Chapter 7

Mike held the chair for Dani to sit after the Maitre d' led them to their table. Mike had chosen a quiet French restaurant for this rendezvous. It was only their second date and Mike and Dani needed it. The lighting was low and only made Dani look even more lovely, Mike thought and he knew it was going to be hard not staring at her for the rest of the night.

"Would the Monsieur like to see the wine list this evening?" asked the Maitre'd'.

Mike smiled at Dani. "Thank you, no. I think I'd like just a coffee please."

The man nodded his head and turned to Dani, "Would Madam like to look?"

"No thank you. I think I'll have some tea please."

"Very good. Your waiter will be with you in just a moment." Said the man as he handed out the menus then left to tell the waiter the drink order and get the next customers seated.

The waiter arrived with the drinks and took the food orders and left.

Dani watched Mike to see what was going to happen, as this was his show but it was really starting off slow.

Mike made several tries to start the discussion but every time he looked at Dani, his throat closed and he would get lost in her eyes as he looked at them.

Dani decided she's had enough and wanted to help him relax.

"Mike when you were little, what did you want to be?"

"Ummm, I..." Mike shook his head and smiled, "Something you're going to laugh at."

"I might but then I might not. Tell me, I want to know."

Mike looked at Dani not sure where this was going but then shrugged his shoulders.

"A rodeo clown."

Dani smiled but didn't laugh, although she wanted to.

"And what made you want to do that?"

"I loved clowns. When I was about five my folks took me to the Pendleton Round Up, it's a big rodeo in Oregon. When I saw the clowns, I knew I just had to become one. That lasted all of three years. Then my parents needed to move. My father was in the military. After that, I think being a policeman was the main focus. I did a short stretch in the military but it wasn't for me. I am in the Guard though. I took on the idea of becoming a cop. I liked being a street cop but then I was transferred to the gang unit but I really didn't like it that much. Something was missing. Someone told me of an opening in the FBI so I applied and that's where I'm at now," Mike finished with a sigh.

"You don't sound happy where you're at?"

"I thought I was. As a cop, you couldn't really look at it as protecting a person. You were protecting a community from a person. Once the incident was dealt with, that was it. I wanted something more."

"And you thought doing the gang task force would be more what you were looking for?"

"No, like I said I got transferred to it simply because they had too many openings. When I was in high school I loved doing research and investigating things. So when the openings for the FBI came up, I took it. Don't get me wrong I like it, but lately it's been big items not something that feels, to me at least, like it's helping the person at the other end. That's why I've been talking to some friends of mine," Mike stopped and took a drink then continued. "These friends of mine are a bit nuts. They stayed in the military for a few years longer than I did and then tried to become cops. It wasn't what they wanted so they got together and started a security company. Private stuff mostly bodyguard work, that sort of stuff. But sometimes they get calls to find someone or help to get away from someone else and that's just not something they have the ability to do."

Dani could see where this was going. "But if you got onboard with them then they might want to take those other types of work?"

"Dani..." Mike smiled and gave a chuckle, "Thanks. Yes, I've been talking to them and they've been getting more calls for that lately, but they just don't know what they can do. I've always been good at finding things out. I've been thinking with what they have and what I know, it could turn into a really good thing and help on the end where it's just a person."

"Sounds like something that you would be good at. So I guess you'll be quitting then?" Dani wasn't completely happy with what she heard.

"Quitting the FBI, yes. Leaving you? That's something else I want to talk about."

Dani and Mike just looked at each other for a long time. The spell was finally broken when the food arrived. Both laughed as they had jumped when the waiter started putting the food down.

"Mike, you said that this group of guys were into security, body guarding and stuff like that. Now I know where I'm at is far from ideal when it comes to that area. I don't know what my father was doing but I don't remember there really ever being a lot of security around. With as much money as I know the company was making you would think there would have been. And now with Carol and her kids coming I'm starting to wonder if it's really safe."

"Dani when you were growing up you didn't spend that much time there, but I know from talking to you before that you let go most of you staff. How many was it?"

"There were two maids, the butler/driver, my father's personal secretary. She wasn't there for the business side of things; she took care of the house finances, ordering everyone around that sort of thing. Margaret does a better job then she ever did. But she helped my father I guess. She didn't want to continue working for me and I didn't need her services so that worked for both of us."

"I think if you looked at her that she was providing your father with a very personal type of body guarding." Mike said with a sideways smile. "I've heard of a few companies that offer that so that the guard doesn't stand out."

Dani was doing some thinking and didn't like what she was coming up with. Her place was even more vulnerable and now she had more people to watch out for. She turned and looked straight at Mike.

"Enough games. We both know what this is about. You want to ask to stay and I really want to ask you to stay." Dani slowed down and took a deep breath. "Mike I would like to offer you an idea and an opportunity."

Mike tipped his head to the side, "Please continue."

"I like you. I like you a lot. One could say that I'm falling in love with you. But I'm only 16, and I don't know what's out there for me as yet. Even if I did, I have way too much going on right now to handle something that needs one's full attention. So here's what I'm thinking. You go to work for that other company and I hire them and you to do the security for me. Now seeing that you will most likely get a smaller pay check for a bit I can offer you the room you're in for say $300 less a month than you're paying now. That rent would include utilities so you're saving even more. This has the added benefit of having just a bit of extra security on site if needed." Dani finished and waited.

Mike was not overly surprised by what Dani had come up with but was pleased with the addition of him being able to move in and be close to Dani.

"Dani, I know you're only 16 and you have a lot to look forward to. I..."

