Ch. 02: The Robbery.

"If you know that you don't want to get hurt or killed, don't move," one of the masked men said menacingly.

Sandy could not hold back her fears, she screamed immediately as she saw them and hid behind Matthew. 

Kelly was speechless. She did not know what to do. It was her shop and she believed that they were nothing but robbers, and judging from their weapons, they were all dangerous. Each one of them held one. Ranging from bats, to knives, and the one who had spoken, held a gun.

"Please, the shop is open, you can take anything you want but please don't hurt anyone." Kelly begged with her hands over her red hair, even about to kneel down in the process.

"Now, that is interesting," said one of the intruders, the one with the gun. "We do not want any of your fancy jewelry. What we want is of far more importance. What we want, is you." 

Ethan twitched from hearing that information.  His body almost moved on his own but he stayed still. These people were still dangerous. A wrong move could put him in very deep danger, deeper than he already was. He looked at Matthew, the man that had claimed to be a martial arts expert. This should be his chance to prove he is a hot shot, Ethan thought.

"Matthew do something," Sandy said from behind him. Immediately as if controlled by Sandy's words, and the impulse to prove to everyone that he was indeed an expert in martial arts, pushed him to challenge the robbers.

Immediately, he ran up to the robbers and punched, they dodged it with ease, but before he would know it, one of them with a bat in his hands, had charged in and battered his face with it, crushing his nose. He fell down immediately.

"I told you not to move," the kidnapper said, leaving his minions to deal with Matthew who had now ran behind Sandy, cowering in fear, while the boss of the intruders went in straight to grab Kelly. He held her hostage.

Ethan saw this as a chance to get in while the rest were distracted. Before the leader could  hold on to Kelly, he charged before him.

"I will not let you take her away," he said. "Not even a finger."

This ordeal was odd to everyone in the shop, including Kelly and Sandy.

"I don't know what you want to prove, Ethan," Sandy began, not even able to hide the mocking tone beneath her teary voice. "But look what happened to Matthew who is supposedly an expert in hand to hand fighting. Do you want to die?"

"Please, Ethan," Kelly said. "Listen to your wife. I can take care of myself."

"Listen boy," the gunman added. "I can tell that these women are actually smarter than you. Be smart. Stand down. I'm holding a gun. Look what happened to your friend over there." 

"He is not my friend," Ethan said, before charging in. One guy came with a bat and he dodged it, grabbing his arm, twisting it so much so that he cried out in agony, and then pushing him towards the guy with the gun before he would get the chance to shoot.

Next came the guy with the knife, but grabbed hold of the knife fast enough before he could react, and then plunged it into his thighs, leaving him handicapped.

"I will shoot you," the one with the gun threatened, but before he could do any such thing, Ethan was fast enough to catch him by the gun, punching him particularly at the throat. 

His boss, Kelly was about falling to the floor, but he swooped in and caught her before she could, with a gun in his hand. She immediately stared at him and saw nothing of the poor man that worked for her, but a real man. One willing to risk his life for someone he deems as important.

He called the police later on with everyone still in shock of what had just happened before their eyes. The criminals managed to escape while they were all distracted before the arrival of the police.

"Oh, Ethan thank you so much for saving me." Kelly hugged him tight. Sandy could see what was happening as the man she had come with was still hiding himself in shame. She immediately felt jealousy rouse up in her.  She went on the offensive.

"Leave my man alone," she said as she tried pushing Kelly out of the way.

Kelly was not having it this time, she had had enough of Sandy in one day, and immediately branded her a slap. One that left red markings on her face. 

Kelly was beginning to feel drawn to Ethan who she now saw very differently from before. He looked like a good prospect for her plans, she approached him with her thoughts immediately, shy with her face as red as the evening sun that now hung in the sky.

"Ethan... Can I speak to you quickly about something?" She began. "See, I couldn't help but overhear that you are about to divorce from that woman, so... I was hoping that you really should sign the divorce papers. If you do, I will get married to you, and give you everything you deserve.”