in the first day it kills the anticipation of what's to come," He said with a wink then hopped into his truck.

"Oh he's good, Lissa! He's very good," Addison said as she squeezed Lissa's arm.

"I know. Just remember whose boyfriend he is," Lissa giggled.

"I will," Addison assured her. "I'm just wondering if he has a brother at home!"

"Older brother. Already married with kids. Sorry sweetie, but he does have a few teammates that were on his Seal team," Lissa shared.

"Any as good as him?" Addison asked intrigued.

"Possibly, I've only met two of them so far. T. J. And Ramon live in New York, I met them at Christmas when I met his folks. They were really nice and so funny," Lissa said.

"New York's only a plane ride away," Addison remarked.

Lissa shook her head at Addison's eagerness to find a man as they got back into her car.

"You just got back, Addison!" Lissa said. "He's also got a friend in town that used to be on the team too, but I haven't met him. He's too busy with his work or something but Scott's mentioned him a couple of times. He runs some type of security firm and Scott used to do some odd jobs for him before he decided to settle down with me. Besides you just got back home! Michelle would kill me if I didn't keep you around until she got back from Orlando, so just take that idea right out of your head!"

"Okay, okay. I couldn't leave until I see my Michelle anyway, you know that," Addison stated then asked. "So Pumpkin huh, what's that about?"

"It's where we met," She answered as she started the car.

Addison gave her a strange look as she continued.

"Back in October I was trying to find a pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern and Scott was there too. We reached for the same pumpkin and, him being a gentleman, he let me have it with a sigh. He told me that it figures that the prettiest woman here would find the prettiest pumpkin in the patch."

"Aww," Addison cooed.

"After I stopped swooning, I told him that he had earned visitation rights to our pumpkin. I was having a Halloween party so, naturally, I invited him to it," Lissa said.

"Naturally," Addison agreed.

"I didn't talk to anyone else there the whole night! Next thing I knew the sun was coming up and he's cooking breakfast for me in my kitchen. Needless to say, I was in love from that moment on," Lissa smiled.

"He looks like that and he cooks?" Addison asked her incredulously. "Maybe I should start hanging around pumpkin patches if they attract guys as hot and talented as Scott is."

"What about your actor boy?" Lissa asked. "No love connection with that hottie?"

"He was the living embodiment of self-absorbed and it was over almost before I knew it started but he acted like he had just done something wonderful. I was embarrassed for him really," She admitted and the two of them break into another fit of laughter unaware of the pair of eyes that watch them from across the street.

* * *

"We've got the car but we are unable to confirm if the target is in it," The man reported via walkie-talkie as he pulled out right behind Lissa's car. "What are my orders?"

"We're pulling up now," Another voice answered. "Keep following and wait for confirmation."

He pulled out a cell phone and made a call.

"Sir, we have the car in sight," He said. "Can you confirm that the target is inside?"

"You've got eyes on," The person on the other end hissed angrily. "Can you not confirm?"

"There are two females inside. One is a blonde and the other is a brunette," He answered.

"Then you have the target," The man on the phone stated with growing contempt. "Execute at the designated spot and don't fuck this up!"

The phone was abruptly hung up and the caller sighed.

"He's still a dick," He commented as he put the phone away and keyed the mic on his walkie talkie. "We have confirmation that the target is in the car. Proceed as planned."

"Proceeding as planned, team leader," The man in the follow car answered.

The team leader turned and looked at the others in the van with him. "We'll have one shot at this, people. Everyone be ready. We pull this off and we all walk away a whole lot wealthier by the end of the week."

* * *

Lissa drove along a secluded stretch of road that ran toward the Voss's private estate and listened as Addison raved about Scott.

"He seems like a great guy, Lis! Does he really make you happy? I mean really happy?" She inquired after a few moments.

Lissa took a moment to ponder the question and then she smiled.

"He really does. I finally think that I found the guy I'm supposed to be with," She answered. "It took me long enough but I know that I finally did it."

"Jesus, Lissa, we're only in our twenties! It's not like we have to settle down and start having babies like in the old days," Addison told her.

"I know that, Addison," Lissa remarked. "It's just that Katie settled down last year and Tonya's already had a baby that leaves just you and me from our little group."

"And Michelle," Addison reminded her. "Don't forget her."

"I could never forget our Michelle," Lissa said. "I'm still looking for a guy for her despite her vow to take some time off from dating since the whole Ryan thing happened. That was like, what nine months ago? Time for her to move on from that loser!"

"I think it was more like six months," Addison lied and hoped that Lissa wouldn't figure out her secret.

