*~*~*~*~*~*Chapter 11*~*~*~*~*~*

"Thank you so much" he said. He wanted to say so much more but he couldn’t get it out, it felt as he had a clump in his throat the size of a foot-ball. But she looked straight into his eyes and he knew she understood.

He cleared his throat and looked at the others.

"We better call the police and Nick’s family"

"Wait, I have something to say first"

"Shouldn’t we…"

"No. Now, listen closely, I won’t tell you twice. This may sound like a line from a cheesy movie, but this is real life, and it’s very important that you do what I tell you to do. Got it?" she said. Nick looked at the AJ and Howie.

"Just do what she tells you, ok?" he said. The others nodded. Stacey moved closer to them.

"Look, I don’t want the police to know who I am, you can’t give them my description, or what car I am driving. I want you to tell the police that Nick escaped from the building himself. The kidnappers blew the building up themselves, you don’t know why. Nick, you hitch-hiked and was dropped off here, where you called AJ. If they ask you things, details, just say that you don’t remember, they should believe you, you look like a mess"

"Thanks"

"You’re welcome. Do you understand everything?" she asked.

They looked at each-other. AJ cleared his throat.

"I guess I speak for all of us when I say that we want a better explanation.

I don’t understand why you can’t wait for the police and tell them what happened. You are one of the good guys, so why…." He was cut off by her.

Her black eyes were sparkling with anger.

"I saved Nick. Doesn’t that mean anything for you?

You shouldn’t question me!" she said through clenched teeth. AJ put his hands up in an attempt to calm her.

"I’m sorry, I really am. But it seems a bit strange when the police tried to find Nicky for 12 days, and you, a young girl found him. It even looks like you have been wounded, and you don’t seem to feel it. You look like you have exited a James Bond-film"

She smiled at him and sighed.

"Ok, I get it. But it’s one other thing too. If you tell the police about me, I can get in trouble. Not many persons know I did this, so for my security you have to shut up about this. Do we have an agreement?" she said and stretched her hand out to AJ. He took it and shook it firmly.

"Yes we have. You get out of here, and I will call the police"

"Sure"

"Will we see you again?" Nick asked. She looked at him intently.

"If you do that, it will not be under the best circumstances, but I will keep an eye on you…you seem to need that" she said with a smile. She then turned around to get back to her car when Nick approached her.

"I can never thank you enough for what you did"

"It’s ok, just take care of yourself now, kay?"

"Ok" he said and tried to give her a hug. But she turned around and stepped into the car. Howie put an arm around Nick’s shoulders and led him off the street.

Stacey started the engine and drove away. The three men stood and looked after it until it’s tail-lights had disappeared in the dark.