Whatever Mike was going to say was interrupted as gunshots rang out. Chairs, tables and things went flying as people ducked for cover. Men in masks were yelling for people to get on the floor and to hand over all their money and valuables.

Mike looked around and knew things weren't good and he had to work fast. Two things came into Mike's field of vision, one was the big old chandelier in the middle of the room and the other was the lighting panel near the door. Most of the men that were moving into the room would be under the hanging lights in moments and another stood guard near the door not too far from the panel.

Five shots rang out. People screamed as the lights went out and sparks went flying. When the emergency lighting flashed on, all of the intruders were down and Mike was over by the larger group taking away their weapons and making sure the men didn't get away.

When the local police arrived in force, they were shocked at what they found when they took control of the scene but they were happy. One of them was a welcome site. "Agent Heyens this is a treat. Can you tell us what happened?" asked Officer Bill Jennings.

"Officer Jennings it's nice to see you again. Dani and I were ... Dani! Where's Dani! DANI!" Mike looked around and back at where he and Dani had been sitting. He didn't see her. Then there was another cry, "My Baby! Where's my baby!"

Mike ran back to that side of the room just in time to hear. "Mike, we're over here!" then saw Dani slowly climbing out from under a table with a baby in her arms. Mike let out a big breath and took Dani in his arms.

"What happened? How'd you end up with this child?" asked Mike but the answer had to wait as the mother came over crying her thanks for saving her baby. When it was quiet for a moment Dani continued.

"I'm not sure what made me do it but I turned, not to look at the front of the place but to the side. People were diving under things, tables were being knocked over; then I saw a highchair get pushed and then it started to fall. I dove out of the seat and just made it in time to catch the baby. Then I scrambled under another table and stayed there. I knew once I heard you calling for me that it would be safe to come out."

"Oh My Dear, How can I ever repay you for saving my baby. I tried to grab her but someone grabbed me and then I saw someone push the chair over. Then I couldn't see anything anymore, thank you. Thank you both." Said the mother and held her baby close to her as she turned to her husband and cried.

Office Jennings moved Dani and Mike to the side and asked them to tell him what had happened. When they were finished, Bill was impressed.

"Agent Heyens..."

"Please call me Mike."

"Only if you call me Bill."

"Sure."

"I'll tell you I still don't know how you did it but you saved a lot of people today. We've had a rash of these and they've been getting more violent with each hit. You did kill two of the perps but with the hardware they had you really didn't have a choice."

"It all came down to training and you know it. I'm just lucky that when I brought down the chandelier that I only hurt two of the bystanders."

"It could have been so much worse. The one last week had eight people going to the hospital, two of which are still there. The two that were injured here aren't that bad and will be out no later than tomorrow. I'll take this over that other one any day."

Officer Jennings went back to work by escorting the little family out of the restaurant when the manager came up to Mike and thanked him for what he did and was told that the meal was on the house as well as the next one. Mike apologized for the chandelier but the manager told him he didn't like it anyway and it gave its life to help save his customers. Mike and Dani laughed but were soon escorted out themselves. They gave their statements, but were told to stay around for a bit as the supervisor wanted to talk to Mike. And after turning over his side arm, Mike was also told that he would have to file an after action report with his office in the morning.

It was nearly midnight by the time they could leave and were very glad to be heading home. Mike first retrieved his back-up weapon from his trunk safe so that he was not feeling so exposed.

"You know we never did get to finish our talk." Mike commented while he started the car.

"I agree."

"I'll be calling my friends in the morning and having them come over to go over what needs to be done to get your place to turn into Fort Knox. I most likely should ask how much you want to spend on this?"

"Well I need to find out first what it's going to take. I'm sure a fence around the place is going to be required and I can get information on that from the McDoogles I think. If not from them, they might know the best people to do it. The rest I'll have to see what they come up with. There is one thing that I think I would like to do."

"Oh what's that?"

"I felt so helpless tonight. I didn't like it. I'd like to have you train me or find me some one to train me in the use of firearms. Not that I ever want to have to use them but I did not like just sitting there."

"I can understand that but you can't do much about that, I think until your 18 anyways."

"I can't carry concealed until then. But take tonight, once the men were down and if I had training, I could have, with you there, taken one of those weapons and helped cover the men to keep them from trying anything. Don't think I didn't notice that no one did anything to help. The fear was just too thick in there."

Mike thought for a moment as he turned another corner. "Dani I know you would have loved to have helped me but look what you did by not helping me. You saved a baby. That's just as important. But I do understand and once everything calms down a bit, maybe I'll take you to one of the training ranges and see what I can do."

With that final word, the conversation stalled for a moment but as Mike rounded the last turn before pulling into the driveway he said, "Dani I would love to stay here with you. So if that rental option is available, I'd like to move in as soon as possible."

"Why Mike I thought you'd never ask." Dani giggled, and was still chuckling as they made their way up the stairs to the Dani's door.

Mike turned to Dani and found her standing there smiling at him. For just a moment, she mesmerized him. Dani saw the look and felt a desire in her that she knew he could match and took a step closer to him. Mike's brain didn't seem to be controlling his body as he realized his arms had come up and were now holding Dani to his chest. Dani tipped her head back to see his face at the same time Mike tipped his down and it was like magic that their lips met.

Time stood still for them as they let their lips molded to the other's. Then they started moving. Dani's arms came up behind Mike to hold him close. Her mouth parted and her tongue slid out and across his lips sending a jolt of electricity through both of them.