"Whichever, I've got to look out for my girl. She's always been there for me when I needed her so now I'm just trying to return the favor in my own little way."

"Lis, if she really wants to take some time off...," Addison started to say.

"It's been months, Addison. What if she's on this celibacy kick of hers and meets some great guy but let's him move on?" Lissa asked. "Nope, not going to happen on my watch! I want all my friends to find the perfect partner for themselves so they can be as happy as I am."

"We're trying, Lissa," Addison laughed. "Believe me, we're trying. Some of us just aren't lucky enough to be in the right pumpkin patch at the right time."

"Yeah well give it some time. You never can tell who could be waiting around the next corner," Lissa told her.

She didn't notice the car that was rapidly approaching them in her rear view mirror. The words had barely left her mouth when the car behind suddenly veered into the other lane as if to pass them. The driver switched back over with a quick jerk of the wheel and nearly collided with the front of Lissa's car.

"Jerk!" Addison yelled out just before the guy slammed on his brakes and fishtailed his car to a stop in front of them blocking the road.

Lissa jerked her steering wheel as she slammed on her brakes and skidded to a stop parallel to the other car just inches from its passenger side door. Before either of them can take a breath a van came to a stop about a foot away and the doors flew open. Five men, each armed with guns and dressed all in black except for the plastic clown masks covering their faces, leapt from the van. They surrounded the car and pointed their guns at the two startled women before they ordered them out of the car.

"Out of the car! Now!" shouted the man in charge.

Lissa and Addison sat there in shock, unable to move as they stared at the weapons.

"Move or die," He said and tapped the window with barrel of his gun. "Now!"

"What do you want?" Lissa asked in a shaking voice as she opened her car door.

The answer she received wasn't a verbal one as one of the men from the van yanked her out of the car. He slammed her against the front of her car and held her there, bent obscenely over the hot hood of her own car.

"Hey!" Addison shouted in protest of her friend's rough treatment but she too was slammed down onto the hood.

"Do not move!" The man holding Addison ordered her as he held her down.

The one that held Lissa pressed her face against the hood of her car burning her cheek as her ear was filled with the sound of the still running engine. She felt the barrel of the gun as it was pressed into the back of her neck and then the warm breath of her assailant on her cheek as he leaned in close to her.

"Don't scream and you might live through this sweet cheeks," He whispered as he pressed his body to hers.

She fought the revulsion she felt when he started to subtly grind his crotch against her rear.

"Leave her alone!" Addison begged but the plea fell on deaf ears.

"You should really worry more about yourself," The one that held her said as he teased his hand toward her ass.

"Can't we take'em both boss. I think this one here is starting to like me. We could use a new plaything back at the office," The man that was grinding himself into Lissa's backside asked with an evil chuckle.

Lissa whimpered as a terrible mental image floated up from the dark recesses of her mind. She bit the back of her tongue and swallowed back the bile that threatened to spew forth when she felt the man beginning to firm up below his belt.

"No! Oh god, please no," She managed to say to her captor.

"You'll be begging me, that's for sure. Either that or I can just kill you right now, what'll it be?" He asked her.

Lissa heard the click of his safety being flipped and figured that the sound of the gun going off will be the last sound she would ever hear. Considering the alternative, she thought that she would prefer the finality of a bullet to the brain.

* * *

Scott drove along humming along with the tune on the radio. Beside him in the passenger seat sat Lissa's purse. She'd left it at the diner but the server saw it and managed to wave Scott down even as Lissa and Addison drove away.

"Your lady friend left this in the booth. Can you get it to her?" the server had asked.

Scott had smiled and nodded.

"She's my fiancée," He told the helpful young woman. "I'll see that she gets it."

He thanked her and gave her a twenty for her trouble. She seemed reluctant to take it.

"Every good deed should be rewarded," Scott told her with a smile.

She returned his smile, pocketed the money and retreated inside with a little more spring in her step. He felt good about that. He started to drive toward the Voss estate figuring that he would catch up with them there. Up ahead he noticed a van blocking the road.

"What the hell is this?" He wondered to himself as his foot lifted off the accelerator.

He pulled to a stop a few feet behind the van but from his vantage point couldn't see anyone. He thought the positioning of the van looked off especially seeing as how the hazard lights weren't flashing. He craned his head to try and see around the van when he heard Addison scream. Scott was out of his car in a flash and moving towards the sound of the scream. At first he thought that maybe there was an accident but when he rounded the corner of the van and saw the men wearing clown masks and holding guns his throat went dry. He fought back the urge to throw himself at the man that had a gun at the back of Lissa's head. He had to play this smart.

