The doorbell rings as I push up my bra and tighten my dress. I grab my lipstick and try to run to the door. I trip on my heels and fall into the door.
“Ouch!” I mutter, and throw the door open. “Hey guys!” I say, hugging Brian and Nick.
“Hey, Al. It’s almost time to go!” Jay says, rushing into the lounge. He stops abruptly when he notices Nick and Brian. “What are THEY doing here?”
“Jay!” I say, annoyed by his impoliteness. “They’re coming with us.”
“Fine,” he shrugs it off and looks for Jade. “Yo! Pookie, come on! We have to go!”
“Alright, alright!” she walks into the room caking on more lipstick.
“Jade!” Brian yells, his eyes running over her.
“I can’t believe you’re okay with letting her go out like that!” Nick says to Jay, gesturing to Jade. “There is no way I’d ever let BJ, or Les, or Ang go out like that!”
“Damn, don’t remind me, Blondie. They’re my last chance. Now can we PLEASE go? Nobody asked you guys to come here and slow us down,” he grabs his coat and heads out the door.
I follow Ali into the dark bar nervously. I am doing my most confident, hips asway walk but inside I feel like I’m gonna throw up at any moment. The microphone taped to my chest is also feeling kinda uncomfortable. I glance around the bar as we perch on our stools. I can see Jay in a corner with a FBI guy who had been introduced to me as Rob. In another corner are Nick and Brian. I can’t believe Brian has come. But he is here and I’m secretly glad. I feel like nothing bad can happen if Brian is around me. He looks up and our eyes meet for a moment before I look away. Ali has ordered us two stiff drinks which we down. Partly for show and partly for our nerves.
“I wish you’d make it up with him,” Ali whispers looking over at Brian.
“I wish he’d give up,” I reply.
“Give up on you?” she laughs. “Never. He loves ya.”
“Big deal,” I mutter.
“It IS a big deal,” Ali argues, her voice rising a little. “Guys like him don’t come along too often.”
“Ali, you’re blowing our cover. If anybody’s listenin’ in they’re gonna TOTALLY suss that we’re not whores.”
“Ok, whatever. But we’re talkin’ later,” she warns.
“Whatever.” I sneak another look at Brian and then casually take in the bar. “So, who do you reckon?”
Ali looks around. We had spent most of the day being shown pictures of the targets. “Not here yet.”
“Man, I hope they turn up.”
“Me too,” she orders another two drinks. “I can’t believe how many feds are in here.”
“I guess it’s reassuring,” I say, not really meaning it.
We drink in silence for a while, fending off approaches from the bar’s regulars. After about half an hour I watch two men walk through the door. They definitely fit the descriptions, and I notice Jay stiffen slightly as they walk past him. They stand on the opposite end of the bar to us.
“That’s them,” I whisper to Ali.
“Looks like it. Shall we?”
“Nah, give ‘em a few minutes to settle in.”
“Ok,” she agrees.
“Oh jeez,” Brian mutters. “I just wanna go over and carry her out. I HATE this.”
“Me too,” Nick agrees, cracking his knuckles nervously.
“Has she said anything to you? About me?”
“Uh…” Nick doesn’t know what to say.
“She has!” Brian jumps on his friend’s hesitance.
“Well, yeah,” Nick admits. “But I promised her I’d keep it quiet.”
“Nick! I’m goin’ crazy here.”
“Sorry,” Nick shrugs. “All I can tell ya is that she needs a little time, and she does love you.”
“Time,” Brian groans and looks back at Jade.
“Why’d they have to bring their fuckin’ BOYFRIENDS along?” mutters Rob, the FBI agent sat next to Jay. “They’ll blow the cover for sure.”
“They better not,” growls Jay. “I’m just lookin’ for some excuse to beat the crap outta them.”
Rob chuckles. “Whoa, what’d they do to ya?”
“See the blonde doofus? He’s dating Ali, the girl I had a thing for back in Atlanta. And the other one was dating my sister but he pissed her off,” Jay scowls and then stiffens as the bar door opens. “Hey, over there.”
The two agents watch as the drug dealers head over to the bar.
“I guess it’s game on,” says Rob.
Jade and I sit at the bar and I notice her tapping her long nails on the counter. I roll my eyes and put my hand over hers.
“Will you stop that!”
“I’m nervous! Aren’t you nervous?”
“Jade, I’ve done this since I was fifteen. That’s six years.”
“But have you ever tried seducing an armed criminal?”
“A gay guy, married man, FBI agent, famous pop star… nope, no fugitives,” I giggle and she smiles. “Ok, so I am nervous. But I think we should get to work over there,” I say, pointing to the guys. “Okay, the blonde one is Slayer right?”
“Yeah, and the one with the tattoos is Carlo,” she answers. “I get Slayer!”
“No way! Carlo is funky looking! I can’t handle all those tattoos! You should be used to it with AJ by now.” Before she can fight back I stand up and sashay down to the guys.
“I guess it’s now or never,” says Ali.
I follow her over to the other side of the bar, wishing she hadn’t used that particular phrase as I now have Elvis singing in my head. Not very apt at all. The Jaws theme would be WAY better.
“Good luck,” Ali whispers and I plaster on a smile as I sidle round the side of one of them.
My guy is kinda tall with dark hair. He has a real Spanish look about him, which is why he is my guy. The feds had figured that he’d be more likely to go for his own ethnicity. Ali’s guy is shorter and he has blonde hair and a goatee beard. They both look up as we approach.
“Hi there,” I purr.
“Hi,” the Latino guy looks me up and down and then licks his lips. “What you doin’ all by yourself?”
“Waiting for you,” I giggle, feeling sick inside.
“Hmm,” he says, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me hard against him. I can smell alcohol on his breath. “Well I sure am ready.”
“I noticed… Big boy.”
“You got THAT right,” he smirks.
I notice an empty seat next to Slayer. I “accidentally” trip into him as he talks to Carlo, acting like a dancer from the crowd pushed me. I grab onto his shoulders, slightly thrusting my boobs into his face. I giggle and climb off of him.
“Sorry about that,” I slide into the seat next to him.
“No worries, baby. Can I buy you a drink?” he asks, his eyes still roaming all over me.
“Absolutely. Order whatever you think I can handle.” I look at him slyly, “Oh, I forgot. Is this seat taken?”
He looks around, and sees no other free seats. “Yeah, it is.”
“Oh, okay,” I get up and slide into his lap. “This is much better.”
He puts a hand on my leg and slides it up the tiny slit in my dress, rubbing my inner thigh. I giggle and play with his hair, wondering why I gave up having this much fun.