"Hey!" He shouted hoping to draw the attention of the shooter away from Lissa but also hoping he didn't end up getting himself shot in the process.

The men all turned toward him, their guns raised in near perfect unison as they made ready to fire but no one pulled the trigger.

"They're trained. That's not good," Scott thought as he stopped moving and raised his hands above his head.

"Whoa fellas, I didn't come here looking for trouble," he said trying to stall them.

"Well you found some pal," One of the men stated. "Keep your hands up and step over to the car. Nice and easy so we don't kill you where you stand."

He gestured toward the car with his gun barrel his finger never leaving the trigger.

"Look guys I don't know what's going on here..." Scott said as he tried to back peddle to his car and the handgun he kept stashed under his seat.

When the guy that was holding Lissa pressed his gun barrel back to her head Scott froze.

"Move over here now or we drop you where you stand," The man ordered him and Scott heard a couple of safeties clicking off. "Two seconds and we start shooting, the women first, then you."

With no alternative, Scott stepped over to the rear of Lissa's car and caught her eye. The look of worry and fear clouded her face and was like a dagger twisting in his stomach because he knew that anything he tried would risk not only his life but Lissa's and Addison's as well.

"Looks like this is our lucky day," The guy behind Lissa commented. "We can take both of these hot pieces of ass with us and leave the ransom note with the hero here."

"You shut up and check the photo," The team leader ordered him. "And you, hands on the car!"

Scott complied by laying his hands on the car but he kept them close to his waist and the belt knife he had that doubled as a belt buckle. It's wasn't much but at least it was something. He almost had it in his hands when a voice shouted from the van.

"Guys this is taking too fucking long. Get a move on!" The van driver shouted.

"What do you think boss? Take the girls and leave Mr. Samaritan here with the ransom demand?" One of them asked. "We could maybe get double the ransom, right?"

"We have to make sure that we have the right one. Who's got the pictures?" The leader stated.

"I got her," The man holding Addison confirmed as he checked a photo that he pulled from his pocket. "Meet Miss Addison Voss."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Ms. Voss," The leader smiled coldly. "Now get your sweet little ass in the van."

Scott knew that he had no choice but to try to stop this. If they got Addison into that van and drove off her odds of survival would drop like a stone. With a quickness that belied his unimposing posture, he lunged at the man that was holding Lissa. The man still had a firm grip on her and all three of them tumbled to the hot pavement in a heap. Scott tried to push Lissa away and pull his knife at the same time but only managed to free her for a moment. The man grabbed her by her shirt sleeve and held on tight. The other gunmen started to come out of their stunned inaction and moved toward them. Lissa jerked her arm and her sleeve ripped away freeing her. The gunman made another grab for her but Scott shoved his mask up which blocked his vision and exposed his face to them.

"Run!" Scott shouted at Lissa as she scrambled to her feet.

She paused for a split second and that hesitation was all it takes for one of the other goons to grab her up. He placed his gun to her head and yelled at Scott who was still fighting with the now unmasked assailant.

"Let him up!" His forearm locked around Lissa's throat strangling her scream into a gurgling sound.

Hearing Lissa chocking Scott released his grip and rose slowly to his feet.

"Fuck you, hero," the unmasked man said as he pulled his handgun and fired up at Scott.

He fired two successive shots that entered Scott's chest at an upward angle. Scott stumbled back before he he dropped to the pavement.

"Scott!" Lissa screamed as his body fell to the hot pavement.

The shooter got to his feet, stepped over and fired another shot into Scott's head. Both Lissa and Addison broke free from their shocked captors and dropped to the pavement beside Scott. Lissa was putting pressure on the wounds that were pouring blood while Addison started screaming for help.

"What the fuck are you doing," The team leader shouted at the shooter.

"Fuck him," The man sneered as he pulled his mask back into place.

They heard more cars stopping behind their makeshift roadblock. Horns blared and someone shouted out wanting to know what was going on.

"Damn it, the mission's blown," The team leader complained and gestured toward the van. "Leave them and go, now!"

They all retreated to the van and sped off just as people started getting out of their stopped cars.

"Call 911!" Addison shouted to the first person she saw as she and Lissa tried and stop the blood that's pouring out of Scott. "Someone call 911, please!"

"They're already on the way," One of the men that stopped assured her as he knelt beside them. "I used to be medic in the Marines. Let me have a look."

"Don't leave me Scott, hang on!" Lissa cried. "Please hang on."

Addison attempted to pull Lissa back but Lissa held her ground.

"She's doing fine. You just keep putting pressure on just like that," The former medic said. "His name's Scott?"